Brodie and Mason are at the cafe-bakery that Kellen works at when Mason's eyes catch on something behind him. Brodie is in the middle of telling him about the movie he and Kellen saw the night before, so he doesn't notice right away. It's not until he asks Mason if he's seen it and doesn't get a reply for a few seconds that he realizes that he no longer holds Mason's attention.

He glances over his shoulder to figure out what Mason is looking at and sees Kellen taking an elderly couple's order and his coworker, Jamie, placing a fresh batch of cupcakes in the display cabinet. Jamie must have just finished icing them because there was a streak of the same colour on his nose. It's not a big establishment, so it's only the two of them on the floor. There's only one other person in there: a woman at a table by herself. She's not doing much, reading a book with her drink in her other hand.

Brodie doesn't think much of it until he turns back around and sees the look in Mason's eyes.

"Like something you see?" he asks with a cheeky grin.

Mason's gaze cuts back to him. "What?"

He can barely contain his laughter as Mason pretty much confirms what he was implying. "I asked if there was something you liked over there, but apparently you were too busy making heart eyes at Jamie to even hear me."

Brodie expects him to deny the heart eyes part, but instead, Mason says, "Jamie?" and looks past him again.

"Yeah, Jamie. The guy behind the counter you're drooling over."

Mason blushes, and oh, Brodie is loving this. He can't wait to tell Kellen that their normally put together friend is blushing over the cute baker.

"I'm not drooling!"

"Uh-huh," he says, non-believing with a shit-eating grin.

"Do I think he's hot? Yeah, sure I guess, but that doesn't mean anything. I wasn't making 'heart eyes' and I definitely wasn't drooling, so whatever you're thinking: stop."

"I'm not thinking anything," Brodie lies. "But what's interesting is that I never asked if you think he's hot. Food for thought."

Mason's blush deepens and he rolls his eyes, turning back to his drink and Brodie bites back his grin.

Later that evening when he's back home, Brodie recalls the conversation he had put out of his mind. He thinks it back over as he shoots Kellen a text.

Two things:

1) Is Jamie gay?

2) Is he single?

Less than a minute later he gets a reply;

1) Yes

2) Yes

Quickly followed by;

Why?

Feeling a little mischievous, he tells Kellen how Mason 'wasn't making heart eyes' and 'definitely wasn't drooling' over his coworker who he thinks is hot. And so their plan began.

Kellen met Jamie first when he landed the job as a barista and cashier at the cafe-bakery a few months ago and the other was already working there. Brodie visited his best friend a lot and, through him, he was introduced to Jamie.

Jamie, he learned, is in the same grade as them but attends a different high school on the other side of town. He plays the trumpet in his school's band, is on the literary magazine's team as the art manager and editor, and loves graphic design. Jamie told them how the cafe-bakery was and still is his favourite place to go and that getting a job there over a year ago as a baker was a dream come true. He loves getting to bake all kinds of bread and desserts; his favourites being cinnamon rolls and croissants. He has also learned a little about his personal life; that he has a step-dad and two baby sisters, but he hadn't heard any mention of his sexuality or any partners Jamie might have had.

Brodie really likes Jamie and he invites him to hang out with him and Kellen, though Jamie can't make it most of the time. There was once where the three of them met up at Kellen's for a few hours and they had a lot of fun. When they asked if he liked sports or video games, Jamie said that he doesn't mind running, but isn't a big fan of participating in sports and is terrible at video games.

"Technically I do play video games, but I'm really, really bad. My friend, Eden, kicks my ass every time."

They quickly found out that it was not an exaggeration.

Thinking that Mason would also like Jamie, Brodie invites him to the cafe-bakery and the few times he convinced him to go, Jamie wasn't there. That afternoon, when Jamie captured Mason's attention and heart, was the first time the two of them were there at the same time.

From Mason's wording, Brodie and Kellen thought it would be amazing if they could get him to ask just the right question for them to pull Jamie out from the kitchen. It took many tries for them to coordinate when Jamie was working, when they could drag Mason there, and prompting him to say what they were wanting him to say.

After what felt like too many failed attempts, Brodie decided to take matters into his own hands. Literally.

He had convinced Mason to accompany him to visit Kellen without as much struggle as he had the first time. Initially, Mason had been hesitant to go, but now it seems like he enjoys doing his schoolwork in the comfortable chairs and with a hot drink in his hands. Brodie likes to think that the possibility of seeing Jamie again also brings him back.

