࣪˖𓂃۶ৎ˚𓂃 ࣪˖ִֶ — baking sweets with your boyfriend bunny iglesias
the soft afternoon sunlight spilled through the kitchen windows, painting warm golden streaks across the countertops while the sweet smell of vanilla slowly began filling the apartment.
after months of living through the chaos of the world cup, where every single day had been packed with training sessions, interviews, sponsor events, and celebrations that never seemed to end, bunny had finally found himself with something he'd almost forgotten existed—free time.
spain had won, he'd done everything he'd dreamed of accomplishing since he was a kid, yet somehow the thing he'd been looking forward to the most wasn't lifting another trophy or hearing another stadium chant his name.
it was spending a quiet afternoon with you, hidden away from the rest of the world in your apartment, flour already dusting the counter while a recipe book sat open between the two of you. "...so,"
you smiled as you placed a basket of fresh strawberries beside a carton of heavy cream, "what are we making today?" bunny leaned over to glance at the recipe before a quiet laugh escaped him.
"strawberry shortcake?" he looked back at you with an amused smile. "you're starting me off with something that fancy?" "it's not fancy."
"it has layers."
"exactly."
"layers are intimidating."
you laughed under your breath before gently pushing the recipe book a little closer to him. "well, since you're so intimidated, you can help me." bunny sighed dramatically, though the grin on his face immediately gave away that he didn't mind one bit.
while you measured out the flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl, he stood beside you reading each step aloud with far more concentration than the recipe actually required, occasionally stopping to reread a sentence before looking over at you with genuine confusion.
"what does 'fold the batter' even mean?" he asked, frowning at the page. "why can't it just say 'mix it'?" you couldn't help laughing as you cracked another egg into the bowl. "because folding and mixing aren't the same thing."
"who came up with baking?" he muttered under his breath. "football makes more sense."
once the cake batter was finally poured into the pan and tucked safely inside the oven, you wiped your hands on your apron before placing the basket of strawberries in front of him along with a cutting board and a small knife. "your next job." bunny looked down at the strawberries before raising an eyebrow.
"you're trusting me with a knife?"
"i trust you enough."
"that doesn't sound very reassuring."
"because it isn't."
he laughed quietly before picking up the first strawberry, carefully slicing it into neat little pieces. he was surprisingly focused, tongue poking lightly against the inside of his cheek as he tried to make every slice roughly the same size. after a few minutes he proudly glanced over at you. "look."
you leaned closer before smiling. "those actually look really nice." "actually?" he repeated with fake offense. "i thought you'd have more faith in me."
"i had some."
while you turned your attention toward whipping the cream, bunny looked back down at the neat pile of strawberries he'd just finished cutting. they looked... really good. bright red, perfectly ripe, and honestly too tempting to ignore.
he glanced toward you, making sure you were still busy with the mixer before quietly reaching over and picking up a single slice. "quality control," he whispered to himself before tossing it into his mouth.
"bunny." his hand froze instantly. slowly, he turned his head. "what?" you didn't even look away from the bowl. "put the strawberry down."
"i didn't take one."
"you're chewing."
"proof?"
you finally looked over, raising an eyebrow as you stared at his suspiciously full cheek before letting out a laugh.
"you're literally chewing."
"could be gum."
"you weren't chewing five seconds ago."
"you don't know that."
you walked over until you were standing beside him, folding your arms while looking between him and the noticeably smaller pile of strawberries. "those are for the cake."
"how am i supposed to know if they're good enough for the cake if nobody tastes them?"
"they're strawberries."
"exactly."
"they all taste like strawberries."
"that's a bold assumption." you couldn't help laughing as you gently flicked the center of his forehead. "no more quality checks." he rubbed the spot dramatically before sighing. "you're no fun."
"i'm trying to make sure we actually have enough strawberries."
"i only had one." you looked at him. he smiled sheepishly. "okay... maybe two." you shook your head, unable to hide your smile before reaching into the bowl yourself and holding out another slice.
"open."
he blinked before obediently opening his mouth. you placed the strawberry between his lips before lightly pinching his cheek. "there. now stop stealing them." he laughed softly, catching your wrist before pressing a quick kiss against the back of your hand.
"see? if i'd waited, you would've fed me anyway."
"don't get used to it."
"too late."
the kitchen slowly settled back into a comfortable silence as you finished whipping the cream, the soft hum of the mixer blending with the quiet music playing somewhere in the apartment.
after spending so many months apart because of training camps, interviews, and international matches, the silence didn't feel awkward—it felt comforting. there wasn't a phone buzzing every few minutes, no coach waiting for him at the training grounds, and no suitcase sitting by the front door reminding him he'd be leaving again.
for the first time in months, bunny had nowhere else to be.
without thinking much about it, he quietly set the knife down before walking over until he was standing directly behind you, his arms slipping around your waist while his chin rested against your shoulder.
"you're clingy today," you teased, smiling to yourself as you continued whisking. "am i?" he murmured.
"very."
"i don't think i care." he hugged you just a little tighter, letting out a content sigh before quietly adding, "today i just want to be your boyfriend."
his words made your hands stop for a second. you turned your head just enough to catch the soft smile on his face, noticing how relaxed he looked now that the pressure of the tournament had finally disappeared.
"i missed you," he admitted quietly, his voice barely louder than the whisk scraping against the bowl.
"not the calls, not the texts, you." your expression softened immediately as you rested one hand over his where it circled your waist. "i missed you too." bunny let out a quiet breath before laughing to himself. "every time we'd finish a match everyone wanted to celebrate."
"and you didn't?" you asked. "i did." he smiled. "but after a while all i wanted was to come home, steal your attention for a day, and bake something completely unnecessary."
you laughed. "strawberry shortcake is unnecessary?"
"no." he pressed a quick kiss against your temple. "it's perfect."
