Show Me Things I've Never Had (Cecil/Nadia)

Nadia lifted the cup to her lips, taking another sip. It was still warm, thankfully. The sharp richness of the black tea seemed to cut through the cloud over her senses enough that she could grasp what was going on. She felt numb now, with a deep abiding knowledge that she had stepped on something precious, but could now do nothing about it except hope the damage was minimal. She looked up at him, attempting to school her tone back into one of geniality.

"We have that in common. No, thank you. I've still got plenty here..." Her voice almost caught, and she punctuated her thought a moment early, glancing up at him. "I'm...I'm really sorry. I understand if you want me to leave. The way Cecil described his family to me sounded so wonderful in comparison to my own life - I wanted to know what it was like. Now it looks like I may have broken it." The look on her face was rueful and sad, a total acceptance of her own disdainful role in ruining their first meeting. So much for first impressions.

"In that case, I'll just make a mug for myself, if you don't mind." As the kettle boils over, Luneth drops a teabag into a mug and pours the water over it. "I personally never was fond of herbal tea myself. I didn't feel the benefit, and I could never stand the taste."
He busies himself around the kitchen with all sorts of little things, as if nothing was wrong. At one point, he offers out an open pack of biscuits to Nadia, before taking one for himself after she decides whether wants any and continuing on. "Families aren't such fragile things, don't worry. We've all dealt with things like this and far worse, but we've come out stronger for it in the end. It hurts sometimes...but shared pain brings you closer."
Delving into the fridge, he retrieves a small carton of milk. His teabag is quickly scooped out and sent swiftly to the bin, and he adds his milk and stirs it in before returning the carton to the fridge precisely where he was. Each motion shows an intimate familiarity for where everything is in the room. "I'm more surprised that he was willing to have me elaborate on my little slip-up there. Rosa has always been a sensitive subject for Cecil since she left." Taking up his mug, he blows gently on the liquid within before taking a sip. "Ahh...lovely. What do you think of the tea, Nadia? I've personally been rather fond of this brand since I first tried it. It's a little costlier than some of the other options, but I always found the cost worthwhile."

Nadia wasn't sure what to think with how Cecil's father routinely ignored her offer to leave, instead going about his business in the kitchen as though she weren't there. She was almost in her usual place - a mindset of watching as though she didn't exist, when he once again spoke to her about families and them not being such fragile things. She couldn't say how she felt about that. Was her own family fragile? maybe? if it wasn't, something very strong had shattered it before it had even had a chance to be born in the first place. She had no frame of reference to go by, so she would do her best to take his words as face value. She went back to sipping her tea, shaking her head stiffly as the biscuits were offered.

when a question was offered, she could keep her silence no longer, and opened her mouth. Could she trust her voice? "It's very good. I-I like it." She found her eyes drifting to the door, hearing only faint sobs from beyond. She looked back to Luneth then. She felt like she needed to talk. to answer his statements with something. Even if it was unrelated the silence was making her feel like she was going to be sucked into oblivion. So she started talking, not sure at first what she was going to say. "It's my birthday today. I was going to spend it alone as usual, but I...I called Cecil. Because I didn't want to be alone. He came..." Her cheeks reddened at the memory of horseback riding, laying in the grass, kissing, tears. "I understand why he thought so poorly of my family now. He has such a wonderful family. He's very lucky. I don't think he even...knows...how much..." Nadia felt tears coming, but bit them back. Suddenly she couldn't tell if this was the worst birthday or not. Her opinion on that seemed to keep going back and forth as the day went.

As Nadia turns her attention outside the room, Luneth waits patiently, quietly sipping his tea. When she starts to tear up, he steps over to her side, a silent support in his presence. "Maybe not. It's hard to understand a circumstance you've never faced. But I think he has a little idea about what it's like when something is missing." He looks down to Nadia, with that same, warm smile. "Would you like to stay for dinner? I can't say I'm as prepared as I'd like to be for a situation like this, but I'm confident I can make a worthwhile birthday meal with what I have here in this house."

Nadia looked up at the man, surprised by his calmness and kindness to someone whose presence had brought such calamity to his home. She sniffed, pushing the tears away. She had to atleast try to return that immaculate smile with something genuine. The smile she offered in return was shaky, but honest. "I think...I'd like that very much, Mr. Luneth...Thank you."

He chuckles to himself. "It's no problem at all, Nadia. Cecil is obviously fond of you, and you yourself seem like a kind young woman. It would be my pleasure to have you." Taking another drink from his mug, he moves over to the counter, and puts down his drink to start collecting various items to prepare for the meal. As he does, he again smiles back at Nadia. "Would you like to help me cook? I think I have the ingredients here for one of Cecil's favourite meals, if you'd like me to show you how to make it. It's surprisingly cost effective for how satisfying the final product is."

Nadia blushed a little as the man said she seemed like a kind young woman. Oh if he knew how wrong he was. Still, the complement did some good in easing the anxiety in her heart. She nodded, stepping back out of the way.

She was content to make herself as small as possible until dinner was ready, but he drew her in with his soft and measured words again, offering her to help make dinner with him. Nadia thought about it for only a second before stepping forward, and setting her own tea down. "Uh...Alright, yes. I'd be happy to. I'm not especially accomplished at cooking, you should know..." She warned, but the small pleased smile and light in her eyes belied the hesitation she professed. Maybe she had a place here after all.

>> [Nadia Exit]

New warmth shined from Luneth as Nadia stepped forward to take his offer, and the older man beckoned her in with a satisfied look as he saw the way her expression brightened. He grins widely as each part of his prep finds its way to its proper place, an infectious enthusiasm in the father's every expression. "I wouldn't be worried about that. You'll have it down to a professional standard by the time we're done here."
A knife finds its way to Nadia's hand, and she soon finds herself being guided through the motions. "Alright, so this is how we start with this dish..."