PREM's POV
"Are you expecting guests..?" I ask curiously as Boun finishes up plating the pasta. For the past two hours, he's been preparing food, cooking up pasta and even baking pizza - making the dough from scratch! Me, on the other hand, my contribution is standing there and watching him, asking questions upon questions. I kind of helped him with the dough, though, since that's all I know - baking. He didn't want me to do much, he said he invited me for dinner so I shouldn't be worrying about fixing and helping out with the food.
He looked at me with scrunched eyebrows. "No? Why?" He went back to what he's doing, wiping the edges of the plate with a white kitchen towel.
I shake my head, looking over at the other food that's already placed on the table. "I don't know.. there's a lot of food. You made a lot of food." I pointed out what seems to be the actual obvious because quite literally, his dining table is already full and he hasn't taken the pizza off of the oven yet.
He laughs, setting a plate of pasta on the table, wiping his hands on his apron. "I was just in the mood to cook, I guess." He says with a bright smile, so so bright that I forgot that it's already nearing 8 pm and that I have an early morning club meeting tomorrow at the college and that I should probably be heading home by now.
"You really like cooking." I say as I look at the food on the table fondly. Not only do they all look so nice but I could just remember how good his cooking really is. He tries to be humble about his skills but Boun is really so so good with what he does - painting, cooking, being a friend, being a brother to Fluke. For someone who have gone through a lot, he sure can juggle a lot of things all at once and I am forever fond of him for that.
"Mm, I guess." He shrugs off his shoulder, hands on his hips, a bright smile etched on his face as he looks down on the table and its pretty setting. He looks up at me, smile still on his face. "Let's eat?"
The food that Boun prepared, all of them, are delicious, of course. We obviously can't finish them all, considering that he cooked A LOT but still, I could say that we ate a good amount. "Ah, thank you for the food!" I gushed, closing my eyes, a hand on my stomach as I leaned on my chair, head tilted back as I felt myself feeling slightly uncomfortable with the amount of food that I just devoured.
"You're welcome." Boun chuckles from across me. We spent some time in silence, the movie on his TV acting as oour background noise as it carried on with whatever show it was that we settled in. We weren't paying too much attention on it as we ate, we mostly conversed and just, well, ate.
I hear the utensils clicking and my eyes shot open, seeing Boun already up and collecting our dirty dishes. I pulled myself up and went over to his side of the table, grabbing the spoon and fork from him. "I'll do it, I'll clean up! You already cooked all these, at least let me clean up." I rushed out and he just smiles at me, shaking his head.
"You're my guest and I willingly did all these, no need to worry about cleaning." He says, a hand going on top of my head, as if petting me. As if he doesn't have a dog to do that to (who is, by the way, sleeping soundly under the table).
"Noooo!" I whine, shaking his hand off of my head. "I don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage of your generosity or something." I stubbornly say. I took a few plates that I could carry, deciding to just take the others after I settle these on the sink, just so that I could stand my ground. Boun can be stubborn, too, but I can be even more if I want to.
I grabbed the few more that's on the table and as I looked back, Boun's no where in sight. I heaved a sigh, a triumphant smile on my face. I guess he finally gave in. I turned back to the sink, seeing the dirty dishes and pots and pans that I have to deal with. I looked at the watch, it's a little past 9:30 pm, it's pretty damn late and I still have to go back to my apartment which is another 30 minutes away. I guess I kind of lost track in time.
I sighed, grabbed the rubber gloves and picked up a glass, starting there. "I told you I can deal with those."
"Shit!" I almost dropped the glass between my glove-clad hands as I turned around, seeing Boun standing literally behind me. He grabbed me by my arms, helping me stand still on my feet, as if at any moment, my knees would buckle. I just stood there stunned, unmoving. Glass still between my hands, water dripping down my elbows as Boun and I settled into a stare-down, the distance between us almost imaginable.
"I didn't mean to scare you." He said and it almost sounded like a whisper, or maybe it is, considering how close we are right now. My muscles do not dare to move even an inch as I stayed glued to my place, hands inside the gloves sweating, I could feel it.
