Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A small, fairly insignificant bakery was placed in between the corner building and a florist right next door. The corner building was actually the office for the apartment complex above the shops. All day, the smell of fresh baked cakes came from the kitchen, out the door and into the apartments above and pavement in front. There were plenty of other smells too, like chocolate, strawberry, banana and whatever other kind of flavor a cake needed to have.

And creating the lovely smells was perhaps the most unexpected person. A six foot tall gray wolf with well-built muscles and scars on his back, a claw mark over his right eye and a gunshot wound under his shirt. He was only seventeen when he got into an altercation with the psycho of a husband who was armed. He was after his wife, who ran to Legosi’s shop, knowing that she could trust him to protect her.

It was pure luck that the gun didn’t discharge after the first attempt, allowing the wolf to attack the man. However, the gun finally did fire and got him in the side of his stomach, but not before getting the man in a chokehold. Problem was that it tainted the bakery's reputation. It was closed down for a month and Legosi had to attend a very public trial from a hospital bed. Since then, no one wanted to go into a bakery that was the scene of a killing. Yet that never stopped the wolf from doing what he loved; baking. 

Now eighteen, he was the sole owner of the cake bakery his grandfather once owned. All of the recipes came from the old komodo dragon, along with a few adjustments that made the cakes more moist. His secret? Mayonnaise. It didn’t give the cake any more flavor once it was baked in and kept it as beautifully moist. His grandpa hated the idea, but came around after not noticing any difference in the cakes aside from improvement in moisture.

However, mayonnaise could only be used in cakes with rich flavors. So only things like chocolate or spice cakes. For everything else, Legosi had to be inventive. He began using whipped egg whites with a bit of tartar that helped stabilize the form of the eggs. With that, he could make cakes as fluffy and light as the ones with mayo. Sour cream also worked very well as a mayonnaise substitute as well. Or sometimes just a little bit of extra vegetable oil. 

The batch of cakes he baked today were not only for over the counter sales, but also already pre-ordered cakes. The one he was currently working on, which was a double-decker marble cake that was going to have light blue fondant frosting and white buttercream frosting rims. It was a winter-themed cake, after all. Already he had a crumb layer on the cake, making it much easier to frost.

As he baked, he sang along to the music he was playing in the shop. It was all indie stuff. Artists like Florence + The Machine, Kimbra, Lenka, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Marina, Billie Eilish, The Kovacs, and Tori Amos. He got into Tori Amos because of his grandfather, who recommended her to him after the wolf introduced Florence to the middle-aged man. 

Most would be surprised to find that his voice was surprisingly good. He sang in a low and smooth bass to the Lana Del Rey song that was playing. 

“Don't make me sad, don't make me cry

Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough, I don't know why

Keep making me laugh

Let's go get high

The road is long, we carry on

Try to have fun in the meantime”

As he sang, he heard the bell of his front door jingle, signaling that someone was in the shop. Quickly, he put down his piping tube full of frosting and went out to go help the customer. Most knew that a wolf was running the bakery, so people were used to it. This person, however, was not one of those regulars. In front of him was a shorter anteater who stood in the center of the front of the bakery.

The front was just as cute as the outside. It had a checker pattern flooring with a few tables up against the chilled front windows, which showed the gloomy winter day out. The walls were colored light yellow and some pictures of the cakes the wolf baked were hanging up for decoration. As well as a few potted plants he got from his friend’s nursery next door. 

Upon seeing the wolf, the anteater tilted his head. “Do you work here?”

The carnivore looked down at his bright pink apron which read, “Little Beetle Bakery” over an image of a cartoonish beetle carrying a triple stacked cake on a platter. Regardless of that, the carnivore answered. “I do. I’m the owner and only employee here. My name is Legosi.”

“Oh wow! I thought this was an anteater bakery.” He replied, eyes a bit wide. “Sorry, my mistake. I’ll be going.”

“W-Wait, don’t you have an order? I’m sure I can accommodate for your tastes.” The wolf asked, desperate for a new customer.

The man chuckled. “Hate to say it, but I don’t think it’s sanitary for a carnivore bakery to cook ants into their cakes. What if they got out?”

Legosi blushed from embarrassment. “Oh yeah… sorry about that. My mistake.”

“It was mine, really. Have a nice day Legosi!”

“You too sir.”

The herbivore walked out with a soft smile. Despite not getting anything out of it, he had a nice interaction with the wolf. Legosi couldn’t say the same. He was always looking for more customers even if it meant some overtime. So with a heavy sigh, he returned to the back to finish frosting the cake. 

In about ten minutes, he finished frosting the cake. Having been baking and frosting for so long, he knew how to do things quickly while still keeping his standards high. With that one done, he started on another, a chocolate cake with plain chocolate frosting and marshmallow frosting around the base and top edge. Just as he pulled it out of the fridge, there was another ring at his door. So he put the cake back in and walked out to see who it was.

Once again, it was an unfamiliar face. A red deer who wore a fairly nice maroon suit. He looked young like Legosi and had a menacing look. Despite that, he didn’t seem to mind the fact a large wolf was before him. “Can I help you sir?” Legosi politely asked.

“Maybe.” He replied. “I mainly came in here to introduce myself. My name is Louis, I just bought the lot across the street from you.”

The wolf’s ears perked up. “Oh, really? What’s it going to be?”

“A café. Problem is, I have someone to make pastries, but I still need cakes. And, well, I was hoping I could buy from you and sell them by the slice at my café. I wanted to see how good they are.”

“If you’d like I can provide a sample.” Legosi offered. “Here,”

From the display case, the wolf grabbed a tray with six cake bites on it covered with frosting. The flavors were chocolate, classic cake, strawberry, marble, banana and coconut. With frosting to match, of course.

There was little to no hesitation in the herbivore’s movements, reaching his hand up to grab one of the bites. He grabbed the classic cake and plopped it into his mouth. Closing his eyes, he chewed it as the anxious wolf waited. There was no change in expression until the deer opened his eyes and sported a sly smirk. “That was… better than I thought it was going to be.”

