title : what are you doing? don't eat that!
oc / pairing : clarence stevens and
stuart johnston (stevenston)
trigger warnings : people have food
tws so food

DAY TWENTY - THREE : " don't eat that ! "

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"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON'T EAT THAT!"

RAW COOKIE DOUGH WASN'T MEANT FOR eating. At least, that's what Clarence was taught. He's never eaten it, he's never seen people it it. At least, not until now. He's never heard such a thing. This was the first year that Clarence was letting Stuart help out in the kitchen. And he had to pay close attention. Stuart was like a toddler, reaching out for things he wasn't supposed to. Which ended up with him burning his hand a few moments prior.

Stuart looked at him, pretty confused. He didn't understand why he couldn't eat it. "That's perfectly good cookie dough!"

Clarence raised a brow. "You're not supposed to eat cookie dough, Stu," he said to him, "you know that, right?"

"What are you talking about? It's perfectly fine," Stuart replied back, "My mom used to give me a couple pieces when I was younger."

"I hope it was edible cookie dough."

"All of it's edible!" Stuart told him.

Clarence sighed, shaking his head. He loved Stuart. With all of his heart. He was very smart, but he definitely had his moments. This was one of them. But, a lot of people didn't know that it wasn't good to eat. So, maybe it wasn't that much of a surprise when Stuart said his mom used to give him some to eat.

"No, Stu, it's not, actually," Clarence told him, kissing his cheek, "it's raw eggs and flour. You can't eat that."

He put the last of the cookie dough onto the sheet before he put it in the preheated oven. Clarence turned to Stuart. "If you want cookie dough, you have to grab the edible kind. It's heated flour, which isn't as bad."

Stuart slowly gave a nod. "I see," he said back, before saying, "my whole life has been a lie."

"Sorry to disappoint," Clarence chuckled.

He walked over to the opposite side of the kitchen, motioning Stuart over with his finger. Stuart immediately moves over. He's curious to know what was over in this direction, wrapping his arms around him.

"So, what's this?" Stuart asked.

"The macaroni and cheese," Clarence explained, "I already boiled the macaroni, so now I have to put all the dairy products in it. Multiple cheeses, milk, eggs. Some people put flour in it, which I don't necessarily understand."

"Do you know why they do?" Stuart asked.

"To make it fluffier," Clarence replied, "but to me it makes it taste powdery. I don't like it."

Stuart nodded. "I see. And ... You trust me to help you make that?"

"You have to learn eventually," Clarence told him, "I'm pretty sure you don't want JJ to have takeout this Christmas."

Stuart chuckled. "No, I don't," he said back.

"Exactly. So, that's why I'm allowing you into the kitchen this year," Clarence snickered.

He then heard the timer go off. Clarence looked behind him before he turned back. "Those are the cookies," he said, "I'll be right back, I'm putting you in charge of picking the cheese."

Stuart was left alone, but not for that long. Just enough time to pick three different types of cheeses for the baked macaroni. He decided to go with what he knew. Colby Jack, Sharp Cheddar, Mozzarella.

Clarence eventually came back. The footsteps snap Stuart out of his thoughts. He even noticed that Stuart was in thought, staring at the macaroni. He gave him the chocolate chip cookie that he had in his hand.

"Oh! Thanks," Stuart chuckled, before taking a bite. Just as expected, it tasted amazing. The chocolate immediately melted into his mouth.

"Better than you eating that raw cookie dough," Clarence said back, before looking at the packs of cheese, "oh! You picked them out! Great choices."

"Really?" Stuart asked.

"Yeah! This is actually what I use," Clarence chuckled.

"Oh! Cool!" Stuart said back.

Clarence knows something's off. After knowing Stuart for quite some time, he knows his body language. He doesn't look very confident, not like he usually did. Clarence fully turned to him.

"What's the matter?"

Stuart turned back. "What?"

"You're shifting. You look uncomfortable," Clarence told him, "what's wrong?"

Stuart didn't want to dampen the mood. It was Christmas, Clarence was showing him how to make things. And it was all cool, he loved that Clarence was teaching him. For some reason, it made Stuart feel insecure in his own parenting skills. He could do everything else but cook, and he knew that was essential.

"It's just ..." Stuart started, trying to find the words, "I feel kind of ... Stupid. All the cooking stuff. I've never been able to do it. I've never been able to understand it. And you make it look so effortless. It makes me nervous."

