Warmth

chapter 8: master chef

He could feel pain in every single inch of his body, it was like ants where gnawing away on his very bones or like someone kept poking him with a knife sharp enough to draw blood, maybe that's why opening his eyes took him so long, but once he did, the blinding light cassading the room forced it shut again.

Kanan clenched his teeth before forcing his sleepy eyelids open, keeping them open till he got used to the light seemed to have drained half his energy but he forced himself to sit up anyways.

His eyes slowly scanned his whole body, he'd been stitched in at least three different places and had bandage wrapped around his forehead, upper arm, chest region, and not to mention the cute plasters all over his legs like he was advertising them , a few on his other hand too.

Looking up at the room, Kanan finally knew the reason for all the light, the room, which was connected to the sitting room and the kitchen had windows as most of the walls and the white curtains were pulled to the sides. The room was mostly white, a nice shade of Hazel that made his laugh and lemon green with a little bright lavender here and there.

Judging by the bra hanging over the door ofthe drawer, his saviour was probably a lady and a gutsy one at that to save him off the streets and actually not take him to the hospital or call the police. Every thing was arranged so aesthetically, like the person was either a little bit of a clean freak or was a photographer.

His eyes searched around the room, books, lot of them, arranged in a hazel brown book case, a tiny piano, a camera...

"Photogrpher then " he mumbled, starring at the lemon green camera sitting in a corner, his fingers tracing the edges of the camera. He walked around a bit more, he was fumbling the tiny pictures she'd cutely framed with cardboard paper when he heard the front door open.

Then she walked in

Brown lustrous hair, honey brown inquisitive eyes, eyes rounded by suprise, her eyes probably curved into Crescents when she laughed, her small pink lips parted a bit, she wasn't short, at least when she wasn't compared to him, a nice figure, light steps, all in all, she was the shortcake he met at the airport.

It seemed the universe has cooperated with God to play with his life.

" umm... hey! " Astrid said awkwardly as she watched him watch her, she woke up early today so she decided to do a little grocery shopping after remembering that she'd abandoned the groceries she bought yesterday in the Alley where she saved him.

He didn't say a word, instead, he staired at her intently, he ofcourse didn't believe coincidences like this happened, even if she didn't look it, she could be part of the special forces or someone sent by them when their plan b didn't work.

Astrid felt so awfully awkward, one should have seen her face when she had finally recognised him yesterday but she already had a plan, she was just going to act like she didn't remember him or the incident atall.

"Does it ache? " She asked, trying her best to somehow not sound as awkward as she felt presently as she lifted the grocery bags and dumped them on the open kitchen's counter.

" I met you a week ago, didn't I? " Kanan asked, trying to fold his hand but gave up once he realised how fuckn much the act hurt.

" me... um.. Nope, you've got the wrong girl " She stuttered, turning to shove some drinks in her fridge.

'Yep, not a secret agent ' he concluded, she couldn't lie for s**t!

Immideately he came to the conclusion, he finally relaxed, sitting down on the sofa " it's no wonder you forgot, no one would want to remember drooling that much on a stranger " he shrugged.

" I don't drool!! " she shot back before she could stop herself.

"Oh! So you do remember " he smirked, watching her face circle all the shades of red before returning back to a tomato red.

Astrid turned back to the cooker, turning it on, she was just gonna ignore that douche till whoever he'll call to pick him up arrived. But on second thought... " well, this stranger saved your sorry ass when you could pass off as a fountain in that Alley, only with blood and not water you ungrateful chap! " she was practically panting after saying those words and regretted it right after. What happened to ignoring him?

Kanan starred at her flustered self, almost laughing at how she looked like a cat who'se meal had been stolen. Astid let out a huff before turning back to the cooker making good her decision to ignore his very existence till he larned some manners.

" thanks " Kanan said, sitting on one of the stools facing the lavender coloured kitchen counter " thank you for saving my sorry ass"

Asyrid's busy hands paused for a while, she had wanted his thanks but now, she wasn't even sure what to do when she got it " it's no problem, it wasn't much of a trouble anyways" that was a complete lie, so much of a lie that she even internally winced when she said it, afterall, dragging around a dying man that just happened to weigh double your size was anything but 'not much of a trouble' but he didn't have to know that, does he?

then... silence.

complete and utter awkward silence...

right now, she felt like google-ing 'how to make small talk with a hot stranger 101' talking about hot, with the way he was looking, she felt she'd probably get burnt if she stayed within one meter radius of that completely hot body. he looked like he walked straight out of a magazine, or better still, a novel. what surprised her was that although hot, he wasn't 100% perfect but somehow, that served to make him even more perfect.

He had lustrerous blonde hair, the kind that dye could never emulate and the fact that it was so messy that it fell over his eyes slightly made him seem even more picturesque, then the hazel eyes, bright but hooded with mystery of some sort, they weren't emotionless though like a typical male lead, instead, they were filled with ammusement. then to talk about the light litter of freckles right over his nose, one flaw that happened to be the best part of his face for her (except the eyes though) , then the picturesque chiseled jawline, chest broad enough to lay on, tight and toned stomach and...

" eyes up here, shortcake " he said, pointing at his face as he snapped her out of her reverie, so he'd caught her ogling and she foolishly didn't even realise ' oh! that's why he had so much ammusement in his eyes, kill. me. now!!!!'

Astrid cleared her throat, she wasn't sure if it was a cold or sheer embarrassment that clogged her throat but she cleared it anyways "don't call me that "

" what? ' shortcake'? "

" yes, that "

"ok shortcake " kanan smiled enjoying how pissed off she looked.

" i wonder why i even bother with you? " she asked, staring at the empty frying pan, she was just gonna make them both breakfast for the sake f courtesy and then give him her phone to call whoever was going to pick him up. but there's a problem..

" you. don't know how to cook, do you? " Kanan asked seeing her stare at the frying pan like it would somehow conjure a meal itself.

of course she denied it " me?.. peeesh, don't be riduculous, i can cook a LOT of meals "

maybe it was the fact that the ingredient she'd offloaded on the table were entirely conflicting or the fact that she couldn't lie to save herself but, Kanan saw through that lie the moment it left her lips. " really?" he asked, raising his brows at her.

she starred at him for some seconds before walking up to the fridge and pulling it open " does instant noodles count?!"

Kanan gave her a look before walking to the cooker standing beside her " OK, let's see. i'm currently not able to cook myself, so, i'll tell you what to do and you do it "

"okay!!"

it seems it was time to put his masterchef skills to use with only a half hand available.

great! ( all sarcasm intended )