The aroma of cooking slowly filled the kitchen, warm and savory, easing the heaviness that had lingered earlier. The soft sizzle of oil in the pan blended seamlessly with Leo's movements, which had grown more focused with each passing second. He worked with a steady, almost instinctive rhythm, as if the kitchen was the only place where everything aligned, where nothing felt out of place.
Valerie stood beside him, sometimes helping, sometimes simply watching. There was no awkwardness this time, no suffocating silence pressing between them. Everything felt… natural. Easier, in a way neither of them tried to question.
A few minutes later, the dish was finished. Leo carefully transferred the food onto a plate, his movements precise, before setting it down on the small kitchen table. "Done," he said simply.
