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A strong scent of… flour and fresh dough filled Geo’s nostrils. He opened his eyes in confusion, blinking a few times as he adjusted to the darkness of his room.
Who was baking at night?
Geo shifted, flinging the duvet away and blindingly stumbling to his bedroom door. When he opened the door almost silently, light washed over him from around the corner. He continued to creep forward, placing a firm hand on the corner of the wall before peeping around.
It was Cole, bathed under the warm lighting of the flickering light bulb. He was baking. Geo wasn't sure what, but he smelt a hint of chocolate.
Geo stepped out from the corner. He didn't wish to frighten Cole, but he also desperately desired to know why he was up this late baking.
“Cole?” Geo’s voice was surprisingly raspy, laced with the evidence of it being late at night.
Cole hadn't seemed to have heard. He continued on with his baking, opening the oven and placing whatever it was inside. Heat wafted out, comforting and gentle.
“Coleee…” Geo dragged his words in a sing-song voice. Finally, Cole turned around on his heel, surprised at the sudden arrival.
Geo chuckled, he was caked in flour: head to toe. An amusing sight, indeed, but the fact it was this late made Geo feel concerned instead.
“What're you doing, baking at this hour? You were meant to be asleep sometime ago.” Urged Geo as he approached him gently, still internally amused at the flour smudged across his face and resting in his hair.
Cole cleared his throat and placed the bowl on the counter. His movements were rather sluggish, edged with enervation.
“I– um. I couldn't sleep.” Cole stated, awkwardly placing his right palm on the counter to support his weight. He acted as if he were caught committing theft and was hiding the prized possession in clear sight.
Geo furrowed his brows but let out a giggle. “Oh, silly. This is what you do when you can't sleep?”
“Well, where did you think all the surprise baked goods came from?” Cole retaliated with an unguarded laugh, sweet and cheery, which contrasted with his sunken eyes.
“I appreciate them, as usual, but I didn't know you did it at this hour! That's not healthy.” Argued Geo, voice almost cracking.
“I know… but I thought it'd be a useful way to spend time instead of aimlessly laying there.” Cole somewhat agreed, attempting to brush some flour on his nose. It just smudged even more.
Geo, again, chuckled. He went to the sink, watered a towel and brought it to Cole’s face. He began wiping away the excess grains, revealing his dark, smooth skin underneath. Cole leaned into the touch, staring deeply into Geo’s face, admiring all his features: the way his tusks caught the light, his soft eyes and his radiating, purple skin, that was littered with patterns.
“Do you always have problems sleeping?” Enquired Geo as he wrung out the towel over the makeshift sink, the drops of water rhythmically thumping out.
“Not always.” He shyly admitted before awkwardly chuckling. “I find myself more awake than asleep, though.”
“Why didn't you tell me?” Geo asked.
“I… uh, I guess I just didn't want to.” Answered Cole.
Geo sighed, rather disappointed to hear the words come from Cole's mouth.
“I'm sorry–”
“It's fine. I just… I just care about you.” Geo quickly cut him off, clasping Cole’s hands delicately, feeling the way they were quivering.
There was a soft silence that hung between them as Cole looked down at their hands and then up at him. Cole nodded a few times.
“I appreciate that. Truly.”
“I know.” Geo replied gently, looking into his eyes with admiration and soft, undying compassion.
Intimate, restorative silence filled them again until Cole sprung into action, remembering his goods were still in the blazing oven.
“Oh, shit!” He exclaimed as he quickly opened the oven. He opened the door and heat filled his face. He touched the tray with the tip of his finger, immediately wincing – “ah.” – before speedily grabbing a dry tea towel to take out the tray.
“Ohh, hot, hot!” Cole whispered under his breath before sliding the tray onto the counter top and turning the oven off.
Geo crept over, looking at what was in the tray. It was a dozen chocolate biscuits.
“They look good. Surprised they baked so quickly.” Geo stated.
Cole brushed his hands together after he had placed the oven glove to the side.
“Thanks! I did a higher temperature. It was a test, really. I'm glad it worked, though.” Cole explained.
“Go on, try one.” Cole eagerly added.
Geo smiled and took one. It was hot so he took a quick bite and placed it down. There was a satisfying crunch.
“Mmhh, ‘is good.” Geo tasted, mouth full.
Cole beamed a smile. “Yay! I'll let them cool down naturally then for the morning. The kids will love ‘em.”
“For sure.” Geo smiled, finishing it off.
Cole watched, a little too intently.
“Right, stop gawking! You're off to bed.” Geo announced.
Cole grumbled in reply, hunching his shoulders over. “Mmhhhhggg… fine.”
“Atta boy.” Geo teased.
Cole gave him a disapproving, withering side-eye, unamused with his joke comment.
“Remind me to force the biscuit down your throat next time.” Cole remarked.
Geo just laughed, throwing the threat through the window.
They walked together. Geo left last, turning the lights off.
He shuffled in the darkness behind Cole. He was burning to ask him if he'd like to sleep with him… no, not like that… argh!
“Cole!” It came out urgent like a needy squeak.
He heard Cole stop and turn around. “Hm?”
“Would you… ah… like tooooo, uh, sleep with me…? Not in that way! Like…”
“Sure. It might help me sleep better.” Cole cut him off, entirely deadpan.
Geo released his breath. He hadn't even realised he was holding it. Damn. He has got to work on his… way of conversing.
“Okay.” Geo verbalised, “okay.”
They walked to his room in darkness, but when Geo entered, he turned his bedside lamp on so the two could crawl under the covers safely. Cole by the wall and Geo beside him. He then turned the lamp off and they shifted to face each other in the dark.
“Thanks for the biscuit. It was good.” Geo said to break the rather awkward silence. His heart was racing, honestly. Oh, come on, he's a grown adult.
“I'm sorry for waking you, but I'm glad it happened.” Cole spoke slowly, his voice etched with fatigue.
Geo smiled, blush creeping onto his face. “Of course… now shh.”
Cole didn't argue with that. He was out like a light. And Geo just watched as the man's breathing evened out. Geo soon followed and with the comfort of Cole, he fell asleep swiftly.
In the morning, Geo woke first. Cole was sound asleep next to him. That was no surprise to Geo. He was an early riser.
He left the room and entered the kitchen, where he, surprisingly, found the kids eating the biscuits Cole had baked last night.
"Geo, I think we have a baking fairy!" Spitz called, his mouth full of the delicious dessert.
Fritz, beside him, nodded, clearly satisfied with what he was devouring.
Geo just laughed at the two.
"Alright, god! Save some for me, Bonzle and Cole, yeah?" Geo had to lunge at them as he realised they were not going to stop eating them until they were all gone.
Fritz and Spitz laughed in unison as Geo tackled them for the remaining biscuits.