Chapter Text
21st February
It was Saturday, the sun slowly sinking toward the horizon
“I’m back.. ” Heizou mumbled as he stepped into the house
“Here, love!!” Kazuha called from the kitchen
Heizou dropped his things onto the living room table and headed toward the kitchen
A figure with platinum-blond hair, streaked with crimson met his eyes. A sight enough to ease Heizou’s tension from work
Kazuha seemed to be searching for something in the kitchen cabinets, standing on his toes to reach higher
Heizou’s lips curved into a soft smile, walked up behind Kazuha, slipping his arms around his lover’s waist
Kazuha startled and straightened up “A—ah.. Heizou.. ” His face flushed red
Heizou rested his head in the crook of Kazuha’s neck, inhaling his scent “..You smell nice”
“Are.. you okay, love? How’s work?“ Kazuha asked
“Stressful, what’re you doing anyway?” Heizou asked, nuzzling a little deeper into him
“I.. I’m preparing the ingredients to make creampuffs for Kokomi’s birthday!!” Kazuha replied happily as he shifted slightly to face Heizou
“Isn’t it tomorrow.. can I help, please~?” Heizou pleaded with puppy eyes facing Kazuha, his arms still wrapped tightly around Kazuha’s waist
Kazuha shook his head, smiling “Nuh-uh, go get yourself washed first and.. I've prepared dinner for you!”
“Hmph! Shooing me away, are you?” Heizou pouted, reluctantly letting go of Kazuha’s waist
Kazuha chuckled lightly, watching Heizou make his way out of the kitchen
“Don’t start without me!!” Heizou shouted
(x///x)
“That’s a lottt of ingredients!” Heizou exclaimed, his eyes scanning the kitchen counter “Quick, Kazuha.. what’s first?”
Kazuha laughed softly, rolling up his sleeves “First, we start with the dough” He analyzed the recipe book in his hand carefully
Heizou peeked at him “Where did you get the recipe book from?”
“Um.. it’s my mom’s. Now get me a saucepan, please?” Kazuha replied
“Yes, chef Kazuha!” Heizou hurried to the cabinet full of kitchen utensils, rifling through them “Is it this one?” he asked, holding one up
“Nope.. that’s for soup, The one we need is a bit smaller.. like that!” Kazuha said, pointing at a slightly smaller pan
Heizou gave him a deadpan look “Man.. that’s the same!” He lifted the smaller saucepan and walked over to Kazuha, handing it to him
“No, if you actually knew how to cook” Kazuha giggled, placing the saucepan on the electric stove
Heizou crossed his arms, looking at his lover in disbelief “Whattt, I just don’t have time to learn!!”
“Now you’ll learn, starting with creampuffs!” Kazuha chuckled, handing him a stick of butter
Heizou eyed the stick in his hand “Uh.. what’s with this?”
“You said you wanted to help, no?” Kazuha asked, raising an eyebrow
“Y—yeah, duh!” Heizou blurted, flustered
Kazuha smiled gently “Good.. Now, put the butter in the saucepan.. all of it”
“All of it? Are we making a diabetes creampuff??” Heizou asked, but went ahead and added the butter anyway
His lover chuckled softly “Its just 113 gram, darling”
“Still a lot..” Heizou muttered
“Alright, the saucepan is mine for now” Kazuha carefully poured water into a cup, measuring it precisely ½ cup
“W—what.. I can’t help now?!” Heizou pouted, crossing his arms
“We don’t want these creampuffs to look bad, do we?” Kazuha said, glancing at Heizou’s adorably pouted face from the corner of his eye
“You don’t trust meee?!” he whined
Kazuha chuckled softly “Don’t be sad.. This part is just tricky. We need to measure everything precisely”
“Fine.. ” Heizou mumbled, leaning over the counter
Slowly, Kazuha measured ½ cup of whole milk into the saucepan. Then he stirred in 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt and let it sit over medium heat
“Alright.. your turn. Stir gently until it boils, then take it off the heat” Kazuha handed Heizou a wooden spoon
“Yesss finally!!” Heizou exclaimed, grabbing the spoon eagerly and starting to stir
He stirred.. and stirred.. and stirred.. and sti— “Kazuhaaa, is this boiling yet?!”
