Soooo. Avoiding work and not studying for exams. Well done, Bukkun.
Imagine your OTP having a baking day.
Notes: That gay AU I did a while ago where North and Tooth are happily married with Jack and Sandy as their kids and Aster is that nice teenage boy that comes around often oh come on you guys y'all know this shindig already. Here, Aster wants to give something to Miss Tooth for her birthday. So, he comes over to their place when she's still at the university doing teacher-y shit idk and tries to make a cake with Sandy and Jack. Jack isn't being very helpful. North's there too and MOTHERFUCKING UNCLE PITCH because I said so and I like Pitch a lot shut up don't judge me. Also, KOZMOTIS BECAUSE I CAN OH MY GOD WAIT FEELS WAIT (also whoa two pitches at the same time i can't handle this shit hahaha). So. Tooth comes home to a rather... unusual surprise. (Ages: North and Pitch remain unspecified because i said so shhhh, Jack = 16, Aster = 27, Sandy = 23, Kozmotis = 27) ALSO! Aster and Jack are in a relationship, but they haven't told North or Tooth because Jack's still a minor, and they have such a huge age gap. They're both scared about what's going to happen if they said anything, but we all know how that went, didn't we? HOHOHO.
Warnings: Boys with cooking utensils, boys being sweet, boys day out (how), North is an awesome dad, Sandy and Jack and Aster being cuties i'm cry, human!nice!pitch omg, human name usage like whoa, book-savvy might be needed, FLUFFY AS FUCK BL, THANK YOU FOR SHIPPING WITH M/V BUKKUNKUN, TOOTH I AM SORRY FOR ALL THE SUGAR THAT WILL TAKE PLACE SORRY SO SORRY (fun fact: tooth was the first Guardian I ever believed in when I was a kid herpaderp), trying-so-hard-not-to-show-affection!JackRabbit, slightly pedo Uncle Pitch (and for viewers' sake, let's pretend they kept Kozmotis a secret from pitch so they won't appear at the same time in one scene thank), Super!Sweet-to-each-other-it's-grossing-them-all-out!Pitch/Sandy
also whoa this is long what
"Hey, mate. Isn't it your mom's birthday on Friday?" Aster asked, putting down the cup he was wiping dry to look at Jack, who shrugged at him.
"Yeah, so?" he asked, "We're going to do what we do every year. Eat dinner together."
"What? No cake? No celebration?" Aster blinked. "Somehow it doesn't seem the same way as I remembered it when I used to come over."
"Well, when you went off to college," Jack grinned, "They decided that, well, we weren't exactly kids anymore—don't give me that look! I'm an adult, Aster!" he spluttered when the elder man gave him a flat look, pouting at his boyfriend.
"Jack, you were only seven when I went to college." Aster deadpanned, and Jack hit him upside the head. "Ow!"
"That's not the point!" Jack yelled at him, before turning his attention back to the drink he was making for Kozmotis and Sandy, still pouting. "Anyway, we don't have cake anymore during Mom's birthday; we have Dad's stroganoff and all the other stuff he could make. No sweets though."
Aster chuckled and hugged Jack from behind. "You upset, snow bunny?" he asked sweetly, planting a soft kiss on Jack's cheek. The teen stumbled away, a blush bright on his cheeks, and Aster laughed out loud at him.
"Aster! We're in public!"
"What? It's a free country," Aster reasoned, but Jack rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, and you'll get arrested for inappropriately touching a minor."
"Hey, now listen here, mate," Aster began to say, his tone turning scolding, but Jack leant forward and planted a little kiss on his lips. He stood there, blinking at the teen, who grinned and winked at him.
"Gotcha," he snickered, and a grin spread across Aster's face, before he charged forward and pulled Jack into his arms, enveloping him fully and furiously attacking him with tickles along Jack's ticklish sides. The silver-haired teen let out bright peals of laughter as he squirmed around in Aster's arms, but then they were both interrupted by the bell on the counter ringing. They immediately pulled apart to see Kozmotis grinning at them behind his hand.
