Once again, her feet had betrayed her. The salty sea breeze brushed against her cheeks as if encouraging the girl to take action, but she remained firmly in place. Back pressed against the wall, hidden around the corner of Torleone's shop, she heaved a sigh. This was the fifth time Lottie's feet had led her here, only for her courage to fail. She scuffed her shoe against the dirt, cursing her inability to simply walk in like everyone else. Just seeing that big oaf- no, even just thinking of his fuzzy face made a blush creep over her freckled cheeks. She covered her face with her hands and groaned. By the Gods, she was in her twenties already! What was this childish game she was playing? And by herself, to make it worse.
A door slammed, and Lottie jumped. It was time to make her escape, before someone caught her loitering around the alleyway. With a deep breath, she darted out of the narrow passage- and directly into the wall with a loud "Oomph!"
No, not the wall- this wall was very warm, and fuzzy, despite being so solid. She staggered back, and a paw caught her elbow just in time. Oh no. She looked at the furred hand in recognition, feeling her face burn.
Don't look. Don't look. Don't look.
She looked.
It was Torleone. Of course it was- of course he would catch her sneaking around.
"Easy, there." He said, voice calm and low.
"Aha, yep, so sorry." Lottie said, voice cracking. She cleared her throat. "Thank you, I gotta... uh, finish my errand." She squeezed by the big man, and began speed walking away, mentally cursing her ineptitude.
She refused to look back, ears and neck burning red. Lottie missed the bemused look on Torleone's face as she fled the scene.
"An odd one, that." He muttered, before returning to his task.
Lottie threw herself onto the bed, screams muffled by her pillow. How embarrassing! She rolled back and forth, trying to smother the shame, when a knock on the door made her sit up.
"Who-" she began to ask, before seeing the figure looking down on her with concern and a touch of- was that disgust? No, no, her sweet innocent friend would never-
"What in the gods are you doing right now?" Yoni asked, her melodic voice a balm to Lottie's ruffled feelings.
"Yoni!" She groaned. "I've gone and scuffed it up now. He saw me lurking around. I'm going to have to move towns." Lottie buried her face back in her pillow.
"Oh, come on. As if he didn't know you were there, you know how skilled he is." Yoni said, crossing her arms.
Her words only increased Lottie's internal agony. She kicked her feet, and gave her pillow one more good yell. "What am I supposed to do now, Yoni?"
Her friend watched her, amused. "Well, I have one idea. You know what's coming up, right?"
"What's coming up…?" Lottie sat up with a wary glance.
Yoni gave her ruffled hair a pat, as if she could tame the auburn nest. "Val. En. Tines." Each syllable was enunciated, each a blow to Lottie's heart.
"Val-! Yoni come on. As if he would accept something a weird back-alley stalker would bake."
"Oh, at least you know you've been acting like a stalker." Yoni teased.
Lottie groaned. "I just... he's just... Ugh!" She glanced over at her friend, and instantly regretted it. Yoni's eyes were shining. Shining! She wasn't going to let this go. "Ok... ok! I'll make something... gods help me."
Yoni squealed and clapped. "Yay! Let's start right now!"
Lottie rolled her eyes, but Yoni's excitement was contagious. "Alright, but you're going to owe me if I get rejected." She couldn't hide her smile as her dear friend assured her it would all work out.
Lottie's small kitchen was already stacked with ingredients for baking, and she shot Yoni a sharp look.
"I may have already gone shopping." Yoni said with a smile and a shrug.
"I see that. I get the feeling this wasn't about me at all." Lottie narrowed her eyes.
"Ok, ok, you got me. I just really wanted something sweet! It's two birds with one stone, isn't it?" Yoni gave her an encouraging pat on the back.
"You're the worst." Lottie smirked, giving her friend a playful shove. "Alright then… let's see what we can make."
A quick sort through her pantry and the new stock gave her a couple of different options. However, if this was to be her first gift for Torleone, it should be special. Lottie tapped her chin, deep in thought. Something special… She could…
"I want a chocolate cake!" Yoni chirped, startling Lottie from her internal musings.
"Fine, let's start there. But you only get a mini one!" She shook her finger at the deer yokai. "Since you tricked me."
She ignored Yoni's pouting and began mixing up the batter. "Yoni, get the fire going at least. I know you aren't planning to help over here."
"Yes, oh master baker, as you wish!" She sang.
The fire crackled to life, accompanied by the gentle humming of the yokai. She seemed perfectly at home in Lottie's kitchen, though her extra feet and deer body were an additional obstacle Lottie did not need at the moment.
"Go away and come back in a couple hours. Let me get to work in peace, at least." Lottie said, waving her hands to shoo her friend out the door. A melodic laugh was her only response, and then blessed quiet. It was time to turn out one of her best products.