Legosi’s tail began to wag. “As long as they’re to your liking, sir.”

“Very much so. It was actually the best cake I’ve ever tasted. I’m surprised it came from a carnivore bakery.”

“Well, it’s a family business. My grandpa ran it before I took over and he retired.”

“How is this place not packed?”

Legosi frowned. “People don’t like going to the scene of killing.”

Louis tilted his head. “Killing? W-What?”

All the wolf had to do was lift his shirt, pointing to the scar over his eye. “Got more like this on my back too.” He stated. “A woman came in… one of my old regulars. Juno, her name was. She had a husband who was stupidly abusive. One day, she came running into my store and her husband was chasing her with a gun. I ended up fighting him… and I won.”

“But you had to kill him.” Louis finished, frowning. “I’m very sorry that happened to you, Legosi. And I think it’s stupid that people don’t come here.” The deer paused rather suddenly. After a few moments, a smirk grew on his face. “I know… I’ll buy your cakes and sell them at my café!”

Legosi tilted his head. “Huh?”

“Think about it this way; there’s no way I can beat you these cakes if I make my own. So instead of wasting money hiring a baker and coming up with my own recipes, I’ll just buy them from you and sell them by the slice. That way I can help promote your business and attract more customers of my own.”

The wolf’s ears perked up. “R-Really? You’d do that for me?”

“Well, it’s not just for you. Think of it as a mutually beneficial relationship. I buy your cakes, sell them by the slice to make a profit on them and then I also promote your bakery and you get more business! How does that sound?"

“That… sounds perfect, Louis.”

The deer smiled back. “Good. My café should open in about two weeks just before Rexmas. Can I order some cakes for the day it opens? I want to make sure they’re as fresh as can be.”

“Of course!”

From under the register, Legosi pulled out a binder. It had a few order sheets in it and even more sheets showing cake sizes and patterns he did. As the deer looked through it, he tried the other cake bites. Just like with the first, he was impressed each time. Then he came across a similar winter-themed cake. There were also winter flavors. Like gingerbread, red wine chocolate cake and chocolate-mint roll cake. The deer raised his eyebrows upon seeing the roll. “You do roll cakes?”

“I do, and lots of others.” Legosi answered, smiling.

“Humble brag, huh?”

The wolf chuckled. “I guess so. Would you like that?”

With a smile, Louis began to write down his order without saying anything. It was a big order too. Three rolls cakes, three gingerbread cakes, four red wine chocolates, two large classic cakes, three red velvet and two chocolate cakes. Thankfully, Legosi had a while to fill out the order, but the cakes needed to be fresh. He’d have to pull an all-nighter for this one. And even with the killing that happened at the bakery, Rexmas time was always busy. But it excited him. He always dreamed about being overwhelmed with orders. It was a good sign. “Is it too much?” Louis asked.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Legosi assured him, smiling brightly. “But Louis this is $430. That’s a lot of cakes!”

“I know. You see, my dad owns a large line of cafés. All of them are pretty decent quality, like a good Italian chain restaurant. But I was unsatisfied with the quality of them and wanted to open something small, high quality and special. Something one of a kind, you know?”

Legosi smiled. “I understand. I really hope you do well too. Do you think I can be your first customer when it opens?”

Louis smiled back. “I don’t anyone else should be.”

The wolf’s tail began to wag once again. He liked Louis and was more than happy to have him as his neighbor. Even if he gave him a huge order. But that was just more money in his pockets. And when Louis was about to leave, he suddenly turned around and looked at the display case. He pointed at a classic cake with green and red frosting that depicted a Rexmas tree on it. “How much?”

“Normally, twenty-five bucks. But for a first time customer, ten.” Legosi replied.

“How generous of you.” Louis teased. “I’ll take it.”

The deer passed Legosi a ten dollar bill as he grabbed the cake out from under the display case. With his cake, Louis left the shop as a familiar dwarf rabbit entered. She was wearing some overalls with a woven hat. “Haru!” Legosi exclaimed in a scornful manner. “Where is your jacket? It's freezing out there!”

“Sorry dad I left it at the shop because I’m literally right next door to you!” She shot back, making the deer laugh as he left.

“Louis!” Legosi exclaimed just before the buck left. “This is Haru, she owns the nursery next door. And Haru, this is Louis. He bought the lot across the street from us and is going to open up a coffee shop there.”

“Oh that’s awesome!” She replied. “Just buying a cake from Legosi here?”

“And then some.” He answered, looking back to the wolf. “I’m buying cakes from him for my cafe.”

“Then buy some flowers from me! I’m the only place you can get some right now. Because, you know, cold.”

Louis chuckled. “I’ll make a point of visiting after I get this cake home. Have a good day you two, hope to see you both soon.”

With that Louis left, stuffing his free hand into his pocket to help keep out the cold of winter. Once he was past the windows, Haru turned back to Legosi and smiled. “You like him, don’t you?”

The wolf blushed immediately. “N-No! I just met him!”

“Come on, he’s totally a twink under those clothes. And I know your type. Male, twinky herbivores. And with antlers to grab onto!”

Legosi hid his face. “Stop it you pervert!”

“Admit it, you want to fuck him!”

“T-There needs to be something before I can just do - t-that ! I need dates first and then, maybe after a romantic movie or something, we get into one another, you know.”

Haru smiled. “You two would make a cute couple. But so would you and that nurse that comes in pretty frequently.

The wolf’s ears fell. “He is really cute… but he’s too busy to date, I think…”

“You won’t know till you ask! Now, get me a slice of strawberry cake and we’ll talk more about him!”

Chapter Text

It only took a few weeks for Louis to get his cafe open, with Rexmas coming in a week. Since his announcement, it’s been getting a lot of attraction. The son of a wealthy coffee shop chain owner opening his own little one was certainly something for the times. Well, for the town they were in, at least. Not to say the town was small, it was just very boring most of the time. So any hubbub was newsworthy there. The last big thing was Legosi’s trial. 

