Sugar

03

The plan consists of messaging Milo, back and forth, flirty but otherwise tame. Simple greetings in the morning and in the evenings, and little things in between, and it keeps Amir going, stupid smile on his face for most of the day as he goes through his daily rehearsals and through shifts at the dance studio, keeps him warm as the winter chill makes itself home in the city.

The plan also involves going back to J&M a few days later, early in the morning because it's the only free time he has for the rest of the week because he needs to put in more hours for practice before his recital, and dragging Cy along with him so he doesn't look too desperate, and so that Cy can finally see how pretty Jamie is in real life for himself and stop being unsubtle in his obvious interest.

While the only decorations in the store were the lights strung across the windows, the Christmas spirit is more than evident in the smell of the interiors, warm nutmeg and ginger and coffee and it's in the array of holiday-themed pastries on display, and in the way everyone, even Milo, is dressed in sweaters in dark colors as they work, Jamie at the counter preparing the display for the day, Julian near the back, taking out a batch of what smells like heaven out of the ovens, and Levi and Milo working together on realistic pine tree cake in the open kitchen behind the counter, tools in hands as they scratch on brown fondant for the branches and trunk and attaching sugar leaves by hand. Amir would think that he would be disappointed in not seeing arms, but Milo has his glasses on, his hair now silver and the sweater fits him so well as he works carefully, placing tiny leaves like an art and Amir isn't disappointed at all.

They're the only ones in the store, expected for quite a bit before 9 in the morning, and Amir is smiling already as he walks up to the counter, greeting with "Hello."

Everyone looks at them then, and Amir feels Cy stiffen next to him as Jamie smiles, bowing his head and greeting them with a familiar smile.

Amir looks, sees Milo smiling shyly at him, and that sweater shows off the broadness of his chest and he's ready to beg.

"Mirrie," he says, and hearing it come out his mouth, Amir melts, just about dies. "Hello."

"You use that number yet?" Levi says with a smirk, and they both blush.

"I have a predicament," he chooses to say instead, and Milo hums. "I need another cake."

"Another one?" Cy almost screeches, and Amir winces at his volume, but watches as Milo blinks adorably, confused expression on his perfect face.

"Ah, yes, this is Cy," he says, steering him nearer to the counter. "Milo, Julian, Levi," he introduces everyone, and he pulls him even nearer to the counter, trying not to look too insufferable as he says lastly, "Jamie."

"Hello," Jamie bows, ever polite, and Cy kind of stutters, and Amir acts quickly, wanting him as preoccupied as possible to minimize the time Cy spends judging him for coming back to order another cake.

"Cy has sensitive taste buds," he says, pushing his still figure a little. "Can't take super strong flavors, what would do you recommend, Jamie?"

"Oh, well, we have a wonderful selection of gentler flavors," Jamie says, smile ever present on his face and he's charming immediately, and Cy stares at him, cheeks red, and Amir smirks to himself, knowing he's sufficiently distracted.

"Yes, where was I?" he says, turning back to Milo as Jamie and Cy talk about his preference in flavors. "I need a cake. Another one."

"When's this friend's birthday? In May?" Levi smiles smugly at him, and he can hear Julian snort in the back.

Milo thumps Levi's stomach, hard, making him grunt, and it cements his place in Amir's heart as his favorite. Not that he already wasn't.

"Okay, another cake," he says kindly, coming up to the counter until he's right in front of Amir. "For what occasion?"