"Sandy says you two are screwing up his concentration by being too noisy," he signed at them, grinning, and Jack rolled his eyes, chuckling slightly.
Jack laughed, shaking his head. "Sucks to be him," he signed to Kozmotis, making his way over to Sandy's and Kozmotis' drinks (they were both having espressos. Jack had drawn delicate swirls on the foam at the surface for each of them to mimic that Dreamsand thing that Kozmotis was so enamoured about in his brother's novel) and placing them on a tray. "Head back to your spot. I'll get this to you guys."
Kozmotis nodded his thanks and went back to his place next to Sandy, who was playfully glaring at his brother over the screen of his laptop. Jack stuck his tongue out at him, and Sandy did the same. Aster laughed fondly and followed Jack to the table, letting his boyfriend serve the drinks first before taking the tray from him.
"I have an idea," he spoke up, catching Sandy's and Jack's attention, and when Kozmotis looked up from the laptop screen, confused, Sandy signed what Aster had said to him. The man nodded, and looked up at Aster for him to go on. The gray-haired man nodded, and continued, "Why not let's get together at your place and let's make something for Miss Tooth on Friday?" he asked, as Sandy signed it to Kozmotis, faltering at the mention of his mother's name.
"You want to make something for Mom on her birthday? But the only things you know how to cook are instant noodles and diabetes-inducing cakes." Sandy signed, and Kozmotis laughed silently at what he said.
"Ever the sass. It seems fun," he signed, "I like your mother, she's a very nice woman. I don't see what's wrong with making her a nice cake for her birthday."
"Koz, you have no idea," Jack laughed, signing it for the man's understanding. "She hates even the idea of sweets."
"But your father likes them." Kozmotis replied, clearly confused, but Sandy shook his head, patting his hand.
"Dental health junkie." he grinned, and at once, Kozmotis nodded slowly in complete understanding.
"I used to know someone like that." he signed, shivering slightly, and Aster grinned.
"There's a catch, though, you guys don't have to be so hung over on the fact we're making a cake." he said, "I learnt this new recipe from my neighbour. Egg pie."
"Oh, God. No more eggs, "Jack groaned, leaning his head against the wall dramatically, and Kozmotis looked at his boyfriend, eyebrow raised.
"Aster loves eggs. And carrots." Sandy grinned as he signed the message. "And get this, his name's..." Sandy pulled his laptop close and typed down Aster's full name, E. Aster Bunnymund.
Kozmotis had never laughed so hard in his entire life, earning him a spot in Aster's hit list, but he was perfectly gung-ho about the entire idea, and soon they came to an agreement to take that Friday off and gather at the St. North residence to tear the kitchen apart.
Friday came soon enough, and Jack opened the door at ten in the morning to see Aster grinning at him in the hallway, a notebook in his hands and a plastic bag of baking supplies slung around his arm. "Hey, snow bunny," he grinned, leaning forward for a kiss—but Jack stopped him with a finger to his lips.
"Dad's at home," he hissed at his boyfriend, and Aster's eyes widened.
"No shit, mate."
"Not a single shit," Jack replied glumly. "Totally not shitting you. Sorry, Aster."
"It's okay." the man smiled at him, sighing in disappointment, and stepped inside. "Where's Sandy?"
"Went to meet up with Koz at the park. They had to go there for 'writing inspiration', they said," he punctuated his words with quotation marks in the air, rolling his eyes, but he had a small grin on his face. "Since we totally screwed with their 'brainstorming' the other day, but seriously, if you ask me, they just went there so they could exchange spit." he snickered, closing the door behind Aster. "They'll be here in around fifteen minutes."
"Jack!" North's voice called from upstairs, and Aster flinched slightly. Ah, yes. North's voice was... strong, as always. "Was that Aster?"
"Yes, dad!" Jack called back up, and he looked at Aster. "Sorry. We had to tell him, since, you know, we're going to tear the kitchen apart, and well, he took today off and, well, he insisted..."
