Sweet Mochi Munching

Lumen sat cross-legged on the floor of their cozy apartment, surrounded by colorful bags of Mochi Moon mochi. The Mochi Moon festival was in full swing, and the shelves of every store were overflowing with a tantalizing assortment of the chewy, delectable treats. Lumen had always been a sucker for anything sweet, but there was something about Mochi Moon Mochi that made their hearts flutter with delight.

Altas draped lazily over the back of the couch, his eyes fixed on Lumen's antics. "Hey, darling, look at all this amazing mochi!" Lumen exclaimed, waving a bag of assorted flavors in the air. "I can't decide which one to try first!"

Altas let out a sleepy yawn, his stitched mouth stretching into a lopsided grin. "Just pick one, Lumen. You know you're going to end up trying them all anyway."

Lumen giggled and tore open a bag of peach mochi, relishing the sweet aroma that wafted out. As they popped a piece into their mouth, the soft, chewy texture and burst of fruity flavor sent them into a state of pure bliss. "Mmm, this is so good!" they exclaimed, savoring every bite.

The pride bun wanted their beloved to indulge in the sweets too and start to feed Atlas some while laying on his chest. "I can't be selfish with the sweets. You have to try them too!"

Lumen smiled as they watched their boyfriend take a bite, the taste of peach filling his mouth. Altas's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Lumen cheekily licks off the drip of filling that spills out of the bun's mouth. "It's delicious, right? I knew you would like it."

"Well, I can't say no to my lovely partner's choice." He said, chuckling and nuzzling his cheek on their heads.

After indulging in an assortment of mochi flavors, Lumen suddenly remembered the tradition of leaving out a special mochi as an offering to Allocer. Despite their scatterbrained tendencies, Lumen was determined to honor the tradition, really just to see what might happen.

Lumen quickly got to their feet and rummaged around the apartment for a suitable bowl to serve the special mochi in. After a few moments, they found a small glass bowl and placed it on the counter.

"Hey, Altas, I'm going to make a mochi offering to Allocer!" Lumen announced this as they began assembling the ingredients for the special mochi.

Altas raised a plush eyebrow. "And just how are you planning to do that, Lumen? You've never made mochi before."

Lumen shrugged, undeterred. "How hard could it be? I've seen it done plenty of times by Dan. Plus, I have the best teacher right here!" They gestured dramatically to the sloth bun, who merely blinked in response.

With a determined glint in their eyes, Lumen set about pounding the rice dough with a mallet, following a recipe they found online. Flour flew everywhere as Lumen's enthusiastic but somewhat haphazard approach sent the kitchen into a chaotic frenzy. Altas watched from the sidelines, his face filled with amusement as he saw their cute attempts to make mochi.

As the rice dough was prepared, Lumen moved on to the next step: kneading the sweet red bean paste into the dough. Altas offered to assist them, but they insisted on doing it themselves.

"No, no, I've got this!" Lumen said, their voice laced with confidence.

Altas smirked. "If you insist, Lumen. Just be careful, okay? Red bean paste can get sticky, and the last thing we want is to clean it off the ceiling."

Lumen nodded, determined to make a perfect mochi offering. They grabbed the bowl of red bean paste and began kneading it into the rice dough. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until Lumen picked up the pace. They continued to knead the dough, their hands moving at a rapid pace. But suddenly, the sticky red bean paste clung to their fingers, and they found themselves unable to release the dough.

"Oh no..." Lumen murmured as they tried, in vain, to extract their hands from the sticky mass. "Altas, I need help, please!"

Altas took over the kneading, his hands moving slowly and deliberately. Lumen watched intently, absorbing every detail of his movements. Soon, the red bean paste was perfectly incorporated into the dough, and the sweet smell of fresh mochi filled the kitchen.

"Now, that's how it's done," Altas said proudly. He wrapped his arms around the pride bun, pressing a soft kiss to their lips. "Don't worry, my darling, we will have all the time in the world to make more mochi."

Lumen smiled, their faces flushing pink. "Thank you, Atlas; you're the best. Now, let's see if Allocer will accept our offering."

After what felt like an eternity of pounding, shaping, and giggling, Lumen proudly displayed their handmade mochi: a lopsided, misshapen blob that bore little resemblance to the perfectly crafted mochi they had seen in stores. Despite the imperfections, Lumen couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

The pair made their way over to the glass bowl, the final resting place for their homemade mochi offering.

"Okay, here goes nothing," Lumen whispered, their voice laced with nerves. They placed the mochi in the bowl and stepped back, holding their breath.

A moment of silence passed.

Atlas let out a yawn while Lumen stared intensely. The sloth bun put his arm around his lover’s waist and kissed their forehead, making the pride bun squeak. "It's getting late, and I know how much you enjoy Mochi Moon. Why don't we head to bed and see if Allocer accepts our offering tomorrow?"

Lumen puffed up their cheeks; they wanted to catch the spirit to boast about it, but Altas had a point. With a reluctant nod, they walked towards the bedroom.

"Goodnight, darling," Altas murmured, pressing a soft kiss to their temple. Lumen sighed and nestled into his embrace, relishing the warmth of his body against theirs.