As promised, Legosi got the order done just in time for the Christmas rush. He had to pull an all-nighter for it just like he said, but stayed up to make sure he was there for the grand opening. Needless to say, he was a bit tired, but he knew it was going to be worth it. And then Louis came out wearing his new uniform.

It was a white dress shirt with black pants to match, as well as a black apron that went down to his knees that had a brown faux leather pocket over his stomach. On top of the pocket was the shop logo, a coffee cup with antlers as a handle. Upon seeing the wolf in the line, he walked over to him. With the buck, a reporter and a camera crew followed. They stopped with him in front of Legosi. 

Louis opened his mouth to speak, but sort of froze when he realized what Legosi was wearing. He was adorned in a long skirt with a green and red plaid pattern. With it, he wore a long knitted black cardigan that had snowflakes on it opened up to show a white shirt he wore underneath. Louis wasn’t really prepared for Legosi to be wearing something like that, but it was also a welcomed surprise. 

“This is Legosi,” The deer stated, shrugging off his initial surprise. “He supplies my shop with all of our cakes that he makes from scratch at his bakery just across the street. So if you like the cakes here, make sure you stop by the Little Beetle Bakery to place an order or buy one on display!”

“Aw jeez Louis, you didn’t have to do that.” Legosi replied, scratching the back of his head.

In the past few weeks, the two had been getting closer. Nothing outside of the shop, however. Louis would just come in almost daily to get a slice of classic cake and sit down at one of the tables Legosi had set up. Only half the time they were able to talk, as Legosi had to work on other orders throughout the day. Getting annoyed one day, Louis just walked into the kitchen to eat his slice of cake there and talk to the wolf as he baked and frosted cakes.

“So, Legosi, how about you and this lovely reporter be my first customers? I hope you don’t mind sitting with a carnivore, but Legosi is a very well behaved wolf, I promise you.”

She smiled. “Well I don’t see why not. I really just can’t wait to taste a slice of cake with a warm drink.”

With smiles, the two followed Louis inside as other customers were let in as well. Louis had a full staff, consisting of three other baristas, four waiters and of course a pastry chef in the back. Strangely, all of them were lions. 

The café itself was very Italian. It had five maroon leather seats in half circles against the right wall, leaving the window wall bare aside from the reefs with red bows on them. He got the reefs from Haru’s nursery. In the center of the room were seven tables set up with enough spots to seat four to each. And then there was the back wall, which had a row of booths facing chairs with tables between them. Of course there was also the barista bar, which was a long bar on the left wall that had all sorts of machines on it and plenty of ingredients on a large shelf behind them and under the counter.

Wanting to feel a bit warmer, Legosi and the reporter sat down at one of the booths closer to the window. Louis took their orders personally. “If you’re going to get the gingerbread cake, might I recommend a gingerbread latte to go with it?” He asked the reporter.

“That sounds perfect!” The woman exclaimed. “I can’t wait to taste your cake.”

“Thank you. And Louis, I’ll just have…” Legosi looked back down at the menu and smiled brightly. “The s'mores please! Can I get hot cocoa with that too?”

“Of course you can Legosi.” Louis answered. “I’ll be right back with your orders.”

The two watched as the deer went behind the bar and began to make the drinks himself. He made the smores too. His hand movements were flawless, like he was a well-oiled machine. It was all automatic in his head. Working the coffee machine, adding small things to add presentation and of course actually mixing the ingredients. It only took him five minutes to finish their orders. He walked over with the drinks and food on one platter. 

The two beamed at the drinks before them. The ginger on the latte was shaped like a snowflake and Legosi’s hot coco had a cone of whipped cream on top with a chocolate drizzle and little marshmallows dotted all over. The four smores were all melty and gooey, and the cake looked perfectly moist.

First, the two took their drinks and took a long sip. Both of their eyes snapped open as they pulled the cups away. Legosi stuttered “I-It’s… It’s…”

“It’s perfection.” The woman whispered. “This is the best ginger latte I’ve ever had, hands down.” Her attention fixated on her cake. “Now let’s see how this cake is!”

Almost elegantly, the reporter stuck her fork into the roll and plopped it into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she chewed down on it. A second later, she gasped. “So moist and full of flavor! And the icing inside is so light it just dissolves on your tongue! It’s fabulous!”

Legosi let out a huge sigh of relief after he jumped. That was some overreaction, but it was good to know she liked it. Sure, he’s done this a million times, but he was still worried about how things would turn out, especially since he was now on live TV. “Five stars.” She stated, still going at the cake. “This is the best cake and the best drink together. I… I’m going to get fat on this and I won’t be sad about it.”

“Glad you like it.” Legosi stated, smiling. “And Louis, your hot cocoa is really good. Do you make it from scratch?”

“Of course! Everything here is made from scratch. Just like you do, right Legosi?”

“Totally! I make my own frosting and everything.”

Louis smiled back. “Thought so. Otherwise your cakes wouldn’t be as stunning.” The deer stared right into the camera. “You heard it from her! Legosi's cakes are some of the best, so be sure you stop by to treat your family to one of his cakes on Rexmas!"

Legosi blushed and dipped his head down as his tail wagged side to side. It felt a little bit embarrassing. The only time the bakery ever got media attention was when the incident happened.

Just as Louis was about to go back to his station, the door opened and a tall, intimidating, middle-aged red deer with glasses and a black suit walked in. Louis froze on the spot, his small tail sticking straight up. 

“This is nice.” The man stated, looking around. “Good uniforms too. Smells pleasant as well.” He looked over at Louis. “Good start, son.” 

The younger deer nodded once and sat the man down in the booth next to Legosi and the reporter. She leaned over to the wolf. “Is that his father?” She asked.

“I think so. Louis said he was the owner of a successful chain of coffee shops.”

She sucked in a breath. “Yikes.”

