Serendipitous

Part 28

Persephone

I wake up to the sweet, warm smell of sugar. It pushes my eyes open, and as it fills my nostrils, I sigh softly, a smile spreading across my lips.

"Ahh!!"

Now I'm sitting up. And speed walking towards my kitchen. Because I'm afraid, very afraid, that Max is attempting to burn down my apartment.

I cross from my bedroom to the kitchen, and stifle a laugh as I see Max flapping a tea towel from underneath the smoke detector. He looks up at the sound of my footsteps, smiling sheepishly whilst continuing to flap the towel in the air. Shaking my head softly, I cross to the stove, and grab the spatula sitting beside it. I flip the slightly-burnt pancake before it can fully set the house on fire, turning stove down ever so slightly as I do so. I'll give Max credit for his cooking, but his baking... I think we've decided that baking will be my job. I place the spatula back on the benchtop, a smile pulling on my lips when a pair of warm hands snake around my waist. I let Max kiss the side of my neck, my eyes falling closed ever so slightly at the warmth.

"Why are you trying to destroy my kitchen?" I turn my neck to face Max, taking in his doubtful expression.

"It wasn't intentional." Max replies, his thumbs snaking under my tank top to rest against my hipbones.

"I'm sure it wasn't." My hands glide up his body, and rest against his cheeks. Steeping onto my toes slightly, I reach until our lips collide, and smiles overtake our kiss. Max's grip on my waist tightens, as he pulls me closer to his body. I feel myself becoming lost in this kiss, his hold on me, but it all goes away too soon. Max pulls away, and positions my body so that is faces back to my bedroom.

"Go back to bed." he whispers into my ear, an action that causes a shiver to work its way down my spine. "I'll bring you breakfast in a minute." His hand moves to rest on the small of my back, which pushes me lightly in the direction of my bedroom. I take a few steps before turning back to face him.

"Just so you know, flip the pancakes over when you see bubbles on the surface." I flash Max a smile, before turning on my heels and walking back to my room, my hips swaying sarcastically.

I shake my head as I enter my room, and get back into bed. I can't believe Max is making me breakfast for Valentine's day. Before this year, I'd never so much as received flowers or chocolates from a boy, and now, I'm being served breakfast in bed by the man I love. I can't believe how lucky I am, and yet I can't shake the feeling that this is too good to be true, too perfect. I used to think that relationships like this didn't exist outside of movies, and even movie relationships weren't like this. What Max and I have is raw and real and full of heart. Our love is built around the fusing together of our hearts. Our love is fabricated throughout moments of soul and fear and overwhelming joy. Our love feels greater than anything the Disney movies could ever craft. Our love keeps me up at night thinking, with a warm buzz in my heart and the ticking of my mind. And that's what makes it so special.

The soft padding of feet draws my attention, and I prop the pillows up behind my body as Max enters the room. He's carrying a large tray, laden with mugs of tea and stacks of pancakes and small little bowls of ice-cream with toppings of fruit. I clap my hands together as Max lays the tray on the top of the bed, and grasp his face for a quick peck. He smiles as he gets into bed beside me, before offering me the pancakes. I take a few, and dollop them with ice-cream before crossing my legs, and settling down to eat. I groan as I take a bite of my breakfast. For a guy who almost burnt down my kitchen, Max can whip up a nice breakfast. I take another bite before I congratulate him, with my words instantly bringing a flush to his cheeks.

"Really, it's nothing. I'm not that great of a baker." I laugh at Max's response, leaning across to kiss his cheek. Max takes a bite of his own food, smiling in response. "Actually, this isn't that bad. I'll try not to set the apartment alight next time."