#also I didn’t make it clear before but Charlie mostly bakes in Mac and Dennis’ apartment | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

boodlesofdoodles · 11 months

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Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5

Mac is sitting impatiently as he watches Charlie scurrying about the kitchen, much more all over the place than usual; which is definitely saying something. He runs a hand through his hair and lets out a loud huff at the lack of attention he’s currently getting.

“So….” He starts, pausing for a minute and glancing up, hopeful that Charlie will stop what he’s doing and look up at Mac.

Charlie doesn’t.

“What’cha making today, Cat?” Hes even more intent on getting Charlie to pay attention to him. Charlie’s always enjoyed that nickname, and Mac uses it sparingly because when it’s a surprise it always seems to make Charlie happier to hear it.

Success this time around.

“Oh! Yeah-“ Charlie perks up, pausing what he’s doing for the first time in awhile. Actually looking at Mac for far too short a moment. Mac hates the way his heart flutters at it. “I’m making something called a, uh.” Charlie’s eyes quickly dart down to a oddly colorful piece of paper he had out on the counter in front of him, squinting at the name as his finger follows the letters, “a s-str. A stra,” he’s already getting a bit frustrated with himself.

It was already hard enough to learn the measurements. Now he has to sound out some of the words every time he tries reading a recipe. That’s why he’s so grateful to have Mac with him almost every time. Although.. when he’s alone, Charlie’s figured out a way to get his phone to narrate the text and read it out loud for him. He purposely hasn’t told Mac that, though, out of fear maybe Mac will stop hanging out with him while he bakes if he can ‘read’ the stuff on his own.

“A strundlay.” He finally stumbles out after a long pause of deliberation. Based on the look Mac is giving him, he probably read it completely wrong. “An apple strundlay,” he says more confidently. He knew the apple part was right… the other word? Not so much.

“Charlie, what in the hell is an apple strundlay?” Mac’s brows furrow as his face twists in confusion. He shakes his head lightly and reaches over the counter to pick up the paper Charlie was reading from. It’s a thin page ripped out of a magazine, some words rubbed off and smudged; he assumes Charlie must’ve ran his fingers over certain parts trying to reread them so many times. He probably went into some kind of office waiting room or lobby and just rifled through their magazines lying around until he saw a picture he liked. Mac scoffs slightly at the thought before his eyes roll over the word Charlie was just trying to say.

“Strudel?” This time he’s grinning and stifling a small chuckle, “you’re making an apple strudel?” He’s only met with a small, slightly embarrassed nod. “Sounds pretty good, Cat,” Mac beams fondly at the subconscious smile spreading on Charlie’s face at the repeated nickname, “I can’t wait to try it.” He slides the paper back over the counter and watches Char nervously fidget a little.

“I just, uh.” Charlie steps back a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. He’s looking everywhere but at the expectant Mac, biting his lip lightly “I hope he likes it.”

Mac’s heart completely drops. Something about Charlie’s tone. The way he’s glancing around.

He? Who the hell is He? Why won’t Charlie look at me? Is he blushing? What is he talking about? There’s a He?

“Who the hell is He?” Mac blurts out before he can stop himself. He grunts and brings a hand to his temple, scrunching his eyes and praying he didn’t sound as angry as he felt when he said that.

“Dennis!” Charlie chuckles out.

Why won’t Charlie look at him anymore?

“Dennis? You’re making something for Dennis, Cat?” His voice isn’t nearly as playful as it was when he had said the name earlier. Why was Charlie so excited to make something for Dennis? “He doesn’t even know you bake. Just gonna show up with a homemade pastry and expect him not to be suspicious?” Mac doesn’t notice how much more he talks with his hands when he’s angry. Charlie always notices.

“Well, I’m obviously going to tell him.” Charlie’s face scrunches up and he shakes his head erratically, “I saw this and it looked so good I knew I had to make it for Dennis.” His eyes finally meet with Mac’s. They’re also no longer as playful.

‘Looked so good I knew I had to make it for Dennis,’ what’s that supposed to mean? He wants to make Dennis something even better than anything he’s ever made for me?

“You really think he’s not going to make fun of you for it?” Mac stands up from the stool he was lounging on. This is ridiculous. Dennis wouldn’t understand or appreciate Charlie’s baking. He wouldn’t understand Charlie like Mac does. He doesn’t understand him like Mac does. So then why the hell is Charlie so giddy about shoving some stupid pastry into his mouth. “This is a bad idea. You shouldn’t give Dennis anything.” His voice is loud, engulfing, he’s trying to intimidate Charlie into letting this stay a private thing only the two of them share. Please let this stay something only they share together. “He’s gonna hate it and you’re gonna go crying to me about it.” Mac bangs his fist on the counter as a last resort, “that’s such a stupid idea, Charlie.”

“Man, what the fuck is your problem? Why are you so angry at me right now?” Charlie is completely and utterly baffled. What did he do to piss Mac off so much? “Is it so awful I want to make something for him?” He can feel his face heating up, and his voice rising involuntarily as he gets angrier, “If he’s an asshole about it I’ll make sure you’re the first to know. That make you feel better, Mac?!” Charlie is shaking his head erratically again, as he starts scrambling around the kitchen. There’s loud banging as he works quickly to clean up after himself.

“Charlie what are you doing?” As mad as he is, and as hard as he wants to come off, his tone is desperate. He doesn’t get an answer as the sink turns on, watching Charlie angrily scrub off everything he was just using. “Charlie!” He yells over the running water.

“I’m going home, jackass.” He hurries over to the trash and just drops the whole bowl in, everything he had been working on since he got there. “I’m not making the god damn Strudel anymore.” Charlie’s scoffing as he turns off the faucet.

Before mac even has a chance to respond Charlie is already rushing past him and reaching for the front door handle. The apartment is dead silent after the door slams shut. Mac shakes his head and signs heavily. What the fuck just happened?

Absentmindedly he reaches over to the paper Charlie left behind. He just looked at the bolder lettering earlier and didn’t even notice all the ‘annotations’ and doodles Charlie left in the margins. There’s scribbled hearts scattered around, which makes Mac just feel sick. There’s a lot of stars just subconsciously doodled about. Charlie recreated some of the drawings Mac made of the measuring cups next to certain ingredients in the list.

Finally, his eyes land on one corner thats much busier than the rest. ‘4 Den and Mac’ is hastily written. Mac sinks back onto the stool, hunched over and sighing as he notices most of the hearts on the page surround the two names.

Den is written as neatly as Charlie could get it, while Mac is much sloppier. There’s a familiarity in the way Charlie writes the name, like he’s done it a million times. Den is still so foreign, but his hand knows Mac by heart.

Mac is left alone in the silent apartment, wondering how often Charlie writes his name.

#jealous mac my beloved #he’s so gay and in love with Charlie he can’t handle it #perceives Dennis as a threat LMAO #like he’s competing for Charlie’s love #charlie has two hands dumbass #also I didn’t make it clear before but Charlie mostly bakes in Mac and Dennis’ apartment #iasip #charmac #ramblings #I know nobody will read this #but I really like how it turned out #jealous Mac

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