29. House Cleaning – Ignacio/Elara, 15 ATC
Ignacio glances towards Elara from time to time as he mops the floor. Few strands of her hair have escaped her bun as she cleans the stove with more vigour than necessary. There’s an anxious, almost desperate, glint in her eyes that makes Ignacio worry about her. He doesn’t remember ever seeing her like this.
He sets the mop aside, carefully making his way to the other side of the kitchen. His hands wrap around Elara as he bends down to kiss her cheek. “I doubt that could become cleaner even if you tried.”
Elara sights, stopping the scrubbing for a moment. “It’s just that… They are your parents, what if they don’t like me?”
“That’s why you’ve been doing all this?” He gestures towards the spotless kitchen, somewhat confused.
She nods, looking tired. “I want them to like me, but… I know how people tend to view Imperials here.” She pauses for a moment, resting her head against his chest. “I know they mean the world to you.”
Ignacio rubs her back as he kisses the top of her head. “I’m sure they’ll adore you. How could they not? You are the kindest, most compassionate person I know.”
Elara turns her eyes towards him as her face melts into a smile. “Thank you dearest. That means so much to me.”
“And you mean everything to me.” Ignacio leans down, tilting her head up before kissing her slowly.
