Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 43: Morning(II)

Uriel returned to his guest room, drying himself before putting on a simple set of grey pants and a grey worker’s tunic.

The scholar’s set didn’t feel as comfortable or casual to him, so he left it aside.

Just as he was about to head out, he paused, glancing at his hair.

With a sigh, he returned to the bed, sitting on its edge and flipping his long hair over his shoulder and into his hands.

He began to braid it.

...

The stairs led down into a rather large floor.

Half of it was a beautiful and expansive L-shaped kitchen hugging one corner, made of a blend of wood and emerald, fitted with all the necessary tools and utensils.

A counter ran across it, separating it from the rest of the room while also serving as a dining table—a large slab of ancient wood, reflecting a beautifully polished brown.

On the other side, a set of old, comfortable sofas was arranged around a chimney filled with dying coals.

Windows lined all the walls, daylight streaming in to illuminate the area, the glass offering a view of an expansive garden filled with flowers and trees.

KEE! KEE!

The sound of creaking wood echoed as Uriel made his way down, the smell of cooking food flooding his nostrils.

Uriel touched down, laying eyes on Ayah, who was focused on the battlefield her kitchen had become, and Enoch, who sat at the counter table, quietly sipping from a steaming mug while reading what looked to be a journal.

Enoch turned to him, setting his mug down. He looked a bit embarrassed, caught off guard.

Uriel shook his head and walked forward, heading toward the living area and dropping onto a long sofa, his head resting on a thick pillow and his feet kicked up.

"Hello." Enoch turned fully to him.

"I should probably kill you."

Enoch grimaced. "Yeah, I know. Listen, it’s—"

Uriel waved a hand. "Whatever. Don’t ruin my morning so early."

"Any time you talk, I end up nearly dying in the hour that follows. Let me at least enjoy breakfast."

Enoch swallowed his words, lips pursed. "Alright. I see you didn’t wake up on the—"

"Hey, Ayah, do you want me to help? I can cook up a thing or two, you know." Uriel sat up and headed toward the kitchen.

"You’re being childish, Uriel," Enoch said with a sigh.

Uriel nodded instantly. "Mhm."

He snapped a finger, and a set of runes flashed above the former, rapidly assembling into a spell circle. Before Enoch could react, a dozen bubbles of water appeared over him.

They popped, ridiculously cold water drenching him.

"You son of—!"

Uriel snapped a finger again, the spell circle shifting as a wave of heat slammed into Enoch, drying him—but drying him too much.

Dust accumulated in Enoch’s nose and he sneezed, his dried, cracked nasal interior tearing and jetting blood as his chapped lips split, a spike of pain pulsing through them.

Enoch’s lips twitched, and just as he heard Uriel snap his fingers again, he flinched—only for nothing to happen. He rapidly turned red, his embarrassment fanned by Uriel’s laughter.

Ayah turned, momentarily snapping out of her trance. She shot Uriel a glare. "Oh, cut it out already."

She summoned an apron from her mark and threw it at him, her expression that of a seasoned general as she spoke.

"Let’s get you working."

She turned to Enoch, her gaze sharp, and threw an apron at him as well. "You, too. Stand up."

... 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

An hour later, the trio sat at the counter table, a feast laid bare before them.

Trays of omelette variants, cheeses, charcuterie, pastries, bowls of fruit salad, breakfast sandwich sets, baked pies—both fruit and meat—freshly squeezed juice, and so much more.

The sheer variety and quantity of food were almost ridiculous.

Looking at it, Ayah couldn’t help but feel proud. She slicked her long lavender hair back before tying it into a bun.

Enoch placed the plates just as Uriel set down the cutlery.

Though exhausted, the two no longer seemed inclined to bicker, too famished to care.

Seated and ready, they waited for Ayah’s green light, eyes pleading.

She nodded, and they immediately began serving themselves.

TAH!

With the sun fully risen, the settlement began to bustle with activity, the skies shifting from radiant gold and blue to white-grey.

Rain began to fall, the winds growing colder.

They left the windows of the base floor open, fresh air sweeping through Ayah’s cozy little house.

They ate in tranquil silence.

"It’s an amazing house you’ve got, Ayah. Perhaps a bit too big for one little lady, but amazing nonetheless," Uriel commented between bites.

"Everything you say comes with a strange attachment to it, hm? What part of me seems little?" she asked, brow raised.

Uriel looked confused. "Are unmarried ladies not called little ladies? Married ones are called big ladies, and widowed ones true ladies. No?"

Enoch and Ayah turned to him, eyes wide.

"Where the hell did you learn this nonsense? And what do you think mister means?" Enoch asked in disbelief.

"Are they not just the same, but for men?" Uriel replied, cleaning his plate before serving himself more.

Enoch shook his head as Ayah rolled her eyes.

"This house is an extension of my dimensional space," she explained. "It’s a perk I received after completing a few tasks at the emporium."

"It’s big because, well, why not? It’s serving you all now, is it not? There are also more rooms on the third floor and in the basement. It’s meant to host as many people as possible."

She smiled. "I love company."

Uriel returned her smile for a moment, awed by her generosity, before turning to Enoch with a frown. "He’s staying here as well?"

Enoch looked away, his expression entirely neutral.

But what did it matter, when Uriel’s spark allowed him to feel all emotions? The shamelessness oozing from Enoch was as bright as day.

Uriel shook his head, his attention returning to Ayah.

"Ayah, I have a proposition."