Mochi

Yellow hooves clicked loudly against the floor of Dan's Dango as Rome stepped into the establishment, tail swishing, hands in the pockets of his brightly colored leather jacket. “Ay, Dan, I'm here for those lessons.” He stepped into the back to look for the larger bun. 

“Over here. Hurry up. We'll get started immediately.” Dan motioned him over to where he was standing, mochi mallet propped up on his shoulder. “I'm showing you how to make mochi today, Rome. Any preference for what kind we make?”

“Mm…” Rome hummed to himself in thought for a moment, grinning suddenly. “Ay, tell you what, I've got a hot date tonight, why not make Rosewater Mochi as a gift?” Rome chuckled to himself. “I'm sure he'll love it.”

Dan nodded, choosing to ignore Rome's motives. “We can do that. Today we're focusing on pounding and shaping the mochi dough. The process typically involves two individuals. One using the mallet to pound the mochi, the other adding water and turning the mochi dough with their hands. We'll start with me pounding the dough and you adding water and turning as I instruct, then I'll show you how to properly shape the dough, and then it will be your turn. Understood?”

Rome nodded along as he spoke. “Understood, Dan.”

Dan motioned him to the large mortar, instructing him on how much rice flour, water, color, and rose to add and mix together into a loose dough, before taking a steady stance and slamming the mallet down on the loose dough, grunting softly before lifting it and bringing it down again. “Fold, add a bit of water.” Once Rome followed his instructions he continued pounding out the dough, checking on it himself occasionally until it was perfect. “This is the correct texture, here, feel.”

Rome nodded and gently felt the dough, seeming to have a slightly odd look in his eyes as he eyed up the mallet. “Great. Is it my turn yet?”

“No, now we're going to shape it. Then it's your turn.” Dan led him over to a table and pulled a small chunk of dough, rolling it in his rice flour covered hands and instructing Rome on how to do the same. “Good, you learn quickly, Rome. That's excellent.” 

Rome smirked as he soaked up the bits of praise, his ego inflating with each word (probably way too much for how basic the praise was). “Thanks. Now that I know how to shape… It's my turn to pound, right?”

Dan rolled his eyes at how hasty Rome was, he was glad he was enthusiastic, but he was also uninterested in moving at a calm pace. “Fine. Come along.” Dan stepped back to the mortar, adding the ingredients and handing him the mallet. “Take a firm stance, and give it a few solid slams.”

Rome nodded, a smirk slowly creeping across his face as he took his stance, he gripped the mallet hard, slamming it down as hard as he could. His eyes widened and his heart started racing, he felt like his entire upper body was tingling, he didn't even hear Dan's feedback, he simply reeled the mallet back and slammed it down again, repeating the process rapidly despite Dan protesting. 

“Rome! Calm it, I need to fold it and add water.” Dan let out a frustrated sigh, grabbing the mallet away from Rome. “If you have pent up rage to get out, go to a rage room, don't break my damn mallet.”

Rome blinked a few times before looking at Dan, a slightly embarrassed grin creeping across his face. “Ah- right, sorry, Dan. Dunno what came over me.” Rome chuckled weakly before agreeing to calm down and continuing until they'd made another proper batch of rosewater mochi. 

After the lesson had ended, Dan packaged up a few of the mochi in a heart shaped box leftover from Matentines and handed it over to Rome. “Enjoy your date.”

Rome thanked him before running off with the box, hyping himself up for his date that night.