[Fic] Slice of Heaven - 1/1
Oct. 14th, 2012 01:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coley_merrinTitle: Slice of Heaven
Pairing: Zhou Mi/Kyuhyun
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, coffeeshop
Summary: It was his every food fantasy come to reality, just waiting for him to decide which confection he was after. But it was not his every fantasy.
***
The shop smelled of chocolate, yeast, and coffee. If there were three nicer smells in the world, Kyuhyun wasn’t sure what they were. But it was hard to miss the gleaming glass case just as the smells washed over him. It was full of glossy cakes ready to be boxed, some cut in slices for a special cup of tea or coffee. Beside them were petite fruit tarts, cookies the size of his face. Pretty eclairs, rich brioche à tête, brownies, and buns sticky with cinnamon and nuts. It was his every food fantasy come to reality, just waiting for him to decide which confection he was after.
But it was not his every fantasy. Part of that was reserved for the man who usually was behind the counter. He was dressed in a baby blue apron, hair carefully fringed across his forehead. Zhou Mi, who spoke Korean as though it burbled out of him, lilting and round, the edges colored in laughter. If Kyuhyun was second in line, he got to watch Zhou Mi work without fear of being discovered. There was a focus Zhou Mi put to each customer, whether it was someone Zhou Mi recognized or not. How could he help them? What sticky, rich, sweet, bitter, delicious thing could he serve them? What drink that would go to Kyuhyun’s thighs immediately after could he concoct?
And Zhou Mi drew out treats from the case as though he were handling precious and fragile eggs, either arranging them on plates to be consumed in the little sitting area to the side, or in the precious little to-go boxes. Kyuhyun was debating that question right then, whether to get a big mug of something decadent to go with something to eat and stay, or get something he could take home and savor. Well, he was going to savor it one way or the other. But if he stayed he’d get to watch the apron strings flirt with Zhou Mi’s backside, so right there he was going to be.
“Kyuhyun, hello!” Zhou Mi said, more welcoming than a dozen door chimes could be. “What can I get you today?”
Sixteen kisses across Zhou Mi’s broad shoulders, or maybe a gasp drawn from Kyuhyun’s hands along his thighs.
But that wasn’t something he could order with Zhou Mi leaning on the counter with his knuckles gnarled with how tight his fingers were clasped together. Long, blunted fingers with neat nails that Kyuhyun had never had so much trouble drawing his attention from. But Zhou Mi was looking between the case and him, as though anticipating Kyuhyun’s choice. There was no one behind him, exiting off the street, so he could take his time. Only taking his time was excruciating as he looked between desserts and savory.
“I’ll have hot chocolate,” he said finally, at least knowing what drink he wanted. “And I’ll eat here today. I’m still thinking…”
Zhou Mi laughed, straightening and taking those hands out of his line of sight. “It’s a good day for eating in.”
It was. The weather was hot enough that the cooler inside of the shop was wonderful. Still, he couldn’t resist a hot drink. He didn’t want something too sweet, and he knew the shop’s hot chocolate was not. It allowed him to think of food, knowing it would not be too cloying.
But by the time Zhou Mi brought the steaming cup, he’d finally made his choice.
“I’ll get the brownie, with dark chocolate syrup.”
Zhou Mi’s smile indicated it was an excellent choice, and he rang up Kyuhyun’s order and accept his money. Normally, Kyuhyun would have picked up his mug and wandered to find a seat. Zhou Mi usually, even when the shop was overrun, tried to deliver all the desserts himself. But he couldn’t move, watching with interest. Kyuhyun’s mouth watered as Zhou Mi drizzled warm chocolate syrup over the broad, powdered sugar-dusted surface, and then arranged sliced strawberries beside it and a tiny sprig of mint.
Zhou Mi wasn’t the slightest bit ruffled by the fact that Kyuhyun was still standing there when he was finished, either.
“It’s mesmerizing,” Kyuhyun said. It, you. Whatever.
Zhou Mi just laughed at him. “Where would you like to sit?”
Keeping with tradition then. Kyuhyun picked up his mug, and chose a table on the wall, instead of one right by the street. Out of habit, he chose the furthest chair. Both because of the man behind him, as though Zhou Mi would be sitting too, and because it faced where Zhou Mi worked.
“Here you are,” Zhou Mi said, putting the plate and fork on the little napkin down with practiced ease. “You like chocolate then. Is there something we don’t serve here that you like?”
Kyuhyun blinked up at him as he settled. Something chocolate that he liked. Everything, came to mind. But he searched his mind for past desserts that had made him happy, desserts that hadn’t come with a beaming smile and attention he could almost believe was just a bit special, just for him. But Zhou Mi, with his head cocked to the side just so, was making Kyuhyun’s face heat.
But Kyuhyun knew what his answer would be. “Chocolate tart.”
“Oh,” Zhou Mi said softly, eyes immediately narrowing as though he were thinking on Kyuhyun’s response.
Zhou Mi’s hands rested so lightly on the back of the chair opposite Kyuhyun, and he wanted to invite Zhou Mi to sit. The words were right there and waiting to be spoken, but he thought of work that Zhou Mi might have or that it might be weird. But they were the only two in the shop, and it might be rude not to, really. That was his excuse for sort of desperately needing it to happen. And if Zhou Mi apologized and said no, that’d be fine, too. A little soul-crushing, but fine.
He was saved from his momentary debate by the jangle of the door. Zhou Mi waved at him, moving off quickly to greet the new customer. And despite Kyuhyun wishing they’d take his mental hint and scram, they sat by the wide windows to eat and chat. So Kyuhyun ate his brownie alone, watching Zhou Mi clean his espresso machine, and wipe down counters and take inventory of the sweets. Kyuhyun could almost see his reflection in the surface of the dregs of his hot chocolate. A guy like Zhou Mi had to be dating, surely.
The door jangled again, and Zhou Mi looked up with a smile. It wasn’t even aimed at him, and something in Kyuhyun flip-flopped.
***
It started with little things, little conversations as Zhou Mi prepared his food or made his drink, or took his money. If there was no one behind Kyuhyun, maybe it was a few minutes long. Or maybe it was just thirty seconds, but it was enough to get Kyuhyun’s pulse going. Usually it wasn’t about anything spectacular, just talking about the weather or how loud some of the trucks going by were. Zhou Mi told him stories about the shop, like the flour fiasco that had ended up with a cloud of white the day before. Or some time in the past when Zhou Mi had dropped an entire tray of cookies and had nearly been run out the door by the baker he employed. Contrite he’d helped to redo them, and no one had been without cookies. But Zhou Mi had looked so mournful it had made him laugh.
His third or fourth visit later, Zhou Mi had handed him his change and his to-go box, and with a smile said, “I haven’t forgotten about that chocolate tart.”
Kyuhyun’s response had been a very enlightened, “Oh, thanks!” before he was dodging the other customers and making his way out the door with his slice of cake and paper cup full of the shop’s special blend of tea.
“He was just talking about dessert,” Kyuhyun said out loud half a block later, and got a few wary glances from passers-by. It didn’t matter than the way Zhou Mi had met his eyes, and the subsequent lowering of his lashes were still replaying in Kyuhyun’s mind.
It was a kind of grinding tug of war inside himself just weighing what he wanted Zhou Mi’s words and actions to mean, and rationalizing what they really were. Customers were the lifeblood of a business. Even customers like him that stood and watched the proprietor work with a bit of longing (and yeah, lust) in his gut. Maybe Zhou Mi had picked up on his crush. That thought made him erase the possibility from his mind or else risk shredding a pillow.
But three days later, Zhou Mi smiled up at him, saying his name and almost dancing to the counter.
“I was hoping you’d be in! Well, I was hoping to ask you if you’d be in tomorrow?”
