Castle

In many ways, Riley Bexton had changed considerably from his time spent at both Salem Prep and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He grew from a boy with a penchant for trouble into a man with a heart for fun--but a mind for the battlefield of quidditch. After being drafted, the nonsense went out the window. He no longer sought the approval of anyone else. He merely cared about himself. What he had to say. And if others happened to seek out his friendship, well, he never said no.

So maybe that was why, when Feiyi Moon had come to him with the idea of entering a gingerbread contest, he agreed.

They had 24 hours to assemble a gingerbread house to appeal to a couple who would rather have a christmas wedding --and therefore a christmas dessert-- than a wedding cake. Or, well, a traditional one, anyway.

The only catch was that it couldn't be a house.

In keeping with their theme, Riley and Feiyi had analyzed all of the information given to them. And after working mercilessly for at least eighteen hours straight, they spent the last six baking a wedding cake, decorating it flawlessly, which they carefully used magic to settle inside of their creation.

---

After the judging, they had been one of two couples remaining. Exhausted and barely able to stand, they leaned on each other for support, Feiyi--bubbly and sweet, Riley--enthusiastic and energetic. Together, they had made a six foot dream castle enrobed in white chocolate bricks with modeled horses pulling a carriage in which the couple would step out of--at least the sugar versions. When the pair reached the doors of the castle, the top lifted off with the help of tiny sugar birds, and the wedding cake rested inside, perfection.

"I never thought we'd win!" she confided to her partner, her giggles barely hidden as she gripped his arm.

He looked down at his companion, grinning. "Me either. But I guess they your sugar birds."

"Or your horses!"

"Or the delicate lines on all of those cotton candy trees."

"Or--"

Riley cut off her sentence by pressing his lips against hers, a hand cupping her cheek. She tasted just as sweet as she sounded. It could have been all the sugar they had ingested so far--but he liked to imagine she was always this delightful.

She blushed five shades of pink. "I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree on the best part."

"Oh, no," he shook his head, tangling his sticky fingers with hers. "No. The best part was doing this with you."