Chapter Eight

( Gotham: 03:05 AM)( Uptown, 777 Grant Wood Road)

It was already three am in the morning, and Jayden's job was done. Satisfied with his progress, he decided to offer Lola a place to spend the night since it was late and he didn't want her driving while tired.

Lola hesitated at first, not wanting to impose, but Jayden insisted, assuring her it was no trouble at all. He showed her to a spare room that already had a bed, covers, and a set of pyjamas, though they were his own and not specifically for women.

"Thanks, you've given me more than I deserve. Are you sure there's nothing I could do to repay you? If it's money, I don't mind paying." Lola said gratefully.

"Nah, as I said before, I offered to help you with no strings attached. You should get some shut-eye. It's been a busy day for you." Jayden replied, understanding the weariness in Lola's voice.

"I suppose you're right." Lola responded, turning towards the room where she would spend the night.

Just as Jayden was about to retire to his own room, Lola called out to him, catching him off guard.

"Yeah, anything else you..." Jayden's words were cut off as he felt a pair of soft lips on his own. Lola kissed him gently, and they remained in that position for a minute before she separated herself from him.

"...Good night, Jayden." Lola said, her eyes meeting his before she walked into her room and closed the door.

Jayden stood there, staring into space for a good minute and a half, a smile spreading across his face as he looked up at the ceiling.

"My first kiss in two lives... It tasted like alcohol, but it wasn't bad." Jayden chuckled, his heart feeling light with the unexpected gesture from Lola.

Meanwhile, Lola leaned against the closed door, slowly sliding down to the floor.

'What was I thinking? This is going to be so awkward in the morning.' Lola thought, her mind racing with thoughts of their kiss. She eventually got up and made her way to bed, hoping that the morning wouldn't be too uncomfortable.

...

( Gotham: 12:05 PM)( Uptown, 777 Grant Wood Road)

Several hours had passed, and Lola finally woke up. Normally, she would have awakened around two or three o'clock, but knowing she had to go home, she had set an alarm for twelve. Luckily, it was the weekend, so she had two days off from work.

After stretching her back, Lola headed to the bathroom for a quick shower and brushed her teeth. Feeling refreshed, she made her way downstairs to the living room, still partially in a daze.

Half-awake, Lola didn't even greet Jayden, who was sitting on one of the old couches with Raven nestled in his lap.

*Yawn*

"Man, I'm starving. Good thing I saved some of that breakfast egg wrap... huh? Where is it?" Lola mumbled, turning around to face Jayden. It was then that she froze, realizing that she wasn't in her apartment and remembering that she had stayed the night at Jayden's place.

"Hahaha, morning sleepy! You're up earlier than I expected. I made some breakfast for you since you're hungry. Everything else on the table is for you." Jayden said, standing up and gesturing towards the breakfast spread.

Lola nodded, still taken aback by the situation. She looked at the table filled with delicious food and said, "You made me breakfast? Thanks, you didn't have to, you know."

"That's the thing." Jayden replied, a warm smile on his face."I really did. Where I grew up, we treat our guests with courtesy."

Lola's surprise turned into gratitude as she realized Jayden's kind gesture.

She walked over to the table and looked at the assortment of delectable dishes. The aroma filled the room, making her stomach rumble with anticipation.

Jayden watched with anticipation, eager to see her reaction. He had spent most of his life cooking for himself, so it brought him joy to prepare a meal for someone else.

Lola couldn't help but feel touched by Jayden's hospitality. It had been a long time since someone had gone out of their way to cook for her. She picked up a plate and began filling it with the mouthwatering food.

As she sat down to eat, Jayden joined her at the table, Raven purring contently in his lap.

"You have a cat." Lola said, glancing at Raven.

"Yeah, her name's Raven. I found her a few weeks ago, about to be run over by a hit-and-run driver. I managed to save her just in time, and she's been with me ever since." Jayden explained while affectionately stroking Raven's fur.

Lola smiled, realizing they had yet another common interest. "So, you're a cat person, huh? You and my roommate would get along swimmingly."

Jayden raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Does she have a cat too?"

Lola nodded. "Yeah, she has five of them, though she doesn't explicitly admit it. But a black cat, just like Raven, named Isis, is her favourite."

