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“Yakumo, is it this one?” Eiden crouched down next to a tree stump, pointing towards some of the dried bark that appeared to be flaking off.
Yakumo approached and leaned down. His eyes lit up as he picked off one of the flakey, dried bark pieces. He brought it up to his nose, giving it a good sniff.
“Ahh! Yes, Mr. Eiden, this is it! It's chili bark! It has a bit of a spicy smell and is often used in Solarian cuisine. When ground up, it becomes an amazing spice!” Yakumo hands the piece to Eiden so he can smell it for himself. After a good sniff, Eiden gasped.
“Oh! This is cinnamon!”
“Cinna– mon?”
“Yeah! It’s a spice used in my world, this is almost an exact copy! What do you guys make with it? Pastries? Candy?” Eiden took out a small pocket knife and began to carefully pull off the dried bark while questioning Yakumo.
“In candy and pastries? Oh no, Mr. Eiden, this spice is most commonly used in savory dishes. I don’t think I have ever heard of a chili bark pastry.” Yakumo joined Eiden, opening a jar to put some of the bark into.
“Oh, really? In my world, cinnamon is a super versatile spice. It is used in some savory dishes, but for the most part, it’s used in candy, pastries, and other sweet treats.” Just as Eiden finished his statement, he felt a small pinprick of cold on his nose.
Yakumo following Eiden’s gaze looks up at the sky. “Oh wow, it’s already snowing.” Yakumo held out his hand and watched as the small flakes melted on his dark gloves.
“It’s really gorgeous… do you think we will have time to keep foraging before we have to walk back to your village?” Eiden gently placed the flakes of bark he harvested into the jar Yakumo had prepared.
Yakumo looked up and scrutinized the sky, tilting his head while deep in thought. “I don’t see why not, it doesn’t seem like it will turn into a blizzard. They aren’t super common this early into the winter season anyway.” Yakumo stood up and dusted his hands on his pants once he deemed the stump to have been thoroughly harvested. Eiden followed suit, closing the jar tightly before standing up and stretching.
The two men continued to wander the border of the forest to harvest more Chili Bark. Before long, however, the sky darkened prematurely and the once slow-rolling flurries quickly progressed into a full-force storm. The men tried to retreat in the direction of Yakumo’s home, however, the snow made it impossible to differentiate which direction they were heading.
“M-Mr Eiden, I... I am sorry-” Yakumo collapsed right as he finished his apology.
“Wha- Oh! Fuck, Fuck!” Eiden quickly followed Yakumo’s descent into the snow, feeling his face and neck to make sure Yakumo was okay. From what Eiden could tell, Yakumo was fine but was out cold. His heart rate was slow, and his skin was icy to the touch.
For as much as Eiden was confident with his physique, he struggled to pick up Yakumo and walk through the snow. Getting back to the village was a definite “no-go”, and Eiden needed to think fast before both he and Yakumo died of hypothermia. At times like this, he wishes he was as cunning as Kuya, as knowledgeable and strong as Quincy, or as confident as Edmond. Eiden practically dragged Yakumo through ever-building snow; against the intense gales of wind. By some miracle, he managed to spot a cabin through the low visibility. There were no lights in the windows, so either there was no resident, or they had hunkered down for the night.
Not bothering to knock, Eiden pushed open the door and collapsed with Yakumo in tow. He panted as he felt the snow on his face melt, taking a second to catch his breath.
“Ahh... Heat, heat… maybe…” As Eiden glanced around the room, he noticed a fireplace. “A fire! Perfect!”
Eiden made quick work of pulling Yakumo to the fireplace and stripping him of his outer layers. He grabbed some of the precut firewood placed by the mantle and tossed them in, cursing himself that he didn’t know how to make fire with magic. After many unsuccessful attempts striking flint, he finally managed to catch a spark.
Exhausted, cold, and sweaty, Eiden stripped himself down to his boxers and cuddled up against Yakumo’s ice-cold body. He had enough awareness to note that the cabin was definitely empty. The cabin was one single room, and you could see the bed from where they were on the floor in front of the fireplace. Eiden couldn’t help but shiver as he pushed himself closer into Yakumo’s body, and before he knew it, he heard a soft voice.
“M… Mr. Eiden?” Yakumo’s voice sounded rough, but Eiden shot up thrilled nonetheless.
“Yakumo! You're finally awake! Thank the stars!” Eiden buried himself into Yakumo’s chest.
“I-I am… And I am so sorry for making you take care of me! When I-I get cold, sometimes, I get super sleepy and I can’t stay awake…” Yakumo wrapped his long arms around Eiden, tears flowing freely.
“No, it's okay, Yakumo, you couldn't control it. I think it's common in cold-blooded animals…” Eiden looked up at Yakumo’s weepy eyes and kissed his wet cheeks. “Plus… if we are both a little cold… I know a good way to warm up.” Eiden leaned in and whispered the last few words, causing Yakumo to have a full-body shiver.
At least they would be warm tonight.
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“I swear it was something like this…” Eiden huffed at himself while mixing ingredients in a bowl. The kitchen space around him was a mess, completely covered in dirty bowls and flour.
