When Makoto got home from his fire training, an aroma of delicious goodness wafted the air, hitting his nostrils with impactful strength. Without a clue of how famished he was, he wondered what his sweetheart was making that smelled so good?
As he walked into his house and headed for the kitchen, he peeked from behind a wall and saw Haruka bending over and looking inside their oven. The delectable scent lingered effectively like a fresh bed of flowers, the area was still cleaned with the exception of the small counter covered with bowls and a few broken eggs and empty flour bags. It looked like Haruka was baking for a whole army, judging by the ten or so baking boxes on the countertop surface!
Haruka wore around his waist the blue apron Makoto gotten last week and could tell by the edges of the seams that Haruka must have had spilt some batter on himself. Makoto didn't know why, but the feeling of coming home to his lovely boyfriend after countless hours of vigorous training made the situation feel domestic. Just the idea alone expressed a giggly feeling inside.
Makoto hoped Haruka was making his special chocolate cupcakes he made last month for his birthday. He remembered fondly of himself gaining five pounds after devouring the goodies.
Even though Makoto could see a long-term work of cleaning in the future, he never cared about the mess Haruka made whenever he cooked. Being an adorable sweetheart, Makoto loved him too much. And that was about to be proved as Makoto prepared his stomach for a great consuming of Haruka's goods with the biggest smile on his face.
Although he should have had announced himself home already, he thought this unforeseen hiding could get a stellar surprise from his boyfriend. Taking the chance he tiptoed quietly ahead whilst Haruka stood cluelessly and looked out from the window. Makoto's arms reached silently and snaked their way around Haruka's waist into a hug and lightly kissed his left shoulder.
Haruka simply moved his head to the left of Makoto's face sitting lightly on his shoulder and gave a peck on the cheek. Makoto smiled and giggled like a child from the kiss alone.
"Welcome home, dear," Haruka said softly.
"I missed you, Haru," said Makoto lovingly as he hugged him closer.
Haruka swiftly moved around and faced Makoto. Now staring into each other's eyes, Haruka's deep, ocean blue eyes were alive and tender and affectionate without a single word spoken. Makoto admired how Haruka could stare for such long periods of time and never tired doing it. Just being in his sights was wonderful in its own curious way.
"Mmm," Haruka pulled up his hand between their bodies, licked his thumb and carefully wiped away black soot off Makoto's right cheek. "You're so dirty. Do you wanna take a bath before we eat?"
"Yeah, that sounds nice," Makoto confessed sheepishly. "What are you making?"
"Cupcakes, the ones you ate on your birthday."
Makoto's smile widened, "Wow, I knew you were making them from the smell! You're making a lot today. How long would this batch last?"
"About a week." Haruka answered bluntly.
"Really? But why so many?"
"Some of them are for Rin's party tonight. I...also remembered how much you loved them, so I thought I'd make these for all of us. I used up all the ingredients for the last batch so we're gonna have to shop once I'm done."
He noticed Haruka glancing over the oven and Makoto knew he had to let go. Haruka was rather invested on the cupcakes; Makoto remembered he really needed a shower after a hard day's work. There would be plenty of quality time when the two finished their activities. When Makoto prepared to pull his arms away, Haruka turned his eyes over to him and quickly wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck, pulling him deeper into physical contact.
"What's the hurry?" Haruka asked, his tone slightly cheeky.
Surprised and bewildered, Makoto timidly answered, "Um...I thought you wanted me to take a bath?"
"You could do that later." He said forthrightly. Makoto felt Haruka taking him lower to the point of their foreheads touching A burning sensation upon Makoto's cheeks were out of amorousness and bashful thinking. What was Haruka's intent on forgetting his previous suggestion?
Makoto bit his bottom lip in hesitation. Contemplating whether or not to kiss Haruka had been a difficult question since their relationship started long ago. He never knew what his boyfriend thought during these scarcely intimate moments and often times felt abashed by these conflicting emotions of both desire and affection. As much as he loved him, he was mysterious in romantic occasions like this.
Not that Makoto didn't mind, that wasn't the case, he worried he was becoming a huge dork to Haruka. Unbeknownst to Makoto, Haruka absolutely adored his boyfriend's goofy nature.
"Hey, Mako?"
Makoto gulped, "Yes?"
"You know what we should do?" He inquired, his voice serious yet holding a mischievous tint behind that question.
He shook his head out of pure honesty.
Haruka moved his face and whispered, "We..."
Makoto's breathing became increasingly shallow.
"Should..."
Out of confusion, Makoto lowered his arms and thought about palming Haruka's bottom with greater procrastination.
Haruka's face pulled away and he looked behind his shoulder, "...Decorate the cupcakes once they cool off. I don't think I can manage them all by myself, so you might wanna just wash your hands for now. You can take a bath later." Haruka said indifferently. Makoto felt a cold chill of ineptitude crawling down his back while smiling awkwardly to himself.
"Oh, s-sure, I'd love that! Do you have those edible decorations still?"
"I think so, but I forgot where I put them last."
