Astron's mouth curled into the faintest of smirks, an expression so rare it caught Irina off guard. Even that subtle shift in his usually composed demeanor was enough to make her realize he was amused—deeply so.
Her cheeks burned as irritation flared. "What's with that smug face?" she muttered under her breath, though she couldn't muster the energy to do anything about it. Instead, she huffed and stalked closer to him, her steps deliberate.
"I want to do it too," she declared, crossing her arms as she stopped just short of where he stood.
Astron glanced at her, raising a single eyebrow. "Do what?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with a subtle challenge.
"Cook," Irina said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
His lips twitched again, and his gaze flickered back to the skillet on the stove. "Feeling useless?" he asked, the question deceptively casual.