{"id":10946,"date":"2014-02-01T20:01:51","date_gmt":"2014-02-01T19:01:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/?page_id=10946"},"modified":"2014-02-02T15:05:49","modified_gmt":"2014-02-02T14:05:49","slug":"cupcakes-for-the-princess","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/junofanfic\/various-fandoms\/the-notebook\/cupcakes-for-the-princess","title":{"rendered":"Cupcakes For The Princess"},"content":{"rendered":"

Song for this chapter: <\/b>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Songs of Love\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (Ben Folds)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"chapter<\/p>\n

Cupcakes for the Princess<\/h3>\n

Base needs of his body and a nicely messed up bio-rhythm conspired against Chris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s desire to sleep in the next morning. Zach was still conked out, comatose and snoring softly. Chris discovered he was fucking sore in every possible meaning of the phrase, and that the aftereffects of receiving anal sex were much messier than giving it, condom or no condom.<\/p>\n

After a quick shower, he hesitated in front of the bathroom mirror. Not even the gentle fog that softened his reflection could obscure just how well-fucked he looked. More than. A bruise or two, teeth-marks, and red, chafed nipples told their own story of last night. More unsettling, however, was the curious impression that he<\/i> had changed somehow. That he was not the same man who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d arrived in New York the previous day. He stared into his eyes in the mirror, but he couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make any sense of what he saw.<\/p>\n

In an attempt to shake off strange \u00e2\u20ac\u0153morning after\u00e2\u20ac\u009d thoughts, Chris managed to remember how to feed Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pets before they woke their master with their morning whines. Then he investigated the fridge and helped himself to orange juice and a rather bland organic yogurt. He kind of hoped that letting Zach sleep in would result in a real breakfast later on, with bacon and pancakes and things.<\/p>\n

Back in the living room, he picked up the notebook again. His heartbeat sped up at the poem-like quotes they had read the night before, and he quickly turned the page. He didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to linger on that while he was alone.<\/p>\n

The next, left-hand page was blank again, but there was another quote on the right side, which confirmed the identity of the notebook\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s owner as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Star Trek\u00e2\u20ac\u009d fan.<\/p>\n

\n

They are tragedies and heroes and cautionary tales and they never grow up or grow old, they simply are.<\/b><\/p>\n

Jim Kirk is a pain in Spock’s ass.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Chris snorted. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That one they got wrong,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he muttered and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the one who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a pain in my ass.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sore, sweetheart?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach sat down next to him, snaking his arm around his back, hugging him close.<\/p>\n

Chris turned his head and grinned. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Like hell, damn it. But\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u009d A kiss interrupted his sentence and effectively cut off his train of thought.<\/p>\n

Blissful minutes passed with gentle necking, soft kisses and caresses included for free. Chris already knew that Zach could be incredibly tender. But he was relieved that Zach didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hesitate over such gestures with him this morning. He didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t try to suppress the thrill of hope anymore that centered in a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Still obsessing over stolen goods, Christopher?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach reached for the notebook. For a second, he grinned at the passage he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d interrupted Chris with. Then he flicked to the next page.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hmm,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach hummed appreciatively and smacked his lips. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A recipe for vegan cupcakes. We could try that today, if you want. I think I could do it. Doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sound too difficult.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Urgh, no.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris groaned. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was hoping for a real<\/i> breakfast, you know. With bacon. And things<\/i>. Also, what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so fannish about vegan cupcakes?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Zach shrugged. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Spock would eat them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you<\/i>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d go so far as to suggest actually baking them, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sure he would …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris hastily flipped the page to remove the temptation of healthy living from Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sight.<\/p>\n

Neither of them had any idea what the following cheesy love poem about star-met lovers had to do with Star Trek.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Way too sentimental for Spock,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach said finally, after they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d stared at the seven lines in baffled silence for a minute or two.<\/p>\n

Chris nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you imagine Kirk going \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcwe are the dream of the ages\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/i>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He shuddered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

(Very secretly, he thought the poem might be nice for a wedding. But only because sentimental lyrics suited such occasions. Not because he had a romantic streak that was approximately a mile wide or anything like that.)<\/p>\n

Because he was still arguing with himself over appropriate moments for extreme sappiness, he never noticed when Zach turned the page again. Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sudden laughter, however, was impossible to miss. He threw his head back and laughed like a loon, sending Harold scrambling for safety in a panic.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris asked and craned his neck to see what the heck was so funny. Not even five words. With some LOLs scrawled underneath.<\/p>\n

\n

Dr. and Mrs. Princess Whitelaw<\/b><\/p>\n

LOLOLOL<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris repeated. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Or to be more precise: What the fuck is that supposed to mean?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Zach couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seem to stop chortling, collapsed against the back of the sofa, helplessly shaking his head. At last he gasped for air and managed to reply. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he sporfled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not Spock and Kirk. You and me.<\/i> Dr. and Mrs. Princess Whitelaw.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris blinked at him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And you know this how?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because fandom.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Still out of breath, Zach added, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of their nicknames for you. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t tell me you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know that, Your Royal Highness?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know those movies will never stop haunting me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris grumbled.<\/p>\n

