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To be honest, the Simmering Syrup Sauna was having a bit of a dry day. Having become so used to being on his feet at all times, Sauna Egg wasn’t quite sure of what to do when there was no one around, no one to attend to, and nothing much of anything at all. He was just… seated at his desk, in the middle of the lobby, doing large amounts of nothing.
…He hated it. Hated it immensely.
Of course, he understood the value of taking breaks – overworking himself would only cause difficulties for customers, after all. If he couldn’t attend to them in his exhaustion, then he’d be even worse off than now. But that didn’t quite solve his issue. As, again, he’d had nothing to do nearly all day.
“Is there… something going on? Maybe I’m missing out?” He’d ask himself, grabbing a nearby remote and turning on the TV in his lobby. It immediately loaded onto a rerun of one of Shine Muscat’s old movies, one where she played a waitress… aiming to escape her plain and mundane life. He’d watched it before and, as of now, Sauna Egg found himself relating a fair bit.
Flipping through various channels, he eventually landed on the Cookie Herald’s online broadcast. Being hosted by the widely renowned Reporter Cookie, she discussed some of the day’s latest events… and confirmed his suspicions. According to the lady, there was an event being hosted at the TBD – some sort of tour through the establishment. It was pretty interesting, as from the talks he’d heard regarding the place, he figured they were somewhat secretive; though, he supposed that opening up wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Well, except for now. After all, the sauna was open… and there was no one here but him!
Or at least, there wasn’t. Not until he heard the front door ring, turning towards it with a questioning look. He was glad, for sure! But that felt just a bit too lucky, for his tastes, at least.
“Hah, hello! Welcome to the Simmering Syrup Sauna, it’s a pleasure to have you!” He states, the greeting Sauna Egg offered any visitor of his establishment. He meant it, of course, each and every time – offering the same bright smile to all who entered. After all, he wanted the place to succeed, and he’d held only the best feelings towards those who’d help that happen.
“Ah, shucks – thanks for the welcome! Glad I found the right place, I’m not all too familiar with spots outside of my farm…” A sigh leaving the man’s lips, Sauna Egg finally took the opportunity to take a look at the visitor’s face. He had a similar build to his own, perhaps a consequence of working the farm he’d mentioned – the man was built. Taking note of the typical farmer’s attire he wore, Sauna’s eyes then turned to the guy’s face and… wow.
That man had some massive eyebrows.
But besides that, or maybe… with that? The man had a pretty cute face, actually. A bit rotund, with stubble painting the edges, it carried a sort of happiness with it. He figured the guy must lead a pretty happy life, maybe one like his own – and that’s despite the amount of effort he must put into caring for that farm, judging from the unnoticed dirt that was spread across his face. Oh, had he mentioned his fellow cookie’s eyes? They were a pretty shade of brown, much like–
“Uh, s’everything alright? Something on my face?”
Oh! Oh, sweet sugar, had he been staring at the guy’s face this whole time? Quickly turning away, a ridiculously red hue invading his face, Sauna Egg starting spitting words in some quick succession. “N-No! My apologies, no, you’re fine! I mean, there’s nothing! I mean, um, what.. what kind of bath are you looking to try out today?”
And like that, he’d saved himself. Or at least, he thinks so – not like it’d matter much, as the other man began to speak once more. “Phew! I’ll be honest, I just came from a pretty rough fight with some of my pigtatoes. Wouldn’t leave me all too shocked if they left something on me.” Turning his eyes upwards, towards the sauna’s list of available baths, he continues. “Mm.. I think I’ll try out the, uh.. Strong Soda Bath? I could use something to get my strength back n’ up.”
“Excellent choice! Here, I’ll take you there – please, follow me!” And up he went, Sauna Egg guiding the… still unknown cookie, as he realized, towards the bath of his choosing. While the Simmering Syrup Sauna may feel like a bit of a labyrinth to anyone new, Sauna Egg had known the place like the back of his hand. And he was quite grateful for that knowledge, as it’d made him look a bit less like a fool, especially after he’d been caught staring at his guest.
