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On the first day of Ficmas, Hazel gave to you...a Russian!Leo bakery AU!
(Also where Finnlo works themselves out while still at Harvard (for this fic, Leo is 23, Logan is 20, and Finn is 21)
“It’s closed,” Logan said, breathing hot air onto his hands as he slammed the passenger door shut against the thrashing snow storm.
“What?” Finn said. “No, it’s—it’s never closed.”
Logan shrugged. “It’s closed.”
“We came here on the blizzard last year! It was open. Nothing was open, and it was open.”
“Harz, what do you want me to say?”
“It’s closed?”
“It’s closed!”
Finn sat back in his seat, staring out the frosted window. “But—my everything bagel.”
Logan huffed out a laugh, leaning across the car to press a kiss to Finn’s cheek, which was warm from the car’s heat. Practice had ended with Coach wishing them a good holiday break—and then the storm had hit. Logan had been looking forward to locking their door and cuddling up to Finn in their dorm room before going home to New York for Christmas, and then to Quebec for New Years. He was bringing Finn home. Finn.
“Oof,” Finn winced, but tucked his fingers into the curls sticking out below Logan’s tuque. “You’re freezing, baby, c’mere.”
Logan would never get tired of this. They’d spent two years dancing around each other, but when Logan had had a few too many drinks one night, they’d snapped. Finn had followed him into a back room at some house party, and Logan had reached forward and kissed him. Finn had frozen and then melted, and Logan would never get tired of remembering the way Finn had clutched to him, they way they’d broken apart and stared at each other—the way Finn had broken out into a smile and kissed him again. Logan, he’d whispered. Logan, Logan, Logan.
Finn was the last thing Logan expected to find at Harvard. He was the last thing Logan expected to get to keep. Logan was afraid of a lot of things—but after seeing that look on Finn’s face, it became the thing he was most afraid of losing. He’d do anything to protect it.
Finn kissed him now, a steadying hand against his jaw. “Let’s go find somewhere else?”
“Okay,” Logan mumbled against his mouth. “Wait, a little more.”
Logan felt Finn’s laugh when he tilted his chin up, and swayed into the open kisses Finn pressed to his lips, then up his cheek. The snow beat against the windows, and Logan could have stayed right there forever.
“Little more once we get to where we’re going,” Finn said.
“Where are we going?”
Finn put the car back into drive. “No idea.”
They drove around at a creeping pace in the snow until they found themselves on an unfamiliar street, small and with cobblestones replacing the usual pavement. Only one of the storefronts had their lights on, the open sign flipped outwards. The lights looked warm, with Christmas stickers stuck to the windows around a proudly displayed name.
“Arakhisa’s,” Logan read out. “I don’t know, sounds Russian?”
Finn put his hand behind Logan’s seat to park the car. “Whatever it is, we’re finding out.”
The door jingled as they entered. The space was small and painted in creams. There were bits of mistletoe and holly on the tables in tiny vases besides canisters of napkins and cutlery. White Christmas lights were strung along the walls, along with paper snowflakes, artful and curling, hanging around the lights and casting snowing shadows across the entire room.
“Privet,” said a soft voice. “Hello, may I help?”
Logan looked up to see—
“Huh,” Finn said from beside him. “I mean, hi.”
“Hi,” the boy said, smiling at them. “You looking for something good, I can tell.”
Logan nodded. “Yeah, we are.”
“Welcome to Arakhisa’s,” the boy said. “We open last year.”
“Do you…” Finn began, twirling a finger around to gesture at the store.
“Yes, is mine. You have not come before.”
Logan liked his careful sounds, like he was putting everything he had into making sure they were clear.
“We’re creatures of habits, I guess,” Finn laughed, and then he rubbed the back of his neck. It was red, Logan noticed.
The boy held out his hand over the counter, and Logan watched Finn take it.
“I’m Leo,” he said.
“Finn.”
Leo’s hand was warm in Logan’s next. “Logan.”
“Nice to meet,” Leo glanced between them “What you like? Sweet?”
Logan laughed and looked back down at the display case again. It was filled with golden breads, cakes and muffins.
“Or not so sweet, maybe? We have case, but also menu. Bad storm. Deserve something warm.”
Logan smiled. He liked how Leo said deserve.
“Yeah,” Logan nodded. “Sweet for me, not so much for him. Anything you’d suggest?”
Leo looked down, thinking. As he did, another boy came out from the back, apron on. Leo and the boy spoke fast Russian for a moment, laughing at something, before he nodded haltingly at the two of them, and then turned back towards the kitchen again, disappearing through the swinging door.
“Sorry,” Leo said, still smiling. “Okay, I’m choose for you? Sweet and not so sweet.”
“And warm,” Finn added with a very familiar smile. Logan suppressed a laugh. Finn was flirty by nature, but Logan would know that look anywhere. He thought Leo was hot, and Logan didn’t blame him.
