Canon

The morning light filtered through the curtains, warm and golden, casting a quiet glow over the room. Cynthia stirred slowly, blinking her eyes open to the quiet of the early day. The familiar scent of chamomile lingered in the air, a gentle reminder of the night before. Ariana was curled up beside her, her head resting lightly against Cynthia’s shoulder.

Cynthia didn’t move at first. She simply watched the way the light played on Ariana’s blonde hair, the way her lashes fluttered as she shifted slightly in her sleep. There was something calming about it—just the two of them, quiet and still.

Eventually, Ariana stirred, her nose scrunching slightly as she slowly came to. She blinked her eyes open and caught Cynthia watching her. For a moment, she didn’t say anything, just letting her gaze linger on Cynthia with a soft, sleepy smile.

“Are you just going to stare at me all morning?” Ariana muttered, her voice still thick with sleep but carrying a hint of amusement.

Cynthia chuckled softly, her tone warm. “I’m not staring. Just appreciating the view.”

Ariana’s smile widened as she rolled onto her back, her arm casually thrown over her eyes. “Well, if you’re gonna appreciate me, I demand pancakes. Or waffles. Or honestly, anything that keeps me in bed.”

Cynthia chuckled, stretching her arms above her head. “I have a better idea.”

Ariana cracked an eye open. “Better than pancakes?”

“Cookies.”

Ariana raised an eyebrow. “Cookies for breakfast?”

“Technically, it’s brunch,” Cynthia said, checking her phone. “And yes—warm chocolate chip cookies. From scratch.”

Ariana stared at her for a beat. “You’re trying to get me out of bed, aren’t you?”

Cynthia smiled, a little mischievous. “Maybe.”

Ariana rolled her eyes but climbed out of bed anyway, stretching with a satisfied hum. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Cynthia followed her into the kitchen, the soft morning light filling the space, giving it a relaxed, slow vibe. No rush. Just them.

Cynthia moved through the kitchen with ease, grabbing the necessary ingredients while Ariana stood by the pantry, slowly scanning the shelves.

“We’re keeping it simple today,” Cynthia said, placing the ingredients on the counter—flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.

Ariana turned from the pantry, holding a jar in her hand. “Flour?” she asked, examining the unlabeled jar closely.

Cynthia glanced over, raising an eyebrow. “That’s not flour.”

Ariana gave the jar a quick shake, inspecting it further. “Really? It’s... not?”

Cynthia chuckled, motioning for Ariana to turn it around. “Cornstarch. Definitely not what we need for cookies.”

Ariana smirked, handing her the jar. “Well, white powdery things all look the same to me.”

Cynthia took the jar from her, placing it aside before grabbing the correct bag of flour. “Let’s stick to the plan, yeah?”

Ariana shrugged, grinning. “Fine. You’re the expert.”

Cynthia smiled, then started measuring the sugar. “Alright, I’ll need the butter.”

Ariana grabbed the stick of butter from the counter, holding it up with a raised eyebrow. “This is actually butter, right? Just checking after the cornstarch fiasco.”

Cynthia chuckled. “Yes, that’s butter. I promise.”

Ariana smirked, handing it over. “Just making sure.”

Cynthia smiled and nodded, setting the sugar aside. “Thanks. Now, while that softens, I’ll help with your hair.”

Ariana raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with my hair?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it,” Cynthia said with a grin. “But it’s all in your face.”

She gently brushed a few strands of Ariana’s blonde hair back from her face, her fingers lingering for a moment before grabbing a hair tie from the counter. She tied Ariana’s hair back loosely, leaving a few strands to frame her face. It wasn’t perfect, but it kept it out of the way.

Ariana tilted her head slightly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She loved it when Cynthia fixed her hair. “I guess I can’t complain about the help.”

Cynthia noticed the pink tint on Ariana’s cheeks and smirked, stepping back. “Look at you, blushing. You really like it when I take care of you, don’t you?”

Ariana rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her. “You’re impossible.”

Once the butter had softened, they continued with the recipe. Cynthia mixed the butter and sugar together slowly, taking her time to get it just right.

Ariana stood beside Cynthia, watching her work with quiet interest. She wasn’t rushing, just letting the process happen, content in the quiet.

Cynthia glanced over at her, a small smile on her lips. “You’re awfully quiet,” she teased.

