Kelves woke up to the sound of sizzling and a distinct meaty smell. Grumbling, he sat up, and it took a few moments for him to remember where he was and what had happened. He was still embarrassed over getting drunk, even if Alea had encouraged that to a degree. "Alea?" he called out.

Alea's voice drifted over from outside of the room. "I'm in the kitchen."

Still grumbling, Kelves got up, stretched a bit, and sleepily hobbled his way over to the kitchen. When he got there, Alea was paying strict attention to a skillet full of eggs. "Good morning," he said after a bit of shy hesitation.

"Good morning," Alea said back. "Breakfast should be ready soon."

"Um, well... I didn't bring anything for breakfast, so... sorry," Kelves mumbled. He didn't want to impose on Alea, even if she seemed willing to meet his needs.

"What are you apologizing for?" Alea asked. "This breakfast is for you, too. Once the eggs are done, I'll get the bacon ready."

"Really?" Kelves felt silly as soon as the questioning word slipped out of his mouth. "Thanks."

"Have a seat."

Kelves did so, and he silently watched Alea cook. She was very attentive and precise, but not mechanically so. The scrambled eggs were seasoned, and she scooped them onto two plates, placing one by Kelves. He could swear that his portion was a good deal larger than hers. "Eat up. Eggs are no good when they're cold. I hope you don't mind that I put cheese on these," she said.

"It's fine," Kelves said. "I'm happy to get anything at all, really." Alea nodded, and then set about preparing the bacon. Kelves looked from his eggs to her, and decided that he had to ask a question. "What did you mean when you said you wanted to spoil me?"

"Hmm? Ah." Alea shook her head. "I meant exactly what I said. I wanted to give you a little pick-me-up. My offerings may not be much, but maybe they'll help you feel a bit better."

"They mean more than you'd think," Kelves said. "Don't take this the wrong way, but... Geralt called you bitter. But you don't seem that bitter to me."

"He's got a big mouth," Alea grumbled. "It's true. I am bitter. I don't trust most others, but you... you're different, somehow. You don't seem like the kind of person who could sustain an ulterior motive for long. You've got an honesty to you that's refreshing."

"You think so?" Kelves sighed. "Thanks."

At that point, there was a knock on the door. "Now who could that be?" Alea asked before leaving to investigate.

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When the door opened, Kelves could hear Geralt greeting Alea and more or less inviting himself in. It wasn't long before the red Caprimet man was standing right next to him in the kitchen, a rather disgruntled-looking Alea close behind. "Good morning, Kelves!" Geralt said. "How was last night? How are things going with you two?"

"You are so nosy," Alea grumbled before going back to the stove to monitor the bacon. "Things are fine."

"I'm glad to hear that," Geralt said. "I found it a bit odd that I never was called back to pick Kelves up, though."

"I slept on the couch. It was fine," Kelves mumbled.

"I see," Geralt said. "You seem to have made yourself comfortable here. Or rather, Alea let you make yourself comfortable."

"What's your point?" Kelves said.

"I'm just wondering if maybe you'd like to stay here in Gatesend for a bit. You could stay with me, or... well, Alea, what do you think?" Geralt's attention shifted to his sister.

"What do I think about what?" Alea said.

"If Kelves continued to spend the night here, would you be okay with that?"

Alea sighed in exasperation. "Geralt, what are you getting at? Yes, it's fine if Kelves stays here."

"Thank you," Kelves said, this time relieved at catching the surprise before it completely slipped out. "How long can I stay here for? I mean, I'm not missing much at home, but I can't impose on you two forever."

"How about I check in with you in a week?" Geralt asked. "See how you feel then."

"You're making it sound like I could just stay here," Kelves said. "This is Alea's house, so... I think it's her call."

"Let's start with a week," Alea said as she transferred the bacon onto plates. "Geralt, I'm sorry, but I only made food for two people. If I'd known you were coming over, I would have made some for you."

"It's fine, I had breakfast already," Geralt said. "I've got some more things to do, so I'll be heading out, but I wanted to check in on you two."

"Thank you for your concern," Alea said, irritation clipping her voice.

"You're welcome!" Geralt drifted out of the room as suddenly as he came in. "Bye, sis!"

When the door shut, Kelves scratched behind his left ear. "Well, that was weird."

Alea grunted in frustration. "He means well, he really does. But sometimes he gets pushy and overbearing. And other times, well... I think it's a natural younger brother response that he tries to get my goat every once in a while."

"Must be nice, except for when he starts making trouble," Kelves said.

"That's just how it is, I suppose," Alea said. "Though I think right now his particular brand of trouble is more focused than usual."

"What do you mean by that?" Kelves asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alea said. "He's trying to set us up together. He wanted us to be together last night." Her expression softened. "But I don't mind. I think he found someone worth the trouble."

Kelves felt his face warm, and he looked away. "Huh, really, well... if you think so, then..." He trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.

"How about you just eat breakfast?" Alea nudged Kelves's plate closer to him. "You can't process on an empty stomach."

Kelves wanted to ask for further clarification but opted not to, deciding he agreed with the sentiment. He had a feeling that he was going to be doing a lot of processing over the next week.