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August 2
Jack hugged Bitty tightly as soon as they entered his apartment. Bits had only seen it on skype and he wanted to give him the tour, but this was more important for the moment. Bitty stretched up and kissed his chin. In response, Jack leaned down and ran his nose up Bits’ jawline. “Hey there.”
“Hey yourself, Handsome.”
Jack trailed along his cheek until he brought their lips together in a gentle kiss. Bitty wrapped his hands behind Jack’s head and pulled him down a little further. “I thought you were just here to see my kitchen.”
He laughed into Jack’s lips. “Fine then, Mr. Zimmermann. Show me this amazing kitchen of yours.”
Jack pulled away so he could stand up straight and took his hand to lead him into the kitchen.
“Oh wow. It’s a lot better than I expected.”
“Hey, I showed you pictures.”
“That doesn’t convey how open it is.” Bitty trailed his fingers over the granite countertops.
Jack smirked. “There’s butter in the fridge.”
He turned and grinned back. “Didn’t you want to show me the rest?”
“Do you really care about any other room?”
Bits stuck out his chin a little. “Of course I do. Let’s see it, mister.”
The tour didn’t really take long. It was a nice place, and spacious, but it didn’t have many rooms. They finished in the living room, furnished with little more than a black couch, a plain coffee table, and a huge wall mounted TV.
“Oh Honey, it’s a little... um. Lifeless?”
Jack snorted. “I don’t spend that much time here, but I suppose I’m always looking to improve. What do you suggest?”
“A house plant?”
Jack wasn’t sure he could keep a house plant alive, but he could see it. Something green and breathing, trailing over a shelf or a table over by the window. “That sounds good. We should go shopping.”
“Not until I’ve made a pie, if you have everything.”
“I got your list.”
Bitty grinned.
Jack’s favorite part of watching Bitty bake was seeing his hands covered in flower, rolling out dough. No, his favorite was watching Bitty work his magic, drawing runes into the crust with his fingertip, infusing the shell with love. No, actually, Jack’s favorite part was watching him prep the filling (apples, of course) and how he refused to let Jack help at all, even though Jack was a great assistant. Actually his favorite part was when the pie went into the oven and a calm settled over them both. Really, there was no part of watching Bitty bake that wasn’t perfect.
Except that this time, as Bitty finished setting the timer and wiping up the last of his mess, he launched back into Jack’s arms just because he could. That was definitely the best part.
The maple crusted apple pie tasted more like home than anything ever had.
They didn’t make it to decorating his place until the next day.
August 3
Jack silenced his alarm as soon as it went off. He looked fondly over at Bitty who hadn’t even noticed. He looked good sleeping in Jack’s bed. He always looked amazing. Jack smiled, pressed a soft kiss on his temple, and went out for his run.
Bits was still asleep when he had to leave for practice skate. Jack left him a sticky note that said, ‘You’re the best - Jack’ with a little scribbled heart. He took the two pies Bitty had made with him for the guys. Like many of his pies destined specifically for hockey players, the magic he used would enhance energy and safety.
All the guys were enthusiastic about the pies, no surprise there. Tater slapped his shoulder. “Wow, who you know makes such great pie?” He didn’t wait around for an answer, already heading off to the ice.
Practice was good. Really good.
“Sooo, you coming out to celebrate for your birthday, Jack?”
“Sorry Poots, I need to get home.”
“What? Please don’t tell me you’re going to go read a history book to celebrate!”
“I have a friend visiting to celebrate with.” Jack shrugged, but he couldn’t keep the soft smile off his face. “We have plans.”
Jack found Bitty in the kitchen, baking.
“Hi sweetheart. Happy birthday.”
“What, no kiss?”
Bitty looked at his flour coated hands and then laughed and crossed the kitchen to deliberately place his hands on Jack’s chest. They leaned together for a quick kiss. When he drew back, there were white fingerprints on his black shirt.
“You know, I’m wearing black shorts too.”
Bitty laughed, snuggled back into his arms, and made sure to leave a few floury handprints on his ass. “Happy birthday.”
After Bitty finished the pie and Jack had changed into clean clothes, they headed off to a garden center. Bits had picked based on reviews, since Jack had no idea where was best to go.
It was big, warm and humid. It was a series of large greenhouses packed with rows of plants. Jack wasn’t sure he could keep anything alive at all and it was kind of overwhelming. They strolled down the aisles, not quite touching. Bitty kept asking him which ones he liked, and oh, did he like this one? It had purple leaves.
It felt like the plants were tugging at him. When he brushed up against the leaves, it was like they wanted to hold on and not let go. It almost felt like the beginnings of a panic attack, but Jack could breathe. He had to keep reminding himself that.
They wandered through a new section and it smelled like baking and home and Bitty. Jack stopped and trailed his fingers over the leaves and they came back smelling fragrant. “Do you think I could grow herbs for you?”
Bits had wandered a bit ahead and was admiring some of the luscious plants. He looked back over his shoulder, his eyes big. “You want to?”