They were snowed into the house- the outside world was a white wonderland. And the front door won’t open. That too. Not seeing either of them leaving any time soon, Eiden decided he would try to make breakfast. He rummaged through the cabin’s cupboards and found a stocked supply of basic ingredients- and remembering the Chili Bark- had an idea.
And that all leads to the current mess. Eiden was going to make cinnamon rolls! Or would it be better to call them Chili Bark Rolls? Eiden didn’t care either way. The current problem was Eiden’s inability to bake.
With the low sounds of frustration echoing in the house, Yakumo found himself waking up from his sleep. Rolling over, he stole a glance at Eiden. He was in his boxers, covered in flour, and angry whisper-yelling at a bowl of… something. And some of his Chili Bark was on the counter?
“Mr. Eiden… Are you… making a pastry like the ones you mentioned before?” Yakumo asked groggily, sitting up. Eiden jumped from the sudden talking but turned around.
“Damn… I was going to try and surprise you. Yeah, I am, I am just… struggling to find the proper proportions for it. I've never made them by hand before…” Eiden tilted the bowl so Yakumo could see Eiden’s dough- which looked closer in consistency to a cake batter.
“What is it, exactly?”
“Oh, well… back at the orphanage, we didn’t always get gifts or anything for Christmas, which was fine. The staff did what they could- we usually got a few goodie bags at least. But, the one thing we did every year without fail was make Cinnamon Rolls. They are similar to other rolls you have here but with cinnamon- or in this case chili bark- and icing. It’s not crazy or anything, I've just never made them like this before, so…”
“Oh, well… while I have never made these specific rolls before, I have made other rolls. I know the recipe for a basic dough…” Yakumo got up and stretched, yawning. The house was noticeably warmer, the fireplace was cackling away on the other side of the room. Eiden must have relit it at some point.
“Really? I'm sorry for making you help out with your own surprise… if you can help make the dough, I can make the filling and icing?” Eiden walked up and wrapped his arms around Yakumo’s slim waist.
“Of course! That works. I really don’t mind helping, Mr. Eiden.” Yakumo grabbed an apron from a rack nearby and grabbed a new bowl to start working.
From there, the men worked in tandem. Yakumo swiftly made a beautiful dough and left it to rise, and Eiden ground the Chili Bark with a mortar and pestle. After the dough had properly rested, Eiden spread the filling of sugar and chili bark powder and rolled it up. Yakumo helped cut the rolls and put them into a baking pan. Eiden combined milk and powdered sugar into an icing to place atop the rolls once they finished.
The entire cabin smelled like warm chili bark and vanilla. Yakumo had started washing dishes while Eiden tended to the fire, humming to himself. Looking out the window, the world was coated in a few feet of untouched white snow. Specks continued to fall from the sky, keeping the air frosty. The scene was unbelievably domestic and warm.
“Mr. Eiden! I believe they are done!” Yakumo called out to Eiden before he swung open the oven door, grabbing the pan with gloved hands. The tops of the rolls were golden brown, and the entire house smelt amazing. Grabbing the icing, Yakumo spread it on top with a spatula. The excess seeped over the edge with the heat, leaving specks of sweetness on the counter.
“Ouuuwahh! Yakumo! These look so amazing!” Eiden could feel his mouth watering at the sight of the cinnamon rolls with their icing. “It… It smells just like I remember them, woah…” Eiden leaned onto Yakumo while admiring in awe.
“I’m glad I could help you have a treat from your homeworld, Mr. Eiden. I’ve never seen chili bark used in such a manner… I am really excited to try it!” Yakumo set the tray down on the stovetop and scooped a serving into each bowl Eiden had grabbed for them. The men sat down on the couch with their bowls.
“Mr. Eiden… Does remembering the orphanage ever get hard? I know sometimes when I remember my childhood, it fills me with… sadness… I don’t want you to feel sad too.” Yakumo said as he blew onto the warm treat.
“Well, sometimes, I guess. It’s not like it was perfect, but I had a lot of people looking out for me as well. I mean… I wish I had parents, but the staff were always nice enough and I did make a few friends. There’s a lot that I cherish from it.” Eiden took the first bite and groaned. “I was RIGHT! It’s almost the same… if not just slightly spicier.”
Yakumo followed quickly by taking his own bite, smiling while he chewed. “Oh, wow! Mr. Eiden! These really are unique! It’s kind of spicy but really sweet!” Yakumo went for another bite, and Eiden watched with satisfaction.
“It sucks that we weren’t able to leave, but, honestly, I am having a blast right now.” Eiden felt his throat tighten as he paused his words. “Do you… Do you think the others will like this? We could try making them for Kleinmas morning for those who are around…” Eiden felt Yakumo’s hand grab his own with enthusiasm.
“I firmly believe everyone will love these, Mr. Eiden! Edmond may have a new favorite sweet!” The last statement made Eiden giggle, and Yakumo smiled warmly back at him.
“Your right, after all… Who doesn’t love your cooking? The roll is phenomenal!” Eiden teases back while taking a big bite. It really was amazing.
The boys finished the food, packed up the rest, and managed to dig their way out of the cabin before night fell again. However, their stomachs and hearts were considerably more full than when they originally left.
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Art by Peachie_Skyes (Me!)