It's snowing as the two of them trudge through the winter air, Brodie complaining the whole way, hoping to make Mason also annoyed at the cold.

"I didn't realize it was supposed to be so cold today," he lies. "I can't wait until we get there. I feel like the only thing keeping me going is the promise of a very hot drink. If they had soup or chilli, I probably would get it. What do you think is the hottest thing they have?"

Mason indulges him in his ranting, saying that he would also like a very hot drink.

"A fresh croissant would also be nice, wouldn't it? Or a hot just-out-of-the-oven scone. Something hot and fresh enough to melt butter."

He doesn't want to piss off Mason by making him walk far while wet, so he waits until the last large snowbank before their destination before he 'trips.' He pushes Mason into the snow face first as he tries to 'catch himself.'

"Dude!" Mason cries, pushing himself up and out of the snow.

"Sorry, I slipped on ice! I didn't mean to," Brodie lies again, helping to pull Mason back onto his feet. "At least we're almost there! You can get something hot to warm you up."

Mason grumbles for the remainder of the walk, pulling his coat tighter around him.

Brodie subtly gets Mason to the counter first, as he has every time before, and eagerly waits to hear if he says the words that Brodie and Kellen have been hoping he would.

"Are you okay?" Kellen asks as they reach where he's standing at the cash. "You look wet and cold."

"Your BFF here," Mason says as he jabs an elbow into Brodie's side, "pushed me into the snow and I'm freezing. I want the hottest thing you have."

And Brodie grins. Finally.

Kellen's gleaming eyes meet his for a second before he says with a smirk, "Yeah, sure. One second," and disappears into the back room.

Putting down the electric mixer, Jamie measures out the flour he needs and adds it to the beginning of the dough in the bowl. He's starting to mix it in with a wooden spoon when two hands slide under his arms and grip his sides.

Startled, Jamie clutches the bowl to his chest and the spoon in his other fist, not knowing what his sort-of-friend and coworker is up to. "What are you doing? I'm in the middle of something!"

Kellen doesn't say anything as he starts leading Jamie away from the table.

When he notices that he is being pushed to the doorway to the front of the shop, he begins protesting. "Wait, no! Kellen, I'm a mess! I'm not supposed to be out front like this!"

Even without a mirror, Jamie knows he has the classic 'I've been baking all day' look because that's how he ends up every day. He can feel a dusting of flour on his face and he glances down to assess how messy the rest of him is. His hands and apron are completely covered in flour and flecks of batter littering his arms and there's a streak of icing starting at his wrist and continuing halfway to his elbow.

Kellen still doesn't respond to his objections and continues to manhandle Jamie out of the kitchen.

Jamie is dumped at the cash register and standing on the other side is Kellen's best friend Brodie and another boy around their age who Jamie has never met before.

Sticking out from under a knit hat are dark curls, wet from what Jamie can only assume is the snow outside, and from behind a pair of glasses, his soft, chocolate- wide for some reason- eyes are the same rich colour as his hair. Sprinkled over his straight nose are dark, barely visible freckles that mostly blend into his warm coffee complexion. His slightly parted lips are a dusky pink, looking oh so kissable and Jamie is hit with a sudden realization of how stupidly attractive the boy is.

The boy is blushing and Brodie is grinning and Jamie doesn't know what is happening.

"Here you go. Hot, right?" Kellen says, seemingly pleased with himself, though Jamie has no idea why or who it's directed to. The boy?

"What?" he asks, utterly confused and wondering why he was brought out here for this.

Kellen turns to him. "You're hot, right?"

Jamie blinks dumbly for a second. "I guess? But I was just next to the oven- what's this about?" He doesn't understand why Kellen seems so amused but exasperated with him or why Brodie is looking like he's about to lose his shit. Why are they acting so weird? He'll never understand them.

"Am I needed here?" he asks instead, resuming mixing the flour into the dough in his arms.

With his attention averted down, he doesn't notice the way the other boy is staring at his arms, at his bicep flexing with his mixing. Oblivious to the other three watching him, Jamie turns to head back into the kitchen without waiting for an answer.

"Wait!" A hand catches on his elbow and pulls him back. "He wants the hottest thing we have," Kellen says with an encouraging smirk, gesturing to the boy.

