VOCOM

"What?" I finally growled, throwing some bread into the toaster and heating up a pan for eggs. This was perhaps the first time I had cooked in weeks, ever since I came home injured, anyways. And yet, it was the usual same old, same old. To hell with a fancy breakfast.

I yelped and quickly pulled my aching hand off the burner I had just managed to burn myself with yet again. It only added to my yellowing bruises, paling scars, scabs and burns that crisscrossed my arms . . . my whole body, basically.

"I wish you wouldn't be up and about so much," she stated calmly. I could hear the malice beneath her tone. "You still haven't healed. I mean, look at you."

I decided to ignore her taunt and opened the fridge. I heard Quintley stirring in the den. "What's really the reason?"

"Him." Her voice was venomous.

"You pulled him through," I pointed out in a reminder, reaching towards the door of the fridge. I picked up a hexagonal jar labeled 'marmalade'. I cocked an eyebrow. I'd never had marmalade . . . how did that get there?

"I didn't expect you to get all warm and fuzzy with him." She spat.

"I'm not doing anything of the sort!" I hissed. Well, that just ruined it. I turned sharply, slamming the door shut and nearly fell into Quintley, who was yawning and rubbing at his eyes. At least he had put a shirt on. Otherwise it'd further sour my mood. Thanks, VOCOM, I hissed mentally.

He looked at me for a second. I wasn't used to looking at him without his glasses. He looked strangely different, yet if I looked long enough, he looked like his usual self.

"Good Lord, look at you! You look terrib-" he stopped mid-sentence, mouth hanging open. "I- I mean . . . uh, well, if I'm honest . . . er-" he narrowed his eyes, looking for something to say.

"Go on, tell her." VOCOM darkly said.

He glanced at the android and quickly back to me. "Fine. Healing well. Rather marvelously, if I must say. Yep-oh, you like marmalade too? I bought some the other day. Hope you don't mind. Can't stand to eat toast without it."

Well, that explained it. I must've looked stupid staring at the jar in my hands the way that I was, like it had just turned into a fluffy pink mouse made of cotton candy or something. I think I would've liked any sort of distraction like that at that moment.

He took the jar gently from me. "Eggs and toast? Wonderful. D'you mind if I add in some stuff? I'm not insulting your own skill or anything, just thought . . . I dunno, maybe you'd like something else too? Not that you couldn't get it yourself, or anything, just-"

I watched him, dumbfounded. How was he always capable of hindering me speechless like that? It got on my ever forsaken nerves! I didn't even understand how he was just easily waltzing in and taking over what I had measly started. Just like . . . like he lived here or something!

"You're . . . you're in my house." I whispered in disbelief. Before it just seemed like an annoyance, but then it turned into something I didn't fully comprehend. It hit me with every glance I made towards him. I watched as he dragged out a pot and something from my pantry.

"Did you hit your head or something? I've been here for two weeks. Well, on and off, really, since I have my own place to look after, y'know."

I just stared at the back of his ginger mop. VOCOM smirked, cocking a silver eyebrow at me and awaiting my snappy reply. Why not just move all of damn Kortan into my house? Sure, let's throw a party! Goddamnit what was wrong with him? And her?

"Vera," he continued, his back to me as he prepared whatever it was he had gathered together. His mouth was full of something, and he wasn't bothering to completely chew and swallow before speaking. "Why don't we go to my apartment today? I could bloody well take a day to clean up a bit. Haven't been for a few days. I dunno, thought maybe you'd like to go."

Apartment? And he'd been staying in my house, why?! I opened my jaw angrily to respond when, like always, he cut me off.

"Of course, only if you want to. I mean, I don't really stay there much anyways. Just need to check on things. And my cat. She's normally fine on her own . . . but she gets prissy when I don't pay her attention for awhile." He chuckled to himself.

Cat . . . ?

"Oh! And I need to pick up on my Voltaire before I forget! I got sidetracked from my reading 'cause of everything that's been going on lately. Hard to read these days in peace."

I shook my head, trying to take that all in at once, and failing miserably at it. I looked over to see VOCOM laughing loudly, leaning onto her knees as if doubled over with laughter. I stared at her, wondering why she was laughing so hard. I could only imagine.