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Flynn plucked the knife out of Mathias’ hand. “I believe that’s enough.”
The man raised an eyebrow at him, not resisting. “So you’re just going to do it all by yourself?”
“You say that like I mind,” he put the knife away, turning back to stir the pot hanging over the fire, filling the room with renewed scent of cooking meat. “This is your first day off in what, three weeks?”
“Four,” Mathias said, low, like he hoped his partner wouldn’t hear it.
A finger pointed his way in a very parent-like manner. “Exactly. So you sit back and relax before your job sends you to an early grave.”
He frowned. Of course that has been a concern for both of them for some time – since they’ve met, really – but it remained unspoken thus far. Something they both were well aware of, but pretended it’s not hanging over them like a shadow, present everywhere they go.
“This isn’t work,” he finally said, averting his gaze from Flynn back to the half-chopped, poor excuse of a carrot. They’d need to go for some serious shopping the next day; hopefully the weather would allow it. “I’m just helping you in the kitchen.”
“But you know I really don’t mind,” the captain sent him one of those broad, disarmingly dashing smiles. “Homemaking is actually much more fun than it sounds.”
“Fun?”
Thunder rolled outside, from the third storm that day. The storms had been coming much more frequently these last couple weeks, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that was not natural. And quickly became the next unspoken truth between the two of them; it’s been obvious Mathias had been overworked so badly not just trying to keep the kingdom together during the king’s absence, but also trying to figure out what was causing this freak weather.
And, as the rotten cherry on top, it was his one day off in weeks and they couldn’t even go out.
“It is when you have someone to do it for.”
“Then I’ll happily try to see how fun it can be,” Mathias failed to hide the small smirk on his face, turning back to finish chopping the vegetables.
Flynn squeezed past him to their cramped pantry, shuffling through the few bundles of herbs they still had. All that remained were dried ones, nowhere near as aromatic as they used to be, but they would have to do. “Tides, if anyone heard you say you want to actually have fun,” he grinned. “Your reputation would be shot.”
“Then perhaps no one should find out I said it,” the man said in his usual, stern tone, face expressionless as he raised the knife to examine it at all angles. Thunder rolled, lightning conveniently reflecting off the blade.
The captain burst into a booming laughter. “You have my word, spymaster,” he bowed, at least as much as the tiny pantry allowed him to. With another crack outside, his expression softened into a smile, but one laced with sadness. “Not like they’ll see you and me on a date any time soon.”
“The storms will pass,” Mathias said, his voice low.
“You don’t believe it yourself,” Flynn pushed past him again, barely managing not to crush the herbs he was holding.
“We’re working on that.” With a sigh, he carried the bowl with vegetable chunks after his partner. It was about time to turn that boiling pot of meat into a pot of stew. “Besides, we don’t need to go out to spend quality time together, do we? Like just now.”
“Quality time of cooking the saddest meal this side of the Maelstrom.”
“Cooking it together,” Mathias smiled again, immediately causing the other man to smile as well.
Their kiss was soft and tender, and would’ve lasted longer had the food not required attention. Sad or not, it was still dinner, which the two of them continued cooking while chatting about everything and nothing. And even if the stew ended up tasting like someone had left it outside for three weeks, Flynn thought it was one of the best dishes he’d ever had, eating besides the love of his life, listening to thunder and watching lightning reflect in Mathias’ mesmerising eyes.