Achim

Felix awoke the next morning to cracks of sunlight creeping in through the curtains and a sweet fragrance drifting into his room and filling the air with a scent of sugary goodness. After leaving the party last night he had dropped Becky off at her place before going home himself. Exhausted from the events of the night he simply got changed and threw himself in bed as soon as he got to his room.

Stretching himself like a cat, he tried to come to his senses and shake some sleep off before he got off the bed. With feet flat on the ground and a hand running through his bed head, he waddled around his room locating his slippers so he could head out. The alluring scent that had brought him out of his slumber grew stronger as he made his way out of his room and down the hallway.

"Morning Lix." A female voice called sweetly as he emerged. Walking out into the kitchen looking like a confused child. His baby blue pyjamas with chicks on them, hang loosely on his slender body making him look far younger than he was. His face puffed and round from all the food and drinks he had late last night. The black hair atop his head a tousled mess.

He looked on through squinted eyes trying to assess what was going on. The stone top of the kitchen counter was covered in flour, egg shells, sugar and more. It was like a collection of everything he would have needed for a perfect breakfast to satisfy the emptiness in his belly. The cause of this mess that would satisfy his belly, the lady in black knee length shorts and an oversized white tee. Her rich black hair was tied up with only a few strands falling at the sides and framing her face. The chocolate toned skin of her hands was coloured pale from all the flour clinging onto her. The tune of her softly humming to herself drifted into Felix's ears as he approached the counter where she stood churning her ingredients.

"Good morning Tracy." He responded with a yawn, taking the seat opposite where she stood. "What are you making?" he blinked his blurry eyes at the bowl trying to see what was inside.

"Pancakes." She responded cheerfully, a smile spreading on her face, "Many many pancakes."

"What do you mean many many?"

"Well, I figure you and sleeping beauty over there are probably hungry after that party. Plus, I'm starved since I skipped dinner because of work. So we need many many pancakes for us to be full."

"I see..." Felix trailed off still gathering his state of consciousness. "Where is Chris?" he yawned once more, suddenly taking interest in the one member of Tracy's meal plan that was yet to show himself.

"Sleeping beauty is over there." She raised her chin gesturing towards the living room, "He woke up whining about being hungry and wanting to make pancakes; but passed out on the couch right after he got the ingredients out." She added with a slight giggle.

"Whoa… I better eat all this quick before he wakes up then." Felix said with a cheeky grin.

"These are ordinary pancakes. These ones have some bits of bacon." She pushed two plates towered with pancakes towards him, "I'm mixing some chocolate into this batch." She added indicating the bowl in front of her.

"You should stay over more often." Felix smiled setting some food onto a side plate for himself, "I want to wake up to your cooking as often as I can." He scooped a bite full of bacon pancakes into his mouth with a smirk.

"You could hire me as your personal chef. How does that sound?" she smiled back at him.

"Not bad as long you agree to getting paid in hugs."

"No, I only work for money. There's no friendship discount if this becomes a job."

"Then you can be a live-in cook. I will take care of your accommodation in exchange for you cooking."

"Hmmm no deal." She said after pretending to ponder over the idea.

"Ok, what about this?" He paused for a moment to process his next proposal. "I will give you Chris." He declared confidently and she paused in shock. Her eyes wide and eye brows raised as he explained, "You can marry Chris and properly move in. Then since you live with us, you would be here for breakfast every morning." He continued with glee. "If you ask him to marry you he will say yes in less than a heartbeat." he finalised guiding a fork of bacon into his mouth with a grin; calmly acting like he had made the simplest proposition in the world.

"Please do not put weird ideas in her head." A new voice chimed in. They both turned their heads to see Chris awake and approaching them. He walked lazily. Half dragging his feet as he stepped forward. His black pajama pants just the right length to have the hem trailing the floor. His chest bare, putting his well-defined muscles on display for all to admire. A curly black mess on his head contrasted perfectly with his fair skin to give his tired, puffy face a cute youthful look. He announced his presence but walked past them towards the fridge as if he had said nothing.

"If he keeps playing hard to get you can marry me instead." Felix pretended to whisper but kept his voice loud enough to be heard by Chris.

"No." Chris said wrapping his arms around Tracy from behind, a carton of orange juice in one hand and the other safely secured around her waist, "She's mine." he added planting a warm kiss against her flour smeared cheek.

"Well then you can pay her wages." Felix said.

"Wages?" Chris' brown eyes widened as he slightly lifted is head off her shoulder, "What on earth Land have you two been talking about?"

Felix began to explain the conversation he had with Tracy and the deal he was now trying to strike. His expression was serious showing his determination as he made his case for why Tracy should move in. Chris was attentive as he watched him speak from behind Tracy. He now had both his arms now wrapped around her waist, with his head rested atop hers.

"So, you in?" Felix asked once he was done giving his explanation.

"Shouldn't you be the one recruited as our personal chef?" Chris raised an eyebrow looking at Felix with a slight smirk, "Chef Michelin."

"ha ha very funny." Felix responded in a deadpan manner.

"What? I'm serious." Chris raised his head, "You're a professional, you already live here and you know how we like our eggs in the morning."

"Can't you just agree with me?" Felix brought his lips into a pout.

"I am not hiring my girlfriend as our personal chef." He laughed at Felix's puffed cheeks and child-like expression of disapproval.

Felix had all but given up when an idea came to his mind. "So that's you saying no to marrying her." He proclaimed twisting Chris' defence against him.

"Yah!" Chris' eyes shifted from Felix to Tracy as he took a step back, "That's… that's not what I meant." A cherry glow came over his cheeks as he stuttered.

"Well you said no."

"Stop twisting my words. I said no to hiring not marriage."

"So you will marry Tracy?"

"I mean… When the time is right...."

"Then it's a yes to marriage?" Felix interrupted not giving Chris time to be process his thoughts or arrange his words.

"Yeah one day… Eventually…" He looked to the ceiling scratching the back of his head.

"I shall take that as a yes to my proposal and come up with a breakfast schedule." Felix grinned. Tracy giggled noticing what had just transpired while Chris wrinkled his nose and glared at Felix, realising the later had tricked him into indirectly agreeing to his proposal.