𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇 ― ☀ ☁ ― 𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖞𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖍

\\ 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 //

"OKAY, SO, JUST CUT IT OFF OF THIS SIDE AND TRY NOT TO, LIKE, PASS THE MIDDLE..."

Glen and Taylor had ended up in the kitchen to make them dinner.

The two of them for learning new things about each other every day, and it was bringing them closer, just how similar they were. They found each other annoying, but either of them'd swear they hang out even more often than with everyone else.

Goose had long fallen asleep three feet away from their creation of chaos, snapping at one another over the tiniest mistakes they'd make, or just for fun.

At the moment, Glen was receiving a masterclass over how to properly chop an onion, and it was safe to say, it was bringing him to tears.

He'd never diced an onion this perfectly.

His mouth falls open as he lets out a gasp, brows raising in utter awe at being able to perfect this method in one go.

"That's all it took?" He turns to meet a smirking Taylor.

All she does is nod, and Glen does something she never could have imagined him do.

Jumping in excitement.

Yes, people are allowed to feel emotions, obviously. It was just a tiny bit weird to see a grown and fit person like him jump in pure happiness. It was cute. Cute enough that Taylor wished she could have a camera on them each time they were together, knowing it would've been top-tier comedy.

And so, time was lost, and so was sense.

The two of them ended up making nearly two kilos worth of macoroni and cheese, a tad bit healthier, and a tad bit tastier too.

That's how everyone else ended up over at the Holiday House, surrounding the table which surprisingly held well against the weight of the giant pot and the crowd's leaning.

It was utter silence the first few moments as people took in the food, acquiring to the taste of it.

Being the daughter of an Indian, specifically a Maharashtrian, Taylor was used to spice, the hot kind and the aromatic kind. Her mother had kept her well-fed on spice, and mostly healthy foods, knowing how much of a daredevil she was.

The macaroni did hold the smallest pinch of chili powder, making its colour vary from the regular, instead, an extremely light red.

Now, feeding that Maharastrian spice to an American?

That's a whole new level of comedy.

After the pause followed scampering. Everyone was requesting for ice in their waters or wines, yearning for that bit of relief.

When they calmed down, Miles was first to utter, "I've always heard how Indians love spice, but not this much..."

Everyone chuckles, nodding along as their gazes moved to a smiling and flushed Taylor.

"We are crazy 'bout our food. And I can't help but get tired of the regular stuff we eat, y'know? So we just ended up in the kitchen, and there was a shitload of mac and cheese left and we figured, why not?" She shrugs, taking a sip of her Rosé.

"So, your mom's Indian?" Lewis asks, brows raising in curiosity.

"Yeah, she, uh, grew up in Mumbai," Taylor smiles, catching herself speak in an accent when she says the city's name, "but she moved to California for her job.." She nods, returning Lewis' kind smile.

"And that's where I met her.." Tom indulges in the conversation after long, having cleaned his dish to a shine in mere minutes.

"I see you still follow after your Ma, Lor, it's just like how she makes it." Taylor juts her bottom lip outward, brows furrowing for a second, "Aw, thanks, dad.."

"I'd love to visit India someday, it seems like a beautiful country with beautiful culture." Glen pipes in, making others nod in agreement and excitement.

"Oh, definitely! We could take rickshaws and go to the Marine Drive and have a bunch of street food, we'll have a blast!" Taylor says, smiling bright at the idea.

"Well, you can count me in.." Monica says, stuffing in the final bits into her mouth and almost moaning at the taste.

Everyone chuckles once more, finishing off the left over bits, engaging in small talk and the occasional laughter by the table, followed by someone or the other going in for another cheesy scoop.

This was it. The reason why she loved being around people. The laughter and joy, the support, the love, it was something to live by, something that had the power to define. They grew closer and closer every day, and it's probably be like that for until, who knows?

The Cerulean sky is probably at the top of peak-artistry nature creates. It was layered, beautifully, a blue above, blended in with a basic, bright tinge of orange that brought the best contrast she'd seen in a while. Her mother had always taught her to appreciate a good day, think about it all, and stand on the porch just facing the sky at sunset.

Her first experiences as an actor were ones that weren't made up of well bonds between her co-workers. There was no beef, obviously, at least on her side, but she supposed they'd simply just lose touch.

The Avengers' contract was a wide and distinct adventure compared to everything before. It was like they came with a large and never-ending package of love and support with them, every single one of those idiots.

Taylor hoped she'd find something like that again, or at least get the chance to be that for someone else.

Yeah, this was probably the beginning of her very necessary platonic and/or romantic love spiral, but she'd get it off her chest soon enough.

Soon enough.

"You seem to be thinkin' hard..." The quiet whoosh and click from the door behind her gave it away that someone was outside with her. And she didn't need to turn around to know who, because she felt like she'd memorized their voice. In a not creepy way?

"Not thinking hard, Miles, just.." She swallows, tiny smile bringing up the corner of her lips, accenting her flushed cheeks in the midst of their colorful surroundings, "reminiscing."

"Hm." They remain quiet, watching how the faded cobalt blue sky becomes a night shade, tiniest bits of orange and red slowly disappearing as the world turns down for the night.

He stands right beside her, and their shoulders would probably touch, which would, no doubt, make those goosebumps rise on her skin every single time he even talked to her, or caught her eye.

"Nevada does have the best sunsets..." Miles agrees, unable to hold it back anymore.

Taylor turns her head to look at him with a smug smile that made him snort, "See, I told you..."

She turns her head back to look at the sky, taking a deep breath in awe at the quick changes of the sky.
She doesn't know why she does it. But she doesn't mean it in any manner other than friendship.

Taylor leans her head against Miles' shoulder, and the both of them continue watching a midnight blue take over the sky. He invites it, hoisting his hand over her shoulders, indirectly pulling her even closer.

She tries not to gasp at the sudden closeness, or at the possibilities that rush into her mind and take up all the space where common sense laid, but if he could hear her heartbeat like it did at this moment..

But then, there's that sudden but real sense of disappointment, knowing he could never reciprocate whatever it was she felt for him.

She accepts it, she knows it, she's fallen for someone she can't have, someone who couldn't ever be called hers'.

But in that moment, and going forward, she promised herself, she'd try to be close to him, no matter the depth of her heartbreak.