In Luke's house, the kitchen was unusually peaceful.
Luke sat on top of the counter with one leg hanging over the edge while an Italian chef's cookbook floated in front of him, flipping through pages on its own as he lazily browsed recipes.
Today's lunch was going to be Italian. At least that was the plan.
With the number of people currently living in the house, preparing a normal meal wasn't enough anymore. Every meal had essentially become a banquet.
He scanned through the options. Fresh pasta. Lasagna. Risotto. Pizza. Tiramisu. Far too many choices.
Meanwhile the kitchen was already operating on its own. A wave of his hand sent vegetables floating into the air — tomatoes washing and slicing themselves, onions dicing, garlic peeling.
Nearby, dough mixed itself inside a bowl before kneading into a smooth ball. Several pots floated above the stove while ingredients moved between them according to his instructions.
The entire kitchen resembled an automated restaurant rather than a normal home.
Luke turned another page. "Hmmm... this one looks good."
The cookbook stopped immediately. Several ingredients flew out of the refrigerator a moment later. Luke nodded in satisfaction. "Let's add that too."
A block of cheese floated across the room and began shredding itself. Fresh herbs were chopped into tiny pieces. Sauce simmered quietly in a pot while the aroma slowly spread through the house.
He continued reading while occasionally adjusting something with a wave of his hand. Despite possessing enough power to rewrite reality itself, he still enjoyed cooking.
There was something genuinely satisfying about creating food, even if his version involved indirectly controlling fifty different kitchen tools simultaneously.
Another page turned and his eyes lit up slightly. "Oh, that's interesting."
Several more ingredients flew out of storage immediately. At this point the cookbook had become less a source of recipes and more a source of dangerous ideas.
Lunch preparations steadily expanded from a simple meal into something considerably larger than originally planned.
***
In the hall, the women were relaxing while watching television. Some were talking among themselves, others focused on whatever program happened to be playing.
Nearby, Red Queen and White Queen were quietly observing both.
After a moment of silence, White Queen turned toward her sister. "Don't you think it's about time we make a move?"
Red Queen understood immediately. "Yes." A small smile appeared on her face. "Otherwise this might continue forever."
The relationship situation in the house was honestly ridiculous. Everyone already lived together, already acted like family, already spent more time together than most married couples.
Yet somehow nobody had officially addressed the obvious.
"It's about time we tie this bunch together," Red Queen said.
The tying together she meant was marriage. Unlike ordinary marriages that could end in divorce, this family was different. Nobody here was planning to leave. The idea of separation was so unlikely that neither Queen even considered it a possibility.
Before the discussion could continue, the television cut to a commercial.
The women paid little attention at first. Then the advertisement began.
A beautiful tropical island appeared on screen. White beaches stretched across the coastline while crystal-clear water reflected the sunlight.
The camera moved across a luxurious wedding venue built near the ocean — elegant decorations surrounding a large altar positioned directly beside the sea, flowers lining the pathway leading toward it.
A calm voice began narrating. "Looking for the perfect wedding venue? Create memories that will last forever."
The scene shifted. A groom in a black suit stood beneath the altar while a bride in a white wedding dress stood across from him, both smiling as family and friends watched nearby.
The ocean breeze moved gently through the decorations while the sunset painted the sky in gold and orange.
"From intimate ceremonies to unforgettable celebrations, make your special day truly extraordinary."
The commercial continued through different wedding scenes before fading to the venue logo.
The hall went strangely quiet.
Every woman was still looking at the screen.
Wanda blinked. Natasha slowly looked away. Jean raised an eyebrow. Selene appeared thoughtful. Tauriel looked curious. Even Esdeath seemed interested.
Jill, Clarice, and Alice were no different.
Before long, several pairs of eyes drifted toward the kitchen where Luke was currently cooking.
The atmosphere in the room gradually changed into something distinctly suspicious.
Across the hall, Red Queen smiled.
White Queen smiled back.
It seemed their planning had worked.
In the kitchen, Luke remained completely focused on cooking, with absolutely no idea that Red Queen and White Queen had unintentionally unleashed chaos in the living room.
Ever since the wedding advertisement ended, the mood among the women had shifted noticeably.
Esdeath was the first to voice what many were already thinking. "How about this — I marry him first, and the rest of you can follow afterward."
The suggestion immediately drew reactions. Selene, Jill, and Alice all looked at her with identical expressions. None of them appeared impressed.
"Why should you be first?" Selene asked.
"Because I suggested it first."
"That makes absolutely no sense." Selene folded her arms. "If anyone should be first, it should be me. I met him before all of you."
Esdeath dismissed that immediately. To everyone's surprise, Natasha nodded. "For once, I agree with Esdeath."
Selene stared at her. "I don't know if I should be relieved or concerned that you just said that."
"Then why not let me be first?" Clarice suddenly cut in.
Several heads turned toward her. She shrugged. "What? Everyone else is making suggestions."
That was all it took.
The discussion instantly spiraled. Selene had her reasons, Esdeath had hers, Clarice wasn't backing down, Wanda joined with her own thoughts, and Natasha contributed enough comments to keep several arguments alive simultaneously.
The entire conversation transformed into a battlefield fought entirely with words.
Off to the side, Red Queen and White Queen watched the chaos unfold without making any effort to stop it. If anything, they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
After several minutes of increasingly circular logic, a hesitant voice broke through the noise.
"Umm..."
Everyone turned toward Tauriel. The elf looked genuinely confused by the entire discussion.
"Do you all really need to argue about this?" The room quieted slightly. "If Luke marries someone, wouldn't that mean he's marrying all of us in the end?" She looked around before continuing. "Shouldn't we ask him what he wants first?"
Silence.
The thought hadn't occurred to any of them. Even Esdeath stopped talking. After all the debating, nobody had actually consulted the person at the center of the discussion.
Several seconds passed before Esdeath stood up. "Good point. Let's go." Marriage was important, and if it was going to happen, she wanted a proper answer directly from Luke.
The others exchanged glances before rising as well. One by one they followed, and soon an entire group of women was heading toward the kitchen with a shared objective.
*****
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