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“Here! Try these!”
He offers the woman in front of him the platter of cookies in his hands. All of the cookies were circular shaped and frosted with a bright yellow buttercream frosting. However, each one had been individually iced with black royal frosting, so that each one made a different face.
The woman’s blue eyes looked between him and the cookies.
“Emoji cookies?” she questioned, her lips twitching just a bit.
“Yeah!” he beamed in response, “They were Pearls’ idea! Me and Maya were finally able to explain them to her, so she suggested I do some cookies based on them.”
“Well then,” she chuckled, reaching over to grab a cookie decorated with a smile, “I see that these Fey girls have been quite the inspiration for you as of late.”
He laughed a bit in response, putting the place down in order to rub the back of his neck.
“Heh, yeah. They’ve been hanging around a lot more lately, so it is understandable.”
The woman smiled a bit at that.
“I am glad. You seem happier when they come up. Justifies the men I have put on bodyguard duty for them. Especially Maya.” she mused before biting into her cookie.
He groaned in response.
“Mom, how many times have I told you that it wasn’t necessary to send your ‘friends’ to guard mine?” he reminded her.
His mother only hummed in reply.
“And how many times did I get reports about you ending up in a hospital bed after going after them when they get into trouble?” she shot back, “A certain Redd White situation comes to mind in particular.”
He grumbled at the reminder and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I was fine in the end Mom! It was touch or go for a bit, but I took him down in the end!”
“And then you nearly got framed for murder and Selina had to step in to get the charges dropped.”
He made a face at that.
“You are never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Never.” she smirked a bit at him as she reached out to grab another cookie, “Though, I was impressed with your handiwork. Those bullets were very well placed. It’s a testament to your fantastic aim.”
“Considering you made sure I could fire a gun since I was six, I’m not surprised.” he commented dryly, moving the plate away from her.
“It was to protect you.” she defended, “You have to know how to defend yourself in case…”
His mother trailed off. She looks down at her lap, but he can still easily see how her face turns carefully blank. She clasps her hands together tightly enough that he can swear he can see marks from her nails forming on the skin.
A pit formed in his stomach as he realized what was going through her head. He quickly reached over the counter and takes her hands in his, squeezing them gently.
“Hey, I know why you did it.” he offers her a small smile, “ And it did end up saving my butt more times than I can count. So I can’t say you made a bad decision there.”
She looks up at his words. Surprise flashes across her face for a moment, but she soon nods. Her shoulders relaxed a bit as she squeezed his hands tightly in response.
“Well, I am glad it helped.” she sniffed a bit before withdrawing her hands from his.
“I know.” He nods before turning away from her in order to face the table he had wheeled in behind the counter.
Usually, he worked in the back when it came to preparing things. However, he liked to work in the main room when it was slow, or when family or friends came by. It was easier to converse in the main room, rather than his messy kitchen.
He began gathering up the items on the table, mentally taking note of them. Bowls, measuring cups, flour, sugar, eggs...
“You know, Selina has been asking for you.” his mother mentioned.
“Oh?” he glanced over his shoulder at her.
“Yep. She says she misses her little kitchen helper.” she moved her arm onto the countertop, moving it upwards so she could balance her chin on her open palm.
“Well, I’ll try and pop in for Christmas.” he considered, turning back to his work and grabbing the bag of flour to pour into the bowl.
“Good. Maybe you’ll bring someone home this year.”
He completely froze up at her words. Flour poured out from the bag into the bowl, quickly causing it to overflow.
His face felt as if it had been set on fire as he rounded on his mother, his eyes wide.
“MOM!”
“Yes?” she smirked at him, wiggling her eyebrows a bit, “I happen to agree with her, you know? I love the idea of you having someone else to talk about sweet ideas with. Besides, our family gatherings are so small. Perhaps a certain Fey could add some entertainment into the mix.”
He let out another groan as he quickly put the bag he was holding down and began cleaning up the mess on his counter. Inwardly, he was just thankful he had only been working with flour up to that point.
“Mom, for the last time, Maya is just a friend!” he complained.
“Alright, alright.” she snorted, “I am just teasing you Phoenix.”
“Sure…” he grumbled in reply as he attempted to pour the excess flour in the bowl back into the bag.
The thought of dating Maya was slightly nauseating. Sure, she was cute, but more so in the little sister friendship way. He would never dream of dating her.
Though, he was not exactly opposed to being in a relationship.
A certain man flashed in his mind, reigniting his once fding blush.
Miles….
Now that was someone he could see himself dating.
He was, in a word, amazing. He was beauty, intelligence, and strength wrapped up in a 5’10, silver-haired god of a man.
His weekly visits to the bakery were his favorite parts of the week. There was nothing like seeing his grey eyes light up at the sight of a new batch of samurai cookies. Nor were there words for the way his heart would race when Miles would offer him one of his rare smiles.
God, he really was in deep, wasn’t he?
“I think that is clear, yes dear.”
His mother’s words cut through his daydream like a knife. Complete horror engulfed him as he realized he had just said all of his thoughts out loud.
Shit.
He slowly turned to face his mother, sweat slowly building on his brow.
“How… much did I say?”
The fact that his mother’s smirk now extended from one ear to the other spoke volumes.
“You said that Maya Fey was like a sister to you. Then you proceeded to wax poetic about the wonderful man who started to visit your bakery.”
Of course he had.
He let out a strangled noise in response. Hunching over the counter, he covered his face with his hands in embarrassment.
