A/N: Hewo beans!! Apologies, this is a short chapter because I couldn't finish it on time and would have needed to skip this week's update but I remembered that I was also supposed to announce the winner of the giveaway so pushed through and finished at least half :') My entire body achhhesss.

The winner of the Baked Love giveaway is authoyyy hehe congratulations! And because there were more entries than I anticipated, I drew another for the version with the Japanese cover (not the official version) and the winner for that copy is balourd ^-^

Once again, I've read every single comment on the previous chapter for the giveaway and I will be trying my best to reply to them all when I can. I'm always very moved by everyone's words and sometimes the more I read the more I have the urge to give out books LOL (I'm safe here because I'm less affected by compliments for the Baked series but I'm W E A K to anyone bringing up Flight School so I'm like -panic- thinking about the giveaway for Flight School cuz I might just end up giving out everything LOL). 

Thank you to all who have purchased Baked Love from Amazon or B&N ;v; I'm always so surprised by the rate it's selling out. Thank you so so much. 

This is a really short chapter that's really just FLUFF and nothing else but next week is back to plot and then I'm thinking of doing a sexy little AU idea I've been brewing up HAHAHAHA. 

Enjoy.

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[Leroy]

"What's his name?"

"Chicken."

She paused, blinking up at me. "I beg your pardon?"

"His name's Chicken."

"C-H-I-C—"

"Yeah." I nodded at the papers on her counter, accumulated over weeks of visits to the vet, phone calls, training centers and special service experience back in station twelve. "Think it's at the top."

"Well yes, I just... wanted to confirm," the lady checking him in cleared her throat, gaze returning to the stuff I'd handed over.

I had my boy on leash—attached to a cool harness the crew pitched in to get for my birthday two years back. Think it was Jaeger's idea. Something about liking Chicken more than his owner. No surprises; station twelve liked the sound of that and wanted in. Altogether, a harness and a frisbee. Latter's in the luggage I'd already checked in.

He was quiet and obedient, eyes fixed on me the entire time I was at the counter handing over my passport and shit. He was the kind of dog to sit even if I hadn't told him to, and was just minding his own business until we arrived at some other counter that was supposed to get him cleared for plane travel.

This was different from the one that cleared smaller animals usually kept in carriers the entire flight. Chicken would technically have a seat of his own. Out in the open. Either way, he kept glancing over at something else in the distance but I had my attention on the confusing wall of text they made me sign on the spot. He was leashed, anyway.

The only thing that crossed my mind smelled vaguely of snow. He'd have an easy time with big words, breezing through and needling out the important shit. Wonder if he got that little one checked in already. They'd be waiting around with the production team for others to arrive.

Minutes later, my boy was cleared and we walked away from the counter with a bunch of additional papers and my carry-on duffel bag, passport, plane ticket and shit all in one hand when my phone started buzzing in my back pocket.

I came to a stop, dropping my bag on a bench to get out my phone for a glimpse of the caller ID. Rexi.

I picked up, telling her I'd drop a text before takeoff but she cut me off to say that Annie wouldn't settle for a text and wanted to check in on her precious boy. And by that, she meant Chicken.

My response was to turn the front-facing camera on and give a show of the usual finger before directing it at my dog, continuing the rest of the way to the gathering point with my duffel over my shoulder.

"What a good boy, Chicken. Aren't you the brave little one. I'll buy you all the treats when you get back. And toys. You look after your owner for me, okay?" More cameos of my middle finger as I made my way over.

It was a short walk. Five to ten minutes across the airport and I could make out a bunch of people gathered alongside huge trolleys of equipment bags and carriers. And out of all the silhouettes, one stood out.

"Ah fuck my back's killing me. Where's Vanilla? Let me speak to him."

I snorted. "He's not..."

Another look. Fifty feet away, there was a lone snowstorm in the middle of cast and crew members mingling around. Years and I'd still make out his back a mile away. I slowed down to stare at it for a bit.

