ZANE, MEET THE ASHIDA FAMILY

CHAPTER 3 / FLOUR, THE REAL MENACE

NANA

Zane had accepted. Once hugging him, I began dragging him back to my place on Lovers' Lane. I'd like to teasingly mention that Zane is a 'fat little nugget' as Aphmau calls him, specifically meaning that he can't run very fast, or keep endurance for long. Yet, meif~was have tons of energy, (and sometimes too much) so most of the time, Zane can't keep up.

The raven-haired male trying to keep up, had his feet barely touching the ground, "Nana, where are we going?" he asked out of breath.

We'd only made it out of the park, and he was already out of breath?

I laughed, "Back to my place, Remember, I did promise you cupcakes," I said, still running, yet more jogging now through the cold air, with the crystallising snowflakes falling around us. I didn't stop until we made it back to my house, once unlocking the door, I'd gotten the cupcakes out of the fridge, and placed them on the kitchen island. Zane was slumped on the couch, gasping for air, although that's how he usually is after a running display like that.

Zane turned around to face me, "Nana, what's the rush, aren't you leaving tomorrow? You've got plenty of time." Zane asked me.

I sighed, sitting on the couch beside him, "I am leaving tomorrow but I still need to bake a cake for Aaron's birthday party tomorrow. Aphmau called me this morning and she's going to pick it up this afternoon. Then, I have to pack, organise-," I rambled.

Zane smiled, "Need some help with that?" he asked almost sarcastically, "Then, you'd have time to get everything ready for tomorrow," he said. I giggled quietly, rolling my eyes, knowing that Zane was right, and he always is, although it's something I don't acknowledge.

"Thank you, Zane," I said, giving him a quick hug and immediately jerking right up, walking into the kitchen, and Zane followed. He sat on a bench as I passed him one of the cupcakes.

"So, what kind of cake are you making for Aaron?" Zane asked, before digging right in.

I shrugged as I tied the bow of my apron behind my back, "Well, it's a simple recipe. You know werewolves can't have chocolate, and I can't make red velvet or chocolate cake so vanilla is the only option," I explained. Red velvet had been Aph's favourite before Aaron turned her into a werewolf, Aaron is an ultima werewolf, a dangerous type of werewolf if triggered, can almost kill someone with eye contact, or with the bite of the ultima's exposed fangs. He'd turned Aphmau, by her own choice. And as a natural allergy that all werewolves endure, Aphmau can't have chocolate, pretty much toxic.

Although, this cake was for Aaron, and he quite enjoyed the vanilla flavour.

"Right. Same recipe as always?" Zane asked, once he'd finished, literally devouring the cupcake in front of him.

I've made this cake many, many times with Zane. He practically knows this recipe off by heart like I do, "How about I make the batter and you do the decorating? While I'm making the batter you can begin packing," he suggested.

"Really?! That would save me hours! Thanks!" I pretty much ran off to my room, pulling out my light pink suitcase, with a darker shade of pink coloured cherry blossoms on a maroon twisted branch, painted on it, along with my name written in permanent marker on it.

Nana Ashida, not Kawaii~Chan, I'd owned that suitcase before I'd ever created Kawaii~Chan in the first place.

Quickly, I began packing all my winter clothes, ready for the week-long trip...

ZANE

Making the cake was fun.

Nana went upstairs as I made the batter and put the cake in the oven. The cake had almost cooled down to room temperature when Nana had come downstairs again. She quickly frosted the cake and piped it around the bottom of it.