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It was around 8pm when they finally stumbled through the door, still giggling about all the moments from the day. From spending the morning on FaceTime together, to the afternoon in the basement with their friends, to the amazing movie they went to see a few hours earlier - the day had already been picture perfect.
"If you want any food we might have to order something in," Luke poured himself a glass of water, "I've only got ingredients for things since I've got to do my weekly shop tomorrow."
"Hey, who said we couldn't cook or bake something?" Melanie jokingly acted offended, "I can totally bake something."
"Couldn't you only make brownies for years? Even then Sammy didn't trust your brownies, I don't think anyone really did for the first few times you brought them."
"They were a bit burnt the first few times but I got better at making them," Melanie rolled her eyes, "anyways, I can bake more things now, except you've got cupboards barer than my list of upcoming auditions. The only thing I could bake with all this is brownies."
Luke chuckled, then sarcastically began, "Oh god, she's gonna murder me with her brownies, someone call for help."
Melanie giggled while she began sorting the utensils she needed, "And why would I kill you with brownies when I can get the job done much quicker with other means in this room?"
"Touché, you got me there, sweetheart."
"Gotta keep you on your feet what can I say," Melanie smiled at him, before gesturing to her array of bowls, spoons, a whisk, a fork and a few different knives, "Are you lending a hand or are you gonna get a chair and look pretty while I work my ass off?"
"I do like the sound of that second option, but I'll lend you a hand, your gonna need help with my oven for sure, it's a bit hot and cold at times for me."
"Oh god, if I ever move here, tell me to buy you a new oven or try to bring mine with me."
"Yes ma'am," Luke broke down laughing, with Melanie shortly joining in.
The following half an hour was spent carefully eyeballing the various ingredients for measurements, slicing chocolates and butter, and a lot of hopes and prayers that everything looked right. The scale that Luke had wasn't working, because he hadn't used it in years - "the box mixes don't need exact measurements of flour and sugar and whatever". In return, Melanie preached on how awful box mixes are and demanded that he teaches his daughter the true art of baking, with Luke's rapid retort of "Why don't you teach her?" causing her to go bright red and continue blending the wet ingredients together.
"Are you sure this is actually enough dry ingredients?" Luke started combining the flour with some of the other dry ingredients.
"I think so, I mean you're Mr Gonna Eyeball Everything Because I Don't Teach My Daughter How To Bake Properly," Melanie rolled her eyes sarcastically.
"Maybe we could use a touch more flour," Luke grabbed a handful from the bag.
"No there's enough, maybe some of the other-" She was abruptly cut off by Luke lightly hitting her with a handful of flour on the waist, "Oh, you are so on, Luke".
She grabbed two handfuls of flour and gracefully slid to the other side of the kitchen, meanwhile Luke grabbed another two himself and moved to the other side.
Luke cleared his throat then put on a cliche Western accent, "This town ain't big enough for the two of us, partner".
"It really ain't," Melanie put on an equally awful accent, "And I, the great bandit Melia will take over your town once and for all".
"You certainly won't for I am none other than the sheriff around these parts, the famous Lucentio".
"Oh I've heard many a tail about your undefeated reign over bandits invading your great town," Melanie smirked, "but I will end your great reign once and for all, and become the bandit that leads to your downfall".
"Prepare to go down, partner."
"Right back at you, partner."
They both charged at each other, hurling bits of flour at each other, and marking various flour handprints across each other until they both ran out and leaned against the counter, heads gently leaning into each other.
"Suppose neither of us won, eh?"
"You put up a good fight sheriff, but I suppose I am the one bandit you can't defeat."
"Well, I heard you were once a sheriff of your own town before choosing the bandit life."
"I was, what's it to you?"
Luke dramatically dropped to one knee and took one of Melanie's hands, "Become my fellow sheriff here, partner? We can be unstoppable together."
Melanie went almost as red as her hair, "Oh, wow," she paused as if considering, though really she was just getting back into character, "Of course I shall, great Lucentio, but you should remain wary, for many may be after me after my reign of terror."
"Do not worry lustrous Melia, for I shall protect you just as I protect this town, with all my heart," he planted a kiss on the hand he was holding, before getting up and looking at the bowls of various mixtures and the clock on the oven, "You realise its getting late and we've hardly finished baking?"
"Dude we can stay up all night, we both have nothing to do tomorrow, I mean Olivia might have her various demands, but if we give her some brownie it'll be fineeeee," Melanie giggled, brushing some of the flour off her t-shirt.
"Ah yes, because the great Melia bribes all the sheriff's daughters with sweet treats."
"Hey, works for sheriffs too, just with another kind of sweet treat," Melanie winked.
"Shush," Luke started mixing some of the remaining ingredients together, "let's get these done and get to bed".
"Oh so now you wanna take me to bed real bad?"
"To sleep, not fuck, there's a difference."
"Both equally great with you there."
"Just help me finish this off."
"Alright, partner," they both started giggling again, finally finishing the brownies at 11:57pm and setting off for bed just gone midnight.