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Morginn nodded, glad for the distraction. He mashed up the potatoes first, since it seemed like an easier job. He wasn't really good at cooking meat products and as a vegetarian he really didn't get any practice at it, but with Alrai in the kitchen hopefully he would do okay.

The mental image Alrai painted of his brother made Morginn chuckle. "No fear, I already think I'll like him. Sounds like Florence will as well." He chuckled again. "Might even take to him as a kind of role model, if they hit it off mutually. You know kids, they love their parents but they tend to look up to older siblings the most."

He turned his attention to the waiting potatoes. Mash it up as much as possible, add a little milk, butter, salt, and pepper, stir it all, then one last quick mashing to make sure he'd gotten everything. He didn't want to mess with them too much, since the texture could get funky if you over-mixed things.

"Taste that and see if it needs more of something," Morginn said, offering the spoon he'd used to stir up the potatoes with a bite of the mashed version on it.

Morginn just grinned, that kind of grin that was on the face of someone who smiles a lot so in and of itself it's not so suspicious, but when taken into context with the conversation had a hint of cheerful conspirator to it. It would probably be one heck of a way to meet someone for the first time, but felt oddly appropriate for the family setting in the house.

When Alrai leaned over and ate the mashed potatoes off the spoon as Morginn held it, Morginn didn't really think twice about it. Perhaps it was just his nature to view it so, but the entire gesture felt kind of natural. Never mind that this was the first time they'd ever been cooking in the kitchen together, nor had Morginn ever tried to feel Alrai before. He was actually in the process of turning back to the pot of potatoes so he could tidy the area a little and give Alrai time to think about what he'd eaten.

Suddenly Alrai just got this very flustered look on his face, blushing and offering an explanation for his action. Morginn actually stared a little, feeling a blush creep across his cheeks for no other reason than Alrai was blushing. Then Alrai backed entirely through the sink and kitchen wall to outside. Morginn just kept staring, feeling quite speechless.

He could see Alrai through the kitchen window. He buried his face in his hands, groaning a bit, then came a muffled suggestion to add some more butter. That was pretty much it. Morginn didn't burst into deep belly laughter, but he did start a round of giggling that threatened to devolve to that point. His face was flushed, though it was hard to say what was from self-consciousness and what was from the giggles. He actually had to bend over with his arms on the counter, face buried against them, and wings spread so they half-hid him. This probably went on for a solid thirty seconds before he managed to straighten, face still flushed and tears of mirth at the corners of his eyes.

"More butter, got it," he said in a breathless voice, the ghost of more laughter in his tone. He went over to the stove, wings and antennae still quivering, and added some more butter to the pot. While waiting for it to melt he went over to the sink to rinse off the spoon.

"Good, cause otherwise we're never getting the squash out of that pot," Morginn replied cheerily...and truthfully. He wasn't sure if Araceae or Arinas knew anything about the pressure cooker, but since neither was home at the moment the survival of the squash depended on Alrai.

He preoccupied himself with stirring the butter into the potatoes. Hopefully that would do it! With a slight wrinkle to his nose he turned his attention towards the hamburgers. Handling the meat wasn't really pleasant, but thankfully the skillet was big enough that he'd only have to make two rotations to get everything cooked.

Morginn went back to the sink and carefully washed his hands while the meat sizzled in the pan. "You might have to supervise the hamburgers. I'll probably end up burning them otherwise, just to make sure they're cooked through," he said with a bit of an embarrassed blush.

"Sorry I'm not much help. It's a shame "kiss and make better" isn't an actual form of magic, it would probably serve way better than volunteering as a kitchen aide," he said with a laugh, totally serious. Okay, maybe mostly serious and partially for fun. Flirting was fun. He wasn't sending out potential feelers, nope!

Morginn looked over at Alrai, taken aback for a few seconds. Then his mouth shifted to a smile, slightly crooked. One eyebrow lowered and the other remained cocked up. His widened eyes shifted to half-lidded and glancing sidelong at Alrai. His antennae relaxed and his wings fluttered. If there was ever a look that said "challenge accepted", this was it.

"Well if you insist. I'd feel awful just leaving you in pain if a kiss would actually work healing magic," he said, voice pitched a bit lower than usual and with an undertone that sounded almost like a purr.

It was almost like a moment out of a book. A somewhat quirky book, perhaps. Alrai towered over Morginn, so that side by side the top of Morginn's head was probably even with Alrai's collar bone. His build was more toned slender than muscular, but Morginn was also slender and of softer build; side-by-side Alrai probably did look muscular in comparison. So going down on one knee to increase dramatic delivery was a bit out of the question.

Regardless, Morginn delicately took Alrai's hand in his. He bent his head and kissed the back, very much a Prince Charming moment. Then he turned Alrai's hand palm up, and laid another gentle kiss over the bandages. He peered up at Alrai through his bangs, still holding his hand. "What's the diagnosis," he asked, still with that lower voice register. All quite deliberate, mind you.