As the other man turned to face him, the sauna’s owner found himself staring once more. Honestly, even he found it pretty odd – he’d had plenty of people visit his sauna in the past, plenty of, y’know, pretty cookies… but it’s not like he’d ever really felt much. But now, with some random guy he didn’t know, on the driest day his location had in so long… wasn’t all too wise, he had himself thinking. Said thoughts kept him from noticing what’d come after the man turned, however.
“This is how it works, right? Not all too sure myself.” … “It’s a pretty hot room, I bet my pigtatoes would get all soft in here… Oh! Just realized I never did introduce myself – my name’s Potato Cookie!” … “Eh… you alright? Y’went all red again…” All lines stated by the cookie – who he now knew to be named Potato – that Sauna Egg failed to hear. After all, ahead of him now sat a cookie who was far less.. clothed, than he was prior.
Sitting inside of the steam room was Potato Cookie, wearing a tank-top and a pair of boxers that he’d, presumably, been wearing beneath his clothing the whole time. And ahead of him stood Sauna Egg who, for all intents and purposes, looked more like Picky Tomato. This was an entirely new, unexpected, and entirely unprofessional turn of events for the man. After all, guest’s were guests, and it’d be a terrible shame upon both himself and his establishment if it were anything more. As such, through a voice plagued with hesitance, he speaks – “...Yes, that’s fine. Please, take this opportunity to um, rest and relax, Potato Cookie. I’ll place your clothes in a locker and begin preparing your ba-” … “Haha, hold on! Why not relax with me, yeah?”
That was not protocol.
“Ah, um, if you’d like…?”
And neither was that response.
And now, quite unfortunately (or fortunately, he’d felt a bit conflicted), Sauna Egg found himself sitting directly next to his fellow cookie. While attempts were made to place a bit of distance, equally convincing statements were made to keep the two close. And close they were, shoulder-to-shoulder, as the owner felt the farmer’s heat radiating off of his dough. It led his mind to wander; the sauna rooms were renovated not too long after Sauna Egg had taken over, with a common complaint regarding them stating how they actually weren’t very heated at all. A father-son duo visited around this time, both some sort of pepper, and while the man hadn’t said a single negative statement… his son had said quite clearly that, “Hmph! Even a cookie as heated as that weak Fire Spirit would get put out!” Needless to say, he’d made the changes not long after.
Returning to his current predicament, he makes an attempt to check on the cookie who’d been rather quiet this whole time. Turning his face towards the man beside him, shock courses through him as he realizes that, as far as he can tell, Potato had the idea first. “Ah, sorry. Didn’t mean to stare.” Is all that comes out of Potato's mouth, as he quickly returns to looking forward, leaving Sauna Egg right where he’d been prior.
“Hey, um… wanna tell me about your farm?”
Honestly, Sauna Egg had no idea how much time had passed since they’d left the steam room. He also, shockingly enough, didn’t seem to really care…? Well, to an extent – he’d be mortified if it turned out a customer had been left behind in the lobby, but that thought had gotten squashed by the far greater thought of, ‘wow, Potato Cookie is such a great guy!’. In the time since they’d entered the baths together, he’d learned of how Potato had been raising his siblings himself, the struggles he’s had in getting the farm together – a story which Sauna found himself relating a fair bit to – and that he’s apparently met Shine Muscat herself? If he hadn’t caught himself at the time, he might’ve asked for an autograph then and there.
And of course, Potato wasn’t left the sole speaker. Sauna Egg had shared a fair bit about himself to the farmer, from his history with the sauna itself, to the renovation process, and all of the great people he’s met. And much to the owner’s pleasure, he seemed quite interested in all he had to say; his eyes never once did leave his face, and even if they did, they never quite stopped gazing at Sauna Egg himself…
“...yeah, and outside of the little incident with Orange Tanghulu, it’s been going pretty well around here! Maybe next time you could bring your siblings, maybe they’d get along!”
“D’you wanna visit my farm?”
“There’s also this other family, they're all Puddi- come again?”
