Poppy's Blush

Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Poppyseeds (III)

CW: graphic sex

SFW chapter summary found in following chapter.

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Andrew came by shortly before the cafe closed.

Poppy lead him upstairs with a little less pep than the previous week, unsure of what to expect. Luckily, Andrew opted to keep the chaos to a minimum and had them start by getting everything chopped in advance. They took up station side-by-side at Poppy's counter. Poppy's short, narrow, kitchen counter. He had to keep his arms tucked at his sides to avoid bumping the man's elbow while he attempted to cut the tops off the onions. But Andrew was a broad guy, who could only tuck into himself so much to begin with. As he focused on his own veg, his elbows kept creeping back into Poppy's space, where they inevitably got knocked with various amounts of force. Eventually, after one muttered 'sorry' too many, Andrew gave the kid a side-eye.

A pepper stem bounced onto Poppy's cutting board. Cocking a brow, he glanced beside him, but Andrew continued busily chopping away, humming some soft tune as he worked. Poppy returned to carefully slicing his onion.

Not a second later, a pepper bottom abruptly bounced off the counter and rapidly rolled away. Eye's narrowed, poppy looked over again, but Andrew had turned away to fetch another vegetable.

Finally, a wad of seeds plopped onto the edge of Poppy's board. This time, he looked over quick enough to catch the man hurriedly looking back down at the vegetable in hand. Ah-ha. Smirking now, Poppy retaliated by flicking a damp onion top leftward, where it bounced off the pale back of the man's hand, leaving a wet streak behind.

'Keeping the chaos to a minimum' became unrealistic as the two giggled away, flinging unsavoury bits of plant at one another or purposely jostling the other's arm, dragging the task out much longer than it ought to have taken.

Eventually, the prep was complete and the two set everything by the stove in organized containers. Poppy heated and oiled the saucepan, while Andrew stood beside him, ready to instruct and assist.

First the vegetables, then the spices. The exotic aroma saturated Poppy's apartment, growing deeper and more complex with each addition to the pan, enwreathing him with its enticing warmth.

Then, he felt the literal warmth of hands on his bare upper arms.

Though Poppy kept his eyes on the pan, he could feel Andrew's touch move along his shoulders and trail slowly down his back. The man's thumbs traced his spine, the whole of his palms sliding along the backs of Poppy's ribs. He sighed softly as Andrew's hands finally came to his hips where they sat comfortably, heavily, as Poppy continued to cook.

Andrew's voice beside his ear had quieted as he continued to give pointers, telling him when to do what. Poppy followed the instructions without a word, transitioning smoothly from one step to the next until finally, he cracked the eggs into the divots he pressed into the mixture. Andrew set the lid over the saucepan, then turned Poppy around in his arms.

This close, Poppy could see the shine of the man's few blonde eyelashes in the afternoon sun. Together with the pale patches that trailed up his face, petering off along his forehead like stars, they contrasted handsomely against his warm, tan skin, and gave his dark eyes a hint of mystery. Or rather, they would, if his smirk didn't light them up so.

In the quiet of his kitchen, surrounded by homely smells and the warmth of the stove, his stomach didn't flutter with nerves when Andrew bent his neck to kiss him. His heart swelled instead, as he took in a slow gasp, their tongues coming together naturally in the calm moment. The taste of sampled spices lingered on their lips, burning deliciously as they shared what was left of it.