“Yeah, for you to use in the kitchen.”
“Oh.. that would be lovely.”
“Which ones?”
“Can’t go wrong with basil and rosemary.” Bitty chewed his lip a little. “I have no idea how to grow them though. My mama’s got no green thumb at all.”
They ended up asking an employee for advice, and she suggested a kitchen herb kit. It came with everything they needed, including instructions. Bitty insisted on buying it for Jack as a birthday present.
Jack sat at the counter setting up his new herbs. There was plenty of space there without getting in the way of the baking. “How many pies are you going to make?”
“Haha, too many, but this kitchen is just too swawesome to pass up the opportunity. You’ll just have to feed them all to your team.”
“They really liked the cherry ones this morning.”
Jack poured water into the soil and watched it seep through, turning it from light brown to almost black. He dropped the basil seeds into the pot. With his fingers still resting in the soil he looked up at Bitty dancing around the kitchen. Jack could practically feel the magic in the air. Only Bitty could bake like that.
“I hope they grow.”
“Honey, I’m sure they will.” He was at the far counter, mixing something on the stove that smelled delicious.
Something moved by Jack’s fingers. He shifted his hand, and little green shoots emerged from the soil, brushing against his hand. They stretched up and leafed out, swaying. Jack had time to blink, then they green shoots launched upwards a few inches, sending tendrils and new leaves up and flopping over his hand. It grew up some more and flopped, a long spindly branch crawling over his hand and curling around his wrist. It was less green, paler, and looked ... not great. Then it was brown and dry, with just a hint of green left in a few of the leaves, but the plant was obviously dead already. The soil had dried up completely.
“Uh... wow.”
“Hmmm?” Bitty was still facing away.
“I don’t think it’s supposed to do that?”
“Something wrong?”
“Euh.. come take a look at this.”
Bitty looked over at his tone of voice, but it took him a moment before his eyes found the dead basil grown over Jack’s fingers. “Did you know you could do that, Sweetheart?” There was wonder in his voice. Wonder, from a boy who baked with magic.
“No, I... I had... No.”
“Jack Zimmermann. We should grab a video and share it with the boys.”
“Um. Okay. Are you sure?”
“They don’t know I’m here, but they won’t see me.”
He helped Jack find a way to take video one-handed on Jack’s phone with his other hand in the soil.
As he recorded, he mumbled, “Uh.. grow.. please?” Green shoots shot up. He managed to end the video after a few seconds, before the poor thing dried out.
“Oh Jack, you’re giving them too much.”
“What?”
“Too much magic. It’s overwhelming them.”
“Do you know how to?”
“Sorta. I can bake a pie with just my hands but it’s not the same as using an oven. It just doesn’t turn out right. I have to use a light touch. I’m not sure it’ll work the same way, but once we figure it out you can definitely grow herbs. Now let’s share that.”
SMH chat:
Shits: Holy shit. what did I say?! competitive fucking horticulture would have been perfect for you
Rans: wow cool bro
C: swawesome!
Holtzy: siick
Nurse: maaan, we gotta get you some pot
Dex: that’s a terrible idea
Shits: what are you growing there, Mr. Z? “tomatoes”?
Bitty: grow me something to bake a pie with!!
Lardo: where you at bits? thought you were at the haus?
Lardo: also, really cool J
JZ: I’m not growing anything yet. I was trying to cheer my place up, but I keep killing the plants. <picture of end result - dead plants>
Rans: I bet we can do some research, bro. Tell me what you did and I’ll find you an answer
Shits: seriously though, please tell me you’ll reconsider that competitive horticulture decision.
September
Jack, with the help of research from his overenthusiastic friends, magic discussions with Bitty that he’d never been able to appreciate fully before, a lot of practice, and many packets of seeds from the garden center, started to get it.
It took a lot of restraint not to pour too much magic into the plants. Growing too fast made them suffer for lack of water and light. He was getting better.
Jack was determined to have something growing that Bitty could use in the kitchen by his next visit. The basil was six inches high, lush green, dense, and fragrant.
He brushed his hand through the leaves like he was saying hello. Jack couldn’t wait to taste something Bitty made with home grown herbs.
November
“Hey Honey, I could use just a pinch more of fresh oregano in this.”
Jack brushed a kiss against the top of his head before leaving the kitchen. Next time he moved he needed a kitchen with some nice big windows, he mused.
In the living room, vines trailed over the walls in lacy patterns. Under the window, his dense little herb garden grew. Jack knew Bitty liked to use the newest leaves; said the taste was better. Jack was pretty sure he just liked the magic. You can’t grow plants without a lot of love. Jack couldn’t stop his smile.
He checked the soil and it was still damp, so Jack rested a fingertip on one stem and gave it just a little magic, enough to grow a new spray of fresh green leaves on every stem. The whole plant grew at least an inch. He plucked enough off and tipped just a little more water into the now dry plant from the pitcher he kept under the table.
He dropped the leaves into Bitty’s waiting hand. He traded them for a kiss.