LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 20: Smothered In Love
"Fine." I relented. "But I'm going all out, so brace yourself."
"I'm ready." She uncrossed her arms, a spark of excitement glimmering in her eyes.
I took a deep breath, leaning forward slightly, and let my gaze sweep over her with deliberate attention.
"The grey sweater you're wearing..." I began slowly, "...isn't just a sweater. It's a masterpiece of casual elegance or atleast when it's worn by you. The way it hugs you in all the right places, while still draping softly, gives you this effortless grace, Mom." I tilted my head, letting a little warmth seep into my voice. "It makes you look cozy and refined, like you stepped straight out of some fluffy dream."
Her cheeks flushed lightly, but she held her composure.
"And the colour..." I continued. "...it's the perfect shade. Soft and muted, but it makes your purple eyes shine brighter. The way the fabric brushes against your skin…" I paused for dramatic effect, a smirk tugging at my lips. "…makes you look both ethereal and incredibly human. Like a goddess who decided to spend the day among mere mortals."
Her pout was slipping, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards despite her best efforts.
"And don't get me started on how ridiculously cute you look when you're trying to act mad." I leaned back, folding my arms. "You could wear a potato sack and still make it look like high fashion."
And that was it...My mother's lips quivered for half a second before she completely surrendered to her joy.
A brilliant smile broke across her face, and before I knew what was happening, she let out an ecstatic squeal.
"Luca!" Her arms flew around me with the force of a storm, and I was yanked into her embrace so fast I barely had time to blink.
Given that I was still sitting and she was standing, my face collided directly into her chest—or as I liked to call it 'the marshmallow abyss'. It was like being caught in a cloud…a very smothering cloud that made you unable to breath.
"Mmph! Mfff!" I flailed uselessly, my voice muffled against the soft prison of her affection. My arms flapped at my sides like a trapped bird, but escape was hopeless.
She hugged me even tighter, completely oblivious to my predicament.
"Oh, my darling son! Do you have any idea how much this means to me? My own son, complimenting me! I feel like I'm floating!" Her fingers found their way into my hair, ruffling it with all the excitement of someone who'd just won a jackpot. "You really think I'm beautiful? Even in this old sweater?"
"Cnn't—brrth!" I managed to squeak out, my voice squashed into oblivion.
She tilted her head down, finally realizing my face was submerged in the valley of no return. "Oh!" She gasped, loosening her grip just enough for me to emerge, gasping dramatically for air like I'd surfaced from the depths of the ocean. "What did you just say?" She asked as she looked at my panting figure
I then shot her a half-hearted glare, cheeks flushed. "I said… I was forced to say all that. None of it was sincere!" My voice carried the indignation of a man who'd just narrowly escaped death by over-affection.
She raised a brow, her lips twitching with amusement.
"Forced, huh?" Her eyes gleamed wickedly, and before I could react, she pulled me right back into the hug.
Hug~
My face found its previous position, and I let out a muffled groan.
"Then you know what?" She continued, her tone sweet but her grip merciless. "Just shut up and let your mother 'forcefully' coddle you as well."
"M-Maybe later?" I squeaked, arms pinned at my sides. "I think…I think I see a bright light."
"Oh, stop being so dramatic. You used to love when I hugged you like this as a kid." She giggled, the sound vibrating through her chest and straight into my trapped face.
"F-Fine...But if I suffocate, I'm haunting you." I sighed, surrendering to my fate. My arms awkwardly found their way around her waist.
"Deal." She whispered, her fingers stroking my hair more gently now. The joy in her voice softened into something tender. "I've missed this, you know...I really did."
Even though my face was still half-smothered, the warmth in her words reached me. I felt my shoulders relax, my dramatic resistance melting away.
Her heartbeat was a steady rhythm against my ear, a sound I didn't know I'd missed so much.
"Oh, Luca, you'll never escape my hugs...Accept it all now!" Her laughter bubbled up again, and she planted a kiss on the top of my head.
"Guess I'll add it to my list of lifelong struggles...But for now can you let go of me since I still want to eat my dinner." I sighed dramatically and tried to release her grip on me
But before I could pull away, she swept me into one last, deep hug.