“Dimples,” Logan whispered when they sat down after being directed by Leo.
“Tell me about it,” Finn laughed, fishing them out two sets of forks and knives from the canister on the table. He tapped the ends of his in a little rhythm on the table. “He’s hot. How old do you think he is?”
“I don’t know, our age? Little older, maybe,” Logan said.
The boy from the back appeared again, this time with a tray of a steaming pot of tea and two cups.
“Thank you,” Finn said.
The boy smiled softly and gave a halting, “Yes, good.”
The tea was strong and Logan watched Finn drink it straight while he dunked sugar and milk into his own. He felt the warmth like it was seeping straight into his bones.
“Merde, I didn’t know how cold I was,” Logan sighed.
Finn smiled at him over his cup. “Your cheeks tell all.”
Logan snorted. “Look in the mirror.”
“Bet I can warm you up when we get home.”
Logan looked at Finn over the rim of his cup.
Finn’s smile widened. “Yeah, baby, now I know I can.”
They talked, with their ankles hooked beneath the table, about practice, about Christmas and their flight out in a few days, until Leo was walking back over to them.
“Okay, ready?” Leo said, setting plates down. “Like tea?”
“It’s perfect,” Finn said.
“Good,” Leo smiled.
In front of Logan, Leo set down a stack of what looked like crêpes. They were drizzled with a sticky red sauce, some sort of berry, and Leo drizzled honey over them himself.
“Blini,” Leo said, gesturing towards it. “Sweet. And for Finn, eggs. Don’t touch pan, very hot. Sausage, too, and dill on top. Scoop with bread like spoon, okay?”
Finn did as he was told. “This is incredible.”
Logan was caught up in the honey-sweet across his tongue. “Ouais.”
Leo stood there, wiping his hands on his apron. “I’m happy, then. I let you enjoy.”
“Thank you, Leo,” Logan said—just wanting to say his name. He remembered feeling that way about Finn. Just wanting to feel him, even if only through words. He flushed with the connection, and smiled before ducking back down to his food.
“You have welcome,” Leo said, and Logan and Finn looked at each other as Leo turned away.
“That was the—” Finn leaned in. “Cutest shit.”
“We’re coming back tomorrow,” Logan said. “We’re coming back.”
~
“Welcome to Ar—oh,” Leo smiled at them the next day. He was holding a tray of sweet smelling croissants. “Hi, again.”
“Hi, again,” Finn said, hands in his pockets against the cold. “Looks like you’re our new favorite.”
Leo laughed, reaching into the case to straighten some cakes. “Me?”
“I—well,” Finn stuttered.
“Yeah,” Logan said, leaning his elbows on the counter. “Any more recommendations?”
“Hm,” Leo tilted his head. “You still a sweetheart?”
Logan blinked. “Quoi?”
Leo gestured to the case. “Still feel like sweet things?”
Finn let out a delighted laugh. “Oh. Sweet tooth.”
“Ah,” Leo said. “What I say?”
“Sweetheart is, uh,” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “Like, cute? Like, a—lover?” he stumbled over the words and Logan—sort of liked watching the way he and Leo blushed as Finn spoke.
“Oh,” Leo said, more quietly. “Sorry, didn’t mean—“
“No, it’s okay,” Logan shook his head quickly. “According to Finn, I’m a sweetheart and a sweet tooth so…no harm done.”
“Have practice or can go home for holiday?” Leo said, laughing a little as he tried to change the subject.
“How…” Logan began, and then looked down at his sweatshirt when Leo did. Harvard Hockey. “Oh. Hah, yeah, no, we can go home. We’re leaving today, actually. Tonight.”
Leo nodded, pulling two cream-filled pastries from the case. “Where you go?”
Finn held up two fingers. “First to New York, for me, and then to Quebec, for Lo.”
“New York,” Leo said, and turned towards the hot kettle, for their tea. Logan liked the way he moved, like it was all so well practiced, he could do it all in his sleep. “I have seen New York. Not…how you say?”
“Quebec,” Logan supplied. “Canada.”
“Oh,” Leo pushed the two plates towards them, and his smile turned cheeky as he looked at Finn and nodded at Logan. “Sounds better when he say.”
Finn laughed, taking the plates for the both of them. “Most things do. What are we trying today?”
“Sharlotka,” Leo said. “Sort of apple cake.”
Logan brought the pastry to his mouth, the cake crumbing back on to his plate when he took a bite. It was sweet and tart. It was perfect.
They watched Leo work from afar, going to and from the kitchen, laughing and charming customers. He tied boxes of cookies up with string, poured steaming take away cups of tea and coffee, fried up hot plates of eggs, instructing the customer to use the bread like a spoon, as he had with Finn.
Logan was—he didn’t know what. He was all caught up with the way he would accidentally catch Leo’s eye from across the room, just as he had been when he and Finn would lock gazes, across the Harvard locker room, across the showers.