It takes a second for Jamie to catch his meaning. "Oh. Oh! Are you wanting to know what I just finished baking? I took a batch of brownies out of the oven; do you want one? They've been cooling for a few minutes, but it should still be hot enough to warm you up. If not, there are chocolate chip cookies in right now-"

"Jesus." Jamie can practically hear the eye-roll and defeat in Kellen's voice. "Yes. Just- just go get one."

"A brownie? Or-"

"Yes," Kellen groans.

Bewildered by the tone, Jamie shoots him a glance but heads back to the kitchen, returning moments later with a brownie on a plate in place of the bowl of dough. He's about to pass through the doorway to get back to the cinnamon rolls he was making when he hears Kellen speaking behind him.

"Well… I was trying to say that Jamie's the hottest thing here, but he didn't seem to get that. Technically, he's not on the menu, but I can offer you his number complimentary with your order if you'd like."

Jamie pulls up short, startled and embarrassed, and looks back over to Kellen to see if he heard right, but he meets the boy's gaze instead. Blushing, Jamie ducks his head and scurries back into the safety of the kitchen.

He's kneading the dough when Kellen pops up beside him.

"Apparently Mason is a proper gentleman and would like to know if you want him to have your number."

Jamie pauses and straightens from where he's leaning over the table to use his body weight in the kneading. "Mason?" He asks through another blush, thinking about the swoon-worthy boy and what Kellen told him.

"Yeah, the guy out there with Brodie. He goes to our school and is wicked smart. Brodie and I really think you'll like each other and…"

Jamie stands there, biting back his smile as Kellen continues on, clearly trying to convince Jamie to give Mason a shot. He goes back to kneading the dough as he listens, only glancing up when the other seems to have run out of words.

"You done?"

Kellen smiles sheepishly. "Can I give him your number?"

"Yeah, sure."

Kellen whoops and holds out a pen and napkin for Jamie to take.

Jamie looks down at his flour-covered hands for a second before brushes them off on his apron and takes the pen from Kellen. He signs his name under his number and hands them back. After a quick pause, he adds a smiley face.

"Oh, Brodes would like one of those cookies you mentioned and wants to know what you're making and how long it'll be before he can have one."

Immediately, Jamie perks up as he starts rattling off the list of what he's doing and the timings for each. Pulling the cookies from the oven as he speaks, Jamie grabs a plate, serves a cookie, and hands it to Kellen when he's done.

He's used to Brodie asking for whatever he's making at the moment often enough that he doesn't mind telling him to wait if it's an hour or two. At first, he wondered why he wouldn't just ask for whatever was ready instead of waiting for so long, but he quickly realized that Brodie sits in the dining room for a few hours to do his homework and has the time. He always buys something from the display when he gets there and whatever Jamie is baking when it's done as a mid-study snack. It's sort of become their routine.

"I hate you," Mason says as he sits at their table by the window.

"Oh, come on," Brodie protests. "You're gay and single, he's gay and single, you both think the other is hot, it's perfect!"

"It takes more than that to build a relationship."

"But," Brodie is grinning again, looking all too much like the sassy tea-drinking Kermit meme. "That's enough to plan a first date."

Mason bites his lip as he looks at the napkin in front of him, feeling a little doubtful about the whole situation. "Are you sure he's okay with me having his number?"

Peering over his mug, Brodie gives Mason a semi-serious look. "Of course. Why do you think he isn't?"

"I just, I don't know. He 'didn't get' what Kellen was obviously hinting at. Then when he did, he practically ran into the back." Mason says as he rubs the back of his neck, feeling a little awkward at talking about this.

"Mace, my dude. He's most definitely interested in you. I've gotten to know him enough over the past few months to know this. He just can be really oblivious sometimes, like, really oblivious, so he genuinely didn't get what Kellen was implying and when he did, he was probably embarrassed about missing the point so badly. Look," Brodie says as he reaches over to point at the napkin. "He drew a smiley face next to his name. What in that says he doesn't want you to have his number?"

"Okay, fine. I hear what you're saying." Pulling off his coat and sitting back, Mason looks at the little smile looking back at him and feels a tug at his own lips. Thankfully, Brodie doesn't comment on it.

While he's not as cold as he was when he and Brodie came in, there's still a chill buried deep in his chest and he remembers what Jamie had said when offering to get a brownie for him. It's still warm when he picks it up and takes a bite.

