Jay's gaze lingered on them for a second longer.
Then—
A low, amused sound escaped her.
"Wow," she said dryly, raising an eyebrow, "you followed me across half the city, broke into my place… and didn't even eat before that?"
Rory frowned. "We didn't—"
Right on cue—
Growl.
Cin froze.
Eren looked away.
Edrix closed his eyes for half a second, clearly done with everyone.
Jay blinked once… and then laughed softly.
"Unbelievable."
She turned without another word and started walking back inside.
"Come on," she tossed over her shoulder. "At least let me feed my uninvited guests."
The kitchen was nothing like they expected.
It wasn't overly grand like the rest of the mansion.
It was… warm.
Soft lights. Wooden counters. Clean, but lived-in. A quiet contrast to the cold perfection outside.
Rory leaned against the counter, looking around. "You actually use this?"
Jay opened a cabinet, pulling out ingredients like it was routine. "I don't keep it for decoration."
Edrix watched her closely. "You cook?"
She glanced at him briefly. "Shocking, I know."
She moved with ease.
Water on the stove.
A pan heating.
Garlic—fresh—crushed under the flat of a knife with a sharp, satisfying sound.
The smell hit them almost instantly.
Rich. Comforting. Real.
Cin's shoulders dropped without her realizing. "That smells… really good."
Jay didn't respond, but there was the faintest hint of a smile.
She added butter to the pan—it melted instantly, sizzling softly. The garlic followed, releasing that warm, irresistible aroma that filled the entire kitchen.
"Don't just stand there," she said casually. "Sit."
They didn't argue this time.
Eren sat at the edge of the counter, watching her.
Not suspicious.
Just… observing.
"You do this often?" he asked.
Jay stirred the pasta, her voice calm. "Cook? Yes."
A pause.
"For people?" he added.
That made her stop for half a second.
Then she resumed, like nothing happened.
"No."
The silence after that wasn't awkward.
It was… heavy.
But softer than before.
She drained the pasta, tossed it into the pan, mixing it with the garlic butter. Added herbs, a bit of seasoning—simple, but precise. Every movement controlled, practiced.
Meanwhile, slices of bread went into the oven.
Soon, the smell of toasted garlic bread joined everything else—crispy, buttery, impossible to ignore.
Rory exhaled. "Okay, I take back everything bad I've ever said about you."
Jay smirked slightly. "You'll say it again."
"Yeah," he admitted. "But still."
A few minutes later—
Plates were set.
Pasta, warm and perfectly coated.
Golden garlic bread on the side.
And then—
She poured cold coffee into glasses, the soft clink of ice breaking the silence.
Cin blinked. "You even made coffee?"
Jay shrugged. "I'm not a monster."
Edrix muttered, "Debatable."
Jay slid a plate toward him anyway.
For a moment… no one moved.
It felt strange.
Sitting in the kitchen of the girl they didn't understand.
Eating food she made.
Like this was normal.
Jay leaned back slightly against the counter, arms folded loosely.
"Well?" she said. "I'm not poisoning you. Relax."
Rory picked up his fork first.
Then Cin.
Then Eren.
Edrix last.
And then—
Silence.
Not tense.
Just… quiet.
Because the food was actually that good.
Cin looked up, almost offended. "Why is this so good?"
Jay raised an eyebrow. "You expected worse?"
"I expected average," Cin said. "This is not average."
Rory nodded immediately. "Yeah, this is—this is illegal."
Jay huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head slightly.
Eren didn't say anything.
But he didn't stop eating either.
And for the first time—
Section E wasn't looking at Jay like a mystery.
Or a threat.
Or a question.
Just… a person.
Jay watched them for a moment.
Something unreadable in her eyes.
Then she looked away, taking a slow sip of her cold coffee.
"Eat," she said quietly.
"Before I change my mind about letting you stay." 👀