"pure love is not attempting to do something extraordinary. it's about making the ordinary moments special - sarah."

Afra ran on the count of three as everyone seperated out in different directions as Sulaaymaan came chasing after them.

Everyone had gathered to have a family night celebration. The Queen wasn't very happy with the running that she had to keep up with to stay away from the catcher. Afra would let out a sharp squeal of surprise as Sulaaymaan would pop up in front of her.

The guy was fast though.

Within a minute, he had managed to gather all three of his sisters in his grasp. And Queen Basmah wasn't that good of an opponent.

The only one who was actually keeping up a strong fight was Afra.

After all the others cuddled down with their backs on the floor, their eyes gleefully following both of them, Afra took for her the stairs.

Along they ran with him closing down upon her. They circled the whole floor until Afra hit a wall unknowingly and startled disappointedly.

"Oh no!"

She murmured with her lips sucked in.

When she did turn around and searched for Sulaaymaan, he was down on his knees, a small smile quirking on his lips.

Once Afra's gaze met his, he ducked his head lower and secured his palms behind his back.

"Even though I'm the King, I'm at your service Oh Queen of Arabia. Even though I am the winner, I'm still a loser without you. So what may be my punishment?"

Her lips grew wide with a smile as his eyes trailed her face for an answer.

"I see....I can ask for anything?"

He nodded.

"Anything."

Afra rolled her eyes and looked at him disbelievingly.

"You can't do everything for me Sulaaymaan."

He shook his head.

"I can do anything for my everything."

She jutted her chin up, marching up and down in front of him.

"Well, you can't do one thing for me. I bet you on that."

Sulaaymaan's brows raised in amusement.

"Oh yeah?"

She smirked.

"Yeah."

"Well, what may that task be?"

Afra's smirk grew and she carefully sat down on her knees right in front of him.

"Bake me cupcakes, Oh King of Arabia."

Sulaaymaan's eyes widened and he slumped in defeat.

"Oh Allah. Maybe I could get you the moon instead?"

He suggested with a sly smile but she shook her head hard and walked away and he watched her jump down the stairs with a defeated sigh.

That night Sulaaymaan was in a turmoil. Afra had demanded something called the cupcakes.

For starters, he was sure they were something that one eats. But couldn't exactly point out what it was.

To be on a safe side, he watched a good deal of videos and tutorials on how to make them. About thirty two videos lated, he was now worrying about which flavours to incorporate.

Twenty more videos later, it was decided that Nutella cupcakes would be the best.

He had memorized the recipe and kept mumbling it aloud just so that he wouldn't forget it.

He had assured his mother and Afra's that they were in for the best cupcakes ever. But somehow he wasn't quite impactful. The Queen kept asking him if he needed any assistance.

And in the end, he decided to pull in the Triplets. Because after all, they were his sisters. They would — surely — have his back if he would go wrong somewhere.

"So my mini Triplet Masterchefs, we're actually making Nutella cupcakes!"

He chirped and clapped his hands ready for a booming applause.

But only the cricketing of the crickets followed.

He slumped and rolled his eyes. And to think he was depending on his sisters.

"What are cupcakes?"

Jazz questioned, with her head tilted up at an awkward angle so she could meet his eyes. Her chef cap kept falling over her eyes and the sleeves of her dress were way loose.

He observed his sisters and took note of their uncomfortable attires. He rubbed his chin in thought. Maybe he should not have done that.

He marched up and down the island, his hands clasped behind the back. The triplets stood with their chests out and heads high, struggling to keep their eyes on him.

"So this is the mission make-nutella-cupcakes-that-aren't-poisonous. Now I know that's pretty exaggerative but to be very honest, I've never really been into cooking."

The triplets barely nodded.

He sighed.

"Maybe you guys aren't interested in my poor talk. But you're my sisters. Have a little mercy."

They nodded again.

"Fine. Let's just get started."

He grumbled.

"Not poisonous?"

Their heads turned to face the entrance where Afra stood against the doorstep, an amused smile on her face.

Sulaaymaan cleared his throat.

"Yeah, you know, just a precautionary measure."

Afra's brows raised.

"Just know that I'm not trying to die. I want to live a Hundred years in Shaa Allah. I hope that you keep that in your mind."

Wishing them luck, she bid them farewell, turned around and vanished through the hallways.

Sulaaymaan huffed out air through his mouth, feeling a little stressed.

"Anyhow, let's get started."

Lining up three chairs against the island, he helped his sisters get settled down and watch him assemble the ingredients.

"Okay, so," he soothed down his apron and relaxed his muscles,"we need a bunch of stuff. Starting with dry to wet."