“I could be?” Kyuhyun said, blinking.
“If you can, please,” Zhou Mi said, and his tone was full of teases, as he refused to tell Kyuhyun just why he was insisting. He didn’t even charge Kyuhyun for his drink, insisting it was on the shop. So Kyuhyun ate his cookie in confusion, and again his face heated as Zhou Mi called, “See you tomorrow!” as he left.
It wasn’t a date. It potentially wasn’t even anything special. Perhaps the store was having a sale, and Zhou Mi just wanted him to be part of the party.
Of course, that night he dreamed of licking chocolate off of Zhou Mi’s skin.
***
There were no streamers in the store, after Kyuhyun loitered a bit to make sure he’d be entering alone. There was no indication that there was anything out of the ordinary at all.
Aside from the part that when Zhou Mi saw him, his eyes went wide and he disappeared into the back. That was definitely unusual. But in moments, Zhou Mi was back, and Kyuhyun stepped up to see Zhou Mi pushing a wedge of something dark and rich toward him.
“Chocolate tart,” Zhou Mi said, as though he were announcing a world leader. And a fork was offered.
Zhou Mi wanted him to taste it right there. And that was his surprise. Zhou Mi knew he would have chocolate tart - and knew Kyuhyun would want some.
“Wow,” his mouth said independent of everything racing through his mind. He took the fork, his fingers brushing Zhou Mi’s, and set himself. He hardly even wanted to cut into the perfect wedge, but he couldn’t help himself. Not only was Zhou Mi visibly rocking into his line of sight, but someone could walk in the door at any moment.
The fork nearly sighed through the topmost layer, before sliding down, all the way to the plate. He didn’t dare look up at Zhou Mi as he lifted the fork and closed his lips around it. The flaky chocolate pastry crumbled and melted on his tongue, as the rich filling and dark chocolate coating rendered him a bit stupid. The difference in textures, silky, thick, crisp, were nothing short of divine. Bitter, sweet, and pure chocolate. He was licking his lips, determined to get the last traces of it before he raised his eyes to Zhou Mi’s.
He was going to be expected to say words, maybe even make sentences about what he’d just put in his mouth. And he was having a hard time remembering just how to swallow.
“Um,” he almost hummed, and he got quiet chuckle.
“I think we’ll start serving that regularly. Your usual tea?” Zhou Mi asked.
“Please?”
“Go ahead and find a seat then. I’ll bring it to you!” Zhou Mi said, and turned to make Kyuhyun’s drink.
Kyuhyun very carefully hefted the plate, assuming Zhou Mi meant for him to finish it. He wasn’t giving it up without a fight, that was for certain. He wondered if it would be rude to lick the plate when he was finished. Only if someone could see him. The part of his brain that wasn’t overtaken by food was cursing himself for walking off with the food like a thief, being too quiet, acting like a fool. He had no idea what to say to someone after a gift like that. Of course all sorts of thanks came to mind, but all of them sounded too big-headed, as though he thought Zhou Mi had created it just for him. For all he knew, Zhou Mi might’ve been taking a poll from all his customers, and the tart was the culmination of that. But then he thought of how Zhou Mi had been making sure that Kyuhyun would be in. He’d remembered Kyuhyun’s request, making sure to have it ready for him when Kyuhyun arrived. Instead of just butterflies, he had chocolate-covered butterflies.
But Zhou Mi brought his tea, and told him to enjoy with a smile that made Kyuhyun’s shoulders seize up. And then he had hot tea, and the rest of his chocolate tart to keen over. Bite by delicious bite as he watched Zhou Mi clear away dishes, comment to customers, and wash tables. He stopped by to see if Kyuhyun was doing okay, to which Kyuhyun, fork still in mouth, could only nod. He was going to end the day as articulate as a bullfrog.
In the end, the crust saved him from having to lick the plate. He had a full stomach to attest to it, warmed from the tea and satisfied. He felt like a chocolate Kyuhyun balloon as he floated up out of his chair during a lull. He was determined to at least get some discernible words out, so that Zhou Mi wouldn’t totally doubt his intelligence.
He might possibly have checked his teeth with his phone camera first, though. He still had that shred of hope in the back of his head.
“How was it?” Zhou Mi asked, leaning partway over the counter as Kyuhyun approached.
“Really good. Really excellent. If you have that here every day, I might not leave.” That had Zhou Mi laughing, his whole face awash in amusement and, Kyuhyun thought, just a bit of pride. “Will you have some tomorrow?”
“If you’ll be in, I’ll save you a slice,” Zhou Mi promised. “If you enjoyed it, I know others will, too.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow, then. I don’t know if I can stay.”
Zhou Mi waved his concern away with rolling fingertips. “I’ll wrap it if you need to go.”
The door jangled, and Kyuhyun stepped aside to let the customers in and stay out of their way. Two more people came in after them, so the chance of continuing the conversation with Zhou Mi fell unless he was just going to awkwardly retreat to his table and stare at his empty plate. But that was stupid. He did, however wait until he caught Zhou Mi’s eye. He’d paused with his hand on his bag, asking without words if Zhou Mi wanted him to pay, and Zhou Mi waved him off with a smile and half a wink.
He hadn’t known it was possible, not really, to fall in love with a plate of food. He’d known it was possible to fall in love with a man.
He hadn’t really expected to fall in love with both on the same day.
***
It was impossible to eat slabs of chocolate tart every day. It kind of took away from the magic of it. But that didn’t mean Kyuhyun turned down the piece Zhou Mi had set aside for him the next day. Just for scientific purposes, to see if he still liked it as much of course. And that time, Zhou Mi even let him pay for it and his tea. But he hadn’t been able to stay, so Zhou Mi had boxed it up for him and told him to have a wonderful day. And Kyuhyun wondered if Zhou Mi imagined that when Kyuhyun got to where he was going, if he would just frolic in chocolate land, and possibly just skip the little disposable fork in favor of smashing his face into heaven.
Even as his mind went there, it supplied the logical follow-up imagery, which was Zhou Mi helping to clean it off his face. Such a helpful guy. He wondered what Zhou Mi looked like out of his cute little apron, with his tight pants and buckled boots. Maybe he’d be wrapped in some kind of sweater that would make Kyuhyun want to pet him, or possibly snuggle into him, and quite also possibly want to strip him.
He didn’t say all of his fantasies were nice. Zhou Mi’s smile mutilated every chance he had at sounding like a rational human being. He was pretty sure the only sound his brain uttered was “guh” from the second it was trained on him when he pushed through the coffee shop’s doors. The way his throat was sticking, he thought maybe he needed sparkling water that day instead of tea. Something to break up the need to creep closer to the counter and see if Zhou Mi would brush his hand with his fingertips.
He tried some kind of apple muffin one day, and a few days later a cookie studded with cranberries. They were tart and sweet in his mouth, to go with the liquid chocolate. He could feel all of it sinking into his butt and thighs, and he didn’t even worry because Zhou Mi was softly singing to himself with the music being piped in. He was going to have to stop being a coward and think of a way to subtly bring into conversation their dating lives. Then he’d know if he was just needlessly pining, like if Zhou Mi was going home to some crazily tall weight lifter with fantastic cooking skills. Basically in a competition, that would be no competition.
“So,” Kyuhyun said, his voice clicking a bit as he gripped the counter with both hands.
“Are you free any time this weekend?” Zhou Mi asked, looking up at him after the register was closed.
Kyuhyun’s brain kept on clicking. “I… I am free, yes?”
Zhou Mi’s smile was full of promise as he leaned closer and stole all the air from Kyuhyun’s lungs. “I have someone to cover the front both days, a bit of time off for me from making coffee. But if you could come in, I could show you how the chocolate tart is made?”
