The kitchen was filled with the cozy scent of melted butter and sugar, the warm hum of the oven adding to the comfortable atmosphere. Trey stirred a bowl of cookie dough with practiced ease, occasionally glancing at Y/N, who was struggling a bit with measuring flour.
Their weekly baking sessions had quickly become his favorite part of the week. What had started as a casual lesson had turned into something so much more, something that made his heart race and his mind wander. He would never admit it out loud, but he'd fallen completely for Y/N, and each time he saw them, he was reminded of it all over again.
"Hey, Trey?" Y/N's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
He blinked and focused, trying to cover up the fact that he'd been staring. "Hmm? What's up?"
Y/N gave him a sheepish smile, holding up a measuring cup filled to the brim with flour. "I think I added too much... again."
Trey chuckled, moving to stand beside them. "No problem. We can just add a bit more butter and sugar to balance it out. Easy fix."
He reached over, guiding their hand as they added the extra ingredients. His fingers brushed against theirs, sending a jolt of warmth up his arm. His heart skipped a beat, but he kept his cool, even as he caught a whiff of the faint, comforting scent of their shampoo.
As they worked together, he couldn't help but watch them, the way their brows furrowed in concentration and the tiny smile they had when they got something right. There was a smudge of flour on their cheek that he found ridiculously endearing. Before he could think twice, he reached out and gently wiped it away with his thumb.
Y/N stilled at the touch, looking up at him with wide eyes. For a moment, Trey froze too, realizing how close they were standing. His face felt warmer than the oven behind them, and he could see the faint blush rising on Y/N's cheeks.
"Thanks," they murmured, their voice soft and shy.
He quickly pulled his hand back, trying to play it off with a laugh. "Guess you're really getting into the baking spirit. Wearing the flour and all."
Y/N laughed, and Trey felt his heart flutter at the sound. They went back to working on the dough, but the air felt different now—charged with something unspoken. His mind raced with the words he'd been wanting to say but never had the courage to voice.
"Hey, Trey?" Y/N's voice was soft, and when he looked over, they were watching him with a small smile. "Thanks for helping me with all this. I know I'm not the best baker..."
Trey shook his head, grinning. "You're way better than you give yourself credit for." He hesitated, then added, "And... I love baking with you. Actually, I... just love..."
He trailed off, realizing what he'd said a second too late.
Y/N's eyes widened as they looked at him. "Wait... Trey, what did you just say?"
Panic surged through him, and he fumbled for words, his face turning crimson. "Uh... I... I just meant that I love... um, you know, spending time with you. Baking with you. It's, uh... fun."
But he knew it was too late. The truth was out there, hanging in the air between them. His heart pounded as he risked a glance at Y/N, bracing himself for their reaction.
To his surprise, Y/N's cheeks turned pink, and a soft smile spread across their face. "Trey... do you really mean that?"
He let out a shaky breath, nodding as he gathered his courage. "Yeah. I do. I... I'm in love with you, Y/N." He laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to say it like that, but... well, there it is."
For a moment, there was silence. And then, Y/N reached over, taking his flour-covered hand in theirs and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm in love with you too, Trey."
Trey felt a wave of warmth and relief wash over him. His smile grew, and he squeezed their hand back, unable to believe what he was hearing.
They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, until Y/N laughed softly. "We're supposed to be baking cookies, you know."
Trey chuckled, feeling his heart lighter than ever. "Right. We don't want to burn the dough after all this." But he didn't let go of their hand, even as they went back to rolling out the dough together, working side by side with their fingers still intertwined.
As they placed the cookies in the oven, Trey couldn't stop smiling, a newfound warmth filling him that was sweeter than anything they could ever bake. And with Y/N beside him, he knew that this was just the beginning of something wonderful.
