[Zero knows that, in all honesty, there's a part of him that does indeed feel a little thrown off by Yagari's departure. He is more aware, however, that it's mostly a pointless fact to dwell over. The older hunter didn't belong here. That isn't to say that anyone does - be it himself, Yuuki, Ichiru, to the people he has never spoken with - but his master seemed more than miserable, let alone bored out of his skull.
Zero also knows not to settle on this fact, because, as proven already, it only leads him to mull over his own sentiments towards being in Ukiyo. By this point, he isn't sure what he's supposed to think. Somewhere within these seven months, happiness became tangible. There's a part of him that isn't sure how to accept. To acknowledge that he is loved, and allowed to love, to whatever degree, still has a foreign taste, no matter how deeply rooted it is, or how overwhelming it may continue to grow.
Such thoughts loop within his mind as he makes the fairly short walk back to his apartment. Yuuki's request that he head directly home after work, unfortunately or not, instilled Zero with practically an involuntary bout of suspicion. What is she up to this time?
Even so, perhaps on a whim, he briefly deviates to buy a trio of colorful daisies from a tiny flower-stand, held together with white paper and a blue ribbon.
Still deliberately taking his time, Zero arrives in roughly the twelve minutes it takes to go from the bakery to the small complex.
He pauses a moment when at the door to his apartment, picking up on the aromas within (maybe with a tiny bit of apprehension. She's cooking...), before entering.]
[The door and voice are enough to make her back straighten in alarm. (He's already here!?) Has she lost track of time? Dropping the serving spoon she'd only just picked up she whirls around, quick.]
AH! Zero!?
[Quick feet bring her out of the kitchen, holding onto the wall as she spins around it. She's flustered, suspicious obviously, though she tries to temper that down.]
[ . . . If she hadn't spent so long trying to shave the pieces herself. Determination steals across her face. That doesn't matter. This is still going to be a good evening and he isn't going to lift a finger to make any of it happen.]
Outside!
[Hands out, she moves forward, pushing Zero back toward the door.]
There was a huge creepy spider hanging out near the door outside! Go kill it!
[asdifs Words halted, he just eyes her, before sighing.]
There was nothing out there, but fine. I'll stay out.
[He isn't too annoyed by it, really (it's even a bit endearing). He briefly rests his free hand atop her head to give her hair a light, though teasing ruffle, and heads out.]
[Speaking to the door isn't very affective, though. Even if she's confident he heard it.
Letting out a small sigh, she slumps against the wall. Well. It's still the thought that counts, isn't it? Pushing forward it doesn't take long for her to move back into the kitchen, take the noddles off the stove and to finish setting the table. Most importantly, she changes as well. It's now that she's glad that, before his disappearance, she had commissioned Lelouch for clothes a little more similar to home. The dress, a pale shade of yellow and easy to slip on, is sleeveless, held up with simple spaghetti straps. Fixing her hair, quick, it's only once everything is ready that she once more approaches the door.
Fingers wrapping around the cool knob, she opens it once more after a deep breath.]
[Should he have reminded her to rinse the noodles before serving, however?
It's a lingering thought that fades soon enough, because as he steps back in, the difference in her appearance is the first thing he notices. He wasn't quite expecting her to do much, after closing the door, aside from simply finish up, so this is...
Cute...
He blinks, glancing to the side for a moment upon feeling the bit of warmth in his cheeks. It's not that he hasn't seen her in varying dresses and nice outfits, but- it was for him?
Yet, the fact that it flusters him at all does feel a little silly, at the same time. It shouldn't, by now, of course, right? He shoves down the way his heart sticks in his throat and looks upon her, smiling a bit.
One hand behind his back, holding the bouquet of trio of colored daisies, then comes forward and are presented to her, even as he speaks.]
[She blinks, glancing up at him as he holds the flowers out to her, touches of pink lighting the apples of her cheeks. Fingers softly fall over the delicate stems, bringing the bouquet toward her.]
Thank you.
[Lifting them to her nose she briefly inhales the scent before flushing further and glancing away. Like him, she's not sure why she feels so flustered.
