You let out a heavy sigh as you crashed onto the living room sofa, exhausted by today's activities. Keeping the house you inherited in good condition was a chore in itself, but it had to be done.
You wondered why you were the one to inherit the house your grandparents shared. Maybe it was because you enjoyed coming here, unlike your siblings and most of your cousins. Whatever the reason, your relatives weren't too happy when they heard that you inherited the house, claiming it should've been one of them. You knew better than to argue with them, since the argument would turn against you like it was your fault even though it wasn't.
You sighed again at the thought before standing up walking towards the back of the house where the garden was. Maybe tending to the garden would ease your stress a little, you thought.
You walked through the back door into a large garden that looked like it went on forever, although you knew it was only a quarter of a mile, which is still pretty far but you were used to it. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, you walked through the garden towards a small shack that held the necessary tools to tend to the flowers and plants. You stepped inside said shack and grabbed what you needed before leaving to tend to the garden.
You put on a pair of gardening gloves before getting to work, grabbing a specific tool. You used said tool to trim excess leaves on the plants and flowers then pulled out any unwanted weeds. It took hours to complete but eventually you were finished tending to the garden, wiping sweat off your face. You breathed heavily as you returned the tools before quickly retreating inside the house, eager to cool off. You felt relieved upon feeling the cool air hit your skin the moment you stepped into the house; it was definitely a lot better in here than outside in the heat.
You eagerly rushed towards the kitchen and took out a glass from one of the cabinets, going over to the fridge and pouring a cold drink of your choice into the glass.
Oh, and you nearly forgot that all the dishes and silverware got left behind too, surprised it wasn't all sold. Though, if you were going to sell them, you were too lazy to do so and you probably didn't want to buy new ones, so you just kept them.
You drank half of your glass before setting it on the counter next to you, relaxing as you felt the coolness throughout your body. You were glad to have bought cold drinks before moving in because this summer heat was straight up killing you. But you can manage, to an extent.
You drank the rest of the liquid in your glass and went to put it in the sink but heard a loud knock on your door. You place the glass back on the counter before walking towards the front door, confused.
You knew you weren't expecting any guests, so you had no idea who just knocked. Maybe it was a package carrier, waiting for your signature. But you don't remember ordering anything, at least, you think you didn't. Perhaps it was a relative, though you wouldn't know unless you opened the door.
You grasped the handle and unlocked the top lock before opening the door, startled by what you saw.
You weren't sure if you were seeing this correctly, but you're pretty sure the Solaire of Astora was standing in front of you. You thought maybe you were hallucinating.
"Ah, hello, miss." He spoke. "Nightfall is upon us and I was wondering if it would be alright if I stayed the night."
God, he sounded just like him too.
"Huh? Oh, sure, come in." You say, shaking your head and stepping aside.
You watch carefully as he steps into your house and looks around in what you presume is amazement, closing and locking the door behind him.
You didn't know why you let him in, it might've been the fact that he's Solaire and his kindness doesn't mean you any harm, hopefully. Your social anxiety is sending warning signals in your brain in protest but you kept yourself composed.
"Oh my, what a wonderful home you have!" He exclaims, making you smile a little. "It's very spacious, this must cost a fortune!"
"Yeah, uh, I actually inherited it from my grandparents." You explain as he turns to you.
You weren't sure if this is some sort of prank your relatives are pulling, or if this is the real deal. Perhaps it's just some cosplayer who's nailing the character really, really well. Either way, you have no idea what to expect.
"Oh, were they rich?" The Solaire look-alike asked. "They must've been if they owned a place like this."
"I think so, I visited them a lot when I was very young, not so much when I was a teenager though." You reply, scratching the back of your neck slightly.
Then you hear your stomach growling, making you curse silently.
"Uhm, I have yet to eat dinner, would you care to join me?" You asked shyly. "If you haven't eaten, that is."
He seems to process your question before actually giving an answer.
"Oh, of course, it's been some time since I've eaten." He replies, giving a small nod.
"Okay, um, follow me, the kitchen is this way." You spoke, and turned around.
You walk towards where the kitchen is located and hear footsteps behind you, confirming that he was following you. On the way to the kitchen, you see the long dining table come into view; you sometimes forget it sits at least 24 people.
"I normally sit on the end here," you explain, pointing to where you usually sit. "So if you want to sit near my chair while I cook, that's fine."
"Alright, I'll wait here." He says, taking a seat on the right side of your chair.
You give a small smile before rushing into the kitchen to quickly get started on cooking. You grabbed a nearby cookbook and flipped through the pages, wondering what your unexpected guest would enjoy. You didn't bother asking what he preferred but hoped he would enjoy what you picked; you decided on cooking Salisbury steak with a side of sliced potatoes.
You put on your apron then grab all the necessary ingredients to cook such a dish, taking out a pan and spatula after doing so. You took out a small bowl and tossed in the ground beef along with diced onion, seasoning, and a couple of sauces then mixed it all together with your hands, somewhat grimacing at the feeling. Eventually, everything was mixed together and you removed your hands from the bowl to quickly rinse your hands off.
