Tiger Inside ||Stray Kids Mafia AU||

Chapter Nine

My legs dangled over the side of the counter, feet swaying as I watched the freckled boy frantically make his way around the kitchen. He was already onto making his second batch of baked goods, a dozen cookies already enveloping the house in a delicious smell as they rose in the oven. Felix closed another cabinet in frustration with a huff, his search for cocoa powder still proving unsuccessful.

Upon my first arrival at the house, Felix was the member that I quickly started spending the most time with. Our movie nights together in the living room providing some source of normalcy in the chaos of each impending day. His company felt like that of an old friend, our conversations flowing so naturally like we had spent countless time by each other's side over the years.

Since the shipment codes started raising red flags and alarm bells, Felix had spent most of his time locked behind his door, Seungmin occasionally by his side while they attempt to identify what types of chemicals were being carted in and their potential uses. It was just nice to see him out from behind a computer screen, in his element, drowning himself in sugary concoctions. He had already been in the kitchen for quite some time before I had made the decision to join him, and I wasn't sure if he had plans to stop any time soon.

"I can't say I've ever seen anyone so panicked over brownies before." Felix let out another flustered huff, eyes meeting mine as his shoulders dropped and his irritated demeanor quickly melted into one of exasperation with a groan.

"I just like to bake when I'm stressed, okay?" He brought his hands to his face, rubbing it in a fruitless attempt to calm himself. I wasn't sure when the last time the poor boy had gotten a decent night's sleep, his choice to stay in front of a screen littered with 1's and 0's clearly starting to take its toll on him and probably putting his eyes on route of going blind, or at the very least leaving him permanently cross eyed. I hopped down from my seat on the counter, patting him on the head before crossing over to the fridge, peeking inside in search of a bold green bottle of soju. My fingers wrapped around the target once located, Felix's eyes following me as I grabbed two shot glasses from the cabinet and filled them before us. His gaze broke from the glass as I handed it to him, giving me a quizzical stare.

"We're gonna add another variable to help you chill out, and you're gonna let me help you make the best damn batch of brownies this house has ever tasted." His smile broke through as I raised my shot glass in a toast, Felix turning to the side as we downed the clear liquid. I placed the glass onto the counter before clapping my hands together. "Okay. Where's my apron and where do you want me boss?" Felix slung an apron around my neck, wasting no time barking commands as I tied the strings around my waist.

Our dance around each other in the kitchen started to devolve into fits of laughter as we quickly started to adorn the counter with multiple bottles of empty soju. We had lost the object of our mission, the act of making brownies taking far longer than it should as we continuously let ourselves get distracted.

One might say leaving two inebriated idiots in a kitchen alone and unsupervised isn't the best decision, but I'd say it's a phenomenal one. Felix had finally switched on some music, prompting a full setlist of a karaoke performance, the mic of choice being that of a batter covered whisk dripping a mess onto the floor.

Our laughter echoed throughout the house as I quickly shuffled around the kitchen island, gripping to the counter for support as my feet slipped across the tiled floor. Felix's chase with the batter covered spoon keeping him close on my tail, ducking my head quickly with a squeal as I avoided his messy attacks. Using my hand to slingshot me around the corner with a nyoom leaving my lips, I dunked my hand into the flour, turning on my heels to catch Felix off guard as I closed the distance between us just long enough to reach out within the distraction and give him a flour coated light smack to the face. Felix froze, hands out to his side as his brain computed the turn of events, my surprise attack successfully declaring me victor and leaving the poor boy frozen in his spot with his lips pressed into a firm line.