Shuichi's Birthday Cake
Shuichi dropped the gym bag at the door and sniffed the air appreciatively as he kicked off his tennis shoes. Excited, he took all three steps at once and made his way past the living room, homing in on the mouth watering aroma. Soft music drifted through the house and as he rounded the corner to the kitchen he was struck full force with the smell of warm chocolate. Best part of a birthday: the cake.
Sleeves rolled up, Taiki was stirring a bowl at the counter, his back to Shuichi. After a few strokes the small man paused, nodded once, and then added a little more flour to the mixture. Smiling softly to himself, Shuichi took a moment to appreciate the scene before making his presence known. Clearing his throat, he moved forward to lean over Taiki's shoulder and examined the batter.
"Chocolate?" He could feel his mouth watering and the dark head beside him bobbed in affirmation.
"Chocolate and raspberry," The mixing spoon gestured to the pot bubbling on the stove and Shuichi licked his lips eagerly, "as requested." His arms slipped around the aproned waist; most likely hampering the baker, but there wasn't one word of protest. The ingredients were neatly lined up on the counter, and as expected the workspace was clean and tidy. Shuichi kinew that if he'd been the one to cook there'd be flour, sugar, chocolate, and egg covering every surface, but somehow Taiki was meticulous in everything the man did.
"But I didn't actually expect you to make it...I thought you'd buy something. I didn't even know you could bake!" The wonders and mysteries of Kayashima Taiki never ceased to amaze him. Two identical round pans were greased, floured, and filled before Shuichi realized something. "You have the recipe memorized?" Not one cook book or slip of paper with scribbled directions in sight. Taiki frowned slightly and bent towards the oven, slipping out of his arms.
"I don't have it memorized...I got ahold of a...friend...and they...instructed me." It wasn't only the hesitant words that made the blond pause, but also the way the black eyes didn't quite meet his. Brows furrowing and mouth pulling downward, it only took a moment before realization dawned on him...
"You had a ghost help you bake a cake?!" On reflex his eyes darted around the kitchen though he knew better than to have expected to see anything. He nearly missed the small frown laced with something else (hurt, maybe?) flit over Taiki's features before the man turned to pull the raspberry sauce off the hot burner.
"I didn't want to buy a cake, I wanted to make it...but I don't know how to bake and I didn't have a recipe..." His tone took on a defensive note and one black eyebrow dipped even further. "Besides, she was really nice. She told me how to mix everything, how to cook the sauce and melt the chocolate..." His shock and dismay quickly crumbled as Taiki moved towards the pantry. Yeah, that was the perfect response when your significant other goes out of his way to make a cake for your birthday.
Stretching out one arm, he snagged the apron tie and drug the small baker back towards him, an abashed grin settling across his features. The flour was plucked from Taiki's hands and half-hazardly tossed onto the counter behind him, a small white puff dusting the air as the bag hit. He knew an apology was probably unneccessary as he was certain his aura was properly conveying his remorse... but he still muttered a quick 'I'm sorry' before wrapping his arms around the small waist and placing a quick peck on his neck. Just to be safe.
"Your assistant at least washed her hands before helping, right?" A small snort and a shake of black hair answered his grin and Taiki pulled away to resume the clean up.
"Don't be absurd, spirits don't have germs."
Sleeves rolled up, Taiki was stirring a bowl at the counter, his back to Shuichi. After a few strokes the small man paused, nodded once, and then added a little more flour to the mixture. Smiling softly to himself, Shuichi took a moment to appreciate the scene before making his presence known. Clearing his throat, he moved forward to lean over Taiki's shoulder and examined the batter.
"Chocolate?" He could feel his mouth watering and the dark head beside him bobbed in affirmation.
"Chocolate and raspberry," The mixing spoon gestured to the pot bubbling on the stove and Shuichi licked his lips eagerly, "as requested." His arms slipped around the aproned waist; most likely hampering the baker, but there wasn't one word of protest. The ingredients were neatly lined up on the counter, and as expected the workspace was clean and tidy. Shuichi kinew that if he'd been the one to cook there'd be flour, sugar, chocolate, and egg covering every surface, but somehow Taiki was meticulous in everything the man did.
"But I didn't actually expect you to make it...I thought you'd buy something. I didn't even know you could bake!" The wonders and mysteries of Kayashima Taiki never ceased to amaze him. Two identical round pans were greased, floured, and filled before Shuichi realized something. "You have the recipe memorized?" Not one cook book or slip of paper with scribbled directions in sight. Taiki frowned slightly and bent towards the oven, slipping out of his arms.
"I don't have it memorized...I got ahold of a...friend...and they...instructed me." It wasn't only the hesitant words that made the blond pause, but also the way the black eyes didn't quite meet his. Brows furrowing and mouth pulling downward, it only took a moment before realization dawned on him...
"You had a ghost help you bake a cake?!" On reflex his eyes darted around the kitchen though he knew better than to have expected to see anything. He nearly missed the small frown laced with something else (hurt, maybe?) flit over Taiki's features before the man turned to pull the raspberry sauce off the hot burner.
"I didn't want to buy a cake, I wanted to make it...but I don't know how to bake and I didn't have a recipe..." His tone took on a defensive note and one black eyebrow dipped even further. "Besides, she was really nice. She told me how to mix everything, how to cook the sauce and melt the chocolate..." His shock and dismay quickly crumbled as Taiki moved towards the pantry. Yeah, that was the perfect response when your significant other goes out of his way to make a cake for your birthday.
Stretching out one arm, he snagged the apron tie and drug the small baker back towards him, an abashed grin settling across his features. The flour was plucked from Taiki's hands and half-hazardly tossed onto the counter behind him, a small white puff dusting the air as the bag hit. He knew an apology was probably unneccessary as he was certain his aura was properly conveying his remorse... but he still muttered a quick 'I'm sorry' before wrapping his arms around the small waist and placing a quick peck on his neck. Just to be safe.
"Your assistant at least washed her hands before helping, right?" A small snort and a shake of black hair answered his grin and Taiki pulled away to resume the clean up.
"Don't be absurd, spirits don't have germs."