It took forever but damn, you enjoyed doing it.
You took out a separate pot and set it on the stove along with the pan, turning on the burners after doing so. You grabbed the can of French onion soup then opened it and poured it into the pot, discarding the can. You added sliced mushrooms and a cup of flour to the soup and mixed it until there were little to no bubbles, making sure to set the temp to low. Next, you grabbed the bowl of the almost forgotten meat and took out a small chunk, forming it until it looked like a patty.
You were thankful to not have made so much meat, only making enough for you and your guest.
You used the rest of the meat to form another patty and placed both of them aside, quickly pouring a bit of oil into the pan. You grabbed the patties then placed them on the pan, stepping back as soon as you heard a sizzle. You hastily rinsed your hands again before returning to the stove, flipping over the meat once one side was brown. After checking that both meat patties were brown, you lowered the heat and took the pot the gravy was in, slowly pouring it over the meat. You turned off the unused burner and placed the pot in the sink, eager to get started on the potatoes as the meat finishes cooking.
You've never cooked like this in awhile; you can't even remember the last time you did this.
Shaking your head, you took out a cutting board and a sharp knife then grabbed the two potatoes sitting on the counter. You placed one in front of you and began cutting it, careful of your fingers in the way. Once you were done with one potato, you made quick work with the other one, setting both sets of slices to the side. You set down the knife then turned to the stove, shutting off the burner and moving the pan to let the food cool. You rushed and took out two plates before setting them on the counter, placing the food on both plates. You sighed heavily as you placed all of the dirty utensils in the sink and washed your hands this time. You smiled as you grabbed both plates of food and walked out of the kitchen, satisfied with your work.
"Food's ready!" You exclaimed, approaching the table.
You stop and nearly falter as you see that Solaire has taken his helmet off, making your face heat up.
He had blond hair slicked back into a small ponytail, a few strands on the sides of his face. His pale blue eyes were staring at you almost intensely as a soft smile graced his features.
"Are you alright, miss?" He asks, bringing you from your thoughts.
"Huh?" You inquired, face heating up more. "O-oh, yeah, I'm fine."
You placed a plate in front of him then in your spot as you tried to calm yourself.
"Are you sure?" He asked, sounding concerned. "Your face is red."
"Y-yeah, I'm sure." You answer, turning around. "I forgot to get silverware, I'll be right back."
You quickly rushed into the kitchen and gripped the counter, trying to calm down. You took deep breaths and closed your eyes, managing to calm yourself down. Finally, after a few moments of calming down, you regain your composure and open your eyes.
Sure, you were calm physically but you were still mentally freaking out, and your heart was racing.
You opened a nearby drawer then took out two forks and knives, closing the drawer after retrieving what you needed. Slowly, you walked out of the kitchen and towards Solaire, handing him a fork and knife after you sat down.
You could feel your heart beating rapidly in your chest as you gave him a smile, which he returned.
You both talked as you ate dinner, mainly talking about how he got here and where he came from.
"I'm from Astora, located in southern Lordran." Solaire claimed, making you facepalm.
"I know that part, how did you get here?" You asked, slightly stressed.
"Oh, right, well...."
He then explained how he got here; first he fell asleep at a bonfire, then woke up in the middle of the woods, so he wandered around until he found a dirt road and followed that, which eventually led to your house.
You processed the new information as you rubbed your temples, unsure of what to make of it.
"Okay, so let me get this straight." You stated. "So you're the Solaire of Astora, you woke up on my property and unknowingly came to me for help?"
And as rude as you might've sounded just then, he slowly nodded his head.
"Oh my god, I can't fucking believe this." You grumbled, standing up.
He was the real deal, which made you panic.
You paced back and forth briefly before feeling a hand on your shoulder, making you look up at him in shock.
"You don't seem to be taking this well, miss." He says.
"How can I?" You inquired. "You're not-"
You stopped yourself mid-sentence, almost as if you're afraid to say it.
"Not what?" He asked, slightly confused.
You didn't want to tell him, but he had to know.
"You're not supposed to be here." You say, almost sadly. "You're, what we call, a fictional character."
As expected, he steps back in surprise as if he wasn't expecting to hear those words. You both stay silent as you turn away from him and walk forward.
"I'll take you to a spare room for you to sleep in." You state, not looking back.
You heard his footsteps following close behind, taking slow steps. Eventually, you reach a room and stop in front of the door then turn to him.
"Well, I'll leave you to rest." You say, then turn again.
Before you could turn, however, a hand on your shoulder stops you.
"Thank you, miss." He spoke, smiling. "I hope you rest well."
You return the smile before bidding him goodnight, turning to retreat to your room. Once arriving, you close the door and quickly change into comfortable sleepwear and crawl into bed.
As stressful as it was, your day ended pretty well, thankfully.