World 2.8

A knock sounds on the door.

"Yuri-chan, lunch is ready!"

Yuri jumps, just a little, and sets the crystals back down on the floor. "Coming!"

She opens the door to see Kaoru- wearing a bright pink apron decorated with paw prints and reading "Purr-fect", in Roman characters and white text on the chest. It's unexpectedly cute.

Yuri stifles the surprised chuckle threatening to pour out, in favor of an amused smile.

"Thank you for the food!"

She trails behind him into the dining room, where there are two plates of omurice placed across from each other on the long table at the center of said room.

Kaoru pulls a chair out and makes a sweeping motion with his arm, gesturing for Yuri to sit in it, then pushes it back in for her once she's seated.

How chivalrous... Andromeda snarks.

Is that a bad thing? Yuri asks her.

No, I suppose not.

"One moment, please." Kaoru excuses himself and returns to the kitchen, just long enough to put his apron away, before coming back to sit at the table.

Yuri waits for him to begin eating before following suit herself.

A pleased hum escapes her as fried rice and scrambled egg combine in her mouth, the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and Kaoru smiles across from her.

"That good, eh?"

Yuri nods and swallows before answering. "Mm! You're a good cook, Kaoru-kun!"

His cheeks flush, maybe a bit darker than one would expect from mere embarrassment over a compliment, but he looks happy all the same.

"Ah- t-thanks."

Yuri takes another bite. Then another. And faster than she'd expected, her plate is empty.

"I'll take care of the dishes," she announces (because it's only fair), then adds, "and while I'm at it, do you mind if I make us some dessert?"

"That's fine, I guess?" Kaoru agrees uncertainly. "But I thought I said I'd handle everything?"

Yuri nods her head. "That's true, but," now it's her turn to blush, "I really would feel terrible if I didn’t do something for you." She looks down at her lap and twiddles her thumbs. "So...would it be okay for me to...?"

Kaoru nods again and replies, "I'll be supervising," in the same tone as, say, a mother reluctantly letting her child go on their first errand.

Yuri is used to being treated like a kid- in some cases, it's even useful (mostly for "XX and younger" discounts)- so she doesn’t complain.