NOVEL NEXT Chapter 178 – Take-Out
[2009 – October]
I knew that Jean wasn't really embarrassed by her growling stomach, it was more the surprise of it that had her acting shy as well as my teasing.
It took her a few moments but she eventually joined me in laughter as she started to giggle, her lips returning the favour as she kissed my nose and cheeks while we lay on our sides, facing each other.
"How about we go and get some take-out? Your pick.", I suggested, my lips still carrying a smile as Jean's breathing started to turn even once again.
I wasn't really in the mood to cook as I felt somewhat lazy, though she didn't mind as she nodded with a quiet smile.
"Vietnamese?", Jean asked tentatively, before adding, "There is this place that Clarice told me about."
“Sounds good.”, I agreed, not really having any preference.
Placing a kiss on her soft lips, I turned over and moved out of the bed, walking up to our closet and taking out some underwear and socks, a pair of black sweatpants, a white shirt, and a burgundy sweater for myself.
I also grabbed another dark-green hoodie of mine for Jean, as well as a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a pair of white socks that belonged to her.
Turning around, I saw her already sitting at the edge of the bed, waiting for me with a small smile on her lips, her little feet dangling from the edge of the bed.
Placing my clothes to the side for now, I grabbed the green hoodie and held it up for Jean to slip into.
There was no reason for Jean put on some underwear as I knew that she would be more comfortable without, her two-piece nightie serving the same purpose either way considering that we were just going for a stroll in the city to get some food.
She rewarded me with a soft kiss on my lips for my efforts, before I knelt down and helped her put on the pair of sweatpants that I had picked for her, as well as the white socks, while she combed through my dark hair with her fingers
My fingers lightly brushed over the smooth skin of her calves and thighs as I helped her with her pants. I took my time with her delicate feet, gently massaging them after hiding them away from sight with a pair of soft white socks, causing her to sigh and hum quietly in comfort.
Naturally, Jean could have gotten dressed by herself but we both enjoyed the intimacy of this act. I loved the feeling of taking care of her, making her feel good.
Moving up after stealing another kiss from her pillowy lips, I got dressed myself while she combed her flaming locks with the brush that was laying on top of the nightstand, her eyes resting on my figure as she did so.
"Arya.", I called out lightly after I had finished putting on my clothes, my gaze resting on the little wooden hut that stood on the drawer and served as the tiny princess' home.
“Hu hu.”, the owlet hooted softly as her head popped out of the small opening that was the 'door' of her home, her amber eyes opening with difficulty.
"Come on, girl. We are going into the city.", I whispered as I picked up the sleepy baby and set her down in the crook of my neck, feeling as she buried herself in my collar as best as she could, her little head rubbing against my skin affectionately.
“You should have let her sleep.”, Jean said quietly as she stepped in front of me, looking at the tiny featherling endearingly while reaching out to softly brush over Arya's coal-coloured wings.
“Maybe.”, I admitted with a soft tone, “But I know that she is more comfortable when I am with her.”
Grabbing a light-grey beanie from the drawer on top of which Arya's little house stood, I put it on Jean's head with a slight smile.
"Like you are.", I whispered, placing a quick kiss on the redhead's adorable nose.
"I believe you.", Jean replied softly, smiling brightly while lovingly caressing my cheek with the back of her hand.
Fighting against the urge to just close my eyes in comfort, I grabbed her hand and pressed my lips into her palm for a soft kiss before asking: “Ready?”
The lovely redhead nodded quietly, intertwining her fingers with mine as I made sure that I had my wallet and phone.
I didn't really need keys as the combination of Farsight and my abilities as the Realm Lord of the Darkforce Dimension made it so that no lock could stop me from coming and going as I pleased.
A moment later, I brought the three of us to New York, leaving behind nothing but a flickering cloud of shadows.
…
The small Vietnamese restaurant was obviously an insider tip as the signboard was tiny, making it easy to miss for those not knowing where to look for.
The owner and the rest of the staff also barely spoke English while all the other customers were of Asian descent, causing Jean's and my appearance to seem rather out of place.
Thankfully I had learned Vietnamese a few weeks ago before I had started with Sanskrit, so communication was easy and the owner seemed much friendlier while the surprised looks were plenty.
The atmosphere was much more welcoming after I showed that I spoke their language. And almost immediately, I could sense their goodwill and respect towards me as an 'outsider' rise greatly, which was one of the reasons why I enjoyed learning foreign languages.
I didn't like the concept of appropriating foreign cultures solely for one's own entertainment like it had become so common in the Western hemisphere.
For me, learning the language was a way to show that one made an effort to truly understand foreign cultures, since language was always an integral part of the culture, no matter the country.
Eventually, we didn't just buy something to eat for us but also ordered enough for Laura, Emma, and Celeste.
I suggested the first while Jean remarked that Celeste and Emma might not have eaten anything for dinner yet as it was barely 6 pm. A quick message to the three of them and our order became family-sized.
We returned to the Hellion Mansion roughly thirty minutes later with several paper bags full of food, which we took to Emma's small hut at the lake, though not before picking up Laura at the mansion.
Emma had already finished the in-depth medical examination of Celeste's condition and had taken her to her hut for the time being, though I wasn't sure if this was the final arrangement.