#owen is right there but sage is like…idk I think I want bird man

[bearlytolerant]

Tagged by @myreia thank you!

Tagging whoever sees and wants to share.

They called her that other builder from Portia or that girl who fought the rogue knight or, if she was lucky, simply baker. Never Sage. Except for him but not always. There was a time he hadn’t known her name but it wasn’t a very long time.

He came in at exactly 6:45 every morning. The first loaves of the day were fresh from the oven, still warm before she opened the bakery at 7. Six months of his regular patronage and the bakery was out of his way, across from the clinic, and she knew the saloon opened at 7 as well. She learned to keep the door unlocked early and welcome him in, friendship and all. It was the least she could do.

“Morning Owen,” she said as she arranged a tray full of lavender scones.

“Hey! Sage,” he said in his optimistic, jolly tone. His eyes closed and he inhaled real deep before opening them again, throwing her a smile. “Wow, it smells incredible in here!”

“Well, I do try.”

“And you succeed.” He found himself a seat near the window but she could feel his eyes on her as she finished her pastry arrangement.

She attempted to follow through on her twin’s latest words of wisdom, ringing in her head, “It wouldn’t hurt if you smiled a little more. You always look like you want to murder something. I think that scares some people a little.” It was easier when she’d been a builder. Higgins never smiled so when she showed up with her neutral expression, Portians seemed pleased and unbothered. At least they never complained to her face. But owning a bakery was a different beast from owning a workshop. It wasn’t as simple as grabbing a commission scrawled on a piece of paper on a billboard and filling the order. People that loved getting bread—well they didn’t just order bread and go—they seemed to enjoy hanging around to chat, especially Cooper.

She tried throwing Owen a smile that felt more like a grimace. Owen didn’t seem to mind as his grin widened. “Pastry of the day?” She asked.

“I always enjoy taste testing your latest confections.”

“So that’s a yes then?” She raised a brow and was answered with a small chuckle.

“Yes. Always a yes.”