Clarence's eyes softened. He didn't know how insecure this made Stuart up until now. "Stu, you're not stupid," he said, "you're the smartest guy I've ever met. Cooking and baking isn't easy. You didn't think I burned my fair share of cookies or made my turkey dry?"

"Well, yeah, I know, but──"

"But nothin'," Clarence told him, "experience is the best teacher. I was just lucky with the whole culinary degree. But Stuart, no one's perfect. It just takes practice."

"I know," Stuart said back.

Clarence thought for a moment. "Do you ... Wanna try something easier? I get it. The baked macaroni and cheese is a little difficult to perfect."

Stuart nodded. "That would be nice."

Clarence looked around the kitchen. "I still have to make the brownies. Wanna try that?"

"That's right up my alley."

"I know," Clarence snickered.

Clarence led him over to a different counter. The same one that had all the desserts. He set down all the ingredients they needed. Eggs, flour, cocoa powder, and some other things. Clarence guides him, telling him what order to put the ingredients in. He even helped Stuart mix it, but the lawyer did most of the work.

They actually worked through the desserts quicker this way. Clarence helped him with the brownies, then with the different pies, the cookies. Even the cake, which was the biggest project of desserts. Clarence made a different cake every holiday. This year for Christmas, it was a carrot cake. He knew he had to be very particular about it, usually because Sinatra didn't like the bits.

"How come you're making the bits so small?" Stuart asked.

"Sinatra doesn't like them," Clarence answered, "he doesn't like the texture, so either I make it without or cut them real tiny."

Stuart gave a nod. "I see."

After the cake was finished, Clarence let Stuart do the honor of icing it. He actually had fun just watching him do it. Seeing Stuart look that happy warmed his heart. It made him think. Maybe he should let him into the kitchen a little more, even if he could cause a potential hazard.

Sinatra always got the first taste of the cake, simply because he was the one who was the most picky about it. Clarence called him into the kitchen. Like every year, he seems to be almost intimidated by it.

"Stu helped make it this year," Clarence told Sinatra.

"It looks pretty tasty," Sinatra chuckled, grabbing a fork, "well let's just see how he did."

There's a small piece of the cake on a saucer that Clarence just gave him. He took a piece of the fork and put it into his mouth. He furrowed his brows, he looks like he's thinking.

"What do you think?" Clarence asked.

"It's pretty good!" Sinatra said, "I can still taste the bits, but I can eat it. It's not bothering me that much. The batter, though? That's really good."

"Stuart did it all by himself," Clarence told his son, giving Stuart a playful nudge.

Stuart laughed. "I didn't do it all by myself," he said, "Clarence cut the bits up. And he made the icing."

"But you put it on the cake," Clarence said back.

"Well, you two did a good job! And you did really well with the batter, Mr. Johnston," Sinatra said back, taking another bite. He then looked at his father. "Can I have the rest of this?"

"Sure, kiddo," Clarence said back.

"Cool! Thanks!" Sinatra said back, walking away with the cake and saucer in hand.

Clarence looked at Stuart. "See? You didn't do so bad, Natra liked it. That's the first time I've seen him enthusiastic about carrot cake. He liked it, even down to the bits," he told him, "and the batter ... It definitely makes a difference."

Stuart gave a smile, before giving Clarence a kiss to his cheek. "Well, I only learn from the best," he said back to him.

The kiss makes Clarence heat up, a small smile appearing on his lips. "Aw, stop," he said, almost sheepish.

"Well, it's true. You're the best baker in town," Stuart told him, "you've got a gift, truly. You know your way through people's stomachs."

This made Clarence laugh. "I suppose I do, don't I?"

"Mhm," Stuart hummed, "and you have definitely made your way through my heart."

This made Clarence smile wider. "You're sweeter than any of the desserts I've made in this kitchen," he told him.

Stuart leaned down. He almost connected his lips with Clarence's. He doesn't get to kiss him, for the timer on the oven goes off. Stuart gives a small chuckle. "That must be the apple pie," he said, "i'll be right back."

He ended up giving Clarence a forehead kiss. It practically made him melt like one of the chocolate chips buried in cookie dough after they've been baked. Clarence watched as Stuart took the pie out of the oven. He's had more glee working in the kitchen with him rather than working in it by himself. And he wouldn't have it any other way.