#sweet boys...

“I didn’t know the place came with a handsome neighbor,” Taako crows, peeking out the window of his new bakery-cafe at the tattoo shop next door. The Raven’s Nest is small and staffed by only a few people, one of whom is the hottest motherfucker Taako has ever laid eyes on. “Hot boy, fresh out the oven. Steaming.” 

“Maybe you could bring him something. A cupcake or a macaron, maybe?” Ren, his business partner, leans casually against the counter she’s just finished wiping down for the day. 

“You’re a genius. Box me up something that says ‘date me, like, ASAP’.” 

“What color do you want the frosting to be?” 

“Not literally, you fucking fiend! I don’t want to creep the guy!” 

“He says, staring at tall, dark, and handsome through the window, again.” 

“I take back the genius title and I am putting it in my pocket and sending it back to the factory.” 

 Ren laughs. She puts a few tasty little petit fours in a larger box and ties it with a ribbon. 

“You want to write your number on top, or are we taking it slow?”

“You’re not involved! There is no we here! But, no, no, if he wants me, which, obvs he will. It’s a known fact of the universe that I am delectably wantable. But if he wants me he can walk fifteen steps to the left of his job, and there I’ll be. Available, but not too available. It’s the perfect crime.” 

Ren just shakes her head, and she goes about setting things up for opening in the morning. 

It’s funny how nervous Taako is. He knows his shit is good, and his face is handsome, and he’s a delicious fucking catch for anybody, even such a hotboy as this one, but his heart is pounding like he’s been crab-walking a marathon in a bikini all day, and he doesn’t want to look sweaty for his first impression. He steadies his breath at the door, and then he walks in under the cheery jingle, smiling like he knows a sexy little secret. That’ll get him good. Got to. 

The hot tattoo artist looks up from the till and nearly spits his coffee. 

“Hey sailor,” Taako says, layering warmth in his voice like a fine little lasagna. “My bakery just opened up next door, and I thought I’d come round and meet the neighbors, share a few little treats.” He winks. The guy swallows his coffee hard and puts down the cup like it’ll kill him if he even thinks about getting another sip. His eyes are still a little too wide, which Taako has no objection to--they’re the most gorgeous deep brown he’s ever dreamed of sinking into. And those cheekbones, and that hair, done up in perfect braids and tied into a loose bun. God, what a hottie. “I’m Taako, by the way. You know, like on the sign.”

“Kravitz,” Kravitz says. His voice is hoarse, presumably from the coffee, but hopefully from just how handsome Taako is, and his subsequent realization of his goal in life and/or purpose in the universe. “Charmed.” 

Taako sets the cake box down on the counter and leans against it, taking a calm glance around to assure himself that he’s not in the way of any customers. 

“So tell me, stud, what’s the skinny on this place?” 

They chat long enough that Ren comes and gets Taako so that they can close up the shop, and the next day Taako peeks through the windows, trying to tell if the cake box is gone, but that pretty little pink container of goodness is still sitting in the same place. Taako frowns. 

“He didn’t eat my shit.”

“Maybe he just didn’t throw away the box?”

“He should have taken it home and hidden it from his coworkers so he could have it all to himself! What gives!!”

Taako takes another box of goodies over that night. And the night after that. He sees Kravitz’s coworkers eating the treats, but never Kravitz.

This becomes his goddamn white whale. 

“So what kind of treats do you like, hm?”

“Oh, you know,” Kravitz says, rubbing at his neck. “Yours are so good. I can’t even choose.”

Taako narrows his eyes. 

“Pick three and I’ll bring you some more.” 

“Oh, you really don’t have to, Taako! I really appreciate it, but surely your customers want to pay for those things you keep giving us for free!”

“End of the day treats that don’t sell are totally fine to give away.” Taako folds his arms. “You’re doing me a favor.” 

Kravitz looks unreasonably sweaty. 

“Wouldn’t you know it, I have to go puncture a man, sorry?” 

Taako tries again the next day, and the next. Ren tells him to cool it, but he can’t let it go. He makes Kravitz a little cake, the most perfect thing he’s baked in years, and he brings it over during the day, instead of at the end. Kravitz looks up from the till and swears under his breath. 

“Taako,” he says, with a fruit salad of mixed emotions sliding down his face. Taako hopes he was the one who threw the bowl. “Good to see you.”

“Why don’t you eat my fucking treats?” Taako says, completely out of energy for subtleties. Kravitz winces. 

“It’s, Taako, your treats look wonderful. Amazing. I wish I could eat them, honest! I’m just-- I’m allergic to eggs.” 