“Leo,” Logan called as they left. Blue eyes met his own. “Have a good holiday.”
Leo’s eyes flickered between them, lips pressed together, and then he smiled. “Yes. Same as you.”
Christmas was a mess of happiness. Logan woke up in Finn’s childhood room, snug somewhere in the West Village. Finn walked him to his favorite coffee shop, just around the corner, and they sat at the bar in the window, warming up with the coffee and—kissing. Finn kissed Logan wherever and whenever. Finn took Logan apart at night, keeping him quiet and close. Logan took him apart in the morning. During the day, the re-fit the pieces of both of them together.
Finn was stroking Logan’s hips, kissing his chest and easing him down from a high when he asked.
“Do you think Leo had somewhere to go for Christmas?”
Logan took a second to breathe, a little surprised to hear Leo’s name out of Finn’s mouth so soon after coming, then looked down at Finn. They were both a little sweaty, and—Logan could never decide—but sometimes he thought he liked Finn best like that. Red cheeks and hair sticking up, a glisten at his neck.
“Uh,” Logan swallowed a pant. “Yeah?”
“I mean, his family might be in Russia. I didn’t see anyone other than that other boy there.”
“Maybe they’re together.”
“Oh. Yeah, maybe.”
Logan put a hand behind his head, the other on Finn’s neck. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Finn smiled, kissing just beside Logan’s softening cock. “We just didn’t ask him, that’s all.”
“We could have him over to the house, maybe,” Logan said, raking his fingers through Finn’s hair as he pushed his way up to lay beside him. “Or maybe a movie or something.”
“Yeah, I think we should,” Finn said, and turned onto his side, fingers trailing over Logan’s heated skin. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”
Logan just smiled. “As gorgeous as you think Leo is?”
“Hey, I can think Leo’s gorgeous,” Finn laughed, then leaned in close. “But you, Lo…I’m so in love with you.”
They went back to the bakery almost every day when term started up again, but with coursework, and the season ending, they never invited Leo out. He went from a kind smile from behind the counter to a long Sunday afternoon lunch—Leo sitting at their table between rushes—but never more. Logan had to admit…he was a little terrified of the pull he felt. He didn’t know if Finn felt it, too. And, with Finn graduating soon, what they had already felt so fragile.
They were getting ready for bed late in the Spring semester when it happened. Finn’s phone rang. He went out into the hall to answer it.
He never did that.
Finn’s face, when he came back in, was stricken, emotions waring. Logan’s first thought was that something horrible had happened, he didn’t even think about the draft—he’d been trying so hard not to think about Finn leaving, the stubborn fear that Finn was leaving him behind—
Finn swallowed hard, the door closing behind him and his phone tight in his fist.
Logan pushed himself up on his elbows from where he was laying across Finn’s bed. “Harzy? Mon rouge—”
“They think I’ll go third overall.”
The world stilled.
“Third,” Logan breathed.
Finn nodded. He dropped his phone onto his dresser.
“Finn,” Logan whispered, and then he was rushing at him. “Finn.”
He’d miss him. He’d ache over him. He was so happy for him.
“I can’t imagine it without you,” Finn said from where his nose was buried in Logan’s neck. His voice was thick with tears. “Lo.”
“You can’t think about me right now,” Logan laughed, tearfully, and pulled back, taking Finn’s face in his hands. “We always knew Harvard wasn’t forever. But you are.”
Finn sniffed, brown eyes filled. “I can’t even think about losing you.”
“And you think I can?” Logan pushed up and kissed him, mumbling the next words into it. “I’m so happy for you.”
They swayed as they hugged, and Logan closed his eyes at the feeling of Finn’s fingers running through his hair. “Will you visit me?”
Logan kissed him again and again until Finn’s back was pressed against the doorframe. Until Finn smiled.
“Send me your jersey, I’ll take some nice pictures for you. Maybe I’ll bring Leo to a game, that’ll make you happy.”
Finn brushed their noses together, laughing. ”That sounds good. And as long as you send me yours. When it happens.”
The notion send rocking waves through Logan all over again. It had happened to Finn, the NHL…it could happen to him.
And what would happen to them?
Logan opened the door to Leo’s bakery, and was met with Leo’s soft smile. It was a relief. His eyes still felt raw from saying goodbye to Finn. He still felt raw.
“Alone today?” Leo said.
“Sort of,” Logan said, smile shaky. “Well,” he looked back at the door, at their usual table by the corner. “Yeah.”
Leo’s eyes flickered with concern, and he tilted his head. “Need something sweet?”
Logan let out a breath and leaned on the counter. “Yeah. That would be nice.”
Leo nodded. “I’m find something perfect for you.”
Logan, though, really thought he had too many perfect things already. He hardly knew what to do with them all.
{A/N: Leo’s bakery’s name translates to Peanut’s…I think.]