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Ren's shop is normally open on the weekdays and the morning hours of the weekends. Why? He needs a break from serving customers. Martyn's shop follows nearly the same schedule but it's only for weekdays and a tiny bit Saturday.
It's Sunday, Ren had just finished serving and closed up shop. Martyn was gonna deliver coffee beans tomorrow along with a few other herbs that he needed, so the shop should be fine. However, Ren’s boredom was not satisfied. He decided to walk to his car, and hop in.
He reached in his pocket for his keys and grabbed the one for his car so he can actually go places. The engine was turned on along with the little radio he had. Decided to just put on one of his favorite small bands, The Crane Wives. Sure, it may be smaller but it has many bangers.
Couldn't help but sing along with his tail wagging to the rhythm. One of his personal favorites was Strangler Fig. Just nice and intense. Sure, it's different from their other songs but enjoyable. The drive just felt more lively with the music in the background. The area up to Martyn’s home was covered in beautiful foliage.
Flowering trees reach down, letting petals fall from their branches. They drifted around in the air before going to the side. Eventually, he saw the small cottage up on a hill. Surrounded by a large forest, encasing the home. He always loves this area. Both for Martyn and the looks of everything. Ren parked the car before turning the engine off.
He opened the car door and quickly got out to stretch. It wasn't a long ride but he just wanted to. Martyn tells him that his behavior is always random. To be fair, that was accurate to a degree. Ren started to walk up to the cottage that was covered in vines and other foliage.
Instead of walking through the main door, he pushed the little fence gate to get access to the garden or how he would put it, Martyn's habitat. “Oh Martyn~” Ren called out as he looked around the garden. Eventually seeing the blond hard at work, picking strawberries. Eventually turning to look at Ren with a smile. “Heyo, nice of you to visit.”
“Wanted to see you, and I'm bored..”
“Well if you are so bored, go grab a spare pair of gloves from my porch and help me out.” Martyn pointed in the distance to where the porch was before Ren nodded and started walking over there. There was a chest next to the porch stairs, it was full of gardening tools. He checked there first but no gloves. Then he realized he was an idiot and they were on a porch swing, right in front of him.
Ren sighed before taking them and heading back to Martyn. “Got em! Now what do I do, dude?” He asked as he watched Martyn carefully take strawberries off of the bush. “You see what I'm doing, right? Now I need you to do the same for the bush next to mine. Only pick the ripe ones.”
“I can do that! Shouldn't be too hard.”
“You say now and then you are gonna accidentally put too much force on it and smush it.” Ren gasped at this comment as he looked over. “How dare you! I’ll have you know I'm very gentle!”
Martyn laughed as Ren went to prove his partner wrong. He grabbed one of the strawberries and tried to take it off the bush. He was beginning to smush the strawberry due to the force. Ren let go of it and threw his gloves to the side. Using his claws to just cut the strawberry off.
“Your hands are gonna feel weird if you do that..”
“I'm not smashing any strawberries! Because I wanna use em..if you will let me.” Ren looked off into the distance, still holding the strawberry in his hand. “I’ll allow it.”
“Wait really?” Ren immediately looked back with a smile. His tail softly wagged. “Mhm, now keep that tail under control.” Martyn smiled as he pointed at Ren’s tail that was messing with some of the foliage.
“Sorry..” The hybrid quickly held down his tail, which still tried to wag, eventually it did stop to a degree. Ren smiled before going back to ‘picking strawberries’. Martyn was done while Ren was only half way through. “How do you finish that fast?!”
Martyn shrugged as he started helping Ren out. “I'm just better.” The hybrid sighed before shoving a strawberry into Martyn’s mouth. “R-Ren! What the hell!” His voice was muffled, eventually he ate the strawberry. Ren only laughed then Martyn tackled him.
“How dare you!” The sound of Ren’s laugh only continued to fill the garden. It was beautiful in a way until it was rudely interrupted when Martyn shoved a strawberry into Ren’s mouth, who started choking.
Martyn immediately got off of him, allowing Ren to eventually cough up the strawberry. “Too far, dude..”
“Sorry, just wanted my revenge.”
“I don't forgive you,” Ren said jokingly as he nudged Martyn, who soon retaliated by nudging the hybrid much harder. “I’ll make you a strawberry cake if you stop!”
That's when Martyn stopped, sitting patiently on his knees. “I didn't think that was gonna work..” Ren muttered before grabbing the basket filled with strawberries and stood up. “Come on, let's make you that cake.”
Martyn smiled, soon following the hybrid as the two walked on the porch and eventually inside. He began washing strawberries as Ren started getting out ingredients that they would need.
While the hybrid was focus on actually making the batter, Martyn couldn't help but mess with his partner. When Ren was measuring flour, he might have nudged Ren, causing flour to get all over him and the counter.
“Martyn! Do you want a cake or not?!” Martyn only laughed before going back to cutting strawberries. “Sorry..sorry, I'll do my thing.” Ren glared at him before sighing. “You better.”
The hybrid was eventually able to fully make the batter and now they just waited for the strawberries to become a sorta jam before adding it to the batter. Well that remained after Martyn definitely didn't take a full teaspoon of it to snack on.
Ren was a bit annoyed but he didn't stay mad for long as he finally set the cake in the oven to bake. “You are making the buttercream.”
“What..?”
“You heard me! You kept fooling around and now you are contributing more!” Ren said as he nudged Martyn. “Fine..fine I’ll do it.” Martyn wasn't the happiest but he would do it. It's not like he could retaliate and to be fair he deserved it.
What did Ren do? Mess with Martyn who was trying to put confectioners sugar into a mixer and instead got it all over himself. He did deserve this. Ren chuckled as Martyn sighed.
Despite the two messing with each other, they did get the cake done. Ren was the one to pipe the icing on while Martyn was focusing on decoration. They got through the process of decorating the cake.
Martyn smiled as he grabbed a knife and cut them a slice to share. “Look at that! Beautiful, perfect, ten out of ten.” Ren grabbed a fork and cut a little bit off and held it up to Martyn, who happily ate it.
“Taste even better,” Ren softly laughed before taking a bite himself. “You are so right..” He went in to get another bit when Martyn stole the bit off his fork. “How dare you!”
Martyn only giggled before trying to do it again. Ren pushed him away, trying to just enjoy the cake they made together. “I'm taking away your cake privileges.” The hybrid took the plate away as Martyn tried to reach for it. “Aw come on! You can't do this to me!”
“Yes I can, what do you think I'm doing?”
“You are so mean..”
Ren sighed before just giving the fork to Martyn who happily took it. “Fine. You get it back because I can't handle you being sad.”
“Thank you!” Martyn smiled as he started to eat the cake. Ren was focused on cleaning up the kitchen before Martyn was at his side. “You need some too,” He said softly, holding out a piece of cake on the fork for Ren. The hybrid smiled before eating it. “I love you,”
“Love ya too,”