"Leave it to me." They released each other from their grasp and Makoto walked off with weaken knees.
It literally took five minutes of searching each cabinet carefully, taking the boxes out and placed them on the kitchen table. Haruka picked out the first batch of cupcakes out, smoking brilliantly as its scent alone intoxicated the entire room and created a rumbling sensation in Makoto's stomach. The rumbling was loud enough for them to stare at Makoto's stomach with surprise expressions. Makoto glanced up at Haruka while he was setting up the table for room and gave a bashful smile.
Haruka, without realizing it, laughed a sweet, rowdy laugh which brought another emotion to Makoto: love. All the love he experience with Haruka, from his laughter to his cooking to even his oddly mysterious aura whenever he asked the most obvious questions (like his favorite ice cream, for one). Makoto throughout his life cherished every moment like these into his heart. These kinds of simple, couple-like situations were pleasant in their own nature and Makoto with all his might wanted Haruka to be happy like this.
Haruka attentively placed the tray down on the table, took a chair beside him and sat next to Makoto. After waiting for a few minutes, the cupcakes were ready for decorations when suddenly Makoto's phone started singing Rin's special song.
Wondering why Rin was calling for, Makoto brought his phone out of his pocket and pressed call.
"Hello?"
"Mako, can you hear me?" Rin's voice shouted deafeningly over the phone.
Makoto pulled the phone away from his ear, feeling a stinging sensation within. He had no idea why Rin was shouting over the phone but it left a ear-splittingly terrible experience for his hearing.
Makoto carefully pulled his phone near his ear and said, "Rin, what's wrong?"
"Are you at Haruka's house?"
"Yes, why?"
"Please tell me he's making those cupcakes for the party? If you tell me he's at the pool again, so effing help me I'll come over there and-"
"I'm helping him decorate the cupcakes," Makoto told Rin gingerly.
"OH...crap, sorry 'bout that…" Rin apologized sincerely. "I'm just stressing out cause this party kinda means a lot to me."
"I can tell. So, what's this party about?" He asked, interested.
"Well...I'm planning on proposing to Sousuke, but this party's for our school's anniversary-"
"OH MY GOODNESS, SERIOUSLY?" Makoto shrieked with delight, startling Haruka who was placing little yellow stars on top of the cupcake's frosting.
"What, did Rin do something-?"
"Don't tell anyone!" Rin warned Makoto vehemently, but Makoto only heard his squeals of joy and excitement. He was definitely going to bring his video camera for this occasion, but he knew he had to keep his mouth shut so he might have to stay away from Sousuke-
"Makoto, can you ask Haru if he used that secret ingredient he puts in those cupcakes?" Rin asked.
Makoto took the phone away and told Haruka about Rin's question. Haruka simply nodded and continued decorating the cupcakes.
"Yes, he said he did."
"Thank god," Rin sighed with hope, "because I can't figure it out why everyone and I like it. I mean, whatever he used must've been some good shit. Hey...can you ask him what it is?" Rin requested curiously.
"Um..." Makoto glanced to Haruka in a inquisitive manner. His lover was focused on icing his fourth cupcake, Makoto hadn't denied nor complied Rin's request of questioning Haruka's secret ingredient.
"Please?" Rin moaned with a tone of desire (and not that desire, you know).
"Hey, Haru?" Haruka looked up, indicating his attention for him. "What's this secret ingredient Rin wants to know about?"
Haruka removed his concentration from the cupcakes and onto Makoto. His eyes appeared fixated with Makoto's from the question. Makoto worried if he had said something wrong, and Haruka hadn't said anything for nearly a minute. Instead they just stared deeply into each other's eyes in such an evaporating manner.
"Hello?" Rin's voice echoed from the phone. "Is anyone there? Mako? Hello? HELLO?"
Then Haruka asked, "Can you hang up Rin?"
Makoto, although confused, did so without question. He might get hell from Rin but he didn't care.
"What he just asked..." Haruka said carefully. "No one can ever know what I put in these cupcakes."
"Is it that...secretive?" Haruka answered through a nod and Makoto became curious. "Even from me?"
Haruka pursed his lips tightly, looking quite smug as his eyes glanced across the room. "Hmmm..." Then, Haruka leaned near Makoto's side and whispered, "I'll tell you if you come closer."
Makoto allowed his curious to get the best of him and leaned in closer. His earshot was close to Haruka's lips and what he heard...nearly gave him a wonderful, blissful heart attack.
"...the secret ingredient...is love."
But instead of gasping for joy, Makoto's lips slipped into a short laugh. Haruka also slipped into a giggle that sounded sweet and innocent. Makoto looked at Haruka and watched his cheeks turn slightly red and found his lips pulling up in a warm smile.
"Hey, Haru?" Haruka looked up with a small smile. "I love you." Makoto confessed earnestly.
"I love you too," Haruka replied with much passion in his tone.
And to top it all off, they leaned forward and gave the other a loving kiss. Completely forgetting the cupcakes and disregarding the possible call from a crazed Rin, Haruka thought...
That, and mackerel , but nobody needs to know that...