Over at the other table, the man questioned his son. “Why lions?” He asked.

“Good security and they work hard.” Louis answered, waiting there with a notepad. “Now, what can I get you?” 

“I’ll have black coffee with a…” He raised an eyebrow while looking at an item on the menu. “A slice of the red wine chocolate cake.”

Louis smirked. “A most excellent choice, Father. Took you long enough to finally make one.” 

“Sounds like you take pride in these cakes.”

“Because a talented friend of mine makes them.”

From the other table, Legosi’s ears stuck up. Louis called him a friend. He wasn’t sure if they really were yet, but that confirmed it for him. It was enough to get his tail wagging. 

Then it froze rather suddenly when Louis came back with his father’s order. He placed down in front of the businessman and stepped back to watch him taste. The black coffee didn’t elicit any response from him, simply taking a short sip and putting it back down. Then came the cake. 

Oguma stuck his fork into the dark red bundt cake slowly. It was almost painful how slow he was going. Finally, he put it in his mouth and chewed. A moment later, his eyes went wide, looking like he was choking. His son tilted his head as the elder swallowed the bit of cake. “Are you alright, father?” Louis asked. 

“That was uh…” He coughed, clearing his throat. “Quite delicious.”

“Hear that Legosi?” The younger deer exclaimed. “That means he means he really, really likes it!”

Oguma turned his head to face the wolf, who was perhaps a bit too close for his comfort. Regardless, he spoke. “Did you make this?” 

Legosi nodded. “I did.”

“Why aren’t you in the kitchen?” 

“Legosi owns the bakery across the street.” Louis answered for the wolf. “His cakes were so good I knew that I couldn’t beat them out if I made my own. So I’m sourcing my cakes from him.”

Oguma turned back to his son. “Well, while I’m normally against outsourcing products, there are some exceptions. This is one of those.” He stated, stabbing his fork back into the cake. “I’ll have to make a point of taking one of these back home with me.”

“Well the Little Beetle Bakery is always open to you, sir.” Legosi stated.

The buck chuckled softly as he lifted his fork. “What an adorable name.”

With a smile on his face, Oguma continued eating the cake and drinking coffee. The rest of the night went smoothly, with the coffee shop being packed to the brim with customers all night. During it, Legosi even made a friend out of the reporter. Her name was Els and her cameraman was a tall tiger named Bill. 

When the shop closed, Legosi returned to the bakery with both Louis and Oguma, who kept good on his word to buy a cake. As he was buying, Oguma couldn’t help but comment on his surroundings. “What a colorful place.” He stated as a Marina song played overhead. “Cheery pop music too. This is something I’d expect out of a small female herbivore.” Oguma scanned Legosi up and down. “And you’re wearing a skirt… Are you a queer, Legosi?”

The wolf nearly dropped the cake he was carrying and Louis choked on his own shock. Thankfully, Legosi was able to keep the cake stable and cleared his throat. “That will be twenty dollars, sir.” He stated. 

“I didn’t ask how much it was.” The father replied. “I’d like to know your answer.”

“D-Does it matter, sir?”

“No, but I am curious.”

Legosi blushed. “Well… if you must know, I do identify as gay.”

Oguma smirked. “No wonder why you’re such a good baker. I swear, queers are some of my favorite people.”

Legosi’s tail began to wag as Louis’ jaw dropped. He and his father had never talked about topics like homosexuality. And if they ever did, Louis was not expecting his dad to be so openly candid about it. 

“I always try to hire a few in my cafes.” He continued. “Queers bring a certain light to the room.”

“T-Thank you, sir. That’s a very nice compliment. But I should remind you that all gay men aren’t the same.” 

“Oh I’m well aware. It’s why I usually only hire the flamboyant ones. Are you flamboyant?”

Legosi paused. The most flamboyant thing in his everyday life was literally his bakery, music and dressing choices But then he remembered the first time he went to Pride. Haru somehow managed to convince him to wear a rainbow crop top and booty shorts with thigh-high rainbow stockings. He blushed at the memory. “M-Maybe I am a bit. I’ve been told I’m pretty shy, though.”

“You’re a big strong carnivore. Why are you?”

Legosi dipped his head down. “That’s exactly the reason, sir.”

His eyebrows raised just so. “Ah, I see. I assume you get a lot of carnivore patrons, no?”

“Most of my customers are, yes. If I wasn’t a wolf I’d probably get more business. And… well, the incident.”

“Well then they’re missing out!” Louis yelled suddenly, trying to avoid Legosi having to talk about the incident again. “You are a very nice carnivore who makes excellent cakes! It’s not your fault some herbivores are bigoted!”

Legosi was surprised at Louis’ sudden eruption. The deer always seemed so soft spoken. Of course there was always authority in his voice. Perhaps it was more respectful than anything. Oguma seemed surprised too, but let out a chuckle. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. You know, Legosi, you could get more business here by putting out a sign saying you’re an ally.”

“Actually… a lot of my clients are older people who buy cakes for their old people parties or for Church. I’d probably lose more business.”

“Ah, I see. And such are the downfalls of running a business.” He sighed. “Well, I should be going. Louis, good job on your first day. And Legosi, I’ll be seeing you again soon.”

Oguma paid for the cake and left a fifty dollar tip in Legosi’s tip jar before leaving with the pink box of cake in his hands. With a little jingle, the door closed and Oguma was gone. As soon as he was out of sight, Louis turned back to the wolf. “I never knew he was so socially liberal.” He stated. 

“He runs a chain of cafés, Louis, he has to be.” Legosi replied with a snicker.

Louis let out a single laugh. “True! Maybe I’ll take up the idea of making my place LGBT friendly.”

“That’d be really nice, thank you.” The wolf glanced at one of his cakes on display. It was a strawberry cake with pink frosting, white edges and eight strawberries upside down on top of little balls of white frosting. “Say Louis, I have to throw that cake out by the end of the night. Want to split it?” 

