Chapter 15 : Breakfast

Soft sunlight filtered through the curtains, spilling a golden hue over the room. Orm shifted slightly in her sleep, the comforting warmth around her making her reluctant to wake. As her eyes fluttered open, her heart skipped a beat. Lingling was wrapped around her, her arms snug around Orm's waist, her face nestled comfortably against Orm's chest.

Orm froze, her cheeks heating up. What is this? How did we even end up like this? she thought, her mind racing. She could feel Lingling's steady breaths through the fabric of her nightshirt, each exhale sending tingles through her.

Before she could move, Lingling stirred, letting out a small, sleepy murmur. Her arms tightened slightly as she nuzzled closer, sighing contentedly. "So soft..." Lingling mumbled, her voice low and dreamy. "What a perfect pillow..."

Orm's eyes widened in shock. Her face turned crimson as her mind scrambled to process what Lingling had just said. "P-pillow?!" she muttered to herself, mortified but too flustered to say anything aloud.

Lingling blinked groggily, her lashes fluttering as she slowly woke up. Her cheek still pressed against Orm's chest, she spoke again, her voice thick with sleep. "Mmm... so comfy... I don't even want to move..."

"Lingling!" Orm finally managed to blurt out, her voice a mix of embarrassment and disbelief.

Lingling's head shot up at the sound of Orm's voice, her sleepy expression quickly giving way to realization. Her eyes flicked from Orm's blushing face to her own arms wrapped securely around her waist. Her cheeks turned pink as she abruptly pulled back, sitting up.

"Oh my gosh! I-uh-I didn't mean to..." Lingling stammered, her hands fumbling as she tried to smooth down her hair. "I must've... fallen asleep like that..."

Orm covered her face with one hand, trying to steady her breathing. "Lingling, do you even hear yourself? You called me a pillow!"

Lingling's embarrassment melted into a sleepy giggle as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Well... technically, you were a pillow," she said, her lips curving into a playful smile. "And a very good one, might I add."

"Lingling!" Orm groaned, throwing a pillow at her, though her lips twitched into an unwilling smile.

Lingling caught the pillow, still laughing softly. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," she said, her tone lighter now. "I was half-asleep. I didn't realize what I was saying." She paused, glancing at Orm's still-flustered face. "But... for what it's worth, you are pretty cozy."

Orm's blush deepened as she looked away, muttering, "You're impossible."

The room grew quiet for a moment, the initial awkwardness fading. Lingling, her earlier embarrassment now replaced with curiosity, looked at Orm thoughtfully. "Hey, Orm," she said softly, "does this... feel weird to you? I mean... us being this close?"

Orm turned to face her, her eyes softening. "A little," she admitted. "It's... new. But I don't hate it. Actually..." She hesitated, then gave Lingling a small smile. "It feels kind of nice."

Lingling's expression brightened, her own cheeks tinged with pink. "Yeah," she said quietly. "It does."

A comfortable silence settled between them, their gazes meeting for a brief, unspoken moment of understanding. Despite the unfamiliarity, the closeness felt... right.

Orm finally broke the silence with a teasing grin. "But seriously, next time, maybe ask before you turn me into your personal pillow."

Lingling laughed, the sound light and genuine. "No promises," she said, sticking out her tongue playfully.

Orm rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. As the morning light grew brighter, she realized that their first day of married life might not be so bad.

---

After freshening up and getting dressed, Orm and Lingling made their way downstairs. The house was quiet, sunlight streaming through the windows and casting a warm glow on the spacious living room. Orm stretched lazily, still waking up, while Lingling glanced around, taking in the cozy space.

As Orm made a beeline for the couch, Lingling cleared her throat, stopping her in her tracks. “So… what’s for breakfast?”

Orm turned, raising an eyebrow. “Breakfast?” she repeated, as if the word was foreign.

Lingling gave her a playful smirk. “Yeah, you know, food? The thing we eat in the morning? I thought you might have a special plan for your first morning as a wife.”

Orm blinked, then let out a nervous laugh. “Right… special breakfast. About that… I don’t really, uh, do the cooking thing.”

Lingling crossed her arms, feigning exasperation. “So, what, you were just going to let me starve on my wedding morning?”

Orm smirked, leaning casually against the armrest of the couch. “I thought you’d take care of it. You’re the responsible one in this relationship, after all.”

Lingling rolled her eyes but chuckled. “Fine. I’ll make something. But you’re helping me!”

“Help?” Orm groaned. “Fine, but only if it doesn’t involve fire or sharp objects.”

Lingling laughed and grabbed Orm’s arm, dragging her toward the kitchen. But as they passed through the living room, Orm’s eyes landed on a folded note on the coffee table.

“Wait,” she said, picking up the note.

Lingling leaned in, curious. “What’s that?”

Orm unfolded it and read aloud:

> Dear Orm and Lingling,

We hope you’re enjoying your first morning as a married couple! We didn’t want to intrude on your newlywed life, so we’ve decided to attend a relative’s wedding function for a few days. Enjoy the house to yourselves—consider it a little honeymoon prep!