"Aster!" North smiled brightly, coming down from the second floor, his arms spread wide as he grinned brightly at the gray-haired man. "How's our delightful Mr. Pro Boxer?" he asked, hugging Aster tightly. Over North's shoulder, Aster and Jack exchanged uneasy glances.
"I-I'm okay, Mr. North," he choked out in North's tight hug. The man laughed and pulled away, grinning at Aster. "A-and I'm not a pro boxer. Yet."
"Yet!" North grinned at him, patting his shoulder. "You will be, though! I have the utmost faith in you!"
Aster warmed up and smiled slightly, and from over North's shoulder he saw Jack smiling at the two of them gently, and Aster couldn't help the happy warmth that spread in his chest.
"So!" North spoke up, alarming the two young lovers in the room, the man grinning brightly at Aster. "What're we making for my darling Tooth?" he asked, and Aster held up his notebook.
"Egg tarts and egg pie." He declared proudly. "Oh, and carrot cake. Since you guys wanted cake so much."
Father and son exchanged glances.
"... What?" Aster asked, blinking, and North and Jack burst out laughing.
"You like Easter a little too much, I think, Aster," North managed between his guffaws, and Jack was bending over the couch's backrest (and here Aster pointedly kept his gaze away from the boy's rather fine behind), laughing too hard it was getting worrisome.
"Yup!" he managed to yell in the end. "Easter Kangaroo!" he laughed, rolling over the backrest and onto the couch, still giggling brightly. Aster gaped at what Jack said, and scowling, he dove at his boyfriend and began to viciously tickle him.
"Take that back, Frostbite!" he yelled, and Jack's delighted peals of laughter only grew. North smiled to himself as he watched the two boys wrestle on the couch.
It looked like Tooth was right about them. They do seem a little too close...
Kozmotis and Sandy arrived twenty minutes later, when Jack and Aster had settled on the couch, and North in the kitchen, getting the oven ready. Jack looked up from his spot curled up next to Aster to see his brother and his boyfriend walk in, and a smirk cross his face when he saw the slight flush the both of them had on their cheeks.
"Ha! So you two have been exchanging spit!" He laughed loudly, alarming Sandy, Kozmotis's surprise following suit when the blonde stiffened up next to him. "It's written all over your faces!"
Sandy stomped his foot, flustered. "Shut up, Jack!" he signed, Kozmotis laughing weakly by his side, just as North walked into the room.
"Ah! Sandy! Kozmotis!" he smiled brightly, walking up to them, and giving the both of them a bone-crushing hug. "Finally! Let's get started." he grinned, and Kozmotis smiled back at him, having read his lips to understand what he was saying. The two of them began to take their coats off, when North chuckled conspiratorially, and winked at Aster and Jack. "And wipe your mouths, the both of you! You've still got spit on them!"
Sandy's eyes widened, his blush growing darker in embarrassed mortification, and Kozmotis blinked, confused as to what North had said. Aster grinned at him and pointed at his mouth, before making a wiping gesture across it.
The message got across and Kozmotis blushed just as dark as Sandy.
"Get moving, boys! We've got to get ready before Tooth gets home!" North grinned. "Aster! You lead. What do we have to do first?"
Aster grinned.
"Get some eggs." he said, "Lots and lots of beautiful, beautiful eggs."
"You've got some batter on your cheek, mate." Aster spoke up, moving over to Jack's side and wiping off the creamy substance on the boy's face. "And put some back into that mixing; we need that carrot cake nice and fluffy if it's going to be delicious."
"Yes, sir." Jack rolled his eyes, grinning, and Aster stole a glance in North's direction—the man was currently busy assisting Kozmotis decipher their out-of-this-world oven. A small grin on his face, he stole a quick kiss from the boy's lips. "Hey, now," Jack laughed quietly, leaning in towards Aster for the man to hear him. "Stop stealing treats." He winked, and the taller man laughed.
