Sherdan meets Lulu's mom (2)

"You--" Lucian's mother was surprised upon seeing Sherdan's face, making the other look at her in confusion. But before he could even ask, Gila had already avoided the topic. Her gaze landing on her son.

"Aiyoo thank you for bringing Lulu. Come in, it's too cold outside."

After opening the door for Sherdan whose carrying the sleeping Lucian in his arms, she asked.

"How about joining us for dinner?" Gila rubbed her cold hands together and blew on them. She reached out and touched Lucian's forehead.

"Aiyoo this boy. He's burning! Hurry and bring him in." Her already wrinkled forehead frowned, and her face was etched with worry.

Sherdan walked inside, and Gila closed the door behind him. The cold wind was shut outside, and he was enveloped by the warmth of the house.

"It's fine Auntie. I don't want to trouble you." Sherdan gently adjusted his hold of Lucian, afraid of waking the other. Gila waved her hands, declining his words.

"Ah no, there's no trouble. Come now, eat with me okay?."

Gila persistently invited Sherdan, leaving the other no choice but to oblige. She walked towards Lucian's room, behind her is Sherdan whose following close.

The apartment wasn't big. It has two rooms just enough for the mother and son pair. The living room and kitchen were beside each other. And the walls were decorated with several wooden frames with flower paintings.

There was also a picture of Lucian and Gila in a frame hanging on the top of the wall behind the TV.

Lucian seems younger in the picture. He was wearing his elementary graduation robe with a cheerful smile on his face. Beside him is his mother who was holding firmly onto his graduation certificate. Looking quite proud of her son's achievement.

Gila and Sherdan entered the room, and he laid Lucian in his bed. He tucked him under the sheets and left together with Lucian's mother.

"Sorry for troubling you ah. Did you tell your parents? It's already this late, what if you got scolded?"

"Let me talk to them." Gila was worried about the teen, as it was already too dark outside. And it is also cold.

Sherdan just shook his head timidly.

"It's fine, I've already told them. And they weren't home either."

Gila sighed in defeat, quite reluctant to let go of the topic, but doesn't want to appear too nosy.

"Alright. Then let us eat. Are you alright with eating with this old lady?" She jokingly said. Although, she wasn't that old in Sherdan's eyes. She looks like she's about the same age as his mom.

Sherdan gave out a warm smile. Both Lucian and his mom gave off a comfortable vibe. A vibe was enough to make him let his guard down.

"Thank you for inviting me, Auntie."

"It's nothing. You took my Lu lu under your shelter for two days before, this much of a compensation isn't even enough"

When the both of them reached the kitchen area, Gila prepared the food on the table and heated it again.

Sherdan on the other hand sat on the chair, waiting for her preparations to finish.

His gaze landed on the food on the table. The bowl was filled with black soup as if it was some kind of witchcraft. He tried remembering what this dish was called and ended up immersing himself in his thoughts.

Ah! Right, he remembered.

"Pork Blood Stew"

He had eaten this a few times before, although it wasn't to his liking, he doesn't hate it either.

Gila heard him muttering to himself and asked, a little worried.

"Do you not like Pork Blood Stew? How about Adobo?" She did not prepare anything else for dinner aside from the two dishes, as she had never thought they'll welcome a guest.

Sherdan smiled and shakes his head.

"Hmmm. I would like some."

Several hours passed and they finished eating. Sherdan bid goodbye despite Gila invitating him to sleepover. It was already too dark out, and she's worried he might get into an accident.

Nowadays, crimes had started rapidly increasing. And most people would avoid staying out late to wander in the streets.

But Sherdan assured her that it's fine, after all, their family driver was still waiting outside the apartment building.

"Then I'd take my leave auntie" Sherdan bowed politely and only after hearing Gila's approval, did he walk away.

Gila had a smile on her face as she waved to Sherdan who had his back on her.

"It seems he finally became my Lulu's friend."

Tomorrow came and Sherdan woke up early. It was Lucian's mom's birthday, and he had reminded himself to prepare beforehand.

He wore his jogging clothes and exercised for 5 minutes, then jogged for another 10. By the time he finished, it was already quarter to 7.

Sweats roll down his forehead, down to his neck, and followed along with the move of his adam's apple as he drank a bottle of water. The scene looks quite picturesque.

"Ha," he exhaled after emptying a bottle. He placed it down the glass table and looked for his phone in his pants.

He was about to type a message for Lucian but realized something.

"Oh"

"I don't have his number"

"Are you going to come?" Lucian asked Lila over the phone. He woke up early today to prepare for his mother's birthday celebration.

There's a lot to cook, and he had to get started, or else guests will arrive before the food.

He still felt like crap, and he's also a little dizzy, but he held it in. His mother couldn't possibly prepare everything herself. Although the food wouldn't be too many, it was still too much labor for one person.

"Of course."

"But that aside, you punk, are you alright? Your voice sounds like crap!. Don't tell me you---" she was about to scold Lucian, but Lucian was fast and had already cut her off.

"Oh! See you later! Busy!" He ended the call.

Lila in general is already way too loud, what more is the scolding Lila?.

"Lulu, are you sure you're alright now?. How about you just rest? Leave this to mom hmm?" She reached out and touched Lucian's forehead that was still a little hot, rubbing it gently. Lucian just smiled in return.

"I told you, mom. I'm fine, I can do it. Don't worry okay?" He stubbornly replied. But Gila was way too worried to let him, but also couldn't think of anything to say to make him lose his stubbornness. In the middle of her brainstorming, a knock outside the door interrupted both the arguing people.