All the air leaking out of Kyuhyun rushed right back in with a crackle and a screechy laugh. It could’ve been a cooking class, something Zhou Mi probably would’ve skipped if he’d known the extent of Kyuhyun’s cooking skills. It sounded more like a date, like Zhou Mi was luring him with promise of the chocolate tart. But it really didn’t matter what Zhou Mi meant it to be. The only way Kyuhyun was saying no was if Zhou Mi was guaranteeing he’d lose a limb in the process.
***
They made plans for two in the afternoon, and Kyuhyun was there five minutes early only because he’d spent the ten minutes previous pacing up and down the next stretch of sidewalk so he wasn’t earlier than that. There was a man at the counter, another employee that Kyuhyun had seen a couple of times before he’d gotten to know Zhou Mi’s schedule. He’d dressed carefully, since he wasn’t dressed for work. Jean that he thought looked okay, a deep red shirt he liked. It was the most stress he’d put toward something not guaranteed to be a date since his last job interview. But Kyuhyun was let back as soon he told the employee his name, and he found Zhou Mi humming and setting things out on the counter. It was a kitchen, Kyuhyun thought. A refrigerator, oven, shelves of ingredients and pans, and a wide metal work table.
On his head was a hairnet which bared Zhou Mi’s forehead. It should’ve looked terrible or laughable, and all it did was make Kyuhyun’s heart roll over.
“You made it!” Zhou Mi said, as though Kyuhyun would’ve not shown up. “Here, you get one of these, too.”
He was hairnetted by Zhou Mi himself, in Kyuhyun’s space and stealing all the oxygen from the room at the very least.
“No one likes to find hair in their food,” Kyuhyun joked.
“They don’t. My baker would be very upset if we were trying to do this without hair protection.”
That sounded kind of wrong but Kyuhyun let it slide in favor of looking at the tart pan thing that Zhou Mi set on the table. It already had what looked like chocolate pastry in it.
“The pastry part can be kind of finicky,” Zhou Mi explained. “So he made this for us earlier and let it cool. So it’s ready for us to make the filling and the glaze.”
“Oh, okay,” Kyuhyun said, clearing his throat and inching closer.
Zhou Mi read from the directions as first they put the oven on to heat, and then melted chocolate and mixed it with the other filling ingredients. It was almost deceptively simple, and yet difficult at the same time. Eggs and vanilla and cream. Salt and chocolate. Everything needed to tease the palate. Zhou Mi poured it into the pastry, smoothing it.
“Now it’ll bake for twenty minutes,” Zhou Mi said, sighing as the oven door closed.
“That’s it, huh?”
“Almost. There’s another step, adding the chocolate on top. But first, let’s take care of these dishes! Sometimes I think this is the biggest part of the baking. So much gets dirty.”
Zhou Mi was utterly unrepentant in drafting Kyuhyun to help. Showing him how the sink worked, the soap they used and cloths.
“We like to make things nice and sanitary. If we leave a crumb behind, I’ll hear about it forever.”
“Sounds like my house,” Kyuhyun chuckled.
It was comfortable, bumping elbows with Zhou Mi. He kind of went through periods of heightened awareness, followed by periods of forgetting he was supposed to be nervous and on his best behavior. He didn’t even know for sure if Zhou Mi liked him. He didn’t really know anything at all, besides the fact that Zhou Mi’s hands looked nice all soapy and wet, and his jaw was something kind of perfect. And there was some kind of mark on his neck, right down low, that Kyuhyun had never seen before.
But between cleaning and talking, the twenty minutes went fast, and Zhou Mi let Kyuhyun - who didn’t breathe the entire time - take the tart out of the oven.
“It’ll cool for for a while on the rack now,” Zhou Mi said. Then we’ll make the glaze! But come over here. Let’s relax a bit first.”
Zhou Mi had one chair in the back, and pulled up a box of something beside it to sit on after insisting he didn’t want the chair. So Kyuhyun sat, and for the first time since he’d arrived, all of Zhou Mi’s focus was on him.
It was all he’d really wanted, getting a chance to sit down and talk to Zhou Mi without customers interrupting or life in general. No jangling bells to disturb them, and even if they were surrounded by food, there wasn’t anything to interrupt them besides the inevitable oven timer. He got to hear about how Zhou Mi had worked in the store a while, getting the opportunity to run it, and then buy it.
“You have the perfect personality to run this kind of place,” Kyuhyun said. “I think everyone feels welcome as soon as they come in.”
“Thank you, Kyuhyun. I’m really glad to hear that. I wish I knew how to do more of the baking. As you can see, he only trusts me so far. But I like customers enjoying what they eat.”
They laughed together. And Kyuhyun wanted to ask if him enjoying what he ate was more important to Zhou Mi, or just the same. If Zhou Mi invited lots of customers into the kitchen, then it wasn’t as special. It was special, though, as he tried not to bump his shoe together with nerves. He was already trying to subtly wipe his palms on his jeans as he told Zhou Mi about his job, and how he had come to find the shop in the first place.
“I work just around the corner, so I was trying out all the shops in area. I didn’t remember the tea, but I remembered the desserts here. I remember the tea now, though!” he rushed out, when Zhou Mi started to look indignant and concerned.
“Some people like bitter or sweet, either together or separate. And some like rich and savory,” Zhou Mi mused. “I wanted to have something for everyone.”
“And you remember people’s names.” Zhou Mi remembered his name.
“Some of them. The regulars, if I write their names often enough,” Zhou Mi said, a hint of teasing again in his voice. “I asked for your name a couple of times extra, because I liked how you said it. We should start on the glaze.”
Or on the CPR. Kyuhyun’s heart took off sideways as Zhou Mi sprang to his feet. With the ingredients carefully measured, all they had to do was wait for it to heat so they could add the chocolate to melt it. And of course, as Zhou Mi started explaining, Kyuhyun had waited a few minutes too long to tell Zhou Mi that he liked his voice too - without sounding totally random and out of the blue.
“So this is the shiny stuff on top,” Kyuhyun said instead.
“It is,” Zhou Mi confirmed. “And I’ll get made fun of forever if it doesn’t turn out shiny.”
“He’ll tell you there’s a reason you sell and not bake?”
Zhou Mi tsked, flicking water at Kyuhyun as he washed his hands again. And slowly the chocolate melted in, and Zhou Mi let him stir, nudging him over closer to where they’d taken the pot off the burner. For a moment Zhou Mi’s hand was almost over his on the spatula, Zhou Mi’s brushing his shoulder with his body. It made it very hard to concentrate on the chocolate going smooth and glossy as the last ingredients were added.
Kyuhyun cleared his throat. “And now?”
“Now we pour it on,” Zhou Mi said.
And it was a team effort, Kyuhyun holding the pot steady and Zhou Mi scraping. And then Kyuhyun watched with a bit of awe as Zhou Mi picked up the tart and rotated it, letting the chocolate smooth and spread over the whole surface. He could practically taste it.
Actually. He could taste it, he thought. And then proceeded to get caught doing it, as he ran his finger up the side of the spatula. Zhou Mi just grinned as he put the tart back on the rack for the glaze to set.
“So that’s all there is to it,” Kyuhyun said, once he’d gotten his finger out of his mouth.
“That’s all. How does it taste?”
“Oh, really good. I just had to take a risk, make sure people were going to like it.”
“Very self-sacrificing of you. But you missed a bit, just—“
Zhou Mi’s thumb stopped just millimeters from his mouth, Zhou Mi’s curved index finger just barely brushing Kyuhyun’s chin. And his hand withdrew.
