I had a pleasant time reading a friend's analysis of Billy and Rebecca's nicknames for each other. That and my breakfast led to this :D It's rough but for the purpose of getting over research fatigue, Imma post it anyway. So, without further ado, please allow me to dedicate this short to @bapoart ♥ >w< --- Rebecca stopped short in front of the bottled products display, her steps slowing until she came to a full halt. Rows of glass jars sat under the soft light, glowing in gold, amber, and deep brown hues. Each one caught the light in its own special way, like precious specimens waiting to be studied.

"Oh," she breathed. "Honey."

Billy stopped his stroll. The tone alone told him he had lost her.

When he found her, she was already busy scanning the labels. "Okay, so…" she started. "First off, honey isn't just honey. There's a whole category to it."

Her finger traced the air and she reached for a small tangerine-colored jar. "This one's pasteurized. See how clear it is?" she turned it slowly for him to see. "That means they have heated it. Looks real nice, but the temperature kills off a lot of enzymes."

Billy nodded, thoughtful. "Enzymes, huh?" Knowing that this was going to take a while, he leaned against the cart and folded his arms, watching her with quiet amusement.

"Exactly" she said firmly. "They are complex protein particles with very important jobs in our body. Amylase and Invertase break down sugars. Acid Phosphatase improves nutrient absorption. Glucose Oxidase…" Rebecca carried on, barely pausing for breath. "...gives honey its antibacterial properties." She placed the jar back and picked up another "This one, is raw." Billy put out his hand to take it. She continued her explanation "Raw honey is usually cloudy. Because it's got pollen, beeswax, and other stuff in there"

Billy turned the jar, inspecting the clarity of the liquid inside "Basically more junk."

Rebecca giggled "They're not junk, silly. Sources of antioxidants." She turned to look at more options. "Check out the floral variants- Orange blossoms, appricot, rosemary. These are great for teas."

"Pancakes and waffles too, I bet" he assumed.

"That's true. Gosh, aren't we spoiled for choices?" She pondered for a bit. "Wildflower's a different surprise every time. It depends on the season and the originating area."

He hummed. "Sounds risky. Unless you find thrill in unpredicatability." he said, shelving the jar.

"Well, since we're grilling, I'd suggest we go for buckwheat", Rebecca pointed at a jar slightly out of her reach. "It's intense, malty. Makes excellent prep for your meat. I heard Manuka's strong too."

Billy squinted at the shelves, hands in the pockets of his jacket "Basically the ones down there are dessert honey. And the ones up here are steak honey".

"That's waay oversimplifying it but that works too. Anyway, get the smaller jar." she recommended. "Larger jar means more time for crystals to form. Not that they're bad or anything. I just feel sorry for how it's gonna look"

"You mean if we forget about it?"

"Yup."

"Huh. How do you know so much?"

Rebecca shrugged, still studying the shelves "Academic journals. Research papers. Sugar chemistry is fascinating" she paused, then added "And I like knowing what I'm eating".

Typical Rebecca, she shifted gears without warning "Oh! And crystallization doesn't mean it's gone bad. It's just glucose in a different form. We can fix that with a warm water bath. Just don't use the microwave."

"Noted," Billy said.

"And don't use plastic containers too. They are terrible choices, especially for long-term storage. Glass offers less leaching and won't change the taste the way plastics often do".

Billy watched Rebecca reach for yet another jar, her brow furrowed in concentration, seemingly lost in her observation. She looked entirely in her element. Focused and passionate, animated in a way that made his chest feel warm.

She finally stopped not too long after, weighing her thoughts on two jars. "Now that we've gone through it all, I still don't know which one to get"

"That's easy" Billy straightened, pushing himself off the cart.

He stepped closer,

reached out...

extended two fingers...

and squeezed them around her nose. "This one." he declared.

Rebecca blinked and let out an indignant sound "Billy!"

He grinned, completely unapologetic. "It's sweet, complex, and babbles when excited"

"What do you take me for, a marinade mix?" Rebecca retorted playfully.

"Depends" Billy said flatly, sliding a jar into the cart "How long are we planning on hanging out?"

Rebecca felt warmth crawl up her cheeks. She was too stuned, too exasperated to speak.

"I'd say..." He leaned over and dropped his voice low. "You do make things taste better". And with that, Billy nudged the cart away.

Summary: After joining the BSAA, Bill Coen finally gets lucky enough to make good on a fantasy that's been on his mind since he met Rebecca Chambers that night years ago. And Rebecca is more than happy to play along.