𝐉𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞 (DISCONTINUED)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 27

Tian didn't quite live in a mansion but the house was still the biggest, lushest place she'd ever been in. Alora wandered around the halls taking in the surreality of the situation. In mere hours, she learned her father was alive, had a fight with the love of her life, lost her best friend, and then moved in with her father. She was shocked she wasn't laying down crying right now; she supposed it would all hit her again later. For now, she waltzed into the kitchen where Tian was cooking, or trying to at least.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he fanned the smoke coming from the pan of food on the stove. She watched him for a moment, eyes flicking from the gas fire to his hands, still fanning the smoke. "Turn the stove off. Might help," she advised. "It's burnt already anyway." She couldn't even tell what it was supposed to be.

Tian sighed in defeat, turning off the stove and placing the smoking food on the back burner. Alora crossed over to him and turned on the fan above the stove, gesturing to it as if it was a magic trick.

"Yes, I haven't tried to cook in a long while but today is my staff's day off. I usually order in but I thought I'd try today, maybe I'd surprise myself," Tian chuckled. "No. Still an awful cook."

Alora surprised herself by laughing. She peered back at the charred food sitting on the back of the stove. "What were you trying to make?"

Tian hesitated, looking almost sheepish. "Pancakes."

Alora's eyes about popped out of her sockets. She looked really hard at the pan and then back at him. "Those are pancakes?" she practically screeched. Neither Robby nor Finlay were the best cooks but they could manage not to burn pancakes, at least not as bad as whatever he did.

"I know," he sighed. "I guess I...turned the heat on too high?"

"You think?" Alora snorted. Her eyes flashed over to the leftover pancake batter; her stomach was pinching her at this point. "Do you have another pan?"

Tian nodded, moving to open a white cabinet full of pots and pans. Alora grabbed the bowl of pancake batter and peered at it suspiciously. It was just an add-water mix but she needed to be sure. Once she was satisfied, she found the cinnamon and vanilla extract after opening three different cabinets and he watched her because he barely knew where anything was either.

They made light conversation that Alora found surprisingly comfortable as she finished up the pancakes. She made a face on them in whipped cream and chocolate drizzle, plated them, and sat down at the table with him. He knew something had happened that caused her to come to him but he didn't push the topic and she didn't offer. So, they ate and laughed and Alora found herself feeling lighter than she had in weeks.

Tian had made it clear that even though he was her father, she wouldn't get any more special treatment than she was already getting. She wasn't sure how she was even going to explain this to Kyler and the rest of them or if she was even going to try. They walked in together and Tian patted her on the shoulder, heading off to be with the other senseis. Alora turned to join her friends but once her eyes landed on Finlay she turned in the other direction and decided to stretch alone, her good mood deflating instantly.

She sat her bag down in the corner and began running herself through breathing exercises and stretches. Not even a minute after she sat down, Finlay was standing over her. "Alora, please hear me out. I promise-"

"Finlay, please shut up," Alora muttered, sighing. She had never been on really bad terms with Finlay, she didn't quite know what to do. "It seems that you've made your choice. So, why are you here? Shouldn't you be off with Robby and Amaya talking about how crazy I am?" Alora taunted, blankly.