Hanne

[nola_joshlyman]

Diego had to stop putting it off. He had a bunch of Hanne's mail that he needed to give her. And he knew he should do it now, because she was seeing someone else and was in love, and so what was the point of holding onto her mail or asking her to drop by? He had to shift his thinking, again, into a new era of Hanne and Diego. An era in which there wasn't a Hanne and Diego.

So it was late morning when Diego went by Hanne's new apartment with the mail in one hand, following a different resident into the building. He knocked on the door, steeling himself for seeing Hanne again for the first time, knowing now that she had moved on.

Comments

[nola_yvaine]

Hanne grinned. "That's for me to know and you to find out," she replied, pouring four circles of batter onto the pan.

[nola_tristan]

“I can’t wait to learn all your new secrets.” And because Max couldn’t help himself, he kissed Hanne’s shoulder as she worked.

[nola_yvaine]

She loved every single one of those kisses and touches; how had she ever cooked without them? "I can't wait to learn yours."

[nola_tristan]

“Secret number one: I think you look sexy with flour on your face.” Max grinned.

[nola_yvaine]

"That's my badge of honor. I think I've finally defeated these pancakes," she said, sliding the first batch onto a plate and pouring another one. "Tell me another one," Hanne requested, holding a stray chocolate chip up to his lips for him to eat.

[nola_tristan]

Max bent down to suck the chocolate chip into his mouth, kissing her fingers in the process. “Secret two: I ate chalk when I was eleven just to see what it tasted like.” It tasted bad.

[nola_yvaine]

Hanne was so surprised into laughter that she clapped a hand over her mouth. When she dropped it again, still laughing, she said, "I can't believe I'm in love with a chalk-eater."

[nola_tristan]

“I can.” Max would never stop grinning at this rate. “It’s very you.”

[nola_yvaine]

"I am not giving you any of these pancakes now," she lied, pretending to be offended.

[nola_tristan]

“Secret three, I already know you’re going to share the pancakes,” Max said instantly.

[nola_yvaine]

"Only because I need you to have the energy to take me back to bed after," she playfully insisted. Hanne piled the second batch of pancakes on the plate with the first and turned off the stove.

[nola_tristan]

“You want to make it all the way back to the bed? I was just going to dramatically sweep everything off the table, throw you down onto it…”

[nola_yvaine]

Hanne laughed as she put everything on the table--pancakes, butter, syrup. Their plates and everything else were already there. "Promises, promises."

[nola_tristan]

“Maybe that’s just what brunch brings out in me.” He leaned over and kissed her quickly.

[nola_yvaine]

She caught his face in her hands and drew it out for a moment. "Then we're having brunch every weekend."

[nola_tristan]

“Marriage, kids, brunch,” Max said, when they finally parted. Their list of goals was strong.

[nola_yvaine]

"Sounds perfect," she agreed, then pointed at the table. "Now sit, eat. It's not chalk but I bet you'll like it anyway."

[nola_tristan]

“I can give up chalk for you,” Max said with a playful sigh, sitting down at the table. “Especially because this looks amazing."

[nola_yvaine]

Hanne sat, put her hands over her heart. "I've never been so touched in my life. Sacrificing for me already."

[nola_tristan]

“It’s going to be tough, but you’re worth it.” Max took a bite out of a pancake, and it was great.

[nola_yvaine]

He was so ridiculous, and she loved him so completely. She smiled the entire time she was eating, one foot resting against his under the table, just for the comfort of contact.

[nola_tristan]

“Hey Hanne?” He asked between bites, enjoying that extra contact.

[nola_yvaine]

She pushed a piece of pancake through a puddle of syrup and then tried to get it to her mouth before it all dripped out again. "Yeah Max?"

[nola_tristan]

Max watched this like it was the most fascinating thing in the world, and to him, it was. “Do you want to talk about the Diego thing?”

[nola_yvaine]

"Do you want to talk about the Diego thing?" she asked back because, well, he'd been having feelings about Diego even before he'd shown up at their--her--their? door.