"Not at all," Sookie replied, tone placating as she laughed lightly at the rumble of his stomach. It wasn't too surprising— one of the first things that happened in moments of crisis, as far as Sookie had observed, was that the person in the center of it would stop taking care of him or herself. Particularly those who weren't inclined to be selfish to begin with, such as Anatoly himself.

"Actually, I find that cooking in the midst of stress is quite satisfying," Sookie went on to say. "Cleaning, too. We could probably work together in the kitchen, keep your hands busy. I've lived close to it since arriving for a reason. 3 AM pies have definitely happened before."