It Never Had To Get So Dark - Father Paul Hill x Reader

Fifteen

I stared down at the prepared food in front of me, worrying my lip between my teeth.

"You know what, Pup? I'm still not sure if he can eat this, the site I found says it's okay but...ugh, I hate doubting myself all the damn time, I just don't want to offend him, but I followed the list I found."

Kura didn't move from his place splayed out on the living room rug, he merely eyed me before letting his eyelids fall closed again.

"Well, only the meat really, that's why I cooked it separately. Does he even eat meat?"

Rolling my eyes, I stepped away and put my hands on my hands, taking deep breaths.

"Stop being stupid, there's something here that is definitely edible and he can take what he wishes, you tried on such short notice...self-inflicted, no less."

I looked over my kitchen, nails drumming against the countertop as I let out a long breath.

"Maybe I can just make something else before he gets here."

Giving the counter an eager slap, I sprang away and moved to the cupboard, pulling them open with a revived energy to stress myself out again.

"I've got this."

I stood up on tiptoe to rifle through, cursing for the millionth time since moving in that they had been put in too high to reach comfortably.

My fingers had barely grazed a jar of jam that I'd been gifted when a knock interrupted my search.

Kura immediately jumped up and started barking, his tail wagging as he ran out of sight to stand at the door.

"Okay, thank you," I called to him while stepping away from the cupboard.

He didn't stop and wouldn't until I rounded the corner, as per the usual routine on the rare occasions we had visitors, at least since we had arrived at Crockett.

Back on the mainland, he'd consistently bark at mail people and takeaway deliverers, it was considerably more peaceful now that we'd moved somewhere quieter, even if I did miss takeaway food being there at the press of a button.

Though, it did save me money.

I patted Kura's head as I stepped around him, gently nudging him back with my leg as I reached for the door, a tuft of fur trailed my hand as it grabbed the handle, Kura's perpetual malting still covering my entire home in fluff.

It wasn't a surprise to see Hassan behind the door, but I was stupidly surprised to see him in casual clothes rather than the uniform I was accustomed to seeing him in.

"Evening," I smiled while trying to hold Kura back from running out the door, as he was prone to at any given chance. "Don't mind him, you know how gobby he is."

"We wouldn't have it any other way, would we boy?" He replied, leaning down to rub Kura's head as the dog continued his incessant plan of forceful escape.

As he fussed over Kura, who was eating it up like the sappy mutt he is, my eyes trailed to his other hand that was clasped around what looked like a covered ceramic ramekin.

"What have you got there?"

Hassan's eyes dropped to the ramekin and then met mine, looking as if he'd momentarily forgotten that he was holding it.

"Oh, yeah, uh...I hope it's okay but I brought some halal chicken, figured you'd be working yourself into a frenzy over that."

"You are a mind reader," I laughed, stepping aside to finally let him in. "I was starting to panic a little and it was my idea."