Her finger tips brush his arm before trailing down to his hand. She clasps his palm with her free hand, stepping ahead of him and smiling as she turns to face him.]
I had a little bit of free time, today. And since you spend all day cooking, I...thought I'd make dinner.
[She's slightly embarrassed, but pins him with a look.]
It's simple. So you can't make any faces this time and tell me it tastes bad, okay?
[Licking her lips, she glances away, too, cheeks once more warming as her brown eyes search for anything else within the room.]
[He could watch every subtle move, every shift in demeanor, and never tire of it. Every time slender fingers curl when she tucks a lock of hair behind an ear, each momentary skip of her heart, or the way his own will sometimes begin to race even when she simply glances in his direction.
Or how he feels his heart as it continues to try and rise to the back of his throat, watching her as she takes in the flowers.
His hand closes warmly around her own in turn, a teasing chuckle behind his words to her remark.]
The apartment is still smoke and fire free, and the kitchen in one piece, so I think you'll be fine.
[Dessert? Pauses briefly, following as she leads. The blush is easy to catch, but... She knows he doesn't particularly care for sweets, either.]
I brought a few things for you from work... [indicates the small paper bag in his other hand, but then just jokes again.] I guess it can just be back-up, huh?
[A pause as she half turns around the glance at the small bag, her sensitive nose immediately picking up the sweet scents. Her sweet tooth makes it all the more difficult to ignore. Anything Zero makes at Pan Bakeri is delicious. Even before his position as a baker, at home, he'd made the best meals.
'That's not what I meant--', she wants to say to his last words. This dessert and that are two very separate things. Maybe... It depended, anyway.
... But she very well couldn't say that!]
Mm... [She clears her throat, intimately aware of the way his blood races through his veins, feeling the steady pulse through the gentle warmth of his hand.]
Close your eyes. I'll walk you to the chair. It's nothing special, but I'm proud of myself.
[She also can likely accredit him making good meals at home due to Cross and his habit of how he enjoyed experimenting a little too much, however, wouldn't she think?
Nevertheless, the way she continues to reassure him is both endearing, yet has him just a touch on the wary side. He could have easily peered over to the small table setting, but didn't, deciding he'll give her this and not spoil the little plans she has set up.
Sometimes he wonders if any of this life- these past months -is still some kind of dream...
[Fingers wrapping around around one arm, her other hand falls upon the lower part of his back, carefully guiding him forward. Pausing at the table, she moves to pull out the chair, before allowing him to finally lower himself into it.]
You can open them, now.
[With a lack of material, the place settings aren't as pretty or decorative as she likes, but-- she's worked with what she has, even having put a couple wild flowers she'd picked on her own earlier as the center piece. Within the middle of the table, soup, more accurately ramen is present, along with a plate of sandwiches.
Taking a seat across from him, she beams, a bit proud of her work. Simple, but...it didn't turn out half bad.]
[The varied dishes, combined with the delicate, earthy aroma of the flowers, made for an interesting scent. He did pick up a bit on the food earlier on, to be quite honest, but chose not to speak up about it. It's nice to see her enjoying herself, even with something so simple.
It's why, perhaps, he's able to go with the scene.
A light chuckle after he takes in the set-up, picking up his chopsticks.]
Quite the eclectic menu, Yuuki.
[He dips in to the ramen, first, admittedly a little skeptical. It's not not the most simple dish, and they clearly don't have the instant suff in Ukiyo. He'll give her credit, though. The meat is awkwardly cut and a bit large, the broth over-salted, and he's fairly sure she didn't remember to rinse the noodles before serving, but-]
Not bad.
[-at least it's edible, the faults easily looked past.]
[Relief spreads through her features, a smile lifting the corners of her lips. He likes it, then. The bit of apprehension she'd felt earlier faded into contentment.]
I know the kitchen isn't my strong point so I tried to keep it simple.
[Dipping into her own bowl she takes a bite, cheerful.]
