Nice and Spice

Just a Little Longer. .

The duo had worked quite efficiently with each other. Y/N insisted on cleaning the kitchen while Bede cleaned his clothes. The setup was quite effective. They finished long before the cookies were done, chatting away about various things while they waited.

"I, at first, was exhausted nearly every day," Bede pouted, remembering collapsing into his bed many times, his body sore. "But I grew used to it. Now, me and my Pokémon both are strong in every way."

They had been discussing the new Gym Leader's training regime, the boy seeming proud of his efforts. "I'm still pretty tired here and there, but I'm a force to be reckoned with." He grinned confidently.

Y/N found herself getting lost in his purple eyes, gazing upon him like he were a deity. She was so enraptured with his stare, she was only pulled away from him when the oven beeped.

Bede stopped his talking, immediately going to take out the cookies. The desserts looked quite good, a heavenly sweet scent wafting from them. The blanchette placed his hands on his hips, the oven mitts making his sassy stance look ridiculous.

"Perfection. As they should be. Not as perfect as moi, but that's a little difficult," the Fairy Gym Leader turned to Y/N, "help me carry them to Opal. Then I'm sure she'll let you off the hook."

As soon as he said it, his heart plummeted. The girl felt her heart ache too. Both were internally dismayed, desiring to spend at least a little more time together. Bede was first to choke out some suggestion to prolong their time.

"Nevermind that, we should ice them. Opal would be disappointed in such a bland display!" He asserted, pulling off his oven mitts and casting them onto the counter. "To the fridge, Y/N."

The girl turned to him, a look of befuddlement on her features.

"What? You think I'm gonna get the icing? You'll do it for me, I know you will. Go on, make yourself useful." He shooed her away with one hand, leaning back against the counter as he watched her.

The trainer followed his demand, as she had been doing this whole time. She didn't enjoy being ordered around, but if the words fell from his lips, she would be convinced. She took out all the colors she could find. They were all pastels, which wasn't very surprising. Pastel pink, blue, purple, and red. They were placed on the counter near the boy, and he swiftly grabbed the pink. "You get blue, we'll put diagonal stripes in a pattern, okay? Like the Fairy Uniform."

Y/N nodded, picking up the blue icing tube. She was about to lay the frosting down in heavy stripes, Bede poking her before a drop of color could be placed.

"Like this," he drew thin lines, leaving decent space in between. "Too much icing aggravates her teeth," he explained. "If this icing were whipped icing we could put as much as we want. But when me and Miss Opal went shopping last time, they were out."

"Oh, okay, I got it." Y/N resumed her stance, laying down the color just as Bede did.

It was a bit of a process, the two in a mostly comfortable silence of focus as they completed the task. When it was done, they looked toward each other with a smile.

"Looks great," Bede complimented, his tone earnest.

"Most of it was your doing," Y/N replied, earning a disagreeing shake of the head.

"You got all the materials, I just did everything else- okay, I see what you mean."

They both laughed, Bede getting ready to take the cookies over to Opal. "You get the others," he sighed quietly. He didn't wish for her to go, but he knew once Opal would be satisfied with the treats, she would be urged home.

Y/N paced after the blanchette as they left the kitchen. They went down the hall, entering a small, cute room. It was decorated to the brim with intricate things, providing the atmosphere of dainty luxury. There was a circular table, China with flowers on it on the table, doilies underneath. It was all so fancy, Y/N found herself nervous of messing even the slightest thing up.

"Hold your tray, I'll put the cookies on the dessert rack." Bede ordered, slowly and delicately placing cookies on each tier of the silvery centerpiece.

Eventually he finished his batch, moving to take from Y/N's. He went at a little bit of a faster pace, picking up her tray and his, saying he'll be right back after he puts them in the kitchen.

The girl found herself uncertain of what to do, taking a seat in one of the lacy pink and white chairs at the table.

"Deary!"

Y/N turned, seeing Opal trudge in, her also sitting at the table with her.

"Why, the cookies look delicious. But I must ask you, youngin. It's an important question." Her blue eyes looked onward knowingly, as if she were sure of Y/N's answer before the question was even proposed.

"Do you like Bede?"

The girl felt her face redden as the elder let out a chuckle.

"I could tell a mile away. My intuition still holds up after all this time." Opal knitted her fingers together, staring at the trainer. "I'm glad my child is getting connected with people. I didn't think he would for a while."

Y/N looked down with a hum, "do you think he likes me too?"

Opal merely chuffed, "child, I can't say I know his heart for certain, but I do know he's more talkative and, dare I say, affectionate with you." The old woman recalled. "Give it time. Almost all things take time. Just make sure to keep him happy. He needs it."

The gray headed woman poured herself some tea into the small cup in front of her, taking a sip.

Bede opened the door, stepping into the quaint room. "Do you like the cookies?" He wore the jacket Y/N gifted, the girl smiling at the sight.

"They're great, deary. I'm impressed. Take a seat." Opal urged, Bede sitting in the chair closest to Y/N. "I want you to thank your helper. I believe she deserves some praise."

The platinum blonde looked toward the girl, a small smile over his lips, "thanks for helping."

"Y-you're welcome!"

The elder nodded with approval, taking another sip of tea. "I knew pairing you two would work wonderfully. Young Bede, please be more eager about my suggestions sometimes."

The blanchette huffed, a scowl coming across his features. "I am eager! Sometimes."

Opal giggled, looking toward Y/N. "I thank you, child. You can stay for tea time if you want."

The offer was a great one, the girl would be hard pressed to say no. She turned to Bede, the boy offering a modest smile. Those iolite orbs, even when calmly staring at her, still left quite the impression. As much as she would be thrilled to linger, she rifled through her feelings and thoughts, worrying deeply of overstaying her welcome.

"I. . I- actually, sorry, I can't." Y/N muttered, clearing her throat nervously. "I-uh, need to do something at home. My mom wanted me to help do chores today." The excuse was on the spot, little time for her to think it through. She didn't wish to leave the young Fairy Gym Leader, but she feared the chance she would annoy him. It was mildly irrational. Over-paranoia, and she knew it, but acted on emotion sometimes. Filled with worry of messing up any interaction with whom she'd grown to love, she fled the scene.

The two at the table watched her stand, bidding her farewell, Bede acting snarky as the girl paced out of the building.

"She must be feeling quite inadequate compared to me!" Bede chuckled, his grin wide. He picked up a cookie, beginning to eat. She seemed so oddly eager to leave, the boy only knowing to mask his pain with pride.