𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 (Various 𝘹 𝘔.𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳)

Chapter 4

Y/N stirs, rousing from sleep as the faint aroma of cooking fills the air. His mind drifts in and out of consciousness, not fully awake yet.

The gentle sounds of Kaori moving around the kitchen are soothing, nudging him further into wakefulness.

He stretches, feeling the comfort of the couch beneath him, starkly contrasting the tension and suspicion that had plagued him.

As he sits up, the smell of breakfast grows stronger, accompanied by the familiar clinking of utensils and the soft hum of Kaori's voice.

A sense of normalcy is in the air, a departure from the previous days' unease.

He takes a deep breath, letting the comforting scents and sounds envelop him before getting up.

Y/N walks towards the kitchen, his bare feet making soft padding sounds on the floor.

As he approaches, he sees Kaori at the stove, her back turned to him, engrossed in her cooking.

Without thinking, he steps up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her into a gentle hug.

She tenses for a brief moment, then relaxes into his embrace, leaning back slightly.

Kaori: "Good morning," she says softly, her hands still busy with the meal.

Y/N: "Morning," he replies, his voice still heavy with sleep.

They stay like that momentarily, almost merging in the hug, speaking volumes.

Kaori pulls away slightly, turning her head to look at him. Their eyes meet, and the world feels like it's paused for a second, everything else fading into the background.

She looks into his eyes, her hands still in front of her. Kaori began to slide it down at the fingernail, slightly touching the sizzling pot, causing her to pull my hand back, although she was okay.

Y/N pulls her back, looking over her shoulder to ensure she's okay.

Kaori also looked at her hand, then up to Y/N, who looked at her, worried.

Y/N: "Can I help you cook?" he asks, his voice warm and sincere.

Kaori smiles, nodding. "Sure. I'd like that."

The earlier tension has dissipated, replaced by a growing sense of connection and comfort.

꧁༺ ༻꧂

Y/N: "So, what are we making today?" he asks, his curiosity piqued.

He did an apron, and two cracked eggshells can be seen to the side. Y/N also had some yolk on his hands.

Kaori: "Something simple. Eggs, which you have already broken two of... kinda messily."

Y/N: "Damare..." Y/N said, albeit sarcastically.

Kaori smiled. "With the eggs, we'd have toast and some bacon. I thought we'd start the day easy."

Y/N: "Sounds perfect," he says, smiling as he cracks an egg into the pan.

Kaori: "You know, you're getting pretty good at this; that's the third one you've cracked well." she teases, nudging him with her elbow.

Y/N laughs. "I've had a good teacher... Although it was initially annoying, you can teach someone pretty fast..."

He said earnestly. Kaori's eyes soften at his words, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

They continue to cook, now in companionable silence, the rhythm of their movements synchronizing as they work.