Oh, and by the way, start packing. Once we’re back, we’ll send you off on your official honeymoon. Have fun and make some memories!

Love,

Mom and Dad

Orm groaned, her face turning red as she set the note back down. “Seriously? They’re already planning our honeymoon?”

Lingling giggled, covering her mouth. “Your parents are so sweet. They’re giving us space and planning a trip? I think they want us to make this work.”

Orm sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Or they’re just too nosy. Either way, looks like we’ve got the house to ourselves for a while.”

Lingling smiled. “Well, let’s start with breakfast before we think about honeymoons.”

Orm smirked, pushing herself off the couch. “Fine, but don’t expect me to be a pro in the kitchen.”

The two headed into the kitchen, where Lingling took charge, assigning Orm simple tasks like buttering toast and setting the table. Lingling cooked eggs and prepared coffee with practiced ease, occasionally glancing at Orm, who was clearly trying her best but looked adorably clueless.

As they sat down to eat, Lingling took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “See? Cooking together isn’t so bad.”

Orm shrugged, pretending to be indifferent. “Yeah, yeah. But don’t expect me to do this every day.”

Lingling chuckled, shaking her head. “Noted.”

After breakfast, they cleaned up and returned to the living room, feeling a little more at ease in their new routine.

___

After breakfast, Lingling tied her hair back, grabbed the dishes, and headed to the sink. Orm leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her with an unreadable expression.

Lingling hummed softly as she worked, rinsing and scrubbing with practiced ease. Orm frowned. She really did everything… breakfast, cleaning up, everything. I should probably help, she thought, though it was far from her usual nature.

Taking a deep breath, Orm stepped forward and cleared her throat. “Uh… let me do that.”

Lingling glanced at her, surprised. “What?”

Orm crossed her arms and tried to look nonchalant. “I said, let me help. You already did most of the work. It’s only fair.”

Lingling tilted her head, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Orm, are you feeling okay? This doesn’t sound like you.”

Orm rolled her eyes, grabbing a dishcloth. “Don’t push it. I’m just being nice once. Don’t expect me to turn into some perfect housewife or anything.”

Lingling giggled, stepping aside to let Orm join her. “Alright, Mrs. Housewife, let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Watch it,” Orm muttered, picking up a plate.

The two stood side by side at the sink, Orm awkwardly rinsing while Lingling scrubbed. They quickly fell into a rhythm, though Orm couldn’t help stealing glances at Lingling.

“You’re pretty efficient at this,” Orm remarked, trying to sound casual.

“Well, someone has to be,” Lingling teased, nudging her playfully with her elbow.

Orm smirked, splashing a tiny bit of water at her in retaliation. Lingling gasped, looking at her with mock indignation. “Did you just—?”

“Maybe,” Orm said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Oh, you’re going to regret that.” Lingling flicked water back at her, hitting Orm’s cheek.

“Oh, it’s on now!” Orm declared, grabbing the spray nozzle from the sink and lightly spraying Lingling.

“Orm!” Lingling squealed, laughing as she dodged the water.

Amidst the laughter and splashing, Lingling’s wet hand slipped against Orm’s, their fingers brushing. Both froze for a moment, the playfulness replaced by a sudden tension. Orm’s eyes flicked to Lingling’s, noticing how close they had gotten in their playful battle.

Lingling blinked, her cheeks tinged pink. “You… you’re really bad at doing dishes,” she said, her voice softer now.

Orm smirked, though her heart raced. “And yet, you’re still standing here with me. Makes me wonder… do you like being around me, Lingling?”

Lingling opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, she quickly turned back to the sink, focusing on the plates. “Don’t push your luck, Orm.”

Orm chuckled, leaning in slightly, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “Admit it. You’re starting to enjoy this… us.”

Lingling’s hand trembled slightly as she scrubbed a plate, her blush deepening. “Just focus on the dishes,” she muttered.

Orm leaned back, satisfied with the reaction she had coaxed out of Lingling. The rest of the dishwashing was quieter, but every so often, Orm would sneak a playful splash or nudge, keeping the atmosphere light yet charged with an undercurrent of something deeper.

As they finished up, Orm grabbed a towel to dry her hands. “You know,” she began, looking at Lingling with a small smile, “this whole ‘married life’ thing might not be so bad.”

Lingling glanced at her, a shy but genuine smile on her face. “Maybe… if we both keep trying.”

Orm’s smirk softened into something more tender. “Deal.”

_to be continued_

Hey everyone!

I wanted to share a quick update with you all. This story is nearing its conclusion, and I plan to wrap it up in just a few more chapters. It’s been an amazing journey writing this, and your support has meant so much to me.

Once this story is complete, I’d love to work on something new—maybe another MilkLove fanfic or even something entirely different. Let me know what you’d like to read next! Your suggestions and feedback always inspire me.

Stay tuned for the final chapters, and thank you for being part of this journey!