Too many cooks spoil the broth[Dom & Gwyn]

In the few days that she had been staying at the EFA not much had changed, most of the people here did not interact with her and given the attitude she had towards Dominic and Cassius she didn’t blame them. She had also not woken up naturally any morning, but rather had been woken up by the sounds of the refugees using the living area and kitchen. She did try to get some more sleep, but it always ended up being futile, even if she hid herself underneath her blanket. What she’d give for her noise canceling earbuds now. Gwyn, in her hurry, had stupidly left her bag in her dorm and with it also her earbuds, cards and money. She had thought about asking Idés if he could maybe kindly please pretty please go over to her dorm to pick her bag up, but she didn’t want to burden him anymore. She had asked more than she should have already.

When the meeting had ended and everyone had kind of left to their own rooms, an older looking woman had come up to her and curtly had told her that there would be mandatory chores coming along with her stay, which she had totally understood. They also had cleaning duty back at her dorm. Though she wasn’t big on cleaning bathrooms or toilets –except for the bathroom she had in the dorms– she would do so with her mouth shut. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t kind of complain inwardly. Gwyn wouldn’t be surprised if there would be some people who would leave such a place extra messy if they knew it would be her turn, just to get back at her.

There weren’t that many people in the living area at the moment while she was preparing dinner for the night, just a few people she had seen at the meeting and, probably to her dismay, Dominic. The former were watching some tv show about a man that had traveled through time –she wished time traveling was a thing, she would give everything she owned to turn back time to easier days– while the latter was on his phone, often glancing at the tv. How’d she know? Well Gwyn often glimpsed his way to see if he was shooting lasers at her with his eyes yet.

On the counter before her were two lists; one with everything that she had found in the fridge, freezer and pantry, the other with possible dishes she could make in big portions for everyone. You could guess what Gwyn was doing, she was on cooking duty. It just happened to be that she had not cooked a meal in ages and was in an unfamiliar kitchen. It was a miracle itself that she had managed to find the pantry where some food was stored. Gwyn knew that she could cook, but that was usually in portions no bigger than for five persons and not ten-ish people. There was also a small chance that some people might not like what she had in mind, so she might just make two dishes that she knew were liked by almost everyone. Meats were precious, so were other proteins so she kept those mostly out of her dishes. The first dish she wanted to make was fried rice with a mild potato curry. The second dish was lentil soup. The main ingredients she thought weren’t too expensive but had enough nutrients and were quite healthy. The first thing she’d start with was the lentil soup. Gwyn grabbed a package of lentils from the pantry and also collected some onions, garlic, potatoes and carrots. For spices she chose some paprika and of course salt and pepper. As the base for her soup she took a vegetable stock.

After washing the vegetables, she placed them on a paper towel on the kitchen island. Now, where would she find some knives and a cutting board? Gwyn started with the drawers right in front of her, it did contain cutlery but no kitchen knives. The one underneath that had placemats and tablecloths. Don’t tell me they actually use those, Gwyn thought as she closed the drawer and opened the one underneath it. Filled with boxes, it seemed like she found the breakfast cereal drawer. ‘’For fucks sake, who puts that here?’’ Gwyn muttered, as she went for the cabinet next to the drawers. Plates, a fuck ton of different type of plates. Good to know for later, but not what she had been looking for at all. So Gwyn resumed her rummaging for kitchen knives, cutting boards and while she was at it, pots and pans.

Where she would have found what she was looking for just fine by herself, a certain someone who she won’t mention just had to butt in with unwanted advice. Stupid boyscout, Gwyn thought as she looked over at him. Dominic’s attention was on his phone again, so she could freely stick her tongue out in his direction. She could have made a comment or two, but she remembered that it hadn’t done her much good the last time she did that. So she held her mouth shut wisely. Didn’t mean she couldn’t cuss him in her mind. Pouting a bit, she turned towards the drawers that he had mentioned, the middle one had indeed the knives she had been previously looking for and to her delight she also found a peeler. She’d need that to peel the potatoes and carrots before she would put them in the pot. Now for the cutting boards, Gwyn mused as she debated which one to open first. She chose the left one, smiling a bit when she found the cutting boards. She looked at the collection that the drawer contained and saw that there wasn’t a green one in there. ‘’Did they even use coloured cutting boards for the destined products,’’ she muttered ever so softly, ‘’probably not.’’ Was her conclusion, not as a judgement but rather as a fact that they probably wouldn’t care much for it. So Gwyn took the cutting board that was on top, grabbed a dish towel and put the towel on the counter first, followed by the cutting board so it wouldn’t move while cutting the vegetables.

After she had peeled the potatoes and carrots Gwyn diced them all into chunks and she did the same with the onion: peeling and cutting it into quarters. With the cutting done she got on to washing the lentils before putting them away in a bowl for a bit. ‘’Shit.’’ Gwyn cursed as she realised that she still had to find the pots and pans. The most logical place for pots and pans would be in a cabinet next to the stove, right? Gwyn turned towards the gas powered stove and eyed the cabinet next to it. Please contain a large pot, she silently pleaded before she went and opened it. Also don’t let head boyscout open his mouth again, was what she thought next. She’d find her way around the kitchen and did not need his input in anything honestly. If he even dared to start butting in when she was cooking, she’d whack him with a wooden spoon or a spatula if she ever found one. She was the type that if she was cooking, she liked to do it by herself without any help or unwanted advice. To her delight the cabinet did contain some pots and a few pans.