His mother giggled a bit.
“So… Miles was it? Does he have a last name?” she inquired.
His eyes peeked out from between his fingers.
“Mom no.” he knew exactly where this was going.
“Mom yes.” His mother crossed her arms over her chest, “I must know more about this boy who has you so hopelessly enamored. I will not be having a repeat of that cursed Dahlia Hawthrone debacle.”
He winces at the reminder.
“Okay, so maybe Dollie wasn’t… the best of people. But Miles is different! And I don’t want you or anyone else to scare him off!”
His mother tsked at this.
“Now Phoenix, you know why-”
The sound of the door opening cuts his mother off. The bell on top of the door chimes cheerfully as a certain grey-haired man entered the room beneath it.
He looks up at the sound, immediately straightening up upon seeing the new person in the room. He could feel the heat in his face drop dramatically as he looked between his crush and his mother.
Oh fuck.
He masks his nervousness with a clearly fake laugh. He focuses his gaze on his love interest, though he notes his mothers’ now tense form in the corner of his eye.
“Hey! What brings you in?” he questioned the man.
The man at the door hesitates. His eyes glance at his mother for a second before sliding over to him.
“I was in the area and decided to drop by.” he said stiffly, “I am glad I did though.”
“Oh really?” his mother interjected with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes.” Miles’ reply was curt as he strode forward to the counter. He leaned against the counter as he let his hand casually drop to his side.
“So, Wright,” Miles’ voice became pleasant as he turned to him. “How has business been as of late?”
“A-ah, well!” he stumbles through his words, “Thanks to your business and the upcoming holidays the bakery is thriving. I can’t thank you enough!”
For a second, Miles’ face softens. A small smile peeked out onto his face as he caught his eyes.
“I am glad to hear.” He nodded.
Besides Miles, however, his mother clears her throat.
“Phoenix?”
His mother looked between them, an expectant look on her face.
“Perhaps introductions are in order?”
It was all Phoenix could do to hold back the scream building up in his throat. Still, he looks at Miles and weakly gestures to his mother.
“Miles, this is my mother. Mom, this is Miles.” he introduced.
Miles’ eyes widened in shock.
“Your.. Mother?!” he choked out.
He winced at the shock in his voice but nodded regardless. He internally prayed to every higher being he could think of that Miles had not been one of the politicians his mother had threatened over the years.
Miles’s eyes dart between him and his mother. Phoenix could tell that he was noting that despite the fact that his mother’s hair was a stark blond as compared to his own black locks, his one blue eye matched her own perfectly.
“I… see.” the politician managed.
His mother smiled calmly at him as she slid off the stool.
“Yes, well. It was lovely to meet you. I have heard so much about you Miles.”
Miles stared her down, something akin to caution flashing in his eyes.
“Have you now?”
“Of course.”
His mother suddenly looks back to him, her smile suddenly almost blinding.
“Phoenix absolutely adores you! You’ve clearly made a strong impression on him!”
Both him and Miles go red at the implication.
“P-pardon?!”
“MOM!”
His mother’s lips twitch into a smirk as she waved off their words.
“Now, now. It is nothing to be ashamed about Phoenix. You two seem to be close. It is only natural that I would-”
His mother is thankfully cut off by her phone going off in her pocket. She immediately quiets at the sound and reaches into her pocket to grab it.
She pulls out the phone quickly and her eyes dart across the screen rapidly. A small curse leaves her mouth as she stuffs the device back into her pocket.
“My apologies, it seems that I must cut this meeting short. It seems that a friend needs me for something.” she informed them.
She turns back to look at him, an apologetic look on her face.
“I will call you later Phoenix. I’ll stop by next time I am nearby, alright?”
He slowly nods in response, barely keeping his own worry from his face.
It had to be important for his mother to react like that.
“Yeah, got it. Be careful, alright?”
“Of course I will be careful. You know me darling.” she brushes off his concern.
She glances over at Miles next and her lip curls slightly downward.
“It was lovely meeting you Mr.Miles.” she commented.
He tilts his head downward in reply, his face wiped of any emotion.
“I must say the same to you, ma’am.”
“Hmph.” That is his mother’s only response to the comment.
The older woman then turns away from them and walks out of the door quickly. Once again, the bell rings out as the door slams shut in her wake.
He winces a bit at the sound and turns over to his crush, a weak smile on his face.
“Sorry about that. Mom can be.. Intense.”
“I can tell.” Miles let out a small sigh as he slid into his seat. “It’s fine, she is your m-mother, not mine.”
He notes the way he stumbles over the word ‘mother’ easily.
“Is something wrong Miles?” he asks carefully, his heart slowly dropping in his chest.
He couldn’t know…. Could he?
“Hm?” Miles raised an eyebrow at him, as calm and collected as ever. “No, why would something be wrong? It was just an unexpected meeting.”
“Right…” he quickly nods in reply, ignoring the idea growing in the back of his head. “Anyway, you are just in time for some samurai cookies. I just made a new batch this morning.”
A part of him relaxes more at the sight of Miles’ eyes lighting up at the comment.
“Really? Then I must try a sample of this newest batch.”
A genuine laugh bubbles up as he nods again.
“Alright, let me go get them.”
No, Miles didn’t know about his mother’s organization, he told himself as he moves to the back room. He was just surprised by her sudden appearance in his life. After all, it was not as if he had mentioned her before.
Still, the memory of the encounter hangs in the back of his mind for the rest of his crush’s visit, despite his best attempts to brush it away.