⋆ The Shortys 2024 ⋆
They say pleasing someone's taste buds earns affection, but what if they are from another planet?
Caera Wright has been infatuated with alien Kylar for quite some time, yet he never appears to show any interest in her culinary c...
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"Sweets on Azura Base are simply the best!" Caera greeted Kylar with a warm smile, appreciating his consistent presence as he patrolled her section. "Would you like a brownie?" Like every other Zanthorian on Aelius, he was tall and muscular, but something much deeper drew her to him. His helmet hid his hair, so she didn't know its color. She guessed dark from his eyebrows.
Moreover, his eyes. So breathtaking. She became inspired to write poetry about his creamy hues.
Eyes so bright and full of light. A soul so beautiful that it could make you drool.
As a confectioner, Caera kept her writing private. Additionally, she felt that her lines were as dorky as a penguin in a tuxedo.
"CeCe, right?" Kylar spoke politely, paying no attention to her plate of desserts.
She wiggled it playfully, hoping to entice him. "I'm Caera," she confirmed. He was fairly close. That had to mean something, right? "Want a snack? These are sugar-free."
A pause.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot accept them." He spoke softly into his headphones and gave Caera a subtle nod. "I need to get to Olympus Station." After that, he walked away like she wasn't standing there.
Awesome.
"Shot down again?" Saedi, her friend and business partner, inquired as she brushed her purple hair out of the way. She and Caera were both humans, but Saedi was born on Earth and Caera on this planet, which was settled close to Neptune.
Caera leaned against the counter and placed the cookies next to the sample platter. "I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. When it comes to me, Kylar Blitz seems to have a heart made of stone."
Saedi tried to cheer Caera up by saying, "He spoke to you, Cae. That's something."
"True, but he mispronounced my name." Caera had been monitoring Kylar's patrols since the Zanthorian leader assigned him to her zone. She did this out of genuine interest and curiosity, not in an obtrusive or disturbing manner. There was no entertainment, and their bakery was always full of treats. What woman could resist the charm of a powerful space alien as a romantic partner? It was like something out of a dream. "Perhaps I smell."
"Hmm, maybe."
"Wait, what?"
Saedi laughed softly. "Some Zanthorians are highly sensitive to specific scents. It's also possible that it's not you. Maybe it's the food. He can't eat it."
"What makes you say that?" Caera inquired, casually twisting her long, dark hair into a messy bun.
"Kylar may represent the ninety percent of his species that cannot digest gluten. I assumed you were aware of this." Her friend gave her a disapproving look, as if Caera had acted carelessly.
