Chapter 14: Night Falls

I slowly sipped the warm milk that Aries had heated up for me as I watched him ready his mise en place.

The sound of his consistent and rhythmic cutting skill calmed me. Is this... Could this possibly be why women liked men who can cook? What is this sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that I feel?

"You seem quite happy." Aries said as he briefly glanced my way.

"Do I?" I asked as I lowered my gaze and stared into the opaque liquid.

"Maybe I had been fooled. This was all just a ploy to get me to do your household chores." Aries sighed dramatically as he shrugged his shoulders.

"No it isn't!" I frowned as I placed the cup onto the kitchen island.

"Of course I know that. Are you going to get angry now as well? Your nickname has much diversity." Aries joked as he grinned at me.

"What?" I pouted and folded my arms as Aries listed out all the nicknames he had for me.

Perhaps it was due to him being distracted, or the fact that he had still been prepping the ingredients. Aries had cut himself with the knife and winced as he glanced at me with a panic stricken face.

"Did you just--"

"It's alright. It's just a little nick." Aries said as he placed his finger under the running tap.

"Are you sure? It didn't look like just a nick to me." I said as I slid off the chair and grabbed his hand to inspect the wound.

There was quite a bit of blood. I'm sure it was a deep cut. For him to try and hide it... He really thinks of me as unreliable, huh.

"Eh...? T-this..." I stared at the wound on his finger that looked as if it were closing up.

I blinked my eyes a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming, but Aries had already pulled his hand away.

"I'll tend to it on my own. You can leave those there for now. I'll wear a glove and continue after I treat this."

"I can help."

"Your hands were shaking earlier. If I let you do as you please, its like... accepting the impending disaster." Aries nodded to himself as he grinned a toothy smile at me.

Whhhattt? So I'm basically a walking disaster? Is that what he meant? Dammit, if you didn't cut yourself, I would have forced you to cut at least 10 onions!

I watched Aries recede to the bathroom to tend to his finger as I went to observe the cutting board. He had been slicing some cucumber earlier. I wonder what he was planning to make.

I noticed the blood on the vegetables and knife and frowned. Was I mistaken? Was it actually just a nick?

"I'm back... Oh! Don't touch the knife. I've never seen you even wield one before, it's somehow making me nervous." Aries said as he rushed to grab the knife, placing it in the sink as he studied my profile.

"What is that supposed to mean? I can cook basic dishes." I replied slightly annoyed. I live on my own anyways, I had to cook when I didn't have enough money to order for delivery.

Speaking of delivery, the fee is so high because of where the lab is situated and its quite a distance from town as well. Sometimes I find myself in a dilemma due to this situation.

"I'm not doubting your skills. However, since I'm already here... Why don't you let me spoil you?" Aries patted my head and gave me a gentle smile.

Spoil me? Isn't he already doing that though? Somehow, it's stinging my conscience as I recall how I nearly caused his death. Shouldn't I be the one spoiling him instead?

"You've already done so much for me. Anymore than this and I feel like I would not be able to live without relying on you." I laughed as I picked up the vegetables that had been soiled with his blood and rinsed them.

"-out relying on me..."

"Did you say something?" I asked as I turned to look at Aries who was mumbling something.

"No." Aries replied as he glanced at me from the corner of his eyes.

Somehow... his face seems to be glowing. Did something good happen while he was in the toilet?

***

Our early dinner ended with splendid dishes and with a variety of flavours. Maybe I should have Aries cook for me more often.

"Are you scheming something?" Aries grinned as he cleaned up the plates and brought them to the sink.

"Eh? N-no way." How did he guess so accurately? It's like he could read my mind.

I hurried and cleaned up my plates pushing Aries to the side and giving him the task of wiping the washed plates dry.

"Oh? I didn't know you liked washing dishes."

"I have always been passionate in ensuring my plates are squeaky clean." I went along with his teasing as I rinsed the soap off the plate I had been scrubbing and handed it to Aries.

"Hmm? Is this the part where I say something about the amount of soot collected in your lab like an evil mother-in-law would do?" Aries asked as he tapped on his chin in a thoughtful manner.

"L-let's not go that far. I've yet to even get a girlfriend." Where would the mother-in-law even come from?

"You always can get a boyfriend instead."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Tha--"

"I was just joking. You don't need to take it so seriously." Aries said as he directed his focus onto wiping the plate I had handed to him.

Somehow... I had a weird feeling when he said that. Weird. His face also seemed a little red after that. Is it a side effect from gaining those ears and tail?

I glanced at his tail and stifled a laugh. It had been enthusiastically wagging the entire time.

After we were done with the dishes, Aries suggested we take a quick stroll before turning in for the night. I complied and we headed out as the evening sun begun to set.

"Did you enjoy the meal?"

"Yes. If you were a woman, you'd make a great wife." I said in a heartbeat.

Maybe it was the sun setting in the background, but Aries' cheeks seem to be a shade darker. He turned to look at me with an endearing look before grabbing my cheeks and forcing me to look forward.

"You say a lot of dumb things. You should pay attention to where you walk. I can't even count the number of times you have tripped and fall over." Aries said as I furrowed my brows.

"Well, even if I do fall... I know of someone who is just as dumb. Staying by my side and helping me up no matter how many times I repeated the same mistakes. There were many opportunities to ignore me. Yet they did as they always do and suffer the consequences alongside me." I said as I turned to look at Aries.

"..."

"You idiot. It's just a metaphor." I grinned, quickly turning away as I headed up the slope to an open area I often visit when I wanted to observe the stars.

The stars were usually visible even before night fall so I didn't need to worry so much about the dark. I also had plenty of light source on me whenever I visited so it was of no issue.

"Your metaphor seems like it was based on an experience. I wonder who the dumb person is." Aries smiled as he walked to my side, sitting down on the patch of grass on the edge of the slope as he pulled me down to accompany him.

"There... isn't such a person... If there was... it'd be someone precious to them." I mumbled as I shifted my gaze from him to the sky.

Just as expected, the small stars shone brightly in the evening sky. The usual sight was beautiful, yet today, it felt as appealing as if I had seen the milky way. Is the company of another person enough to make the stars glow an entirely different way?

"... It's almost dark. Should we head back?" Aries asked as I snapped back to reality.

"H-huh? Oh... okay." I replied as I felt Aries pulling me up.

We headed back to the lab in silence. However, it was a comfortable silence. A silence that felt different from the ones I usually felt.

"Seems like we are back." Aries said as I opened my eyes and blinked with surprise.

We seemed to get back so quickly. I thought we had only left the slope awhile ago. Did I get lost in thoughts again?

"S-seems like it." I replied as I headed through the door.

"I... still feel a little full. I'm just going to walk for a while longer." Aries said as he leaned on the door frame.

"Hmm... Sure. Don't stay out too long. And sleep early! We'll proceed with the next test tomorrow." I said as I ruffled his hair.

"Sure. Good night then."

"... Good night, Aries." I replied as it felt a little awkward telling him that as the sun hadn't completely set yet.

"Sweet dreams... Sol."

Huh? What is this? When he said my name earlier my chest... ... Nevermind.

I smiled and entered the lab as I headed to my room. The sight of Aries leaning on the door frame, blocking the view of the sun... The evening ray of light on his skin... Something made it so... it was a difficult sight to forget.