Everything but nothing club (Fruk)

28

The weekend came, and everyone began to come over to my house around twelve. "Alfred! Stop eating the cookies!"

"I'm taste testing!"

He would grab cookies from the tray I held and shove them in his mouth. They were test cookies, so I didn't care too much. Antonio was the one trying to hold him back. "Francis, make sure to put your hair up," my sister called. I nodded at her, annoyed, and placed the tray down. It was my fault for forgetting. I wish she didn't have to be right all the time.

I rummaged through my pockets for a hair tie and began to lift my hair above my head. Some of it was still falling out, but I had to make do.

!Knock knock!

"I got it!" My sister cheered. She rushed over to the door, and I followed behind. It was most likely Arthur; he was the only one that had not shown up yet.

My sister opened the door, and there stood Arthur and his brother. The principal had his hand on Arthur's shoulder, and Arthur looked annoyed. "Alistair, what a pleasant surprise, dropping him off?" My sister cheered. "Yeah, I wanted to make sure he wasn't lying about where he was going today," the principal spoke. "Ugh! I told you I wasn't lying!" Arthur spoke. He pushed past his brother and came closer to me.

"It is refreshing to see you in regular clothes, Mr. Kirkland; I like it," my sister chirped. I lifted a brow at her and looked at her, confused. Arthur did the same, and we stood back. "Oh? I'm glad you think so; you look nice as well," his brother spoke. His face turned red, and he tried to look away from her. Okay...

Something about this was odd.

"Would you like to come in? Or are you in a rush?"

"Oh! I really shouldn't!"

"Well, at least let me give you a proper goodbye," she smiled. I looked at her, confused, and she slowly leaned in, kissing his cheeks. "Okay, that's enough!" Arthur yelled. He pushed his brother away and began to close the door. "Bye, Alistair, see you around," my sister flirted. Arthur's brother was red and pushed my sister in. "You are gross," I glared. Arthur shut the door, and I crossed my arms.

"Oh? Maybe it is the Kirkland charm? Aren't I right? Brother?" She nudged me teasingly, and I felt my face getting hot. She was "secretly" pointing to Arthur, and I glared at her to stop.

I rolled my eyes at her and began to pull Arthur toward the kitchen. "I hate you," I spoke. However, she laughed at me and shook her head, "no, you don't!"

We walked into the kitchen, and everyone sat, clueless about what had happened. "So, we can start on the decorations while you three bake," Antonio pointed to me, Arthur, and Gilbert.

"Uh, are you sure?" Arthur asked.

He looked like he was trying to hold up a smile. "Yeah! Then Alfred, Kiku, and I will start the decorations," Antonio explained. "Plus, all of you said you liked to bake, I'm pretty sure," Antonio added.

"Not me, but I'll do it," Gilbert spoke.

"Great! Let's start then," Arthur spoke. He sat at the table, and I sat close beside him. "Ever heard of personal space?" He asked. I laughed at what he said and got closer. "Nope," I teased. I shoved myself closer to him, and he tried to push me away. "We get it! You like each other; get together already," Alfred spoke. My eyes widened, and I looked at him, shocked.

"What?" I asked nervously. I looked to Arthur, who didn't seem so shocked.

Hmmm

"Alfred, what would give you that idea?" I asked. I tried to hold up a smile as I tried not to lose my mind. Alfred began laughing, and Arthur glared at him. "Oh, I got you, buddy! It is because Arthur outed your little secret a couple of weeks back, but we were too scared to say anything!" Gilbert cheered.

Arthur slapped the back of his head, and I felt shocked.

They all knew?

AND THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING?!

I began slowly breathing in and out as I tried to stay calm. "We aren't together," I clarified. I moved away from Arthur, and he rolled his eyes at me. "You are such a baby," he spoke.

"See this?" I asked. I held my hand flat on the table, and he nodded. "This is the chance for us to get together."

"So the table is me?"

"NO!" I laughed. I showed him my other hand and put it below the table, near the floor. "This is you and your idiocy," I spoke. "Oh? How cruel," he mocked.

He began picking up some ingredients, and I grabbed a bowl. "Let's make some together," I smiled. He gave me a side-eye and shrugged. "Okay..." he whispered.

I'm guilty of showing my feelings and not telling him about them, but I think that in time, I will say to him. I know he might throw it in my face, which doesn't make me too happy and eager to do it, but I can't not tell him. Picturing his smirk makes me want to shove his face in the cookie batter.

I watched him as he messed with some of the piercings on his face. He would move them around, and it was weird. "I'm thinking of getting gauges," he spoke. He looked at me, smiling, and I nodded. "They would look good on you," I smiled. He smiled back at me, and I felt how he placed a hand on my thigh under the table. "I'm glad you think that," he spoke.

~
"Great! Now! We will taste-test the cookies we made! Francis first!" Gilbert spoke. I rolled my eyes at him and placed the sugar cookies down. Everyone grabbed one and started to taste it. "Well, no surprise that they taste good," Antonio laughed.

"Now for Gilbert," Antonio added. They all nodded, and I was the first to grab one. He made snickerdoodles, and they tasted pretty good. Everyone nodded, pleased, and I looked at Arthur, who looked nervous. "Now! For the last one!" Alfred spoke. Arthur had his cookies covered and picked them up.

"Maybe we should reconsider," he spoke nervously. "Come on, they can't be that bad," Antonio said. Arthur looked at me nervously and shook his head. "They can have some, but you can't," he said.

"Huh? What did I do?" I asked, annoyed. He began to glare at me, so I glared back. "Why can't I have one?" I asked. "Because I don't want you to have one," he frowned. "ugh! They can't be that bad! Just show us!" I spoke. I pulled the cover off, and I blinked my eyes, shocked.

The cookies were not burnt or looked gross; they were just really disfigured. They were not circles but blobs and rectangular. "Interesting design..."

"SEE! YOU CAN NOT HAVE ONE!"

"What? They don't look gross!"

I took one, and he nearly dropped the cookies, freaking out. "No! Please! Don't eat it!" He begged. He started to follow me around the kitchen to take it, but I wasn't letting him.

"Stop! Let me eat it!" I spoke. I nudged him away and took a bite.

Uhhh...

I began to chew it in a perplexed manner, and he looked at me horrified.

It was a little raw in the middle but hard on the outside. How did that happen? They didn't taste terrible, but the texture was awful. "I'm better at making cakes!" He tried to say.

God, I'm going to regret saying this.

"Arthur..." I started.

Everyone looked at me, confused, and I went to grab another cookie. Everyone had started to look at them, concerned. "I said I liked cooking, but I didn't say I was good at it," he spoke, worried.

"I love your cookies! Make me more!" I demanded. I began eating them, and everyone looked at me, confused. Alfred was the next one to take a bite, and his face looked horrified. Kiku frowned as he crunched on the cookie. Gilbert and Antonio looked at me sadly, shaking their heads.

"Do you really like them? Francis?"

"Yes! I'll eat your cookies for the rest of my life!"

He smiled at me and looked at the cookies with a grin. "Then I'll make you some more when I get better!" He cheered.

"Great!" I laughed. He turned away from me, and I glared at everyone else as if signaling not to say anything.

Might I regret this for the rest of my life? Maybe.

But who cares, he looked so happy and cute, I couldn't tell him the truth.