"So, Nea." The sun was starting to set. The two of us stood outside the door of her house, a building with two floors that she rented off an old couple. Nea's home was on the upper floor. "You know, I only like to see a bra when a girl is showing it off on her own."
"What do you mean?" Nea tilted her head in confusion.
"I am going to spare you the cliche of screaming and blushing, and let you have a few minutes to clean your place up, what do you think?"
I didn't know her, but the few hours right now were enough to put an image in my head. As expected, Nea bit her lip a little and then nodded. With her amazing figure and her luscious features, she almost looked cherubic with these small actions of hers.
"Thanks, that quite nice of you."
"My mother would be quite proud of you."
"Yeah, yeah, quit it with the snark. Wait here, ok?"
With that, Nea unlocked the door and climbed up. "I'll call you from the window," she said before heading up the stairs.
I took a few steps back and looked up. A nice balcony with a few potted plants was up there, lit orange under the setting sun.
Hm, now. Bras be damned, I needed to do something else. I shot off to the side and went into the alley next to her and another building. The two living armors stood there with their arms crossed.
One of them propped its chin.
"Look, I am doing some important market research, ok? The witch already knows not to expect us today, so it's fine!"
"..."
"I know, I know. I will come back down right after this. You don't know, this girl is quite the threat! It is important to keep our enemies closer than our friends."
"..."
"..."
"Tsk. Don't be difficult now. You have the rest of the ration, just wait for me, I will come back down and we'll all go back home."
In the end, I sighed.
These living armors weren't really saying anything. People tend to do that when they have a metal helmet instead of a head, but I could almost feel in my heart what they were trying to convey. The bond between me and all the poor chaps in Grim Palace was that strong!
"Alright, listen," I dropped the pretense. For this bond, for my dear brothers, I had to be honest. I placed a hand on both their chests (metal) and looked into their eyes (nope). "Help a brother score, yeah?"
The two armors nodded and moved back into the shadows. One of them waved me away, and the other gave me a thumbs up.
I wouldn't forget this, brothers!
"Hey, Axel?! Come on up!"
Nea called me when I returned to her apartment. The door opened and I climbed up the stairs, locking it behind me. There was another door on top of the stairs, and there stood Nea with a smile.
"Come in, come in, make yourself home."
"Shoes?"
"Right there next to the door, please."
The room was arranged quite well. It was a big space, with a door leading to a bedroom and another to a bathroom. The rest was a wide area, a couch set was arranged in the middle surrounding a tea table, and further back was the kitchen counter and a small table for two serving as her dining table, I guessed.
Nea looked around, and nodded, probably making sure nothing was off. I noticed a bunch of indoor houseplants here too. It was a well arranged room.
"Do you have an extra apron?"
"Yes, and the cool-box is over there."
Refrigerators were rarely used in the north, it was a waste of magic stones. Most people just stored their meats in ice-filled boxes and everything else didn't go bad that quick thanks to the weather here.
I took the apron from the hanger in the kitchen, and Nea joined me at the counter putting one on too. Her curves were really showing off in the apron, making me pump my brows. The turtleneck and apron combo for a beauty like that was quite killer.
"What would you like?"
"Um… so…" Nea looked away. "I tried to make some porridge before."
"And…?"
Nea showed me a saucepan. It was bottomless. Like, not deep. There was no bottom. It was bottomless.
Sweet mother, I am sure you said something about this too. Ah, was it, 'You may eat glass out a window but never a klutzy girl's cooking?' Maybe not. She couldn't foresee this one.
"Maybe you should sit," I said. This was a better chance for me.
My goal here was simple, the task assigned by the Grimoire was straight-forward. Now, while I had made it to her house, this was just both of us being open-minded and didn't guarantee anything.
For that task, I needed to charm her properly, and what better than cooking?
I borrowed a hair-tie from Nea and pulled my hair back. Then, I rolled my sleeves up to show my arms and got to work. The first step was to wash and to prep the vegetables.
I was going to make a simple stew and use the bread we had purchased for a simple dinner. My knife skills were naturally superb, I could slice through necks, onions were nothing.
Oil went into a pan and the onions were off to caramelize. Nea watched from the dining table, a hand on her chin, as I got to work. Compared to the witch's tastes, this was probably going to be like stealing a kid's allowance from a candy seller.
The meat in her cool-box was fresh, I sliced it up and seasoned it in a makeshift marinade while the base cooked, thirty minutes would be enough for now.
Garlic, carrots, some greens and some basic spices. Adding a small amount of sugar to melt the blend better, and instead of water I used a some milk for the stew.
A sizzle sounded as I cooked the meat a little. That was when a soft, jazzy tone entered my ears.
I looked back and saw Nea looking at me. A gramophone was playing a record near the couches.
I raised the knife and smiled at her.
Nea gave a smile back, her lips pursed.
"Your girlfriend must be really happy," said Nea.
Ok.
Annoying as fuck.
You think I would be in your house if I had a girlfriend!? Bitch please.
But. I was a mature man, who had experienced life and had been jaded by it (nope), so I decided to use my superior communication skills (oh absolutely) and play it smooth.
"I think so too! I think if I had a girlfriend, I could keep her very happy."
Nea leaned further on the table, going a little lower.
"You don't have anyone, Axel?"
"Nope."
***
In the middle of a wintry storm, inside the grandest room of the Grim Palace, a white haired lady coughed.
"Huh, weird."
***
"Single as they come," I said to Nea. I deliberately slowed down as I cooked. Cutting the bread in the middle and giving it a light toast on the fat that the meat had rendered, I asked. "And you?"
"I can't even cook, you think anyone would be interested in me?" She leaned lower, her head resting on her upper arm while she fiddled with her hair.
"Hah. Have you never looked in a mirror, Nea?"
The dish was almost done. I started plating. Just the bread on two plates, and some garnish on the stew with a touch of coriander.
"I am a muscle-head, Axel. Everyone says that."
Her eyes followed me as I put the plates on the table. She didn't bother to move. I placed the pan with the stew in the center, and instead of taking a seat went closer to her.
She gazed at me with upturned eyes.
"No one is really interested in a girl who only has brawns going for her. No charm or anything."
"Well," I gently tucked her hair behind her ears. "I am right here, so that statement is false."
Nea's breathing was warm. I switched, from tucking her hair back to cupping her cheeks.
"What does that mean?"
God was she frustrating.
"You're beautiful."
With my thumb, I gently traced her face from her ear to her jawbone then back. Her hot breath landed on my hand.
"And fun, and charming, and witty, and have a great music taste."
I could see her chest swell and shrink.
"You…" Nea's breath hitched. She suddenly stood upright and shook her head, her face completely red. "Do you want some wine?"
Alright, fuck this.
Challenge accepted. Conservative as we were as a society, and I was planning to leave it at first base, I was going to go at least third now.
You're on girl. You're so on.