"I- I wasn't scared. You- startled me.." I tried to protest but my voice came out soft, almost matching his tone. His smile grew and somehow, though his kitchen is dimly-lit, I took notice of his facial features. His sparkling eyes, the faint lines that etched near his lip as he smiled, his pointy nose, fair skin, even the numerous piercings that are sparkling near the corners of my vision. I haven't seen him up-close like this in a long time and somehow, seeing him like this, so so so close like this, sent me in a trip back memory lane. Even his scent, oh his scent. He still smells the same. So comforting. So homey.
Amidst our little staring competition, Boun's smile kind of settled down, now he's staring deep in my eyes. I didn't even notice it but I then felt his hand traveling from my arm to my cheek. Fingertips so soft against my burning cheeks. "Your eyes.. they- they're so pretty." He says, and though full of adoration, his eyebrows scrunched together into a line, almost as if he's thinking of something. I then turned my head to the side, pushing him away from me gently and turning my back, facing the sink once again. My heart is pounding against my chest. I could almost hear it in my ears. I feel like the walls are closing in on me all of a sudden.
I opened the tap, letting the sound of the water flow through my ears instead and it helped, gladly. "Um, I'll be quick. Then I'll be off of your hair." I say with a chuckle though best believe, my voice quivered. I grabbed the dishes, the utensils, the pots and pans randomly, not even minding the usual order that I do when washing dishes. My mind is in a haywire. I just want to be done and over with this dish washing disaster.
I could still feel Boun standing behind me but I didn't dare to look back. I just can't. I can't do that to him.
As best as I could and as fast as I could, I managed to finish the dishes and I hastily removed the gloves, wiping my hands against my jeans, not even thinking of looking for a dish rag to wipe my hands to. Taking in a big breath, I turned around and as I've anticipated, Boun is still there, though he's now standing a few feet away from me. "Um, I'll- I'll get going now." I awkwardly say, waving a little. I didn't even dare to wait for an acknowledgement from him as I scurried off of the kitchen and to the living room, grabbing my backpack. "Thank you for the food." I say with a louder voice but I didn't dare look back at him, my face now focused on the big door in front of me. I grabbed the door handle and twisted it, just my luck, it's locked.
I bit my lip, thinking about how my lucky stars are actually betraying me right now. I also blame myself for forgetting that Boun has this fancy security door thingies. "I'll drive you home."
"Shit!" I screamed for the second time in a span of thirty minutes. "Stop doing that!" I exclaimed, hand on my chest as I turned around to look at Boun, who, apparently, think this whole this is funny. "Why are you smiling? It's not funny!"
He shrugs his shoulder, going over to the counter and grabbing his keys. "I'm just smiling." He states. He walks to his fancy little intercom thingy which is apparently next to this box-type thing where you can push a button to open the door. What the hell? His lock is so tedious. All I have are two keys and I can already access my apartment.
As soon as the door unlocks, he opens it for me, looking at me expectantly. "What are you doing?" I ask.
"Opening the door for you?"
"I know, I mean, why do you have your keys?" I ask, pointing towards the keys on his hand.
"Told you I'll drive you home."
"I can make the commute."
"It's late." He sternly says.
"I can manage, I always commute. I'm used to commuting."
"I will drive you home, Prem." And just like that, as if I've been dumped a bucket of cold water, I felt this electricity jolt up to my spine as he mentions my name. Stern and clear. He isn't asking if he could drive me home. He's stating that he will drive me home.
"Um, okay." I finally gave in, walking slowly towards the door and walking past him, the cold night's air hitting my face in a breeze.
"Have you always been this stubborn?" He asks ask the door behind him locks itself.
"You're the one who's always been stubborn." I retort, not loud enough for him to hear.
"What was that?" Or so I thought.
"Nothing." I grumble.
--------
（っ＾▿＾）
So so so sorry for the long wait!! I've been caught up with a lot of stuff. Hope you like this!!
(─‿‿─)