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"You want me to teach you baking?"
"Apple pie, to be precise, yes."
It had taken Emmrich almost all morning to gather his courage and ask Lucanis for help. After he'd tried a recipe he'd found in one of his very few books on baking the day before and been utterly disappointed by it, he'd resolved to seek out Lucanis.
Purely for the recipe, of course.
That's how he found himself standing in the kitchen one afternoon with a confused looking Lucanis before him who had been ready to prepare dinner for the evening.
"If I am imposing, you only need to say the word. I merely thought that your unique talents could be quite helpful." Emmrich chose to ignore the faint blush he saw creeping into Lucanis' cheeks. A nervous reaction to receiving an unexpected compliment, no doubt.
"No, no. I'd be happy to teach you. We should have everything we need in the pantry already as well. Is there a reason you want to bake this particular pie?", Lucanis asked while he pulled out a bowl from below the counter top.
"It's something my mother used to bake when I was young. Though other than the hazelnut torte, I cannot seem to remember any of her recipes. I already tried one I've found yesterday and unfortunately failed at replicating the taste I remember." Lucanis chuckled and Emmrich raised an inquiring eyebrow.
"I had wondered who baked yesterday, since I know that it wasn't Bellara", Lucanis provided with an easy smile.
"Well, baking has never been my strong suit, no. But I thought I managed quite alright", Emmrich admitted and felt embarrassment curdling in his stomach. Lucanis at least had the decency to appear flustered about what he'd said.
"I'm sorry, Emmrich. I shouldn't have laughed. I was just surprised, that's all. The other's cooking or baking skills leave much to be desired, so I had been wondering who had managed to create something edible for once." Lucanis looked towards the pantry, deep in thought. "Do you still have the recipe you used yesterday?", Lucanis then asked and Emmrich handed him the neatly folded note he had written it down on.
"Was your mother Nevarran?" Lucanis' question made Emmrich pause as irritation bled away into intrigue. He didn't know where Lucanis' question was leading but he was sure it would be well worth it to indulge him.
"No, she was from Antiva, actually." Lucanis' eyes brightened a fraction and the sight made Emmrich's stomach flip.
"Then I might know why the recipe you chose wasn't living up to your memory. And I have an idea on how to fix it but we don't have everything here right now to make that particular change in the recipe. I'll go to the market tomorrow to fetch everything." Those sentences alone made Emmrich realize again how utterly smitten he was with the other man. It was an entirely ridiculous thought to entertain, however. Why would a man as handsome and brilliant as Lucanis want someone like him?
"I couldn't ask you to trouble yourself like that for something like this", Emmrich said in an attempt to temper the heat rising up his neck.
"You didn't ask, I offered. It's no problem at all, Emmrich", Lucanis stated in that flat voice of his that left no room for arguments. Not that Emmrich truly had any objections.
"That is most kind of you, Lucanis. Is there something I can do for you in return?", he asked, clasping his hands together to stop himself from doing something incredibly stupid, like reaching out to the other man. Lucanis glanced at him before looking down at the cutting board in front of him. Emmrich noticed the bags under his eyes more prominently from this angle, sitting like bruises atop his skin.
"Perhaps I could talk to Spite while you slept for a night? So you don't have to worry that he'll take you both through the eluvian", Emmrich offered and saw Lucanis' spine straighten immediately.
"I'm fine. It's really no problem for me to gather everything, so I don't expect anything in return, Emmrich", Lucanis said, each syllable harsher than the next. Emmrich's face softened in sympathy, but a hint of rejection made itself known in his chest too, which he pushed down immediately.
"I'll let you get back to what you were doing, then." He turned to leave Lucanis alone again when he heard a quiet "Thank you, though." behind him and smiled before leaving the kitchen.
Over the next two days, Emmrich had almost forgotten his conversation with Lucanis but only because Neve, Rook and him had chased Venatori leads all over Docktown for the most of it. And while their efforts had been rewarded in the end, he was grateful to be back in the lighthouse. Climbing the steps from the eluvian, he wanted nothing more than to sink into his bed and sleep a while but before the three of them could part ways, they were greeted by Bellara and Harding sitting at the round table in the library.
"Oh, hey guys", Bellara said cheerily while Harding simply waved at them, chewing on something.
"Hey, Bel. What have you got there?", Neve said with a half-smile as she reached the table.
"Lucanis baked pie", Harding provided.
"A lot of apple pie", Bellara said around a mouthful of the same.
When Emmrich got a better view, he saw that on the table were two slightly different kinds of pie. His face began to heat up.
