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“Bayker!”
Bayker Bhagley yelped, nearly dropping the tray of freshly made strawberry and lemon cupcakes they had just taken from the oven. Quickly they set the tray down, blinking as they turned to face the person who had called out. “Hello, Thailor!”
Sailor smiled brightly, her pipe firmly held between his teeth as a plume of smoke puffed out of it. “Heya, Bayker! I wanted to ask you and Goody somethin’ if you ain’t too busy?”
Bayker wiped their hands off on their apron, sniffing as they set about putting the frosting into piping bags for later. They perked up when Sailor immediately started to help, nodding as they held the bags open while she scooped the frosting into them with a rubber spatula. “Yeth?”
“Is Saul mad at me?” Sailor asked.
“Thaul? Mad?”
“I’ve noticed he gets a little squirrely when I’m around. Have I done something to upset him? Is it because I keep seein’ Lady Cobigail? DID I STEAL LADY COBIGAIL FROM HIM?! ARE WE GONNA HAFTA DUEL FOR HER?!”
Goody snorted from where she stood over by the display case, placing a hand over her mouth to try and cover up her laughter. She shared a look with Bayker, her shoulders shaking. “It’s not that, Sailor!” she said.
“Phew!” Sailor blew an errant lock of hair out of her face, mindful not to taint the frosting with his tobacco smoke. “I woulda felt bad beating up someone so skinny,” she confessed.
Bayker tied the ends of the bags closed and set them down. The cupcakes needed to cool down before they could add frosting to them. “Hath Thaul thaid anything to you?” they asked.
“No, he mostly walks really fast in the opposite direction when he sees me. Sometimes when we do talk, he covers his ears or pulls away. I don’t get it,” Sailor said, looking hurt. He perked up when Goody brought her a cup of hot cider, happily accepting it.
“I know what’s wrong,” Goody hummed.
“Me too,” Bayker agreed.
“Well I would like to know, please!”
The two shared another look before turning to Sailor. “Saul doesn’t like loud noises,” Goody explained.
“You can be a little on the loud thide.”
“And he prefers gentle hugs that don’t feel like a bear is trying to kill you.”
“Or really hard back thlapth. He doethn’t like thothe either.”
“He doesn’t hate you. You just…”
“…overwhelm him thometimeth.”
Sailor hummed, taking a slow sip of his hot cider. She nodded his head, straightening up. “I got it! I gotta be more delicate with him! Like one of those porcelain dolls or something!”
“Thure,” Bayker laughed.
“He kinda looks like a doll sometimes,” Sailor confessed with a soft laugh.
“He does,” Goody agreed.
Bayker checked the cupcakes, nodding their head as they looked up. “Want to help put the frothting on?”
“Do I?!” Sailor cried in excitement.
***
“Howdy, Saul!”
Saul flinched, bracing himself for a powerful hand smacking into his back and knocking the wind from him. He was surprised when instead he only received a slow and gentle pat on his shoulder. He blinked, looking up at Sailor. “He-hello, Sailor…”
Sailor smiled and winked at Saul, putting a finger to the side of her nose as if he were sharing a secret just between the two of them. “Yer sensitive, I got it now! You jus’ don’t like loud noises or roughhousin’ like I do!” Sailor said, lowering his voice for Saul’s ears.
“We-well…”
“Well don’t worry, okay? I’ll make sure to be on my best behavior so you don’t feel uncomfortable!” He put an arm around Saul, pulling the smaller blonde into a side hug that didn’t crush his ribs or make his spine sob for mercy. “We can be friends like this, right?” she asked.
Saul blushed, adjusting his large glasses. “Right! Friends…” He tucked his arms into the sleeves of his robe, smiling nervously up at the other. “I would like that.”
Sailor punched up at the air in excitement, opening her mouth to let out an excited whoop. He stopped when she saw Saul immediately cover his ears in anticipation. She coughed, patting him on the head. “I might have to work on it a little more,” he confessed.
The priest just laughed, returning the hug. “The effort is enough,” he said. Sailor produced a lumpy looking cupcake from her pocket, offering it to Saul. Saul winced as he accepted it, the frosting immediately getting all over the long sleeves of his robe.
Oh well…Cob knew it was the thought that counted.