A Better World (Record of Ragnarok x Reader)

Chapter 24 - What do you think of her?

Seated along a small, round table made of glass, [Name] took a sip of the Jasmine tea Eve had brewed for her and her own family. A refreshing breeze drifted by the stone pillars of the pavilion, rustling the golden hair of the delightful woman as she cut a piece of cake for each of her sons. [Name] was surprised that any wind could enter the very secluded area they currently occupied, considering the very tall rose hedges that practically isolated them from the outside world.

"Do you have somewhere to be later, [Name]?" Eve asked, finally taking a bite of her own pastry. All nervousness she had harboured during their small talk the past thirty minutes was immediately replaced by a broad grin, and [Name] did not miss Adam's own smile from the corner of her eye.

"I am, but it is after sunset so there is no need to concern yourself with the time."

Eve shot her a bright smile, but [Name] did not miss how tense her jaw was. She had taken notice of all her micro movements since the moment they met – the sweaty palms, the withdrawn eyes, and the slight stutter in her voice all indicated discomfort. If she were to make a guess, she would assume the woman's more reticent body language to be a result of either meeting a new person... or because of her presence specifically. [Name] had no idea what Adam had told his wife about her, but if one of those things might have regarded her past profession, she could see why it would make the frail-looking girl scared. Perhaps Eve's question was a way of politely asking her to take her leave.

"Hey, [Name]!" A body loomed behind her, and she had to crane her neck up to stare into the blue eyes of Cain. A crumb fell on her cheek from how the blonde man chewed his cake with his mouth open. She wiped it off her face. "Have you tried this chocolate cake yet? It tastes soooo good."

"If you continue to chew like that I might involuntarily," she joked, making the man blush and scratch the back of his head while wearing an impish grin.

"Sorry, sorry."

Abel let out a small chuckle. Unlike their mother, the two brothers showed no qualms of not only speaking to her but also inviting her to their next outing merely five minutes into their conversation.

Adam sighed. "Cain, sit in your chair."

The man let out a heavy groan. "But it's uncomfortable!" However, one firm look into his father's eyes and the boy in him relented. "Fine, but if my ass is sore the rest of the day, I know who to blame." No wonder Adam had not uttered a single complaint about her behaviour when he had a son like that.

"Do you always act like such a brat, Cain?" [Name] teased.

Abel nodded. "If you only knew."

"Hey, hey! What's up with you two? Can't I offer someone cake without getting shit talked?" He took her plate. "You don't deserve this."

The corners of her mouth twitched, and she had to struggle not to burst into a fit of laughter. However, one glance at Abel's and Adam's scrunched faces from holding back their own laughs and she soon relented.

Leaning her head back, rich chuckles escaped her mouth, followed by similar sounds from Adam and Abel. This further irked Cain.

"Really dad? And what's up with the two of you? I am the oldest one of us three, so you should respect me!" His childish tantrum could compare to the one of a kid not getting his favourite food for dinner, thus only resulting in the trio rejoicing even more. Eventually, he stopped shouting and decided to aggressively eat his cake instead, muttering something about one murder not being enough. Abel stopped laughing.

Small, cute giggles parted between Eve's lips, but the second the blonde woman's eyes met hers, she evaded her gaze. Was she making her uncomfortable? Should she excuse herself? Her thoughts were cut short by the serene voice of Abel.