𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘 | 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝

𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐀: 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

[ unedited ]

♕

Dahlia was going to throw her rolling pin at Matthew's head and press charges on the dough.

"Matthew! No! not like that! by the Angel, I'm going to" Dahlia breathed in deeply. This was Matthew, she could not expect any less. "Okay, look this is how you do it," I told him, gently placing her hands on his and moving the rolling pin up and down.

They were trying to make some roti's for Arya because it was her birthday today, and considering they'd only had this kitchen for about five days this was going better than expected.

Dahlia's eyes wandered around the flour-covered walls and water all over the floor, the boiling potatoes and the sweet smell of kurma simmering on the stove.

"Why is this so hard," grumbled Matthew. "It's really not, Math, but your pea-sized brain must really find this complicated." Dahlia sighed, lifting her hands from his.

"That doesn't mean I'm giving up!" he said, pouting and taking her hands and placing them over his again.

She raised her eyebrow but complied and helped him.

"What even is that!" Dahlia laughed, looking at the odd-shaped wheat dough.

"Well, what did you call it? Yes, a roti."

"That is not a roti, jaan, and look at the roti's I've made and yours!" she said giggling.

"Not all of us can be as perfect as you, love," Matthew grumbled.

"Hmm? What was that?" washed Dahlia teasingly.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." he said.

"Mhm, sure, you think I'm perfect huh?" she said, smiling ruefully and bumping her hip against his. He rolled his eyes.

Dahlia was in a simple gown with a few bangles and her wedding ring on her finger. Matthew was in just his dress shirt and trousers with his tie undone and his hair a mess.

"It's getting unusually late," he said, looking at the clock on the wall.

"Only one in the morning, not late enough," Dahlia told him, placing their odd roti on the pan and pouring a teaspoon of oil over it.

"To you," Matthew said, yawning and covering his mouth with his hand instantly.

"Yes, to me." She said, flipping over the roti as bubbles popped up all over it. "Okay, I'll be in the other room, okay? Wake me up once you are done." Matthew told her and waddled to the table.

Dahlia watched him go and lay his head down on the table, she watched his eyes close and the eyelashes frame his cheekbones. She watched his hair fall over his head and the smudged of flour all over his hair and shirt.

She watched him for so long the roti started burning. She started cursing and tossed it onto a plate. She cut it into half and poured a little kurma for both of them. The rest of the food, she packed and placed on a shelf hoping it would stay good till morning.

She plated the dish and laid it out on the table and kneeled next to Matthew. She brushed his hair from his face and gently wiped away the flour with the hem of her sleeve. "Jaan, wake up for a moment please," she said softly. Matthew jerked away.

"Dahlia?" he asked blearily, "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice edging panic.

"Yes, yes I'm fine but I laid out a midnight snack, once we eat that we can sleep after an hour or so."

"Okay," he murmured, sleepily. The thing about Matthew, Dahlia thought, was that he looked like a child when he was asleep or close to sleep. It was adorable to Dahlia. She didn't like that.

He looked around for what Dahlia assumed was cultery. "Matthew, do this," Dahlia told him and broke away a piece with her hands and dipped it into the kurma and put it into her mouth.

Matthew looked at her like she just told him the moon was square but shrugged and copied her actions.

"I like it," he said.

"I'm glad," Dahlia replied.

Once they'd finished, Dahlia washed the dishes despite Matthew's constant protests and washed their hands and dragged Matthew upstairs to their room.

Matthew plopped down face flat on the bed.

"Matthew! You can't sleep after just eating!" Dahlia chided.

"To hell with that, I'm sleeping," he grumbled. Dahlia rolled her eyes. "Fine, do as you please."

She turned around and picked up Alice in Wonderland and started reading that. After about half an hour passed, Dahlia put the book down and unwillingly glanced at Matthew. He was sleeping peacefully.

The moonlight framed his face and hair with an almost angelic look.

Dahlia got off her bed and sat on the edge of Matthews. Almost as if sensing her, he edged towards her and placed his head on her lap. Dahlia smiled and started stroking his hair.

It was soft like silk.

She got up quickly but made sure Matthew didn't wake up. "No wait, stay," murmured Matthew's sleepy voice.

Dahlia looked behind her and slowly walked to his bed. She laid down next to him, his arms wrapped around her torso, and she slowly drifted to sleep.

♕

so cassandra moved the date of the Chain of Thorns release to Jan???? So that means the plans for this book are now moved up to Jan :(

But! Here's an interesting twist ;) I'm writing extras on this book now! And I'll probably start a mini-series between Infinity and Ultimate and Agape cause yes :)

Alright, that's all, good night I'm heading to bed adios ciao 😭