~Seraphina's POV~
"Why won't you let me help you?" Luke whined as I made dinner on Wednesday night, causing me to look away from the food in front of me on the stove and over at him. "Because I don't think that it's nice. You're the one staying here, and my mom always taught me to be nice to guests." I explained softly, turning away to mix the sauce around in the deep skillet in front of me, not wanting it to burn.
"But you let Enzo help you sometimes!" He grunted out in annoyance, causing me to blush in embarrassment. "That's different." I whispered, ducking my head down a little. He just huffed and shook his head, stalking forward to lean against the counter beside me with a doubtful look on his face. "No, it isn't. You just give him special privileges because you have a crush on him." He huffed, making me awkwardly purse my lips as I stirred the sauce a little slower. "That isn't true." I mumbled, but we both knew I was lying. He was right. "Yeah, sure it isn't." He snorted, a smile rising on his face. "I don't think it's fair that I want to help and you won't even let me." He complained again, causing me to look up at him again. I remained quiet for a second, seriously considering it for a moment, only because he genuinely seemed to want to help out. Nobody ever offered to help me cook, not even Enzo. I had to ask him if he'd help me.
"How about you go ask Carmen?" I suggested, biting my lip softly. His face fell and he rolled his eyes. "How many times have I said I don't need her permission for everything?" He huffed, causing me to giggle softly and shut off the stove. "So, you don't need her permission here, but you need mine?" I asked, pushing the skillet back so the sauce could cool down a little while I made the chicken.
Luke paused and watched me as I took the already cut up pieces of chicken and dumped them into the oiled pan beside me, turning on the stove again. I paid attention to the chicken for a while, turning them consistently so they'd cook, but not burn. After a minute, I turned the heat down so they could cook while I prepared the other food. "Well, you're the one cooking, so yes." He huffed, causing my lips to twitch up. Glancing his way, I grabbed the bag of microwaveable white rice and stuck it in the microwave, starting it so that it could cook. I giggled and pulled out a bag of broccoli as well, setting it on the island counter while the rice cooked. "It's okay. I'm nearly done, anyways." I smiled, causing him to grumble to himself in frustration.
"I wanted to help." He pouted some more, making me smile a little. For a grown man, he sure did pout like a little boy when he didn't get his way. It was...cute, dare I say.
"If you want to help," I sighed, peering up at him, "Then can you grab me some plates and the silverware?" I asked, causing him to groan. "C'mon, sunshine, you gotta give me something more challenging than that." He whined, the unfamiliar nickname making me blush as I turned away. I hadn't expected him to give me a nickname like that. "I really don't have anything else. It's nearly finished." I softly admitted, beginning to push the chicken around in the pan again to be sure it was evenly cooking and not burning.
"Fine," He sighed, getting down the plates and the silverware from the drawer for me. I heard him set them on the island and then he leaned against the counter beside me again, silently pouting at the fact that I wasn't allowing him to help me with dinner. But there wasn't really anything left for him to even do, in my defense. As I heard the sound of the microwave going off, I looked up at him and grabbed the pan with the sauce, moving it closer to me. "Would you put the broccoli in the microwave and take out the rice? Just read the back of the bag and you'll know how long to heat it." I asked, which seemed to make him perk up as he nodded his head. He went ahead and did as I asked while I poured the sauce into the pan with the chicken, beginning to mix it all together with the heat still on medium. The chicken and sauce were both cooked to perfection already.
When the food was all ready, I shut off the stove and took the empty pan, rinsing it out in the sink while Luke left to get Carmen for dinner. Like usual, she came in and quickly got her food before she left just as fast as she had arrived, making me sigh softly. On the other hand, Luke gave me a grin as he set his full plate of food on the island. "You should actually eat the food you make, for once." He said, causing me to frown. "I always eat the food I make." I protested softly, drying my hands on my tank top. He just rolled his eyes, not adding anything more on that matter. "C'mon." He pleaded. I sighed and relented, grabbing my plate before I got myself some of the rice, broccoli and teriyaki chicken. It smelled pretty good, thankfully.
