Chapter Text
Cor’s not a picky eater, and Wes is glad for it. He’s been trying his hand at a few new recipes, if not just for the benefit of the group, but for himself maybe; the diner food was getting pretty old. And he’s starting to enjoy it too. Coming up with new dishes, trying to find a way to appease everyone’s tastes. For his part, Cor seems to enjoy almost everything he cooks. And Wes is glad. But it’s… that little thing…
Cor’s not picky, no. But he does have certain habits…
“We got any ketchup?” A harmless query, at first, Wes thinks. He’d made meat patties, so it wasn’t too out of place. Passing the bottle to his young friend, the advisor has no idea the can of worms he’s about to unleash on his culinary career. No one comments as Cor practically douses his meal in the thick red sauce. At least not the first time.
When Wes makes salmon though…
“Hmm..” is all Cor says as he appraises the meal and seemingly out of nowhere procures a bottle of ketchup.
Wes stares open-mouthed as the kid defiles the balance of flavors the advisor had just spent hours preparing.
The advisor makes a choked sound as the boy recaps the bottle.
“What?” Cor says as he stabs the fish with a fork, chewing the red-smeared piece with satisfaction.
At first, they all think nothing of it. Maybe the kid just doesn’t know fine dining. Sure.
Just a cute little habit.
Nothing wrong with that…
But Cor puts ketchup on everything.
Steak... pasta... chicken… vegetables… salad…
Wes nearly has a heart attack when his creamy mushroom and lamb dish is met with Cor’s ketchup assault. And he just eats through it all!
“What the fuck kid?” Clarus is the first to address it.
“Eh?” Cor continues making his plate a ketchup swamp.
“All that damned ketchup! What’s the matter with ya? Got something wrong with yer tastebuds, son?” Cid actually snatches the bottle from the boy’s hand.
Cor just shrugs and make an ‘I don’t know’ sound as he begins eating his meal.
“Is it the food?” Wes hates how desperate he sounds. “Do you not like the cooking? I can make whatever you’d like-”
“No, the food’s great, Wes.” Surprisingly Cor deals him a smile. “Really. I just… like ketchup.”
Huh.
It could have been as simple as that. And Wes should’ve just chalked it up to a weird quirk. He shouldn’t have to take it so… personally.
But it becomes his mission to try to beat the ketchup out of the kid’s godsdamned palate!
“We got any-”
“No!” Wes cuts him off before he can even think about it.
“But-”
“This is lobster, Cor.”
“Yeah? So?” Cor’s lucky his adolescence makes his obliviousness kind of endearing. But still. Wes can’t take it anymore! Meals are supposed to be enjoyed in a certain way. He takes pride in the nuance of flavors he imbues into his dishes. And the thought of disrupting that balance-
He hears a bottle cap unscrewing.
Gods! Where was he getting the stuff?!
“Cor, so help me. If you put even a fleck of ketchup on that lobster I’ll show you personally how I cooked the fucking things, now sit down and enjoy your meal in a civilized manner!”
Wes doesn’t let himself lose composure that easily. But the stunned silence that follows... and the look on Cor’s face…
The kid slowly twists the cap back into place, pouting, like a godsdamned child told to go to bed without dessert.
The way he sulkily eats the lobster almost makes Wes burst into laughter. Godsdamned brat.
After the meal, the rest of the group all thank Wes and help to clean up the mess. Cor’s still sitting at the table, rubbing a hand up his neck, awkwardly.
“Thanks, Wes. It was really good,” he grumbles, and Wes almost misses the last part, because it’s so shaded under his breath. “Woulda been better with ketchup though…”
“C’mere boy!” Wes makes a swipe at him, ready to grab his collar.
Cor dodges, but he’s laughing slightly. As if he knows how much of a punkass he’s being.
“I just think it coulda made it more flavorful, ya know?” The kid still manages to playfully evade as Wes continues his attack.
“Oh, you’re asking for it now!”
“C’mon, Wes! It’s not like it was bad. I just think that ketchup completes a meal!” He’s actually laughing now. And maybe Wes doesn’t feel so worked up anymore.
But… he still manages to tackle him to the ground.
Kid deserves some kinda penalty, after all.