Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Layton Brothers Mystery Room
The bonus chapters turned into a sequel.
They hadn't been in the flat for five minutes. Lucy already had every pot, pan, bowl, measuring cup: literally every cooking utensil she owned on her counter.
Alfendi watched the chaos in distress. He couldn't help thinking she might be getting a bit carried away. They were only cooking for two people... "Umm, Lucy?"
"Wot do ya wanna make?" Lucy asks excitedly. She grabs food without reason, grouping it with everything else. She wasn't lying when she said she didn't know what they were having for dinner.
"Luc-" He starts to say.
"-I'm quite famished myself." She interrupts.
Alfendi sighs in exasperation, clearly not being heard. He meticulously scrutinizes everything Lucy has brought out. It's hard to come up with a tasty conclusion considering the choices she has presented him with. Lucy continues rambling a mile a minute, practically carrying on a conversation by herself, "I've got lettuce, cheese, mayonnaise, chocolate syrup-"
"Lucy!" Potty Prof explodes, unable to focus, "Could you shut your trap for two seconds!"Lucy bites her lip, understanding how reckless she is being.
What is happening to her? She feels so giddy. The only thing she had been looking forward to today was sleeping in and maybe going into town on her own this afternoon. Who knew this morning when she woke she would have the best birthday ever with her mentor. Then discover that they had both fallen for each other. Life was funny like that.
Alfendi straightens his hair into a more secure ponytail to get it out of his face, besides the one hair he could never get to stay. After observing the ingredients he finally asks, "Do you have any sort of pasta?"
Lucy searches the pantry and spots a box of rigatoni on the top shelf, "Aye, I do!" She stands on her tippy toes, extending her hand towards it. It is too far.
While she is busy trying to obtain the noodles, a mysteriously alluring tone asks, "Do you like Italian food?" Her heart leaps when he rests a hand on her shoulder. She hadn't heard him come up behind her and it startles her. Time seems to stop altogether in that moment. She glances over her shoulder to see a serious Placid and not just Potty Prof attempting to tease her. He patiently awaits her answer, but Lucy is at a loss.
'Italian eh. That were... real specific,' she ponders. Lucy quickly shakes her head to rid her head of the daze, "Aye. Sounds delicious it does."
"We can make a baked ziti," he suggests. The box that is just barely out of her reach he retrieves with ease. The box finally makes it to her hands with Alfendi's help. Only then does she think of the stool she kept around to give her an extra step closer to those shelves. It looks like she wouldn't be needing that so often anymore.
"I-I've never made that," Lucy stammers. Baker may be her last name, but there was a reason she didn't choose that profession. She had basic cooking skills, but she hadn't ever tried to make anything this complex.
"It's simple really." He assures her, "Let's see, we'll be needing tomato sauce, cheese, a dish..." he trails off, trying to find those first few items on his list, but it is nearly impossible with all this useless clutter. It would be much easier to work if he had a clean counter, but he doesn't have any idea where Lucy keeps everything. When he tries to figure it out on his own, Lucy quickly corrects him. He ends up receiving a crash course on the organization of this particular kitchen. He can't help wondering why she made such a mess in the first place if it took so long to put it in its proper place again.
A large pot of water sits on the burner, waiting to boil. Alfendi sets the temperature of the oven to 350, so it can warm up while they prepare the ingredients. He stands beside her, humming while he stirs tomato sauce in a smaller pot on the stove. Lucy watches him out of the corner of her eye, noticing how relaxed he seems. Cooking comes naturally to him. She hadn't expected him to be such an expert.
"So... 'ow do ya know so much 'bout cookin'?" She pries curiously.
A hand retreats to the back of his hair. Alfendi hadn't actually cooked a meal for himself in years. Lucy's clumsy cooking techniques were bringing back memories.
"My sister..." Was a horrible cook, is what he wanted to say. They often had to prepare dinner for themselves because their father was usually working late or away to investigate a mysterious matter. The food would taste alright in the end, but that was only because Alfendi would miraculously save the dish from his sister's utter incompetence.
"I did most of the cooking when I was growing up," He finally admits.
"Really?" She never would have guessed. She remembers their first investigation where he had joked that pizza delivery was the answer. He said cooking was a waste of time.
The water begins to bubble. Lucy scoops a few handfuls of the uncooked noodles and throws them in the pot, pondering the strange fact. Prof was full of surprises, considering he never liked to talk about personal matters. That's when she gasps at a small detail she almost missed, "Wait! You have a sister?!"
"Flora," He informs her, "She is my adopted sister."
"Ya never told me 'bout 'er before! What's she like?"
Potty Prof appears because he is the one that grew up with her. He tries to think of how to describe her.
"She is so sweet it's ridiculous. She used to be very timid of people when she was young. She has definitely outgrown that though. She enjoys traveling. She says it gives her inspiration," He rolls his eyes, "She's a fashion designer for a living. She has always loved clothing."
"Wow! That sure sounds exciting," Lucy says, impressed.
