Golden Stars / Scarlett Johansson

Chapter 40: Chef

Y/N stood in front of Chris's door, her breath visible in the cool evening air. She had watched his car disappear down the street with Calie before turning to face the daunting task of stepping into his house — where Scarlett was. Alone. 

Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand to knock, but before she could touch the door, it swung open. 

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Scarlett's voice broke the silence, amusement dancing in her eyes as she leaned against the doorframe.

Y/N froze for a second, her mind scrambling. "I was... I wasn't standing here that long," she mumbled, her cheeks heating up. 

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, making Y/N's heart race. "Five minutes," she said with a smirk. "You've been here for five minutes."

"Was not," Y/N defended herself quickly, turning to Cebrus, who barked at her indignantly. "See? Even he says I wasn't."

Scarlett chuckled, stepping aside to let Y/N in. "Sure, blame the dog."

Y/N smiled sheepishly, brushing past Scarlett and stepping inside. The warmth of the house enveloped her immediately, but it didn't help the nervous fluttering in her stomach. She took off her jacket and hung it on the hook, but she couldn't shake the feeling of Scarlett's eyes on her. When she turned around, Scarlett was indeed watching her, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"Where's Rose?" Y/N asked, her voice a little too eager to break the silence. 

"Upstairs," Scarlett replied, her voice low, almost teasing. "She's dozing off."

Y/N's cheeks flushed as she realized Scarlett hadn't looked away from her since she walked in. She was still holding her bag awkwardly, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Just as she was about to say something, Scarlett was suddenly in front of her, barely inches away. 

Y/N's breath hitched as Scarlett reached up, tugging lightly on the collar of her shirt. "Always so elegant," she mused, straightening it with a casual touch that sent Y/N's heart into overdrive.

"I just... like this style," Y/N stammered, feeling a little too self-aware as Scarlett's hand lingered just a moment longer than necessary.

Scarlett hummed softly, her gaze sweeping over Y/N. "You look hot in it." She winked, her voice playful, before turning and walking toward the kitchen, hips swaying in a way that left Y/N hypnotized for a second too long.

A soft laugh brought her out of her daze, and she blinked rapidly, her face burning as she fumbled to pick up her bag and follow Scarlett into the kitchen.

Scarlett perched on a chair by the counter, attempting to open a bottle of wine. After a moment of struggle, she sighed in frustration. "I swear, I can never open these things," she muttered, clearly annoyed.

Y/N slowly walked up behind her, feeling a rush of warmth from Scarlett's presence. She leaned in, her body barely grazing Scarlett's back as she reached for the bottle. Scarlett hummed in surprise, the sound low and warm, but she didn't move as Y/N's hand brushed hers.

With a quiet pop, Y/N opened the bottle, setting the cork aside. She leaned in just a little closer and whispered softly, "I'll cook for us tonight."

Scarlett tilted her head slightly, her voice a quiet hum as she responded. "You want to cook?"

Y/N pulled back, her mind racing but her resolve firming. She would take control of this situation. For once, she would stop hesitating. "Yeah. I'll make us something special. For you and Rose," she said, feeling a new sense of determination settle over her.

Scarlett turned in her chair, her eyes following Y/N as she walked toward her bag. There was a small smile playing on her lips, like she knew something Y/N didn't. Y/N glanced back, meeting her gaze, and winked. 

Scarlett chuckled, resting her chin on her hand as she relaxed into her seat, clearly intrigued. "So what's on the menu tonight, Chef?"

Y/N started unpacking ingredients, setting them on the counter with an air of confidence she didn't quite feel. "How does roasted chicken with vegetables sound? Simple, but delicious. I'll make a small portion of mashed potatoes for Rose. It'll be something light and easy for her to eat."

Scarlett nodded approvingly. "I'm impressed. You really know your way around the kitchen."

Y/N shrugged, grinning as she started chopping vegetables. "Well, I had to learn. No one else was going to feed me."

Scarlett laughed softly, watching her every move. "You don't really look like someone who can cook."

Y/N glanced over her shoulder, smiling. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Definitely a compliment," Scarlett replied, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Most people just order takeout."

Y/N shook her head with a laugh. "Nah, I prefer the hands-on approach. Cooking's like therapy for me. You get to focus on the task, and it's... peaceful."

Scarlett watched her for a moment, her voice a little softer when she spoke. "You like taking care of people, don't you?"

Y/N paused, her knife still in her hand, and looked up. "I guess I do. It just feels natural, you know?"

Scarlett nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I see that about you. It's nice. Refreshing."

They continued chatting as Y/N cooked, the conversation flowing more easily with each passing minute. Scarlett told her about her day—how she had spent most of it with Rose, running errands and dealing with apartment repairs. Y/N shared little anecdotes from her week, how she had been dealing with work stress and trying to balance her life.

About twenty minutes into the cooking, the baby monitor on the counter crackled to life, and soft sounds of Rose stirring filled the kitchen.

Scarlett jumped up from her seat. "I'll get her," she said quickly, her maternal instincts kicking in.

Y/N nodded, focused on chopping some more vegetables. "Yeah, go ahead," she replied, not looking up from her task.

But Scarlett surprised her. Instead of walking straight out, Scarlett came up to her, placed a hand on her arm, and leaned in. Before Y/N could react, Scarlett pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

Y/N froze, her heart skipping a beat as she stood there, knife in hand, staring down at the cutting board. The warmth from Scarlett's lips lingered, and she was left speechless. 

Scarlett smiled softly, almost like she had been waiting for Y/N's reaction, then turned and headed upstairs without another word. 

Y/N stood there, her mind racing, her cheek still tingling from the unexpected kiss. She stared after Scarlett, her heart pounding, but she quickly shook herself out of it and focused on the food. She had to keep busy. Keep her mind occupied.

As she started to regain her composure, the soft sounds of Rose giggling came from the baby monitor. Scarlett's voice followed, speaking gently to her daughter.

Y/N smiled to herself as she finished preparing the meal, setting the table and laying out the dishes. She was still trying to process what had just happened, but one thing was clear: Scarlett wasn't playing around. And neither was she.