Ariana smirked, shrugging slightly. “Just admiring the expert at work.”

Cynthia chuckled, shaking her head. “I’m just trying not to mess it up.”

The smell of cookies started to fill the room, and Cynthia moved the dough to the counter, preparing to scoop it onto the baking sheet. Ariana stood back, arms crossed, watching her with a soft look.

“You know, I didn’t think it’d take this much effort,” Ariana said, her voice playful but soft.

Cynthia glanced over and caught the look on her face, pausing for a moment. “I didn’t know you cared so much about cookies,” she teased.

Ariana gave her a small smile. “I care about anything you make.”

Cynthia’s heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in Ariana’s voice. She quickly focused back on the dough, but the warmth lingered. Every so often, Cynthia would glance over at her, noticing how intently she was focused on shaping the cookie dough.

Cynthia smiled softly, unable to help herself. “You know, you look pretty cute when you concentrate like that.”

Ariana’s hands faltered for a second, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. She quickly cleared her throat, trying to mask her embarrassment. “I’m just trying to make sure they’re the right size.”

Cynthia chuckled, her eyes soft. “I’m sure they’ll be perfect.”

Ariana looked up at her, meeting her gaze for a moment before quickly glancing down again, her blush deepening. “Stop making me blush,” she mumbled, trying to focus on the dough.

Cynthia smiled, her expression teasing. “You’re cute when you blush.”

Ariana shot her a side-eye but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, clearly flustered, but in the best way.

When the tray was finally full, Cynthia slid it into the oven, setting the timer. She wiped her hands on a towel, leaning back against the counter and glancing at Ariana.

Ariana was standing a little further away, her arms crossed as she watched Cynthia. The space between them was easy now, filled with something comfortable and unspoken.

“I’m glad you suggested this,” Ariana said after a moment, her voice quieter now. “Just… being here. It’s nice.”

Cynthia felt a small smile tug at her lips. “Yeah. Me too.”

They stood there, the timer ticking down steadily, the warmth of the moment stretching between them. It was peaceful.

When the timer went off, both of them jumped slightly, and Cynthia quickly opened the oven. The cookies were golden brown, the chocolate chips melting just slightly.

Ariana leaned in, watching closely. “So, what do you think? Will they be good?”

Cynthia grinned, pulling the tray out and setting it on the counter. “They’ll be perfect.”

Ariana raised an eyebrow. “If they’re bad, I’m blaming you.”

Cynthia chuckled, blowing gently on a hot cookie to cool it down. “Fair enough. But you owe me a kiss if they’re good.”

Ariana smiled as she watched Cynthia blow on the cookie, clearly amused. “You look cute doing that,” she said, her voice warm.

Cynthia smirked, offering a piece of the cookie to Ariana. “Careful, they’re hot.”

Ariana took the piece and bit into it, her eyes lighting up immediately. “Okay, fine. They’re perfect.”

Cynthia smiled, holding her gaze for a moment longer than usual. “Told you.”

Ariana leaned closer, nudging her gently with her shoulder. “You’re full of surprises.”

Cynthia met her gaze, the tension between them shifting. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

The warmth between them felt different now, more intimate. It was as if everything had shifted in the quiet moments between the mixing and baking. They weren’t just making cookies anymore.

Finally, Ariana spoke, her voice softer, more serious. “I think I might be the luckiest person in the world.”

Cynthia raised an eyebrow, her voice teasing. “Because of cookies?”

Ariana smiled, taking another bite of the warm cookie, her eyes lighting up. “Because of how perfect these are. And... because of you,” she added, looking up at Cynthia. “I wouldn’t have even made them if you hadn’t pulled me out of bed. And I love how sweet it is... it’s just right.” She paused, her inner nerd slipping out. “It’s like... the perfect balance of flavors, you know? Not too sweet, not too bland. Just the right amount of everything.”

Cynthia laughed softly, her chest tightening at the sincerity in Ariana’s words. She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re pretty sweet yourself, you know that?”

Ariana blinked, caught off guard by the compliment. “What?”

Cynthia met her gaze, the warmth between them deepening. “My sweet,” she said softly, her voice holding something deeper. “That’s what you are to me.”

Ariana’s smile widened, her eyes softening even further. “I like that.”

Cynthia smiled back, the moment feeling more real than anything. “Good. Because it’s true.”