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Mason was a werewolf. Literally, hairy, burly, with a sense of smell so sharp he could tell when Kieran ate the chocolate hidden at the bottom of the drawer. And that was strange, because Kieran was a vampire and couldn’t eat sweets… but Mason kept an eye on him just in case.
Kieran, his boyfriend, was exactly the opposite. Cold, proud, allergic to cheesy nonsense, and according to him genetically incapable of tolerating ridiculous nicknames like “fluffy bear” or “my darling Dracula.” Still, for some inexplicable reason of the universe or a very explicable supernatural force called "soulmates", he put up with him. Or rather… he loved him, even if he sometimes wanted to throw a slipper at his head.
And well… how to start this?
Mason’s birthday was just a few days away, and Kieran, in a burst of inspiration or possibly a temporary delusion made an absurd decision: “I’m going to bake him a cake. With my own hands.”
But, there’s always a but. And it was a small problem: Kieran cooked about as well as a solid rock. He had learned the basics out of necessity to keep his boyfriend from starving, because when Mason cooked… his rice tasted like sadness, and his last attempt at brownies ended with the microwave imploding. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say leaving Mason alone in the kitchen was a health hazard.
So, even though Kieran didn’t need to eat and lived entirely on a liquid diet, pure blood, he had become the household chef purely for survival.
But a cake was another story. And a birthday cake… required help.
That’s when Julia appeared. An old schoolmate, the same one who had kissed Mason once during a game of spin the bottle at a Halloween party, many years ago. They were young, stupid, and drunk… well, except Kieran. Perks of being a vampire: he couldn’t get drunk.
Fate had crossed their paths again by accident at a mall, and after a quick chat and a lot of awkward laughter, they discovered they were now neighbors. Julia, to top it all off and to the despair and jealousy of Mason, was a professional baker.
And worst of all: way too charming to be human, in Mason’s own words.
Julia didn’t know Mason was a werewolf, nor that Kieran was a vampire. But after a few meetings, some strange clues, and an uncanny ability to connect dots that shouldn’t be connected, she started suspecting something weird.
Like how Kieran never ate anything, how Mason could tell when the neighbor three houses down was cooking fish… and how both of them had absurdly perfect skin for two guys who claimed not to use any skincare.
—Are you like… models? Or aliens?—
She’d once joked.
Kieran just looked away, nervous for some reason. Julia took it as confirmation.
While Mason went running through the woods, Kieran escaped to Julia’s house to practice his cake-making mission. He thought he was being discreet: he wore perfume, changed his clothes… but forgot one small detail, Mason had a better nose than a trained bloodhound.
And the smell of vanilla and frosting all over him… reeked of betrayal.
Mason started to suspect. He had no proof, but plenty of imagination.
He started connecting the dots, most of them very badly, until he convinced himself of the worst.
He ended up crying on his mother’s carpet, while one of his brothers recorded him for social media.
—You know I’m not the biggest fan of your relationship…—
Said his mother, sipping her hot chocolate.
—But I don’t think Kieran is cheating on you. He’s way too… stiff for that.—
Mason looked at her, betrayed. She ignored him with the practiced ease of someone who had raised a dramatic werewolf.
And well…
Everything exploded the day before his birthday.
That day, Mason followed Kieran’s scent. He came home earlier than usual and, using his nose as a compass, ended up in front of Julia’s house.
The door was slightly open, the smell of chocolate, sugar, and "his vampire" was everywhere.
He kicked the door open dramatically and stormed into the kitchen, following the scent.
—WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!—
He roared like an over-the-top telenovela actor.
Kieran looked at him from the kitchen, frosting on his face, a bowl in one hand and a pink spatula in the other. The element of surprise had clearly gone out the window.
—What does it look like? I’m trying to bake you a cake, you dramatic, hairy queen.—
He replied, clearly annoyed.
Julia, in the corner, slowly backed away toward the exit. Not out of fear, just pure caution. She had once seen Mason get jealous over a scarf. Literally, Kieran loved that scarf so much that it mysteriously disappeared.
—A cake?... For who?—
Mason growled, jaw tight.
—FOR YOU, you hairy idiot! Tomorrow’s your birthday! It was a surprise!—
Julia raised an eyebrow, caught between confusion and entertainment, before speaking.
—Of all the times I’ve been mistaken for someone’s lover… this is by far the sweetest.—
Mason blinked, stunned, as if his brain was still processing everything.
—For me?—
—Yes, chocolate cake with liquor, because I didn’t know if you’d prefer drunk or diabetic. SURPRISE!—
The werewolf stood still for a few seconds. Then he threw himself at Kieran like a giant puppy, hugging him tightly. Kieran growled but didn’t pull away.
—You’re a jealous idiot.—
Kieran muttered, nibbling on his ear.
—And you’re an adorable grump who bakes me cakes…—
Julia, pretending to wipe away fake tears, snorted.
—Can you take your adorable couple moment somewhere else before the neighbors call the cops over all the yelling? Also… when were you going to tell me you’re not exactly… human?—
Both of them stared at her in silence.
Mason realized he literally had his claws out and his eyes glowing golden.
Kieran had his fangs out… probably from the fight and the heat of the moment.
—Nah, don’t tell me. I’m starting to get it: the perfect skin, the weird diet, the way Mason sniffs everything… And you, Kieran, look like you walked straight out of a sexy vampire movie.—
She shrugged and served herself a slice of cake.
—Get out. Go have sex or… whatever it is supernatural boyfriends do after almost yelling each other to death.—
And yes.
That night, they had cake, or at least Mason did; Kieran couldn't... But in the end, they held each other while watching old movies, and Mason promised Kieran he would never doubt him again.
The next morning, Kieran found him blocking Julia’s number on his phone.
—Again? You know she’s our neighbor, right?—
—JUST IN CASE!—
—You need therapy.—
—I need therapy WITH YOU!—
And so they lived happily ever after: jealous, grumpy, and disgustingly sweet… at least until the next birthday.