The Past Within - Mialotte - TNN

This is real happiness

Thank you @13_Mick_13 for giving me the idea for this chapter. Bit of spice at the end, read at your own risk.

It was a quiet Saturday morning, and the apartment was filled with the comforting sounds of life slowly waking up. The smell of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the slight sizzle of the stove. Charlotte sat at the kitchen table, wrapped up in a cosy sweater, a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. She was content, just watching Mia at the counter, mixing pancake batter with an intense focus that made Charlotte smile.

Mia was muttering to herself about the perfect consistency of the batter, trying to get it just right, even though Charlotte had always said it didn't matter how it turned out. She loved them no matter what.

Charlotte leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of her coffee. "You know, you don't have to make them perfect. They're pancakes, not a masterpiece."

Mia shot her a playful glare over her shoulder. "Oh, but I want them to be perfect for you. Can't have you saying I burned them like last time."

Charlotte chuckled. "I never said you burned them. I said they were... extra crispy."

Mia rolled her eyes, but the corner of her lips curled into a smile. She was still stirring the batter when suddenly, with one swift movement, she stirred too hard, sending a glob of batter flying through the air. It splattered right on Charlotte's arm, cold and sticky.

Charlotte looked down at the batter slowly dripping down her arm, then back up at Mia, who had frozen mid-stir, wide-eyed.

"Oops?" Mia said, trying to hide a grin.

"Oh, you're going to regret that," Charlotte said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Before Mia could react, Charlotte grabbed a handful of flour from the bag on the counter and tossed it at her. The white powder exploded across Mia's shirt and hair, causing her to gasp in shock.

"Charlotte!" Mia exclaimed, half-laughing, half-shocked as she wiped flour from her face. "You're in trouble now!"

Charlotte giggled, getting up from the table just as Mia grabbed the whisk full of batter. "Don't you dare!" Charlotte warned, backing up, but her grin gave her away.

"Oh, I dare," Mia said, her smile widening as she flung more batter at Charlotte, hitting her right on the shoulder.

With a playful scream, Charlotte grabbed the entire bag of flour and flung it at Mia, who dodged, sending flour and batter splattering across the kitchen.

Within seconds, they were in a full-on food fight. Charlotte threw flour, and Mia retaliated with pancake batter, both of them laughing uncontrollably as the kitchen became a complete mess. The batter was dripping from the counters, flour floated in the air like a soft snowfall, and both of them were covered from head to toe in the remnants of their breakfast.

"You're cleaning this up," Mia said between laughs, trying to wipe flour from her eyes as Charlotte ducked behind the counter for cover.

"Only if you admit defeat!" Charlotte called out from her hiding spot.

"Never!" Mia yelled back, throwing the last bit of batter in her bowl.

They both froze for a moment, breathing heavily from all the laughter and then they met each other's gaze. The playful energy in the room softened into something warm and affectionate. Charlotte stepped forward, wiping a bit of batter from Mia's cheek, and Mia smiled at her, brushing flour off Charlotte's arm.

"You look ridiculous," Charlotte said, laughing softly.

Mia shrugged, wrapping her arms around Charlotte's waist. "You started it."