C U R I O S I T Y | Aemond Targaryen

T H I R T Y - T W O

Cordelia's P.O.V.

Something changed in him. He looks... Happy.

"Here, baby. Try this." Aemond hums in a soothing tone that makes me get out of my thoughts. "It's a little spicy, but I think you'll like it."

Naked under the white sheets, Aemond and I eat Chinese takeout in his bed as a late lunch. Vhagar, Sunfyre, and Tessarion are silently begging for a bite of our food at the foot of the bed. Watching Aemond pick up some type of glazed chicken with his chopsticks, I swallow the noodles in my mouth before he leans forward with the piece of chicken.

"Come on." Aemond smirks when I haven't moved for his offering and demands gently. "Open."

Sighing with a crooked smile, I lean toward him and open my mouth for the questionable spicy chicken. He puts the meat in my mouth and pulls his chopsticks back when I seal my lips. Chewing on the chicken and raising one eyebrow at him, I then nod my head in approval that I like it and it's not terribly burning my mouth like most of the spicy food Aemond enjoys eating.

Aemond is resting his back against the headboard with his chest exposed to me while the white bedsheet lays around his lower waist. With my arms, I'm holding the white sheet over me from the chest down as I sit in the center of his bed. We've been home for a while now, but neither Aegon nor Daeron have made an appearance at the house yet.

Earlier this morning, Aemond said his brothers stayed at the Red Keep Mansion for the night with his parents and sister, but won't be back home until later today. When I tried to call Aegon a few hours ago to check on him and Daeron, Aemond snatched my phone away before dragging me back into bed. I didn't put up a fight for once, but only because Aemond promised me they were fine and Helaena is keeping them in check.

Swallowing the chicken, I then scoop more noodles from my box with a fork while darting my eyes to the naked Targaryen I'm tangled in the sheets with. He seems at peace in a way I don't usually see him in: he's not tiredly bothered by work, frustratedly focused with school, or annoyed with his family for once. Aemond seems relaxed, which I've only seen a few times since becoming his roommate, and I pride myself for being part of the reason for his peaceful state of mind.

Shoving a fork full of noodles in my mouth, I glance at his box of spicy chicken and wonder if he's willing to share some more with me. Daeron is greedy when it comes to food and he defends himself by saying he's a growing boy while Aegon cares more about his drinks than the food he eats, but I'm not exactly sure about Aemond yet. Pointing my fork at his box, I then ask sheepishly while swallowing the chewed up noodles in my mouth.

"Can I have another?"

"Sure thing, baby." Aemond answers without a thought to it and hands me his box. "Take what you want."

Trying not to act surprise when he gives me the rest of the spicy chicken, I set my box of noodles on the bedside table and dig into his food. He grabs his other box full of fried rice from the table beside him while watching me stab my fork into the chicken. There's a strange look on Aemond's face as he moves his chopsticks to eat his rice, but they hesitate above the small carton.

Eating another piece of the chicken, I notice his eye drag over me slowly, like he can see everything underneath the white bedsheet. His eye seems at ease and his jaw isn't in a tight line like usual, but there is this expression on his face that makes me slowly chew my chicken. When his gaze slides back up to linger on my face, I ask curiously while swallowing and cocking my head to the side.

"Aemond... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason."

He mumbles quietly and I catch the corner of his lips curl slightly before he holds it down again. Then, as if to prove it's for no reason, he finally scoops up some fried rice and eats it dramatically for me to see. Rolling my eyes and stuffing my face again, I shrug my shoulders and sigh, knowing he's trying to play off the way he was just gawking at me.