The Other Side of the Door | ✔️

Five

Aris
June 16, 2023 12:28 PM

I can hear your cooking tutorial through the wall.

sorry !
trying to cook some lunch but i cant figure it out
will turn it odwn
down*

Well, what are you trying to make?

chicken and rice
which is like the basics of so many Mexican dishes, my mama would be so disappointed :(

That is very simple. How do you mess up chicken and rice?

i dont know! im hopeless

I can see why your mama would be disappointed.

wow, i feel the love 😑

Open up, I'll help you.

And then suddenly there was a knock on Elio's door, and there was Aris, hair braided back beautifully, face as smooth and sculpted as ever. God, he was so pretty it was unfair.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Elio asked.

"Helping you cook," Aris deadpanned.

"Oh, cool," the curly-haired man responded. Then he smelled the burning. "Ah! The chicken!" He ran back to the kitchen and left the door open for Aris to wander through.

Elio refused to think about how ridiculous he must've looked to Aris as he mourned the third failed attempt at making chicken.

"You are tragically hopeless," came Aris' voice from behind Elio. The curly-haired man jumped; he hadn't heard the other approaching, but he'd also been busy trying to save his meal.

"I know," Elio groaned. "I can't cook to save my life."

"I can see that," Aris replied bluntly. Elio had to admit, he found that monotone, no-fucks-given voice kind of hot.

Elio looked over his shoulder at Aris, who's handsome face was hovering inches away, with a pleading expression. "Help?"

Aris sighed like he was signing his own death certificate and said, "Fine."

At that, Elio literally jumped with joy. He thought he saw a small smile on Aris' face at the movement.

"Move, though, so I can fix this," Aris continued, and Elio stepped backwards. Right into the bigger man's chest, coincidentally. The smaller man burned the feel of Aris' muscular chest and abdomen into his memory before he stepped aside. Too busy hiding his blushing cheeks, Elio didn't notice the more visible redness to Aris' own face. 

"Well, then," the long-haired man coughed, "the first thing you need to do is add more water to the rice, or it'll never plump up and just burn to the bottom of the pot." Aris went on to explain all sorts of nonsense about seasoning, proper measurements, and timers. Elio nodded along, but he was more focused on the way Aris' jaw flexed when he spoke.

At the other man's questioning stare, Elio said, "Right, yes. Season the chicken, measure the rice, set a timer. Not really my style. I like to go with the flow..." Aris glared at him.

"'Going with the flow' got you burnt rice and over-seasoned chicken," he said. Elio thought he heard Aris mutter something about not knowing how Elio had survived, but ignored it. 

"Hey, I'm still alive, aren't I?" he responded.

"Barely," Aris scoffed. "You're practically wasting away."

"You sound like my mother."

"Your mother seems like a smart woman," Aris countered.

Elio had no retort for that. While they were bickering like an old married couple, Aris had been doing miracle work on the rice, and added some cut up vegetables — that were toeing the line of expiring — to the chicken. Elio didn't know how Aris had done it, but the meal now looked edible. Scratch that, it looked downright tasty.

"How..." Elio gaped. "How did you do all that in five minutes?"

"I know what I'm doing."

"That's so hot..." Elio murmured, thinking Aris couldn't hear him. He didn't see Aris' grin after those words, though.

It sounded like Aris said 'I know', but Elio ignored it.

"Bon Appétit," Aris said after a moment, and they ate lunch together. Later, Elio would eagerly retell the story to Marissa and obsess over every detail, but for now he just enjoyed the view. And the food, of course, but mostly the view.

𑁋⟡♡⟡𑁋