“Sorry. Just right there,” Zhou Mi said, as Kyuhyun fought the urge to grab Zhou Mi’s wrist and bring it back up. He could almost feel the touch he’d missed, and his ears were buzzing as he forced himself to breathe. Zhou Mi looked embarrassed, and he had no right feeling that way unless…
Unless.
Kyuhyun swiped his thumb up the side of the spatula, letting it fall into the pan with a clatter that made Zhou Mi jump. And Zhou Mi was tense and still, as Kyuhyun took a step forward and made up the ground that Zhou Mi had conceded. Just close enough, in fact, that Kyuhyun could raise his hand and with his thumb smear the liquid chocolate over Zhou Mi’s sagging, full bottom lip.
It was like lipstick, only tastier.
“I think you have a little bit there,” Kyuhyun teased, the tips of his ears burning as hope wailed away on his insides. He wanted to close his eyes, duck his head. But that might mean he’d miss some invitation, some sign. If Zhou Mi laughed it off, turned away, that was it.
Zhou Mi’s tongue came out on instinct, swiping part of the smear away. If they were thinking the same thing, if— And Kyuhyun’s stomach sucked in, as Zhou Mi’s hand landed on his side, still with the chocolate mocking him at Zhou Mi’s mouth.
“Did you want another taste?” Zhou Mi asked, voice so much lower, softer than it had been moments before. And his head dipped with it, tilting, nearly level to Kyuhyun’s.
There could not be clearer invitation. He could’ve laughed it off too, if he’d wanted to. Zhou Mi had left him an opening. But it wasn’t one he was taking. His hand met Zhou Mi’s neck before anything else, and he wasn’t sure what he was trying to do. Whether he was trying to keep Zhou Mi from running, or keep him close. Maybe both.
But then he had Zhou Mi’s bottom lip between both of his, and their noses pressed up beside each other’s from pure dumb luck. He tasted chocolate on the tender skin, breathed in Zhou Mi’s breath. Chocolate, something else, something pure and sharp that cut over it as Zhou Mi moaned into his mouth. And the pretense of tasting was over. Zhou Mi urged him back, arms snug around Kyuhyun’s ribs, even as Kyuhyun’s wound behind Zhou Mi’s neck.
Kissing Zhou Mi wasn’t nearly like eating one of his desserts. For one thing, Zhou Mi had his hips pinned against the work table, and for every move of Kyuhyun’s mouth, Zhou Mi had a reaction. It wasn’t sweet, but it was conversation, only in the press of lips and traded chuckles, and the silken slide of Zhou Mi’s tongue.
In the judgement of time and will, the kisses went on almost as long as every conversation they had shared before their current day combined. It seemed like both of them were a little reluctant to stop, chasing after, until Kyuhyun had to stop by reason of his heart exploding if he didn’t. And his lips felt tender and well-kissed.
And he didn’t even get to look at Zhou Mi’s face, as Zhou Mi cinched them together in a tight hug. But then he realized he was going to have to actually use words. He didn’t kiss guys he’d been crushing on in the backs of their businesses every day, where flirting escalated just one small shuffle short of actually making out. He wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to say. So, that was a great kiss! Hope you liked it, too. Dinner sometime?
“Definitely tastes good,” he said, leaning into the wet mouth breathing heavily into his cheek. It got him an exhaled laugh, and Zhou Mi’s hand slapping at his back.
“I think so too,” Zhou Mi said, the words so light, so full of promise.
Zhou Mi peeled himself away, slowly, leaving his hands on Kyuhyun’s sides as Kyuhyun put his a bit awkwardly on Zhou Mi’s arms. He wanted to feel up Zhou Mi’s chest but right then didn’t seem like the appropriate time. Though Zhou Mi, who still had a tiny smear of chocolate under his lip, shame on Kyuhyun. And his lips looked delightfully plumped and dark, and Kyuhyun nearly forgot to his nerves because he was so pleased. And Zhou Mi looked pleased, too, when Kyuhyun scrubbed off the little smear with his finger.
“There. All pretty again.”
“I can’t say I planned for this to happen today, but I can’t say I’m disappointed,” Zhou Mi said, hands squeezing at Kyuhyun’s sides almost in a ticklish way.
Kyuhyun gave a sidelong glance to the chocolate tart. “Was this some kind of pre-date? Chocolate as foreplay?”
“I was definitely trying to find out how interested you were.”
Kyuhyun smirked up at him, his emotions all tangled and squirming inside. “Did it work?”
And Zhou Mi kissed him, a kiss almost as light and teasing as his laugh. “I think so. Do you have anything else planned for this afternoon?”
“No?”
“Would you like to go for a walk? Maybe we can find somewhere to get a snack in a while. Real food.”
“Chocolate is real food,” Kyuhyun protested. “But yeah, I’d like that.”
He’d nearly stuttered over the words, and Zhou Mi smiled. Unsurprisingly, the smile was no less deadly up close, and knowing just how exactly that mouth fit to his.
“I need to grab something out front, if you want to run some water in these dishes,” Zhou Mi told him.
“Okay,” Kyuhyun said, blinking after Zhou Mi. And he flinched as Zhou Mi reached and pulled the hairnet from Kyuhyun’s head. They didn’t need those any more, he thought as Zhou Mi grinned and pulled off his own. And great, Zhou Mi had kissed him while wearing…that. Things could only get better.
But he ran a smoothing hand over his hair before doing as Zhou Mi requested and running water into the dishes they’d been using. When Zhou Mi came back just a couple of minutes later, he had two to-go cups in his hands and was almost marching in place to let Kyuhyun know that they could go.
“I was going to try and find out how interested you were, too,” Kyuhyun said, taking the cup from Zhou Mi with a murmur of thanks. “You just got there before I could figure out how.”
“I’m glad we didn’t wait any longer. I thought I was going to give myself an ulcer worrying on the days you didn’t come in. Just wondering if you weren’t coming in again.”
“There wasn’t chance of that, unless you told me you were getting married or something. I’d have— I’d have let you know if I couldn’t come back.” And a thought waved through him as Zhou Mi opened the back door and let Kyuhyun walk out. “And I like your voice, too! Since you said you liked me saying my name.”
Zhou Mi chuckled. “Was my voice what kept you coming back?”
Kyuhyun gave very serious consideration to the question as Zhou Mi first locked the door and then linked arms with Kyuhyun. Obviously it was Zhou Mi’s smiles. And that was what he was going to say right after, but first something else.
“I think… Probably the cookies.”
And the whole alley rang with Zhou Mi’s laughter.
***
Pairing: Zhou Mi/Kyuhyun
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, coffeeshop
Summary: It was his every food fantasy come to reality, just waiting for him to decide which confection he was after. But it was not his every fantasy.
***
The shop smelled of chocolate, yeast, and coffee. If there were three nicer smells in the world, Kyuhyun wasn’t sure what they were. But it was hard to miss the gleaming glass case just as the smells washed over him. It was full of glossy cakes ready to be boxed, some cut in slices for a special cup of tea or coffee. Beside them were petite fruit tarts, cookies the size of his face. Pretty eclairs, rich brioche à tête, brownies, and buns sticky with cinnamon and nuts. It was his every food fantasy come to reality, just waiting for him to decide which confection he was after.
But it was not his every fantasy. Part of that was reserved for the man who usually was behind the counter. He was dressed in a baby blue apron, hair carefully fringed across his forehead. Zhou Mi, who spoke Korean as though it burbled out of him, lilting and round, the edges colored in laughter. If Kyuhyun was second in line, he got to watch Zhou Mi work without fear of being discovered. There was a focus Zhou Mi put to each customer, whether it was someone Zhou Mi recognized or not. How could he help them? What sticky, rich, sweet, bitter, delicious thing could he serve them? What drink that would go to Kyuhyun’s thighs immediately after could he concoct?
