DANG! This chapter is really long... sort of. Well okay it's long for me. So anyway, I really actually like the chapter.
Disclaimer: It all belong's to Natsume
She didn't want to go in. She really didn't want to go in.
Standing in front of his house, vegetable in hand, hair in a sleek updo and with no desire to go inside. She was on time, it was seven 'oh one and she still had nine minutes before he locked the door, but still.
She fidgeted with her bag of ingredients, readjusting her hold on it. No she can't do this. Akari turned around, ready to walk back to her house.
"Akari?"
'Damn it.'
Akari slowly turned around, feigning a large smile, "Good morning."
Chase was leaning on the doorpost, holding it open. He was wearing an apron already and looked like he had already begun to cook. He motioned for her, "Get in here."
Akari followed his orders, stepping into the doorway. A wall of smells hit her. It smelled wonderful in here. She'd eaten her breakfast, but it was making her so hungry.
"Give me the bag," Chase held out his hands to her and she gladly gave the heavy bag over. "Over here."
His kitchen was already fully alive. There was a pot boiling, something in the oven, she didn't even know how they were supposed to to have room for her own meal.
"You bring the recipe?"
Akari fumbled through her pocket. She had written the the recipe on a spare piece of paper. She didn't want to get Gill's book dirty. She held it out to Chase, "Yep."
"I don't want it. Read what to do first."
"We have to... cook the spinach according to package instructions."
"Then read those instructions."
"'Kay, kay."
Chase glance back to her, "You got an apron?"
"No."
Chase exited the kitchen, disappearing through a nearby door. After several moments he reappeared with a fresh bright orange colored apron. He tossed it to her.
"Can you really cook with that crutch?"
Akari took her crutch from under her arm, leaning it against a nearby wall. She hopped on one leg back over towards Chase.
"That's definitely not safe."
"Safe enough."
"Your hair catches on fire, don't try to sue me."
Akari fitted the cloth on her frame and fumbled with the tie behind her. Chase wordlessly came to her rescue, slapping her hands away from the strings and tying them on his own.
Akari and Chase set to work. Chase, as he multitasked with several other meals, taught Akair the best way to cook. It was hard for Akari. She had never had a mother to teach her all of this and her childhood that consisted of microwave foods was all she was used to.
She burned the spinach the first and second time, but was able to prepare the third batch successfully. She took the chicken broth and poured it into a saucepan, receiving a lecture from Chase on how she can't just haphazardly through it all in. Precision is apparently very key.
After chopping onion, she began to cook them, mixing and stirring in the rice with a coat of olive oil. She added the dry vermouth, letting it absorb into the main ingredients. She added some of the broth to the saucepan and let that absorb as well. Chase hovered over her, yapping instructions and warnings against awful cooking mannerisms.
She continued to add the broth, but when a fire raged up from beneath the pan, no less from her spilled oil and broth, she nearly burned the food and Chase snatched the pan from her hands, pushing her to the side to become a mere onlooker. He reduced the heat and kept the risotto simmering. Finally he stopped adding broth and the rice was tender and creamy looking.
He stirred in the spinach and pinches of salt and pepper. He turned off the stove and removed the pan from the heat, dumping a bit of Parmesan cheese in and stirring it once more.
"Alright, there you go. Put it in some tupperware."
"Right."
Akari emptied the pan into a spare plastic container. She looked back to Chase, who had pretty much finished all his other dishes and glancing at the time she saw it was already ten. Had three hours really gone by that quickly? There was no way.
"Get over here and help me clean this up."
Akari hopped to Chase's side. She didn't like to clean, who did? But Chase had spared his time to help her and so now she was going to pay him back as quickly as possible. She couldn't help but wonder why Chase lent his time to cook for the town. It was a really nice thing for him to do, so maybe he was actually a nice guy. On top of all that work, he's here now, helping such a klutz like herself cook.
