Clarabell still felt extremely awkward. She'd known for as long as she could remember that someday she would have to share a home like setting, and eventually a home, with her betrothed. That didn't make it any easier to get used to. The only thing she could was try and make the best of it. Surely things would become less awkward and even enjoyable at some point... right?
It was still early on in the whole living together arrangement, but Clarabell decided to give cooking dinner for them a go. The meal wasn't anything overly complicated and there were instructions. She'd seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder and put it in the oven to cook along with two potatoes.
It was in the middle of her preparing the salad that he came in. Teddy really was an attractive guy... she could not fault her parents in their choice. Without looking up from her chopping she called out to him. "Dinner should be ready in forty five minutes... Unless, of course, you don't like chicken and potatoes or had other plans..."
She babbled when she was nervous. A dreadful habit and one she couldn't seem to change. Biting her lip, she dared to look up at him. Clarabell blushed hard, but before she could look away she cut her finger. "Ow! Dang it!" Instantly she pulled her finger to her mouth. Wonderful first impressions, Clara she thought.
Teddy wasn't all that stressed out about sharing a suite with Clarabell. She was nice enough to look at and they did have their own bedrooms. Besides, this was an inevitable step in preparing for their futures and Teddy had other concerns at the moment.
Recruiting a staff for this year's paper, for one, now that he had been named editor. It was an honor, but selecting suitable staff members would prove a challenge. On top of that, their professors were already assigning a load of work and even his own father would accept no excuse for not having it done. Getting used to living with the girl was really the least of his worries.
"No rush," he called, not really looking up as he strode into the suite. "45 minutes will be fine." He intended to spend the time working on the numerous assignments he had to complete, though he was rather hungry already. The work would distract him from the rumbling of his stomach.
Her sudden exclamation did catch his attention, though, and he looked over at her, dropping hs things on the table before moving closer. "Here, lemme see," he said, his voice a little gruff, but his eyes showing genuine concern for her.
The course load for this year would definitely be consuming, but she'd elected to have her last period free. It gave Clarabell more time to finish up her assignments and the option of whether to cook dinner or not. Of course, once they were married, they likely have a few house elves and a cook, but it was nice to know that she could handle things on her own should the need arise.
However, that was seeming to prove more difficult then she'd thought. How could she have cut her finger? It wasn't like it was overly difficult to cut vegetables for a salad, yet she'd managed to cut her finger. It wasn't a bad cut really. It had just caught her off guard.
When Teddy came over to check on her, she dared to look him in the eye and her heart warmed some to see that he was concerned. Slowly, she pulled her finger from her mouth and showed him. Bells tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth as he inspected it. "It's nothing really... Just unexpected. I'll be fine."
Teddy didn't think a cut said much about her cooking skills. Accidents happened and at least she hadn't bled on the food, right? Anyway, he'd probably think her a touch insane if he could read her thoughts right now.
He nodded as he inspected the cut. It was small, already closing, which satisfied him that she was perfectly alright. Teddy couldn't explain what came over him, but even knowing that, he pulled the finger to his own lips and pressed a brief kiss to the small incision there.
Most people wouldn't think of Teddy as an affectionate sort, but he did have his moments and Bells was starting to grow on him more and more. He'd even found himself missing her over the summer holiday, though he wasn't likely to say as much out loud.
Bells watched transfixed as he brought her finger to his lips and pressed a kiss to her cut. To her, it was an extremely loving gesture... if not a little romantic. Her breath caught slightly and she blushed a bright shade of red. This side of Teddy was one she hadn't really seen before and she couldn't deny that she liked it.
"Oh..." Tugging at her bottom lip again, she tilted her head to the side. "A kiss to make it better... Thank you."
Stepping back before she could embarrass herself further, she went to continue fixing the salad. Bells babied her cut finger, but didn't let it stop her from fixing everything. She wanted her first attempt at making dinner for them to be successful. There was already one strike against her.
"Is... is there anything you don't really care for food wise? I'll try to stay clear of making them."
There was something almost alluring about the way her cheeks warmed so obviously and the way she chewed at her lower lip. In all honestly, Teddy might have kissed her if she hadn't stepped back when she did, but the moment was past now.
"I'm not very picky," he answered her with a smile. Teddy wasn't one of those guys who believed cooking was a woman's duty, but there was something surprisingly nice about watching her move around the kitchen as she prepared a meal for them. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he watched her for a few more moments.
"Would you like any help?" he asked. He'd thought about retiring to another room to start one his studies, but now he found himself wanting to linger in her presence.
Honestly if she'd known he would have kissed she would have never moved. It seemed like forever since the last time their lips had brushed. Releasing her breath, she nodded and smiled at him.
"Good to know. And only if you want to. You could peel the cucumbers." Nodding towards the vegetable, she pointed towards the peeler. "Unless you wanted to work on some schoolwork. I finished most of mine while you were still in class."
Bells put the cuttings into the bowl and tossed it some to make it look prettier. Looking up through her lashes she watched him. "How was your summer?"
Teddy shook his head, though it was thoughtful of her to make the suggestion. "I'll peel," he agreed with a smile. He'd already shrugged out of his robes, but he unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt, rolling them up to his elbows and loosened his tie before pulling it from his neck and setting it aside. A moment later, he'd picked up a cucumber and was starting to peel it as directed.
