Sweet Tooth [One-shot]

Title: Sweet Tooth
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a flimsy plot.
Warnings: Extreme fluff and cheese ahead.


Sugar and spice and everything nice is a very tempting combination. Maybe too tempting.

It's Ohno's turn :)

Written for the Beginning to End Challenge at Asian Fanfiction.




"Hands under your butt or else..."

“Or else what?”

“Or I close up shop and you can go home wanting.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“Pfft. Trust you, you with the wandering hands and insatiable appetite?”

“I swear I won’t touch.”

“Swear all you want. Just put those hands under your rump and stay sitting on them until I say otherwise.”

“Aren’t you the paranoid one?”

“Aren’t you the one who’s on a no carb diet?”

“I thought you had to go to the bathroom.”

“And I will as soon as I know my freshly baked, straight from the oven, melt in your mouth chocolate cinnamon delight cookies are safe.”

“That’s not helping. Sigh. Fine. Look. See. Hands under butt. Not going anywhere near your cookies.”

“They had better stay like that until I get back.”

“Yes, sir!”

With a satisfied grunt, Ohno Satoshi exited the kitchen and quickly went about his business. Only to give a yelp of surprise upon his return.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Satoshi’s mouth dropped in disbelief as he took in the scene before him.

There, with her hands still firmly under her cute little behind as he had commanded she put them, sat one Inoue Mao, her stool much closer to the counter than when he had left her. Her expression of haughty defiance was only slightly ruined by the spatula dangling delicately from her pink lips. Lips that were further proof of her guilt as they were decorated with chocolate.

One chocolate cinnamon delight cookie had already fallen. The culprit was onto the next victim.

Meeting Satoshi’s annoyed glare with her innocent eyes, Mao smiled cheekily and shrugged. Before he could react, Mao had taken the spatula out of her mouth, scooped up two more piping hot cookies and blissfully gobbled them up.

“Oi!” Satoshi thumped the offending cookie thief on the head.

“Ittai!”

He crossed his arms and stared her down like an angry parent.

“And what do you have to say for yourself?”

“Got milk?” she asked flippantly, reaching for another cookie. He slapped her hand away.

“Didn’t I tell you to keep your hands under your butt?” He grabbed the tray away from her.

“Until you got back, you said,” Mao replied, pouting and still eyeing the cookies. “I’m sorry. I know you were getting a jump on baking for tomorrow, but I just can’t resist.”

Exasperated, Satoshi sighed. “That’s it. I should have known better.” He started to pile the rest of the cookies onto a plate. “New rule, starting tonight. No more Mao’s in the kitchen after shop’s closing.”

“Aww... Nii-chan,” Mao whined.

A strange look crossed his face, before he repeated resolutely, “Nope. I’ve made my mind up. If I want my business to continue its success, it’s imperative that no Maos should be allowed in the bakery’s kitchen after hours. I’ll go bankrupt otherwise.”

Mao opened her mouth to protest; only to close it again, annoyed when Satoshi flicked her in the forehead.

“And I’m not your brother.”

Mao rolled her eyes.

No, Ohno Satoshi was not her brother. But if she did have an older brother, she couldn’t ask for a better one than Toshi-chan. Mao had adored him for forever, since the days they lived across from each other in that small town with just a pit stop train station. Her mother swears that her first word was Toshi, the name of the quiet, gentle three-year old, who equally adored the mischievous baby named Mao.

Through the years, though any other boy would have eventually tired of it, Satoshi patiently accepted her idolizing attention and guided her in his own way. And Mao loved him for it. With all her heart, she loved him with a love that was much deeper than friendship and much more than that of a sister. Although she never confessed to him, Mao had accepted a long time ago that her love would never be returned. So she was content to just be by his side. Imagine her heartbreak when he decided to move to Tokyo to pursue his dream of becoming a baker and pastry chef. She had missed Satoshi so much that upon her own graduation from high school, she enrolled into the first Tokyo university that had accepted her and pursued her own ambition of studying photography. These past couple of years living in Tokyo with her Toshi-chan once more guiding her had been the most fun of her life. And while she was getting her feet wet in the professional world of photography, he had already established a small neighbourhood bakery in the heart of Tokyo’s Asakusa district.

Yes, talented, hard-working, all-round nice guy, and handsome. Ohno Satoshi was perfection. Who wouldn’t want to have a guy like him as a big brother- at least?

But, Mao thought darkly, Toshi-chan doesn’t even want me to call him big brother anymore. As a respectable, independent business owner, maybe he was starting to resent their relationship. Was she too immature? Too dependent? Had she been relying on him too much?

“Oi,” he barked at her, breaking Mao’s reverie. “Eat up. I know you like them best when they’re still warm.” Her darkened mood brightened by the light of the warm cookies and glass of milk Satoshi had put down in front of her. She squealed happily, then moaned while chewing on the sweet chocolaty goodness of Toshi-chan’s number one seller.

Mao noticed that strange look on his face again when he paused to watch her eat.

“What?” she asked him suspiciously.

He shook his head and smiled.

