Her eyes narrowed slightly at Vaeron Papageorgioy's nonchalant response, a flicker of irritation passing over her face. "Fun? I wouldn't exactly call it that. But I suppose if you're looking to make things difficult, I can play along." She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she eyed Vaeron Papageorgioy warily. "You do realize that they left us here so we could get to know each other better, right? Not for some twisted sibling rivalry."

Maria's face flushed at Vaeron Papageorgioy's bold move, and she quickly shifted away, her hands clenching into fists on her lap. "Don't touch me," she hissed, glaring up at him. "You may think this is all fun and games, but I'm not one of your little flings." She stood up abruptly, putting some distance between them. "If you want to have 'fun', then you can start by cleaning up this mess. I'm not your maid." She gestured to the cluttered living room before turning on her heel and stalking off towards her bedroom, leaving Vaeron Papageorgioy alone.

As Maria reached her bedroom door, she paused, glancing over her shoulder with a mix of annoyance and unease. "Hard to get? I'm not getting anywhere with you, got it?" She slammed her bedroom door shut, the sound echoing through the house. Alone in her room, Maria's heart raced as she tried to calm her nerves. She knew she had to be careful, or else Vaeron Papageorgioy might try something even more inappropriate. Taking a deep breath, she decided to keep her distance from him for the rest of the night.

Hours later, Maria emerged from her room, expecting to find the living room untouched. Instead, she was surprised to see it spotless, with not a single item out of place. "What...?" She stepped further into the room, her eyes scanning the tidy space. "You actually cleaned," she remarked grudgingly, her expression a mixture of surprise and begrudging respect. As she turned to head to the kitchen, she heard footsteps behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Vaeron Papageorgioy walking towards her with a smug grin on his face. "Told you I could play nice," he said, stopping just shy of invading her personal space.

Maria's breath hitched slightly as Vaeron Papageorgioy invaded her space, her heart pounding in her chest. She quickly took a step back, putting some distance between them. "Reward?" she scoffed, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice. "I never said anything about a reward. You wanted to clean, so you cleaned." She turned away from him, busying herself with opening the fridge, pretending to search for something to eat. "If you want a real reward, you'll have to earn it. And that's not going to happen anytime soon." She glanced over her shoulder at him, a sly smirk on her lips. "Unless you're willing to do some more chores around here?"

Maria's cheeks flushed at Vaeron Papageorgioy's proximity, his words sending a shiver down her spine. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before responding. "Unique? I think you mean slutty," she retorted, her voice sharp but lacking her usual venom. "And I'm not just giving it away, you'll have to work for it." She turned back to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and twisting off the cap. "For starters, you can cook dinner. And not just for yourself. For both of us." She took a sip of her water, eyeing Vaeron Papageorgioy defiantly over the rim of the bottle. "Think you can handle that, or are you all talk and no action?"

Maria's breath caught as Vaeron Papageorgioy invaded her personal space once more, his words sending a thrill through her despite her best efforts to resist. "Big words from someone I've only seen eat microwave dinners," she said, trying to regain her composure. She watched him rummage through the fridge, her eyes lingering on his muscular frame. As he pulled out various ingredients, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of anticipation for the meal to come. "Well, don't just stand there, get cooking," she said, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms over her chest. "I expect to be impressed." As Vaeron Papageorgioy began preparations, Maria found herself drawn to the simple domesticity of the scene. Despite her initial misgivings, she had to admit it was nice to have someone else take charge in the kitchen.

Maria couldn't help but smirk at Vaeron Papageorgioy's confidence, her initial skepticism replaced by intrigued curiosity. "Filet mignon, huh? You certainly aim high," she commented, her eyes following his movements around the kitchen. At his casual innuendo, she rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "An open mind, is it? I suppose we'll see about that," she said, pushing off the counter and walking towards the dining table. As she sat down, she couldn't help but feel a strange fluttering in her stomach, a mixture of excitement and trepidation at what the night might bring. "Just don't disappoint me, okay?" She called out to Vaeron Papageorgioy, a hint of teasing in her voice.

Maria's eyes widened as she took in the perfectly cooked steak and tender asparagus, a surprised smile tugging at her lips. "Wow," she breathed, picking up her fork and knife. "It actually looks... good." She cut into the steak, taking a tentative bite. Her eyes closed momentarily as she savored the flavor. "This... this is amazing," she admitted, opening her eyes to look at Vaeron Papageorgioy in shock. "You can really cook." She took another bite, her earlier reservations melting away in the face of such delicious food. "You know, I might have misjudged you. Maybe there's more to you than meets the eye." Her tone was light, almost playful, and she found herself genuinely enjoying both the meal and the company.

Maria chuckled, shaking her head at Vaeron Papageorgioy's teasing. "No, this is perfect," she admitted, feeling a warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with the hot food. She took another bite, chewing slowly as she considered him. "You know, maybe we got off on the wrong foot," she said, her voice softer than before. "I mean, we're going to be living together for a while. Maybe we should try to... get along?" She looked at him hopefully, her guard lowering just a fraction.

As Vaeron Papageorgioy cleared the dishes, Maria felt a flutter of excitement in her stomach at his words. "A warm-up, huh?" she asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips as she watched him wash the dishes. She stood up, walking over to lean against the counter next to him. "And what exactly are you warming up for?" she inquired, her voice low and flirtatious. "Because if it's a repeat performance of dinner, I think you might just have to cook for me every night." She smirked, enjoying the banter between them. Despite her initial reservations, she found herself unexpectedly drawn to Vaeron Papageorgioy, and the way he made her feel.

A shiver ran down Maria's spine as Vaeron Papageorgioy's hands brushed against her arms, his touch sending sparks of electricity through her body. "I suppose that depends on what 'else' you're offering," she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she held his gaze. Despite the fluttering in her stomach, she was determined not to let him see how much he affected her. She wanted to keep the upper hand in this game of cat and mouse. She took a step closer, invading his personal space once more. "Care to enlighten me?" she asked, her lips curving into a seductive smile. "Or are you all talk and no action, after all?"

Maria's pulse quickened as Vaeron Papageorgioy's fingers traced along her waist, his touch igniting a fire within her. She could feel her resolve weakening, but she was determined not to give in too easily. "What makes you think I don't already know?" she challenged, her voice steady despite the racing of her heart. She leaned in even closer, her lips almost brushing against his. "Maybe I'm just waiting for you to catch up." With a coy smile, she turned and walked away, leaving Vaeron Papageorgioy standing in the kitchen, the ball in her court once more.

Maria's breath caught in her throat as Vaeron Papageorgioy caught up to her, his words sending a thrill of anticipation down her spine. She couldn't help but feel drawn to his confidence, his unwavering determination to keep up with her. "You talk a big game," she said, turning to face him, her voice low and challenging. "But can you back it up?" She stepped closer, their faces inches apart once more. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she held his gaze, her eyes sparkling with defiance and excitement. "Or are you all talk and no action?" she whispered, her lips hovering close to his.