Little Ba Reum AU - The roads not taken

Chapter 12

"I can," Ba Reum said, taking the packages that Hyuk gave him and putting them on the table one by one, until everything was neatly standing side by side.

"Let's see, let's measure out the flour," Hyuk said, reading the recipe, "can you spoon it in the bow?"

"Okay," Ba Reum said, opening the bag and clumsily taking a spoonful, being mindful to do it with his right hand. Before he reached the bowl, part of it fell on the table, and Ba Reum's eyes widened.

"Is something wrong?" Hyuk asked, seeing Ba Reum all stiffened up. The little turned towards him and dropped the spoon in the bowl, before ducking underneath the table.

"Sorry, really sorry," Ba Reum muttered, shaking in fright, "can clean it, honestly, can clean it,"

"Hey, sweetheart, come out here," Hyuk said, crouching in front of the table, and seeing the scared little under there, "what went wrong? Can you tell Hyuk?"

"Made a mess, sorry. I try better, promise," Ba Reum said, trying to hold back the tears and barely succeeding. He had screwed up. There would not be baking cookies for him anymore. At best, he would be allowed to watch Hyuk make the cookies, and clean everything after.

"No, you didn't make a mess at all. It's just a little flour," Hyuk said, leaning forward and holding out his hand to Ba Reum, "we'll clean up afterwards anyway, so why don't you come and help me out?"

"Ba Reum can still help? Really?" the little asked, surprise clear in his tone, and even though Hyuk nodded with a smile, he felt his heart break a little at the realisation.

"Of course you can," the man asked, mentally wondering who had hurt the little so bad that he acts like this and picturing the way he wanted to hurt that person.

Still, Hyuk was glad when the smaller hand slipped into his, and he pulled Ba Reum up, letting the little sit next to him.

"Let's see, let's finish with the flour now?" Hyuk said, and together they continued making the dough for the cookies.

Hyuk let Ba Reum stir while he broke the eggs, not thinking it was safe for the small headspace to do it, and Ba Reum seemed to be happy enough to try and mix the firm dough.

"And now, la pièce de résistance: chocolate," Hyuk said, taking out a slab of dark chocolate, not having cooking chocolate in the house, "we need to smash it in little pieces,"

He took out a rolling pin, and left the chocolate in the packaging, rolling over it a few times, pressing down and feeling it crack. Opening the package, it was filled with uneven pieces, and Hyuk fished three bigger pieces out under Ba Reum's watchful gaze.

"Here you go," Hyuk said, making Ba Reum look at the pieces, before he glanced back at Hyuk questioningly, before understanding what the man meant.

With a big smile, Ba Reum took a piece in his hand and put it in the dough.

"Oh, no these are a little too big to put in there," Hyuk said before Ba Reum could put the second one in there, making the little frown at him.

"I make them smaller?" Ba Reum asked, but Hyuk shook his head, taking one of them.

"No, these are to taste. Open up," Hyuk said, holding it to Ba Reum's mouth, who looked taken aback by the suggestion.

"Taste?" Ba Reum said, and Hyuk nodded.

"Yes, of course. Say aaah," the big man said, and Ba Reum hesitantly followed the instruction, not knowing why he was allowed the treat. But the chocolate was delicious, making his taste buds explode with the taste and coating his mouth.