Suddenly, Chase grabbed her hand, tightly clenching it in hers. Akari was shocked and embarrassed. She met eyes with him, anxious.
"Keep your hand away from there!"
Akari tilted her head, "Wha-"
"You almost touched the stove top!"
Akari kicked herself in the head mentally. What else would he have been doing?
"Ah... right. Sorry... thanks."
Akari looked at her hand, tugging it gently. Chase realized that he was still gripping her hand tightly and let go. He turned around and went back to his cleaning.
'That was awkward!''
When they had finally finished cleaning it was ten forty. She hobbled over to his table and sat down.
"Cooking is so hard," Akari wiped her forehead, covered with a thin layer of sweat, thanks no other to the hot food.
"Don't over exaggerate," Chase positioned himself across from her, yawning ironically.
"How do you do it? And then stay skinny on top of it all?"
"Yeah, I couldn't help but watch you 'testing all the food for poison,'" Chase made quotation marks with his fingers.
"You should be my wife," Akari's head fell between her arms. She yawned as well.
"Don't flatter yourself. I'm out of your league."
"I think you've got it backwards," Akari leaned on her hand and grinned at him. This banter was actually quite fun.
"Oh really," Chase leaned back, the front of his chair lifting off the floor. He rose a brow.
"Really. I'm the whole package. Looks, brains, body, witty personality," she teased. She looked at him again and an uncomfortable gaze came from Chase. He kept looking at her, crossing his arms. Why won't he say anything?
"Well you must be the discount package: The defective one that can't cook for crap."
'There we go... HEY!'
"Hey! Don't be jerk. This risotto came out top notch. I bet Luke is gonna eat it right up!"
"Luke?" Chase stared at her hard, his brows coming together.
"Y-yeah."
Damn, she didn't want to say who it was for.
"I spent all this time helping you cook... for Luke?"
"What's so wrong with that?"
"He's not even gonna savor it," Chase's chair met the floor again, "He's just gonna inhale it! Like a vacuum! Let me have this!"
Chase reached across the table, snatching the container from out in front of her. He stood up and walked back towards the kitchen.
"Hey! What the heck!?" Akari wanted to chase after him immediately, but she had to position herself into a hopping position. She heard the silverware drawer open with a slam and the lid of the tupperware rip open. Uh-Oh.
"D-don't eat it!"
She began to hop his way, reaching forward. Just as she reached him, he began to walk back to the table, going to the other side of it to avoid her. He took his first bite, chewing it thoughtfully, before going in for the finish.
She hopped faster, trying her best not to put any pressure on her opposite leg, but it was getting harder. "Chase! Come on!"
He took another bite and she took another hop, but she came down on the wrong leg. A pain shot through her and she couldn't help but yelp.
"Aghh!"
She fell to the ground and balled up, grabbing her leg protectively. In a second, Chase was bent down over her.
"A-Akari!"
She felt tears well up in her eyes. She really, really wanted to cry, but she would make sure not to, not in front of him.
"I'm sorry..."
She felt his hands slip underneath him and she was about to slap it away, but felt herself hoisted from the ground. Chase was carrying her.
"P-put me down!"
"Just stay still! This is my fault!"
As quickly as she was picked up, she was down again. She was in Chase's bed, which smelled strongly of citrus, but also had a deep cologne smell to it as well. Chase had smelt like that too, when he'd quickly carried to the bed.
"Sit up please."
Akari slowly complied, raising her body from the sheets. A pain shot through her again, but it was only strong enough to usher a small grunt from her. His arms wrapped around her and Akari flinched but was then filled with a deathly stillness.
'Oh, he was just untying my apron...'
Chase pulled the string over her head and yanked the clothing off her body.
"I'll be right back, lie down," Chase said then disappeared from the room.
It was weird for Akari, she had not expected the day to progress like this in the slightest bit. She was going to come here, cook, and leave. Nothing else added. She layed back in pillows. His room was just as clean as the rest of his house, even cleaner.
