Sterling turned around and opened the cupboard, setting the box on the counter when he found it. “That’s why you wear glasses, then… But it’s not really that bad, right? You seem to see pretty fine,” he mused, looking at her curiously.
“I can’t, actually,” she chuckled. “I can see you, but it’s all blurry. I can’t read without my glasses, and if I concentrate, then I can see a bit. But it leaves behind a headache, so I don’t do that. And wearing lenses or glasses for a longer time gives me a headache, so I tend to take them off sometimes.”
“Oh… I didn’t know it was that bad,” Sterling hummed, reaching over to brush his thumb over the skin under her eye. “Is there anything you can do about it? Like, if it’s getting worse? There’s a surgery for that, right?”
Eden leaned into his touch before she sighed, pulling away. “I’m not getting a surgery,” she muttered, setting a pan on the stove followed by a piece of butter. “I’m fine with how it is.”
Sterling blinked, following her over. He glanced at the box to check the ingredients, then moved to grab them.
“Okay… But what if it gets to the point that you can’t even see with your glasses on? Would you consider it?” he asked, setting the milk on the counter and pulling out the eggs.
Eden pushed herself on a counter, rubbing the back of her head. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” she smiled instead of answering the question. “I hate both outcomes. The surgery and the potential blindness.”
Sterling nodded slowly, looking at her. He smiled when he saw her on the counter and walked over to her, placing his hands on either side of her on the counter.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that then, hm?” he hummed before kissing the tip of her nose. “Are you just going to sit here and watch me cook, or are you actually going to help, beautiful?”
Eden looked up at him and offered him a grin. “I’m going to watch you,” she nuzzled his cheek, her hands on his. “Because what’s hotter than a boyfriend cooking?”
“A girlfriend helping him cook,” Sterling chuckled, quickly sweeping a kiss across her lips before he pulled away. “But of you insist… Things will just go more slowly, meaning you’ll have to wait longer to kiss me.”
“It’ll be worth it,” Eden smiled cheekily at him, setting her hands on his shoulders and digging her thumbs in the tense muscles. “The longer the wait, the tastier the fruit.”
Sterling raised an eyebrow, even as he began relaxing under her hands. “You, my gorgeous girlfriend, are a troublemaker. And very good at this…” he murmured, leaning into her touch. “You’re going to put me right back to sleep.”
Eden continued the motion for a few more seconds before kissing his nose and pulling away. “Well, you’re heavy, so I don’t want you falling asleep on me,” she chuckled. “Now go. I’m glad I didn’t turn on the stove yet.”
Sterling chuckled and leaned in for another soft kiss before he moved to grab the rest of the thins he needed. After finding a bowl and the measuring spoons and cups, he measured the ingredients out, putting things away as he finished with them.
“So after our three-am-pancakes… Back to your room?” Sterling asked, glancing over at her for a moment.
“Back to my room,” Eden agreed as she watched him cook. “Maybe I should go get my glasses… I want to watch you properly.”
“You can do whatever you like, E,” Sterling hummed, shaking his head with an amused smile. He went back to working on the pancakes, mixing then well before turning the stove on.
“Don’t finish fast,” Eden warned as she slipped off the counter and made her way to her room. She snatched her glasses from the counter and put them on before she made her way back to the kitchen. She sat back on the counter, watching him cook again.
Sterling glanced over when Eden came back, smiling at her before flipping the pancake on the pan. “Care to grab me a plate, E? These are almost done, and I’ll need somewhere to put them.”
Good thing she was sitting where the rack of plates were. Eden simply leaned over and grabbed one, holding it out for him. “There you,” she smiled cheekily. “The plate.”
Sterling took the plate from her, chuckling softly. “Thanks. How impressed with my pancake-making skills are you?” he asked jokingly, checking the pancakes before setting them on the plate.
“I can make them better,” Eden replied hotly, twirling a stand of her hair around her finger. “But oh well. Not everyone can be amazing as I am.”
“Hey, if you think you can make them better, get your butt over here,” Sterling laughed, turning to her with a grin.
“Make me,” Eden challenged, drumming her nails across the marble surface of the counter. “Get back to work, Ainsley.”
“Eden McArthur, that is not a phrase you want to use,” Sterling chuckled lowly, the grin shifting and twisting into an amused smirk. “But I guess I’ll please my girlfriend and make the pancakes… for now…”
A hiccup escaped her lips at his comment, and she realized what she said at the smirk on his lips. “Thank you for making them to please me, Sterling.”
“Anything for you,” Sterling murmured, still smiling to himself. He flipped the next pancakes, noting the golden brown color with a pleased smile.