Mao-chan really was the most adorable thing. He had always thought so. From the time they were children, she was the most precious thing in the world to him. She still was. But now she wasn’t just adorable. Mao was beautiful. And just when he started to love her as a man loves a woman, he didn’t know. All that he knew was that he was no longer content to play the part of big brother.

It was the hardest thing in the world to leave her to start a fresh in Tokyo, and harder still to live without her. How could he stay away when she said she was coming to study? And how could he continue to stand it? Watching as she drew the eyes of every breathing male that walked by? It was all he could do to try and remind them both that they weren’t brother and sister. That they could be so much more.

Satoshi motioned to the corner of his mouth and chuckled, “You never change. You’re still such a messy eater.”

“Eh?” Mao paused mid-bite as Satoshi leaned forward with his handkerchief and slowly wiped chocolate off her face. Startled by his sudden touch, Mao’s hand reached up to grasp his.

Holding her breath, she glanced up into Satoshi’s eyes and blushed.

He met her gaze and quickly swallowed the lump that caught in his throat.

Mao dropped her hand embarrassed while Satoshi finished wiping the chocolate from her mouth. Avoiding her eyes, he turned away and started to rummage through the cupboards.
“Seriously, I thought you put yourself on one of those fad diets. You keep eating like that and you’re going to blow up like a balloon.” He set out a couple of bowls onto the counter then began to gather ingredients.

“I am not,” she stuck her tongue out, slowly putting down a sixth cookie and sipping her milk. Temptation proved too much and bit into that sixth cookie rebelliously.

“Are too,” he snickered, pouring some flour into the bowl. “And if you do, you won’t stand a chance with that pretty boy model you’ve been lusting after. What’s his name again? Aibu Mizuki?”

“Aiba Masaki.”

“Right. Aiba Masaki,” Satoshi seethed through gritted teeth.

“And he is rather pretty, isn’t he?” Mao replied dreamily. Satoshi nearly dropped the box of baking powder onto the floor. “Maybe too pretty. Anyhow, I’ve decided that your cookies are way too good to give up.”

“Oh?”

“And I should be with someone who will love me as I am. With or without cookie weight,” Mao said thoughtfully. Satoshi paused in his actions. Mao coughed to clear her throat. “What do you think, Toshi-chan? Is there someone out there who will love me with cookie weight?”

He slowly resumed his work. “Of course, Mao-chan. Don’t be stupid.” Then he continued on in silence.

“Ne, Ohno-san,” Mao tilted her head, motioning with her eyes towards his hands, “I don’t think that spoon can handle that much baking powder.”

“Huh?” He looked down and saw that he had scooped up way too much baking powder, which he was about to throw into his mix. Where was his head?

Wrapped up in Mao, his brain answered back. She had abandoned her plate of cookies and stood in front of him, smelling sweeter than chocolate, mesmerizing him. With her closeness. With her touch.

Wait.

Touch?

Mao was touching him. Her hand on his forehead. Checking his temperature.

“What’s wrong with you? You’re all flushed,” she scolded him.
He quickly swatted her hand away before he did something he’d regret .“Of course I’m all flushed. I work in a hot kitchen. One tends to get warm.”

Mao knew Satoshi was as healthy as a horse and didn’t get sick. Ever. But that didn’t stop her from worrying. Plus, being this close to him was intoxicating and she couldn’t quite make herself step a back.

“Well,” she said softly, “since you work all day, slaving away in this hot kitchen,” she could have sworn she heard him take a big gulp, “and since I ruined your hard work by eating those cookies, why don’t I help you make this next batch?” She stayed close to him, removing the baking powder laden spoon from his grasp.

“You?” he replied, his voice a little scratchy. “You can barely pour milk into cereal. You’re gonna help me bake cookies?” Satoshi was certain the source of the heat he was feeling was not the oven.

Maybe it was the sweet, heady combination of chocolate, sugar, spice, and Satoshi, but in this close heated space, Mao felt emboldened. Empowered. Sexy and sinful. She ignored the voice in her head saying that Satoshi only saw her as a little girl. His friend. Not a woman with desires. But she had desires. One especially.

“You could teach me,” she was practically purring, shocking herself with her own boldness.

Satoshi was beginning to think that maybe the heat was affecting him. The air got so thick that he could barely breath.
“Sure,” he squeaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Ahem. Sure.” There. Now that sounded normal. Manly and normal.

Mao smiled to herself and brushed by him to the bowl at the counter.

“You see me before you, your willing student. What would you have me do first?” She felt her cheeks turn hot and red, but she kept her gaze steady.

Satoshi didn’t think it were possible for his pulse to race even faster than it was. He concentrated on other things in an attempt to steer clear of making inappropriate suggestions.
“Y-you can start by mixing the dry ingredients,” he stammered, watching her slim fingers grasp the wooden spoon lightly. “Ok, now add an egg. Be careful you don’t get any shell in the mix.”

He chuckled when she stuck her tongue out at him.

Mao just felt giddy inside, listening to his soothing voice instructing her. Guiding her as he always did.

“Ok. Now add the milk… Mao-chan, measure the milk first, don’t just pour it in.”