Her cozy kitchen looked like a warzone. Lottie blew her hair back off her face, and leaned back to assess her work. There were two lava cakes, both for Yoni. Lottie couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw the chocolate spill from inside. Her good friend had probably been having a rough day, or she wouldn't have stopped by unannounced to beg for cake. Two cakes for friendship… and ten neatly lined up chocolate truffles for… Lottie rubbed the back of her neck. Unrequited love? Each truffle was hand sculpted to look like a small fish, complete with tiny scales and fin details. It had taken up most of her time, and Lottie's fingers ached from the effort. And yet, this felt like the easy part. Actually delivering these little treats felt like a monumental task.
Just as Lottie stood up to brush the flour and chocolate shavings from her breeches, someone knocked on the door. Yoni let herself in before Lottie could move.
"I'm back! And I brought something you'll be needing!" Yoni said, brandishing a small package. "But first, how did it go? Let me see!"
"Something I need? I have everything done already. See for yourself." Lottie gestured to the table. "The cakes are for you, obviously."
The deer yokai gasped, and pushed past Lottie. "Did you make these too? How did you make them so… so cute?" She pointed at the little fish truffles. "I don't think even Mayor Oda could do that."
"Of course I made them." Lottie said, grabbing a slip of paper. "I need to wrap them up, stop staring or you'll melt them."
"In that dingy old paper?" Yoni asked, and snatched it from her hands. "I don't think so! I knew you would need my help." She pushed the little package into Lottie's hands with a triumphant look.
Lottie peeled back the wrapping curiously, revealing a delicately printed small linen bag, painted to look like the ocean. "Oh, wow. The fish will go perfectly in this. For a second, I was worried it was going to be something flashy with too many hearts."
Yoni shrugged. "I did think about getting that... but you're already chicken enough!" She laughed at Lottie's playful shove. "You wrap them up, I'm off to eat these cakes." Yoni snatched up her treats, but paused at the door. "You got this! No chickening out now!"
Lottie held the little treat bag tightly. Right. She could do this. Easy easy. She just had to hand them over. With a deep breath, she began her journey.
Torleone's shop loomed ahead of her, and her heart skipped a beat. Easy peasy? Said who? Her palms were already sweating, and she hadn't even walked in yet. She took another step closer. A loud, booming laugh came from his shop, and that was all it took for Lottie's traitorous feet to dart back into the little alley.
Gods above, Yoni was right. She might be about to chicken out. Why was facing him so hard? Footsteps leaving his shop made her look up in panic, but it was only Seabert skipping by. She sighed in relief, and leaned back, eyes closed.
Someone clearing their throat next to her almost made her throw the bag in alarm. Her eyes popped open, meeting a sparkling brown pair right next to her.
"Well, well. The little alley cat is back." Torleone said, leaning against the wall.
"Ah, hello..." Lottie said, cheeks burning. "I... uh..." She lost her ability to use words under his stare.
He glanced down at her hands, noting the bag. "Did ya come by for some fish?" Torleone asked. "Well come on then, into the shop. Lurking around here won't get you anywhere." He scooped her elbow, steering Lottie around the corner.
"Oh, no, I..." Lottie looked around quickly, embarrassed she was caught, but no one else was around. This would be the perfect time- she needed to do it now.
"Come, try this." Torleone said, expertly slicing her a piece of salmon. "You like sashimi? Nothing beats my fresh caught salmon." He gestured for her to hold out a hand, and Lottie was incapable of denying him. His fingers brushed hers, making her shiver slightly.
She popped the fish into her mouth and chewed mechanically, expecting to taste nothing over how nervous she was, but it was delicious. Torleone chuckled at her expression.
"There's been a little stray kitten wandering around lately. Any ideas on how to get them to warm up?" He asked, the topic change making Lottie blink in confusion.
"Ah, I've heard feeding them helps earn some trust." She mused.
"Then, would you like another sample?" He asked, his sly smile an arrow through her heart.
He was talking about her, she realized. Her face lit up bright red. "Wh- no, I, uh..." She cleared her throat. "I just... came to deliver these..." She blushed furiously. Oh no, this was a disaster. Yoni was going to give her such a hard time.
"A delivery?" Torleone asked, holding his hand out.
Lottie took a breath, and set the delicate bag into his hand. "It's a gift. A valentines gift. From me." Her eyes darted from the gift up to his eyes and back again. She didn't think her heart could handle eye contact at this moment.
"Oh?" He pulled out one of the delicately carved chocolates, admiring the little fish. "Where did you get these?" He popped it into his mouth, and hummed in enjoyment.
"I made them." Lottie said, feeling more confident.
"Ah, so you did." He said, smiling down at her clothes, still covered in the evidence of her baking spree.
Lottie looked down at herself, and gasped. She forgot to change. "Oh, yes, well... I need to be off now. Thanks, bye!" She turned and quickly made her escape, Torleone's deep chuckle following her out.
"What an interesting alleycat." He mused, admiring the chocolate fish. "She didn't even stay for my answer." He popped the chocolate into his mouth. "Better prepare more sashimi."