"Did he now?", Rook inquired before taking a piece for themselves and shoveling it into their mouth.
"Almost everyone got their own kind of apple pie over the last two days while you were gone. And I tried almost all of them except for Taash's. Theirs was already gone by the time I got to their room", Harding pouted.
"And they were all really good, but Lucanis said they were not quite right. I think he's still at it in the kitchen, actually", Bellara said as she offered Rook another piece.
Emmrich coughed and Neve shot him a knowing smile. "I think I could use some food before I retire to bed. I'll ask Lucanis about all of the pie when I'm there", he said while resolutely ignoring the other's stares.
"You do that, Emmrich", Neve said before chuckling as he went into the courtyard. Emmrich quickly crossed over to the dining room, his heart hammering away in his chest when he knocked and entered. The sight before him almost took his breath away and he spent an indescribable amount of time simply standing in the door frame, taking in the overwhelming smell of baked goods.
Lucanis was hunched over on the kitchen table, fast asleep it seemed with three distinct apple pies in front of him. Emmrich took a few steps toward the table and could see some flour among Lucanis' hair that had fallen beside his head. Quietly, he pulled back the chair opposite of Lucanis and sat down slowly. His mind had still not quite caught up with what he was seeing.
As curiosity overtook him, Emmrich reached out for the pie on his left.
"No!" He stopped before his hand had grasped the plate and looked up to see Spite standing beside Lucanis. "Not that one. Not enough apples."
Emmrich raised an eyebrow but Spite simply moved to Lucanis' other side and pointed to the pie on Emmrich's right. "This one." Then Spite crouched behind the table and looked at Emmrich with an intense gaze.
"For you." Emmrich slowly reached out for the pie that Spite had pointed out and felt his skin prickle when he touched the plate. Careful not to wake Lucanis, Emmrich moved the plate in front of him and simply looked at the pie for a good while. He couldn't remember the last time someone had gone to such lengths for him. But surely he was only reading too much into this?
"So. Much. Pie." Emmrich startled as Spite talked again, still watching him from across the table. Emmrich smiled a little and tried his best to cut the pie into manageable slices without making too much noise. Then, he took a bite and felt his eyes water at the taste. It was just like he remembered.
"I told him you would like it. But he wanted more pie." Emmrich chuckled but regretted it almost immediately when Lucanis started to stir. Spite gave another grin before he disappeared in a puff of purple haze.
Lucanis' hand came up to scratch at his neck, before he lifted his head and found Emmrich's gaze, his eyes widening when he saw the half eaten slice.
"Emmrich", Lucanis mumbled.
"Hello, Lucanis. I see you've been busy", Emmrich said, covering his own nervousness with as much false bravado as he could muster. Lucanis took some time to respond, in which he straightened in his chair to fully look at Emmrich.
"I wanted to find a good recipe, before you came back so I could show you. I apologize, that one is still lacking somewhat but I have some more recipes I can try." Emmrich's heart swelled with affection. Hearing Lucanis ramble like that was one of the most endearing things Emmrich had ever witnessed.
"It's perfect, Lucanis. I can't even begin to thank you for all the lengths you've gone to." Emmrich took another bite and savored the taste even more.
"I tried to replicate the taste I myself remember from home. I've never baked an apple pie before, so it took some trial and error." Lucanis scratched his neck again and his glance fell away towards something off to the side. "It was no trouble, though. I'm glad you like it, Emmrich."
Taking a deep breath, Emmrich set down the fork and went over to the chair just beside Lucanis whose eyes were glued onto him again. Emmrich then sat down and hesitantly reached out for Lucanis' cheek, ready to pull back at any moment should he see just an inkling of doubt on the other's face. But what little he could gather from Lucanis expression could only be described as relief.
"Please, tell me if I am overstepping", Emmrich whispered but Lucanis simply lowered his other hand from his neck before nodding. Emmrich slowly and carefully wiped away the specks of flour from Lucanis' cheek before settling his hand there when he noticed Lucanis leaning into his touch. Emmrich felt his intense gaze bore into him but he felt himself relax under it. Something settled into place in his chest, making him gasp softly.
Hesitantly, they both leaned forward until their lips met in a feather-light kiss that lasted only a few, beautiful moments before Lucanis leaned back again. Emmrich smiled as he saw the light reddening of Lucanis' cheeks that was surely matched by his own. If Emmrich listened too closely, he could hear Spite cackling from the corner behind him.
Lucanis leaned his forehead against Emmrich's and they stayed like that for a while before Emmrich spoke up again.
"I do hope you are still going to teach me how to bake this one." Lucanis laughed.