Sofia's POV
I woke up to the savory aroma of cooking food. My stomach growled as I followed the scent to the kitchen, where Eric was busy preparing breakfast. The dish he was making looked appetizing, and my curiosity got the better of me.
"Wow, this smells amazing! Is it mine?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement.
Eric turned around. "No," he replied calmly.
I raised a eyebrow. "What? You didn't appreciate me taking care of you last night and the night before. Without me, you wouldn't have slept so well."
Eric's expression turned serious. "Okay, thanks for helping me sleep well."
I felt a sense of relief wash over me. "And?" I pressed, wanting more than just a simple thank you.
Eric looked confused. "And what?"
I stretched out my hand, palm up, like a child asking for candy. "My reward, of course."
Eric raised a eyebrow. "Then what do you want for a reward?"
I pointed to the food on the cooker. "Alot, but Let's just start with that."
Eric snorted. "This is the only reward you're getting. Got it?"
I pouted, feeling disappointed. "Come on, is that all you can offer?"
Eric carried the food to the dining table, his expression unyielding. "If you keep standing there, you might not get any reward at all."
I reluctantly followed him to the table, and we ate in silence. The awkwardness was palpable, so I decided to break the ice.
"I haven't really gotten to know you, aside from the fact that your name is Eric and you're the most annoying person I've ever met," I said, serving myself from the pot.
Eric chuckled. "Same here, aside from the fact that you're 'Sofia the blabby mouth'."
I rolled my eyes. "So, tell me about yourself."
Eric cleared his throat. "As you already know, my name is Eric. I'm a totally boring person. I have a brother and a sister, and parents who were all taken from me."
I sensed a deep sadness in his voice. "Were they all killed in front of you?"
Eric's eyes clouded over. "Yes, my sister died saving my life. And my little brother... he was only three. He cried out in fear, and the monsters came for him."
I felt a pang of sorrow. "Oh, Eric, I'm so sorry."
Tears threatened to stream down his face, and I instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. I'm sure wherever they are, they're happy you're alive."
Eric gently pulled away from my touch, his eyes locking onto mine. We sat there, inches apart, the tension between us palpable.
---
The next morning, I woke up feeling uneasy. I searched for Eric and found him cleaning in the living room. The memory of our intense moment the night before made me nervous.
"Are you going to stand there looking at me or what?" Eric asked, breaking the silence.
I hesitated. "I wasn't staring at you; I was just thinking."
Eric raised a eyebrow. "Okay."
We both knew that things had shifted between us, but neither of us knew how to acknowledge it.
"So," we said in unison.
"You go first," we said in unison again
"No, ladies first," he replied, trying to sound lighthearted.
"So you know what is called "ladies first' " I uttered.
"Would you talk or I should just go ahead" he said, already pissed off.
I smiled slightly. "So, what are we having for breakfast?"
He took a deep breath. "I don't know. Why don't you prepare something for us to eat, but I doubt you can."
I bristled at his teasing tone. "Can you stop underestimating me and be optimistic for once?" I stormed out of the room to the kitchen, feeling frustrated.
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