‘’Finally something that in a logical place.’’ She took the second biggest pot she saw and searched for a lid that would fit, but there were no lids in sight. ‘’Oh for fucks sake.’’ She grumbled under her breath, placing the pot on the stove and trying to see if there might have been some lids that had been put behind the pots and pans but no such thing. ‘’Who doesn’t put their lids with the pots and pans?’’ Gwyn shook her head and grabbed another two pots that she’d need to cook the rice in and the other for the curry. Lastly she grabbed a large skillet where she could make the fried rice in. At least she found those, and without pots and pans there would be no cooking. All she needed now was to find three lids that fit the pots. Oh, and a bowl for the washed lentils and maybe also two for the vegetables she’d cut up for the fried rice and the curry. Maybe in the cabinets above, was her next thought as she opened up the one that was in front of her. No lids, god dammit but it did contain bowls. Another win in her book. She took out all the small bowls for the soup, and three bigger ones for her prep. Now, where are those damn lids? If it came to be that she'd have to stay here for a long, long while then she might just take the liberty–not really but figuratively speaking– to rearrange this kitchen in a more logical order because the weird placing of basically everything was driving her nuts.

Sneakily, Gwyn turned around and threw another glance at Dominic, who seemed to be still engrossed with his phone. Good. She didn't want his help. Ever since the meeting she had hardly ever seen him, as in not at all. Seems like he had plenty to do which kept him away from HQ –something she had learned what they’d call this place on her first full day– and took him to whatever place he had to go. Her eyes raked over his body that he had sprawled over the couch, her bed, in a somewhat of a relaxed position. But is he actually relaxed, she wondered. She guessed that if she were in his position, she would not be able to relax at all. How was he not dead tired when he was constantly working? Catching herself for staring at him too long, Gwyn resumed her search for the lids and she shot a small prayer to whoever of the Gods wanted to listen to her that she'd find them quickly and that Dominic did not have to point it out to her.

While she was still rummaging through the next cabinet, she heard one of the refugees talking about some actress that he was apparently into. She was half a bit curious to know which actress they were talking about and if Dominic was into her too, but with his lacklustre reply and then the refugee still stating that she was ‘smoking’ , Gwyn decided to keep her head down. It wasn't as if she actually cared, just merely curious. At that moment she was bent over so she could lean forward a bit and search the lower plank of the cabinet, which also came up to be not containing any lids for the pods. If she was quite honest, Gwyn was secretly glad that she was wearing an oversized shirt together with her biker shorts. She’d hate it if someone would walk past and get a massive eyeful of her ass, which got quite accentuated by the biker shorts. But the day had been quite warm for this time of year and she did not want to wear a pair of sweats and start sweating because of it. Any other more summerlike clothing that she had brought with her did not fall into the category of being comfortable enough to lounge in, so shirts and oversized shirts it was. Grumbling to herself, Gwyn closed the cabinet but stayed bent over, rubbing her temples. The small kernel of irritation that she had started to feel because she just could not find those damn lids started transforming into a small headache, which only came easier to her since she had slept poorly the past few days and because she still was expecting her period to start any day now. Gwyn really hoped Idés would come around the EFA before that, so she could ask him for the last favour she'd ever ask from him. She would need painkillers and tampons. The former to even survive the first two days, the latter because she did not feel like bleeding over everything and staining her clothing to ruin. She was so stuck in her own thoughts about wanting to have a full night of sleep in her own bed and worrying about her upcoming period that she had not noticed that Dominic had gotten up from his seat on the couch. She only noticed him when he was close to her and started talking. Gwyn startled and stood up straight immediately. Her cheeks might have reddened just the slightest of bits by the idea that he had walked past her this close.

Gwyn looked at him as he stood before her –his face to hers– and opened the cabinet that was above her, one she hadn't look in yet because it was a bit too high for her. The way his muscles flexed with the movement made her mouth water a bit, which was not the way her body should react to it, because it shouldn’t react to him at all because she did not like him, and he did not like her. When Dominic put the lid she needed in front of her, and remarked that there wasn’t any space in the cabinet with the pots, she looked at it for a second. Eyeing the size of it and deciding on which of the pots it would fit. ‘’Well that explains it.’’ She muttered before shifting her eyes from the lid to him. How was he so gods damned tall all of a sudden? She felt like she needed to crane her neck in order to look him in the eye. To his question, which sounded like there was an underlying comment somewhere in it, she looked at the other two pots that she had pulled out. She could ask him to grab the other two lids or she could just thank him and try to grab them herself, though she doubted that she would reach them successfully. Still, she wanted to try.

‘’Thanks for that,’’ Gwyn said to Dom as she took a step towards the cabinet –and to him in the process– and stood on her tippy toes to reach the cabinet with her outstretched arm. Downside of this position was that she felt her shirt rise, ending above her ass instead of underneath but decided to go for the thought that if she ignored that fact that it had crawled up, then so would he. ‘’Let me just grab the lids for the other pans and I’ll be out of your hair.’’ That last part might have been a bit sarcastic but hey, at least she said ‘thank you’.