And Zhou Mi drew out treats from the case as though he were handling precious and fragile eggs, either arranging them on plates to be consumed in the little sitting area to the side, or in the precious little to-go boxes. Kyuhyun was debating that question right then, whether to get a big mug of something decadent to go with something to eat and stay, or get something he could take home and savor. Well, he was going to savor it one way or the other. But if he stayed he’d get to watch the apron strings flirt with Zhou Mi’s backside, so right there he was going to be.
“Kyuhyun, hello!” Zhou Mi said, more welcoming than a dozen door chimes could be. “What can I get you today?”
Sixteen kisses across Zhou Mi’s broad shoulders, or maybe a gasp drawn from Kyuhyun’s hands along his thighs.
But that wasn’t something he could order with Zhou Mi leaning on the counter with his knuckles gnarled with how tight his fingers were clasped together. Long, blunted fingers with neat nails that Kyuhyun had never had so much trouble drawing his attention from. But Zhou Mi was looking between the case and him, as though anticipating Kyuhyun’s choice. There was no one behind him, exiting off the street, so he could take his time. Only taking his time was excruciating as he looked between desserts and savory.
“I’ll have hot chocolate,” he said finally, at least knowing what drink he wanted. “And I’ll eat here today. I’m still thinking…”
Zhou Mi laughed, straightening and taking those hands out of his line of sight. “It’s a good day for eating in.”
It was. The weather was hot enough that the cooler inside of the shop was wonderful. Still, he couldn’t resist a hot drink. He didn’t want something too sweet, and he knew the shop’s hot chocolate was not. It allowed him to think of food, knowing it would not be too cloying.
But by the time Zhou Mi brought the steaming cup, he’d finally made his choice.
“I’ll get the brownie, with dark chocolate syrup.”
Zhou Mi’s smile indicated it was an excellent choice, and he rang up Kyuhyun’s order and accept his money. Normally, Kyuhyun would have picked up his mug and wandered to find a seat. Zhou Mi usually, even when the shop was overrun, tried to deliver all the desserts himself. But he couldn’t move, watching with interest. Kyuhyun’s mouth watered as Zhou Mi drizzled warm chocolate syrup over the broad, powdered sugar-dusted surface, and then arranged sliced strawberries beside it and a tiny sprig of mint.
Zhou Mi wasn’t the slightest bit ruffled by the fact that Kyuhyun was still standing there when he was finished, either.
“It’s mesmerizing,” Kyuhyun said. It, you. Whatever.
Zhou Mi just laughed at him. “Where would you like to sit?”
Keeping with tradition then. Kyuhyun picked up his mug, and chose a table on the wall, instead of one right by the street. Out of habit, he chose the furthest chair. Both because of the man behind him, as though Zhou Mi would be sitting too, and because it faced where Zhou Mi worked.
“Here you are,” Zhou Mi said, putting the plate and fork on the little napkin down with practiced ease. “You like chocolate then. Is there something we don’t serve here that you like?”
Kyuhyun blinked up at him as he settled. Something chocolate that he liked. Everything, came to mind. But he searched his mind for past desserts that had made him happy, desserts that hadn’t come with a beaming smile and attention he could almost believe was just a bit special, just for him. But Zhou Mi, with his head cocked to the side just so, was making Kyuhyun’s face heat.
But Kyuhyun knew what his answer would be. “Chocolate tart.”
“Oh,” Zhou Mi said softly, eyes immediately narrowing as though he were thinking on Kyuhyun’s response.
Zhou Mi’s hands rested so lightly on the back of the chair opposite Kyuhyun, and he wanted to invite Zhou Mi to sit. The words were right there and waiting to be spoken, but he thought of work that Zhou Mi might have or that it might be weird. But they were the only two in the shop, and it might be rude not to, really. That was his excuse for sort of desperately needing it to happen. And if Zhou Mi apologized and said no, that’d be fine, too. A little soul-crushing, but fine.
He was saved from his momentary debate by the jangle of the door. Zhou Mi waved at him, moving off quickly to greet the new customer. And despite Kyuhyun wishing they’d take his mental hint and scram, they sat by the wide windows to eat and chat. So Kyuhyun ate his brownie alone, watching Zhou Mi clean his espresso machine, and wipe down counters and take inventory of the sweets. Kyuhyun could almost see his reflection in the surface of the dregs of his hot chocolate. A guy like Zhou Mi had to be dating, surely.
The door jangled again, and Zhou Mi looked up with a smile. It wasn’t even aimed at him, and something in Kyuhyun flip-flopped.
***
It started with little things, little conversations as Zhou Mi prepared his food or made his drink, or took his money. If there was no one behind Kyuhyun, maybe it was a few minutes long. Or maybe it was just thirty seconds, but it was enough to get Kyuhyun’s pulse going. Usually it wasn’t about anything spectacular, just talking about the weather or how loud some of the trucks going by were. Zhou Mi told him stories about the shop, like the flour fiasco that had ended up with a cloud of white the day before. Or some time in the past when Zhou Mi had dropped an entire tray of cookies and had nearly been run out the door by the baker he employed. Contrite he’d helped to redo them, and no one had been without cookies. But Zhou Mi had looked so mournful it had made him laugh.
His third or fourth visit later, Zhou Mi had handed him his change and his to-go box, and with a smile said, “I haven’t forgotten about that chocolate tart.”
Kyuhyun’s response had been a very enlightened, “Oh, thanks!” before he was dodging the other customers and making his way out the door with his slice of cake and paper cup full of the shop’s special blend of tea.
“He was just talking about dessert,” Kyuhyun said out loud half a block later, and got a few wary glances from passers-by. It didn’t matter than the way Zhou Mi had met his eyes, and the subsequent lowering of his lashes were still replaying in Kyuhyun’s mind.
It was a kind of grinding tug of war inside himself just weighing what he wanted Zhou Mi’s words and actions to mean, and rationalizing what they really were. Customers were the lifeblood of a business. Even customers like him that stood and watched the proprietor work with a bit of longing (and yeah, lust) in his gut. Maybe Zhou Mi had picked up on his crush. That thought made him erase the possibility from his mind or else risk shredding a pillow.
But three days later, Zhou Mi smiled up at him, saying his name and almost dancing to the counter.
“I was hoping you’d be in! Well, I was hoping to ask you if you’d be in tomorrow?”
“I could be?” Kyuhyun said, blinking.
“If you can, please,” Zhou Mi said, and his tone was full of teases, as he refused to tell Kyuhyun just why he was insisting. He didn’t even charge Kyuhyun for his drink, insisting it was on the shop. So Kyuhyun ate his cookie in confusion, and again his face heated as Zhou Mi called, “See you tomorrow!” as he left.
It wasn’t a date. It potentially wasn’t even anything special. Perhaps the store was having a sale, and Zhou Mi just wanted him to be part of the party.
Of course, that night he dreamed of licking chocolate off of Zhou Mi’s skin.
***
There were no streamers in the store, after Kyuhyun loitered a bit to make sure he’d be entering alone. There was no indication that there was anything out of the ordinary at all.
Aside from the part that when Zhou Mi saw him, his eyes went wide and he disappeared into the back. That was definitely unusual. But in moments, Zhou Mi was back, and Kyuhyun stepped up to see Zhou Mi pushing a wedge of something dark and rich toward him.
“Chocolate tart,” Zhou Mi said, as though he were announcing a world leader. And a fork was offered.
Zhou Mi wanted him to taste it right there. And that was his surprise. Zhou Mi knew he would have chocolate tart - and knew Kyuhyun would want some.
“Wow,” his mouth said independent of everything racing through his mind. He took the fork, his fingers brushing Zhou Mi’s, and set himself. He hardly even wanted to cut into the perfect wedge, but he couldn’t help himself. Not only was Zhou Mi visibly rocking into his line of sight, but someone could walk in the door at any moment.
