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While Jusis has certainly become vastly more competent in the kitchen than he was during their early days at Thors, he’s never had any talent for desserts, and his attempts to make a beverage that isn’t tea sometimes yields results best suited for the battlefield. So when he says he’s making hot chocolate and asks if Machias would like some, Machias hesitates for a moment; then, he takes one look at that stupid, pretty face, and says, “Yes."
Jusis gives him a soft, warm smile before he disappears into the kitchen, and suddenly, Machias doesn’t care if he ends up in the Emergency Room as a consequence of ingesting whatever abomination his fiance whips up. It’s a small price to pay for Jusis’s happiness.
He sighs, shakes his head with a smile, and wonders when he became such a complete and utter fool for this man. When Jusis went from insufferable to adorable and he stopped wanting to kill Jusis and started wanting to kiss him.
The snow has started to come down outside the tall window of the sitting room in thick, fluffy flakes. The fire crackles away, glowing as the flames dance inside the nearby hearth, bright and warm. Machias is cozy on the plush sofa under the unreasonably soft blanket (though he’d be a lot cozier if a certain blond noble would hurry up in the kitchen). There’s music coming from the phonograph, something instrumental and unobtrusive but pleasant and dreamy.
It’s certainly a change from Millium’s whirlwind of background noise. If she weren’t in Leeves with Altina for the weekend, she’d be dragging them outside to catch snowflakes on their tongues right about now.
Still… it’s hard not to miss her, even though he admits it is nice to have the place to themselves for once. It’s especially nice not having to worry about Lammy breaking down their bedroom door because Millium just has to tell them she wants to go ice skating or something.
The kitchen door opens and Jusis pokes his head out.
This… probably isn’t a good sign.
“Everything going okay?” Machias asks, but his tone translates to: “should I call the fire department?” .
“Fine, thank you,” Jusis replies in the voice Machias recognizes as meaning: “shut up, you wonderful imbecile” .
“I need you to make some espresso.”
Machias blinks. Is he serious? “Really? Now ?”
What happened to the hot chocolate?
“Unless you want me to try making it again,” Jusis says, disappearing behind the door again.
Machias bolts from his seat and chases after Jusis. “Don’t you dare lay your well-manicured hands on my baby!”
Jusis eyes the espresso machine, then Machias with a critical glance. “Well, I can certainly see the resemblance. Sharp blades, full of hot water. Steams rather quickly.”
“The grinder isn’t part of the machine,” Machias reminds him.
“Well, that would certainly explain why my last attempt went so poorly,” Jusis replies thoughtfully.
So Jusis just… shoved a bunch of beans into the portafilter and hoped for the best. Of course he did.
Machias sighs. “You’re impossible.”
“And here you are,” Jusis counters with a little grin.
Machias shakes his head to hide his own smile as he approaches the machine and does as his fiance asked. “Here I am. Making espresso to satisfy the sudden craving of someone who promised me hot chocolate.”
“You’ll get your hot chocolate,” Jusis promises and stirs a pot of something on the stove. “It just needs a little something else.”
Machias watches as he ladles some of the mixture into two elaborate teacups and steels himself when Jusis hands one to him. Surprisingly, it looks and smells pretty normal. No signs of curdling or visible chunks of anything.
“Tch,” Jusis scoffs in annoyance. “It’s perfectly safe. It’s the recipe my mother used to make for me.”
Machias pauses, struck for a moment.
Jusis still doesn’t talk about his mother often. The grief is far too big—much bigger than the woman herself. Jusis didn’t just lose the only parent who loved him; he lost himself and the only life he’d known. The moment he was saddled with the Albarea mantle in place of his mother’s surname, the boy his mother loved was gone, along with the normal existence she wanted for him. His friends, his uncle, and everything he’d ever held close was stripped away.
He had to keep the things he loved about his mother silent to keep them safe. He learned very quickly that mentioning her, gestures she did for him, or activities they did together, earned a scoff and a jeer, or some kind of lecture about how despicable and disgraceful such things were for a noble to indulge in.
Machias really wishes he could punch Helmut sometimes.
Okay, most of the time. But if he got the chance, he’d have to let Jusis and his brother get one in first, and by that point, the man would have long since been rendered unconscious, so the whole thing is moot.
Machais takes a sip and his eyes go wide because wow, it’s good. A little on the sweet side, but thick and rich and warming. “Are you sure you want to mess with the recipe? It’s really, really good.”
