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I was about to tweak out while making this because I kept deleting and rewriting.
(I don't know how to make gingerbread and I was too lazy to look up a recipe so I'll just hope it's not too inaccurate.)
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Rhea had promised to teach Oberon how to make gingerbread cookies from scratch. It sounded simple enough-something Rhea had perfected over years of holiday traditions-but for Oberon, the task felt monumental. Baking wasn't just new to him; it was a challenge wrapped in mystery. Usually, he would buy cookies from the local SolarMart or let Titania handle the festive details. But this year, he wanted to try something different. He wanted to create something with his own hands, something that might make him feel a little less... overlooked, even by himself.
The two moons stood in Saturn's warm and inviting kitchen, which was glowing with the soft light of golden fairy lights strung around the room. Brightly colored ornaments dangled from a small evergreen tree in the corner, its needles glinting with tiny flecks of frost that hadn't melted yet. The room was alive with the spirit of the season, the faint hum of holiday music playing from an old radio perched on a shelf. Occasionally, the carols were interrupted by the unmistakable sound of the other Saturnian moons rehearsing their own songs in another room. The harmonies were... questionable at best, their attempts punctuated by dramatic sighs and exaggerated notes.
The kitchen smelled like Christmas personified. A deep aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove lingered in the air, blending with the sweet, earthy scent of molasses from the jar Rhea had placed on the counter. Pine branches decorated the windowsills, releasing a crisp freshness that mingled with the cozy warmth radiating from the fireplace in the adjacent room. The fire crackled cheerfully, its flickering glow spilling into the kitchen and casting soft shadows on the walls. Outside the frosted windows, snow swirled and danced in the wind like a thousand glittering stars caught in a gentle storm.
It was the kind of scene Oberon might have found in a storybook-a place he never imagined himself being a part of. But here he was, standing awkwardly in an apron that was too big, his pale cheeks dusted red. The sight of Rhea moving confidently around the kitchen, her soft green eyes, greyish hair that was tied to a messy bun and her pinkish-gray lips curling into an encouraging smile, made him feel a little more at ease. Her gentle demeanor seemed to soak into the room itself, filling the space with a quiet, unspoken reassurance that everything would turn out just fine.
Rhea stood by the counter, her apron tied neatly around her waist, a soft smile playing on her lips as she arranged the tools they would need. The warm glow from the fairy lights reflected in her white eyes, giving her an almost ethereal presence. She turned to Oberon, who was standing stiffly a few feet away, his apron hanging awkwardly on his lanky frame like a child playing dress-up. His expression was one of unease.
"Alright, Oberon," Rhea said in her gentle, melodic tone, placing a large mixing bowl on the counter with a soft clink. "Making gingerbread cookies isn't hard. The first thing we need is the dough. Did you bring the ingredients I asked for?"