Was she being an absolute mule about the situation? Yes, she was but that didn’t mean she'd admit it to anyone. Gwyn wasn’t that short, this kitchen was simply built for very tall –and very stupid– boy scouts. So when Dominic asked her how things were working out for her, she had to admit defeat. Just this time. She huffed out a breath and gave up trying to reach for the lids. ‘’I was hoping to be just fine.’’ She muttered softly, not caring if he’d hear or not. She watched him as he took out the two additional lids and placed them on the counter before her, only to pick them all up again and place them on the pots before she had the chance to do so herself. Stupid boy scout, she thought while crossing her arms just underneath her chest, I am not too short to put them on the pots myself..  Unknowingly, Gwyn pouted while thinking. Dominic asking her what she was cooking almost looked like he was interested but she doubted it. It did however surprise her that he didn’t leave. She would have done so if she were him.
‘’Fried rice with a mild potato curry and a lentil soup. Not sure if everyone likes curry so I decided to make a soup too, just to be sure.’’ She told him, grabbing the bowls she had collected for her prep and walking back to where the cutting board was. She took the package of lentils and opened it, putting the contents of the package into a bowl. Turning to the sink with the bowl in her hands, she turned the cold water tab and started washing the lentils. ‘’I wasn’t sure how precious proteins are, so I decided to use none of it. However these dishes are plenty nutrient because the amount of vegetables that is used.’’ That might have been unnecessary to be said, but she wanted to tell him anyway. Maybe he’d take a hint that Gwyn knew what she was doing and leave, so she could cook in peace. Having someone hover over your every move was very frustrating.

As the lentils had been properly washed, Gwyn drained the water from the bowl and used her hand to shield the lentils from falling out. With the bowl in her hand, she turned to Dominic once more.
‘’Nor was I sure if there are any vegetarians, so better safe than sorry right?’’ Placing the bowl with now-washed lentils next to the stove, Gwyn grabbed a bottle of vegetable oil and put a few tablespoons worth of it in the pot. She’d sautée the vegetables first before putting the stock and lentils in. Nothing tasted more foul than raw onions in a soup. However, her next problem was the stove. Back at her parents house they had a Zeal powered stove that didn’t require gas, but she was pretty sure this one did run on gas, based on the pits. Did she just have to push down the button, or did she have to light it too? She guessed that pushing down the button would release the gas but then she would have to light it. So where was the lighter? She tried to look around sneakily, but knew that Dominic would notice that she was yet again –for fucks sake– in need of assistance.
‘’This is a gas powered stove, right?’’ She asked, but it seemed quite obvious to her that it was. All she needed from Dominic was that he turned on the stove for her and leave. She could manage the other two if she just saw how he did it.

Oh dear Gods, he was really going to make her ask wasn’t he? She gave him a side eye glance and rolled her eyes as she turned them to the stove again. Alright,  so she likely needed a lighter Zeal to turn on the stove. Fine, she could find that. Didn’t really matter how long it would take her. Since there wasn’t anything on the counter next to the stove, her guess was that the lighter was in a drawer. Reaching out to the nearest drawer to the stove, she opened it with a silent prayer. Ha, bingo! There, in the open drawer, lay one beautiful lighter and wooden spoons and spatulas. Take that boy scout, Gwyn mused to herself as she took out the lighter and a wooden spoon. Pushing the button for the biggest pit on the stove, Gwyn activated the lighter Zeal and kept it near the pit, so that the gas that was being released would catch on fire. With a satisfied smile Gwyn looked at the stove, and the burning pit. She placed the pot on the pit, so the oil could start heating up. Turning around, Gwyn went back to the kitchen island to collect her cutting board with diced vegetables. Just to be a little bit more annoying and triumphant about her finding the lighter, she whistled a little tune. Tchaikovska’s Swan Lake to be precise, Gwyn did love her classical music pieces from time to time. Not to mention that Swan Lake was one of her favourite stories ever.

Waiting just a little bit longer for the oil to heat up, Gwyn then added the onions and garlic first. The sizzling sound and smell of the oil sautéeing the onions with garlic brought back a few memories from the part of her childhood that she did remember. Her grandmother made the most delicious beef stew with caramelised onions and whenever she made it with Gwyn in presence, she’d sneak some of the onions into a small bowl for Gwyn. It hit her then that she hadn’t seen her grandmother for a long time and that she did miss her. Hopefully, she could visit her grandmother again soon but a part of her doubted that she would be free to go in the near future. U

Using the wooden spoon, Gwyn stirred the onions around so they wouldn’t burn and the moment they started turning glossy, she also added the carrots and potatoes. Those she would sautée for a minute or two before she’d add the stock and lentils. When everything was added to the pot, all Gwyn had to do was wait for it to start boiling, add the lid to it and turn down the heat to a simmer. Looking for her phone real quick, she found it next to the two papers where she had written down her plan in the afternoon. Unlocking her phone, Gwyn went to her timer app and put the timer on 30 minutes. She’d stir the soup every now and then and check how far the potatoes were cooked but it was a recipe that hadn’t failed her before.
The warmth of the day combined with the heat that was produced by the stove had started to make her neck a bit sweaty. Using the hair tie that was on her wrist –she always had one on her body– Gwyn put her hair in a bun on top of her hair, sighing with contentment when most of the heat at the back of her neck dissipated.  

Alright, next step. The rice would need to be cooked before she could make fried rice out of it. Gathering the second pot, she placed it on the counter next to the sink. Now, where would she find a cup? Putting her hands on her hips and pouting slightly Gwyn looked up at the cabinets that were hanging above the counter. Eenie, meenie, mini moe, which of you has cups, Gwyn thought, deliberately not asking Dom because he probably would have her figure it out herself. She’d just have to climb on the counter to better reach the cups if she found them. Deciding it was easier to check from a different height, Gwyn started climbing on the counter left of the stove and opened the cabinet in front of her. Well fuck me, no cups.