Kazuha glanced at the saucepan “Nope! One more minute, dear”
The moment it finally began to bubble, Kazuha stepped in, carefully taking the saucepan off the heat. He added a cup of flour all at once, stirring for a moment before placing it back over medium heat
“Now, stir again” Kazuha leaned back, handing the spoon over
Heizou’s eyes blinked once.. twice.. thrice “Again?! Man alivee.. ” but he started stirring anyway
“Keep stirring for about.. two minutes” Kazuha smirked “It helps release the extra moisture and partially cooks the flour, so the dough comes together properly” he explained
Heizou leaned closer to the saucepan “Whoa.. it’s turning into actual dough”
Kazuha giggled. “It is a dough!”
“Shut up.. I know that” Heizou pouted, side-eyeing him while still stirring
As soon as the mixture turned thick and glossy, Kazuha transferred it into a mixing bowl and switched on the electric mixer, beating it at medium speed
“Ah.. that’s loud” Heizou murmured, covering his ear
“Y—yeah.. I hate this part, honestly” Kazuha replied, keeping it going for about a minute to let the mixture cool slightly
Then, Kazuha switched off the mixer and cracked an egg into the bowl “Your turn.. Crack 3 more eggs” he said, glancing at Heizou
“Absolutelyyy!!” Heizou exclaimed, carefully picking up an egg, his hands shaking slightly with excitement “I got this.. ” he muttered, cracking it into the mixture
“That’s the way!” Kazuha said softly, standing close behind him
The third egg went in, and Heizou’s confidence soared “Waa~ This is actually.. fun!”
On the fourth Heizou got a little too excited, and a tiny piece of eggshell fell into the dough
Heizou froze “Ah.. Kazuha! I—I dropped a shell!” he panicked
Kazuha leaned over and flicked it out from the mixture with ease “It’s okay, dear”
Heizou cheeks burning red “S—sorryy.. Kazuha.. ”
Kazuha smiled gently. “Nope, a tiny drop of eggshell can’t hurt us, can it?”
Heizou’s eyes sparkled with pride “I helped make creampuff dough.. I can’t believe ittt!” He clapped his hands and bounced up and down
Kazuha chuckled “It’s only just the dough”
“Wha—! It’s a biiigg achievement for me! You need to be proud of mee!!” Heizou squealed
“Alright then, I am sooo proud of you my deer~” Kazuha replied with a teasing smile
Then he picked up the electric mixer again, beating the mixture for another minute until the dough was smooth and thick enough to form a ribbon when lifted
“Now.. we get to the best part! Hand me the piping bag, please” Kazuha said
Heizou raised an eyebrow “What’s.. a piping bag?”
“The cone-shaped plastic one” Kazuha replied
“Huh.. this one?” Heizou handed him a clear plastic bag with a steel point fitter and a half-inch round tip
“Thanks.. ” Kazuha smiled and carefully transferred the mixture into it, making sure it was all tucked in neatly
Then Kazuha set the piping bag aside and grabbed a baking tray. He measured and cut a piece of parchment paper to fit perfectly, laying it carefully on the tray
He piped out two small mounds, each about ½ inch in diameter and ½ inch tall
“You need to keep them about an inch apart” he instructed Heizou “so they have room to rise and the peaks don’t form”
Heizou nodded, concentrating “Okay..”
“Here, give it a try” Kazuha said, handing him the piping bag
Heizou nodded eagerly and started piping. One mound.. two mounds.. three mounds.. four.. five.. six..
“Heizou.. this one’s too big” Kazuha pointed at the third mound, trying not to laugh
“Ugh, man alive.. my hand’s sore!” Heizou groaned, letting go of the piping bag and shaking his hand
“You’ve only piped six.. mounds” Kazuha sighed, gently taking the bag from him
With ease, Kazuha started piping, each mound neat and perfectly spaced. One.. two.. three.. four.. five..
Heizou watched his lover, wide-eyed, as Kazuha worked his way across the tray, mound after mound forming flawlessly
By the time Kazuha reached twenty-two perfect mounds, Heizou was staring at him in disbelief
“Twenty— what?!” Heizou exclaimed “How.. how are they all so perfect?!”
Kazuha just chuckled softly “It’s patience, my little deer”
With the piping done, Kazuha turned to the oven “I’ve already preheated it to 218°c.. ” he said, placing the tray inside “Now we’ll bake the creampuffs at 162°c for about 20 to 22 minutes or until the top is golden brown”
Heizou leaned closer, eyes sparkling with excitement “I can’t wait to see them puff up!”
