Strawberries • Lilac x Red Velvet

Strawberries

     The door freed itself from the entryway. Red Velvet trudged inside the home, and an exhausted, extended hum made its way out of his sore throat. The meeting was far lengthier than Velvet would find appealing, and sometimes he'd wish Crepe Cookie would keep their mouth shut more often than not. Red pulled off his coat, listening closely before hanging it onto the rack, "Must be tired, just as I." He chuckled.

     Taking quiet, heavy steps down the long hallway and turning into the main bedroom, the affectionate scent was sharp, choking him with a shallow cough with how potent it was.
     "Lilac..?" Muttered Velvet, of which he'd receive a soft hum in return. Opening his eyes from the eye-stinging smell, the nearby lamps' snow glow shone, providing a beautiful gloss to the expressionless face before him. Parts of the bedding were scattered on the floor, and lilac petals spread about everywhere, to say the least, the area was the mess. However, it was nothing one, or both, couldn't work on when comes time. Lilac was far more important. With a hollow sign, Velvet begins to scratch his cake elbow. Realising this, Red stopped it and instead drew out a gentle smile at the site of a tiny, frosting tail wagging beneath a blanket. "Was he keeping you company while I was away?" Chiffon replied this time, yipping cheerfully. The pup peeked out and rushed over atop the bed. Shuffling over and sitting down, Red laid out a hand. "Don't feel like speaking today?" Lilac caressed Red Velvet's hand and nodded hesitantly. Grinning softly, "That's okay, we can make this work."

     "C'mon, it's past breakfast, let's have brunch."

     With that in mind, the two were up. The tiny cake pup follows. And as they stepped foot into the kitchen and sat, the calm sounds of the outside were welcomed. Chiffon's little barks are the only other noise. And as time passed before them, they'd lay on the sofa. Lilac's head rested on Red Velvet's chest, his arms wrapped around his neck, hanging loosely off. Quietly playing with Velvet's multi-toned hair, racking his purple nails through it. Red's arms wrapped around the thinner's waist. Chiffon happily ran about. Velvet doing his best to play with the pup who'd run to him with a multitude of toys. They'd enjoy the silence for what it was, none seemingly bothered by it.

Until an idea had burst.
     "Would you like to bake?" Lilac's head went up, chin resting on Red's chest, staring at him with sparking eyes. Red snickered, "I'll take that pretty face as a yes." Lilac rushes to the kitchen, Velvet, and Chiffon following behind. Chiffon yipping with the want to help. Revealing the insides of the fridge, "Strawberries," Lilac mumbled quietly. Quickly turning his head up from looking at Chiffon, "Strawberries? Do you want to make strawberry cake? You liked it?" Glancing away for a moment, before allowing a huffed nod out. Staring off for a moment, Lilac nibbled his sharp, purple-painted nails. "No no, Lilac, don't do that, love." Lilac, flinching at the realisation, pulled it away. Velvet smiled, placing the little cake hound atop the counter. Lilac, left to hold the tiny hound so it wouldn't go tumbling down.

     Just like that, the two began. Taking and placing things back and forth as they baked, such as sugar, milk, and wheat during the process. Red Velvet hummed minor tones to himself, mumbling a song he'd heard on his way back from the meeting with the Cookies' of Darkness today. "Baking strawberry shortcake, I stir and mix~" He'd sang, Lilac watching with a soft smile, "It deserves buttercream frosting, yes all of it~!" Lilac shook his head, "How exactly long has this butter been out to sit?" Stuttering for a moment, Velvet iched his arm. "What will we do if you hate it?!" Watching Red overthink, Lilac smiled and whispered, "I'm sure I won't." Whilst licking some of the batter, beaming, "You're the best baker I know, and I love it, just like you." Velvet's pale, red face turned another shade. Chiffon yipped, the cake pup barking merrily. Gazing, Lilac turned his head to the side, a small huff ripping from his lips.

     Chuckling a grin, Red moved a strand of short, soft purple hair and smooched Lilac's cheek, doing the same to Chiffon's little head. Chiffon on his tiny fours', yipping with excitement. Lilac hides his face with his hand, covering his left cheek. The counter was covered in wheat, a few eggshells, and sugar; And Chiffon was seizing any and every bite he could reach. Velvet was left to swirl the batter, Lilac now grasping his waist, observes. Lilac's face rested on the back of Red's shoulder. The chair that he'd once seated in now poorly, lazily pulled to the side. Lilac had begun to play with Red Velvet's hair, which he'd done more often than it seemed.
     Lilac loved Red Velvet's Hair. This was further proven after Velvet's hair was roughly cut, a few years back, in a battle with GingerBrave's little team of light. After it'd happened, Lilac was, to say the least, upset. Red vowed it wouldn't happen again, growing it longer than he'd normally and even tying it up in battle to show he'd meant it.

     Stepping back for a moment, Lilac allowed Velvet to carry the strawberry cake into the oven. Lilac setting up the small kitchen timer. Both cleaned the countertops, not wanting Chiffon to have any more of these 'special' little treats. Lifting the tiny cake hound, they'd gather onto the sofa as before. Lilac on Red's lap. Lilac's head snuggled against Red Velvet's chest, petting Chiffon, who was gently cradled between the two. Chiffon, who'd love all the attention dearly, wagging his tail rashly. Red stared blankly out the window, stuck within heavy thought. Scratching his cookie arm with his cake one. Holding in a bottomless breath, one he'd not even realise he had been holding. That was until Lilac began snapping his finger in front of him with a worried face.

"Hmm? Yes, Lilac?"
     Velvet'd yanked his cake claws away from his cookie arm. Tenderly grasping Red's face, "Are you okay? Had something happen in the meeting?" Enfolding Lilac in his arms, Velvet nodded, "Mhmm, just thinking about it to myself is all." Glancing around for something to do, Velvet stood for a moment, "I'll be back, someone should clean the room." Position Lilac onto the sofa while Red smiled softly. Rushing away, Chiffon gazed at Lilac, Lilac running his purple nails through Chiffon's cream fur. Lilac snickered. Rising, Lilac pat his knee, Chiffon hopping off the sofa, joyfully prancing into the kitchen. Right at the last second, Lilac stopped the kitchen timer and gently pulled out the cake. Taking out the strawberries, Lilac began carefully making the buttercream frosting the way he'd remember Red Velvet making it, trying his best to help.

     Coming back from the room, Velvet was surprised.

     As before him, was buttercream frosting on the once-before-cleaned counter, Chiffon licking the bits on the floor, and Lilac strictly placing strawberries onto the cake. "Lilac?" Questioned Red. "You did this..?" Velvet got closer to get a better look at it. "I- I tried to do it the way you always did..." Lilac was staring at the cake. Red, sensing Lilac's semi-nervous nature, grinned, "It looks wonderful." Moving a purple strand of hair away from Lilac's face, "Probably tastes better too!" He whispered a shout, dipping his finger into the cream, he smirked, "I knew to trust Chiffon's taste, he never strikes wrong." Chiffon yipping happily.

     Both pulling out forks, picking up the little cake pup, and placing him in one of the two island chairs, they both began to eat the cake. They'd have to talk later, that was most certain; From the scratched morning to now hushed afternoon. But right now? They have all the time in the world, and they prefer to waste it all on each other. "Strawberries?" Asked Red Velvet as he pulled the case over, Chiffon nipping one, Lilac smiling softly.
     "Strawberries."