“The whole cake?” Louis asked, somewhat taken aback by the offer.

“Yep! And as we eat… well, I’m sure you have questions.”

The deer’s ears fell. “I do. I’m not well educated on the topic of homosexuality.”

“Then I’ll answer any questions you have.”

Before sitting down with the cake, Legosi turned the sign on his front door to closed and lowered the shades so that they could eat in privacy. Now sitting, they dug into the cake, which tasted as fresh as the day it was made. “Why were you going to throw this out?” He asked, mouthful of cake. “It’s perfect!”

Legosi giggled. “After day four they start to lose their moisture. We just got to it before it was noticeable.”

“I’d still buy one of your cakes if it was five days old.” He replied, going to town on the cake. “Goddamn, I’m going to get fat.”

“Maybe you can come to the gym with me.” The wolf suggested. “I work out for an hour and a half every weekend Saturday and Sunday, and I try to fit an hour in on Wednesdays too.”

“I’m going to have to take you up on that offer.”

“Awesome! Now, you said you have questions?”

“Uh yeah… let me start with the first. When did you know?”

Legosi smirked. “You know the bad smell of the boy’s locker rooms?”

Louis nodded.

“Well, I liked it. I like smell of other guys’ hormones and that’s how I knew I was gay.” 

The deer nearly choked on the cake, trying to laugh too. He slammed his foot down as he swallowed. “R-Rex, sorry. That was a lot funnier than I was expecting. So, do you have a boyfriend?”

“I did… his name was Jack. We were childhood friends and roommates in high school. After our Sophomore summer, we started dating. We broke up out of necessity. He went off to college to be a therapist and I stayed here to continue the business.”

Louis frowned. “I’m very sorry to hear that, Legosi. Do you two still talk?”

“We do. And whenever he’s in town we meet up and… y’know, blow off some steam. But recently we haven’t. He’s bisexual and has been talking to this girl for a while now. He texted me a week ago, they’re official now.”

“Well… how do you feel about that?”

“I’m happy for him, but I’m also pretty sad. We only broke up because we had to. If we didn’t… I think we would’ve gotten married.” He was silent for a moment, looking away. “B-But what about you? What do you identify as?”

Louis opened his mouth to speak, but instead jumped when someone knocked on the glass. Legosi jumped too and parted the shades a bit. His face fell flat when he saw who was behind them. It was Haru, who was totally smudging up the glass with her hands. “Stop breathing on the glass!” Legosi ordered as he got up to get the door. 

Haru met him at the door whilst snickering. She could be such a brat at times. Always expecting free food from Legosi. Grant it, he always gave in, but it was still something she expected. And when she saw the half-eaten cake, she demanded to join in. So, with a sigh, Legosi grabbed a high chair for her and put it against the table. “So,” She began as she ate some cake. “What were you two talking about?”

“Sexualities. I came out as gay to Louis. Mainly because his father outed me.” Legois answered.

“Dude you outed yourself.” Haru countered, looking him up and down. “You’re wearing a skirt and a cardigan like an old lady! This is just as gay as your corset!”

Louis’ eyebrows raised. “You own a corset ?!”

The wolf began to blush. “Y-Yeah… I do. I haven’t worn it forever though.”

“Wear it on Friday!” The rabbit exclaimed. “Show yourself off to Tem!”

“Who is Tem?” The deer asked.

“Oh you don’t know Tem! Tem is one of Legosi’s regulars. Comes in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for a slice of Legosi’s chocolate mousse cake during his lunch break. He works as a nurse at the hospital nearby.”

“A nurse!?” Louis gasped, excited. “They make good money.”

“I-It’s not about the money.” Legosi replied. “Tem’s… really, really nice. It’s why he’s a nurse. He’s not afraid of carnivores either.”

Haru and Louis glared at him. It took a moment for the wolf to realize what he just said. “N-Not that you guys are bad!”

“You’re lucky you’re good at baking.” Haru stated, taking another bite of cake.

“So lucky.” Louis concurred, also taking a bite. “And Tem is going to be so lucky!”

“What, you want to get in Legosi’s pants too?” Joked the hare. 

The deer let out a laugh. “Goodness no! Legosi, I was trying to tell you earlier, but I’m asexual. I have no attraction to anything, male or female or anywhere in between.”

“Oh wow!” Legosi exclaimed. “T-That’s awesome for you Louis! How long have you known?”

“Since I’ve had sex with a few women and men.” He casually answered. “Didn’t enjoy any of it. Not even a hardon.” 

“Damn.” Haru stated. “Well, I’m pretty straight, but there are a few girls I’d fuck.”

“Like who?” Louis asked.

“Let’s start with Lana Del-Fucking-Rey. She is such a pretty deer.”

Legosi’s tail began to wag. “S-She’s on my list, actually. Of women that can turn me straight.”

Louis shrugged. “I have a small list too. I’d fuck a few people just to say I did.”

The three of them all pulled out their phones to show their list of people they’d sleep with if given the chance. Of course they were all celebrities l. However, Haru did have one girl from Highschool she’d bang. 

Before they knew it, the cake was completely gone. The only things remaining were the strawberries that Haru ended up devouring. But not before plucking a few seeds from them. She was the one who supplied Legosi with all of his fruits he used in his recipes, so these came from her shop too. 

With the cake gone, they decided to retire for the night. Legosi’s apartment was right above his own and Haru was his neighbor. Louis had a flat above his café too, so it was the last they’d be seeing him tonight. 

Legosi’s apartment wasn’t anything special, but it was better than his first apartment in the hidden condo. This one actually had a bedroom and separate bathroom. 

The first thing was his carpeted living room, which had a three seat cloth sofa in front of a TV. Over the couch was a family photo of Legosi and his grandparents. Grandma worked separately from them, making her own money as a waitress at a small diner a few blocks down. She still works there, actually.

The bakery was really just a Legosi and Gosha thing. They always tried to get her to help in the kitchen, but Toki was always a bit of an airhead who’d accidentally make a mess. It became obvious that she wasn’t fit for the kitchen. 