Kazuha smiled, adjusting the tray “We’ll make the filling now” he said, finally closing the oven door
They rested at the kitchen counter, Kazuha opened the recipe book “2 cups of chilled heavy whipping cream.. 4 tablespoons.. 1 teaspoon vanilla.. ” he muttered
“Do we even have those things?” Heizou leaned over to peek
Kazuha closed the book “Well, I went shopping while you were at work this morning” he said
He walked over to the freezer and pulled out an olive container filled with heavy whipping cream, then made his way to the shelf full of small bottles in all sorts of colors
A poison? Heizou thought, eyes wide in horror
Kazuha set them carefully on the counter, lining it up neatly. Heizou picked up the small glass-bottles that Kazuha had taken from the shelf and examined it closely
Best of the Bestest Vanilla Extract In The Entire Teyvat
Heizou exhaled in relief “What’s wrong?” Kazuha asked, bringing up another mixing bowl from who knows where
“N—nothing.. ” Heizou stammered
Kazuha smirked “We’re not killing anyone tomorrow, chill my deer” he chuckled, as if he could read Heizou’s mind
“Wha—duh! I’m a detective” Heizou said, laughing awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck
“Um.. first, chilled heavy whipping cream” Kazuha held up the olive container
“Can I.. pleaseee do it??” Heizou begged, giving him the biggest puppy eyes
Kazuha glanced at him “Well.. sure! Let me measure it first”
“Nooo, let me do it all!!” Heizou whined, his voice squeaking
“A—alright.. ” Kazuha surrendered, handing Heizou the container
Heizou practically bounced with excitement “Thanksss, Kazuha~”
Kazuha stayed close behind him, helping him measure carefully. One cup of chilled heavy whipped cream.. and another cup..
Then 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and finally a teaspoon of vanilla extract. He guided Heizou’s hands, making sure everything went into the mixing bowl without spilling
“Now.. mix it” Kazuha picked up the electric mixer and handed it to him
Heizou paused, staring at it for a second “You know what.. I’ll let you do that instead” he said, backing away, giving Kazuha space
“Don’t you wanna do it all? Or are you just.. scared?” Kazuha raised a brow, a teasing smirk on his lips as he let out a quiet chuckle
“Nooo.. it’s just— just do it, please?” Heizou mumbled
“Aww.. my little deer is scared? That’s sooo adorable~ And yet, you’re a detective whose job involves blood?” Kazuha teased, giggling softly as he turned on the mixer and began beating the mixture
The soft whir filled the kitchen as the cream began to thicken. Kazuha kept a steady hand, mixing over medium-high speed for about two minutes, until the mixture turned light and fluffy
Then, he lifted the mixer slightly “Perfect” He set it aside before transferring the cream into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip
“And.. you’re ready to assemble!” Kazuha announced cheerfully
Suddenly— Ting!
The deafening chime of the oven timer rang through the kitchen. Kazuha turned toward it immediately, slipping on oven mitts before carefully pulling out the tray of golden creampuff shells
“We need to let them cool until they reach room temperature,” he said, setting the tray down on the counter “If we fill them while they’re still warm, the cream will melt”
Heizou leaned in close, eyes sparkling as he stared at the freshly baked shells “They already look sooo good~” he squealed, poking one with his index finger
Kazuha chuckled softly “Don’t poke it, deer.. you’ll ruin it”
They moved to sit on the stools around the kitchen counter, letting the quiet hum of the room fill the air
Heizou.. however, could barely stay still, constantly sneaking glances at the tray
“I think it’s already cooled?” he asked.. for the fourth time
“Patience.. ” Kazuha replied with a soft chuckle “It’s only been 5 minutes!”
(x///x)
Twenty minutes passed, and the creampuff shells had finally reached room temperature
“Now.. we fill them up with cream!” Kazuha said cheerfully, taking the piping bag and picking up one of the shells
“You simply push it into the side of a cream puff and.. they are hollow inside so it should go in easily” Kazuha demonstrated “Once you’ve got it in there, just pipe the cream inside until you feel some pushback”
“Oooh~ there it is!” Heizou exclaimed as the cream filled the shell all the way to the top
Kazuha nodded “Yep! There, you do it.” He handed the piping bag to Heizou
“Alrightyyy!” Heizou said, grabbing it happily
As Heizou piped the cream into the shells, Kazuha glanced away for just a second to grab another tray
“This is the time.. !” Heizou whispered to himself. With a mischievous grin, he flicked a tiny blob of cream onto Kazuha’s left cheek
Kazuha startled “Heizouuu!!”