He had just stood there, stupidly watching her and knowing she’d need help again but did he offer? No sir he did not. She mentally flipped him the bird. If he had no intentions of helping then why was he still in the kitchen, standing in the way may she add. So when she had climbed on the counter to –unsuccessfully– search for cups and he started talking, she just looked at him. No? Well what else was she supposed to do? Climb him? She had half a mind to put out her leg to keep him from getting closer, but the way her body was positioned made it very hard to do so. ‘’What does it look like? I am trying to find a cup but since this kitchen is build for stupidly tall boy scouts I cannot reach a damn thing!’’ She answered him, slightly frustrated by his question but Gwyn remained where she was. On the damn counter. Though her shins started to get sore, she was too stubborn to go down on his command. So what she did instead was turn around, manoeuvring her body so that she now sat on the counter. She almost wanted to tell him that he had to make her go down but decided against it. It would not have been the most mature thing to say and since they were already at odds it would be best not to agitate him more than she already did. However while she sat a stab of sharp pain assaulted her lower abdomen. She grabbed the edge of the counter in a tight grip and pushed her lips against each other. Exhaling deeply through her nose, Gwyn hoped that the lingering pain would dissipate quickly. Had she not been thinking about her period a few minutes ago because of that slightly blooming headache?

‘’Gods.’’ Gwyn whispered to herself. She had to text Idés. Now. Jumping off the counter wincing –and not because Dominic told her so– she dashed for her phone and quickly unlocked it. Pulling up her chat with Idés, Gwyn hastingly shot him a message practically begging the man if he could come by with the strongest painkillers drug stores sold and a package of tampons. After she sent the text message, she sent another following it, typing a dozen times of sorries, that she would pay him back and the request if he could also get her some earbuds that would cancel out noise. She’d need them. Gwyn's period often came paired with migraine, something she would curse the Gods for forever. Not having forgotten that Dominic was still with her in the kitchen, she clenched her jaw as she felt another wave of pain. How was it that this month seemed more extreme than the last already? If it came to that, she would be thoroughly fucked and very much wanted to cry in a corner.

‘’If you want to know,’’ Gwyn ground out through her clenched teeth, ‘’that was a text to Idés. You’re free to read it if you don’t believe me.’’ She shoved her phone over the counter in his direction, not having the strength that moment to start argueing with him about texting while in and exhaling a few more times before standing straight again and turning towards the man. She could continue to search for everything herself but now that her cramps had started aching up she no longer felt like being defiant and climbing on counters.

‘’Could you please get me a cup? Just a regular tea mug would do so I can use it to measure the rice and water.’’ How the tables had turned, and how her body started to be a little betraying bitch. Could it not have waited for another hour or two? So that she could have done it by herself instead of having to ask Dominic for help. Gwyn was sure he’d be gloating and teasing her any minute now. Well, he had a spoon coming his way if he dared to make fun of her now.

When Dominic told her there were tampons in the bathroom, she already knew that she would not be the person that caused another person to come short on tampons and she told him exactly that.
‘’I will not give people another reason to think poorly of me.’’ She gritted, breathing deeply in hopes that the cramp would settle down long enough for her to finish cooking because once it started Gwyn would be a useless mess for a day or two. ‘’I shall not be the cause for another girl or woman to run out of tampons because I started taking them too. I will not add to those dwindling resources.’’ Her voice firm as she told him this, she also looked Dominic right in the eye. Why are they such a clear shade of blue, she thought to herself through the ebbing pain. The fact that there were no painkillers made her whimper slightly. She would love to be able to dull the cramps right now but she just had to wait until Idés had time to come over. Maybe she’d have to take one tampon just to be sure she wouldn’t be ruining her biker shorts.

Taking the cup from the counter, her movements now not as fluid as before, she also grabbed the package of rice and started measuring. Two cups of rice for the four of us back home, she pondered as she calculated how much she’d need for ten persons, so four cups should be plenty for everyone here and that equals eight cups of water. Gwyn measured her four cups of rice and put them in a bowl. The eight cups of water she would add to the pot after she had washed the rice. Quickly washing the rice until the water was clear, she then transferred it into the pot, adding the eight cups of water and going back to the cabinet where she had found the spices earlier to grab some salt to add to the rice. Just when she was about to turn on another pit on the stove and transfer the pot onto it, a new wave of cramps hit her. Dammit!  Pushing her nails into her palms, Gwyn once again ground her teeth. It took her a few seconds of breathing in and out before she could utter a word.

‘’Can you please turn on one of the middle pits and put the pot with the rice in it on the gas?’’ She asked Dominic, not yet looking at him because she also felt her cheeks getting warm. Though she must have started looking like a shade of too pale to be healthy, the fact that her cheeks still found it necessary to redden was infuriating. She never wanted help with cooking, she could just do fine on her own normally so why did this have to happen now? It was such shitty timing and the thought of having to suffer on that couch, with no moment of rest during the day because of all the people who made use of the living area and the kitchen, that was pure torture. She needed to find a solution for that and fast.

‘’I don’t want to sound like a whiny child,’’ Gwyn started, her lips suddenly as dry as a desert, ‘’but I experience migraines with the start of my period without fail.’’ She licked her lips, hoping the dryness would ease before willing the colour on her cheeks to fade and turn to Dominic. ‘’Is there a dark room somewhere in the building where not a lot of people come so I can get through the first two days of my period without being more of an inconvenience to anyone? I’d just need an air mattress and a bucket.’’ How she hated to ask this, because there was a very big chance that there wasn’t a room full of darkness where she could suffer in peace. It was also highly possible that he’d call her a spoiled brat asking for it. There’s more people here experiencing a period, the sneering voice bit out, but do those people also get migraines as an extra present with it, the more gentle voice opted. She didn’t wish what her period started like to anyone, that was just cruelty in its purest form.

