(The kitchen is already a mess. Flour dusts the counters, a bowl of batter teeters precariously on the edge, and Eren is standing over a tray of cookies, squinting at them as if sheer willpower will bake them faster. Armin stands nearby, holding the recipe book and looking equal parts amused and exasperated.)

Armin: (pointing to the oven) “Eren, you need to lower the temperature. You cranked it up so high, they’re going to burn before they’re done baking.”

Eren: (waving him off, grinning) “No way, Armin. This is how you make them cook faster. Trust me, I’ve got this.”

Armin: (pinching the bridge of his nose) “You ‘had this’ last time, and we ended up with charcoal instead of cookies.”

Eren: (laughing) “Hey, those were still edible! You’re just too picky.”

Armin: (deadpan) “I don’t think ‘edible’ is the word you’re looking for.”

(Eren sticks his tongue out at Armin and turns back to the cookies. Armin sets the recipe book down and starts mixing another bowl of batter, shaking his head.)

Armin: “If we don’t follow the recipe, we’re going to be the reason no one shows up to class meetings anymore.”

Eren: (walking over and leaning on the counter next to him) “Oh, come on. They’ll eat it no matter what. They’ll just be happy we made something.”

Armin: (smiling softly as he stirs) “You’re lucky they like you. But I don’t want to poison them, so let’s do this right.”

(Eren grabs a handful of flour and tosses it in Armin’s direction with a mischievous grin. It lands mostly on Armin’s hair and shoulders.)

Eren: (laughing) “Oops. Looks like you’re part of the recipe now!”