Chase finally reappeared, the tupperware of spinach risotto in one hand, with a plate on top and a glass of milk in the other.
He place the milk on the bedside table besides her, then took the plate off the tupperware and onto her lap. It was a slice of coconut cream pie, the one he had been baking for the festival. Next to it was a pill.
"There's some painkiller on the plate. Stuff it into the pie if you need too," he pointed to her plate, "And here's your spinach risotto, all safe and sound." He tapped the container twice.
Akari grabbed the fork that was also on the plate and took a large section of it. It was delicious as she imagined, maybe even more. She popped the pill into her mouth soon after and took a swig of her milk. She went in for another bite, but jumped when Chase touched her leg gently.
"What are you doing?!"
"Just stuff your face with pie and be quite!"
Chase rolled up her pants leg gently, just as she was about to hit him and realized what he was doing. He was making sure her leg was fine.
She let him do so quietly, and followed his order, eating the pie happily. The pain was replaced with the heavenly taste in her mouth and she smiled, both at the pie and Chase's strange worry.
"It looks alright. There's no blood."
"Thank god! I don't think I can handle another compensation bill!"
"Compa-what?"
"That's what I said."
"What is it?"
Akari shifted in the bed, "Well when I went to the clinic, I got blood all along the way there, so I had to pay a compensation bill. They had to hire a cleanup crew from the mainland. It ran me 95,000 G."
Chase's eyes shot wide open, "Really?"
"Yep, that's why I've got Luke working my farm. I can't do farm work, but I need to pay off that bill so..."
"And the food is to thank him..." Chase's voice trailed off and he looked away, "Sorry Akari."
Akari didn't know how to respond. A witty comment didn't seem appropriate or an insult either. So she kept quiet. God, she was freaked out.
Two hours had flown by before Akari's pain had succeeded. They had spent the time watching TV and randomly chatting. Every Now and then, Chase would look to her leg, with a worried look on his face and eventually Akari had rolled her pant leg back down to cover the healing wound.
It was twelve and they still had six hours until the flower festival commenced and Akari was anxious to get it started with.
Akari tried to get out of the bed but Chase placed a hand on her shoulder, "You shouldn't really move."
"Aren't you bored? Let's go walk around or something."
"Actually, I'm about to go walk around. You have to stay here."
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go set up the Flower Festival. It's part of the responsibility," Chase stood up.
"Yeah, I'll come and help," Akari tried to move again, but again Chase halted her. He gave her a stern look and Akari crossed her arms. "Fine."
Chase smiled triumphantly and walked out. She heard a knock at the door and someone come in. It sounded like Owen. She heard them talk for a minute,along with some clattering, and then the door open and close. She waited thirty minutes after they left and picked herself up from the bed.
"Don't go anywhere my ass."
Akari arrived at the flower festival an hour later, dreading the long walk she had had from Chase's house all the way across town to the Church Grounds. Crutches weren't made for long distance travel. Her armpit was killing her.
People were already beginning to set up for the festival. She saw Perry and the Mayor. Candace and Luna. She thought for a moment that she saw Gill but he disappeared into the church. Chase was on the far side, looking mostly done with setup. He was putting the food out in a buffet fashion. Little heaters rewarming the food. She limped towards him.
"Akari! What the hell?"
Owen looked at the yelling Chase, a little confused. He shrugged a walked towards a lone Kathy. Akari choose a stool next to chase and sat down, swirling in circles.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Chase gave her an incredulous look and slapped his forehead, but he didn't care to argue with her anymore.
"Can you reheat the risotto," Akari held the tupperware towards Chase. She had reheated it before she had left, but in an hour, things could get cold.
"Are you going to eat it?"
"No, Luke is coming to this festival you know."
Chase took the container and a stray pan. He put it over one of the little heaters and let it sit.
"You know you're retarded right?"
Akari looked at Chase and smiled, "Takes one to know one."