Her phone still lay disregarded on the counter of the kitchen island, but since the screen hadn’t lit up Gwyn was positive that Idés either hadn’t seen her message yet or, as the blonde man had said it during the meeting, left her on read. She really hoped that if he had left her on read that he would be on his way soon. Gwyn might just manage another hour or two but she had this gut feeling that after dinner time she would turn into a pathetic lump of walking talking bloodbag.

He did not grant Gwyn her request in the way she wanted it, granted that he did comply with it. Gwyn hadn’t asked for a bedroom and certainly did not want to make use of his bedroom, she knew there wouldn't be any other rooms in his home but just for a space where she could get through the first few days. So when Dominic offered her his bedroom, she felt her mouth fall open a bit, thinking that surely she had heard him wrong. He couldn’t have offered that, who even offers their room to someone they do not even like! His tone told her that he had already set his mind to it, but that didn’t mean that Gwyn couldn’t protest. She felt weird taking his room, she didn’t want to take it. Her mind ran rampant with what the refugees might think, was it usual for him to offer up his room or not?

‘’Wait, hold up. You can’t.’’ Was Gwyn only argument against Dominic. ‘’Just tell me if there’s a broom closet or something somewhere in the building, I’ll go there. I cannot use your room.’’ She argued, though she had a feeling it would fall to deaf ears, since Dominic was already gesturing to the hallway so he could show her his room. However when he suggested he’d finish dinner, the dinner that she was supposed to make, her stubbornness reared its ugly head as high as it could. There was no way that Gwyn would let Dominic finish dinner since she was only in slight discomfort, for now. A few stabbing cramps would not stop her from finishing.

‘’No.’’ Crossing her arms, she stayed in the kitchen while Dominic started walking away towards the hallway. ‘’I can finish dinner, I will finish dinner.’’ She stated. ‘’These cramps are nothing compared to what is to come,’’ trying to solidify her point Gwyn went back to cooking, ‘’so as long as I am not having my skull split open by migraines I am perfectly capable of making sure you all have dinner.’’ She deliberately didn’t include herself when she was talking about making dinner for the others, she was quite sure that her appetite would be very much gone soon and for most of the following days too.

She did have to say, never had she heard a guy or man talk so easily about tampons. They usually shied away from the topic of menstrual periods because it was disgusting. Big fat boohoo babies. They should be fucking glad women got their periods otherwise their asses would never even exist. However, since he had assured her that it was okay for her to use the tampons that were already in the bathroom, she might just take up that offer.. Just to be sure, if Idés couldn’t come before dinner.

Now that the rice and soup were cooking, she could start with cutting the vegetables for the curry she wanted to make but as she started to gather the potatoes and a few other vegetables, she had the sudden need to explain why she didn’t want to take Dominic's room.
‘’Look,’’ Gwyn started with a sigh as she placed the vegetables next to the cutting board, ‘’I am not ungrateful for you offering your room. It just makes me feel uncomfortable and guilty to make use of it.’’ She started picking on a dark spot on one of the potatoes with her nail, not wanting to make eye contact for a bit, afraid that those blue eyes of his would somehow start shooting lasers at her because she wasn’t complying.
‘’I don’t know the inner workings of this place, I do not know the dynamics. I do not know if it’s normal for you to lend your room to others but that is besides the point.’’ Deciding to be more honest and logical, she turned her gaze to him while he was still standing in the hallway. ‘’With all that’s been going on in Ilomar the past month I feel like you need your rest more than I do. Sleeping on a couch won’t do you any good, especially if there are people staying up watching television until past midnight and others wake up at the crack of dawn.’’ The last part of her sentence might have been unnecessary, since it sounded more like a complaint now that the words have left her mouth.
‘’What I am trying to say is..’’ Gwyn softly bit her lower lip, trying to correctly formulate the words before saying them out loud. Look at her, thinking before she speaks. ‘’Basically what I want to make clear is that it doesn’t feel right for me. It’s like a privilege I do not deserve.’’ Keeping her gaze on him, she picked up a potato because otherwise she might have started fidgeting under his stare. She needed to do something useful with her hands before they started picking the poor potato apart.

It took a lot of Gwyn not to roll her eyes. As if she’d ever dare to vomit over the food, she’d be dashing for the toilet the second she’d feel nauseous. A little huff escaped her at that comment. She was still a far way from starting to vomit, but she did not look forward to it. She hated vomiting because afterwards she’d need to get up and brush her teeth, something that was challenging especially when experiencing a migraine. She noticed him sneaking a glance at the people on the couches, and her cheeks reddened again. She had somehow forgotten they were in the room too. Had they really heard all that she had said up until that moment? Gwyn really needed to take more of a notice about her surroundings.

The tone in which Dominic resumed speaking was.. Different somehow. Where before she was pretty sure it held the same bite that she held in her tone, it now sounded almost.. No, she was just imagining that. She did, however, mull over his words in her head. It seemed that he would genuinely offer another what he’d offered her. A place of quiet and darkness when one was needed against the skull splitting pain. Dominic somehow seemed more considerate than her roommates had been when she had her migraines. They never really toned down the noise they made, hence she spend big coin on her earbuds. It had been a big blow to her own monthly budget but they were very much worth it and now she was very much mad at herself for being able to forget them in her rush.