Zach just snorted. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Anyway, what with that quote, my best guess is that the fan you stole this from is not just a Star Trek fan. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of those tinhats who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always believed in our secret love affair.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris stared at the notebook. After last night the joke was on them in that respect. But even though he knew it was futile, he felt compelled to make an effort for old times\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 sake at least. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because of course you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the doctor in question. It could be McCoy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, that would be a crossover.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach shook his head, always the expert on everything. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Also, psychologically speaking it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s interesting that you identify with the wife\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s part in this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris started and promptly fell silent because he had no fucking clue if there was a correlation between bottoming for their first time and his spontaneous interpretation of that line. And if he cared. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He tried again. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I thought you hate fanfic.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not allowed to anymore,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach muttered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My PR people came down on me like a brick wall after Ireland. I was lucky they didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t send me to some kind of fandom reeducation camp.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris winced in sympathy. Been there, done that. At least he had a cool t-shirt to show for it. There was more than one very good reason he normally stayed as far away from the internet and social media as he could get away with.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Although, they kind of did that anyway,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach added with a grimace. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I had to suffer through some thoroughly embarrassing explanations about fandom and fan fiction. They have an intern for that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Okay, fine,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris agreed grudgingly, in the hope to be spared any further details. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The owner of the notebook is a tinhat who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d like to think we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always had the kind of passionate love affair we actually just um,<\/i> embarked on.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d In a way that was hysterical. Also sort of of embarrassing, if their body language had really given them away for years while they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d remained determinedly oblivious. Kind of begged the question who the tinhats really were in this situation. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But what does that tell us?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not much, really.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach closed the notebook with a thud and shrugged. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unless you want to Google all the quotes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you<\/i> want to Google all the quotes?!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nope. Better things to do with my time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach winked at Chris suggestively. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Although …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He frowned and opened the notebook again, at the beginning this time. He leafed through the technical gibberish of the first pages. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just as I thought. We can skip the fanfic. Because you missed something in the first part, you Luddite. Look, here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a company name, a URL, and an email address. With this information, we should be able to figure out who the notebook belongs to. \u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cool.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris plucked the notebook from Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hands. For a moment he pondered the booklet. It appeared harmless. Innocent, almost. Yeah, right<\/i>. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You know, since we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve already proved them right, we could go and read those stories. Maybe they are hot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Or maybe you could shut up and we could fuck.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pulse sped up. Sore as he was, he wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mind more of the peculiar mixture of pleasure and pain he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d experienced the previous night. He put the notebook back on the coffee table and turned to Zach.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m all for it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said softly. But instead of pulling Zach against him or on top of him, he reached out and dared to lay his hand against Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cheek in a gentle gesture. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not just sex, Zach.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Zach swallowed hard enough that his Adam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s apple jumped. But he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t draw away. Instead he covered Chris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hand with his own.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chris tried to explain in order to untwist that damn knot in his stomach at long last. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too much between us already. More …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Now it was his turn to gulp in an attempt to rid himself of the lump in his throat. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153More than I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve shared with anyone, ever<\/i>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

So much more than those boxes in your hallway, <\/i>Chris thought.<\/p>\n

Zach stared at him in silence, his eyes huge and dark and\u00e2\u20ac\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Burned umber,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i> Chris whispered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Perfect black coffee. Glowing embers in the depths.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach started. Blinked. All dorky and ditzy with his black-rimmed glasses. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Is absurd. But.<\/i> You do have a point,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he admitted and exhaled in a sigh. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153With what there is between us, I mean. Seven years. No matter where we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been or what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done. Together and apart.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Chris nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All that jazz.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He licked his lips and reveled in the heat that gesture conjured up in Zach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he added, because this was important, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always been okay with saying I love you. You know that. Only now …\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He took a deep breath and let his hand sink down to their laps. And Zach didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let go of him but held on tightly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153… now<\/i> I want to be allowed to say that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in love with you, too.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He could see that Zach was scared. That he was thinking of the damn boxes in the hallway. And probably of publicists and paparazzi. Maybe even how one gay night (no matter how glorious) mattered little in the greater scheme of things. He thought he could also see Zach want<\/i>. Want all the things they had already shared. Want all the other things they could<\/i> share on top of that. Like all kinds of kisses and naked skin and orgasms and falling asleep together and waking up together and …<\/p>\n

They sat staring at each other and holding hands long enough for Harry to come back and curl up in Chris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lap, a purring ball of black and white fur. As if Chris was an absolutely natural addition to his universe. Thanks for that vote of confidence, buddy,<\/i> Chris thought with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Okay,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Zach muttered at last. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I … I yield, too. Though I may need some swimming lessons yet.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forgotten their skewed metaphors from the previous night.<\/p>\n

Chris nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Same here, definitely.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d With a dramatic sigh he added, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And as long as I get bacon for breakfast, we can try making those vegan cupcakes this afternoon.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\n

Author\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The quote about Jim being a pain in Spock\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ass is from the summary of the story \u00e2\u20ac\u0153my boy builds coffins\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by waldorph<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The vegan cupcakes are an allusion to the story \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Vegan Cupcakes for All (Or Whatever)\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Medeafic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The recipe for vegan cupcakes used in the banner may be found here: Vegan Cupcakes<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The extremely sentimental poem is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We are star-met\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Leonard Nimoy, in: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A Lifetime of Love\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Dr. and Mrs. Princess Whitelaw\u00e2\u20ac\u009d refers to the story with the same title by leupagus and screamlet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00ab<\/a> \u00e2\u2122\u00a5 \u00c2\u00bb<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Song for this chapter: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Songs of Love\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (Ben Folds) Cupcakes for the Princess Base needs of his body and a nicely messed up bio-rhythm conspired against Chris\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s desire to sleep in the next morning. Zach was still conked out, comatose … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":0,"parent":10872,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"chapter.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10946","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/194"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10946"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10957,"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10946\/revisions\/10957"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/juno-magic.fancrone.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}