[He nods. There's certainly no arguing with that. As for sandwiches, opposed to the ramen, are practically infallible, to a point. He can certainly understand why, for example, she seemed to constantly foul up on making those chocolates, in comparison.]
It was fine.
[Nothing outstanding to really elaborate on. He's only glad he's able to go to the shooting range, though. He isn't as restless as he used to be, when they first arrived here, but pulling the trigger continues to quell his nerves.]
They want to see how those cookies I made do as a regular item, though.
I can see why. Even I'd like to try one of them. [Probably that isn't much of a surprise, though. At least by this point she knows attempting to hide her sweet tooth from Zero is pretty useless and counter productive to her taste buds. A subtle hint, maybe.]
If you get extra, you should bring some home one day.
[Or maybe not so subtle. With a smile and a shrug she goes back to eating, though. At least picking at the food. Somehow her stomach is so full of butterflies that there isn't any room for something else. Once she's tossed her food around enough, though, she peeks up from beneath her lashes.]
Zero also knows not to settle on this fact, because, as proven already, it only leads him to mull over his own sentiments towards being in Ukiyo. By this point, he isn't sure what he's supposed to think. Somewhere within these seven months, happiness became tangible. There's a part of him that isn't sure how to accept. To acknowledge that he is loved, and allowed to love, to whatever degree, still has a foreign taste, no matter how deeply rooted it is, or how overwhelming it may continue to grow.
Such thoughts loop within his mind as he makes the fairly short walk back to his apartment. Yuuki's request that he head directly home after work, unfortunately or not, instilled Zero with practically an involuntary bout of suspicion. What is she up to this time?
Even so, perhaps on a whim, he briefly deviates to buy a trio of colorful daisies from a tiny flower-stand, held together with white paper and a blue ribbon.
Still deliberately taking his time, Zero arrives in roughly the twelve minutes it takes to go from the bakery to the small complex.
He pauses a moment when at the door to his apartment, picking up on the aromas within (maybe with a tiny bit of apprehension. She's cooking...), before entering.]
I'm back, Yuuki...
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AH! Zero!?
[Quick feet bring her out of the kitchen, holding onto the wall as she spins around it. She's flustered, suspicious obviously, though she tries to temper that down.]
What...What are you doing here?
[This can ruin everything!]
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He blinks at her, somewhat amused, regardless. To be polite, though, he doesn't peer over toward the kitchen and what she's possibly doing.
Not yet, at least.]
I live here... The walk never takes long, remember?
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Outside!
[Hands out, she moves forward, pushing Zero back toward the door.]
There was a huge creepy spider hanging out near the door outside! Go kill it!
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[asdifs Words halted, he just eyes her, before sighing.]
There was nothing out there, but fine. I'll stay out.
[He isn't too annoyed by it, really (it's even a bit endearing). He briefly rests his free hand atop her head to give her hair a light, though teasing ruffle, and heads out.]
Try not to burn anything, Yuuki.
[...the door closing behind him.]
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[Speaking to the door isn't very affective, though. Even if she's confident he heard it.
Letting out a small sigh, she slumps against the wall. Well. It's still the thought that counts, isn't it? Pushing forward it doesn't take long for her to move back into the kitchen, take the noddles off the stove and to finish setting the table. Most importantly, she changes as well. It's now that she's glad that, before his disappearance, she had commissioned Lelouch for clothes a little more similar to home. The dress, a pale shade of yellow and easy to slip on, is sleeveless, held up with simple spaghetti straps. Fixing her hair, quick, it's only once everything is ready that she once more approaches the door.
Fingers wrapping around the cool knob, she opens it once more after a deep breath.]
You can come back in, now...
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It's a lingering thought that fades soon enough, because as he steps back in, the difference in her appearance is the first thing he notices. He wasn't quite expecting her to do much, after closing the door, aside from simply finish up, so this is...
Cute...
He blinks, glancing to the side for a moment upon feeling the bit of warmth in his cheeks. It's not that he hasn't seen her in varying dresses and nice outfits, but- it was for him?