That bit turned into something longer than I thought and Annie was saying something over the phone but my attention had turned on Chicken, who'd slipped out of my loosened grip and, by the looks of it, had his eyes on a familiar human not far away.

Fuck. I stuffed my passport and flight ticket in my back pocket and swapped the phone to my other hand with the duffel bag to grab at the end of Chicken's leash but seconds too late—and realizing I'd called out the wrong word, 'down', not 'stay' which would've been clearer—he'd padded all the way across the distance like this was a calm morning stroll and his destination was a familiar stop.

My boy stopped right by his leg just as he turned at the sound of me calling out to Chicken, gaze then lowering to my dog who was looking up at him from a seated position, waiting for a pat. Tail sweeping the floor.

Heads turned.

In his arms was a white carrier—a pair of tiny round eyes peering through the darkness and down at my boy. Meanwhile, his owner's gaze searched before I could respond; meeting mine in a blink and we locked. One second. Two. Three.

He caved first, looking away and brushing a stray lock of hair behind his ears before glancing around him. Most people who'd caught on had their attention on Chicken instead of Vanilla. A well-behaved, polite, handsome border collie was something to look at, for sure. Together, they were a screenshot straight out of my best fantasies. The common few. Dreams, every now and then.

Guess I have to be including the cat from now on.

"You okay?" I asked as I approached, scratching Chicken behind his ears and retrieving the end of his leash. Owner of said cat had his eyes shy of mine for a bit, pushing up his glasses and re-adjusting his grip on the pet carrier.

"Yes. I see you... brought him along," he reached down to pat the top of Chicken's head. "It's good that he's well-behaved. He didn't scare me or anything. I think he even nudged my leg a little, just to say hi. Very polite. The best sort of companion on a two-hour flight. Leo on the other hand's a little sensitive, being outside, so I was worried he might start an episode with Chicken around..."

"We'll leave." I backed off, knowing he'd probably spent nights awake taking care of the kitten and preparing him for the flight. "Let's go buddy."

"W-wait," I heard him say, turning over my shoulder with a pause. "That's not what I meant. What I meant was... that's what I thought would happen, and, well, it didn't quite... as you can see, Leo's rather calm. So... um... you can... you've, checked in? Your bags. I assume."

"Yeah. Took us an hour," I snorted, glancing down at my phone to check the time and realizing that Annie had listening in on everything. "Staff couldn't believe I'd named him Chicken."

This got his shoulders relaxing. The ice in his eyes easing up a little. "Us too. An hour, I mean. Not the Chicken part. Leo is a perfect name for this little daredevil." The instant his voice went soft all of a sudden and his gaze lowered to the carrier in his arms, I was ready to fite.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, kids but Vanilla, if you can hear me, I've been telling this idiot to hand you the phone centuries ago." Annie was back at it again and the two of us exchanged a look when her voice droned on through the phone. I switched off the camera and held it out to him. "Says she wants to talk." Waiting for a green.

First, he blinked. Looking around. "To me?"

"No, your cat." I played and he caught on, rolling his eyes while I amused myself with the look in his eyes.

You could tell he'd paused at yellow for a bit but I knew it wasn't a red from the slow, gentle ripple in his eyes—thinking, deciding, usually in times of a dilemma—before reaching for the phone and tapping on the speaker button to turn it off.

"Good morning, Annie," he started in a whisper. I held out a hand, offering to hold the carrier in his stead while he talked. Carefully, he handed it over. "Yes, I am. Yes, I... um... if this is about leaving Leroy in my hands, I... no, of course n... oh. Yes. I promise. Thank you. Take care, Annie. A-and um. If you'd like, we could still go to that restaurant you talked about once I'm back in London. If you'd like. Yes. I will. You too, Annie. Would you like me to hand the phone back to... no? Al... alright then. Goodbye. Yes. We will."