Regardless, the living room also had an armchair that was covered in wolf fur and a Rexmas blanket to cover it up. It would take a whole lint roller to save that chair. 

And then in the corner of the room was a small fake Rexmas tree with soft yellow lights and yellow and red ornaments. On the base was a quilt that Toki sewed herself. It was a cute white and blue pattern and gave a good change of color to the tree.

Legosi crashed onto his chair, but not before getting a glass of white wine. A nice glass of wine to end a very successful day. He’s been making more money than he ever has since the incident, giving him more breathing room to buy nicer things. 

As he drank, Legosi put on an old Bing Crosby Rexmas record that he got as a gift from Gosha some years ago. Despite it being ancient, it still had a good sound. Even the Andrew Sisters’ high pitches registered well on the old record player that rested on the half wall between the living room and the kitchen.

Before the wolf knew it, he fell asleep on his chair with his empty glass of wine resting on a table next to him. Even though he had a nice Queen-sized bed, he wouldn’t end his day in any other way.

Chapter Text

It was Monday. Even Mondays were pretty busy, so he had a few customers. Ever since Louis started selling his cakes, his business had been soaring. He was even thinking about hiring someone. But the feeling of being on his toes constantly and the steady pressure was filling him with life. He was frolicing in the chaos. 

On the speakers, the song “Spectrum” by Florence + The Machine was playing. It was one of his anthems, along with another one of her songs, “Howl.” She wrote it after a romance with a small herbivore male failed. Florence always was an inspiration to Legosi. Like him, she had a thing for herbivores. Or anything that was smaller than her, really. Also like Legosi, she was tall for her species. 

Since coming out and being a bit more open, Legosi put up a small sign in front saying he was LGBT friendly and would serve anyone regardless of species. He even went as far as to put up a small rainbow flag next to the kitchen door. 

As of now, Legosi was serving a line of customers. Out of all of them, two stuck out the most. One was a wolf who had a lighter, almost tan color of fur with a lot of fluff around his neck and noticeable broad shoulders. And then there were his eyes, which were slitted like a feline. Legosi couldn’t help but ask as he served him. “Hey um… I know it’s not my place,” The wolf baker began. “But I couldn’t help but notice your eyes. Are you a,” Legosi whispered, leaning in. “A hybrid?”

The man nodded. “Second generation.”

Legosi couldn’t help but smile. “Same here. Quarter komodo.”

“W-Wow… I haven’t met another before. Nice to meet you, I’m Felix.”

“Legosi, a pleasure. Now, what can I get you?”

“One mango cake, please.”

“Of course.”

Legosi went to the display case and picked up a circular mango cake. The entire top looked like one large rose that was made from a yellow mango frosting. A white rim made by a star nozzle surrounded the rose and the base. Inside, connecting the two cakes, was a white frosting with small mango chunks put in. It was a pain to evenly frost with them, but Legosi was always determined to keep his cakes up to his standards. 

Then came the next customer. He looked like a regular fox from afar, but half of his face was white like an albino. Most of his head was covered by a large black hoodie. There were two little stumps peeking out from the hoodie, making Legosi wonder if he had horns. Then the man actually came up to him, and the wolf noticed his small muzzle. Another hybrid? Perhaps. Two in one day was certainly unlikely. “Hey there, what can I get you?” Legosi asked, smiling. 

“I-I put in an order.” He shyly replied. “Under the name Jake.”

“Jake the Red Fox and you ordered a strawberry cake?” The wolf repeated, looking through his order book.

“That’s it.”

“Yep! Your cake is ready. What’s the occasion?”

“Oh just Rexmas. My family wanted me to bake something, but I suck at it and I figured I’d just bring in a cake. A-And I heard good things from the cafe across the street when I had a latte from there.”

“Louis likes to spoil me. E-Excuse me for a second.”

Legosi pardoned himself to go to the back and grab Jake’s cake that was placed in a light pink box. He checked to make sure the cake was good. It was, looking like the cake Legosi had with Louis and Haru a few nights ago. 

He came back from the kitchen with it raised above his head and handed it to Jake, who had already pre-paid it. As he handed it over to the fox, Legosi whispered. “Whatever it is, you’re always welcome at the Little Beetle Bakery. Promise.”

The little stumps under the hood flickered a little bit, pushing the fabric up just so as the fox’s eyes rounded. He looked back up. “T-Thank you, Mr. Legosi.”

“Legosi is just fine, friend. Let me know if you need anything.”

Jake nodded and left dipping his head down. Legosi could only hope he didn’t embarrass the poor man. Clearly there was something. Another hybrid? It was certainly possible. He didn’t smell like any fox Legosi had met and he’s more than familiar with what a white rabbit smells like. There were hints of both, creating a unique aroma that was almost strawberry-like. He couldn’t help but smile.

After the influx of customers, the wolf was able to go back into the kitchen and begin frosting another ordered cake. After about ten minutes of doing that, the bell rang. 

Legosi’s ears perked up as he put down his frosting knife and went out to the front. Standing there was the familiar white alpaca who was still wearing his nursing scrubs. He looked a bit tired, but still found his way to the bakery for his lunch break. “Tem!” Legosi exclaimed, his tail wagging.

“Legosi!” The herbivore replied, matching his smile. “It’s so good to see my favorite wolf. How are you?”

“A lot happier with you here.”

Tem blushed. “Aw gee Gosi, you got me blushing.”

“Good, you’re cute when you blush.”

Tem stopped and stared at the wolf, who now looked a bit bashful. Quickly, he moved on. “So Tem, what will I get you? The usual?”

“Y-Yes please.” The alpaca replied. 

“On the house today.”

“Really? Aw thanks Legosi. It’s been a rough one. Can you eat with me? I need to vent a bit.”

