Ephemeral Dream

II: Shock

I was completely and totally focused upon my cooking. It was nice and early, meaning none of my siblings nor my parents were awake yet. It meant I had the whole kitchen to myself.

It was glorious.

The kitchen was my sanctuary. During the two years of closing myself off from the world, the kitchen was the only place I ever truly felt alive. Cooking, to me, was more than just a profession or a hobby. It was an art form, a craft unto itself that deserved respect!

... Huh, maybe that's why my cooking skill was maxed out. I was still calling bullshit on it being so high, but maybe it was an explanation at the very least.

Evidentially the smell of my cooking began to waft through the house and rouse my family from their slumber, since I could hear movement from upstairs.

I took that as my cue and began to set the table with the meal I'd made, unable to help but chuckling quietly at the names of each food I placed on the table.

[Heavenly Pork Sausages – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Scrambled Eggs – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Toast – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Baked Beans – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Fried Mushrooms – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Hash Browns – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Bacon Strips – Rank EX]

[Heavenly Fried Tomatoes – Rank EX]

Okay, seriously? It was just a standard Vale-style breakfast, nothing 'heavenly' about it. And how in the heck did toast get to an EX ranking!? It's just toast! I literally just put it in the toaster for a couple of minutes, how did that alone make it EX rank!?

I just shook my head as I took a seat at the table, waiting for the rest of my family to come down.

Saphron was the first, yawning. "Morning," she said... Before she looked at me and did a double take. "J- Jaune?"

"Good Morning, Saph," I responded. "Come on, take a seat, don't want the food to get cold, right?"

"You're... Erm... Up early," she said, and I felt a pang of bitterness within myself.

The last two years, ever since my family and friends alike told me to give up being a Huntsman, I had completely shut myself off from the world. It wasn't a case of ignoring them, I did still speak to them, but I was so torn up by their words that I ended up completely locking up my emotions and withdrawing from reality.

Which was why I'd dreamt up that world. A world where I was a Huntsman. Even though it was just a dream, I was still determined to one day turn it into a reality.

... Err, minus all the people dying.

"I had a nice dream and woke up refreshed," I told her, before lightly smacking her hands as I saw her reach for a bacon strip.

"Ow!" She moved her hand away, shaking it lightly. "Why'd you do that?"

"I'm the one who cooked this meal, so you can damn well wait for everyone else to come down," I told her firmly.

"... You cooked this?" She asked, surprise on her face.

"No need to sound so shocked," I gave her a small smile, hiding the flinch that came when she recoiled in surprise from the sight of my smile.

Damn it, had I really become so emotionless and closed off that my smile was now considered rare?

"A- Anyway, take a seat," I told her. "I can hear the others coming down now."