"I came over today specifically to apologize to her."
"I see." Juniper''s expression softened slightly as she leaned back against the sofa, her tone unhurried. "She''s not in Era City. Something came up at the Subterra Vanguard, so she went over to handle it for a couple of days."
"She''s not in the city?" Kurt''s voice rose even higher before dropping off entirely, his enthusiasm instantly deting. "Alright then. Since you guys have already eaten, I won''t bother cooking."
The man wilted like a frostbitten eggnt, setting his ingredients down and preparing to leave.
"But I want to taste it," Juniper called out, stopping him with a curious question. "What kind of dishes can you actually make?"
He had limped his way over here, carrying a load of groceries. It seemed a bit mean not to let him cook when he had put in the effort.
Let him cook. Let him show off.
"Can you make spicy Aglio e Olio?"
"It''s my absolute specialty," Kurt boasted, lifting his chin with unwavering confidence.
"Alright." Juniper nodded, her voicezy. "Whip up a te, let me try it."
"Huh?" Kurt stood frozen for a few seconds, scratching his head, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn''t get the words out.
"Is there a problem?" Juniper narrowed her eyes, studying him intently. "Didn''t youe here specifically to cook for us?"
"Yeah," Kurt nodded, stammering out his reply.
It was true he came to cook. But he really just wanted Ebony Fox to be there.
"If you''re going to cook, then just do it." Seeing Kurt dawdling and stuttering over nothing, Shanley spoke up with deep annoyance. He was supposed to be enjoying a romantic, intimate evening with Juniper, and now this show-off had toe ruin it.
"Right away!" With his older brother barking orders, Kurt didn''t dare hesitate and immediately got to work.
Half an hourter, three dishes and a soup were sessfully ced on the table. Just as Kurt was wiping his hands, a knock came at the door.
Ebony Fox had returned early.
"You finished up at the Subterra Vanguard already?" Seeing her sudden return, Juniper was about to stand up and greet her at the door.
But a dark shadow blurred past her with a ''whoosh,'' skidding to a halt right in front of Ebony Fox.
"Ebony Fox, it''s been a while!" Kurt eagerly took her bag, practically vibrating with excitement "You haven''t eater yet, have you? just finished cooking, the food is still piping hot."
With her bag suddenly snatched away, Ebony Fox waspletely caught off guard. He cooked?
Looking at Kurt''s beaming,
overwhelmingly enthusiastic face Ebony''s brows furrowed slightly This petty guy actually knew how to cook? And he was inviting her to eat?
"You didn''t poison this, did you?" Ebony Fox walked in, inspecting the spread carefully. It looked decent enough, and it smelled pretty good too.
"Of course not!" Kurt dramatically pinched the bridge of his nose, looking up at the ceiling in exasperation. "Do you really think I''m that petty?"
"Yes," Ebony Fox nodded without a moment of hesitation.
He really was petty. Thest few times they had crossed paths, he hadn''t given her a single friendly. look Did his assassination attempts fait so now he was resorting to poisoning her in broad daylight?
Kurt practically passed out on the spot.
"Come sit, Ebony Fox," Juniper''s voice drifted over at just the right moment. "I tried it. It''s not fatal."
*Pfft—* Hearing Juniper''s glowing review, Kurt nearly coughed up blood.
"Heh." Shanley set down the lemon water and gently patted his girl''s head, his tone dripping with adoration. "Stop teasing him. He still has to wash the dishester."
Kurt was speechless.
Listening to Shanley and Juniper''s banter, and taking in Kurt''s utterly defeated expression, Ebony Fox couldn''t stop the corners of her lips from curling upward.
And that exact moment was perfectly captured by Kurt. He stared at her, slowly bing entirely mesmerized.
Ebony: "?"
What was he staring at? Was he still plotting to assassinate her?