F***in' Arizona

Straight from the Horse's Mouth Pt. 6.2 (Chapter 27)

Ari's P.O.V
Before the kiss

Chicken breast in a vodka crème sauce over bow-tie pasta coupled with a fancy variety of seasoned sautéed vegetables. 'Gasm worthy, if I do say so myself.

Nova seemed to really enjoy the sauce because she kept dipping the back of her fork in the leftover sauce to lick off the remainder.

The conversation between us was great, and it flowed really well like it was never dropped at one point in the first place. She seemed like she had forgotten that just a few hours ago she was agitated with me.

My main reasoning for coming over other than hanging out with her was to go over information for this attempt we needed to pull off. If she was going to pretend to be my significant other and I hers, then we needed to know things about the other and the other's family, that someone may ask about.

We spoke and informed each other about things like exs, different foods we enjoyed, pet peeves, the story of how we started dating, things of that nature.
We even got into a discussion that wasn't information for our families about little things that guys do that weirdly turned us on. Hers being dark colored hair, heterochromia, and Scottish accents (not necessarily all together), and mine being when a guy bites the corner of his bottom lip and smiles.

It honestly grew into a bit of a weird and funny conversation ending in us talking about our kinks and I think, oddly enough, that it brought us a little closer.

When she seemed like she was tired of sitting at the kitchen table, Nova removed herself to head into the living room. I informed her to not worry about cleaning up the kitchen, that I would go ahead and do that if she picked out a movie to watch.
She smiled genuinely and thanked me before leaving for her quest in the living room while I began washing the few dishes that I hadn't already cleaned before eating.

I actually enjoy hand washing the dishes. For some reason, the warm water and repetitious motions soothe me and make me feel safe and like I'm back at home.
Doing them helps me to clear my brain and sort through things that weigh heavily on my already cluttered mind.

It's also the same way for me when I take showers. I can be in there just standing under the hot water for fifteen minutes as I talk things out in my head and wade through all the nonsense. The shower head is my metaphorical therapist.

But as I washed these dishes one by one, I realized that I wasn't as anxious. There wasn't really a whole lot of things clouding my mind like there usually is. I think this must mean that I'm starting to feel a little better about the outcome of this situation. Something in me sort of faded away and made me feel like I am a little step closer to coming out to my family.

I was ready to settle into the couch and watch tv by this point.

It was starting to get late in the day, around the hour of when businesses and people start to slow down and settle in for the night.