Before Heizou could react, Kazuha snatched the piping bag from him “Here’s your revenge!” he exclaimed, flicking a blob of cream right at Heizou’s nose
Heizou squealed, grabbing a small dollop from the tray and flicking it at Kazuha’s cheek
“Ahhh!” Kazuha yelped, quickly flicking cream back at his lover
The kitchen quickly turned into a battlefield of whipped cream. Heizou ducked, only to get a tiny splat on his forehead. He laughed, reaching to smear some cream onto Kazuha’s chin, but Kazuha was too quick, flicking a blob straight onto Heizou’s shoulder
“Think you can get away!” Heizou squealed, grabbing another blob, but Kazuha swooped in and blocked his hand
“Not so fast~” Kazuha teased, smearing a little cream on Heizou’s cheeks in a playful jab
Heizou gasped “Nooo! My pretty face!!” He flopped onto the floor, dramatically sniffling
“Oh, my cute little deer.. ” Kazuha chuckled softly, crouching down in front of him to gently wipe the smear off his cheek with a tissue
Heizou smirked and flicked a blob at Kazuha’s shoulder, but Kazuha caught it midair, smearing it across Heizou’s forehead instead
Heizou’s eyes widened as he tried to defend himself, but Kazuha was relentless, smearing cream across his cheeks and dabbing a tiny blob onto his jaw
“Stoppp!!” Heizou whined, clutching his face and dramatically falling forward to him, only to poke a little cream on Kazuha’s right cheek
Kazuha tried to dodge, but Heizou managed to flick another tiny blob onto his temple “Gotcha!” he squealed
Kazuha grinned “Not bad.. ” he said, leaning closer and dabbing a little cream along Heizou’s chin in a playful counterattack
“I’m.. ruined!!” Heizou wailed
“You look adorable, actually.. ” Kazuha said, brushing a strand of hair from Heizou’s forehead “ ..and ridiculous!”
Heizou pouted, giving him a cute-sharp glare then giggled as he flicked a tiny blob back at Kazuha’s chin
Kazuha squealed in mock outrage “That’s it! No mercy now!”
They dashed around the kitchen, giggling and leaping onto the kitchen counter
They laughed so hard they could barely keep their balance, knocking over a spoon or two, while Heizou flailed his arms and pretended to wail like a little child every time a cream landed on him
Finally, the two collapsed against each other on the stools, exhausted, laughing and breathless
Their faces were a complete mess of whipped cream, and the kitchen echoed with their happy giggles
(x///x)
The couple had finally finished piping fillings into all thirty creampuffs. They even had to make another batch of the cream because the first had all been used up in their playful war
Heizou’s eyes sparkled as he glanced at the tray, a mix of perfectly piped and slightly messy creampuffs. “I want to eat one.. ” he murmured
“Sure, just one” Kazuha replied while washing the dishes in the sink
Heizou wolfed down one.. Then, he quickly ate two more
“Well.. Kazuha doesn’t see, does he? It’s not a problem then” Heizou thought, grinning
Just then— “Heizouuu! You really ate three?! I told you only one, right?” Kazuha scolded him
Oh no..
“Uhh.. I—I couldn’t help it! They taste sooo good.. Y—You should try one!!” Heizou stammered, his cheeks flushed red
“Mhm.. perhaps i should, in case it’s too sweet” Kazuha hummed, taking one in his hand and eating it slowly
Heizou watched him, eyes sparkling. “Yummy, isn’t it?”
Kazuha chuckled softly, wiping a stray smear of cream from Heizou’s nose “Yep! But we have to save these for Kokomi’s birthday tomorrow. Let’s store them carefully in the freezer first”
Together, they gently transferred the creampuffs into a clean container, making sure none got squished, and placed it carefully in the freezer
Heizou peeked inside “They all look so pretty!!”
Kazuha smiled softly “Mhm.. tomorrow they’ll look even better. We’ll dust them with powdered sugar because sugar doesn’t stay nice in the freezer”
Heizou’s eyes lit up “I.. can’t wait!” he bounced with excitement
Kazuha ruffled his hair gently “Alright.. we’ve done enough mischief for today. Let’s clean ourselves up and rest”
Heizou leaned against him “I.. I’ve never baked like this before… not even with my family” he admitted quietly “It’s.. surprisingly fun”
Kazuha chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head “Aw really? Then.. we’ve just made unforgettable memories!”
“Mhm” Heizou hummed, snuggling closer, the warmth of Kazuha’s side and the lingering scent of baked dough and whipped cream making him feel.. home, in a way he hadn’t felt before
For the first time, Heizou had experienced a real baking adventure.. and he wouldn’t trade a single messy, cream-covered second of it.