The boy inside the matrix box

15

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up

In the morning when the day is new

And after having spent the day together

Hold each other close the whole night through

Wouldn't It Be Nice – The Beach Boys

"Aren't you going to help me?" asks Nataniel while opening a drawer to grab a knife.

"No," replies Seven from the other end of the kitchen. "I'd rather watch you."

Taking advantage of the absence of Seven's parents who are not on holiday, unlike the two boys, the two loving birds have taken over Seven's kitchen to prepare their lunch.

Nataniel starts dicing onions and shallots, looking over his shoulder.

"Aren't you afraid to cut your finger?" worries Seven.

"You've never cut onions? I always cry."

"Well, cry and I'll comfort you."

"I do not want my eyes to burn. But don't worry, I've mastered the art of chopping onions while looking away!"

Seven comes over and gently pushes him and takes the knife from his hands. "Let me try, I want to see if these onions are that tough!"

If everything seems to go well at first, the young man ends up squinting to try to protect his eyes. Nataniel bursts out laughing as he speeds up. With a deep sigh of relief, Seven pours the contents of the chopping board into the pan.

"I'll have to remember to tell my mother how admirable she's been cutting onions for me for the past eighteen years. I didn't know she was suffering!"

Nataniel nods gravely before dropping a block of butter into the pan. While stirring with one hand, he puts water to boil in a pot with his free hand. In the absence of pancetta, they have decided on a sausage meat carbonara. Seven adds it to the mix at the request of Nataniel who is busy deciding on a variety of pasta.

"It's going to be spaghetti," he says, returning with the packet. "Do you have nutmeg?"

"Yes! And I know where it is!"

Not without pride, Seven go to retrieve the jar of grated nutmeg and place it in Nataniel's hands as if it were a relic. With a smile, the young blond closes his grip on the jar before pouring some nutmeg into his mixture.

"You're putting a lot of nutmeg, aren't you?" asks Seven.

"I love it."

"Okay, then."

As the pasta finish cooking, Nataniel pours a pot of heavy cream, a whole bag of Parmesan cheese and two egg yolks into the pan.

"You really seem to know what you're doing," smiles Seven.

"I've lost count of the number of times Ness and I have cooked carbonara pasta together, we've even invented several different varieties! In short, it's become a bit of an art for us."

"I can see that!"

When they finally start eating, sitting cross-legged in front of the television, Seven lets out an exclamation of surprise.

"Oh, but it's really delicious!" Then, with his mouth full, he continues: "You're really good, I didn't know! If philosophy and anthropology don't work for you, you should become a chef! Oh, we could open a restaurant of revisited Italian cuisine! I'll cut your onions!"