"I see. She sounds nice. Maybe we could set up a playdate for Raven and Isis one day." Jayden suggested, his eyes lighting up with the idea.

Lola chuckled. "I'll definitely talk to her about it. Now, time to taste this food. I hope it tastes as good as it looks and smells. But be warned, if it's terrible, I won't hold back in telling you."

Jayden laughed. "I would expect nothing less than your honest thoughts."

Lola took her first bite and was immediately met with a burst of flavour.

Her taste buds danced with delight, and she couldn't help but moan in appreciation. Bite after bite, she savoured the delicious meal that Jayden had prepared.

She ate slowly, enjoying every bite.

Jayden watched her, a mixture of pride and relief evident on his face. "As expected of myself, nothing but perfection comes from these hands." He said with a touch of playfulness.

Raven rolled her eyes from Jayden's lap, clearly unimpressed with his comment. Lola wanted to retort but found herself unable to speak as the explosion of flavours continued to captivate her palate.

After about 30 minutes, Lola finally finished her breakfast, her belly uncomfortably full.

She leaned back on the couch, feeling content and relaxed. Jayden joined her, and they settled in to watch some TV, enjoying the peaceful moment together.

Neither of them mentioned the kiss that had taken place the previous night.

It hung unspoken in the air, adding an undercurrent of tension to their interactions.

Lola appreciated the unspoken agreement, as she knew pursuing anything romantic right now wouldn't be productive for her.

As they sat side by side, Lola's mind started to wonder, she considered the similarities between Jayden and her roommate Selina.

Selina has been in a slump as of late. Both she and Jayden liked cats and from what she learned yesterday they have a few things in common.

'Maybe I could set them up for a date, Selina could get her head away from whatever weird relationship she was in before and I could give Jayden a chance at some romance.'

Slowly but surely a plan was beginning to brew inside her mind, and Jayden who was sitting right beside her noticed her devilish grin while stroking Raven like a villain.

' What the hell are you thinking about with that type of expression, and why do you look like a villain in the making.' Jayden thought.

Lola and Jayden spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and enjoying each other's company. The tension from the previous night dissipated, replaced by a newfound sense of anticipation.

When the time came for Lola to leave, Jayden walked her to her car, a small gift bag in hand of lotions and shampoos.

"Thanks for everything, Jayden. You can bet I'll only be coming to you for my hair maintenance from now on," Lola said with a grateful smile.

"Oh, and I'll text you about that kitty playdate. I just need to ask my roommate if she would be alright with it. And this time, I'll be the one cooking for you."

Jayden returned her smile. "Sounds like a plan. I can't wait to see what culinary masterpiece you'll whip up. Be safe out there, and remember, if you need anything, you know where to find me."

Lola bid him farewell before driving off, waving her hand as she disappeared from view. Jayden watched her leave, his heart filled with a mix of anticipation and curiosity.

"Well, Raven, it looks like it's just you and me again." Jayden said, turning his attention to the cat on his shoulder. Raven purred contently as if sensing the shift in Jayden's demeanour.

He stroked Raven's fur, feeling a sense of companionship and gratitude for the feline that had come into his life.

Meanwhile, in a vintage 1930s Rolls Royce Phantom parked across the road, an elderly and refined gentleman in a butler's uniform observed Jayden from behind his tinted windows.

His piercing eyes studied Jayden intently, and a hint of intrigue crossed his face.

"How interesting... I never thought I'd see the day when that store would open its doors again."

The elderly man murmured to himself in a distinctly British accent. He remained silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts, before starting the car and driving off toward a nearby manor.

....

Back inside the store, Jayden resumed his usual routine, of working out and helping the workers with anything they might need.

He also started visiting Mrs Xue and her husband to support his local businesses and just anything he found interesting to do in Gotham.

Days turned into weeks, and Lola and Jayden continued to keep in contact with each other.

A plan slowly began to take shape for their kitty play date.

After discussing it with Selina, Lola received her approval for the playdate between Raven and Isis.

Selina was intrigued by the idea of meeting Jayden, especially after Lola's glowing description of him. She also wanted to thank him personally for helping out her dear friend.