The moment Ferdinand suggested Daisy take a bath, he knew he had bought himself some time. Knowing the kind of bathroom that awaited her, complete with a tub, a shower, and every luxury she could imagine, he chuckled inwardly, imagining her reaction. **"She's probably in there right now, thinking about everything but relaxing,"** he thought, shaking his head with a smile.
Ferdinand walked into the kitchen with a purpose. Daisy hadn't eaten properly, and considering the night they'd had, she would likely wake up with a fierce appetite. He could feel his own stomach rumbling in anticipation too. The problem, of course, was that Ferdinand wasn't exactly a culinary expert. Sure, he could fry eggs and make a decent sandwich, but cooking a full meal? That was a different game altogether.
He opened his laptop on the kitchen counter, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he searched for something that would be easy enough for him to make but delicious enough to impress Daisy. After a few moments of browsing, he found it: **cheesy pasta**. It wasn't too difficult, and who didn't like cheese?
"I'll make pasta. Everyone likes pasta," he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself that this was the right call. The instructions were clear—boil the pasta, make the cheese sauce, add a few seasonings, and you're golden. He could handle that, right?
Ferdinand stood up straighter, feeling confident for a moment. "Okay, I've got this. How hard can it be?" he said out loud, as if reassuring himself that everything would turn out fine.
He grabbed a large pot and filled it with water, setting it on the stove. While waiting for the water to boil, he scrolled through the instructions again. A few cloves of garlic, some butter, heavy cream, cheese… pretty basic stuff. He rifled through the cabinets, pulling out ingredients one by one and setting them on the counter like a professional chef. He felt a little surge of pride as he did so.
As he chopped the garlic, his mind wandered back to Daisy. She was in his apartment now, in his space, and despite how different she was from the world he had carefully constructed for himself, she seemed to fit in perfectly.
"I wonder if she's still dancing in there..." Ferdinand smiled to himself. He could picture her, probably humming to some tune while the bath filled up, completely lost in the moment. "She's like that—makes the most out of everything," he thought.
Ferdinand decided the kitchen could use some music, so he opened up his favorite playlist. As the familiar beats of Coldplay filled the apartment, he felt the tension ease from his shoulders. Music always had that effect on him, helping him clear his mind and focus. He began moving more freely around the kitchen, a soft rhythm guiding him as he stirred the boiling pasta and tasted the sauce that was starting to come together.
The lyrics of "Fix You" played softly in the background, and for a moment, Ferdinand paused. "That's what I want to do for her," he realized. "I want to be someone who can fix her, or at least be there when she needs someone to lean on."
But then the garlic sizzled in the pan, snapping him back to reality. He added a spoonful of butter and stirred quickly, letting the aroma fill the kitchen. The sauce was coming together, creamy and thick, the perfect coating for the pasta. "Okay, not bad," he said, tasting a spoonful. "I'm actually doing this."
As he continued to cook, Ferdinand's thoughts drifted back to the events of the past few days. Meeting Daisy had felt like stepping into a different world, a place where things weren't planned or predictable. She was a whirlwind of emotion and spontaneity, and yet he couldn't help but be drawn to her. He had his own world of structure—his spreadsheets, his planner, his business dealings—but with Daisy, things seemed to spiral out of that control.
"She's probably overthinking everything right now," he chuckled, picturing her frowning while trying to piece together the events of the past few days. "Always in her head... just like me."
The pasta was nearly done, and Ferdinand decided to check on the wine they'd had the night before. He hadn't drunk much, wanting to stay focused, but Daisy... well, she had certainly enjoyed herself. He grinned, remembering her childish antics from earlier in the night, but the smile quickly softened. Behind her carefree demeanor, Daisy was carrying burdens he wanted to help ease.
He drained the pasta and combined it with the sauce, stirring everything together until the cheese melted into a velvety smooth consistency. He added a dash of pepper and a sprinkle of parsley on top for flair, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Not bad for a first try," he thought, pleased with how it turned out.
He set the table for two, arranging everything neatly as he glanced at the clock. It had already been about thirty minutes since Daisy had gone to take a bath, and Ferdinand figured she was probably still enjoying herself. He chuckled, shaking his head at the thought.
"I bet she's singing in there," he mused, imagining Daisy belting out tunes while the water sloshed around. That was just the kind of person she was—completely immersed in whatever she was doing, no matter how small.
He turned the music up a little louder, swaying gently as "The Scientist" played. "Nobody said it was easy..." The words resonated with him as he thought about everything that had unfolded between him and Daisy. Their connection had been unexpected, a whirlwind of emotions and moments that seemed almost too good to be true.
Would things work out between them? Was this just some passing phase? Ferdinand wasn't sure, but for the first time in a long time, he didn't care about the answers. All he knew was that being around Daisy made him feel alive in a way he hadn't felt in years.
He wiped his hands on a towel and walked over to the window. The panoramic view of the city stretched out before him, lights twinkling in the distance as the evening sky turned a deep shade of blue. "It's peaceful out here," he thought, watching the cars below as they moved like tiny dots along the streets.
Ferdinand leaned against the counter, glancing towards the bedroom door. He could faintly hear the Daisy's soft hums as she enjoyed her bath. The image of her dancing around with a hairdryer in hand popped into his mind, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"She really is something," he murmured, shaking his head. "But I guess that's what makes her... Daisy."
The pasta was ready, the table was set, and now all Ferdinand had to do was wait. He decided to pull out his phone and catch up on a few emails while the music played in the background. But even as he tried to focus, his mind kept wandering back to Daisy.
He knew she would eventually emerge from the bathroom, refreshed and likely in a much better mood than when she had entered. The thought made him smile. "She'll be fine," he assured himself. "She just needs some time to relax."
As the minutes ticked by, Ferdinand found himself growing more and more excited. For what? He wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it was the idea of spending more time with her, of hearing her laugh, or maybe it was simply the joy of knowing that for tonight, at least, everything was just... right.