note: we hit 900 followers and 700 votes. To celebrate, I pushed out this update and I'm hoping to get two more this next week! Also, I made a new cover. What do you guys think? 

Finals are finally over and my first year of uni is complete. It's been long and hard and very tiresome but I finally have some time to myself. I'm hoping to finish this story during the summer and also before submitting it to the wattys so wish me luck! This means that you guys get frequent updates too ;) 

This chapter is all fluff -- happy reading xo 

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Andrew awoke the following morning, cold even under the two layers of blankets and duvets, and alone. Disappointment flooded him when he opened his eyes and spotted the space beside his empty.

He threw the covers off of him and searched for his slippers. Spotting them across the room, he cursed under his breath and tiptoed at a speed before quickly sliding his feet into the warm slippers. Sometime in the night it had gotten so cold that Andrew woke up to put on clothes. He offered London a pair of his pyjama bottoms and long-sleeved fuzzy t-shirt. There was no denying that she had looked good in them but he couldn't admire her for long because they went right back to bed, sleep calling them back in.

He exited his room and as he made his way to the kitchen he could smell the aroma of freshly cooked food. His stomach yelled with excitement and so did his heart. London hadn't gone anywhere. She was still here. Cooking breakfast. 

He entered the kitchen and spotted London by the stove. He leaned against the entrance of the kitchen and silently observed her immersed in her cooking. Her head was tilted to one side, her hair tied in a loose ponytail as she hummed under her breath. She looked so serene cooking and the sight of it kindled a warm fire in his heart. She looked beautiful with that smile. 

Trying to be as sneaky as he could, he quietly approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her. When she didn't jump in shock, he grumbled, though he was certain a smile could be heard in his voice.

"I thought you'd be scared," he said, his voice a little groggy with sleep as he placed a sweet quick kiss to her shoulder. 

"You think you're stealthy, Andrew Cai, but you're not so quiet," she laughed, continuing to chop up what looked to be parsley.

"You weren't either last night," he replied quickly, unable to help himself. Last night was...bloody brilliant. There was no other way he could put it. 

She paused, tensing in his arms but he was quick to press his lips into her shoulder blade again and say, "Last night was amazing. You were amazing. You are amazing."

She placed her knife down and turned to him. Her body had relaxed again but after she turned to face him, chest to chest, he could see the faint blush on her cheeks. He found it rather cute.

"You weren't so quiet yourself," London teased and he felt himself grinning again.

"What can I say? You bring it all out of me."

He grinned harder when her reaction was a laugh. "You're so cheesy, Andrew."

"Cheese is my middle name."

She raised an eyebrow at how incredibly stupid he was being, a foolish smile still playing on her lips.

"All right, you got me" he resigned. "I don't actually have a middle name."

She laughed again, the pure sound of it filling his heart and he looked back up at her, his cheeky grin in place. "We should do this more," she declared, throwing her arms around his neck and beaming up at him.

"Have passionate sex every night? Count me in," he joked, his eyes holding a mischievous glint.

London rolled her eyes, a sign of annoyance, yet the smile on her lips said otherwise. He truly did like being around her. He smiled more, she smiled more. Though their relationship was still new and he had yet to discover more of London Liang, their relationship was built on mutual trust and honesty, something that he felt was extremely important for a relationship to work. He hadn't trust Talia then and still didn't. He doubted she trusted him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have as many complications with his visitations to see his daughter.

"No," she shook her head. "This — cooking. We should cook together more often."

Instantly a thought came to mind and unable to help himself, Andrew pressed his lips together, trying to conceal his amusement but he wasn't trying hard at all. When she looked at him with that adorable inquisitive expression on her face, he said, a snicker passing his lips, "Think of all the things that can be done whilst cooking."

"Andrew!" Her face flushed as she laughed and swatted his chest. He only tightened his arms around her. She peered up at him through her lashes and there was no way he could resist her.

He swooped down for a peck and she instantly swatted him away but he did not let go of her waist.

"Your breath stinks, Andrew Cai."

Leaning down for a quick kiss, brushing his lips across her cheek, he said, "I'll brush my teeth and be right back."

"Go go go," she urged him off, waving her arms in the direction of the exit of the kitchen.

He laughed, going to get himself cleaned up. When he re-entered the kitchen minutes later, London was almost done with making breakfast. He came right on time and began taking the finished dishes into the living room where they could eat peacefully.

"Pancakes with blueberry compote on the side here and some whipped cream. And a salad, just to even it out," she said, settling into her seat and pointing to the compote side dish and salad to add to that freshness once the sweetness felt overwhelming, or in case he wanted a little healthier start to his day. 

"Salad after pancakes," he said with a questionable smile on his lips. Was there ever not a smile on his lips? "Guess it's time to try new things."

She let him serve her some pancakes, pouring some of the compote with a silver spoon on top of the short stack. The dining table was abuzz with the fragrant smell of food, and Andrew, drawn in by the aroma, dove into his stack of pancakes and devoured it all, taking his time with each bite. When he looked up, his gaze caught London's and a sheepish expression set into his features when he spotted the amused grin on her lips.

"It's really good," he told her, smiling wider when her cheeks heated at his compliment. He placed his fork down and reach across the table, taking her hand into his. Her hands were a little rough, probably with having worked in the kitchen for all these years, but despite the roughness, it felt right to be holding her hand, like his hand never fit anywhere else but only within hers. Strange how he once thought that about Talia.

"You said you wanted us to cook together. I'm terrible at it," he started, only offering because he knew it would make her happy, "but I'm willing to cook if you're willing to show me around the kitchen."

She stared at him, like he was speaking a foreign language, and then her lips broke into a wide grin. The happiness that seeped from her expression was enough for him. "You're not shitting me, are you?"

He laughed at her phrasing. "Not in the least. I hate cooking. There's a reason I'm terrible at it but if it makes you happy, then I want to do it. Plus, think of all the fun we can have." He winked at her and she withdrew her hand from him, laughing as she grabbed her napkin and threw it at his face.

"Andrew!" she exclaimed, her grin not once watering down.

"Let's go grocery shopping after this. I've got a few things to pick up and we could get the ingredients we need for dinner," he proposed, his voice deep and yet soft, tentative.

Grocery shopping. They had just gotten to know each other and an act like grocery shopping, together, was quite intimate. London was new to this, Andrew was new to this — they both had open wounds that needed closure, but this felt right. It didn't feel rushed. It felt right — something that finally had perfect timing in both their lives so when London reached out and slipped her hand into Andrew's, he allowed himself a breath of relief, not realising he'd been nervous for her response in all the silence, before he returned her smile.

"The kitchen is my turf," London warned, a teasing glint in her eyes. "My rules."

He squeezed her hand, letting a laugh slip past his lips. "Wouldn't dare of defying you, Kitchen Queen," he crooned back mischievously, lifting their entwined hands up as he placed his lips over the back of her hand, sealing his promise with a gentle kiss.