"No, seriously. If you had fallen and no one was there, because everyone is here... just think about that for a second," Chase grinned.
"Whatever... Oh! There's Luke! LUKE!" Akari waved her arms frantically to the bluenette, "OVER HERE!"
Akari held out a hand to Chase, "Is it reheated yet? Let me have it."
"Bossiness will get you nowhere," Chase crossed his arms, but moved the risotto from the pan to a plate. He pushed it over to Akari, "Hope he doesn't vomit."
"Well you sure didn't!"
Akari turned to face Luke, who had jogged up to her just on time. She thrusted Luke the plate, "Eat it!"
Luke didn't question anything. He took the plate without a work and inhaled it, just as Chase had prophesied, but did it with such a smile, Akari couldn't even complain.
"How was it?"
"Omigod! Akari this is awesome!" Luke's smile consumed his face, "Thanks! Really!"
Akari couldn't help but laugh at his happiness over the simple meal, "Good good! Thank you for your hard work! Ah, but you should thank Chase too. He helped me cook it."
Chase gave a little wave and went back to his standoffish pose-crossed arms and deep frown. Luke gave a thumbs up, "Thanks!"
Luke turned back to Akari, "'Kari, I've got a blanket over there. Come sit with me." He chucked his thumb over his shoulder.
Akari waved her hand dismissively, "I should probably sit in this chair. Thank though."
"You want me to stay here?"
"Nah, go sit with your dad and Bo."
Luke began to run off towards his blanket, "Thanks again!"
Akari's eyes followed Luke back to his blanket and once he was settled in Chase spoke up, "'Kari?"
Akari was confused. It's a nickname, so what?
"Didn't know you guys were so chummy-chummy."
"Yeah, he's a good friend of mine. I mean, he's working my farm... free of charge."
Chase turned the burner off one dish, "I guess."
Akari moved onto her crutch, "I'm going into the church. I'll be right back." Chase didn't respond.
She worked her way over to the church, barely navigating the way up the stairs. When she got inside she saw Gill, bending over and praying.
Not wanting to interrupt, she stood silently behind him. Finally he stood and turned around to walk outside and jumped at the sight of her.
"Akari, are you coming to pray too?"
Akari shook her head, "No, I saw you come in here so..." She really wanted to know why he was praying. The look that had been on his face and he had been right in the middle of the church right in front of the pedestal.
"Oh."
For some reason, it was awkward. Akari felt like she was invading his privacy.
"It's my mother's birthday," Gill looked behind his shoulder. The question she had always wanted to ask, was being brought up.
"How old is she today?"
"Forty."
It was confirmed. By praying, he had indeed confirmed it. Gill's mother had passed. If she had moved, he'd have called her or at the very least sent her a letter. You don't pray to your living mother. A sudden sadness took her, but Gill did not look the type to want pity.
"She must be glad you came to say Happy Birthday."
"Yeah."
"Can I say happy birthday too?"
Gill looked at her dumbstruck but then his face softened. He stepped to the side, allowing for Akari to kneel. She did so, in the easiest way she could possibly do with an injured leg.
"What was her name?"
"Evelyn."
Akari closed her eyes and intertwined her fingers. They stayed like that for a moment before Akari looked up, smiling.
Gill assisted her up, "Thank you, Akari."
"Let's go look at the flowers, Gill. It's nice to have a birthday on a day like this.
Alright, like I said it's a really long chapter, but I really like it. It wasn't exactly planned out and when I made her fall, it actually surprised me a bit... is that weird. Okay it is, but whatever. Moving on, Gill fans are in for a treat later... though maybe not avidly romantic. It will be detected to my friend who goes to school with me. She reads this and she's crazy for GillXAkari! That last part probably made her all exited (You know who you are).
Alright... bad news... I may slow down on this a bit... due to lack of reviews and to be honest guys, that sorta demoralizes me... *tears*
Come on! It only takes thirty seconds... tops!
Well whatever I still love you guys.
~Foxliax