Hug~
Her warmth wrapped around me like a favorite blanket, and for a moment, I let myself melt into it. Her arms tightened slightly as if she were memorizing the shape of me, and I felt her take a deep breath, as though she didn't want to let go.
Finally, she released me, her hands lingering just a little longer on my shoulders before she stepped back.
Her delightful gaze then drifted over the dining table, her expression expectant. But instead of finding the feast she was apparently envisioning, all she saw were my mythology books scattered around....Her eyes narrowed, and the disappointment settled in as herips formed a small pout.
"Wait a second, Luca...Where's the food?" She crossed her arms and asked, her brows knitting together. "I was expecting a feast but there's not even a single item here ready for me!"
"A feast? Since when did dinner become a full-blown celebration?" I blinked, my mouth twitching into a smirk.
She shot me a look, her eyes glinting with playful exasperation. "Excuse me? Of course it's a celebration!" She then gestured dramatically to herself as she said, "Since I'm here after all...That alone calls for a feast."
"I'm pretty sure the only time people have feasts is during festivals, holidays, or, you know, actual celebrations." I raised an eyebrow, amused.
She huffed, hands on her hips as she repeated in case I didn't her at first, "Well, it is a celebration, Luca...I'm staying over, aren't I?" Her voice then took on a light, teasing tone as she reached forward to playfully ruffle my hair, her fingers gliding through it with practiced ease as she continued saying, "My presence alone is reason enough...So, my dear son, you'd better get that feast ready for your mother who's starving here."
Anyone else would've submitted to her words the moment they hear my mother's enchanting. But I oj the other hand was immune to it after hearing it for so long, so I didn't hesitate to refuse her orders.
"Mom, first of all, I'm way too tired to cook today."
I looked up at her and said, my voice trailing off as I thought to myself that I didn't have much of an appetite anyway, not after smelling a burnt corpse.
Lifting my gaze, I found her standing there, hands on her hips, a teasing smile playing on her lips. And of course, because the universe enjoyed making my life difficult, she was leaning in just enough that her chest was hovering way too close to my head.
I swallowed and quickly averted my eyes. "Second of all..." I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. "...you're the world-renowned cook in this household. So you should be the one in the kitchen, whipping up something amazing and not me."
She scoffed, a dramatic sound that was half disbelief, half indignation.
"Oh, really? So just because I'm a chef, I have to cook all the time? Do you make doctors run around giving check-ups when they're off-duty?" She raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over her chest. "Even the best cooks deserve to be pampered, you know."
"Pampered, huh?" I couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at my lips.
"Yes, Luca!" She said with a decisive nod, eyes glinting with challenge. "We deserve to be spoiled every now and then...Even the best of us"
"Spoiled? And who exactly is going to give such a extraordinary meal to a world class chef like you who has such high standards, that you will never feel a meal from another person is adequate enough for you to feel spoiled" I tilted my head, meeting her gaze.
"By the very person who 'truly' knows how to cook, and as reached the peak of culinary arts unlike me, who's still striving to reach that stage." She leaned in a little closer, her eyes twinkling with a knowing smile.
"A-And who might that be?" I arched a brow, the corners of my mouth twitching upward.
Her smile widened, soft and full of pride. She tapped my forehead lightly with her finger as she said, "Oh, you know exactly who."
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, right. You're telling me that I'm the better cook when you have a cookbook that's sold millions worldwide?...Sounds legit." My voice dripped with sarcasm as I folded my arms, pretending not to be impressed.
Her smile didn't falter. In fact, it softened even more, taking on that familiar, knowing warmth that always made me feel like she saw right through me.
She tapped my forehead again, gently this time, like she was knocking on my stubbornness. "Oh, sweetie." She said, her voice light with amusement, "I might own that cookbook, but let's not forget something important."
She leaned down slightly, her eyes glinting as she gazed into mine.
"Seventy percent of the recipes in that book don't even belong to me...They belong to a 'certain son' out there who graciously sent an entire list of his own recipes to his mother, when she said that she only needed some help writing her book and little bit of inspiration." Her smile turned teasing, and her fingers trailed through my hair again.