She rolled her eyes. Yep, guiding her as he always did.
Satoshi’s mouth quirked up into a small smile. He thought his heart would burst, seeing her there, in the middle of his kitchen, her shirt slightly dusted with flour, her hair pulled back into a loose bun, her nose crinkled in concentration, her mouth full of chocolate… wait a minute.

“You glutton! Don’t eat the chocolate chips!” he poked her in the side, laughing as she squealed. “Serves you right. Save those for the cookies please.”

“Fine,” she said, rubbing her side. She carefully measured the chocolate chips and added it to the mix.

“Now,” he instructed, “mix it all together until the batter is thick and creamy.” Mao felt her heartbeat jump a little, listening to Satoshi’s low, melodic voice from close behind her. She nodded slowly and began stirring in quick, jerky movements.

“No, not like that.” He made soft, circular motions in the air, as though he were a conductor, orchestrating a symphony of flavour. “Smooth and even. Smooth and even.” He was hypnotizing her with defined arms that looked strong enough to carry her and gentle hands that she knew would be warm to the touch.

“Are you listening to me?” He knocked on her head. “Smooth and even?”

“Smooth and even…” she muttered, struggling with the wooden spoon. “Ugh. Aren’t you a professional? Why are you mixing this by hand and not with an electric mixer?”

“I do it by hand, Little Grasshopper,” Mao stood shocked in stillness when Satoshi’s arms surrounded her, “to get that signature melt in your mouth goodness that only number one selling cookies can have.” He laid his hands on tops of hers, sharing the secret of his rhythm, slowly stirring along with her. Mao was certain she could die happy at this very moment in the embrace of her beloved Toshi-chan, his hot breath caressing her ear.

Meanwhile, Satoshi was silently freaking out, fighting the hysterics he could feel threatening to explode as he faced Mao-chan’s sudden quiet stillness. He wasn’t sure what the hell had come over him, the urge to hold her taking over. But nothing felt so right as the feel of Mao-chan in his arms, her soft, delicate hands in his. His eyes kept straying to the tempting line of her neck.

Smooth and even. Smooth and even. He tried concentrating on the motions while getting his hormones under control.

Mao hadn’t flipped out on him. Yet.

Satoshi hadn’t pulled himself away from her yet, Mao observed nervously. She waited as they worked together without saying a word. Lulled by the enveloping warmth, she relaxed and with a pounding heart, let her body lean back to connect with his.

It was as though someone finally unlocked a door that he’d been pounding on for hours.

Forgetting everything but the woman in his arms, he wrapped himself around her tightly and buried his face into her fragrant neck.

Mao wanted to combust with happiness as Satoshi tightened his arms to bind her closer to him. She gave a contented sigh and then put the bowl down to grip his arms. A little afraid to break the spell weaving through the delicious air, Mao hesitantly murmured, “Ne... Nii-chan....”

Satoshi spun her around, holding her shoulders and looking intently into her dark caramel coloured eyes.

“I’m not your brother.”

She replied with two short words. “I know.”

“Good.” He searched her face as though trying to memorize every detail. “I’ve loved you for forever, you know.”

Mao blinked back tears, pulling him down so that their foreheads touched. “And I’ve love you for more than your cookies. Can you kiss me now?”

Feeling very obliging, Satoshi captured her lips with his in a heart-stopping, melt-in-your mouth, chocolate and cinnamon infused kiss. He deepened the kiss as thousands of fireworks had exploded between them, eliciting from Mao a moan that no cookie had ever achieved. The urge to crow his triumph to the world was overwhelming. But now was not the time to be smug, he thought, losing himself in a moment that was a lifetime in the making.


A long while later, the time it takes to bake at least 2 batches of cookies and probably one cake, Mao, wearing only Satoshi’s work shirt, happily munched on another freshly made batch of cookies. She leaned back against a wall and smiled down at her lap, where Satoshi, wearing only his baking apron, had laid his head down. He opened his mouth for a bite of cookie. Mao, with a wicked glint in her eyes, moved as though to place the cookie in his mouth, but at the last minute gobbled it up herself.

“Oi!” Satoshi pouted. “You’re just lucky you found a man who’ll love you with all that cookie weight,” he kissed her t-shirt clad stomach teasingly, “you’re gonna pack on with all these late night visits when I’m supposed to be working.”

“Oh? I thought I wasn’t going to be allowed in the kitchen after hours.” She looked down at him haughtily, flicking his forehead. “For the sake of your business, isn’t it imperative that no Maos be allowed in the bakery’s kitchen?” Mao bent to the side to grab another cookie from the plate beside them, but he
intercepted, grabbed her hand and popped the cookie into his mouth. Her hand still in his, he pulled her down and kissed her so tenderly, Mao almost forgot their conversation.

Satoshi nipped Mao's lips and lovingly replied, "Yeah, it’s crucial but I don't care."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


G-Notes:

Hisashiburi! Sorry, been AWOL lately. Life is just busy as I'm getting ready to head back to Canada. Sayonara Japan :(
But felt inspired enough to write a really cheesy Mao/ Ohno story. Hope you enjoyed it and didn't get cavities.
Added note, I really don't know the secrets of baking. I just wanted a sexy making cookies scene :D
Fight against Writer's Block! Comment!