"Who says I'm stealing anything?" he murmured back, before pulling away just in time as North turned around, holding the bowl of pie filling in his hands. "Mr. North! I think that filling's a wee bit unmixed."
"You think?" the man asked, clearly perplexed. "I haven't made anything like this before, you know. It was always pavlova, or pirozhki,"
"Dad," Jack spoke up, and the man jolted slightly in surprise. Jack grinned at him and gestured at the cupboard above him. "Whisk's up there."
"But that one's the one that's hard to use!" North complained, "… In hindsight, though, your mother bought that specially to keep me away from making sweets." He sighed, but reached up to the cupboard anyway. "Can't we switch?"
"Nope, no way." Jack grinned, "Delicate little snowflake here. I'm using Aster's awesome whisk."
North laughed at his son's antics and ruffled Jack's hair, earning him a bright laugh from the teenager. "You're getting more like your mother every day." He fondly said, before turning away to work on the bowl of filling in his hands. Aster made his way over to where Sandy was, mixing up filling for the egg pie.
"Hey, Sandy. Yours looks good." He commented, and his best friend beamed at him, giving him a thumbs-up.
"Kozmotis apparently used to work at an orphanage and the owner loved baking. He taught me how to do this." He signed, grinning at Kozmotis's direction. The man had his back turned to them; however, as he peered into the oven with a perplexed look on his face, watching the pie crust slowly cook inside. "He's amazing, really. He knows so many things."
The blissful look on Sandy's face as he signed to Aster was, well, heart-warming to say the least. A small smile crossed his face and he patted Sandy's shoulder.
"You seem really happy with him."
"Oh, am I." Sandy grinned. "I've never been so glad of Jack's insane ideas."
"Hey! I saw that!" the teen in question yelled from across the room, and the two laughed, waving him off.
"Best friend conversation, mate!" Aster grinned at his boyfriend. "Stay out of this, frostbite!"
Jack pouted at them and stuck his tongue out at them, but stayed out of their conversation, picking up his bowl and bringing it with him as he went to his father's side to have a chat with him.
Aster grinned at Sandy, as Kozmotis approached them, grinning as he held up the finished crusts. "Oh, hey." Aster smiled at him, giving him a thumbs-up. Kozmotis nodded at him and put them down, before pulling his oven mittens off.
"Come on, let me have the filling." He signed, gesturing at the bowl Sandy had with him. "Let's get this done with. Where's Mr. North's share?"
Aster pointed at North, who was laughing brightly at something Jack had said to him. The man looked over his shoulder at them, and grinned brightly. "Here, I'm done with mine; Aster—control that little snezhinka, honestly," he laughed, "Sex with a bunny? Hilarious!"
Aster's eyes widened and he looked at Jack, who shrugged helplessly, mouthing to him; 'sorry!' and he exchanged glances with Kozmotis and Sandy, who were just as tense as he was.
"Y-yeah, hilarious." Aster nodded, before sending a glare at Jack over North's shoulder, the teen withering slightly under his glare. "Sandy, sort this out. I'll just… rat out that bloody snowflake," he hissed under his breath, just loud enough for his best friend to hear as he gestured at Jack vaguely. Sandy silently laughed, covering his mouth, and Kozmotis looked on, slightly confused, not hearing a thing.
"Come on, Kozmotis. Let's load this thing." He signed at his boyfriend, and Kozmotis shrugged. Questions can wait, apparently.
Sandy took the filling from his father's hands and handed it to Kozmotis—but not without pecking him on the cheek for his effort to understand what was going on despite his deafness.
"Get a room!" Jack yelled from his spot at the other side of the room, where he was pouring in the batter for the carrot cake in a pan to bake alongside the pie. "Aster, a little help here?"
The gray-haired man went over to Jack's side and roughly elbowed his side.
"Keep it down about us, would you?" he hissed at Jack, helping the teen pour in the batter carefully. "We still don't know how they're going to react when we tell them."
