Tatiana sat quietly beside Liam, her hands resting neatly on the now lighter basket as she watched him enjoy the cookies she had spent hours making. Every time he reached for another one, her heart fluttered a little. It was ridiculous. She had fought monsters, survived nightmares that still haunted her dreams, and endured things that would have broken most people. Yet watching one handsome idiot eat cookies she baked had reduced her into an anxious mess.

Liam finished chewing the one in his mouth before reaching into the basket again.

Tatiana unconsciously straightened in anticipation.

He liked them.

He genuinely liked them.

She couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at her lips.

However, instead of popping the next cookie into his own mouth, Liam paused halfway.

Tatiana blinked.

"Hm?"

Then, before she could process what was happening, he turned toward her and held the cookie in front of her lips.

"Eat too."

Tatiana froze.

"...What?"

"I-I made them for you," she stammered quickly, the tips of her ears turning pink. "Not me."

Liam simply shook his head.

"If you won’t eat them, then I’ll stop eating too."

Tatiana stared at him in disbelief.

"W-What?"

"You heard me."

His tone was calm, but his expression made it obvious he meant exactly what he said.

Tatiana looked at the cookie.

Then at Liam.

Then back at the cookie again.

Her heartbeat became chaotic.

He wanted to feed her?

Seeing that she wasn’t moving, Liam lifted an eyebrow.

"You don’t want me to eat them anymore?"

"N-No!"

The answer came out so quickly that Liam nearly laughed.

Tatiana hurriedly leaned forward and opened her mouth.

"O-Okay..."

Her voice had become incredibly soft.

Liam gently moved the cookie toward her lips.

The closer his fingers got, the more nervous she became. Her breathing shortened and her entire body tensed. She could feel his eyes on her.

Her heart was beating so loudly that she wondered if everyone in the factory could hear it.

Then...

She bit down.

"Ouch!"

Tatiana’s eyes widened instantly.

Her soul practically left her body.

She jerked back in horror.

"I-I’M SORRY!"

Her face lost all color.

"I didn’t mean to! Did I hurt you? Oh my god, I bit your hand! I really bit your hand! I didn’t mean to, Liam, I..."

She looked ready to burst into tears right there.

Then...

"Hahahaha!"

Liam broke down laughing.

Tatiana stopped mid-panic.

"...Huh?"

He pointed toward her expression while trying to control himself.

"You should see your face right now."

Tatiana blinked.

Then blinked again.

Slowly, realization dawned on her.

She looked down at Liam’s fingers.

There wasn’t even a mark.

She hadn’t bitten him.

He was messing with her.

Silence settled between them.

Tatiana’s eye twitched.

Then she looked up at him.

"You scared me!"

The accusation came out somewhere between embarrassment and frustration.

Liam wiped the corner of his eye from laughing too hard.

"Sorry."

He grinned.

"I couldn’t resist."

Tatiana stared at him for several seconds.

Then she rolled her eyes and turned away.

"...You’re mean."

Liam chuckled.

"Maybe a little."

There wasn’t an ounce of real anger in her expression.

Instead, she found herself relaxing.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she could simply exist beside someone without constantly worrying about danger or judgment.

Liam nudged the basket slightly toward her.

"Now eat."

Tatiana hesitated.

Then she slowly picked up one of the remaining cookies.

Her fingers trembled ever so slightly.

She brought it to her lips.

As she bit into it, she unconsciously lifted her gaze.

Their eyes met.

Everything around them faded.

The sounds of sparring werewolves.

The distant conversations.

The hum of the old factory.

All of it disappeared.

Tatiana nearly melted on the spot.

Liam’s blue eyes held warmth and amusement as he watched her.

"...Well?" he asked.

Tatiana quickly looked away before her entire face caught fire.

"It’s good," she whispered.

Then after a small pause...

"Really good."

Liam smiled.

"Of course it is. You made it."

The simple praise nearly stopped her heart.

She looked down at the cookie in her hand.

A small smile slowly appeared on her lips.

"...Thank you."

And just like that, the two of them settled into an easy rhythm.

Liam would take one.

Then Tatiana would take one.

Sometimes he commented on how ridiculously delicious they were.

Other times she pointed out which designs had taken the longest to decorate.

Before long, Liam had learned that the flower-shaped ones required the most patience, while Tatiana secretly thought the little stars were the cutest.

He teased her for it.

She denied it.

Then admitted it thirty seconds later.

Laughter came easier.

Smiles became more frequent.

The basket gradually grew emptier.

Neither of them noticed how much time had passed.

Until eventually...

Tatiana looked down.

The basket was empty.

The last cookie was gone.

"...Oh."

Her voice came out small.

Liam glanced inside.

"...Oh."

Silence followed.

Tatiana’s fingers tightened around the edge of the basket.

A strange feeling settled over her.

Disappointment.

The moment she had secretly wished would never arrive had come anyway.

The cookies were gone.

Their little excuse to sit together had ended.

Still, when she looked up at Liam, she couldn’t stop the satisfied smile spreading across her face.

He had eaten every single one.

He liked them.

No.

He loved them.

The thought alone made warmth bloom inside her chest.

She looked so content that Liam couldn’t help but notice.

Then suddenly...

He reached toward her.

Tatiana froze.

"...!"

His hand moved closer.

Closer.

Until his fingers gently touched her cheek.

Everything inside Tatiana stopped functioning.

Her body became rigid.

Her mind went blank.

She stared at Liam with wide eyes.

His hand was on her face.

On her face.

Was this...

Was he...

Her face turned bright red.

A thousand thoughts exploded inside her head.

Is he going to kiss me?

Her heart pounded violently.

She found herself wishing he would.

Just pull her closer.

Close the distance.

Give her the first kiss she’d never shared with anyone.

She wouldn’t run away.

She wouldn’t break his hand.

She wouldn’t do anything except...

"You’ve got crumbs on your cheek."

Liam smiled gently as he brushed them away.

Tatiana froze.

"...Oh."

Her shoulders deflated ever so slightly.

Disappointment flashed through her eyes before she quickly hid it.

"O-Okay."

She nodded obediently like a little girl.

"Thank you."

Liam withdrew his hand.

Completely oblivious.

Meanwhile, Tatiana stared down at the empty basket resting in her lap.

A tiny sigh escaped her lips.

Then she glanced sideways at Liam.

He was smiling at her again.

The disappointment lingering in her chest eased almost immediately.

Maybe...

She thought while absentmindedly touching the spot on her cheek where he’d brushed away the crumbs.

Maybe next time.