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TJ stood shoulder to shoulder next to Steve, neither one interrupting the occasional birdsong. The spring air was sweet and cool as the sun painted the sky and clouds a soft golden hue. The cherry blossoms on the distant trees appeared to be aflame. He took a deep breath of the soft fragrance before turning back to the modestly decorated living room. He made certain he didn’t bump the canvas on the easel. The aroma inside Steve’s apartment was a warmer, sweeter scent. He looked over at the marble counter top where four, round, golden cakes rested, as well as a dozen cupcakes.
Steve followed TJ inside, “They should be about ready.”
It wasn’t just anyone that could get TJ to set an alarm for early morning to help with a last minute birthday cake. Or much of anything else really. However, when Steve texted him the afternoon before offering to let TJ help decorate the cake, with the promise of cupcakes, he jumped at he chance. It had been a bad week, and he hadn’t felt like bothering anybody, so, he slogged alone through the rain on three consecutive days, to attend an NA meeting, the third day he’d wound up being sprayed with puddle water by a passing car. He spent the rest of his week in the company of his piano, trying to compose something that wasn’t as depressing as his apartment. TJ really needed Steve’s companionship after the week he’d had.
The birthday cake invitation could be a ruse, or it could just be Steve’s way of saying “I’ve seen what you’re trying to do,” while actually creating something sweet for a friend. TJ wouldn’t know how much of each it might be, but he appreciated the effort.
TJ had listened to Steve talk about his week earlier that morning as Steve combined ingredients for the cakes. He sat on the barstool, watching and taking notes as Steve answered his questions “why did you do that?” referring to an ingredient choice, and as Steve talked about how much he enjoyed baking from scratch.
TJ had to admire Steve’s patience, he didn’t ask the question until he was stuffing pastry bags with rich buttercream icing, “I saw you out the other day, you didn’t seem to see me. Is everything ok?”
TJ sighed, “Yeah.” He looked up into Steve’s blue eyes, framed by an arched brow of disbelief, “Ok, no. I’ve had a few rough days.”
“You never called.” Steve held out a bowl filled with fruit compote, “I thought we were supposed to do the “I’m feeling shitty” phone tree thing.”
TJ watched as Steve piped a dam around the edge of three of the cake rounds. He knelt on the barstool and started spooning the fruit filling into the void left. “I know. I also know you were on a grueling mission at the beginning of the week and I wanted to let you recuperate.”
Steve swiped a finger across the inside ledge of the bowl and slipped it into his mouth, tasting the sweet fruit sauce. “I appreciate the sentiment. But think of all the cookies we could have had.”
TJ smiled as Steve promptly washed his hands after the little faux pas, “I don’t come here for the treats, Steve.”
“I know TJ.” Steve said with a gruff seriousness. “I don’t just bake, either.”
“But you do it well when you do.” TJ replied, watching as Steve carefully placed the second layer on top of the first. Once Steve was satisfied with its placement, TJ started filling that well. “I’m much better today, yesterday things were starting to look up, my therapist tells me that it happens.”
“How do you like the new therapist?”
“Well, he’s hot.” TJ smirked. “and gay. Too bad he’s married.”
“TJ?” If his mother had been here saying that, in that tone, it would have rubbed him wrong, but with Steve, it was just funny.
“I’m kidding.” TJ laughed, sitting back on his heels. “He’s really great and no, I am not falling in love with him.”
“I’m glad.” Steve chuckled along with TJ, putting a crumb coat of frosting on the four-layer cake. “Does this look level to you?”
TJ scrutinized the cake, “not too bad, I’m sorry I didn’t call. How was the mission?”
“We got very little information out of the run. I wish I could say they were all clear-cut successes, and I know they’re not all going to be.” Steve smoothed a second coat across the cake quickly, “I’ll have to be happy with what we got.”
“I met a guy. Last weekend at that wedding? I don’t know if it’s related to my week or not.”
“Did you get his number? Give him yours?”
“I don’t know if I should, friend of the ex’s new husband. That could get tricky. I’m trying to keep my nose clean.”
Steve laughed at the double entendre.
“I did not mean that, but yeah, that too.” TJ cringed, “I can’t even apologize, you’re the one who went there.”
“So, you’re friends with your ex, your ex is married and that’s done for you, entirely right?”
“Yeah.”
“This new guy, he’s nice? What do you know about him?”
“His name is Landry. He has the softest brown eyes, and boy, can he dance. He was nice to me.” TJ shrugged.
“That’s a start.”
TJ rolled his eyes, “It always starts there Steve.”
Steve handed TJ a pastry bag filled with icing, “You’re right, I didn’t think. You think you remember how to work one of these?”
“Yeah, I also think I need to practice on one of these, and then eat it. Just to get into the right headspace.”
“Of course.” Steve winked. “If you do decide to pursue this guy,”
“You want to check his credentials?” TJ piped a few test swirls across his cupcake.
“I would just like to meet him.” Steve laughed, “You have me sounding like one of your mom’s security.”
“It’s the first place people go, which is why I never tell anybody when I’m interested in someone. You’re a special circumstance.” TJ piped edge details around the bottom of the cake. “I sure hope your friend realizes what a sweetheart you are for doing this. This cake looks amazing, or it will if I don’t screw it up.”
“I think she’ll appreciate it. You’re better at those swirls than I am. How are you with lettering?”
“Hah! That’s not going to happen. I’ll let you do the fine lines. You remember my gingerbread attempts.”
“Good thing we’re a team then.” Steve grinned.
“So, “She” huh?”
“Yeah, she. Don’t take it there, I said friend.”
“By the way, did you ever make that phone call you weren’t sure you’d make?”
“Nah,” Steve shrugged. “I never was much good with being set up. I think I do ok for myself. When the right girl comes along, I’ll know.”
“Do ok for yourself? Peggy Carter, she was better than ok.”
“She still is.” Steve smiled softly, “Did you ever meet Peggy TJ?”
“No, I was away at school when they had her retirement dinner and probably too young and stupid to realize how important it might be.”
“Would you like to meet her the next time I go?”
“Wow.” TJ stopped piping, looking up at Steve as he piped “Happy Birthday Ginger” across the cake. “Yeah, I really would like that.”
While Steve waited for TJ to finish the details across the bottom of the cake, he pulled some colored pastry bags from the refrigerator. “Let’s see if we can get a couple of decent flowers, I messed up a few the last time I tried, but I think I got the hang of it.”
“Maybe I’ll just watch.” TJ sat back, feeling intimidated by the idea of crafting flowers out of icing.
“Now what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t share knowledge?” Steve handed a floral nail and a purple colored piping bag to TJ, still holding his own (could it be periwinkle?) colored bag. TJ followed along as Steve showed him how to make small five-petal blooms.
“This is not as hard as I thought it would be.” TJ chuckled, genuinely surprised with how the blossom looked.
“Good, we need about a hundred of each color.” Steve watched as TJ’s eyes widened before he broke and laughed, “You’ll be happy to know that I made the majority of them last night.”
“You’re such an ass.” TJ laughed. “So you just wanted to fuck with me?”
“I thought you’d like learning something new.” Steve shrugged. “Will you help me make them look like hyacinths?”
“Yeah, I suppose it’s the least I can do, since you spared me the labor.” TJ climbed down from the barstool and joined Steve on the kitchen side of the island in order to assemble hundreds of blossoms into some of the prettiest spring flowers on earth. “Thanks for everything Steve. I’m really glad we became friends.”
“Me too TJ.” Steve said with a smile.