Gwyn kept on listening to him, not adding a comment until she noticed him walking closer to her. She felt her eyes widen and noticed him looking down at her hand –and the poor potato– before focusing on her face again. Why did he have to stand so close to her? Wasn’t his previous spot fine enough? She raised her eyebrow when she registered his comment about doing everyone a favour. Was he mocking her or trying to be funny? Gwyn took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. Trying to see the logic in what he said and to come to terms with it. Yes she’d be a major buzzkill if she kept to the couch while having a migraine. Not to mention she’d be torturing herself too with all the light and noise. There was only so much a blanket could cancel out. She’d also figure people would not dare to stay up late and be noisy when it was Dominic sleeping there. Sighing deeply, Gwyn reopened her eyes and looked at him again.

‘’Are you sure?’’ She softly uttered. Not one hundred percent certain yet she should take up on the offer, even though it was her best and probably only option. She picked up the peeler and started peeling the potato she was still holding in her hand.
‘’Alright then,’’ Gwyn admitted, still not entirely comfortable with the arrangement but accepting the fact that it was the lesser out of the two evils, ‘’I’ll clear out the couch for you when I finish cooking. I imagine you prefer your own pillow and blanket?’’ Finishing peeling the first potato, she laid it aside and picked up the next one. She could finish peeling, dicing and washing the potatoes before she’d go to the toilet for safety measures.

Suddenly his earlier words came back to her. The EFA is a community and we help each other out the best we can. It’s not about what we deserve… That got her thinking a bit more, she still felt like she had to do something more to deserve her staying right. She was no Nachon, she was pretty sure of that, but with this as being a safe haven for them she was definitely taking up a spot that someone else who might need it more than she does. Lost in thought, she wouldn’t have noticed if Dom was talking to her. Her body was working on autopilot so when she was done peeling the potatoes she picked up the knife again and started cutting. Not realising she was sticking out her thumb and therefore too close to the back of the blade she noticed too late when the blade made contact with her skin and sliced it open.

‘’Shit!’’ Gwyn exclaimed with a hiss, looking at the blood that welled up from the cut before dropping the knife and sticking her thumb in her mouth. ‘’Move!’’ Gwyn mumbled with her thumb still in her mouth as she tried to shove Dominic aside with her hip so she could use the sink. Turning the cold water tap open she took her thumb out of her mouth and held it under the water, almost pulling her hand away when it started to sting. Trying to see if the cut was shallow or not she retracted her thumb from underneath the water. It seemed shallow enough for her to conclude that a bandage would do. Pursing her lips, Gwyn felt slightly annoyed that she was so in her own head that she had managed to cut herself.

‘’You think that you could manage to hand me a bandage?’’ She bit out sourly, before reaching out for the paper towel she had been using for her vegetables earlier. After she grabbed it, Gwyn started pressing the paper towel against the cut, hoping it would stop the bleeding a bit so she could apply the bandage without it immediately being covered in blood. Stupid boy scout, she cursed. If it were not for his words she would not have fallen into her thoughts and therefore not have cut herself. This is so his fault, she concluded.

Idés had seen Gwyn’s message a few minutes after he had received it. And almost immediately he had been out the door to buy the things that she had asked for. He had at this point all but accepted that it was somewhat his fault that she was in the mess that she was in. The EFA headquarters, while important, wasn’t the most pleasant place to stay. At least not right now, where every Nachon was trying to get out of the country. So in a way, he was incredibly relieved to have some way of helping out and perhaps making it a bit less of a shitty situation.

Either way, he had been in a bit of a frenzy in the grocery store. He hadn’t bought menstrual products for anyone in many years, the last one being the girl he had dated for a few months in his second year of studying, which was honestly too many years ago for him to take comfort with. So he supposed he could just base this purchase of what she liked – of course, assuming that he even remembered correctly. Needless to say, his basket was soon full of chocolate, salty snacks, a headset, caramel ice cream, and 3 different sizes of tampons. He was sure a few people eyed him as if he was a crazy person. He tried not to be embarrassed, but he did realize that the contents of his shopping bag were a bit absurd. But it would have to do. And no matter what, if Gwyn didn’t want it someone staying at headquarters probably would. He also grabbed two different types of painkillers at the counter – again, just to be on the safe side. And because he didn’t want to bother the cashier by asking what kind actually worked for cramping.

If not for the traffic, he would probably have been at the EFA in less than five minutes. But the rush hour still hadn’t completely absolved and even with the breaking of a few speed limits, he still hadn’t gotten there as fast as he would have liked. Needless to say, he hurried from the spot where he had parked the car to the headquarters, shopping bag in hand.

Though, he was completely unprepared for the scene that met him when he opened the door. Gwyn was bleeding, Dominic was grabbing her wrist and brandishing a bandaid like it was a threat. The two were bickering as if they were recently divorced, and the water in the pot of rice was rising menacingly. For a moment, Idés simply stood there at a loss of words. Things really were worse than he thought. Now, he was sure there was some sort of explanation here. Both for why Gwyn was a bloody mess and why Dominic looked like he was on the verge of screaming. Of course Dominic wouldn’t harm her, he knew that.

Then, the rice boiled over and Idés finally drew attention to himself. “Uh. Need some help there?”

