Work Text:
Harua stands in the kitchen, his heart racing with a mix of nervousness and excitement as he delicately places the first batch of slightly misshapen eclairs onto the kitchen counter. It had taken him several attempts and about three hours to finally mix a dough worth baking--even longer to pull some non-charred eclairs out of the oven--, but he was determined to make his surprise a success for his boyfriend, Maki.
Boyfriend. It still makes his heart flutter just thinking about it--although he’d vehemently deny this anytime he was asked about it. The two had only just recently started dating, the younger cornering him after a particularly long dance practice and spilling his feelings, ending in flushed cheeks, whispered confessions, and a sweet embrace. The rest was history.
The thing is, Maki was the sweetest boyfriend, at least in Harua’s completely unbiased opinion. Thinking back on all the tender moments they’d shared--Maki’s gentle embraces, his thoughtful gestures, and most importantly, indulging in Harua’s embarrassingly strong mobage addiction--Harua felt his heart flutter, Maki was always doing the most to make sure he felt loved.
And, well, Harua knows he isn’t the most honest with his feelings. He gets embarrassed easily; he’s not used to being the center of someone’s affection, but he’s slowly getting used to it with Maki. Still, it’s hard for him to initiate any physical contact, too much PDA has him flushing red, and they haven’t even had their first kiss yet!
He wants to return the same feelings Maki has for him back tenfold.
Which is why he decides to bake his feelings instead.
Harua has seen Maki's longing for eclairs in an offhand comment or two on Weverse, and he knew he had to do something about it. Of course, after taking inspiration from the countless videos online of couples surprising each other with homemade treats, Harua had decided to take matters into his own hands. Sure he doesn’t have the most experience in the kitchen, but how hard could it be?
Harua’s main issue was getting the dorm all to himself. It truly was a challenge living with eight other homebodies 24/7, yet with a bit of persuasion (puppy-dog eyes at Fuma and Euijoo) and bribery (promising K and Taki two servings of bingsoo each ), he had managed to herd everyone out and find the perfect opportunity to execute his plan.
Wiping his flour-covered hands on his apron (one of Maki’s), he glances at the clock, realizing that the younger would probably be home in the next hour or so. His heart races with excitement and nerves as he gathers up the ingredients for the custard filling and the ganache topping of his eclairs.
Just as he was about to dirty yet another mixing bowl, the front door bangs open, causing him to jump in surprise. Maki’s home early. Harua's pulse quickens as he hurries to hide as much of the evidence as possible, his hands trembling slightly with anticipation.
To his luck, Maki walks right into the kitchen and freezes, a look of surprise spreading across his face as he takes in the scene before him.
"Harua, what's all this?" Maki asks, his eyes widening in astonishment.
Harua maneuvers himself in front of Maki, standing on his tip-toes and giving the taller boy a tight hug in hopes of distracting him from the scene. “I-It’s nothing..! Here, why don’t you go wash up and we can talk about it after?”
“You’re funny, I can see right over your head y’know.” Maki deadpans, an amused smile on his lips.
Oh the woes of being short.
Harua pouts, his heart pounding in his chest as he steps aside.
"I, um, I made eclairs. I mean… they’re not done yet, but… For you."
Maki's expression softens, his eyes sparkling with gratitude. "You made these for me?"
Harua nods, feeling a rush of warmth flood through him. "Yeah. I-... I wanted to do something special for you. You’re always taking care of me so…"
Maki leans forward, wrapping Harua in a tight embrace, a toothy grin plastered on his face. "Harua~ This is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me! You are seriously so cute."
The smaller boy suppresses a smile as Maki ruffles his hair.
“Well, they’re still not done yet, so lemme finish, and then you can try them.” Harua huffs, grabbing his piping bag.
“Okay, okay~ At least let me help you clean up. You made quite a mess here.” Maki raises one eyebrow at the pile of ingredients and dishes littering the counters.
Harua's cheeks flush with embarrassment as he takes in the surrounding scene. "Um… I might have gotten a little carried away," he admits sheepishly.
Maki simply chuckles, rolling up his sleeves as he grabs a dishcloth to attack the mess while Harua turns back to finish the last few touches of the pastries.
Finally, after an hour of meticulous icing--and Maki scrubbing flour off the ceiling, heaven knows how it got there--, the eclairs are ready. Harua carefully arranges them, his hands trembling slightly with nervousness as he places them in front of his boyfriend.
“I know they’re not the prettiest, but… I tried my best, so… Here.”
“Oh, Harua-kun!” Maki pitches his voice up and dramatically covers his mouth in faux-shock. “You must like me so bad~”
Harua's cheeks flush with embarrassment at Maki's playful tease, but he can't help but laugh along. "Yeah, yeah, you got me," he replies, making a show out of rolling his eyes.