“It’s a bit too sweet for my tastes now. Though I’m sure Millium would love it.”
Machias gives a short laugh. “Hah, she’s going to be so jealous I got to taste it first.”
“Well, I had to test it on someone, lest I accidentally poison my sister,” Jusis replies.
He’s deflecting, but that’s all right. Machais understands the significance of the gesture and doesn’t press. He just smiles like a shark. “Well then, I’ll make sure you’re first in line to try her next culinary concoction.”
Jusis stiffens. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“You know I would.”
They both burst into laughter and, Goddess, Jusis looks so pretty when he laughs. He’s pretty all the time, of course; even when Machias hated his guts, he couldn’t deny that Jusis was attractive. But it’s a privilege to see Jusis so unguarded, so natural, so real, one that Machias doesn’t take for granted.
He steals a quick kiss and Jusis lingers against his lips for a moment longer before parting.
“Well, are you going to brew that infernal espresso or not?” Jusis asks impatiently. “I know we have the house to ourselves, but I’d rather not spend those precious hours waiting on coffee.”
“Wait—are you sure we’re not… messing up your mom’s memory by changing her recipe?” Machias asks with uncharacteristic ineloquence.
Jusis looks at him with so much love it almost hurts as he sets his cup down. “I think she’d be thoroughly pleased that you’ve become part of it.”
It’s just like Jusis to come at him with a move Machias couldn’t anticipate. Whether it’s on the chessboard, the battlefield, in the bedroom, or with a batch of hot chocolate, Jusis always knows how to surprise him.
“What if it’s horrible?” Machias asks.
“Millium will drink it.”
Machias laughs as he begins brewing the espresso. “You’re really going to let her chug something with espresso in it?”
“Of course.” His mouth turns up in a sly, mischievous smile. “Right before she goes to visit Arundel and Rieveldt.”
Machias loves him. He loves him so, so much.
“You’re diabolical,” Machias says in a voice of pure adoration. “I love you.”
“I know,” Jusis replies with a winning grin.
Machias starts the process of brewing the drink in earnest this time and snickers quietly under his breath as he imagines the havoc a caffeinated Millium would wreak on the two former Ironbloods. Nobody does petty passive-aggression quite like the nobility, Machias has realized.
And none of them can hold a candle to Jusis Albarea.
It doesn’t take long. He hands the brewed coffee over to Jusis, who dumps it into the hot chocolate and stirs until he gets the consistency he wants. He ladles it out again and they discuss how much hair Arundel would have left after an afternoon of minding a caffeine-fuelled Millium as they wait for it to cool.
“He’d have most of it,” Machias insists. “But he’d probably be missing some chunks around the temples.”
“I doubt he’d be agitated enough to tear it out,” Jusis replies. “Though I think his hairline might recede about two inches and the rest thin considerably.”
Machias hums thoughtfully. “Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way. He’s more likely to go with the flow of things and give into whatever Millium wants. Major Rieveldt would be trying to get them both under control.”
“Ah, so you’re saying she’d be the one responsible for the missing patches of Arundel’s hair?” Jusis asks.
“Exactly.”
“I concede you may have a point,” Jusis admits, then brings the cup to his lips.
Machias does likewise and he has to admit, espresso was the answer. Now the sweetness is balanced with the subtle bitterness of the coffee, which enhances the chocolate flavor overall.
“That’s it,” Jusis says, looking very pleased. “Perfect.” He gives Machias a smile. “Thank you for rendering assistance.”
“Anytime, love.”
Jusis takes another sip to hide his flushed cheeks, and Goddess, it’s adorable that he still gets flustered when Machias calls him that.
“C’mon, lets go enjoy this by the fire,” Machias suggests as he holds the door open for Jusis.
It’s easy to fall into familiar habits once they’re snuggled up on the couch, tucked under the blanket. Machias wraps an arm around Jusis, who lets himself relax against Machias’s chest. They watch the snow fall as they finish their drinks, enjoying each other’s warmth. It’s these quiet moments that speak the loudest, that say more than words ever could.
Machias kisses the top of Jusis’s head and pulls him a little closer. Jusis sets his cup on the table before he leans up and tilts his head to meet Machias’s lips for a long, slow kiss.
They’ll take their time. After all, they’ve got all night.