Holy fuck. It's so good Mason can't even hold in his moan as he gets a mouthful of the soft, fudge-like chocolate. It's rich and moist and dense. The chocolate chunks are still melted from the oven and warm on his tongue and the icing is so wonderfully sweet. He thinks he would be drooling if it wasn't already in his mouth.

He hears a snort to his left and looks up to see Kellen wiping down a nearby table, not at all trying to hide his amusement.

"It's good, okay?" he defends and unintentionally, his gaze flicks past Kellen to see a slightly cleaner Jamie come out from the kitchen. He's carrying a tray with the rest of the cookies and what looks like tarts and his biceps are flexing again from its weight. He watches Jamie's fingers curl around the pastries and briefly wonders if he made them from scratch and what magic his hands possess.

"Calm down, you horny fuck," Brodie says without looking up from his laptop.

Mason squawks, eyes wide and face hot as he stares down at his friend. "I am not-"

"Right. And I'm not on the football team."

Flustering for a few seconds, Mason tries desperately to think of a change of topic. He doesn't get far.

"How long have you two been planning this? Because there is no way that wasn't laid out in advance."

"Honestly? The day that you first saw him and called him hot."

"What? Seriously?" That was over a month ago. They've been plotting against him for that long? Well, not against him, but still. To be fair, he had thought about Jamie since then. Not that he would admit that to anyone.

Brodie finally peers up at him. "I'm sorry, but you've been so busy and stressed from school and you've never shown interest in anyone til him. We thought he might be good for you to loosen up a little as, y'know, a break from studying nonstop."

Mason starts to interject, but Brodie raises a hand to continue.

"I know, I know. You said that you don't really want to date during high school because of drama, but he's a really cool guy, funny and thoughtful. I'm completely serious when I say we think you'll like him; even as just friends. We were wanting to introduce you two before you even said he was hot."

Mason considers this as he stares back at Brodie's earnest face.

"I'm really sorry if you're offended, but, we just…"

"It's okay, I promise," he assures. He's a little touched that they thought about him and want the best for him. "Thank you, I guess," he says with a light chuckle.

With his apology accepted, Brodie smiles and relaxes in his seat, returning to his schoolwork.

They spent the next few hours at their table, a fresh, hot cinnamon roll delivered to Brodie partway through. His enthusiastic "Oh, yes," amusing both Mason and Kellen. Now the two of them are packing up, preparing to go home.

Kellen's shift is over soon, so Mason saves the essay he's been working on. They make their way to the counter to wait for him for them to walk back home together and to say goodbye to Jamie before they leave.

As he's making his way around the tables, Mason can see through the doorway into the back where Jamie is lifting a bag of flour: and fuck, he looks strong. He drops it on a counter and a cloud puffs in his face, dusting him with white.

Mason and Brodie wait at the pick-up end of the counter, opposite of where Kellen's taking the order of one of his last few customers before he's done. He nods at them as he starts making the customer's drink.

Mason looks into the back and he watches Jamie sprinkle flour on the counter and scoops a ball of dough out of a bowl. He sprinkles more flour on the dough and his hands. Mason stands there, transfixed on the way the muscles in Jamie's arms pull and flex with his kneading. Who knew baking was so attractive?

Brodie distracts him with an elbow in his side and Mason scowls at him.

"You're drooling again."

"Am not!"

When he glances back, Jamie has disappeared to the part of the kitchen he can't see.

Brodie's looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What?"

He rolls his eyes but doesn't give an explanation. Instead, he asks about Mason's essay.

Jamie comes out while he's detailing what he has left to do and what books he still needs to look through. He's wiping his hands on a towel and his face is mostly cleaned from the flour. There's some clinging to his hair and he missed one side of his nose. It's adorable.

"Hey, are you leaving?" he asks, clearly noticing their coats.

"Yeah," Brodie supplies. "Just waiting for Kellen to finish then we're heading out."

Mason realizes, suddenly, that he hasn't even said anything to Jamie yet. He probably doesn't even know what his voice sounds like.

"Um, hey," he says lamely.

"Hi." Jamie gives him a soft smile and it stirs up butterflies in Mason's stomach.

Jamie then throws the towel onto his shoulder, and it's such a cliche move, but it's so attractive in a way he can't fathom. Jamie props his hands on the counter, leaning his weight into them, arms open like an offer. His muscles flex with the movement and Mason has to grab the edge of the counter on his side in a death grip to avoid literally swooning.