Maki grins as he reaches for one of the eclairs, taking a generous bite. His eyes widen in surprise as he savors the flavors, a look of genuine delight spreading across his face.
"These are incredible, Harua!" Maki exclaims as he chomps down on another bite, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "You're seriously talented."
Harua beams with pride at Maki's praise, his heart swelling with happiness. "Heh… I'm glad you like them, Maki. It means a lot to me," he says softly, his face flushing as a warm sense of satisfaction washes over him.
Maki hums, bringing the pastry up to his mouth once more, stopping right before taking a bite. He leans in closer to Harua with a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, Harua," he begins, his voice dropping to a playful whisper, "there's one thing that would make them taste even better."
Harua raises an eyebrow, "Oh? What's that?" he asks, unable to suppress a smile.
Maki's lips curl into a playful smirk as he reaches out to take Harua's hand. "I want you to feed me~" he declares with a wink.
Harua reddens at the unexpected request, his heart skipping a beat at the suggestion. "Feed you?" he repeats, feeling a rush of nervous excitement coursing through him.
Maki nods eagerly, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Yup! feed me one of your delicious eclairs. It'll be fun, I promise!"
Harua hesitates for a moment, but then he looks into Maki's eyes and sees nothing but fondness, and he knows that he can't resist. "Okay, fine," Harua agrees with a shy smile, taking the eclair from the other. With trembling hands, he holds it out to Maki, who leans forward eagerly to take a bite.
As Maki's lips close around the pastry, Harua’s eyes soften, as he feels a surge of tenderness wash over him, his heart overflowing with love for the boy sitting beside him.
“Mm~ It’s seriously so good Harua. You have to try it, here!” Maki exclaims, holding out his piece to the smaller boy.
Harua's cheeks warm as Maki offers him a bite of the eclair he just fed him. He can't help but smile at Maki's eagerness, something he can never resist.
"Okay," Harua agrees softly, his heart fluttering with happiness. He leans forward, his lips brushing against Maki's fingers as he takes a bite of the eclair. The pastry melts in his mouth, the flavors melding together perfectly.
"Mmm, you're right, Maki. It is pretty good," Harua murmurs, his eyes meeting Maki's with a tender gaze. Maki’s eyes dart down towards his lips as he lets out an amused huff.
“Hold on, you have a little something…”
Harua's heart skips a beat as Maki's gaze flickers down to his lips, a playful glint dancing in his eyes. He feels a rush of warmth spread through him at the sight of the younger's amused expression.
"Oh?" Harua replies, his cheeks flushing slightly as he raises a hand to his lips, wondering what Maki is referring to.
Maki leans in closer, his breath ghosting over Harua's skin as he gently brushes his thumb against the corner of Harua's mouth. "There," he says softly, a hint of mischief in his voice.
Harua's breath catches in his throat as Maki's touch sends shivers down his spine. "Thank you, Maki," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.
Maki’s hand is still resting against Harua's cheek, his gaze locked with Harua's as their eyes meet in a silent exchange. Harua's heart pounds in his chest, the intensity of the moment leaving him breathless. He places on hand on Maki’s shoulder and leans in closer, his heart pounding in his chest while he closes the distance between them. Their lips meet in a gentle kiss and as they pull away, their foreheads rest against each other's. Harua hadn’t realized he had closed his eyes, but when he finally opens them again, he’s met with a look of pure adoration.
With a soft smile, Maki presses a lingering kiss to Harua's forehead, his touch filled with warmth and tenderness. "I love you, Harua," he whispers, his voice a gentle melody that echoes in the quiet of the kitchen.
Harua's heart swells with emotion at Maki's words, his chest overflowing with love for the boy who holds his heart. "I love you too, Maki," he replies, his voice filled with sincerity.
“W-Was that okay..? It was my first kiss so…” Harua trails off.
“I could tell.”
Harua lightly swats at Maki’s shoulder.
“I’m just kidding! It was mine too…” Maki flushes slightly. “Besides, we have time to practice! Like… right now!” He pauses and swipes his finger across one of the eclairs, and smearing the custard on the side of Harua’s lip.
The younger leans in once more, caging Harua into the counter.
“Looks like you got something there…”
Harua's heart skips a beat, his breath catching in his throat as their proximity intensifies. His cheeks flush at the close contact, but he can't help but smile at Maki's playful demeanor.
"Oh, do I now?" Harua teases, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he leans in closer, their breath mingling in the small space between them. "Well, I suppose you'll just have to help me clean it up then."