On a cozy afternoon, Aurelia awakens to darkness in her bedroom and glances at the time. She finds herself having slept for thirteen hours straight. Her previous mission had completely exhausted her, necessitating a substantial period of rest and recovery. In response, her Captain has arranged four days of dedicated TLC for her to recuperate fully.
She gets up from the bed with a big stretch and a long yawn before she heads to shower. She swaps her pajamas into cleaner silky pajamas before she makes her way out of her bedroom. One by one, she opens the windows and pulls aside the curtains to let in some sunshine into her apartment.
She lives alone in an apartment building that's nestled away from the bustling city but close enough to supermarkets, bus stops, convenience stores, and whatnot. She has been living there for the past ten years and she doesn't plan on shifting out anytime soon. The apartment she owns fully, and it is decorated to how she pleases.
The apartment comprises two bedrooms, one of which serves as a guest room for visitors. Its spacious layout spans a generous ninety square feet, offering ample room for comfortable living. The kitchen is fully equipped, providing all the necessary amenities for cooking and meal preparation.
As one enters the living room, a sense of tranquility permeates the space. An L-shaped sofa takes center stage, with a matching round carpet placed underneath and a coffee table to complete the look; positioned strategically to face a large 55" screen television, a few feet away, offering the perfect setup for relaxation and entertainment.
Adjacent to the living room sprawls a shelf adorned with Aurelia's cherished collection of vinyl records, amassed over the years. Resting atop the shelf is a vintage vinyl player, beckoning for use. Completing the setup is a pair of high-quality brand speakers, poised elegantly at the console, ready to deliver rich, resonant sound.
The ambiance is further enhanced by the room's decor, which follows a cohesive dark theme. From the furniture to the accents, dark tones prevail, adding a touch of sophistication and elegance to the space.
Aurelia heads to the sofa and takes a seat, grabbing the remote on the coffee table to switch the television and speaker on. Resuming a drama that she is currently hooked on, she makes herself comfortable and enjoys her break.
As Aurelia remains fixated on her television screen, the front door swings open, revealing Dr. Zayne Adler standing in her hallway. His imposing frame nearly fills the doorway as he enters her apartment with quiet and deliberate steps.
"You're here early," she says, her eyes still glued to the television. "Aren't you busy with a case?"
"I'm busy with a research project that happens to get injured in one of her missions," he says as he hangs his coat by the coat hanger and turns to look at her. "Have you eaten?"
"No, I just woke up."
Zayne sighs even though he is expecting that answer from her and turns towards her kitchen without hesitation. "Is there anything that I can cook a meal with?" he asks, his cool voice echoing in the background.
Humming, Aurelia gets up from the sofa to join him, seeing his broad back hunching over the fridge is a strange sight to see. She can't keep her eyes off him. "Orla came over to drop off some groceries earlier," she answers. "There should be something in there that you can spruce up for a simple meal."
Despite his prowess as a skilled surgeon, Dr. Zayne possesses an additional talent that often surprises those around him – he's quite the adept cook. Beyond the operating room, he effortlessly navigates his way around a kitchen, showcasing a flair for culinary creativity and an innate understanding of flavors. Dr. Zayne's culinary skills never fail to impress, adding yet another dimension to his already impressive repertoire of abilities.
"Thank God for Orla or you'd be eating scraps," he says as he picks out some items from the fridge to place them on top of the kitchen counter and looks at her. "How's your injury? Is it still hurting or getting better?"
"Dr Zayne, your patient care is tip-top," she says as she leans against the wall. "I should recover soon-ish."
Aurelia's recent mission led her straight to Thomson Medical where Zayne works, and upon her arrival on a gurney, partially soaked in blood, his complexion drained of color. Despite her reassuring words that the blood didn't belong to her, she bore a wound on her back that prompted concern.
He turns to look at her. "Let me see it."
Rolling her eyes at his insistence, she listens and walks to him before turning around to let him see the wound on her back. She feels his cold fingers on her skin and tries not to shiver, he peels off the tape and the gauze over the wound to check the stitching before covering them back after he is done.
"It's healing well."
She spins around. "I told you so."
Little registers in his silvery eyes, yet a subtle nod indicates his acknowledgment. His gaze traces the contours of her arms before lingering on her shoulders. Despite her efforts to remain composed, she finds it challenging not to shiver or flush under the intense scrutiny of what feels like a Greek god staring directly at her.
"Is your tattoo piece complete?"
She nods. A myriad of tattoos adorn her skin, starting from her right wrist, meandering up her arm, and spreading across her shoulders before flowing onto her back. The intricate design depicts a sinuous dragon intertwined with flowy brush strokes and streaks of blue ice spiral around it. The dragon's visage is prominently displayed on her back where it meets with her shoulder blade, adding to the captivating allure of the artwork.
"The additional scarring might add more flavor to your back piece."
She laughs. "I look like the real deal anyways," she says as she cocks a hand on her waist as she appraises his attire. "Are you going to get changed into something comfortable before you start cooking?"
Zayne looks at her curiously. "What do you mean?" he asks. "You don't have men's clothes here."
"Check in my room, there's a package on my bed," she says flippantly. "I bought clothes that are too big for me and I think they might fit you."
He stares at her for a few seconds and nods before heading to her bedroom. Aurelia hides a smile and returns to the living room to resume watching her show. She sits on the couch cross-legged as she waits for Zayne to reemerge from her bedroom.
Soon after, he emerges from her room wearing the clothes she has 'accidentally' bought two sizes too big and he stands in front of her with a knowing look. She pretends to be annoyed at him for blocking the view and tilts herself to the side to see the television screen. He moves to block her view again.
"You're blocking the view, Dr Zayne."
"I know what you're trying to do and you failed."
"Did I?" she asks as she looks at her friend, fighting to keep the smile off her face. "You look good, I have fantastic fashion choices."
"You're being funny," he says with mirth but his lips curl into a smirk. "But thank you, Aurelia."
She simply smiles wider as she receives the praise. "Cook deliciously, Mr Zayne Adler."
"Coming right up."