Potty Prof shrugs. He didn't appreciate fashion the way his sister did. However, he was very proud of her accomplishment. It had taken her years to get to the top of her industry. The siblings were literally polar opposites in personality, but they were actually pretty close.
"Do you see her often?" Lucy asks casually, not wanting the topic to end quite yet.
"When I can. She lives in Paris. And we're both rather busy with our jobs. She does call from time to time to check up on me," Potty Prof sounds rather annoyed about that last part.
They layer the ingredients in the dish and set it in the oven for 30 minutes. It is difficult to ignore their rumbling stomachs for this long. It doesn't help that they are staring with their eyes glued to the small window of the oven door. Lucy can't stand it anymore and goes to set the table. The Prof follows her lead and goes to sink to wash a few dishes, wanting to take his mind off of his hunger as well.
All is quiet except for the running water of the sing and Lucy setting down plates and glasses on the table. Out of the blue, Lucy suddenly chimes, "We should visit Flora sometime. I'd love to meet her!"
"Oh?" Alfendi's dark persona chuckles as his hair falls out of his ponytail and into his eyes, "You'd like that?"
"Aye, it'd be fun, "Lucy says as she arranges the last of the silverware.
"I see what you are doing you manipulative female."
Turning on her heels to confront him, Lucy points a finger right at his nose, startled by the rudeness of the accusation. "Excuse me? I ain't one of our little criminals. Ya got no right to say such things!"
His hair covers his face except for an unmistakable smirk. "Don't play innocent. My sister is only an excuse. You just want me to go to Paris."
"Wot? No!" Redness disperses across Lucy's entire face and neck making her argument much less convincing. That wasn't her intention at all, but now that he mentions it, it would be very romantic to visit Paris with the Prof.
"I weren't making an excuse!" Her arms cross stubbornly and she lifts her chin high.
"Sure you weren't," he teases.
"I do want to meet 'er! Really! You and I could visit Flora at 'er 'ome and we don't 'ave to see t' Eiffel Tower or nowt," she insists. According to her the matter is settled.
Alfendi brings a hand to his mouth to cover the smile he can't hide otherwise. The cutest thing about Lucy had to be that fiery look in her eyes that sparked with defiance. He laughs again wondering how she was bold enough to stand up to him. But then his placid personality intervenes and quickly composes himself. What is he doing? It is too early to be discussing a trip with Lucy. He would love to take her, but he doesn't want to get her hopes up. It isn't the most practical of plans considering they have only been together one day.
"We'll see," he coughs uncomfortably into his fist.
Lucy grins as if he's said yes,"I can't wait!"
The timer buzzes obnoxiously from across the room. Lucy gasps and immediately leaps to her oven with a pair of orange mitts. When the oven door opens, a mouthwatering aroma escapes, consuming the entire kitchen.
Lucy gives each of them a very generous spoonful on their plates. In hindsight, their eyes were probably bigger than their stomachs, but it looks too delicious to leave leftovers. Both dig in and are very pleased with how it turned out.
The two fall silent, eating in content for the time being. Alfendi does glance up at Lucy often. It is odd how many similarities he sees between Flora and Lucy. They are both lovely, kind, optimistic, intelligent, and unskilled chefs. He is sure they would get along famously, but if the two were ever to meet he could never allow them to make a meal together. Ever.
"Prof," Lucy says in a serious tone.
Alfendi glances at Lucy whose eyes are piercing straight to his soul. Could she have known what he was thinking? Does she not like the meal? He gulps down his bite of food nervously before answering, "Yes?"
"Yer my best friend too," she says very confidently before dropping her eyes to her plate as she pokes the pasta with her fork, "I meant to tell you that before."
He feels self-conscious about Lucy bringing that up. He thought that moment in the park had been forgotten altogether when their coworker appeared, "Oh. Yes well-"
"Both of ya are," she adds sincerely, peering up again shyly.
The genuine words leave him struck by awe. It is impossible for Alfendi to please anyone. Most people preferred his placid side because he was less threatening. If those people saw the violent side they ran from him. Yet, others preferred the original side they had known before. They didn't even accept his other self. They treated him as if he wasn't really Alfendi, but he is. No one comprehended that fact, except... "Lucy," She understood him more than anyone ever had, "That means a lot to me. More than you know," he takes her hand across the table, "But you do know you're slightly more than that now."
A light rosy color emerges on Lucy's cheeks, "You mean...I'm yer girlfriend?" Her voice squeaks on the last word.
He brings a hand to his chin, "Not quite. That's only about half right," he pauses as he calculates. What is she to him? "We were friends first. That is still approximately 49% true..."
"That leaves 51%" She exclaims excitedly, "So I am yer girlfriend!"
"Yes..." he ponders, "I guess so," he concludes. It felt very strange to have a girlfriend, but it was strange in a good way.
Is it weird that I think Alfendi would be good at cooking? I mean he really would have to be because of Flora. xD I love her though. And Flora wearing disguises made me think the fashion designer bit would be a good fit for her. Someone did ask for something with Flora so that was for you. :)