Caramelized catfish

Your keys rattled from you pulling them out as you entered your apartment. It's been a long day from your lousy boss screaming at you and your co-workers dumping their work on you. Worst of all, you had to finish the deadline by today; that's why you came home late this time.

You checked out of work at 10pm already and all you want to do now is just enjoy a cup of coffee and read a good book. But then you remembered that Johnny was coming home from one of his missions today, and you knew your own best friend of course. Every time he comes back from all the heavy tiring work, he would visit you no matter what time was; Usually you guys would make full blown meals for the hour before he goes back to his apartment the next day.

But it seems like this time, you were so drained and tired, all you wanted to do is tell him how awful your day was and cry about it on his shoulder. Then eat a tub of ice-cream while watching some lousy Rom-com you found the day earlier.

And just as you were about to go to your room to end the day, the door bell rang before the noise of keys opening the door filling your ears. But something was different today, he didn't call out to you like usual; no. Just silently entered and weakly smiled at you. Just that sad-tired expression from him that told you he went through something, maybe the ride here or the mission; but now, all you cared about was to make that boy smile brightly once more.

“Johnny, why so grim? You'd usually jump on me the moment you'd see my face. But now? You look like Simon told you he wants you to shut up. (Usually, he never does that)”

By this time, he said nothing. Just a sad sigh and slumped his shoulders to you, respectfully.. you didn’t push him further, but to give him the tub of ice-cream? Yeah, now you remember you already ran out of it. Netflix? You’re not even sure he seems to be in the mood. But then you remembered that he loves sweets. Your sweets specifically. You’re quite the baker, so of course he’d like it. Said it was “unintentionally skill”, but really? Maybe it was just talent. But now you have an idea of how to cheer him up; maybe you too.

The moment you invited him to bake with you, his face lit up so bright it seems like all the sadness and tiredness never existed. Of course he’d accept happily, his face gave a big grin when you took out the ingredients, cook book and much more.

“Ay bonnie, so what are we Makin’ today? Cookies? Or something else complex? Like Croissants maybe? I dinnae you still have the energy to make this for me.”, he flipped through your cookbook before you snatched it from his hand, chuckling slightly. “A simple vanilla cake will-do Johnny”

The making dough was almost hilarious, He mistook vanilla essence for chocolate. The entire process was fun too. Whipped cream means your faces is covered in it. Then comes baking, silly boy thought it was supposed to go 500°f. Well that would just burn the cake. But after all the chaos, there it lays a vanilla cake make by the both of you. Its not perfect or precisely by the manual.. but what made it taste better?

It was the time you 2 spent together at 12pm at night, just to cheer each other up. Those were great memories.