Saved by the bell, Gila went to open the door. Who greeted her was Sherdan, he was already dressed up for the event. Although it wasn't anything extravagant, only a pair of casual clothes.

Lucian who followed Gila peeked behind her and was surprised after seeing Sherdan.

"Ah! Why are you so early?"

Sherdan looked his way, and instantly frown. He gave a brief and polite greeting to Gila before he walked to where Lucian is.

Seeing him, Lucian subconsciously took a step back. But he was pulled by Sherdan lightly as if preventing him from creating another distance between them.

Sherdan's left hand grasped his hands, and the right laid atop his forehead. Examining his temperature.

Lucian gulped, feeling a little flustered. Sherdan was more than a head taller than him in this age's height, so his vision was directly facing his adam's apple.

As someone who had, embarrassingly, a lot of kinks, Adams apple is something he couldn't take in his eyes this up close without simping over!.

"Hey what--" Before he could even finish his words, Sherdan already cut him off with a question.

"Why did you stand up? You should rest. You're still burning." The frown was still on his handsome face.

Realizing why Sherdan suddenly acted 'intimate', he coughed, a little embarrassed of himself and his wild imaginations.

"Well, I had to help prepare foods."

The frown in the other didn't loosen, but only deepened after his answer. He doesn't know why, but he was a little upset after seeing Lucian acting like this. Why is he neglecting his health?

He sighed. He couldn't blame him now can he, it was for Auntie Gila's birthday, so he couldn't stop him so shamelessly.

But he also refuses to let him overwork himself. He was sick.

"Id help out. You should rest. Aunt Gila? Can I?" Sherdan turn to where Lucian's mother is, and thought he saw her smiling oddly to herself. But when he blinked, it was already gone.

Maybe he was wrong?

"Oh, that's better. This boy is too hard-headed, he wouldn't even listen to his mom."

She placed her fingers under her eyes, rubbing it softly as if wiping some invisible tears. This acting made Lucian want to laugh.

His mom had resorted to guilt-tripping.

"Fine fine. But let me help okay? Just a little is fine."

Sherdan took his hands away and was about to refuse. But Lucian bothered him persistently, not letting him have his way.

"Please. Please."

Sherdan remained unaffected, seeing him like this, Lucian couldn't help but frown. It seems he has to use 'that' again.

"No. You're sick, go re--"

"Its a wish"

Sherdan was cut off with words he didn't want to hear at the moment. Lucian had a smug look on his face. His trump card is invincible!. There's no way Sherdan wouldn't obey him with this!.

The other caught on the smugness on his face, and couldn't help himself from chuckling.

What a hard-headed guy.

"Then promise me you'll listen to whatever ill say."

"Fine, promise."

Lucian nodded firmly. He was blinded. Foolishly happy that things ended up going to where he wanted them to. But later on, he regretted his naivety.

"What should I do?"

"Hmmm. Let's see."

"Bring me the knife."

Lucian was weirded out but still searched for the knife. He handed it to Sherdan after seeing it.

"What else?"

"Sit there. On the chair."

Once again, another weird command. Nonetheless, he sat down.

"Then what?."

"Watch."

"What?"

"Watch."

It took a long long while before he was able to process what Sherdan meant with his words. And when he finally did---surprise crosses his face.

"You don't say.."

Did he just got played?. He did, didn't he?.

He looked at Sherdan who was looking around for an apron. He couldn't believe it!.

With a frustrated expression, he stood up. His feet created a loud thumped sound after hitting the floor.

"Hey! You told me you'd let me help!"

Sherdan smirked. After seeing the apron hanging on the wall, he put it on and tied the lace behind his waist.

"You had helped."

Lucian looked at him, unbelieving. Is it just him? Or is Sherdan growing mischievous day by day?!.

"Alright that's enough, Lulu, you promised you would listen didn't you?" Gila interjected. But she doesn't look like she was scolding them, she actually has a smile on her face. Almost as if holding back her laughter.

"Mom!"

Gila couldn't hold herself back anymore and laugh loudly. The small space was filled with a joyful giggle and a vibrant atmosphere.

Sherdan was affected by this unfamiliar but comfortable joy and smiled.

Lucian saw him like this and took back his words of complaints. What a beautiful smile.

He quietly shrank back and didn't voice out any more arguments. Gila and Sherdan prepared the dishes according to Lucian's menu.

Sherdan is not that great when it comes to cooking, but he was considered average. It wasn't the first time he had tried cooking, and on top of that, the step-by-step tutorials were easy to follow, so he was able to help smoothly with the preparations.

Lucian sat there, and would sometimes help them by handing over some tools. The harmonious environment lasted for several hours, and by the time they finished, it was already almost 12 in the afternoon.

Gila placed all the dishes on the table and also took out several unused plates. Sherdan and Lucian were left in the kitchen to clean up.

"I'd wash the dishes." Sherdan volunteered. But Lucian was already way too embarrassed that he immediately opposed.

"No. Ill do it."

He strode towards the sink and started working. Sherdan didn't argue with him, and instead, went beside where he is. He raised his hand and seated it on Lucian's forehead once again.

He let it go later as if satisfied with his temperature.

"Still burning?" Lucian asked. He glanced in Sherdan's way but was frozen in the spot after their nose bumped against each other.

At that moment, there was nothing in his eyes but Sherdan's hazel ones, the eyelashes that were dropping down along with his lowered gaze. And the scent of perfume became stronger after he leaned close.

His mind blanked out, and he ended up gulping.

Ah his heart, it won't calm down.