Chapter 10: A Cooking Pot and Two Recipe

jaxon was sitting near the fire when the system buzzed in his head again.

[New Task: Build a Basic Cooking Pot]

Reward: 10 Coins + 2 Recipe Info

he blinked.

he stood up without a word and walked toward the storage pile beside the hut. scrap metal, broken boat pieces, some vines, tools. he already had a shape in mind. the book had a section about heating and boiling. he read it before. just needed something round. something strong enough to hold fire.

he dug around the pile.

lina peeked from behind the hut.

"you digging for treasure or hiding a body?"

jaxon didn't look up. "pot."

"like... a cooking pot?" she asked, stepping closer.

"yeah."

she tilted her head. "can i help?"

jaxon nodded. "bring the hammer."

she grabbed it, tossed it underhand. he caught it without looking.

they sat down on the ground. metal piece between them. it was part of the broken boat's engine cover. bent but thick.

"how do we make this into a pot?" lina asked.

jaxon started bending it slowly with a stone.

"just shape it."

"that's very detailed instructions. thank you, professor."

jaxon kept working. his hands steady. her teasing didn't change his face. but he didn't mind her being there. she always asked things, said weird stuff, but she stayed close. didn't slow him down.

after a while they had something that looked round enough. he tied vine around the top like a handle. it wasn't pretty. but it could hold water. maybe soup.

the system buzzed again.

[Task Complete]

+10 Coins

+2 Recipe Info: Basic Stew, Salted Fish]

jaxon blinked. for a second, it felt like something slid into his mind. like a short dream. he could see the steps. chop, boil, stir. salt. herbs. all there. like he already did it before.

he stood up. walked over to the small wooden table. grabbed a few things.

"what's that face?" lina asked.

"nothing."

"no way. you're making that face. the 'i'm about to do something important' face."

jaxon didn't respond. he filled the pot with water. added chopped fruit and soft meat from the boar. he added salt. stirred it with a stick.

"wait," lina said, watching him, "where'd you learn that? is this one of your secret talents? you're a jungle chef?"

jaxon stirred. "something like that."

she walked closer. smelled the pot. "it actually smells... good?"

jaxon nodded. "it'll be ready soon."

"what do you call this recipe, chef jaxon?"

"basic stew."

she tilted her head. "very creative."

jaxon poked the fire, adjusting the pot above the flame.

lina sat beside him. watched the flames.

after a while, the smell got stronger. warm. kind of home-like. hard to describe. but it made her stomach growl.

"i didn't know stew could smell that good," she said.

jaxon didn't answer. he handed her a wooden bowl.

she took it with both hands. steam rose from it.

"thanks," she said.

he served himself too. they sat there together, quiet.

lina took the first bite.

her eyes widened.

"…wait. this is really good."

jaxon just ate quietly.

"no really," she said again. "like, this is the best thing i've had in days."

jaxon nodded. "yeah."

"you're not even surprised? come on. you're like some stew wizard."

he looked over at her. "you're loud."

"you love it."

he didn't answer.

they ate in silence for a bit. wind moved through the trees. birds made soft sounds.

lina glanced at him again.

he ate slow, like always. focused. serious. like food wasn't just food. like everything mattered.

she looked at her bowl again.

"why do i like sitting here with him?" she thought. "he barely talks. he never flirts. he doesn't even try."

she smiled to herself.

"maybe that's why."

she leaned back on one hand, bowl in the other.

"hey, jaxon," she said.

"hm."

"if we ever get rescued... think you'll miss this?"

jaxon looked into his bowl.

"…maybe."

lina stared at him.

that one word made her chest feel weird.

maybe?

maybe meant he didn't hate this.

maybe meant… he didn't hate her either.

she looked away fast.

"weird," she thought. "why's my face hot?"

jaxon didn't notice. or if he did, he didn't say anything.

he finished his stew. set the bowl down. stood up.

"where you going now?" lina asked.

"gonna make shelves inside the hut."

she stood up too. "you ever rest?"

"no."

she smiled. "you're lucky you're cute."

he didn't respond.

but as he walked away, his pace slowed a little.

just a little.

lina leaned against the hut wall, still holding her empty bowl. she stared at jaxon while he worked.

he was setting up some planks inside the hut. his back turned. quiet. steady.

she looked at the bowl again.

"i want more," she muttered.

jaxon spoke without turning. "there's more in the pot."

she blinked. "you heard that?"

"yeah."

she sighed, walked over, and scooped herself another bowl.

jaxon was using vines to tie one of the shelves.

lina sat by the entrance, watching.

"so what's next?" she asked, between bites.

"more tools. more storage," jaxon said.

"and after that?"

jaxon didn't answer.

lina tilted her head. "you don't think that far, do you?"

jaxon kept working. "i think just enough."

"hm. very you."

she rested her chin on her knees.

jaxon finished tying the shelf. tested its strength.

"what's in that weird head of yours right now?" she asked.

he looked at her. "shelf."

she laughed. "of course."

she set the bowl down and stretched out on the ground, arms wide.

"you know," she said, "i used to think being stuck on an island would be scary. or boring. but it's not. not when you're around."

jaxon raised a brow. "you want storms and hunger?"

she shrugged. "sure, but i also get you. kind of a good deal."

he didn't know what to say to that. he looked away, walked out of the hut.

she smiled as he left.

"i'll make him flustered someday," she whispered to herself. "just wait."

jaxon walked back to the pot. poured the rest of the stew into a carved wooden container they used for leftovers. it was still warm. he covered it with a leaf and placed it on the new shelf.

when he stepped back outside, lina was lying on the sand, looking at the sky.

he sat near the fire again.

after a few minutes, she sat up.

"hey jaxon?"

"hm."

"when you built that cooking pot… you looked kind of happy."

he didn't respond.

"you like making stuff?" she asked.

jaxon nodded slowly. "it's quiet."

she smiled. "you're weird."

"you talk too much."

"you think too much."

he gave her a small look, then glanced at the sky. the sun was starting to lower.

"let's get more firewood before it gets dark," he said.

she stood up, brushing sand off her clothes.

"yes, captain stew," she said.

they walked together through the trees. birds chirped, and the wind felt soft.

lina kept glancing sideways.

jaxon didn't say much. he picked up sticks, dry ones. held them under one arm.

lina watched him for a moment, then spoke.

"do you ever get lonely?"

jaxon looked up. "no."

"really?"

he nodded. "not when i'm busy."

she looked down at the sticks in her hands.

"…i get lonely sometimes," she said softly.

jaxon stopped. turned to look at her.

she kept her eyes down.

"but not lately," she added.

he didn't say anything. but after a moment, he took half the sticks from her arms so it'd be easier for her to walk.

she blinked. "thanks."

they walked back in silence.

when they reached the camp, jaxon added the wood to the pile.

lina sat by the fire again.

"we need to name this place," she said.

jaxon raised a brow.

"yeah," she said. "we can't keep calling it 'the camp' or 'the hut.' this is our home now."

jaxon sat beside her.

"then name it."

she thought for a while.

"…how about stew island?"

jaxon frowned. "no."

she giggled. "worth a try."

he looked at the trees. the shore. the quiet sky.

"…maybe something simple," he said.

"like?"

"quiet shore."

she smiled. "quiet shore. i like that."

he nodded once.

the fire crackled.

lina leaned her head on his shoulder. just for a second.

jaxon didn't move.