Luke ate some of the food on his plate while I grabbed a spoon and left to the kitchen table, planning on eating alone. I guess I had just assumed that he would go and eat with Carmen, like he usually did. I usually let them eat and then I would eat later, alone up in my room. That was how I usually did it, and then I would go to sleep.
However, Luke surprised me when he came and sat down beside me, still scarfing down his food. "Fuck, this is so good," He groaned out his approval, the praise making my cheeks warm as I looked over at him. His eyes met mine and I blushed brighter when he gave me a playful wink, the edges of his lips pulled into a satisfied smile. "Thanks." I said softly, looking down at my plate. He chuckled and lightly nudged my knee with his hand, his hand warm on my bare skin. "You gonna eat or just stare at the plate all night?" He teased. I glanced up at him, shaking my head softly. "You're so persistent." I sighed quietly, sitting up as I began to eat.
I ate my full plate of food before Carmen came stalking past us, putting her plate into the sink for it to be cleaned by someone other than her. Me, probably. "I have a job interview tomorrow, Sera," Carmen mentioned to me as she walked passed me again, looking down at me. "So you and Luke will be the only ones here for a while when you get home from school." She added, sending me a smile as I lightly nodded my head.
She turned and left, leaving Luke to finish off his food while I got up to wash my plate and Carmen's. Luke stalked over to me when he finished his food and I went to take his dishes so I could wash them, but he just raised his brows at me and shook his head. "Nope." He refused simply, making me furrow my brows. "Huh?" I frowned, peering up at him in confusion.
His lips pulled into an amused smile and he gently pushed me out of his way, making my brows furrow more. "Hey," I frowned, stepping up beside him inside of just staring at his broad back. "I was doing the dishes." I protested, washing as he took over cleaning up the dishes. There weren't many, but I didn't want him to have to clean up after me or Carmen when he didn't make the mess. "And now I'm doing them." He shot back, glancing down at me with both brows raised in a silent challenge. I bit my lip and frowned, staring into his blue eyes. "But it's not your mess." I sighed, feeling a little bit guilty. It felt wrong making him clean up after Carmen and I. I always cleaned up after myself, or I at least tried to as best as I could. He shouldn't have to do it.
"So?" He shrugged, rinsing off Carmen's plate and placing it in the dishwasher. I wanted to protest a little more, but I knew that I would just be wasting my breath, so I stayed silent. Seeming to sense I wasn't very happy with what he was doing, he looked down at me and raised a brow. "Look, sunshine, you cook dinner every night and breakfast several times a week. The least I could do in return is wash the dishes, since you won't ever let me help with the actual cooking." He said, sending me a slightly reprimanding look with his eyes before he put my plate in the dishwasher as well. I felt my cheeks flush, but I found it oddly sweet that he was so insistent on helping me out in one way or another. Nobody had done that for me before.
"Thank you." I said softly as I looked away. Even though I didn't necessarily like what he was doing, I still appreciated the thought behind it. He wanted to be kind and do something to help me, which I thought was sweet of him.
Luke just grinned at me, placing his plate into the dishwasher last. "Of course, sunshine." He hummed, putting the silverware in the dishwasher as well. "It's the least you deserve for being so...giving." He added, closing the dishwasher and turning to face me as he dried his hands. I furrowed my brows, not sure what he meant. I didn't really do anything. "Giving?" I echoed quietly, causing him to smile in amusement and chuckle softly. "Yes, Nina. You never complain about it, either." He murmured, eyeing me closely as he seemed to drift off into thought a little. I looked up at him for a minute and then glanced down at my toes, slightly embarrassed. "I-I think I'm gonna go to bed." I stumbled over my words as I looked up at him again, just to see him send me a friendly smile. "Oh, okay." He hummed.
I went ahead and walked past him as quick as possible without seeming like I was trying to flee, keeping my head down as I passed him. When I made it up to my room, I shut my bedroom door and sighed as I flopped onto my bed. Chester jumped up beside me and laid on the pillow that he always used, looking at me silently. Then, he whined at me once and I smiled softly, kissing him on the top of his head. "Goodnight to you, too." I whispered, snuggling up beneath my blankets before I drifted to sleep.