imperfections: cth

22: cookies

"You're such a tease, leave me alone so I can cook dinner, loser." He kissed me once more before turning back around and grabbing the pot again, filling it with water and putting it on the stove.

"So I haven't been shopping yet, and all I have is stuff to make spaghetti so I hope you like spaghetti."

"I love it." And I couldn't be happier, as Duke laid below my feet as I sat on the counter and watched Calum cook. He was my own piece of happiness, and I couldn't be prouder.

-

"So I've come to the conclusion that you're no longer allowed out on your own." Clayton pointed his half eaten apple at me, narrowing his eyes as Bruno set down the tray of cookies he had just been baking.

"We trust you to hang out with someone as 'friends'," Clayton emphasizes, "and you somehow come home with a boyfriend instead." He looks to Bruno for support, who is messily trying to eat one of his chocolate chip cookies that is still too warm to pick up.

"I'm fine with it, Calum's a nice guy." Bruno shrugs before just shoving the entire cookie into his mouth in frustration.

"Honey!" Clayton frowns while furrowing his eyebrows. "You're supposed to be on my side." I watch as he crosses his arms across his chest and huffs at his husband.

"Oh, right." Bruno turns his attention to me completely as he swipes at the chocolate around his lips.

"You're not allowed to have a boyfriend even though he's super sweet, plus he's strong, and knows how to protect you, and offers to help with groceries, and brought us Chinese food that one time." Bruno is listing things on his fingers now until Clayton smacks at his arms.

"Oliver does the same thing and I don't see you approving of him dating Kalani!" Bruno picks up another cookie and continues to take a bite out of it as Clayton waves his arms around.

"I would, but they kinda grew up together throughout their teens and I don't really see that happening." Clayton smacks his arm again.

"Ow! Y'know that hurts right?" Bruno rubs at his arm before moving forward and shoving his bitten cookie into Clayton's open mouth.

"On the bright side, at least she had the decency to tell us that they're dating instead of keeping it a secret." Bruno shrugs before offering me a cookie, which I take. I thank him quietly as Clayton chews what's in his mouth before frowning again.

"Can he play footie?" Clayton asks finally after a couple moments of silence.

"Yeah, he actually played with Oliver when they were little." Clayton sighed loudly before throwing his head back.

"I guess it's fine! You're lucky he plays footie." I leapt forward and placed a wet kiss to his cheek. Only once I pulled back did I realize there was chocolate on my lips as it left a mark on his cheek.

"Ew gross!" Then we're all laughing, and eating cookies that were supposed to be for the new neighbors across the street, but that's besides the point.

The front door opens and we all whip around to see who it is. Oliver appears in front of us, mouth wide like he was going to yell for us until he spotted us.

"Let myself in, plus I brought gifts." He holds up the familiar bag of Chinese, and we all let out a laugh.

"I told you he was boyfriend material but no!" Clayton frowns before going and taking the bag from Oliver.

"Bad timing?" Oliver takes a seat next to me at the island.

"Just told them that Cal and I are official. Dad isn't quite thrilled." Oliver shrugs, grabbing one of the cookies and taking a bite.

"These are good, for the new neighbors?" He asks Bruno who nods but then sighs at the five cookies that were left on the tray.

"At least they were." Bruno placed the oven mitt back into the drawer, and Oliver turned his attention back to me.

"I say it's fine, Cal and you have bonded a lot lately and it was about damn time. It's been what two months or so?" Oliver rests his chin in his palm as he finishes off his cookie.

"I couldn't tell you." I shrugged, grabbing for the bag as soon as Clayton sets it down.

"Hey! Dibs on the noodles," he points a finger at me just as I open the top of it.

"No fair! Da!" I draw out the A as I look at Bruno for help.

"He did call dibs," Bruno laughs lightly at me.

"It's alright, I got two." Oliver reaches into the bag and produces a second container.

"Sweet!"

—

this chapter took forever and I don't know what else to write for it because I had more but I don't really remember it and I've just been putting off publishing it for forever.

but here's another chapter and I'm hoping to write another one soon seeing as I'll be on vacation and won't be working all the time.

thanks for reading and don't forget to vote, comment, and follow because it means a lot. ALSO what would you guys think about having a character ask?? not rn because I want to introduce a bit more but like soon.

Thanks again.
Love,
B