Yet, the fact that it flusters him at all does feel a little silly, at the same time. It shouldn't, by now, of course, right? He shoves down the way his heart sticks in his throat and looks upon her, smiling a bit.
One hand behind his back, holding the bouquet of trio of colored daisies, then comes forward and are presented to her, even as he speaks.]
...It suits you, Yuuki. I like it.
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Thank you.
[Lifting them to her nose she briefly inhales the scent before flushing further and glancing away. Like him, she's not sure why she feels so flustered.
Her finger tips brush his arm before trailing down to his hand. She clasps his palm with her free hand, stepping ahead of him and smiling as she turns to face him.]
I had a little bit of free time, today. And since you spend all day cooking, I...thought I'd make dinner.
[She's slightly embarrassed, but pins him with a look.]
It's simple. So you can't make any faces this time and tell me it tastes bad, okay?
[Licking her lips, she glances away, too, cheeks once more warming as her brown eyes search for anything else within the room.]
There's also dessert.
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Or how he feels his heart as it continues to try and rise to the back of his throat, watching her as she takes in the flowers.
His hand closes warmly around her own in turn, a teasing chuckle behind his words to her remark.]
The apartment is still smoke and fire free, and the kitchen in one piece, so I think you'll be fine.
[Dessert? Pauses briefly, following as she leads. The blush is easy to catch, but... She knows he doesn't particularly care for sweets, either.]
I brought a few things for you from work... [indicates the small paper bag in his other hand, but then just jokes again.] I guess it can just be back-up, huh?
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'That's not what I meant--', she wants to say to his last words. This dessert and that are two very separate things. Maybe... It depended, anyway.
... But she very well couldn't say that!]
Mm... [She clears her throat, intimately aware of the way his blood races through his veins, feeling the steady pulse through the gentle warmth of his hand.]
Close your eyes. I'll walk you to the chair. It's nothing special, but I'm proud of myself.
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Nevertheless, the way she continues to reassure him is both endearing, yet has him just a touch on the wary side. He could have easily peered over to the small table setting, but didn't, deciding he'll give her this and not spoil the little plans she has set up.
Sometimes he wonders if any of this life- these past months -is still some kind of dream...
He quietly does just as she asks.]
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You can open them, now.
[With a lack of material, the place settings aren't as pretty or decorative as she likes, but-- she's worked with what she has, even having put a couple wild flowers she'd picked on her own earlier as the center piece. Within the middle of the table, soup, more accurately ramen is present, along with a plate of sandwiches.
Taking a seat across from him, she beams, a bit proud of her work. Simple, but...it didn't turn out half bad.]
What do you think?
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It's why, perhaps, he's able to go with the scene.
A light chuckle after he takes in the set-up, picking up his chopsticks.]
Quite the eclectic menu, Yuuki.
[He dips in to the ramen, first, admittedly a little skeptical. It's not not the most simple dish, and they clearly don't have the instant suff in Ukiyo. He'll give her credit, though. The meat is awkwardly cut and a bit large, the broth over-salted, and he's fairly sure she didn't remember to rinse the noodles before serving, but-]
Not bad.
[-at least it's edible, the faults easily looked past.]
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I know the kitchen isn't my strong point so I tried to keep it simple.
[Dipping into her own bowl she takes a bite, cheerful.]
How was the rest of work?
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It was fine.
[Nothing outstanding to really elaborate on. He's only glad he's able to go to the shooting range, though. He isn't as restless as he used to be, when they first arrived here, but pulling the trigger continues to quell his nerves.]
They want to see how those cookies I made do as a regular item, though.
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I can see why. Even I'd like to try one of them. [Probably that isn't much of a surprise, though. At least by this point she knows attempting to hide her sweet tooth from Zero is pretty useless and counter productive to her taste buds. A subtle hint, maybe.]
If you get extra, you should bring some home one day.
[Or maybe not so subtle. With a smile and a shrug she goes back to eating, though. At least picking at the food. Somehow her stomach is so full of butterflies that there isn't any room for something else. Once she's tossed her food around enough, though, she peeks up from beneath her lashes.]
Are you done?
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