Legosi nodded. “Of course Tem. I needed a lunch break anyway. One sec…”

The wolf removed his apron, showing off his unique outfit. Like he promised Haru, he was going to wear his corset. The black piece was accompanied with a white button up with the top two undone, showing off his semi-defined pectorals. And then there were his jeans, which highlighted his hips now that his waistline was tightened by the corset. Almost immediately Tem’s jaw dropped and his blush only grew.

With the apron off, Legosi went over to the display case. In there was a large dome cake with a thick layer of hardened chocolate frosting. He cut a large slice out for the herbivore, revealing the three layers of cake and two layers of chocolate mousse in a striped pattern. It went right onto a nice ceramic square ceramic plate, which he handed to Tem and then got one for himself.

The two of them sat down at the table by the window. Tem had already dug in, letting out a satisfied hum. “No matter how many times I have this cake, it always surprises me how good it is. Do you change it every time?”

“Nope, but I knew you were coming in today so I put in a bit of extra love.”

Tem blushed as he laughed. “Aren’t you sweet? Honestly, this is the highlight of my day, coming into this cafe with a handsome wolf happily waiting for me.”

Now Legosi blushed. “Oh uh… yeah, this is a highlight too. I’m really happy you’re here Tem. But you said you needed to vent?”

“Well, yes… it’s a bit depressing though.”

“Better to share the pain with others willing to burden it than keeping the pain to yourself.” The larger male replied.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Tem took another bite before speaking. “We… had a family come in today. They were just in a car crash and the smell of blood got a carnivore going wild. He slaughtered the mother and one of the children died from their injuries. And it just so happened…” His voice got a bit squeaky. “That I was the last thing that little girl saw…”

“Tem,” Legosi whispered.

The alpaca continued, hugging himself. “The other nurses told me it’d get easier. I-I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Will I just become desensitized to death? I don’t think I want that.”

“Then don’t.” The wolf replied. “You have a big heart, Tem. It’s what makes you such a great nurse. Maybe it’ll only get easier to not show the pain and carry your job to save more lives. You can still hurt and not show it, Tem.”

“You’re right… but still, what if it happens naturally?”

“I don’t think it will. Not with a guy like you.” His eyes widened as Tem began crying a bit louder. “D-Do you… need a hug?”

The alpaca nodded.

With a soft smile, Legosi walked around the table and hugged Tem from his side. Immediately, the smaller male buried himself into Legosi’s chest, clutching the black shirt. As he hugged the herbivore, Legosi couldn’t help but notice how soft and fluffy the alpaca’s fur was. It was like the world’s softest warmed blanket.

As the two were hugging, the bell rang. Stepping inside was a large, tall and muscular komodo dragon wearing a maroon sweater and tan khakis. And behind him was a shorter female wolf wearing a thick turtleneck sweater and sweatpants. They looked over at the two younger men and smiled. “Legosi! It’s good to see you, my boy!” The komodo exclaimed.

“G-Grandpa? Grandma?” The wolf asked, tail wagging slightly.

“Grandpa and Grandma?” Tem repeated. “B-but they’re…”

“Oh Legosi, who is this?” The wolf asked as she walked over. “Are you a nurse?”

“I-I am.” He replied, still a bit confused. “And you’re… Legosi’s grandparents? Adopted?”

“Biological.” Legosi answered. “And that means I’m a quarter komodo.”

Tem’s jaw dropped. “No way. I-I couldn’t even tell! Wait!” He looked between him and the komodo. “Oh your eyes! That’s why you have no iris! That's so cool!”

The wolf’s tail began to wag a lot faster. “R-Really? Most people respond to that with disgust. People don’t like hybrids…”

In response, Tem grabbed Legosi’s hands and held them together. “Well I love them.”

“Tem…”

Gosha gasped. “Legosi! Is this your boyfriend?! I never thought you’d move on after Jack! Oh I’m so happy for you! Tem, welcome to the family!”

“W-WHAT?!” The alpaca exclaimed as the komodo went in for a hug.

The elder scooped up the small herbivore and practically cuddled him, but was sure to be careful with his saliva. Before it got out of hand, he put Tem down and went to the back to wash his mouth out, leaving the very confused pair and Legosi’s grandmother. “T-Tem I-I-I’m so sorry about that. I don’t know where he got that idea…” Legosi apologized.

“Who’s Jack?” Was all the alpaca asked. 

Toki raised her hands. “I-I’ll leave you to this. I’m not making it any worse like Gosha did.”

“Thanks Grandma.” Her grandson replied, watching as the woman disappeared into the back

“So… who is Jack?” Tem repeated. 

“Jack? Jack is my ex boyfriend… we broke up out of necessity. He went off to college and he’s dating a girl now.”

“Aw Legosi, I’m so sorry to hear that. You don’t deserve something like that happening to you. The incident too. Your bullet scar isn’t giving you any trouble, is it?”

“No, it’s been fine, thank you.”

Tem was still in school at the time of the incident. However, he was in the hospital that day for hands-on experience. He ended up being the one who treated Legosi for the rest of the wolf’s stay in the hospital. That was where their friendship first started. 

“The scars on your back?” Tem continued.

“Hardly know they’re there.” He replied. 

“Over your eye?”

Legosi’s ears fell. “Well uh, it is kinda hard to see out of that eye. I’ve been looking into getting glasses.”

Tem nodded. “And your ear, how is that?”

The mentioned ear flicked. “Don’t have a lot of feeling towards the tip, but I hear just fine out of it.” 

“Well that’s good. If you need me to, I can book you with the doctor who treated you the first time to see what we can do about helping that eye of yours.”

“O-Oh! It’s okay, I have someone already. Before you know it I’ll have a new pair of glasses! Now that I can afford it.”

The alpaca smiled. “I’ve noticed you’ve been getting a lot more business! I’m so happy for you. You deserve all of it!”

Now Legosi blushed. “Thank you Tem. Now I can afford to give you free food.”

“You don’t have to do that for me.”

“I know, but I want to.”

