Love in the Spotlight

Sweet Messes

Gianna leaned against the counter, eyeing the array of ingredients spread out before her. Bags of flour and sugar, a carton of eggs, and a variety of other items Hana had haphazardly placed on the counter created a sort of chaotic charm.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Gianna teased, watching as Hana furrowed her brow at the recipe on her phone.

Hana glanced up, feigning offense. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm a fantastic baker."

"Oh, really?" Gianna raised an eyebrow, fighting a smirk.

"Okay, maybe I haven't baked cookies in a while," Hana admitted, holding up her hands. "But it's cookies! How hard can it be?"

Gianna laughed, shaking her head. "Famous last words."

"Trust me, we got this," Hana said, flashing a confident grin. "Now, start cracking those eggs, sous chef."

Gianna rolled her eyes but grabbed the eggs anyway, cracking them into a bowl. "What's next, head chef?"

"Flour," Hana said, reaching for the bag and tearing it open with a little too much enthusiasm. A puff of white powder burst into the air, covering her shirt and dusting her face.

Gianna clapped a hand over her mouth, trying—and failing—not to laugh. "Hana!"

Hana stood frozen for a moment, then wiped her face with the back of her hand, smearing the flour even more. "Well," she said with a chuckle, "I guess we're off to a great start."

Gianna grabbed a dish towel and stepped closer, brushing some of the flour off Hana's cheek. "You're a mess," she said, her voice softening as their eyes met.

Hana grinned down at her. "You love it."

Gianna rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Just focus on the cookies, Anderson."

They worked side by side, their playful banter filling the kitchen. Gianna mixed the dry ingredients while Hana struggled to measure out butter, her fingers slipping on the wrapper.

"This stuff is impossible," Hana grumbled.

"Here," Gianna said, moving closer. She placed her hands over Hana's, guiding her to hold the butter steady. Their fingers brushed, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause.

Hana's eyes flicked to Gianna's, and a slow smile spread across her lips. "You're really good at this, you know."

"Mixing cookie dough?" Gianna teased, though her cheeks warmed under Hana's gaze.

"Making everything better," Hana said simply.

Gianna's heart fluttered, and she quickly looked back at the bowl. "You're such a cheeseball."

"Yeah, but you like it," Hana said, nudging her playfully.

As the cookies came together, so did the chaos. Hana accidentally spilled chocolate chips onto the floor, prompting Gianna to throw a handful of flour at her.

"Oh, you're asking for it now," Hana said, grabbing a handful of flour and launching it at Gianna in retaliation.

Before long, the kitchen looked like a snowstorm had hit, and they were both laughing so hard their stomachs hurt.

When the cookies were finally in the oven, Hana leaned against the counter, her arms crossed as she watched Gianna attempt to clean up the mess.

"You missed a spot," Hana said, pointing to a smudge of flour on Gianna's cheek.

Gianna looked up, narrowing her eyes. "Where?"

"Right here," Hana said, stepping closer. Instead of wiping it away, she leaned down and pressed a kiss on Gianna's cheek, her lips lingering for a moment.

Gianna turned to face her, her breath catching as Hana's lips hovered inches from hers.

"You're impossible," Gianna whispered, though there was no heat in her words.

"And you're beautiful," Hana murmured before closing the distance between them.

The kiss was sweet and unhurried, a perfect contrast to the chaos that had filled the kitchen moments before. When they pulled apart, Gianna rested her forehead against Hana's, a smile tugging at her lips.

"So," Hana said, her voice soft, "think the cookies will taste as good as this?"

Gianna laughed, brushing a hand through Hana's flour-dusted hair. "We'll see. But honestly, this was the best part."

"Yeah?" Hana's grin widened. "Maybe we should bake more often, then."

Gianna nodded, her eyes sparkling. "As long as you promise not to destroy the kitchen every time."

"No promises," Hana said with a laugh, pulling her closer.

And as the smell of freshly baked cookies filled the air, Gianna realized she wouldn't mind a little chaos if it meant more moments like this with Hana.