Mason wonders, distantly, if he's in love with Jamie's arms because he cannot stop thinking about and obsessing over them.

He swallows a few times and tries to steady his breathing. He wants to make a good impression, well, one that counts. Jamie's already got an impression of him but this is the first time he actually has a say and control of the situation.

He thinks desperately for something (hopefully smart) to say only to find himself blurting out, "Any chance I could get your hottest to go?" and immediately wants to punch himself in the face. Brodie might've been right in calling him a horny fuck, because Jesus Christ, what's wrong with him?

Jamie looks startled for half a second, then blushes a pretty pink and Mason's heart is about to burst from his chest.

"That's you, babe," Kellen says as he walks behind Jamie, slapping him on his ass.

Jamie jumps. "Kellen, I swear to god…!" he says, with an eye roll like they've been over this many times before.

Part of Mason wants to know how many times Kellen's touched Jamie's ass and wants to tell him to stop, and the other part wants to ask if he can touch Jamie's ass… He really needs to calm down before this gets out of hand.

Kellen laughs as he disappears into the back. Brodie quickly excuses himself to the bathroom and, just like that, he and Jamie are alone for the first time.

"I'm so sorry," Mason says, burying his embarrassment in his hands.

Soft fingers tug on his own, gently pulling his hands away from his face. "Hey, it's okay."

Mason wonders if it's a fondness that he hears in Jamie's voice. It's probably not, though; they only met a few hours ago and he knows no one can grow fond of him that quickly.

Jamie is looking earnestly at him with big, impossibly blue eyes and Mason flusters. Words are failing him and he doesn't know what to do.

Thankfully, Jamie starts speaking. "To answer your question, not right now, no."

Mason's heart sinks and he's about to apologize again when Jamie continues.

"I'm not off for another two hours, but if you text me I'll get it when my shift is over," he finishes with a small smile, leaning against the counter between them.

Shyly, Mason returns a smile of his own.

"Yeah, okay." His eyes catch on the flour on Jamie's face. "What were you just working on?"

It's obvious that Jamie loves his job because his face lights up when Mason asks about it. "Scones. They're more popular around dinnertime. I'm making two batches; one plain, one with cheese. They're really good when they're still warm with a light layer of melted butter. So good. If you ever have one, I promise you won't regret having it."

"Sounds like I'm going to have to come back sometime soon."

"Well, I'm here again tomorrow- same time- and Monday after school. I'm free on Tuesday, though, if you want to do something." Jamie's voice takes on a hopeful little tilt at the end.

"Oh." Mason tries not to sound regretful, but Jamie's little smile still falls for half a second. "I have a shift at my dad's garage then."

The look of what he'd like to think is carefully veiled disappointment is gone when Jamie teases, "Ooh, a mechanic?"

He sounds like he may be interested in that and Mason doesn't want to tell him that he hates it there, so he says, "Yeah, something like that."

"So, when's your date?" Kellen asks, emerging from the back.

"We're working on it," Jamie says and Mason almost blushes again from his confidence. The surety that they will go on a date. He turns back to Mason. "Text me, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Mason doesn't think it would be possible for him to do anything else but to agree full-heartedly to whatever Jamie asks of him.

"Well," Brodie says from behind him, "if you two are done having sex with your eyes, I think we're good to go."

Mason squawks and all but spins around to glare at him.

Kellen, however, bursts out laughing and almost trips over a chair.

Puffing out a breath of air, Mason rolls his eyes at his friends. He then looks outside and groans. "I don't want to go outside. It looks so cold and it's so warm in here."

"If you want to wait another two hours, I could drive you home," Jamie offers. He has no idea how much Mason would love to accept.

Mason looks back to him and smiles in thanks. "I wish, but I'm expected back home for dinner soon."

"Alright, well, I guess I'll see you later."

A timer goes off in the kitchen and Jamie glances over his shoulder for a moment before leaning over the counter. He presses a quick, soft kiss to Mason's cheek.

"Bye!"

Mason's face heats up in a heavy blush as he watches Jamie's retreating form.

He tries to ignore the teasing and sly remarks from Brodie and Kellen on their walk home, but he finds himself grinning and laughing along with them. He does shove Brodie into a snowbank before they get home, so he counts it as a win.

Message: Eden

ASDFGHJKL KELLEN DID WHAT? XD