Slowly, he held the phone away from his ear before sliding a finger across the screen to drop the call. He then stared at it for a second before recovering, clearing his throat and holding it out in exchange for Leo.

"What'd she say?" I asked.

"To spare you no mercy," he put across so simply, it was hard not to believe him. Either way, it sounded like something Annie would tell him. There was the hint of a smile on his lips. Leftovers from the nostalgia in his voice; memories we shared but along the way, had forgotten how they felt to touch. Warm.

"That's the plan." I shrugged and he gave me a look, laughing a little.

"Hm! And I have a splendid track record of keeping the promises that I make, so. I suggest you watch your back, Mr. Cox." I liked how this was going and would have stayed for more but over his shoulder, I caught unnecessary eyes looking our way.

Most people had went back to minding their own business, thinking this was some pet owners' talk about getting their little ones on board but Siegfried had other things in his head. I hadn't the clearest idea what he was up to, so the least I could do was put out his flame.

"I will."

I took my leave with a nod, feeling the urge to look over my shoulder and catch one last glimpse; appreciate his silhouette and take in the full combination of what he was wearing—a navy turtleneck, slim around the waist and fitted dress pants that... yeah.

Yeah.

*

Cast members and crew had a schedule for passing through security and roaming the departure hall until it was time to gather at the lounge and wait for boarding. We had an hour or so to spare so I decided to head there early to chill with Chicken on one of their couches at the business class lounge.

Layla had said something about wanting to meet Chicken but the lounge was pretty much empty for the most part, me being an hour early and everyone else roaming the place for a bite or some fast shopping. Either way, I was liking the peace so I got out my wireless earbuds and plugged in, setting an alarm for a some shut-eye while my boy curled up next to me.

Think I drifted for a bit.

Next thing I knew, there was a tap on my shoulder and I opened an eye. The lounge was mostly filled. A mix of the cast and the production team—Siegfried, I made out several couches down—were interacting amongst each other while an announcement played on the system. Before me stood the other guy who'd chosen Pao's ingredient for the first round.

I unplugged.

"They called for business class to board. Aren't you gonna...? I mean, some participants, and judges too, I think, skipped the lounge and went straight for the gate, so."

His name wouldn't surface but for some reason, his face looked familiar. I paused to catch the repeat of the announcement. He was right.

I gave him a nod of thanks, adding that he should go ahead. He left after petting Chicken on his side while I re-adjusted his harness and checked that I had everything I needed. One last look around the lounge.

Guess he'd gone straight for the gate. Still. Wasn't sure if they'd put the judges in first or business class.

We headed to the gate, got my ticket scanned and boarded the plane. The people who greeted us seemed to know about my boy's special arrangement the moment they saw us and directed me down the correct aisle without me saying a word. I searched for my seat but that didn't take me very long 'cuz I knew we were given the double seats at the back of the section, closest to the restroom.

Point was, Chicken and I had a nice little surprise waiting for us.

On the other side of the aisle, an arm's length away, was a snowflake peering into his kitten's carrier, reaching in for private pets amidst some nervous mewling. I pretended not to notice, dealing with my duffel bag that went straight into the overhead storage bin while adjusting the seats for maximum legroom.

Flying business was a different level. There were benefits that came with having more legroom; for me, sure, but Chicken mostly. I pulled out a blanket they'd provided free of charge and laid it on the floor in front of my dog's seat. He seemed to like it.

After all that resisting, I stole a glance at the seats across the aisle and was rewarded with the softest fucking shit I'd ever seen.

To calm his kitten, Vanilla had secretly taken him out of his carrier and held him in his arms. Their noses touched briefly. Leo nuzzled his human.

I glared.

My gaze must have burned or something because the next thing I knew, said owner glanced my way and froze in place—realizing they'd been caught red-handed and of course, the resulting shade that crept up his neck went all the way to his ears.

Not gonna lie, I enjoyed that.