Standing next to him, Gwyn heard Dominic curse –most likely he was cursing her– and she threw him a look. As if she’d be cutting into her own thumb on purpose! She wasn’t like that, nor would she probably ever be even when she’d be at her lowest. Gwyn was too big of a coward to ever harm herself on purpose. Once more, Dominic suggested she’d leave the cooking to him. Gwyn bristled and turned her body towards his. ‘’Not gonna happen, boy scout. It’s my dinner, I’m cooking it.’’ Giving him a wide but fake grin she removed the paper towel a bit to see if the bleeding had started to be less already.

Even though he muttered, she still caught onto his words. Giving him a look that could kill, she felt her mouth fall open a bit.
‘’I am unbelievable?’’ She gasped, her voice a few octaves higher than it usually was. ‘’You mean that you’re unbelievable! You have been butting in with my cooking the whole time and standing here like a living boy scout statue with your crossed arms and constant frowns! How you do not have any wrinkles yet is beyond me because that frown and scowl seem permanent!’’ Placing her hands on her hips, she took a stance of defiance. Now he’d done it, they were actually on neutral soil for once and he just had to ruin it with that comment. Stupid boy scout with his stupid muscled arms that he keeps crossing, mentally she’d already punched his nose.

At least he was getting her a bandage, which they also kept in a drawer. No first aid kit? Trying not to shake her head, she was a bit too distracted to notice that instead of handing her the band aid he was reaching out to grab her hand.
‘’Excuse me I know how to wrap a band aid around my finger, thank you very much.’’  Gwyn countered in a sarcastic tone when Dominic started to wrap the band aid around her finger. She tried to wiggle her hand free but his hold was quite strong. ‘’Let me go! You’re killing my blood circulation!’’ That second part might have been a little exaggerated but she could bloody well bandage her own fingers when she cut into them because someone was being a distraction. Forgetting the refugees that were probably looking at them as if they were a real life soap series, she also didn’t notice the opening of the door and the person who had stepped into HQ.

How comical the two of them must have looked in the eyes of the person who just walked in, until she heard the voice that asked if there was help needed.
Her head quickly turned towards the door, and it was safe to say she had never been so happy to see him.
‘’Des!’’ Gwyn exclaimed with a big smile on her face. She tugged herself loose from Dominic’s grip and hastingly made way to the man standing at the door. Flinging herself at him for a hug, she wrapped her arms around his middle, not caring if he was going to hug her back or not. ‘’Thank you thank you thank you thank you!’’ She said to him with the side of her face pressed into his chest. ‘’I am so happy to see you! I missed you too! Have you been eating well, and sleeping? Or have you been hauled up in your lab forgetting you're actually a human being?’’ Giving him the happiest smile she could muster before she went to whispering to him. ‘’By the way, is he always this controlling?’’ The ‘he’ being Dominic, who she had left in the kitchen. Noticing the bag from the grocery store, she raised her eyebrow. This looked like it was way more than just tampons and some painkillers.

‘’Des, what did you buy? The whole store?’’ She asked him, trying to see what was inside the bag. She wasn’t curious, just wanted to know what the man had brought that was more than tampons and painkillers.

Idés was mildly surprised when Gwyn suddenly flung herself at him. Sure, he had expected she’d be happy to see him, but the hug caught him a bit off-guard for some reason. It wasn’t that he was against it either, this just wasn’t that typical for their relationship. She was probably just seeking a bit of comfort and Idés felt familiar. That was what he told himself at least, as he wrapped his free arm around her. “Hey you,” he greeted back, but Gwyn was already talking a mile an hour, fuzzing over whether Idés was eating and sleeping enough. It was comforting to know some things wouldn’t change.

Then she asked if Dominic had always been this controlling. He glanced over at the brooding man who was currently taking over the cooking completely. He seemed even more pressed than usual, as if he was a stormcloud in the middle of the room. The people on the couch had once again turned their attention to theTV, but judging from their lack of conversation, their attention was still very much on the three of them. It seemed the mix between Gwyn and him was the perfect cocktail for drama. Idés grimaced slightly and gave a half-shrug, half-nod, half-plead to not be involved in this. It seemed this was the kind of conflict he despised the most. It was petty and unnecessary, just stubborn people being stubborn. Even if it was stubborn people he deeply cared for, it was still immensely stupid.

“It’s just some stuff,” he said, when she asked about what he had bought her. He handed over the bag so that she could see the stuff for herself. “What happened to your finger?” he then asked, mostly a distraction from the deeply embarrassing result of his stress shopping.

Dominic then asked if he was staying for dinner. He hadn’t greeted him or anything and the tone wasn’t exactly welcoming, so it seemed all was not forgiven for the meeting yet. It was only three days ago, but it still hurt just a little. It might have something to do with the downright disastrous chemistry between him and Gwyn that put him in a sour mood. Either way, Idés hadn’t actually thought as far as dinner. This had been a weird day, between reuniting with Edita and then having to drop his work again to get out to HQ, he hadn’t gotten as far as he wanted to today. Plus, the tone of the question didn’t exactly scream ‘please stay a while.’ But Gwyn might appreciate it, which made him hesitate a little on what the appropriate response would be. He ended up with a nice, non-committal: “Uh, I’m not sure yet.” He rubbed his neck a little as he turned towards Dominic, attempting a bit of small talk. “What are you making?”

Snuggling just a bit closer when he returned her hug, she felt a sense of happiness. She was genuinely happy to see Idés, since he had been her only friend ever since she started to attend ICU. Releasing him from her hold, Gwyn took a step back to look at him more properly. He looked more haggard than he had last week, which made her believe that he hadn’t been taking much good care of himself. She also noticed him looking at Dominic, who was busying himself with the rice, or rather said her whole dinner. When Idés handed over the bag, she took it with a happy ‘thank you’ and started looking inside the bag like it was a Christmas present.

