Why Them

Peek-A-Boo
by Zarah

The oven timer goes off. Piper retrieves her pot holders, kneels down in front of the oven and then reaches in and pulls out her hot, delicious cinnamon rolls. She smiles slightly, for the instant the bread was out the entire kitchen smelled of it completely. It was a warm, inviting smell… a smell that foretold of a treat that can come anyone’s way.

She places the tray filled with the hot, gooey bread on the counter to cool them off. She was going to prepare for some coffee when suddenly, Paige comes bouncing in. “Morning,” Piper greeted sweetly.

“Morning.” Paige greeted back as she stifled a yawn. “I thought all those late night TV watching would make me a non-morning person, but look! It’s only 7 and I’m wide awake already!”

“Poor Paige.” Piper said with a smile. “Maybe you’re just meant to become one of those who goes to bed late and get out of it early.”

“Hmm,” Paige muttered thoughtfully. Then, she took in a big whiff of air. She grinned at Piper after she spotted the rolls. “Wow, Piper. Smells like a bakery in here!” She went closer to the counter. “I’m so glad I’m not the only morning-person around here.” She was about to take one when Piper suddenly swatted her hand away. “Hey!” She exclaimed, as she rubbed her hand.

“Oven-fresh, therefore, oven-hot.” Piper explained.

Paige glared at her. “You just don’t want me to have any.” She said lightheartedly. “I hate you.” She took a seat, and then intentionally stared at the cooling buns.

Piper grinned. “Fine. Take one and burn your tongue off. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Ooh!” The youngest Halliwell said as she reached for a roll. “Ooh! Hot!” She exclaimed moments later, as she nursed a burnt finger.

“Told ya.” Piper said. She motioned at the counter drawers. “I think there’s a cream in there. You should apply some before it gets swollen. You shouldn’t have reached in for the sugar, you know. Melted sugar, still very hot.”

“Fine, fine.” Paige said, wriggling her fingers. She glared at the cinnamon rolls. “Just you wait. After you’re all cooled off you’ll see how good a witch I became. Let’s just see how fast I could vanquish you all!”

Piper chuckled at Paige’s expense. When Paige turned her glare at her, she raised her hands in defense. “Sorry. I’ll prepare some coffee now.”

Just as she turned around, Cole comes walking in. “Morning,” He greeted them both. Paige acknowledged him with a nod, whereas Piper did not even mutter a sound. He cleared his throat, and then added a little louder. “Good morning, Piper.” He said with emphasis.

Piper felt her face flame with his words. She took a calming breath, cursed herself for acting like a schoolgirl, and then said, “Morning, Cole.” as calmly and as normal as she could.

Cole grinned at her. He glanced down and saw Paige peering at him, her eyes wide with sudden interest. He cleared his throat again, as though he was caught at doing something he wasn’t supposed to do. He looked away from her prying eyes and then settled his on the cooling rolls. “Great!” He said, reaching for one. Afterwards, he went out of the kitchen, the sounds of his chewing and approving echoing all the way.

At last, Piper thought. She started to reach for the coffee filter when Paige’s question startled her. “I’m sorry… did you say something?”

Paige looked at her carefully. “Yeah. I said, what was that?”

She stared right back at her sister, her brows knitted together in confusion. “What was what?”

Paige looked at the door, at the place where Cole exited the kitchen. Biting her lip, she reached for a roll, and finding it cool enough to touch, she grabbed one. She licked the sugar off her fingers before she took a bite. “Hmm,” She said approvingly. “You know, I’m pretty glad I only became your sister recently, or else I would’ve been overweight by now.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Piper told her as she waited for the coffee to finish. When it did, she poured herself a cup, and then found Paige just finishing the last bite of her cinnamon roll.

“So, as I was asking… what was that?” Paige asked again, after she had popped the last bite into her mouth.

“What was what?”

“You and Cole.”

“What?”

“Is that the only word you know how to use?” Paige asked, rather bitingly, as she reached for another roll.

Piper sighed. “No. It just means that I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I mean, you know, the ‘Good Morning, Piper’ and stuff.”

“Paige, that didn’t mean anything.” Piper told her. “You’re watching too much television. All those TV romances must be piling on the top of your brain and clouding out your rational thoughts.”

“Uh huh. And TV also taught me that when one becomes defensive then one is guilty of something. That, and also when you’re all blushing and looking like a tomato.” She took a small bite off her roll and then looked at Piper, who was self-consciously touching her heated cheeks. “Spill. Something happened between you two. I don’t need to be a Charmed One to know that.”

Piper gazed at Paige critically. “You promise you won’t tell Phoebe?” She asked.

Paige raised her hand. “Swear to God and hope to die.” She even made a crossing gesture over her left chest to prove her honesty.

“Fine.” Piper took a deep breath and then spoke. “I woke up in the middle of the night last night.” She began. “I was thirsty. A little. So, I was going to the kitchen when suddenly, I heard this sound from the bathroom, you know, like running water? So I thought maybe someone accidentally left it running all night. I went to the bathroom, I found it unlocked so I swung the door open…”

Paige’s eyes widened. “Cole was in there?” She guessed. And with Piper becoming redder than ever, she knew that her guess couldn’t have gotten any nearer to the truth.

Piper nodded. “And he was… you know, taking a shower…and he was standing there, his back facing me, and I saw his… his…” She covered her face with her hands, the vision of him still imprinted clearly on her mind. She shook her head, trying to dissipate the vision, but it just won’t go away.

“Oh, my God. You saw his…!” Paige exclaimed, her mouth parting in a very wide grin.

Piper uncovered her eyes. “Yeah.” She said, almost breathlessly.

“So how was it?” Paige asked curiously. “Was it, you know, muscled, tanned--“ She knew Cole was pretty hot. She just wished she could’ve been there with Piper to see for herself.

“Paige!” Piper exclaimed, scandalized.

“Sor-ry,” her sister told her, but her face showed no remorse whatsoever. “So I take it that he knew you saw him?” Paige prodded on, her interest peaked.

“Well, yeah.” Her older sister admitted. “I… kinda made this…um, sound…”

“You gasped?”

Piper squinted her eyes. “Technically, I gasped. So he turned around, saw me standing there—“

“I can’t believe it! You saw his…you know…too?”

Once again, Piper covered her face with her hands. She just nodded her answer.

“Oh, my God!” Paige cried out again. “You just saw all of his body parts!”

“Yeah, and it’s traumatizing. He should’ve used the curtains to cover himself!” She looked down on her hands. “I just know he’ll be teasing me for months.” She said, defeated.

Who’s gonna be teasing you?”

Piper and Paige both looked at the door to see Phoebe entering their kitchen, surprise coloring both their faces. Piper sent Paige a stern look, and then covered for their conversation. “Um… Leo. You know, we were doing some husband and wife stuff. Just some… stuff.”

“Yeah.” Paige said, enjoying Piper’s discomfort immensely. “Cause you know, Leo’s was not the only thing Piper saw last night.”

Phoebe’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What?”

Piper turned to face Paige, horror on her face, and then she pinched her squarely on the shoulder. “Nothing,” Piper muttered, sending Paige another glare. “Cinnamon rolls?” Piper offered sweetly, as she looked at Phoebe again.

End