The Baker's Assistant (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Well, I closed early, thought I'd do somethin' useful," Aleister shrugged off the notion as he usually did. "How's yer brother an' Lucy?" He asked as he looked up from scrubbing down the counter.

 

[heartofcourage]

"They'll be alright with time. Both have deep wounds that will only be healed as the days past." She said as she looked at Aleister. "Lucy cried for her Da and Leon is lost without his twin. Dazu is there for them, though. Leon has decided that he will raise Lucy on his own."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good," Aleister nodded before he went to the mostly-cooled ovens to give them their daily cleaning. The once-a-week full clean usually came on Sunday. "Y'sound a little better yerself," he mentioned in passing.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not as angry as I was." She said softly, looking over at Aleister. "And I have family and friends that love me and will help me get through this. I just have to remember that I'm not alone."

She was quiet for a long moment, looking over at Aleister as he worked. "Aleister...about yesterday...I'm sorry if I overstepped myself when I kissed you."

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister looked up again and gave her a gentle smile. "I told ya y'didn't need t'worry about it, lass. It's fine." Of course he'd enjoyed it, but he wasn't going to let that on yet. He needed to figure out Kayla's side first.

 

[heartofcourage]

She wanted to tell him that she had wanted to kiss him, but the words suddenly failed her. She simply gave him a small smile and turned to finish her duties. Once the bakery was cleaned, she pulled her cloak on and allowed him to escort her home.

"Thank you for everything you've done these past few days." Kayla said as they stopped in front of her door. "I'll never be abl to repay you for it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"There's nothin' t'repay, Kayla," Aleister assured her. He felt he should do something more than just say goodbye, but he hesitated for a moment before he hugged her tightly. It was the only way he felt he could show her he cared.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla hugged him tightly in return, a long sigh issuing from her lips as she melted into his familiar embrace. She didn't know where she would be without him. He had given her a happy little life. She owed everything to him.

"Would you like some tea? Or cider?" She asked him, looking up into his gaze for a long moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister's smile grew softer. "Tha' sounds good t'me." He followed her inside and closed the door behind him and hung up his cloak and hers for her. He remained close at her side, helping her with the drinks.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla knew that they made a good team. She knew that she was developing some confusing feelings for him. She knew that he would have a hard time joining her family with how protective her father, brother, and uncles were. That thought stopped her cold as she looked up at Aleister with her mug of tea in her hands. She wanted him to join her family? Where had that thought come from?

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister noted her suddenly odd expression as she looked at him. He smiled once more, "What? Got flour on my face 'r somethin'?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"No." Kayla said softly, shaking her head as she went to take a seat in front of the fire. "I'm just so confused, Aleister."

She couldn't tell him what she was thinking. It would break her heart if things some how didn't work out between them.

 

[KieranSoares]

"'Bout what, lass?" Aleister came to her side and took her hand. "Y'can tell me. It's what I'm 'ere for." His expression had grown very concerned. He hated to see her fighting with herself.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I...love you." She murmured softly, her cheeks burning brightly at her admission. "At least I think I do. I don't know what I think."

She had such a defeated look on her face. With Gale it had been so easy to fall in love. With Aleister, her heart was still so bruised that she was afraid.

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister took a long moment to register her words. Hadn't he wanted to hear her say that? But seeing her so confused and still hurting made him worry for her and for whether or not she really did feel anything for him. Maybe she felt pressured after how he'd helped her, or confused their friendship for love. He wasn't sure himself, having never really been in love.

"... Like I said before... give it time," he murmured. "I'll be right 'ere with ya, jus' like always." He couldn't quite say what he meant, but he hoped she understood at least that he wasn't going anywhere.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla nodded silently, looking down into her mug as she let those words soak into her. She knew that he would take things slow with her and she was thankful for that. With Gale, it had been hard, fast, frightening, and all consuming. With Aleister, she felt like they were plodding along at a snail's pace. It worked for her, oddly enough.

"Maybe when the baby is here, we can see where this leads." She said softly, looking up at him with those wide blue eyes.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd be glad to," Aleister nodded and leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek to let her know that he did indeed hold a warm affection for her. "An' it's about time y'took yer maternity leave too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And do what, Aleister? Sit around this house all day long until the baby comes?" She asked him, a little startled when he suggested that she needed to take her leave. "I'll keep coming to the bakery until I give birth."

 

[KieranSoares]

Aleister sighed. "I s'pose I can't stop ya. But if I catch ya doin' any heavy liftin' 'r runnin' around, I'll carry ya back 'ome if I 'ave to." He was deadly serious about it.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then I suppose I'll have to do all the heavy lifting when you're not around." She said with a small, innocent grin on her lips.

It felt good to be laughing and smiling after losing Eli. She needed that happiness in her life to thrive after all of the sadness that she had experienced.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then I guess I'll 'ave t'get lookin' fer another assistant t'make sure y'don't. We'll need one any'ow. We can barely keep up as it is." He looked to the fire with a soft smile. "There's a fair few young Wolves an' other werefolk been pokin' around town fer work despite all th'trouble. Might take one o' them. I'll be able t'offer 'em a better experience since I can speak Erygonian, jus' in case their English is shaky."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We don't need an assistant." Kayla said softly, feeling bad that her impending birth had thrown such a wrench into his system. "I should be back at work a few days after the baby is here. I'm still going to pull my weight around the bakery, Aleister."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think we do. I want ya t'be able t'tend to th'baby an' spend all th'time y'need with it. Not t'mention, business'll be pickin' up a lot soon with spring an' I'm gonna build another oven an' see if I can't replace th'oldest oven."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Aleister." Kayla said as he seemed to have things all planned out. She was quiet for a long moment as she thought about that, knowing that he was correct. She needed to spend time with her baby and he needed someone that could be there and work hard.

"You should ask my Uncle if there is anyone that might need a job." She told him. "Or even Dazu. If he would like, the work would keep him here in Inverness and out of the villages."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll ask Dazu first," Aleister nodded. "No' sure what skills 'e's got, but I jus' need someone who can keep up an' learn as they go." He sat back with a sigh. "I'm lookin' forward t'this year... an' hopefully th'trouble between th'races'll die down so things'll turn out even better."