Taako makes a dialup noise. 

“You’re-”

“You were so excited about bringing them over, I didn’t want to tell you and ruin things. But- But Sloane and Barry have loved everything you’ve made!” 

“You dim fucking, dull ass walnut!” Taako is so frustrated he actually stamps his foot on the tile, like a child. “I could have been perfecting my vegan treats for a month now!”

“You can make vegan cake?” 

“Oh my god.” Taako rubs his face. “Oh my god. I have so much research to do. I’m going to make you something you can eat. You poor, deprived sonuvabitch.”  

“Thank you?” 

“And then when you eat it and don’t get sick, you owe me a kiss.” 

“I do? I mean, not that I’m opposed- I- Realy, do there need to be rules, about, us, you know, hypothetically kissing?”

“Absolutely. But don’t you fret, my handsome little friend. You’re going to usher in a whole new era of Taako’s patisserie with your bare hands.” 

“I’m still back on the kissing part, actually?” 

“There’ll be time for that later. I have to go bake all night. See you later!”

“Can’t we kiss now? Taako? Taako, come back, what do I do with this cake? Taako?” 

*  FOR  NO  PARTICULAR  REASON  ,   A  SMILE  GRACES  YOUR  TEETH  .     a  rotten  thing  ,   it  will  never  be  as  sweet  as  his  nor  as  kind  ;   but  it  is  a  smile  ,   and  it  is  tired  but  genuine  .     for  him  ,   always  for  him  .     sans  leans  up  from  his  stand  ,   body  a  weary  weight  that  seems  to  refuse  him  ,   moving  in  pieces  rather  than  as  a  whole  ,   skull  resting  with  all  the  gait  of  the  world  on  his  open  palm  .

        “ * favorite brother, huh? ”     those  lights  are  bright  and  merry  to  those  who  know  him  not  :   but  who  else  but  him  would  see  a  mirror  now  ,   and  see  something  old  and  tired  ,   yet  always  ,   forever  ,   endeared  by  a  brother  he  will  never  abandon  ?     “ * …sure know how to sock it to me, huh? ”

     a  pause  .   it’s  terrible  ,   but  how  he  softens  .     “ * … being the best brother ever, that is. and i’ll hold you to it. ”

     (   papyrus  loves  him  more  than  anything  ,   sans  knows  .   but  sans  also  knows  ,   what  papyrus  sees  is  what  everyone  else  does  .   he  sees  more          yes  ,   far  more  .   but  still  ,   he  does  not  see  the  mirror  as  sans  does  .    he  never  will  .   )

to those vehement // @face-breaker

lips part in readiness of a response, but nothing comes. he is frozen, some of the shock evident on his face, but most of it hidden behind uncertainty. the two of them had been working through his recovery for a while now — something xiao still didn't know how to express his feelings about. the expanse of his gratitude seemed too great; appreciative for sett's help with his physical care, support of his mental state, willingness to rebuild the trust between them — something xiao was still unsure if he deserved.

here he was though, at a loss for words. regardless of if he deserved it or not, xiao was becoming flooded with feelings. he was itching to reach out; to touch him, hold him — do something.

"sett, i..."

I LOVE YOU.

I LOVE YOU.

I LOVE YOU.

xiao had said the words once before — only once. it had slipped out months ago, when the two of them had had their first heart to heart during all of this. yet, despite it being true, he struggled to bring himself to say it again. there seemed to be some sort of mental block there, a fear that underneath all of this progress, sett would grow tired of all of this rotten work. xiao already couldn't understand why settrigh was staying to work on things at all — why he would decide to give xiao another chance after everything.

but the other's words, here and now, resonated with something somewhere within him, prompting xiao to take a step closer. then another. one more. picking up the pace until he'd closed the gap, dark, stained arms reach out to wrap sett in a strong, desperate embrace. he held on so tightly, almost afraid to let go, eyes drifting shut as his head rested on the other man's shoulder. xiao had been struggling to initiate any sort of physicality between them through this period, but right now... he just wanted to hold settrigh more than anything.

"...i feel the same."

his voice was quiet, a murmur in his ear as golden eyes crack back open. a hand finds its way to the back of sett's head as xiao tentatively plants a kiss to his shoulder.

"i... there's nothing i wouldn't do for you. i'd give it all up — everything. the money, the legacy, just —"

there's a pause, fear welling up in his throat. eyes close again as he continued to cling to the other, squeezing him tightly. xiao's heart raced as he nervously took a chance to nuzzle into the crook of settrigh's neck.