Our Hearts Collided (MxM)

Chapter 19

A/N: Now with Wattpad's ONC being over, updates should be a little faster. Thanks for the patience. In the meantime, feel free to check out my entry, Out of Order (links in bio). A queer office rom-com ft. a broken elevator, a drunken confession, and of course angst. It's also completed! Now back to Simon and Vince <3

Simon's POV

It turns out Vince and I were getting too old to be running around like young pups again. By the time we made it back to the pack, our legs felt like pudding. Vince was dragging his legs behind me a quarter of the way around, pausing now and then like we ran a marathon.

"I'm really out of shape," he said once he was by my side again. "I didn't think I was that bad."

"I hardly go on runs like this, either."

"You're still way faster than me."

I nudged his side. "It's because I'm younger."

"By two years."

"Still," I said. "Even with an old hip injury."

"Yes, I'm well aware now." There was a comical look in his eyes as he led the way back to the pack. He turned back to look at me, nearly face planting into another tree as he did so, walking closer to my side so it wouldn't happen again. "I'm starving, you?"

I nodded. "Starved."

"I'm sure Loreta has some food made for dinner, or we could go somewhere and grab something to eat."

"Or I could cook us something," I offered.

"You sure?"

I shrugged. "I don't mind. If you'd like to help, of course."

"I'm not sure I'll be of much help. I'm about as adept as Xavier in the kitchen."

"I'm sure you know how to at least boil water."

He chuffed as we walked past a clearing and into a denser forest part. "I can manage that."

"Good," I said. "We're almost there. Don't walk into any trees."

He rolled his eyes. "It was one time."

"You almost did it a second time a second ago."

"Yeah, yeah." He nudged me before walking off. "Come on, let's go."

___

Loreta had already finished up in the kitchen at the packhouse when we arrived. There were a few leftover slabs of meat and an assortment of vegetables in the fridge, but neither of us knew what we were in the mood for. Vince was half tempted to finish off the bag of chips one of the betas had left behind, but I insisted we eat something more than just snacks.

"Pasta?" He suggested. "Simple enough, right? I'm sure there are jars of spaghetti sauce somewhere."

I nodded, looking over his shoulder in the pantry, then glancing back at the fridge. "Sure. I could make carbonara?"

I couldn't help but laugh at how he jerked his head at the suggestion, his eyes widening at the sound of his favorite dish. It was like watching Xavier's kids light up at the sound of any of their favorite desserts I'd bring over. "Isn't it hard to make?"

"Not really." I pulled out the eggs and cheese. "It's like making regular spaghetti, but it's a cheese and egg mixture instead of red sauce. Instead of the typical guanciale, we could use these bacon bits. It's what I used to use before; it tastes pretty similar."

He pulled out the pasta noodles. "I have no idea what that means, but I wouldn't mind learning how to make it if you say so. There are probably some of my mom's old cookbooks and recipes in the cabinet. I'll look for it."