A gasp left her lips as she noticed the contents. Not only had he gotten her tampons in various sizes, painkillers and a headset but he had gotten her chocolate, salty snack and ice cream! Holding back to not crush him in another hug, she felt her eyes sting. How thankful she was for a man who was so considerate in her life. She didn’t remember anyone ever being this thoughtful since her life had taken a turn. Wiping away any tear that threatened to escape with the mouse of her hand. Belatedly, she remembered he had also asked about her thumb.
‘’I nicked it with a knife.’’ Gwyn told him, looking up at the man and she gave him a watery but genuine smile. ‘’Thank you for this Des.’’ She lifted up the bag a bit to emphasise what she was thanking him for. If her migraine wasn’t making her sick, she’d definitely be nibbling on some chocolate tonight, the pint of ice cream she’d save for a midnight snack.

Turning around so she could put the ice cream in the freezer before it turned into soup, she heard Dominic asking Idés if he’d join them for dinner. Gwyn raised her eyebrow, he didn’t even deign to look at Idés nor had he even greeted the man. Was he still this salty because Idés had brought her over? Discreetly rolling her eyes at his attitude, she turned back to Idés to answer the question as to what they’re eating.
‘’Potato curry with fried rice and lentil soup, I was cooking up until I nicked my thumb.’’ Gwyn said honestly, somehow wanting Idés to know that she had been cooking, not Dominic. It would be very weird for her to have a cut in her thumb if she hadn’t been cooking at all. ‘’There’s plenty so feel free to join us.’’ Were her last words before she went to the freezer to put the ice cream in it.

Not really looking at Dominic when she passed him, Gwyn quickly put the pint into the freezer before digging into her bag again. Now that Idés had brought her tampons, she could put one in already so she wouldn’t have any leakage. She put the bag on the counter and grabbed the three boxes out of it, not caring that anyone was seeing the sanitary products. She started looking at the three sizes that Idés had gotten her, the tampons were a different brand than she usually used, but it was the size of them that was important. Luckily, he had medium sized tampons in his selection.
‘’Be right back,’’ Gwyn told no one in particular but before turning away so she could go to the backroom, she gave Dominic one last glance, ‘’do not mess with my dinner.’’ It might have sounded like a warning, and it kind of was one too. Gwyn would blame it on her hormones later that she went back and forth in between her moods but it could also be because she was a Gemini.

With all three boxes in her hands she went to the toilet. Placing the two boxes that she wouldn’t use with the other sanitary products, she opened up the one with the medium sized tampons. Taking one out and unwrapping it, she quickly put it in. Feeling better about not being able to leak anymore, she pulled her underwear and biker shorts up before walking over to the sink to wash  her hands. Between bickering with Dominic over her thumb and seeing Idés, she had temporarily forgotten about her headache-soon-to-be-migraine but in the fluorescent light of the bathroom, it started flaring up again but worse than it had been just a few minutes back.
‘’Shit.’’ Gwyn muttered, pushing her non-sore thumb at the spot between her eyebrows in hopes she could push the headache away. She might just need to take a painkiller too if she wanted to make it through cooking dinner.

Gwyn seeming very thankful for the things he had brought did make him feel a lot less embarrassed by the results of his stress-shopping. It looked as if tears had been threatening to spring out of her for a moment, but then they were gone the next. It did bring to mind how lonely she probably was here around all these strangers. He had known most of the EFA for years and thus knew their quirks and tendencies by now, but he did understand how overwhelming it must be to suddenly be living with these people she barely knew.

Not to mention the actual horrendous chemistry between her and Dominic. The question had been to Dominic, since he was technically the one cooking right now, but then Gwyn had answered like he hadn’t had a hand in it. He saw the way Dominic’s jaw seemed to clench, but he at least didn't say anything in retaliation. Idés had a feeling that would’ve sparked their fighting anew. Instead the two deliberately ignored each other, which somehow made the tension in the room rise as Gwyn put away the ice cream in the freezer while Dominic was chopping his potatoes. Idés awkwardly shifted the weight from one foot to the other. Was it constantly like this at the HQ right now? If so, he felt bad for the refugees. And poor Cadmus who was so sensitive to the energy of others. The thought made him wince slightly. Then Gwyn left and that seemed to make Dominic relax somewhat.

Then Dominic asked Idés about his work. It wasn’t surprising, as it was one of the few topics the two of them tended to discuss, and it was honestly a bit of a relief to be reassured that the man wasn’t holding a grudge. It seemed that conflict was contained to be between Gwyn and Dominic, which wasn’t great either, but at least Idés didn’t have to directly engage with that. Yet. He might have to, if it got worse. Because in a way, Idés was the fault of this specific tension in the EFA.

“It’s promising,” he started. “I’ve been looking into the energy potential in unstable Zeals, and I think I might be able to make something interesting out of it. So I’m looking into possible vessels to channel that sort of energy through safely,” he explained. This could be interesting for the EFA too, as the sort of innovation he could make with the energy source at hand wasn’t available to the public. That would grant them technology that was miles ahead of what was at the hands of the people who despised them.

“You'll all find it quite interesting when I have something to show for it, I'm sure. I haven’t been able to get much work done today, though.”  Because he had spent most of his day talking to Edita. It was a bit out of character for him, he supposed.