The thought of kissing her wasn't entirely gone, but he wasn't going to act on it right this moment. The mood had passed and there was a meal to finish preparing. That didn't mean he didn't still want to, though. While the times he had been affectionate with her in the past were more rare, they were sharing a living space now. It only seemed right that he get used to those displays of affection.
"It was good," he answered, not volunteering much else, because there wasn't a lot to tell. He hadn't really done anything very exciting. "How was yours?" Small talk wasn't exactly his forte, but he kept stealing glances at her while they worked.
It was still strange to think that she would live with this man for the rest of their lives, but she knew eventually she'd grow used to it. Bells watched as he peeled the cucumber. At least she knew now that she could count on him to help if need be.
Summer had been relatively uneventful for herself. Her eldest brother and his wife were expecting, so she'd helped out around their home. Then her slightly older brother was planning his wedding so she'd helped her soon-to-be sister-in-law with the planning.
"Just helped my brothers with their lives. My eldest's wife is expecting and the other is still planning the wedding. Then just read mostly." Shrugging she finished with her cutting and stood there watching him work.
Teddy nodded as she spoke, listening politely as she talked about the things that had filled her summer. "I'm sure they were grateful for your assistance," he told her, smiling a little bit more. He had younger sisters of his own, so he knew how it was when you were a big brother.
It didn't take him long to finish the peeling and he then started to slice it, letting to slices fall into a bowl that he retrieved from the cupboard overhead. He talked a little bit about his own siblings - all younger in his case. "You'll meet Lily soon enough," he informed her. Lily was a freshman this year and he intended to keep a close watch on her. It was inevitable that she and Bells would meet before much longer.
It didn't seem like much time at all before dinner was ready and Teddy helped her set out the plates and various dishes of food. A moment later, they were seated at the table, their conversation continuing between bites, mixed with brief periods of silence as they chewed.
"This is excellent, Bells," he told her between mouthfuls. "Thank you."
Bells was actually looking forward to meeting Teddy's sisters. She was the only girl so anytime she had the opportunity to welcome another female into her family she jumped at the chance. "I look forward to meeting her... all of them."
As they ate dinner she appreciated how easily the conversation flowed between them. A broad smile of appreciation spread across her lips and she blushed deeply. "You're very welcome. I look forward to doing this more frequently when we're married..."
Looking down, she shook her head. She shouldn't have mentioned that. It was potentially still years away. Standing, Bells started to clear away the dishes. "Sorry..."
Teddy didn't really understand why she was apologizing. Was this a girl thing? He'd have to remember to ask his sister about that. It seemed to him that it was only natural to begin preparing for their married life, to even discuss what it would be like once they'd finished school and become husband and wife. Cooking was a trivial concern, but he didn't see anything wrong with her looking forward to doing it for him.
She seemed to blush and apologize a lot. The blush was mildly attractive, so he didn't mind, but he just didn't understand her need to apologize for something so.. stupid.
"There's no need to apologize," he informed her brusquely. He stood just after he did, picking up his own share of the dishes to carry them to the sink. Once he'd caught up to her, he lifted what she was carrying easily from her hands and slipped an arm around her waist.
"We're to be wed in just over two years," he reminded her, lifting her chin with his hand until she met his gaze. "It's only natural you would want to discuss the details." Once again, he was struck with an urge to kiss her, but he ignored the impulse. They needed to talk about this before her apologizing drove him nuts.
Bells was about to apologize again, but fought the urge. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him. When his arm went around her waist , she became a little breathless. Looking up into his eyes, she bit her lip.
"My brother and his betrothed waited a little longer then after graduation. I wasn't sure if you wanted to wait a little longer or not... There's a lot to do, but I can have it ready whenever you want."
Bells pressed her hand to his chest and moved just a little closer. She liked being close to him. He was warm and hard... he was strong and she felt safe with him. "If you want to wait that's okay..."
"We should choose a date together," he corrected her. Teddy, again, was not one of those young men who believed that women were lesser beings. Conventional or not, marriage was to be a partnership. A constant deference to his wants would only serve to irritate him, at least in matters such as this.
He was certainly aware of the hand on his chest, the close proximity as she moved closer. Clarabell was not a remotely unattractive young woman. He didn't act on the small rush of desire that swept through him, though.
"We are in this together, Bells," he added, his tone a little more gentle. He knew he could be a little brusque and he was trying to soothe the slight reprimand with a kinder tone. "This is our decision to make. Not just mine."
Biting her lip, Bells nodded. "I would like that... I doubt you want to be in on all the details, but I would like to have some insight into your feelings and views on all of it."
Slowly, she stepped back and took the dishes from his hands. It was better to get them cleaned quickly so that she could read by the fire later. With a smile, she looked at him over her shoulder.
"Thank you Teddy... We can talk about it later though. You should do your school work. If you have any questions just let me know."
Turning back to the dishes, she flicked her wand to have some music play softly. It would help pass the time by more quickly. As she cleaned the dishes, Bells moved to the music slowly. She was quickly learning that Teddy wasn't so bad to live with. Instead she just needed to be more upfront about things and offer her own opinions. That she could easily do.
"A winter wedding would be nice," she said softly... more to herself then to him.
Teddy was a very typical guy in that one respect. He didn't much care for details like colors and flowers. He nodded his head, however, because it would not do to seem completely uninterested in the process.
Nodding his head as she suggested he get to work, Teddy leaned in to press a brief kiss to her cheek. "Alright," he agreed before he turned to gather up his books and find a comfortable spot to do his work. |
