The sun had begun to set by the time the pair headed back inside. Sweat soaked their clothes and clung to their skin, but they both felt refreshed. Zeven sent Chris to bathe as soon as they walked in the doors, before heading into the kitchen.
Chris grabbed the shirt and pants that had been laid out on her bed. They felt soft to the touch. Careful not to get them dirty she held them away from her body as she made her way to the only bathroom she knew of. Knocking before she entered, she pushed open the door to Zeven's room and found it devoid of him. Nothing had changed in the room. It still looked like no one lived there, the bed was made, the curtains drawn, the dresser was empty on top. The only difference was now there were more clothes inside the drawers.
She walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Because she didn't have the key, she had no way to lock the door. she looked for anything to block the door, but came up lacking. "I guess I just have to be quick then." Chris muttered to herself, before sitting the clothes down on the counter by the sink. When she sat them down her eyes came to rest on a small gold key on the countertop that looked like it was waiting for her there.
Reverandly she picked it up and carried it over to the door. Placing it in the lock, she smiled as it clicked into place with a turn. Feeling more relaxed she began to draw water into the tub. Hurriedly she peeled her clothes off her before ducking into the bath. She put her head under the faucet and let the warm water run through her hair.
Chris could have stayed in that tub for a lifetime and been content, but she knew that even a locked door could only hold Zeven back for so long. Chris finished quickly, missing the warmth of the water as soon as she stood. Avoiding catching herself in the mirror, she grabbed her clothes and got dressed.
Zeven was downstairs and focused on a pot on the stovetop. When he heard her turn the corner into the kitchen he welcomed her with a warm smile. Taking his eyes off the pot, he turned to her, grabbed the cutting board and knife, and set it on the bar. "Come, sit. I could use an extra pair of hands." he gestured widely with his arm to the counter. Chris obliged and sat on the barstool. Zeven pivoted back to the pot, stirring its contents before swiping the crate of strawberries that sat to the side of the stove. All but throwing them at Chris he called out, "Can you dice these up for me." It wasn't a question, but it wasn't a demand either. She looked up to see him juggling multiple tasks at once and understood why.
While she had never done anything like this before, she got the general idea, and started cutting the tops off the berries. Zeven turned over his shoulder and called out to her, "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't know what you were doing so I could use it as an excuse to wrap my arms around you."
Chris was not impressed, "you understand I am holding a knife right now?" "Would you believe that that is a turn on for me?" Zeven winked at Chris, who was debating having the dagger "slip" out of her hand and into his thigh.
"Where is Gunter?" Chris tried to change the subject. "He went out tonight, I am not a monster, I don't keep him locked up here all the time." The topic successfully shifted. "I never thought you did. He is awfully fond of you for some reason though." Zeven laughed dryly, "who knows why. That man is more kin to me than those who share my blood."
An uncomfortable silence fell between them as neither of them knew where to go from there. Thankfully Zeven deemed dinner ready and grabbed two empty bowls from the cupboard. Passing one to Chris before turning to the stove and dishing himself out a hearty serving. "It's self-serve tonight. Your highness." He added a mock bow for effect.
By the time Chris had filled her bowl, Zeven was already sitting at the table chowing down. She sat down in the seat across from him, and looked into her bowl. It was a pasta of some variety, covered in a white sauce with peas and sausage thrown in. The meal was unrefined as all the parts mingled together, Chris swirled her fork in a circle before settling on the first bite.
"Do I need to taste test this one too?" Zeven had already finished his first bowl and looked like, if given the chance, he could finish her bowl too. "I'm sure I can manage, thanks." She promptly took a bite before Zeven could add anything else. It was wonderful. It was creamy and warm and just as Zeven had said "all the wonderful things in life."
Chris set her fork down to the side of the bowl, looked aside as she chewed and swallowed with reverence, trying to memorize the feeling. "I can't eat this." Her voice was soft. Zeven looked perplexed, his brows knitting as he leaned forward, "Your face said you enjoyed it, so what's the issue?"
Chris smiled sadly and shook her head, "you're right, I did enjoy it. But I have to go back to my kingdom and I have to remain a man to become the King. So I can't do anything that will hurt that chance." She couldn't look him in the eyes.
"You're only here for a month. Do something for yourself for a change. Who cares what everyone else thinks. A King is not king in appearance alone." Zeven wanted to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly like Gunter did for him in times of need. But he feared the message would be lost so he let only his words travel to her.
"How about this, if they have anything to say on your return, then you can blame me and my odd torture techniques." Chris smiled a bit as Zeven joked. "Or, on a less comedic note, on days where you are going to eat a meal like this we can spend all day training. That way you'll tone your body and burn off anything you may eat that day. Honestly, with all that we did today, you could eat that bowl several times over with no worries." Zeven saw as Chris's hand hovered over the fork, "I'll hold you to that."
Chris savored her food as she ate. Zeven refilled his bowl so he could eat with her too, and avoid the awkward staring. But as he once again finished before her, he couldn't help but look up and see her face. It was clear she was content, Zeven made a mental note that apon having a good night of sleep she was much more pleasant to deal with.