Tem smiled softly and continued to eat his cake. Neither of the two noticed, but Gosha and Toki were watching from the circular window that led into the kitchen. The old couple were smiling as the two younger males talked and laughed with bright smiles on their faces. 

Toki continued to watch as Gosha threw on an apron and began to work on some cakes Legosi had already baked. They just needed to be frosted. And despite the wolf’s reputation, Gosha had always been the better decorator. Not to say Legosi’s frosting job was bad at all, but the elder had an eye for the smaller details. Plus, Legosi could barely see out of one eye. His grandson had actually been considering getting an eyepatch, as the pupil has been slowly fading from the damage. They’d have to see what the eye doctor could do. 

After about ten minutes of eating together, Louis walked into the shop for his lunch break. He didn’t notice Tem at first and let out a long groan. “It has been chaos at the cafe! I need another waiter or something because I can’t keep going out there to take orders!”

“Uh Louis,” Legosi began, mouthful of cake. “I’m a little busy.”

The deer looked over to his business partner. His eyes widened immediately upon seeing the small herbivore across from the wolf. Louis was quick to rush over and introduce himself, shaking the alpaca’s hand rigorously. Legosi was already embarrassed. “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you. Legosi has told me so much about you!” Louis exclaimed. Tem blushed, glancing over at the wolf. “Y-You talk about me?”

Now Legosi blushed. “Uh… I-I guess I do. Sorry.”

“No, it’s alright. I think I’ve told my coworkers about you before.” 

“You two would be very cute together.” The deer stated. 

“You’ve been hanging out with Haru too much.” Legosi stated coldly. “You’re asexual, what do you know?”

Louis gasped dramatically. “Just because I’m asexual doesn’t mean I’m not interested in a romantic relationship or not know anything about it! You need to educate yourself, Legosi.”

“Sorry Louis.” The wolf apologized, ears falling down.

“I suppose I could forgive you.” The deer replied. “And you,” He pointed at Tem. “Why don’t you and Legosi come to my cafe for a few drinks? I’ll reserve a table for you two.”

“Oh! That’d be lovely!” Tem exclaimed. “Legosi, would you be interested in going to Louis’ cafe with me sometime?” 

Legosi jumped a little. “R-Really? You want to go to Louis’ cafe with me?”

“Of course! So would you like to?”

Louis leaned down and tugged on Legosi’s ear. “Say yes if you know what’s good for you.”

“Y-Yes!” Legosi exclaimed.

Tem smiled warmly. “Perfect. How does Saturday sound?”

“It sounds good.”

Toki was still watching from the back and couldn’t hold herself back any longer. So, she walked out into the main area and introduced herself to Louis. Of course she heard him talk about his waiting staff problem, and was quick to offer her services as an experienced waitress. Louis smiled. “Well, you certainly have the warm attitude for it.” He stated. “How about an interview?”

“Sure!” She replied. “When?”

“How about now? I need to get lunch here anyways.”

“Louis,” Legosi said. “How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t survive off of cake alone? It’s not good for you.”

“Only if it was!” Tem exclaimed, his cake nearly gone. “Maybe you can find a way to make healthy cakes, Legosi!”

The wolf closed his eyes and put a hand under his chin. “I’ll see what I can do, but I don’t think it’ll be good. Either way, Louis, what would you like?”

“Do you actually have anything new?”

“Of course!” Legosi replied, a tad bit offended. “I just put out an opera cake this morning!”

“I’ll have a slice of that then. Also, I need to place another order for your cakes.”

“Got it.”

Legosi really needed to hire some help. Sure, his grandpa was more than happy to come in and help him deal with the holiday rush, but with all these people coming in on the regular now, he really needed to get someone else. A help wanted sign would be good to get. 

He’d need help soon, because Louis ended up ordering four of the opera cakes after having a slice of one. Then he ordered an additional four tiramisu cakes. And to top it off, five of the red wine chocolate cakes. Apparently those were really, really popular. So was everything else, which he also needed to order. This cost Louis around six hundred dollars. But apparently, from the other cakes, he made around eight hundred. “At least you’re getting your money’s worth.” Legosi stated, looking at the huge list of cakes.

“Is it too much Legosi?” Louis asked. “I don’t need it until after Rexmas.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll just be a bit busy. But I honestly love it. It feels good to know I’m really busy.”

“Alright. Have you decided to hire help yet?”

“My grandpa is in the back right now to help me with the holiday season, but he’s still retired. I’m looking into getting another baker but I have no idea where to start other than a help wanted sign.”

“With your permission, I can put up an online ad.” Louis offered. “Maybe something in the newspaper too! How does that sound?”

“That would be perfect, actually. Hopefully someone good pops up.”

“Hopefully so Legosi. Hopefully so. But for now, I’ll leave you to your boyfriend.”

Tem must’ve heard that, because his head perked up and blushed. He made eye contact with Legosi, who could only blush as well. Sadly, however, Tem had to get back to work. “Sorry Legosi,” He apologized, putting back on his coat. “Duty calls.”

“Don’t worry about it, Tem. See you soon, I hope.”

“I’ll be back on Wednesday!” Tem exclaimed, opening the door. “See you then! By the way… you look really good in that corset.”

Legosi’s blush only grew as Tem walked out the door. When he was gone, it felt like a part of himself left as well. Legosi could only go back into the kitchen to help his grandfather frost and bake more cakes while Toki carried out her interview with Louis. She was incredibly charming. It was no wonder why Gosha fell in love with her despite their difference of species. Louis wanted to ask her about Legosi’s parents, but knew a lot better than to actually speak it aloud. Maybe in time Legosi would trust him with that information. 

As of now, however, Louis saw no reason why he shouldn’t hire Toki as a new waitress. Besides, all the others were male lions and he could use a change of scenery. Not that they were bad, but people did get nervous. An elderly female would be a much safer bet for his herbivore patrons. Maybe he’d get even more business out of it. 

And with any luck, he would soon be getting a regular interspecies male couple.