Admittedly, amongst his rambling, Sauna Egg didn’t hear what Potato had said at all – which left him quite confused and, more importantly, very nervous when he’d seen his friend’s (Yes, friend! Sauna Egg was pretty pleased with that advancement, he had to admit.) face. Because, much like he’d been a couple hours prior, the farmer looked as if he’d gone from being made from potatoes to… tomatoes.
“You should come visit my farm, meet my siblings, all that. I think they’d like you.”
“You think so? I think I’m a little awkward, I’d probably mess it up..”
“Don’t think so, ‘sides, they usually wind up liking whatever I like – even if it takes a little convincing.”
Oh! That was one problem solved, then. If Potato Cookie already liked him, then Sauna Egg was sure he’d be fine. Y’know, if Potato Cookie liked him. Potato Cookie likes him? Huh?
“You… like me?” … “Mm…” The owner could only watch as the farmer quickly brought the rim of his cap downwards – obscuring his incredibly reddened expression. Despite the act, however, he continues to speak. “Y’seem like a good guy, and I really don’t leave the farm all too often. Figured I’d shoot my shot, ‘fore I gotta head back.” … “Oh.”
For all his observations regarding the other man, Sauna couldn’t say he was doing all that better. The sudden confession left him pretty bewildered– after all, Potato was definitely his type, no doubt about it. But he really didn’t anticipate all this, and definitely not with a customer! Is he breaking some sort of ethics here? Would he take a step outside, and immediately be met with M.E.H’s non-magic department? All sorts of scenarios begin running through his mind, as the other man speaks once more.
“You uh… don’t gotta say yes. Didn’t even really ask if you were interested in, y’know… Sorry, I’m gonna head back over now – the bath was lovely an’-” With a splash, Sauna Egg pops out the water, nabbing a confused and, very much unprepared Potato Cookie; dragged towards the back of the Simmering Syrup Sauna, the two find themselves outside.
“Okay, you’re no longer my customer, so… yeah, I’d love to see your farm, Potato Cookie!” With words infused with such joy, the farmer finds himself struck in the heart once more. Taking a moment to think, he’d found the sauna’s owner to be pretty appealing from the start. Similarly to himself, Sauna Egg seemed pretty dedicated to what he does, and Potato could respect that. And, outside of respect, he definitely found himself enjoying the looks the owner would send his way – when he hadn’t noticed he’d been caught, of course.
And so, when the other man had attempted to worm himself away, onto other tasks, he realized that… he didn’t really want that. Potato wanted to get to know the guy he’d had such a good impression of, and considering the length of time it’d taken to get here, he didn’t figure he’d have much of another opportunity. And thank sugar he had, as their conversations were some of the most enjoyable he’d had since the farming competition he’d been in, months prior. If his feelings had initially been mere intrigue, now, Potato found himself falling, hard. Harder than when he’d fallen off pigtatoes as a youth.
“I didn’t wanna say it back there since, y’know, you’re a paying customer and all… but since we’re out here, I can say I um, uh… like you too. I wanna keep talking, like this, if that’s.. cool.” Stumbling over words like slippery floors, the farmer watched as the owner continued sharing his thoughts. And continued, and kept going, on and on…
‘Til those words were put on pause, with some abrupt action from the former.
Pulling apart after a few moments, both men find themselves without much to say – a running theme of the day, it seemed. That was, until a certain detective happened to be strolling past, taking notice of the two. “Hey, just what are you two doing out here?! Where are your clothes!?” With blank stares in response, the two can only look downwards as they realize, surprise surprise, running out of baths without a moment’s thought isn’t exactly the wisest action. What is, however, is immediately turning back inside, to avoid an actual meeting with M.E.H.
“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking! Please, on my behalf, all future visits will be covered by me!” Rushed words spilling out, Potato can only find himself laughing, offering a comforting pat on his fellow cookie’s back. Upon contact, Sauna Egg’s immediately caught by Potato’s next statement.
“It’s fine, really! If ya really wanna make it up to me, you could maybe… come visit the farm, with me? After today, I think we both deserve a break from the sauna.”