your friend anymore. She’s shy, you know. Not that you care.”
“It’s annoying how she can be so courageous and gutsy while fighting, but she gets around Elric and becomes this demure…thing.” The blond man frowned. “I don’t like it.”
“I could say the same for you around some people. I’m going to wash up before dinner. Nathan should be home soon.” With that, she swept her blonde hair over her shoulder dramatically and left the room.
Looking at the clock, the taller man shrugged. “She’s right. Nathan should be home soon. I’m going to go feed the Shadowriders. Tesla is complaining.”
“How do you know Tesla and Nikola?” Mathieu said almost defensively.
A cocky grin crossed Solomon’s lips. “Because I created both of them; they are my servants. How they came to be in your possession, however, is a mystery and they refuse to tell me. How did you come by them?” The glint in those green eyes was almost accusing.
“They met me and decided to tag along. I never told them that they had to stay.” Mathieu crossed his arms over his chest.
Solomon silently surveyed him before turning to the door and pausing. “Whatever the case is, they’re finally home. I won’t tell you that you can’t use them though, because both are rather inclined to do as they damn well please.”
Standing alone in the kitchen, Mathieu wrinkled his nose. “Jeez…”
“What’s wrong, Mathieu?” Nathan was coming in the outside door to the kitchen, a briefcase in his hand.
“Oh! Nothing. Dinner is almost ready. Where are the plates and stuff so I can set the table?” He said, looking at the redhead with a smile
“Don’t worry about it. It appears you cooked, so the rest is on someone else. By the way, do you happen to know who’s here right now?”
Mathieu, who wasn’t that great with names, tried to name the ones he could remember having seen. “Er, Solomon, Avanon, Elric—who’s sick—, Kiev, Darcia, myself, Josette, Adele, and I think that’s it…”
“Hn.”
“Yeah…” He looked away awkwardly.
“It smells good.”
A confused look crossed his face. “Huh? Oh, the food! Thanks. I had help.”
“Really? That’s good.” Nathan said, his mind clearly somewhere else.
Mathieu didn’t want to be in the man’s way, so he coughed quietly. “Well, I’m gonna go change for dinner. I’m kind of sweaty, and that needs to simmer.”
“Until then.” He waved Mathieu off.
Mathieu looked around the other rooms as he walked to his and Solomon’s current bedroom. The blond was still in the bathroom, standing in front of the sink with his sleeves rolled up.
“I was gonna take a quick shower before dinner…” He said to the man’s back.
“Hm?” Solomon looked up from where he was washing his face. “Oh, go ahead. Don’t let me stop you.”
“Are you gonna, uh, leave?”
“Why? We’re both guys. I doubt you have anything I don’t. Well, except for a feminine face, but you’ll grow out of that. Or not.”
Mathieu hip-checked him into the counter as he passed, quickly stripping.
~*~
Post-shower and redressed, Mathieu made his way back to the kitchen, finding everyone bustling about. It reminded him vaguely of the servants’ kitchen from the palace, everyone handing plates and working together. Off to the side stood Solomon and Nathan, watching the others, seemingly communicating silently.
“This is delicious!” Adele stood with two bowls in her hands and a spoon hanging out of her mouth, smiling. “Who cooked?” Her words were slightly slurred around the utensil.
Kiev tilted her head towards the door, not looking his way, however. “Mathieu did. He’s a wonder in the kitchen, making something out of nothing. The kid even put Solomon to work.”
“Would you not bring that up? I was just trying to make him feel like we cared. It won’t happen again. In fact, it was rather annoying. Jeez.” Solomon had his eyes closed and was leaning back against the counter, his head resting against the cabinet.
Mathieu crossed his arms, clearing his throat. The room went silent. “Well then, Solomon, the next time I’m being annoying, just let me know and I won’t bother you. That way you won’t have to make me feel like you care.” If looks could kill, the blond man would have hit the floor in convulsions.
“What?” Emerald eyes flew open. “Wait, no, I didn’t mean—I was just—”
With a look, he silenced the man. Mathieu kept his eyes narrowed at Solomon as he went and got some stew before going back out to the room with the large table, a presumable dining table, sitting alone.
A quiet hum of conversation picked up again,