Dandelion bounced up and down on her seat.

"And Nut-illa too silk."

"Oh yes!"

Both the others delightfully exclaimed.

Sulaaymaan frowned.

"It's Nutella."

Jazz shook her head with a stern expression.

"It's Nut-illa."

Sulaaymaan forced a smile.

"Sure sure."

He peered over the ingredient list he had written down and slipped his fingers down each one.

"Let's start with flour, salt, cocoa powder."

He ordered and just as immediately the Triplets jumped down and scrambled across the kitchen to get gather the needed items.

"Nut-illa is the bestest thing ever!"

The Triplets chirped while randomly rounding the kitchen while Sulaaymaan searched for flour.

"Girls, it's Nut-ella. Why would you not understand that?"

He pointed out wearily, giving them a glance.

Kat rolled her eyes.

"You're a big kid. So it's Nut-ella for you. We're small so it's Nut-illa for us. Mrs Ann told us so."

She reasoned, hands on hips.

Sulaaymaan sighed.

"Remind me to change your school. Something seems off with those teachers."

He suggested and pulled out two packets of flour and another pouch of cocoa powder.

After putting it down on the island, he swung open the overhead cabinets, got ahold of the biggest mixing bowl and emptied all of the three packets.

"Okay, that was easy."

He nodded at the bowl and sprinkled in a palm full of salt.

The triplets watched him from the ground, seated around a large tub of Nutella. Their faces were covered in the delicious chocolate and Sulaaymaan slapped his head with a groan.

"I thought we needed that for the cupcakes."

Sulaaymaan reminded them with a frown. At first nobody bothered to help him out since they were too busy savouring the bucket of Nutella. However soon they ended up standing by his legs, eagerly watching as he mixed the dry ingredients together and very expertly, doused the entire island, himself and the girls in a coat of flour.

"That's done!"

He dusted his hands off and checked the list after setting the bowl of flours aside.

"Okay so now we may have to scatter about and collect the other things."

They all nodded.

"So member overreactive, you'll be getting the pans, whisks and eggs."

He nodded and pointed a finger at Dandelion. She saluted him and turned around to get going, with her cap falling down till her chin causing her to stumble.

Sulaaymaan rolled his eyes and helped her out of that outfit. After she headed for her task, he went back to the remaining two.

"Member overexcited, you'll be getting the baking soda and baking powder. I forgot to add those to the flours.

"Aye aye captain."

Kat dashed across the island towards the cabinets.

"And member overover, your job will be to get sugar and eggs."

Jazz shrugged and proceeded for the fridge.

"And I, the master of the Masterchefs will do the honour of grabbing the most awaited ingredient, NUTELLA!"

As soon as the word left his mouth, three pairs of hands attacked his legs.

"Silk, why're you cheating? You can't have all the Nutella."

Kat complained, glaring at him.

"Yeah, you're such a meanie."

Dandelion yelped.

He looked down upon them all and sighed.

"Girls, I'm only getting it to make the cupcakes. I'm not eating it."

He had to sit down and reaaure them for over fifteen minutes that the nutella he had collected was solely for cooking purposes.

"Yeah, but we'll be the guardians of it until you finish with everything and ABSOLUTELY need it for the cupcakes."

Sulaaymaan had to give in.

"Fine. I'll let you guys take care of it. Maybe in ten minutes from now, I'll need it for the batter."

Kat spit on her middle of her palm and extended her arm.

"Deal?"

Sulaaymaan cringed.

"Eh.....yeah I guess."

He merely touched the tips of her fingers and backed out.

Thirty minutes later.

"Okay, the eggs have been beaten in. Now we need to mix the dry into the wet one at a time."

He murmured to himself while keeping an eye on the triplets at the dining table.

Those girls were upto no good.

"I guess we might need some more Cocoa powder."

He reached out for that packet sprawled at the farthest end of the island.

"This must be the most organic and rarely available powder. It even smells funny."

He grinned from ear to ear and happily added another cup of it.

"Girls can somebody get me —"

He stopped abruptly as his eyes fell upon the girls mouths and hands covered in Nutella. He face palmed himself.

"Okay okay fine. Just eat and don't disturb me. I guess I'll use the other one available. Just don't get drowned in that or get it into your noses. And don't suffocate yourselves."

He warned them from over his shoulders while making the flour fly in all directions.

"So next is to add in a tablespoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of baking soda."

He reached out for the two different spoons kept in a container on the countertop and brought them to his eye level.

"Now how do I know which one is what?" He stared hard at both of them, examining each and every corner. "Why do people make things so complicated? Why not just say a small spoon and it's big brother?" 

