Pure of Heart / l.h ✔️

12

~Seraphina's POV~

"Why won't you let me help you?" Luke whined as I made dinner on Wednesday night, causing me to look away from the food in front of me on the stove and over at him. "Because I don't think that it's nice. You're the one staying here, and my mom always taught me to be nice to guests." I explained softly, turning away to mix the sauce around in the deep skillet in front of me, not wanting it to burn.

"But you let Enzo help you sometimes!" He grunted out in annoyance, causing me to blush in embarrassment. "That's different." I whispered, ducking my head down a little. He just huffed and shook his head, stalking forward to lean against the counter beside me with a doubtful look on his face. "No, it isn't. You just give him special privileges because you have a crush on him." He huffed, making me awkwardly purse my lips as I stirred the sauce a little slower. "That isn't true." I mumbled, but we both knew I was lying. He was right. "Yeah, sure it isn't." He snorted, a smile rising on his face. "I don't think it's fair that I want to help and you won't even let me." He complained again, causing me to look up at him again. I remained quiet for a second, seriously considering it for a moment, only because he genuinely seemed to want to help out. Nobody ever offered to help me cook, not even Enzo. I had to ask him if he'd help me.

"How about you go ask Carmen?" I suggested, biting my lip softly. His face fell and he rolled his eyes. "How many times have I said I don't need her permission for everything?" He huffed, causing me to giggle softly and shut off the stove. "So, you don't need her permission here, but you need mine?" I asked, pushing the skillet back so the sauce could cool down a little while I made the chicken.

Luke paused and watched me as I took the already cut up pieces of chicken and dumped them into the oiled pan beside me, turning on the stove again. I paid attention to the chicken for a while, turning them consistently so they'd cook, but not burn. After a minute, I turned the heat down so they could cook while I prepared the other food. "Well, you're the one cooking, so yes." He huffed, causing my lips to twitch up. Glancing his way, I grabbed the bag of microwaveable white rice and stuck it in the microwave, starting it so that it could cook. I giggled and pulled out a bag of broccoli as well, setting it on the island counter while the rice cooked. "It's okay. I'm nearly done, anyways." I smiled, causing him to grumble to himself in frustration.

"I wanted to help." He pouted some more, making me smile a little. For a grown man, he sure did pout like a little boy when he didn't get his way. It was...cute, dare I say.

"If you want to help," I sighed, peering up at him, "Then can you grab me some plates and the silverware?" I asked, causing him to groan. "C'mon, sunshine, you gotta give me something more challenging than that." He whined, the unfamiliar nickname making me blush as I turned away. I hadn't expected him to give me a nickname like that. "I really don't have anything else. It's nearly finished." I softly admitted, beginning to push the chicken around in the pan again to be sure it was evenly cooking and not burning.

"Fine," He sighed, getting down the plates and the silverware from the drawer for me. I heard him set them on the island and then he leaned against the counter beside me again, silently pouting at the fact that I wasn't allowing him to help me with dinner. But there wasn't really anything left for him to even do, in my defense. As I heard the sound of the microwave going off, I looked up at him and grabbed the pan with the sauce, moving it closer to me. "Would you put the broccoli in the microwave and take out the rice? Just read the back of the bag and you'll know how long to heat it." I asked, which seemed to make him perk up as he nodded his head. He went ahead and did as I asked while I poured the sauce into the pan with the chicken, beginning to mix it all together with the heat still on medium. The chicken and sauce were both cooked to perfection already.