"I know, I know," Jack sighed, "I just wanted to, you know, try asking hypothetical questions." He looked up at Aster, a small puppy-dog pout on his lips, and the man sighed, running his hand down his face.
"Stop looking at me like that, Jack." He grumbled. "Look, what if he put two and two together? Then what?"
Jack bit his lip, and Aster sighed. "Look, just… just let these things of ours lie low for now, okay? We'll break it to them when you're legal."
"It's not fair, though." Jack mumbled. "How big our age gap is."
"Hey, hey, listen." Aster smiled, gently pinching Jack's cheek lightly. "Age doesn't matter, okay? At least between us. And that's what matters, alright, snow bunny?"
Jack smiled up at him, sighing, fondly shaking his head.
"You're the best." He softly said, and he jolted when North called out his name.
"Jack! The carrot cake!" his father called out, and Jack turned around abruptly in surprise, the leftover batter in the bowl sloshing around slightly, some of the dough spilling from the rim and onto his hands, a few droplets splashing slightly onto his chin and cheeks. "Oh, Jack!" North sighed, walking over to his son. "A mess you've made,"
"Sorry," Jack shrugged, blushing slightly, gesturing at the pan that had the batter for the cake in it. "Here's the pan. I'll go get cleaned up." He declared, as North took the pan.
"I'll go with him." Aster suddenly spoke up, and the other people in the room, save for Kozmotis, who was blissfully unaware of the awkward situation that arose. The man was loading the tray with the tarts on it into the oven. "Uh, I mean," a blush spread across his cheeks. "I'll… go with him to… um," He glanced at Sandy, who was wildly signing at him from over North's shoulder.
"Keep him from messing up my room!" Sandy was signing, and a the back of his mind, Aster mentally thanked Sandy for being the best friend he could ever have. Thank the heavens for good old Sanderson St. North, he mentally sighed.
"To, uh, keep him from messing up Sandy's room." North raised an eyebrow at him, and he felt his blush intensify. "B-because you know how much of a troublemaker he is, Mr. North." He weakly reasoned, and the elder man inspected him carefully, stroking his white beard.
"… Alright, then." He nodded, grinning knowingly, and at the back of Aster's mind he ruefully thought about how painfully obvious must he be looking right now. "Go on, you two. Up, up! The sooner we finish this, the better. We'll get lunch after this!"
"R-right," the two secret lovers chorused, and they both stumbled upstairs to head to the bathroom. Once the both of them were inside, they shared a glance, and Aster grinned weakly at Jack.
"So." He said, and the teenager grinned back at him.
"So." Jack replied, tapping his chin. "You were going to help me clean up?" he grinned, and Aster laughed, shaking his head.
"Oh, you big troublemaker." He chuckled, shaking his head, before moving forward to kiss the droplets of batter off Jack's cheek.
"You guys took a while," Sandy signed at the two of them when they walked back down the stairs, both slightly flushed. "Had fun exchanging spit, no doubt?"
"Shut up, Sandy." Jack snapped weakly at his brother, who only grinned wider at him.
"Cut the sass, Sandy," Kozmotis signed next to him, chuckling silently. "Mr. North's gone out to order stuff for us. I'll be leaving in a bit, though, so I can't stay too long."
"An exhibit to go to?" Sandy asked, and Kozmotis nodded.
"Good luck with that," Jack signed at him, smiling, and the man nodded at him in thanks.
Kozmotis reached for Aster's shirt's hem and tugged at it to get the man's attention. Aster looked at him, and grinning, Kozmotis pointed at his mouth, before making a wiping gesture across it.
Grinning, Aster wiped his mouth, shaking his head fondly.
"Got me there, mate." He grinned, and Kozmotis laughed silently, having read Aster's lips to understand what he was saying.
Soon, North returned with Chinese take-out (here, Aster made comments at how contradictory their lunch was to what they had just baked not too long ago) and together, they all sat at the dining table to eat.
"What time is Mom coming home?" Sandy asked.
