Baking {JeanxReader} [Modern!AU]

“_____! Hey, _____, you’re home right?” You couldn’t help but roll your eyes fondly when you heard the front door to your apartment open and shut. Even if Jean hadn’t bothered to call out your voice, you’d still have known it was him. Afterall, he was the only one of your friends who would just let himself into your place whenever he felt like it. That was mainly your own fault though, for some stupid reason you’d decided to ask him to come in to your place and water your plants and feed your fish while you were on a trip with your parents about a year ago. When you got back, your plants were all dead, your fish were alive (thankfully) and you never got that key back. You had intended to ask for it back at some point, but you’d forgotten and after a while it just didn’t seem worth asking for. You weren’t sure if it ever actually occurred to him to give it back, but considering you felt a lot more for Jean that you were willing to admit, you didn’t exactly mind that he’d kind of roll up whenever he was bored or just wanted to hang out.


You’d actually learnt to kind of look forward to those little random visits. Luckily for you, because at the moment it seemed like they were happening every other day. And you’d been expecting this one, because today was Jean’s birthday. He’d taken the day off of work so that he could do whatever he wanted and you had no classes, so you’d been put in charge of baking a cake for him, but unluckily for Jean, you were also the only one of your group of friends who was free that day. Everyone else was either in class, or at work and so you were planning on having dinner and drinks to celebrate later on that night and you’d probably have a second celebration over the weekend when you could all let loose a little bit more. That sucked for Jean though, because without work he had pretty much nothing to do.


“I’m in here!” You called out to him from your position in the kitchen. You’d actually just been about to start on baking his cake and were gathering up utensils and trying to decide on what kind of cake you were going to make when he’d walked in. “I’m gonna bake though!”


“You’re making my cake?” Jean’s voice asked as he walked into the room, a frown crossed his face. “It had better not be out of one of those box mixes.” Ugh. Why exactly did you like this guy so much again? It didn’t help that he seemed to have a major case of the grumps this afternoon.


You abandoned the big bowl you’d just pulled out of a cupboard on the counter and gathered up the card and gift you’d set out for when he inevitably appeared. “It’s your birthday, you’re supposed to be happy.”


“I’d be happy if I wasn’t so bored.” Jean whined. “I can’t believe I’m supposed to just sit around until everyone is done with their own lives so they can do something on my birthday.” You couldn’t help but smirk at his frustration. Did he know that he currently sounded like a toddler or…? He probably should have just gone to work.


“You’ve got me at least?” You said, with a smile, hoping that he wasn’t going to groan in frustration or something. You weren’t sure your ego could take that. Lucky for you you were rewarded with a slight smile from his lips. You pushed the wrapped box and the card across the table towards him. “Happy Birthday, Pony Boy.”


He looked down at the birthday goodies on the table and tore into the gift, which you were glad to see him lift out of the box and admire, considering you spent way too much time (and money) searching for something you knew he would love, especially when the two of you were ‘just friends’. “This is great and all…” your heart sank, maybe he didn’t like it as much as it had seemed he did. “…But no birthday sex?” Ugh, that ass, he was just teasing you. But if you’d known that was an option… Ugh, damn it, _____ you really need to stop thinking about Jean like that. You could feel your cheeks heat up. “I’m kidding,” he chuckled. “This is great, really great, you’re really great.”


You stand up and walk back towards the counter, because you feel like your face is on fire and you didn’t feel like him seeing and asking what the hell you were up to. It may be his birthday, but you were not about to confess your ridiculous feelings to him today. “Not a problem.” You said, when you managed to find your voice again. “So… considering I’m not allowed to use a box mix, do you have any special requests for this cake, otherwise I’m making a plain sponge with jam in it.”


Jean actually looks offended at the suggestion of a simple sponge cake. “I don’t even get Red Velvet?”


“I don’t know how to make Red Velvet and I don’t think I have the ingredients, but I think I have the stuff to make a chocolate cake, is that a good enough compromise?” You tease, you know Jean loves chocolate.


Jean pretends to consider this for a second, before he nods and grins. “I think that would work.”


You bend down, fiddling with the knobs on your cooker to preheat it to the right temperature. “You know if you’re that…” you look over your shoulder, straightening up to see Jean jump, a slight red flush covering his cheeks. “…Were you staring at my butt?”


Jean coughs to clear his throat. “No? Maybe? Yes.” He admits. “But it was right in front of me, how was I supposed to not look at it.” Well… well then. “What were you going to say anyway?”


“I was just gonna say if you’re that bored then you could always, you know, help me make the cake.” You shrug, still a little confused and flattered at the look Jean had had in his eyes when you caught him.


Jean pulls a face and you’re half expecting a snarky remark from him, but instead he pushes back his chair and walks over to the counter, surveying the ingredients you have laid out as you add the packet of cocoa powder you’ll need to turn it into a chocolate cake. “I guess I could… What do I have to do?”


“Well,” you explain as you put the cake tins to the side. “Gotta measure this stuff and then put most of it in a bowl and mix it together. You can start with the sugar.” You push it towards him and explain the quantities you need. Once he’s done with it, you tip out some flour, measuring that out. A hand reaches up to scratch an itch on your cheek and you look up, a smirk immediately crosses Jean’s face. “We need two of those eggs… What… what are you smirking at?”


“You wiped flour all over your cheek.”


Oh God. Well, that’s not at all embarrassing. “Shit.”  You’re blushing again, you just know it.


“You’re so adorable.” Jean swallows, his eyes still trained on your face. “Don’t be embarrassed.” He’s staring at you really, really intently and it’s kind of making you feel weird. His hand reaches out and you’re expecting him to wipe the flour off for you, instead his cheek rests.


And oh.


Oh damn.


He’s kissing you, he’s kissing you and you’re not responding because you’re too alarmed that he’s kissing you.


Jean pulls away. “Shit, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have… I should… I should go.”


You’re still frozen to the spot. “You just kissed me.”


“Yeah… I said I was sorry.”


“But I’m just… I’m just _____.” Jean fucking kissed you. Jean, who you’ve been beating yourself up about


“I know you’re _____.” Jean shrugs. “That’s why I kissed you. I should go.”


“Don’t go.” You shake your head, grabbing his arm as he goes to walk away. You lean up so you can pull his face down and you kiss him and he kisses you back. And you’re actually responding to the kiss and oh gosh, you think Jean might actually return your dumb feelings, because he’s actually deepening the kiss and what even is this. He pulls away and rests his forehead against yours. “Happy Birthday, Jean.” You whisper.


He smiles. “I think this is going to go down as one of the best.”