The fork nearly sighed through the topmost layer, before sliding down, all the way to the plate. He didn’t dare look up at Zhou Mi as he lifted the fork and closed his lips around it. The flaky chocolate pastry crumbled and melted on his tongue, as the rich filling and dark chocolate coating rendered him a bit stupid. The difference in textures, silky, thick, crisp, were nothing short of divine. Bitter, sweet, and pure chocolate. He was licking his lips, determined to get the last traces of it before he raised his eyes to Zhou Mi’s.
He was going to be expected to say words, maybe even make sentences about what he’d just put in his mouth. And he was having a hard time remembering just how to swallow.
“Um,” he almost hummed, and he got quiet chuckle.
“I think we’ll start serving that regularly. Your usual tea?” Zhou Mi asked.
“Please?”
“Go ahead and find a seat then. I’ll bring it to you!” Zhou Mi said, and turned to make Kyuhyun’s drink.
Kyuhyun very carefully hefted the plate, assuming Zhou Mi meant for him to finish it. He wasn’t giving it up without a fight, that was for certain. He wondered if it would be rude to lick the plate when he was finished. Only if someone could see him. The part of his brain that wasn’t overtaken by food was cursing himself for walking off with the food like a thief, being too quiet, acting like a fool. He had no idea what to say to someone after a gift like that. Of course all sorts of thanks came to mind, but all of them sounded too big-headed, as though he thought Zhou Mi had created it just for him. For all he knew, Zhou Mi might’ve been taking a poll from all his customers, and the tart was the culmination of that. But then he thought of how Zhou Mi had been making sure that Kyuhyun would be in. He’d remembered Kyuhyun’s request, making sure to have it ready for him when Kyuhyun arrived. Instead of just butterflies, he had chocolate-covered butterflies.
But Zhou Mi brought his tea, and told him to enjoy with a smile that made Kyuhyun’s shoulders seize up. And then he had hot tea, and the rest of his chocolate tart to keen over. Bite by delicious bite as he watched Zhou Mi clear away dishes, comment to customers, and wash tables. He stopped by to see if Kyuhyun was doing okay, to which Kyuhyun, fork still in mouth, could only nod. He was going to end the day as articulate as a bullfrog.
In the end, the crust saved him from having to lick the plate. He had a full stomach to attest to it, warmed from the tea and satisfied. He felt like a chocolate Kyuhyun balloon as he floated up out of his chair during a lull. He was determined to at least get some discernible words out, so that Zhou Mi wouldn’t totally doubt his intelligence.
He might possibly have checked his teeth with his phone camera first, though. He still had that shred of hope in the back of his head.
“How was it?” Zhou Mi asked, leaning partway over the counter as Kyuhyun approached.
“Really good. Really excellent. If you have that here every day, I might not leave.” That had Zhou Mi laughing, his whole face awash in amusement and, Kyuhyun thought, just a bit of pride. “Will you have some tomorrow?”
“If you’ll be in, I’ll save you a slice,” Zhou Mi promised. “If you enjoyed it, I know others will, too.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow, then. I don’t know if I can stay.”
Zhou Mi waved his concern away with rolling fingertips. “I’ll wrap it if you need to go.”
The door jangled, and Kyuhyun stepped aside to let the customers in and stay out of their way. Two more people came in after them, so the chance of continuing the conversation with Zhou Mi fell unless he was just going to awkwardly retreat to his table and stare at his empty plate. But that was stupid. He did, however wait until he caught Zhou Mi’s eye. He’d paused with his hand on his bag, asking without words if Zhou Mi wanted him to pay, and Zhou Mi waved him off with a smile and half a wink.
He hadn’t known it was possible, not really, to fall in love with a plate of food. He’d known it was possible to fall in love with a man.
He hadn’t really expected to fall in love with both on the same day.
***
It was impossible to eat slabs of chocolate tart every day. It kind of took away from the magic of it. But that didn’t mean Kyuhyun turned down the piece Zhou Mi had set aside for him the next day. Just for scientific purposes, to see if he still liked it as much of course. And that time, Zhou Mi even let him pay for it and his tea. But he hadn’t been able to stay, so Zhou Mi had boxed it up for him and told him to have a wonderful day. And Kyuhyun wondered if Zhou Mi imagined that when Kyuhyun got to where he was going, if he would just frolic in chocolate land, and possibly just skip the little disposable fork in favor of smashing his face into heaven.
Even as his mind went there, it supplied the logical follow-up imagery, which was Zhou Mi helping to clean it off his face. Such a helpful guy. He wondered what Zhou Mi looked like out of his cute little apron, with his tight pants and buckled boots. Maybe he’d be wrapped in some kind of sweater that would make Kyuhyun want to pet him, or possibly snuggle into him, and quite also possibly want to strip him.
He didn’t say all of his fantasies were nice. Zhou Mi’s smile mutilated every chance he had at sounding like a rational human being. He was pretty sure the only sound his brain uttered was “guh” from the second it was trained on him when he pushed through the coffee shop’s doors. The way his throat was sticking, he thought maybe he needed sparkling water that day instead of tea. Something to break up the need to creep closer to the counter and see if Zhou Mi would brush his hand with his fingertips.
He tried some kind of apple muffin one day, and a few days later a cookie studded with cranberries. They were tart and sweet in his mouth, to go with the liquid chocolate. He could feel all of it sinking into his butt and thighs, and he didn’t even worry because Zhou Mi was softly singing to himself with the music being piped in. He was going to have to stop being a coward and think of a way to subtly bring into conversation their dating lives. Then he’d know if he was just needlessly pining, like if Zhou Mi was going home to some crazily tall weight lifter with fantastic cooking skills. Basically in a competition, that would be no competition.
“So,” Kyuhyun said, his voice clicking a bit as he gripped the counter with both hands.
“Are you free any time this weekend?” Zhou Mi asked, looking up at him after the register was closed.
Kyuhyun’s brain kept on clicking. “I… I am free, yes?”
Zhou Mi’s smile was full of promise as he leaned closer and stole all the air from Kyuhyun’s lungs. “I have someone to cover the front both days, a bit of time off for me from making coffee. But if you could come in, I could show you how the chocolate tart is made?”
All the air leaking out of Kyuhyun rushed right back in with a crackle and a screechy laugh. It could’ve been a cooking class, something Zhou Mi probably would’ve skipped if he’d known the extent of Kyuhyun’s cooking skills. It sounded more like a date, like Zhou Mi was luring him with promise of the chocolate tart. But it really didn’t matter what Zhou Mi meant it to be. The only way Kyuhyun was saying no was if Zhou Mi was guaranteeing he’d lose a limb in the process.
***
They made plans for two in the afternoon, and Kyuhyun was there five minutes early only because he’d spent the ten minutes previous pacing up and down the next stretch of sidewalk so he wasn’t earlier than that. There was a man at the counter, another employee that Kyuhyun had seen a couple of times before he’d gotten to know Zhou Mi’s schedule. He’d dressed carefully, since he wasn’t dressed for work. Jean that he thought looked okay, a deep red shirt he liked. It was the most stress he’d put toward something not guaranteed to be a date since his last job interview. But Kyuhyun was let back as soon he told the employee his name, and he found Zhou Mi humming and setting things out on the counter. It was a kitchen, Kyuhyun thought. A refrigerator, oven, shelves of ingredients and pans, and a wide metal work table.
On his head was a hairnet which bared Zhou Mi’s forehead. It should’ve looked terrible or laughable, and all it did was make Kyuhyun’s heart roll over.