"Four." North replied, holding up four fingers. "She doesn't have her evening class today, so the timing will be perfect!"
"Kozmotis is leaving after this," Sandy replied, looking a little glum, but the black-haired man smiled at him reassuringly, patting his shoulder.
"I'll be seeing you tomorrow, so it'll be fine." He signed, before getting up. "Thank you for the fun, and the food. I have to be going now." He announced, and so they all bade their goodbyes and showed Kozmotis out the door.
They soon fell into a comfortable silence as they sat together on the couch; Jack snuggled up next to his father, Aster sitting on his other side, whilst Sandy was sprawled on his side at the end of the couch, absently toying with his phone.
The silence was broken, though, when the doorbell rang.
Jack's eyes widened and his face broke out into a grin, untangling his fingers from Aster's (their hands were held together secretly behind Jack's thigh, away from North's eyes) and shooting off the couch, running straight at the door. He flung it open, all-smiles. "Welcome home!" he cheerfully greeted.
"And it's wonderful to see you too, my boy," a voice different from his mother's spoke up, and Jack sobered up to realise that it wasn't his mother standing at the door, but Pitch Black.
"Uncle Pitch," Jack smiled, sobering up and stepping aside to let the man in. "I didn't know you were coming around…?"
"It's Toothiana's birthday, right?" Pitch asked, smiling slightly as he ruffled Jack's hair, stepping inside to see that Aster, North and Sandy had gotten up to see who it was. "Ah, Nicholas. Sanderson, and… Aster, was it?"
Aster nodded, walking up to him and holding out his hand for the man to shake. "E. Aster Bunnymund, sir."
"Yes, hello." Pitch nodded dismissively, lightly shaking Aster's hand before turning his full attention to Jack once more. "Jackson, dear boy, what is that delicious scent I smell? Did you make something for your mother?"
"Yeah, we're going to surprise her with cake, pie and tarts," Jack smiled brightly at the man as he led him to the kitchen to show him what they had made. Left behind in the living room, Aster cast a glance at North, who, chuckling fondly, sighed and shook his head.
"Pitch Black. He's my boss at work. He's, um. Well, he's a friend." He told Aster, patting the man's shoulder before heading into the kitchen. Aster and Sandy looked at each other, and the blonde, grinning, shrugged.
"Go with the flow." He signed, "It's a little past four. I'm sure Mom's coming home soon."
"She can't come any faster." Aster sighed, watching Pitch shower affection on Jack, who, grinning, took it all in stride.
Exhausted, Tooth reached into her handbag to pull out the house keys. The staff meeting took out more energy than she had expected; she really should get some rest. Smiling slightly, she shook her head. There was still dinner to make, some things needed to be sorted out—
"Welcome home!" cheerful voices greeted her as she opened the door, and her eyes widened in surprise to see her husband, her two sons, Aster and Pitch all gathered together at the living room, all of them smiling at her.
"… Oh?" she blinked, smiling slightly, pleasantly surprised. "What's this all about?"
North's expression fell slightly and he walked forward to meet up with his wife as she entered. "You forgot?" he asked, and she blinked at him.
"Forgot what?"
"It's your birthday today, Mom!" Jack smiled brightly, rushing forward to hug her, walking after him more calmly was Sandy, chuckling silently as the two hugged her warmly.
"Oh, that's right!" she gasped, delighted as she hugged her sons tightly back before letting go. "I, I completely forgot! I must have been so stressed out, what with exams and all… Aster! Pitch! You two are here too?" she smiled brightly, noticing the two men still standing behind. Pitch gave her a courteous nod, but Aster grinning brightly, went up to her and enveloped her in a warm hug.
"Thought it'd be nice to do something for you, Miss Tooth." He smiled at her as he pulled away, and Tooth giggled.
"Oh, you're such a sweet boy, even after all these years," she sighed, shaking her head fondly, patting Aster's cheek. Her eyes widened slightly, though, when she smelled something sweet in the kitchen. Eyebrow raised, she looked at North. "North, did you…?" she gestured at the kitchen, the beginnings of annoyance on her face, but North put up his hands defensively.
