The first rays of morning sun filtered through the floor to ceiling windows of the penthouse, painting everything in a soft, golden glow. Ariana's eyes fluttered open. She was, by nature, a morning person, her mind often clicking into gear before her body had fully left the dream world. Today, however, there was a new weight beside her in the bed, a warm, solid, and surprisingly peaceful presence.
She turned her head on the pillow. Eliza was still deeply asleep, her face smooshed into the pillow, her dark hair a wild halo around her head. One arm was flung out, fingers loosely curled. A slow, proud grin spread across Ariana's face as the events of the previous night replayed in her mind, the laughter, the clumsy passion, the sheer, unadulterated joy of it all. It had been messy, ridiculous, and utterly perfect.
Moving with a careful grace so as not to wake her, Ariana slipped out from under the silken sheets. She pulled on a simple, but undoubtedly expensive, silk robe and padded silently into the pristine, modern kitchen. The penthouse was quiet, filled with a peaceful stillness she usually cherished.
As she gathered eggs, bacon, and ingredients for pancakes, her eyes landed on Eliza's bag, slung over the back of a dining chair. The Usagi keychain dangled from the zipper, its little plastic face seeming to smile at her. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi, Eliza had wailed. What is the adorable thing about these bizarre little animals?
A thought, whimsical and entirely out of character for her usual morning routine, popped into her head. Why not?
She found her tablet, propped it up on the kitchen counter, and did a quick search. A few clicks later, and the bright, cheerful opening theme of the Chiikawa anime began to play, its infectious melody and high pitched character voices a bizarre contrast to the sleek, minimalist luxury of her kitchen.
Ariana poured pancake batter onto the sizzling griddle, her head tilting as she watched the cartoon. On screen, a small, white, round creature, Chiikawa, she presumed, was trying to fit into a tiny box and failing spectacularly. A tiny, blue hamster? like creature, Hachiware, was cheering it on. She could not understand a word of Japanese, but the physical comedy was universal.
"What in the world," she muttered to herself, a small smile playing on her lips as she flipped a pancake with a practiced wrist. "It is absurdly simple." Yet, she found herself unable to look away. The characters were kind to each other. Their problems were small, their joys were pure. It was strangely calming.
She was so engrossed in an episode where Usagi was trying to learn how to make a cake and was getting flour absolutely everywhere that she did not hear the soft footsteps behind her.
Eliza emerged from the bedroom, wrapped in the duvet she had dragged with her like a bulky cocoon. Her hair was even more spectacularly messy, and she squinted against the morning light. She looked adorably, gloriously wrecked.
"Mmmph," she grunted, her voice thick with sleep. "Why does it sound like a children's television show exploded in here?" Then her eyes focused on the tablet. Her jaw dropped. "Are you, are you watching Chiikawa?"
Ariana jumped, slightly startled. She turned, wielding her spatula like a scepter. "I was conducting research," she stated, trying to sound dignified. "Trying to understand the appeal of your small, loud friends. The rabbit is a disaster in the kitchen. I relate to him."
Eliza shuffled closer, the duvet trailing behind her. She peered at the screen, then at the spread of food Ariana was preparing, perfectly golden pancakes, crispy bacon, a bowl of fresh berries. Her expression softened from confusion to something unbearably tender.
"You made breakfast," she whispered, as if it were a miracle. "And you are watching Chiikawa."
"The bacon was an independent decision," Ariana clarified, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "The cartoon was curiosity."
Eliza did not say anything. Instead, she waddled forward in her duvet cocoon and wrapped her arms around Ariana from behind, resting her chin on Ariana's shoulder. She smelled of sleep and Ariana's expensive shampoo.
"Thank you," Eliza mumbled into her robe. "For last night. For not making me feel stupid. For the Happy Meal. For this." She squeezed tighter. "You are surprisingly soft for a scary, elegant germaphobe."
Ariana leaned back into the embrace, the spatula still in her hand. "And you are surprisingly tolerable for a chaotic, clumsy drunk," she retorted, but her voice was warm. On the screen, Usagi finally succeeded in making his lopsided cake, and the other characters celebrated with a joyful dance.
They stood there for a long moment, wrapped together in the quiet morning, the silly cartoon playing, the smell of breakfast filling the air. It was goofy, it was wholesome, and it was, without a doubt, one of the best mornings Ariana could remember. The city stretched out below them, but up here, all that mattered was the warmth at her back and the simple, happy sounds from the tablet.
"The pancakes are burning," Eliza murmured, not moving an inch.
"I know," Ariana said, not moving either. She would rather have slightly charred pancakes and this perfect moment than a perfect breakfast alone.
After a few more seconds, Ariana finally sighed with mock exasperation and turned off the griddle. The pancakes were indeed a little dark on one side. She plated them anyway, adding extra berries to compensate.
They settled at the breakfast bar, Eliza still wrapped in her duvet fortress. Ariana pushed a plate toward her, along with a glass of fresh orange juice.
"You know," Eliza said around a mouthful of pancake, "for a scary business lady, you are a really good cook."
Ariana sipped her coffee, watching her. "I have many hidden talents."
"I am starting to see that," Eliza replied, her eyes sparkling. She pointed at the tablet, which was now playing a new episode. "See? Usagi is not a disaster. He is just enthusiastic. And he has good friends who help him clean up the flour."
Ariana smiled, a genuine, easy smile that reached her eyes. "I suppose that is one way to look at it."
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being the cartoon and the clink of cutlery. Eliza finished her juice and set the glass down with a decisive thud.
"So," she said, her tone shifting to something more playful. "What is on the agenda for today, oh mighty host? More research into my childish interests? A deep dive into the philosophical themes of Chiikawa?"
Ariana laughed, a light, happy sound. "I was thinking something a little more practical. Perhaps a shower for you. And then, if you are feeling up to it, we could see what other trouble we can get into."
Eliza's grin was immediate and brilliant. "I like the sound of that."
The morning stretched before them, full of possibility. The awkwardness of the night before had melted away, replaced by a comfortable, budding intimacy. It was not something Ariana had expected, but as she watched Eliza laugh at the cartoon, her face lit up with joy, she found she did not want to be anywhere else.