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“Xavier!” you yelp as the birthday boy moves to crack the eggs into the bowl of dry ingredients.
“Hm?” He halts immediately, giving you plenty of time to snatch both eggs from his hands. His brow furrows, a pout almost invisible to the untrained eye appearing in the curve of his lips. Luckily, you are more than well-versed in Xavier’s many subtle expression changes. “What was that for?”
“You can’t put the eggs in on their own without whisking them together with the wets, Xav,” you explain, grabbing the bowl of milk, oil, and vanilla extract. “But you can crack them into this! Maybe try one at a time, though.”
Xavier’s face softens, the expression open and genuine on his gentle features. You catch your stress melting away with the tandem appearance of the literal light you can sense just below his skin. “Okay,” he agrees, holding his hand out for one of the eggs. “I’ll be gentle.”
You match his easy smile with a mischievous one, leaning in for a quick peck on his cheek and pulling back before he can react. The eggs drop one, two, into his still-open palm, and you wink over your shoulder as you spin away. “Did you grab the salt?” you ask, scanning the many ingredients littering the counter.
“Ah, no,” Xavier admits, sounding disappointingly unfazed.
“I’ll get it,” you say. “Which cabinet?”
“It’s above the microwave to the left.”
You manage to open the cabinet on your toes, but even with the extra height, you can’t quite reach the salt container. “Mrrph,” you grunt, stretching as high as you can. You think for a moment that you’ve almost got it, but then your back is completely engulfed by a warm presence. Xavier’s soft but calloused hands brush against yours as he lazily grabs the salt, then— “I’ve got it,” whispered against your ear, and he backs away. You miss the closeness immediately. Heat floods your face, and you realize he’s probably getting back at you for the kiss. Maybe he was more affected than he let on.
You take a quick breath, releasing the tension in your neck as you turn around. “Thank you, Xavier,” you say sweetly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
His guard goes down at your innocent tone. “I’ll always be here, so you’ll never have to find out,” he responds. “I’ll be yours for as long as I live.”
All the plans you had to upscale the battle with your charm and feminine wiles disappear as his honest voice pierces your melting heart. He’s such a sweetheart. “Xavier,” you whine. “You’re too cute!”
He tilts his head in confusion, but you’re wrapping your arms around his middle. You feel him jolt slightly as you cinch your arms tightly and prop your chin against his chest to look up at him, but he meets your gaze regardless, a bemused look on his face. “What did I do?” he asks, placing his hands on your waist.
Sighing dramatically, you roll your eyes. “If you don’t know, I’m not telling you.”
A chuckle escapes from behind Xavier’s smile. “Alright, then,” he says agreeably. His face grows closer, and you feel one of his hands reach up to the back of your head, holding it in place. You almost think he’s going to…
But no. He places a gentle kiss on your forehead, his lips rough but warm against your skin. When he pulls away, you’re sure your entire face must be bright red.
Smiling down at you, Xavier rustles your hair before releasing you and turning away. “What’s the salt for, anyway? Aren’t cakes meant to be sweet?”
You slump back onto the counter and release a breath you didn’t know you were holding. How is he so good at getting a reaction out of me? you wonder. But more importantly, you’re wondering how to catch the birthday boy with that cute flushed expression he gets when you manage to get under his skin.
A plan forms in your head, and you shake off your previous state of embarrassment. A grin overtakes your face as you launch back into the cake-making process. The two of you make short work of preparing the batter, after you explain to Xavier why the recipe calls for salt.
As soon as the oven door closes behind the batter-filled cake pan, you start enacting your plan. “So, Xavier, have you been wondering what your present from me is going to be?”
“I get a present?”
“Of course, it’s your birthday! So, what do you think it is?” You rock back on your heels, hands innocently clasped behind you.
Xavier blinks. “Any gift from you will be more than enough to make me happy.”
“Even… me?”
He pauses. “My light, are you insinuating that my birthday present from you is… you?” Xavier asks, voice a richer tone than usual. “My birthday wishes will have been fulfilled.”
You’re about to make a coy remark in response when Xavier shakes his head with a chuckle, and then his face is inches from yours, lips barely moving as he whispers, “If that’s true, then may I…?”
What can you do but close the distance? The plan was to fluster him with your forwardness, but if he’s happy about it and in fact going along with it… Your lips press against his and you surge into his open arms. You allow yourself the enthusiastic embrace, basking in the light of your star-like partner. The kiss isn’t rushed, and you enjoy the slow pace. Gently, his arms snake around your midsection, pulling you in closer. Your lips slot together like they were made for nothing but to worship the other person.
You’re sure the kiss could have lasted forever, save for the fire alarm going off and spraying water all over the two of you.
“Ackph!” You sputter as you pull apart, holding a hand up to block the water. “Where’d all this smoke come from?”
Xavier is already jumping into action. He opens the smoking oven from as far back as can be while still reaching the door handle, coughing as a cloud of black soot emerges from within. Your eyes widen and your jaw drops as you spot the charred remains of what could have been a cake.
“Xavier, what temperature did you set the oven to?” you ask suspiciously.
“…Hot?”
“Xavier…!”
The cake may be burnt, but laughter bubbling deep in your chest bursts out. You and Xavier laugh and laugh and laugh, and as the chortles and giggles subside, Xavier’s eyes meet yours.
“My light,” he begins, softly. “Thank you. Today has been the best birthday, because of you.”
You smile, beaming at him. “Happy birthday, Xavier.”