He sighed loudly and frowned at one inexplicable task on his hand.

One hour and a half Nutella jar later.

"That was simple now!"

He smiled victoriously to himself as he scooped out a tablespoon each of baking powder and baking soda and added it to the batter.

"Things when used in large amounts can do no harm. Especially when one's making cupcakes."

He sang to himself whilst splattering the mix everywhere as he whisked it.

Setting that aside, he greased the cupcake moulds and scooped the batter into the moulds. He made sure to fill the batter till it overflowed a tad bit.

"Okay, that's great."

As he held the cupcake pan in his hands ready for putting it in the oven, he stared at the oven in astonishment.

"Oh wow, that's great now!" 

He set the pan down on the island and yelled in frustration.

"Now how do I operate an oven?"

Two hours and a jar of Nutella later.

"Okay so turns out I am to bake it at a hundred and fifty degrees for forty minutes."

He talked to himself, setting the dialer and getting a little alarmed as the oven's light switched on.

Singing a made up song, he placed it in the oven, closed the door and propped himself tiredly on a chair.

Just as he was about to get a few minutes of peace, loud knocking on the doors got him straightened up.

"Guys, what's going on inside? It's been hours together!"

Afra yelled, knocking on the door continuously.

Sulaaymaan wearily walked to the door, swung it open and smiled at her.

"We'll be done in another hour."

Afra frowned.

"Another hour?! You do realize right that you've been in the kitchen for hours together now."

She sounded pretty annoyed. Sulaaymaan was clever enough to not have opened the doors wide enough to have showed what was going on inside. Flour was everywhere, Nutella made certain places slippery, pots and pans lay sprawled across the country and a giant pile of utensils in the sink.

"Don't worry Afra. Your husband got it all under cover."

An hour later.

"So, presenting the non toxic and extremely special Nutella cupcakes by the world renowned chef, Sulaaymaan!"

Afra and the Queen exchanged amused glances.

"So," he placed the cupcakes down on the table in front of them and stood erect,"you guys go ahead and try them first."

The Queen and Afra stared at the cupcakes. And then they looked at each other questioningly.

Nonetheless, they just smiled at Sulaaymaan and picked up one for themselves.

It was wrong to judge even a cupcake by the looks of it.

"Go ahead."

Sulaaymaan excitedly looked at both of them, rocking on his feet back and forth.

Afra and the Queen cautiously looked at it before taking a bite after reciting their prayers.

Just as soon as that, Afra's face turned colourless. With her mouth still stuffed, she looked with a strained smile at Sulaaymaan.

"These....are.....le..legit...the best.... I've ever tasted."

His smile grew wide as he mumbled a few Alhumdulillahs and turned to face his mother.

"Mama, what do you think? Aren't I the master of cupcakes now?"

"Habibi, it's....like I don't even know how you managed to make something so special."

She croaked with a tight smile and her mouth full.

Afra had a hard time not running away for her life. With the way Queen was pleading to her with her eyes, Afra knew for sure that the recipe he used was some banned poisonous procedure.

"You guys should go on and eat first."

Sulaaymaan said and sat down opposite to the ladies. There was so much thrill in his eyes that Afra didn't have the heart to watch him feel defeated.

Under his gaze, she reached out for another one and smiled at him while showing it off.

"I've really never eaten anything like this before."

"Better than Nut-illa?"

The Triplets — still covered in a thick coating of Nutella — asked her  excitedly.

Afra nodded earnestly, barely keeping her tears in.

"Nutella is nothing compared to this."

Sulaaymaan jumped up from his seat, placed a quick kiss on Afra's and Queen's cheeks and jumped away to get cleaned.

"I love you guys."

He shouted all the while as he trudged away on the stairs.

The Queen instantly turned to face Afra with a horrified expression.

"My god, Afra, Habibti, why would you do that? Why would you eat two of those? What if you fall ill?"

She whispered in her face and Afra barely managed a smile, watching him disappear in their room.

"Who knows what might happen the next moment mama. Atleast I'm glad I made him smile. Besides what's more precious that the happiness and smile of your spouse?"

« Assalaamualaikum Princesses ❤

How are you all my loves?

I hope you're well. Please don't forget to keep our dearest Syrians in your precious prayers.

And Afra and the Queen too. I hope they don't get food poisoning. ;).

So I hope you guys enjoyed a little fun. ❤❤❤ We have a lot of drama coming up. ❤❤❤

I love you all so much. Your comments and messages are super crucial to me. ❤❤❤

I really love you all so much. ❤❤❤

Take care Habibtis.

Much love,