“You made it!” Zhou Mi said, as though Kyuhyun would’ve not shown up. “Here, you get one of these, too.”
He was hairnetted by Zhou Mi himself, in Kyuhyun’s space and stealing all the oxygen from the room at the very least.
“No one likes to find hair in their food,” Kyuhyun joked.
“They don’t. My baker would be very upset if we were trying to do this without hair protection.”
That sounded kind of wrong but Kyuhyun let it slide in favor of looking at the tart pan thing that Zhou Mi set on the table. It already had what looked like chocolate pastry in it.
“The pastry part can be kind of finicky,” Zhou Mi explained. “So he made this for us earlier and let it cool. So it’s ready for us to make the filling and the glaze.”
“Oh, okay,” Kyuhyun said, clearing his throat and inching closer.
Zhou Mi read from the directions as first they put the oven on to heat, and then melted chocolate and mixed it with the other filling ingredients. It was almost deceptively simple, and yet difficult at the same time. Eggs and vanilla and cream. Salt and chocolate. Everything needed to tease the palate. Zhou Mi poured it into the pastry, smoothing it.
“Now it’ll bake for twenty minutes,” Zhou Mi said, sighing as the oven door closed.
“That’s it, huh?”
“Almost. There’s another step, adding the chocolate on top. But first, let’s take care of these dishes! Sometimes I think this is the biggest part of the baking. So much gets dirty.”
Zhou Mi was utterly unrepentant in drafting Kyuhyun to help. Showing him how the sink worked, the soap they used and cloths.
“We like to make things nice and sanitary. If we leave a crumb behind, I’ll hear about it forever.”
“Sounds like my house,” Kyuhyun chuckled.
It was comfortable, bumping elbows with Zhou Mi. He kind of went through periods of heightened awareness, followed by periods of forgetting he was supposed to be nervous and on his best behavior. He didn’t even know for sure if Zhou Mi liked him. He didn’t really know anything at all, besides the fact that Zhou Mi’s hands looked nice all soapy and wet, and his jaw was something kind of perfect. And there was some kind of mark on his neck, right down low, that Kyuhyun had never seen before.
But between cleaning and talking, the twenty minutes went fast, and Zhou Mi let Kyuhyun - who didn’t breathe the entire time - take the tart out of the oven.
“It’ll cool for for a while on the rack now,” Zhou Mi said. Then we’ll make the glaze! But come over here. Let’s relax a bit first.”
Zhou Mi had one chair in the back, and pulled up a box of something beside it to sit on after insisting he didn’t want the chair. So Kyuhyun sat, and for the first time since he’d arrived, all of Zhou Mi’s focus was on him.
It was all he’d really wanted, getting a chance to sit down and talk to Zhou Mi without customers interrupting or life in general. No jangling bells to disturb them, and even if they were surrounded by food, there wasn’t anything to interrupt them besides the inevitable oven timer. He got to hear about how Zhou Mi had worked in the store a while, getting the opportunity to run it, and then buy it.
“You have the perfect personality to run this kind of place,” Kyuhyun said. “I think everyone feels welcome as soon as they come in.”
“Thank you, Kyuhyun. I’m really glad to hear that. I wish I knew how to do more of the baking. As you can see, he only trusts me so far. But I like customers enjoying what they eat.”
They laughed together. And Kyuhyun wanted to ask if him enjoying what he ate was more important to Zhou Mi, or just the same. If Zhou Mi invited lots of customers into the kitchen, then it wasn’t as special. It was special, though, as he tried not to bump his shoe together with nerves. He was already trying to subtly wipe his palms on his jeans as he told Zhou Mi about his job, and how he had come to find the shop in the first place.
“I work just around the corner, so I was trying out all the shops in area. I didn’t remember the tea, but I remembered the desserts here. I remember the tea now, though!” he rushed out, when Zhou Mi started to look indignant and concerned.
“Some people like bitter or sweet, either together or separate. And some like rich and savory,” Zhou Mi mused. “I wanted to have something for everyone.”
“And you remember people’s names.” Zhou Mi remembered his name.
“Some of them. The regulars, if I write their names often enough,” Zhou Mi said, a hint of teasing again in his voice. “I asked for your name a couple of times extra, because I liked how you said it. We should start on the glaze.”
Or on the CPR. Kyuhyun’s heart took off sideways as Zhou Mi sprang to his feet. With the ingredients carefully measured, all they had to do was wait for it to heat so they could add the chocolate to melt it. And of course, as Zhou Mi started explaining, Kyuhyun had waited a few minutes too long to tell Zhou Mi that he liked his voice too - without sounding totally random and out of the blue.
“So this is the shiny stuff on top,” Kyuhyun said instead.
“It is,” Zhou Mi confirmed. “And I’ll get made fun of forever if it doesn’t turn out shiny.”
“He’ll tell you there’s a reason you sell and not bake?”
Zhou Mi tsked, flicking water at Kyuhyun as he washed his hands again. And slowly the chocolate melted in, and Zhou Mi let him stir, nudging him over closer to where they’d taken the pot off the burner. For a moment Zhou Mi’s hand was almost over his on the spatula, Zhou Mi’s brushing his shoulder with his body. It made it very hard to concentrate on the chocolate going smooth and glossy as the last ingredients were added.
Kyuhyun cleared his throat. “And now?”
“Now we pour it on,” Zhou Mi said.
And it was a team effort, Kyuhyun holding the pot steady and Zhou Mi scraping. And then Kyuhyun watched with a bit of awe as Zhou Mi picked up the tart and rotated it, letting the chocolate smooth and spread over the whole surface. He could practically taste it.
Actually. He could taste it, he thought. And then proceeded to get caught doing it, as he ran his finger up the side of the spatula. Zhou Mi just grinned as he put the tart back on the rack for the glaze to set.
“So that’s all there is to it,” Kyuhyun said, once he’d gotten his finger out of his mouth.
“That’s all. How does it taste?”
“Oh, really good. I just had to take a risk, make sure people were going to like it.”
“Very self-sacrificing of you. But you missed a bit, just—“
Zhou Mi’s thumb stopped just millimeters from his mouth, Zhou Mi’s curved index finger just barely brushing Kyuhyun’s chin. And his hand withdrew.
“Sorry. Just right there,” Zhou Mi said, as Kyuhyun fought the urge to grab Zhou Mi’s wrist and bring it back up. He could almost feel the touch he’d missed, and his ears were buzzing as he forced himself to breathe. Zhou Mi looked embarrassed, and he had no right feeling that way unless…
Unless.
Kyuhyun swiped his thumb up the side of the spatula, letting it fall into the pan with a clatter that made Zhou Mi jump. And Zhou Mi was tense and still, as Kyuhyun took a step forward and made up the ground that Zhou Mi had conceded. Just close enough, in fact, that Kyuhyun could raise his hand and with his thumb smear the liquid chocolate over Zhou Mi’s sagging, full bottom lip.
It was like lipstick, only tastier.
“I think you have a little bit there,” Kyuhyun teased, the tips of his ears burning as hope wailed away on his insides. He wanted to close his eyes, duck his head. But that might mean he’d miss some invitation, some sign. If Zhou Mi laughed it off, turned away, that was it.
Zhou Mi’s tongue came out on instinct, swiping part of the smear away. If they were thinking the same thing, if— And Kyuhyun’s stomach sucked in, as Zhou Mi’s hand landed on his side, still with the chocolate mocking him at Zhou Mi’s mouth.
“Did you want another taste?” Zhou Mi asked, voice so much lower, softer than it had been moments before. And his head dipped with it, tilting, nearly level to Kyuhyun’s.
