Cooking Pancakes

A little while later, the kitchen fills with the smell of coffee and pancakes while soft music drifts through the beach house from the speaker near the living room. Ocean light spills through the windows in warm streaks while waves continue crashing steadily outside somewhere beyond the balcony.

Jane stands beside the counter wearing nothing except sleep shorts and your oversized hoodie while quietly singing along to the playlist under her breath, very badly.

“You’re off-key,” you tease while flipping another pancake.

Jane gasps dramatically before turning toward you. “First of all,” she says seriously, “rude.”

“It’s true.”

“I’m choosing to ignore you,” she replies confidently.

“That’s not how that works.”

You laugh quietly while she walks over toward you with sleepy confidence before immediately stealing a strawberry from the cutting board.

“You’re literally eating the ingredients,” you point out.

“I’m helping,” she replies while chewing.

“That feels inaccurate.”

Jane grins smugly before leaning against the counter beside you. The sleeves of your hoodie cover most of her hands again while her hair falls loosely around her shoulders from sleep. The kind of peaceful quiet that makes time stop mattering for a while.

At one point the playlist changes into something slower and Jane immediately perks up.

“Oh,” she says softly. “This song’s good.”

“Mhm,” you reply while pouring more coffee.

A second later she walks over behind you before wrapping both of her arms around your waist.

“You’re clingy today,” you tease softly.

“Mhm,” Jane replies against your shoulder.

You laugh quietly while she sways both of you gently side to side with the music playing softly through the kitchen.

Then eventually she tilts her head up slightly.

“Kiss me,” Jane says casually.

You smile immediately before leaning down to kiss her softly.

The kiss starts sweet at first, slow and warm.

Then Jane smiles against your lips before deepening it slightly while tightening her arms around your waist beneath your shirt. One of your hands settles naturally against her hip while the other stays loosely around the coffee mug you’re still holding.

A second later she starts laughing quietly into the kiss.

“What?” you ask softly.

“You’re still holding the coffee,” Jane laughs.

“My bad.”

“You look ridiculous.”

“You started this.”

“Mhm,” she replies proudly before kissing you again anyway.

The pancakes almost burn because of her..

“You are genuinely the worst sous chef ever,” you tease while fixing one of the pancakes.

“You love me” Jane replies confidently.

Unfortunately she has a point.

Eventually the two of you settle onto the couch together with plates balanced across your laps while sunlight spills warmly through the beach house around both of you. Jane immediately curls sideways against your shoulder beneath a blanket despite the fact that it’s not remotely cold.

“You’re aware it’s pretty warm in here, right?” you ask.

“I’m being aesthetic,” Jane replies seriously.

“With a blanket?”

“Yes.”

You laugh softly while she steals a bite of pancake directly off your plate.

“You have your own,” you point out.

“And yours tastes better,” she replies automatically.

“That’s literally the same batch.”

You shake your head while she grins against your shoulder before taking another bite.

Outside, waves continue rolling steadily against the shore while music hums softly through the beach house and sunlight reflects across the ocean beyond the balcony windows.

And honestly? The entire morning feels dangerously close to the kind of memory you’ll still think about years from now.

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You spent the morning staying in with Jane:

Relationship Status: +2%

The relaxed domestic intimacy between you and Jane makes the relationship feel even more emotionally natural, affectionate, and long-term afterward.

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