"Not me," he smiled, "Him." He pointed at Aster, who smiled at Tooth sheepishly.
"Aster? You made something?" she asked, and the gray-haired man chuckled.
"Made sure it was tooth-friendly," he grinned, "Everyone helped out." He took her hand and led her into the kitchen. "Come on, take a look."
She allowed him to lead her into the kitchen, where much to her delight, were egg tarts, egg pie and carrot cake laid out, all ready to be consumed, surrounded by the dinner North prepared.
"Oh, boys." She sighed, smiling fondly, "My wonderful, wonderful boys." She planted a soft kiss each on Jack's and Sandy's cheeks, and kissed North as well. She turned to look at Aster, smiling. "And you, of course, brilliant, brilliant E. Aster Bunnymund. Come here, sweety." She smiled, pulling him into a hug again, before planting a kiss on the man's forehead.
"Happy birthday, Miss Tooth." He smiled, gesturing at the food. "Let's dig in."
EXTRA
"Think she liked the stuff we made for her yesterday?" Jack asked, absently toying with the cloth used to wipe the cups, and Aster shrugged.
"'Suppose." He replied, "She was smiling the entire time."
"Uncle Pitch was, too," Jack grinned. "And you, Aster, you were both sulking and grinning all at the same time. Care to tell me why?" he asked, leaning on Aster's side and looking up at his boyfriend.
The gray-haired man sighed and buried his face in Jack's soft hair.
"Your uncle gives me the creeps. He likes you a little too much, mate."
"Oh, please," Jack shrugged it off, "He's just concerned about me. Give him a break; I'm such a precious little snowflake everyone just can't resist taking care of me." He snickered, pulling away from Aster to grin at him. "Look at you, for example."
"Shut up, you bloody show pony." Aster smirked, pulling Jack close to himself, rubbing their noses together. "I'm still watching him, though. Too bloody suspicious."
"Suit yourself," Jack chuckled, leaning in to kiss Aster—when the bell rang, and the two lovers looked to see Kozmotis standing at the counter, smiling. "Oh, hey." Jack smiled, waving at the man, and he returned the wave.
"I don't think she had too much of a good time, though," he signed at them, holding up a paper bag Sandy had given him, holding samples of what they had made inside. "The carrot cake was way too sweet. I wonder why?" he grinned, looking straight at Jack. Aster raised an eyebrow and looked down at Jack.
"… Jack, how many cups of sugar did you put in the batter?"
Jack grinned up at him sheepishly.
"Two…?" he trailed off, batting his eyelashes at Aster prettily, but the man wasn't buying it.
"Two and…?"
"Three… quarters…?"
Aster's eyebrow twitched, and he began to reach for Jack, but the boy was faster than him, managing to plant a chaste kiss on the man's lips before slipping away, giggling brightly.
"Get back here, Frostbite!" Aster yelled at Jack, who only laughed at him brightly.
"I'll take care of the outer tables, stay here, okay, Aster?" Jack hurriedly said, running out from behind the counter to Kozmotis's side. The man was laughing silently, picking up the context of the situation by their actions.
"Jack!" Aster growled out, and Jack kept laughing.
"I love you too, Aster!" Jack winked, before running away.
also that preview on chapter 20? It's out now! Prologue is up on my account, the fic's titled Shining, Shimmering, Splendid! You can find it on AO3, too!
extrabonus i'm currently filling out North-centric prompts on the kinkmeme and i'm working on an AU, which can be found exclusively on AO3, archive of our own ! org / works / 587860
it's pitch/jack
thank
also! Whoever it was that asked for Angus/Jack on my Tumblr, it's up now, so go read it, everyone!
Next up is Cas's North-centric chapter! (because pitch deserves two chapters shhh he's last) Please wait for it; Cas still has exams to attend to, so please be patient.
Until next time!