There could not be clearer invitation. He could’ve laughed it off too, if he’d wanted to. Zhou Mi had left him an opening. But it wasn’t one he was taking. His hand met Zhou Mi’s neck before anything else, and he wasn’t sure what he was trying to do. Whether he was trying to keep Zhou Mi from running, or keep him close. Maybe both.
But then he had Zhou Mi’s bottom lip between both of his, and their noses pressed up beside each other’s from pure dumb luck. He tasted chocolate on the tender skin, breathed in Zhou Mi’s breath. Chocolate, something else, something pure and sharp that cut over it as Zhou Mi moaned into his mouth. And the pretense of tasting was over. Zhou Mi urged him back, arms snug around Kyuhyun’s ribs, even as Kyuhyun’s wound behind Zhou Mi’s neck.
Kissing Zhou Mi wasn’t nearly like eating one of his desserts. For one thing, Zhou Mi had his hips pinned against the work table, and for every move of Kyuhyun’s mouth, Zhou Mi had a reaction. It wasn’t sweet, but it was conversation, only in the press of lips and traded chuckles, and the silken slide of Zhou Mi’s tongue.
In the judgement of time and will, the kisses went on almost as long as every conversation they had shared before their current day combined. It seemed like both of them were a little reluctant to stop, chasing after, until Kyuhyun had to stop by reason of his heart exploding if he didn’t. And his lips felt tender and well-kissed.
And he didn’t even get to look at Zhou Mi’s face, as Zhou Mi cinched them together in a tight hug. But then he realized he was going to have to actually use words. He didn’t kiss guys he’d been crushing on in the backs of their businesses every day, where flirting escalated just one small shuffle short of actually making out. He wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to say. So, that was a great kiss! Hope you liked it, too. Dinner sometime?
“Definitely tastes good,” he said, leaning into the wet mouth breathing heavily into his cheek. It got him an exhaled laugh, and Zhou Mi’s hand slapping at his back.
“I think so too,” Zhou Mi said, the words so light, so full of promise.
Zhou Mi peeled himself away, slowly, leaving his hands on Kyuhyun’s sides as Kyuhyun put his a bit awkwardly on Zhou Mi’s arms. He wanted to feel up Zhou Mi’s chest but right then didn’t seem like the appropriate time. Though Zhou Mi, who still had a tiny smear of chocolate under his lip, shame on Kyuhyun. And his lips looked delightfully plumped and dark, and Kyuhyun nearly forgot to his nerves because he was so pleased. And Zhou Mi looked pleased, too, when Kyuhyun scrubbed off the little smear with his finger.
“There. All pretty again.”
“I can’t say I planned for this to happen today, but I can’t say I’m disappointed,” Zhou Mi said, hands squeezing at Kyuhyun’s sides almost in a ticklish way.
Kyuhyun gave a sidelong glance to the chocolate tart. “Was this some kind of pre-date? Chocolate as foreplay?”
“I was definitely trying to find out how interested you were.”
Kyuhyun smirked up at him, his emotions all tangled and squirming inside. “Did it work?”
And Zhou Mi kissed him, a kiss almost as light and teasing as his laugh. “I think so. Do you have anything else planned for this afternoon?”
“No?”
“Would you like to go for a walk? Maybe we can find somewhere to get a snack in a while. Real food.”
“Chocolate is real food,” Kyuhyun protested. “But yeah, I’d like that.”
He’d nearly stuttered over the words, and Zhou Mi smiled. Unsurprisingly, the smile was no less deadly up close, and knowing just how exactly that mouth fit to his.
“I need to grab something out front, if you want to run some water in these dishes,” Zhou Mi told him.
“Okay,” Kyuhyun said, blinking after Zhou Mi. And he flinched as Zhou Mi reached and pulled the hairnet from Kyuhyun’s head. They didn’t need those any more, he thought as Zhou Mi grinned and pulled off his own. And great, Zhou Mi had kissed him while wearing…that. Things could only get better.
But he ran a smoothing hand over his hair before doing as Zhou Mi requested and running water into the dishes they’d been using. When Zhou Mi came back just a couple of minutes later, he had two to-go cups in his hands and was almost marching in place to let Kyuhyun know that they could go.
“I was going to try and find out how interested you were, too,” Kyuhyun said, taking the cup from Zhou Mi with a murmur of thanks. “You just got there before I could figure out how.”
“I’m glad we didn’t wait any longer. I thought I was going to give myself an ulcer worrying on the days you didn’t come in. Just wondering if you weren’t coming in again.”
“There wasn’t chance of that, unless you told me you were getting married or something. I’d have— I’d have let you know if I couldn’t come back.” And a thought waved through him as Zhou Mi opened the back door and let Kyuhyun walk out. “And I like your voice, too! Since you said you liked me saying my name.”
Zhou Mi chuckled. “Was my voice what kept you coming back?”
Kyuhyun gave very serious consideration to the question as Zhou Mi first locked the door and then linked arms with Kyuhyun. Obviously it was Zhou Mi’s smiles. And that was what he was going to say right after, but first something else.
“I think… Probably the cookies.”
And the whole alley rang with Zhou Mi’s laughter.
***
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Date: 2012-10-14 09:16 am (UTC)so cute
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Date: 2012-11-01 06:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-14 12:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 06:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-14 01:11 pm (UTC)<3
now i want to make a tart ;;;
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Date: 2012-11-01 06:57 am (UTC)I really need to get a tart pan XD
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Date: 2012-10-14 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 08:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-15 03:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 08:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-15 05:36 am (UTC)zhou mi should own a bakery in real life and then i will go there everyday and get fat, but it would be worth it!
this was just so adorable and zhou mi making the chocolate tart and getting all excited about kyuhyun tasting it!
and lmao at them kissing with hairnets on. i'd forgotten they were wearing them too until you mentioned them taking them off! XD
ugh so sweet!
that wasn't meant to be a pun but...well, there it is lol♥no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 08:18 am (UTC)I wonder if he was planning to extend that into a baking session even then. XD Before Kyuhyun was making sex noises at his food. XD (and why are they still so attractive with hairnets ide) qmichocolate, ot3~
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Date: 2012-10-15 08:41 pm (UTC)I love, love, love ALL of your Qmi (especially For Always and Until You). Thank you so, so much for all of your thoughtful and clever writing.
Ps. Also loved Someday. I, too, am very partial to the Muffin.
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Date: 2012-11-01 08:35 am (UTC)I've already blushed and rolled around so...here! Have hugs! /inundates with hugs XD~ <3
a;dkfja. Suho. In which I want to squeeze him until the cute makes me crumble which would probably be instantaneously. XD Such a sweet handsome boy. ;;;;
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Date: 2012-10-16 11:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 08:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:33 am (UTC)All the description of the desserts going straight to the Kyuthighs. Yes. xD
Your writing is always so beautiful! I love it, I love it. One of my favorite fanfic writers, for sure.
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Date: 2012-11-01 08:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 07:08 am (UTC)Thanks to Kyu, Mi, and you, I will never be able to hear that song again without thinking of this. <3333
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Date: 2012-11-01 08:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-01 09:59 am (UTC)sobs so kyute <3
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Date: 2012-11-01 10:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-02 03:00 am (UTC)this is so perfect
i just
<33333
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Date: 2012-11-02 05:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-03 04:35 am (UTC)My heart was smiling (???) all the time I read this. *sigh*
Definitely a great story.
*sobs of happiness*
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Date: 2012-11-03 07:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-10 10:38 am (UTC)i really could not stop smiling while reading this asfaho;wjled the cuteness ;____;
THIS IS WHY I LOVE QMI.
and the fact that i love anything and everything related to baking just made it all the better. :D
wonderful job ^^ /mems
i'll definitely be reading more from you in the future. hehehe~
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Date: 2012-11-23 11:44 am (UTC)I'm so glad you enjoyed it~ :D