Chapter 298 - 296: Good Batch.

Chapter 298: Chapter 296: Good Batch.

But Loac has not been making it easy.

Whether on purpose or unintentionally, even before that night he’d gotten into this bad habit of being in his space –whether it’s hanging off him, barging into him or throwing out a taunt –and Khobi’s gotten into a worse one by letting it happen.

It’s something that typically ranges from exasperating to downright distracting, but usually Khobi can deal with it because when he’s loud and obnoxious like that it serves as a reminder of how much he grates on his nerves.

​It’s not working well enough anymore. Because his body remembers everything that he’d like to forget, and the prickles and sparks that used to warm his skin whenever he got too close now strike up deeper and hotter and more insistent.

And while that has started to wind him tight and restless, it’s actually times like this that are becoming the real problem.

​The times when Loac gets quiet. ℴ

​You’d think that after all those first weeks they’d spent silence Khobi would be used to it, but this is a different kind of quiet, and Khobi’s not sure if it’s one of those things that has been happening more, or if he’s suddenly become acutely aware of when it does.

​Khobi’s no stranger to an audience when he cooks –there always seems to be someone watching him –but even though Loac’s just sitting there across the bench like he always does; chin resting in one hand, this time there’s a strange, heavy intensity to his gaze that makes him feel oddly... self-conscious .

​It’s not something he’s much accustomed to feeling.

​And while Khobi is becoming almost concerningly familiar with the way the air falls thick between them when their eyes meet, right now it feels as if Loac’s have their own kind of gravity with the way he feels compelled to peer back.

It’s magnetism to a degree he’s never experienced before –the kind that draws all things to it; light, shadows, the very air in Khobi’s lungs –so much so that even if he wanted to look away, he knows instinctively, that something would have pulled him right back.

​(He doesn’t want to look away.)

​(Khobi didn’t know that one person’s eyes could hold so many different shades of blue.)

​The hearths aren’t even that hot today, but the back of Khobi’s neck suddenly feels very warm.

​"Uh, Khobi?" Binny remarks pleasantly, and Khobi starts a little at the sound of his voice, having been absorbed in the silence.

"...You’re burning."

​Alarmed, one of Khobi’s hands immediately shoots up to his face, stopping just short on account of them being covered in dough.

​How did he –

​Binny points towards the hearth behind him.

​"The bread," he clarifies, and follows it up with a dreadful, knowing look.

​Oh .

​Oh, shit. Khobi whips around and thankfully manages to yanks his his first batch off the fire before it burns.

They’re about half a shade darker than they usually are, but to his relief they still look like they’ll taste all right.

​They certainly smell like they’ll taste all right, and when Khobi sets them down he fully expects to have to swat away Loac’s hands as he tries to reach for one.

​But Loac waits. Not patiently , from the way his fingers drum against his mug with agitation, but he does.

And then (of course) makes up for it by taking three when they’ve finally cooled enough that the meat inside won’t sear the insides of their mouths right off.

Too occupied with prepping the next batch to stop him, Khobi can only fling a scathing look from across the bench, but Loac just shovels one into his mouth and cocks an eyebrow back at him as if to say, what are you gonna do about it ?

...

Roll his eyes, is what. There’s gonna be plenty to go around.

And at least if he’s got both hands occupied with bread then there aren’t any free for stealing, although the ones he’s pinched are awfully quick to disappear.

Fat lot of good Binny’s been at keeping Loac out of trouble and on task, but he does eventually take pity on Khobi and take over the hearths so that nothing else comes close to burning if Khobi’s attention...drifts.

A few more even join him once the pressure on the kitchens starts to ease up and pretty soon they’ve got their own little production line assembled and churning out delicious smelling bread like they do it for a living.

​Which they kind of do.

​It’s hot work though, and by the time the last batch are being meticulously transferred into the basket Binny’s procured for him, the mug of ale still sitting on his side of the bench is starting to look quite tempting.

​Khobi shoots a sidelong look along the bench to where to the servants’ dismay, Loac has been particularly obvious about hooking one right off the last tray.

​Not quite tempting enough .

​" –Hey, what’d I just say?" Khobi grinds out with a long-suffering sigh. Loac doesn’t even have the decency to look guilty at having been caught.

​"You weren’t supposed to see that," he states, as though that makes it any better.

​"...Ugh, how did you not get caught sneaking food as a kid?" Khobi snorts, reaching over to yank it back. If he’d tried anything so brazen his cook would’ve smacked him.

Not for the stealing, but for letting himself get caught.

Predictably, Loac snatches it beyond reach, grinning toothily when Khobi flings him an incredulous look, like he’s fallen right into a cleverly laid trap.

​"Oh, he got caught all right," Binny assures him, watching the exchange from the other side of the bench with his chin in one hand and one of the breads in the other.

​"Yeah, that makes more sense," Khobi huffs, cussing as Loac sways beyond reach for the third damn time and swaps the infernal thing between his hands behind his back.

Oh so now he can move in a kitchen without knocking anything over?

​Figures.

​"Cried about it, too."

​" So I heard –oh for fuck’s sake," Khobi complains as Loac petulantly shoves his stolen prize in his mouth, glowering at Binny, " Fine, keep it ."