serendipity. | Sinbad

02 | Arriving at Sasan

LILLIAN

"I didn't know you could cook," Sinbad hummed, coming into the kitchen as she was preparing lunch for everyone. They had set sail the night before, Rurumu staying behind as her pregnancy started to prevent her from doing anything. Vittel taking over her place at the office.

"I had to teach myself how to," Lillian answered, kneading the dough. "When you're offered nothing but what's dangerous for you, learning how to do things for your survival is vital."

"A woman who can cook, fight, and look beautiful is a man's greatest dream." Sinbad winked.

"Then Hinahoho must be lucky to have Rurumu," Lillian smiled, "I still have ways to go to be as good as her cooking, or etiquette." She started shaping the bread, Sinbad, deflating.

SINBAD

He watched as she fell into a quiet concentration as she continued to make their meal. He couldn't imagine she was a princess with how well she fits in with the modesty of her newly adjusted life.

"You look cute when you're concentrated," Sinbad unconsciously blurted out.

"Eh?" Lillian broke out of her trance, startled by the sudden compliment, catching her off guard. ". . . Thank you," She quietly mumbled, not knowing how else to respond.

"Are you shy?" Sinbad couldn't hide the excitement in his voice, enjoying finally causing some sort of hesitant reaction from her.

"No, a little?" Lillian struggled to place a name on how she felt, "It was a bit sudden and unexpected. So I didn't know how else to respond."

"You'd have to get used to it, princess. Any man who has working eyes could not help but admire your beauty,"

"You're being too kind again," Lillian sighed, focusing back to finishing the last of their lunch.

"Let me help you carry them all out," Sinbad offered.

"Thank you," Lillian smiled, "You don't have to,"

"It's not very gentlemanly to make women do everything,"

"I have a strange feeling you are the last person to talk about being a gentleman,"  Lillian sweatdropped, allowing him to help her carry the plates out to the table on deck.

"I have every right to speak of it," Sinbad huffed, placing down the plates he carried before sweeping her off the ground, locking an arm under her legs and supporting her back with his other, leaving her stunned. "Princess,"

"Sinbad?" Lillian looked at him, confused written in her face. Sinbad wasn't sure why he was taking unsuallly bold actions. Was he getting desperate to see her cute face get red? Perhaps. Yet in this moment, with her looking at him so intently without a flustered expression, it made him feel something.

"Yes?"

"Are you sick?"

"Hmm?" Sinbad blankly stared at the girl. That was not what he expected.

"You're red in the face, I didn't notice till now," Lillian placed a hand on his forehead, further flustering him– flustering? Sinbad snapped out of it, not realizing he seemed to have been blushing.

"I'm okay," Sinbad coughed, trying to calm down his rising temperature as he placed down Lillian.

"You can go rest if you wish," Lillian offered, "I can help take over your duties for the day,"

"It's fine," Sinbad assured, regaining his shit-eating grin. "If I were to be ill, I'd rather have you, a beauitful lady, tending to me personally."