Chapter 19
The morning after your awkward, panic-inducing struggle in bed, you were both sitting in the kitchen, the air still warm from the early sun creeping through the windows. A freshly brewed pot of coffee sat between you, the rich aroma filling the room, as you both sipped in a comfortable silence that felt easy, natural, despite the tension that lingered under the surface.
Vi was leaning back in her chair, her muscular arms resting casually on the table, one hand lazily swirling her coffee. Her pink hair, still messy from sleep, framed her face in soft waves, and her signature fierce eyes—despite their lazy, half-awake state—were already watching you with that same intensity that made your stomach flutter.
"So, you've never really had someone cook for you, huh?" Vi's voice broke the silence, her tone light, almost teasing.
You raised an eyebrow. "I've had people cook for me before," you said, trying to sound casual, though the words felt strange coming out of your mouth. Your family, always too focused on appearances, had never made room for something as simple as shared meals. It always felt like an event or a performance. But with Vi, this was different. It was easy. Real.
"Right. But I mean someone who actually cares about making sure it's good," Vi said, smirking as she took another sip of her coffee.
You smiled, amused by the way she always found a way to make everything sound like some kind of joke. "I can't say I've had that, no," you admitted.
Vi's grin softened into something more genuine, the playful edge falling away for a moment. "Well, I'm not one to half-ass anything, so... you're in for a real treat," she said, her tone full of mischief.
"Is that so?" you replied, eyeing her skeptically as she rose from the table and went over to the stove, where a pan sizzled with eggs and a few strips of bacon. She'd insisted on making breakfast that morning. You, on the other hand, hadn't asked for anything. But it felt nice—having someone who wanted to take care of you, even in this simple, everyday way.
The next few moments were a blur of contented silence, save for the gentle sizzle of eggs in the pan. Vi was busy flipping the eggs, her attention split between the task at hand and the fact that she seemed to be casually eyeing you every now and then, the way her gaze flickered up from time to time making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.
You didn't mind. In fact, you kind of liked it.
But then... it happened.
Your mind wandered—distracted by the way she looked in that moment, the easy way she moved, how her tattoos flexed as she reached for a spatula. You didn't even notice that Vi had moved a little too close to the stove. You didn't see the faint smell of something burning—just a slight bit of char in the air.
Suddenly, you heard it.
"SHIT!" Vi cursed, her eyes widening as she whipped around to the stove, realizing too late that she had been so busy looking at you that she had completely forgotten about the eggs. They were now scorched beyond recognition, the smell of burnt food wafting through the air.
You burst out laughing, unable to stop yourself. The moment was too ridiculous, too perfect. Vi, the fiercely protective woman who had been so confident in everything she did, had just nearly burned down your kitchen because she'd been too distracted by you. The thought was utterly hilarious.
"Did you just—did you really just—" you stammered between fits of laughter, your face flushed with amusement.
Vi's expression shifted from surprise to mock annoyance. She grabbed the ruined pan off the stove and waved it in the air, the burnt eggs barely recognizable. "You're lucky I didn't burn the entire house down," she shot back with a grin. "You know, you've got a really distracting ass."
You bit your lip to suppress more laughter, but it was impossible. You could only imagine what she must have been thinking when her attention had wandered away from breakfast. Your heart skipped a beat when you realized it had probably been you all along, distracting her in ways you hadn't even realized.
"Well, what can I say?" you teased, still chuckling. "Maybe you should pay more attention to your cooking skills than me."
Vi's eyes narrowed playfully. "Hey, I'm really good at cooking," she said, placing the ruined pan in the sink with exaggerated care. "This was just... an unfortunate accident. Besides," she added with a wink, "you didn't hear me complain when I was distracted, did you?"
You felt heat flood your cheeks. Vi had that effect on you. She was bold, unflinchingly confident, and yet somehow, she knew how to make you feel like the most important person in the room without saying a word.
You tried to regain your composure, but it was hard when she was standing there, that amused grin still on her face, arms crossed over her chest as though she was daring you to comment. The two of you had always had this playful banter, but there was something different about this moment. A spark of something deeper was between you, something that had been growing steadily, like the slow burn of a fire catching in dry kindling.
"Alright, alright. I'm sure you'll redeem yourself," you finally said, wiping away the last remnants of laughter. "But maybe just... pay attention next time?"
Vi's eyes softened, the teasing glint never quite leaving, but there was an undeniable warmth there now, one that spoke more of affection than anything else. "You got it, sweetheart," she said, stepping closer to you, her body radiating heat as she leaned down to kiss your forehead softly.
For a second, you just stood there, feeling her lips press against your skin, your breath hitching at the tenderness of the gesture.
And then—bam—it was over, just like that. Vi was back at the stove, rummaging through the pantry for something else to salvage the situation, completely unbothered by the fact that she had just burned your breakfast.
You shook your head in amusement. Typical Vi.
But it was those little moments, the ones that didn't seem important at the time, that meant everything. The way she would randomly drop in something thoughtful when you least expected it. The way her presence, even in something as simple as making breakfast, made everything feel more alive.
"I think this was probably a sign I should've just ordered takeout," she called over her shoulder, giving you a wink as she found some bread and threw it in the toaster.
You leaned back against the counter, smiling softly to yourself. "You could've just asked me to make it," you teased, crossing your arms. "But I guess you really wanted to impress me."
Vi turned back to face you, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, I'll impress you alright. Just you wait," she said with a sly grin.
"Sure you will," you replied, the corner of your mouth lifting into a smile. But deep down, you knew she already had.
The morning passed by with more playful banter and a few more failed cooking attempts on Vi's part, but it didn't matter. What mattered was the feeling of peace that had settled between you two. After everything that had happened, all the complications and the emotional turmoil, this—this easy, natural comfort—was what you needed.
And as the day wore on, you realized that maybe, just maybe, this was what you had been waiting for. That the deepening connection between you and Vi was more than just a fleeting moment, more than just the chaos of two people who had no idea what they were doing. It was real. It was growing. And it was taking you both to places you hadn't even imagined yet.
But for now, it was enough just to sit there and enjoy the quiet comfort of a morning spent with someone who understood you, someone who, despite burning your breakfast and getting distracted by your ass, had managed to make you feel like you were home.
And that, you thought as you took another sip of coffee, was the best thing you could ask for.