When she finished her bowl she thoughtfully set her fork down in the empty bowl. Zeven was one step ahead of her and had picked up his bowl and stretched his hand out for hers as well. Chris picked it up and placed it in his grasp. He turned and sat the two bowls down in the sink. "Now it's time for my favorite part, and since Gunter's not here, you won't tell him how many of these I'm about to eat." Zeven laughed maniacally as Chris stared in confusion. Zeven was now humming to himself as he danced around the kitchen .
Chris's eyes got wide as Zeven turned around holding a tray of shot glasses filled 3/4ths of the way with a brown substance. He sat the tray in the middle of the table by the dying flowers. Then he turned back and returned with the strawberries that Chris had diced earlier. Using his hands he deposited them fairly evenly into the glasses. Impatiently, he sat the cutting board on the bar and grabbed a glass before he had even sat down.
Using a spoon on the side of the tray he emptied the contents of the glass in record time. Smiling he looked up to Chris "Go on and have one, you did contribute." As she grabbed her first he grabbed his second. Taking the second spoon on the tray she lifted a bite to her mouth. It was sweet and smooth, a chocolate pudding, but creamier and lighter. Her hand flew up to her mouth in surprise.
"It's wonderful isn't it!" Zeven was clearly excited as the pile of empty glasses beside him grew. He looked up at Chris, smiling like a kid, he used his spoon to point to her. "Now we don't tell Gunter about this. Deal?"
"Can I ask a question?" Chris took a second bite. "Bold of you to assume you could compete for my attention with a chocolate mousse, but I guess I can spare a minute of my time." Zeven sat down his half eaten seventh glass, and folded his hands under his chin with his spoon sticking out.
"Isn't cooking a feminine endeavor?" Chris asked honestly.
Zeven sighed and rolled his eyes, but answered anyway. "I am extremely confident in my masculinity so partaking in the occasional feminine pastime does little to my ego. However, being able to cook is neither a feminine or masculine trait. It is simply survival. You don't cook? You don't eat. You don't eat? You die. Very simple." He was blunt. "Any other questions?"
"I'll let you know." She smiled and turned back to her glass. Zeven finished his seventh glass and had begun work on a pyramid of empty shot glasses. There were still two glasses on the tray. "I do have another question, can I have another please?" Zeven laughed as he pushed the tray her way so she could reach it easier. "Is the last one Gunter's?" Chris said after swallowing.
"And leave evidence? Don't be stupid, use your head." Zeven reached across the table for the last glass. He held it in his hand and stared at it for a minute before sighing, sitting it back down on the table he looked over at Chris, "If he asks you ate most of them." Loading up the tray with empty glasses, he shot Chris a coy smile. Before turning and letting her enjoy the rest of her dessert.
Chris sat at the table and slowly finished eating. Making sure to get every last bit, she drug her finger along the side of the glass.
"Now that is sexy."
Chris startled and dropped the glass. It fell to the floor and shattered like the world around her. She was not a guest, not really. Her companion was a wolf in sheep's clothing. And she had played right into his trap. "Ahh sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Zeven awkwardly ran his hand through his hair, "I'm trying to be better, but you should also keep your present company in mind." The glass shards lay at her feet. "I thought that with the new deal, you would see me as the prince I am. And not some woman here for your pleasure."
Zeven grabbed the trash can and began to clean up the glass. "I agree my comment was out of place and that I shouldn't have said it. However, the fact that you are still a woman does not change. But I do see you as an equal.
"You wouldn't say that to the soldiers in your army."
"To be fair none of the soldiers in my army are attractive to me." Zeven paused and pursed his face. "I shouldn't have said that either." Neither of them looked at each other. Zeven focused on cleaning the broken glass, and Chris fixed her eyes on the flowers in the middle of the table.
"You have dead flowers on your table." Chris's voice was tight. "Yes." "Why?"
Releasing the glass into the bin, Zeven titled his head to look at them, "They're from Mae. She had them delivered." Zeven looked the slightest bit sad as he hid behind a smile. Rising from his crouched position he brushed his hands on his pants. Fighting through the silence he continued, "They are out of water as per her request, something along the lines of 'prolonging the inevitable' and 'the only life worth living is a life well lived' her words not mine." Zeven got busy with cleaning as he settled into his speech. "She's an incredibly beautiful girl, I simply adore her.
Chris zoned out as Zeven continued to talk. The dishes were washed, dried, and put away; the glass shards were cleaned; and the last chocolate mousse was moved off to the side of the counter for Gunter when he returned. Without realising it, Zeven stood on the across from her on the other side of the table, "I'm heading to bed, it's gotten fairly late. I'd recommend that you do the same, but you'll probably do the opposite of whatever I say… so… good night."
Zeven disappeared from view as he rounded the corner. Chris exhaled loudly before burying her face in her hands. Even with a mutual agreement she shouldn't expect a change in his personality, just like she shouldn't expect his help with finding a better solution to the war. As long as the war stopped, he didn't care by what means it happened. But Chris wasn't ready to sit by and be a pawn in his game.