Sometimes You Just Have to Bake a Cake [Closed]

[chozobloodrites]

Who: Samus Aran and Marj Pots
What: Marj is giving Samus a mission and by gum she's going to do it. Even if it's baking.
Where: Marj's residence.
When: Sometime February 24th
Warnings: None?

Comments

[inkstolen]

Welcome to Stross. The smell of baking and the sound of power tools, that's what you get when dealing with Marjorie Pots. The windows are open (the windows are usually open) and in between the electric drill noises, there's music.

At the knock, the machine sounds stop and Marjie calls out, "Door's open!" before resuming. It's warm in there, with a disturbing amount of pink packaging trailing through the kitchen door.

"In here!" she calls from the kitchen. The countertop is an island of industry in the middle of a wide, airy setup, kitchen on one side, dining room on the other. The dining room table is currently all but filled with an insane-looking structure made from wood, plastic and screws. Strawberry smells fill the room, and Marjie stands up from the base, having just finished making doubly sure of a supporting screw, "Oh shit, you're taller than I thought."

[chozobloodrites]

Samus opens the door slowly and takes a couple tentative steps in. The music, the home, the pink ... it's like Samus just took a portal to another universe. A pang in her stomach reminds her that this thought is the truth, or at least was the truth a few weeks ago.

She's stuck.

She follows the music and power tools to Marjorie, smells currently not an option with her helmet blocking out the sweet aroma of strawberry. She stops next to Marjorie and stares at the ... well, Samus isn't sure. Some sort of torture device? The most unaerodynamic rocket for small woodland creatures? The purpose simply eludes her.

She shrugs off Marjorie's comment, used to being the tallest girl in her class, but keeps staring at the table as she speaks.

"What is that?"

[inkstolen]

"A surprise," Marj replies lightly, leaning on the table for balance as she reaches over to tamp down on the radio's volume, "Don't worry about that, babe. That's later."

She drops the drill atop its case on the floor and swings around the counter with a grin.

"C'mere, I wanna show you something."

[chozobloodrites]

"All right."

Obligingly, Samus follows, although not happy about not being in the know for her job. Missions require the most information possible to bring about a swift and complication-free completion. This mission already had her in doubt. But she saw every job through until the end, regardless on how menial, and this would be the same.

[inkstolen]

Witness the spread- pink, pink and more pink. A countertop and a half, filled with bright pink cupcakes. Each and every one is lovingly nestled in a pale or red heart-print paper foil. Half are iced, and some are even covered in sprinkles. Only one is finished, a glorious example-cupcake set aside from the rest, a marvel of pink frosting, white and red sprinkles, with a sugar-gilt strawberry slice perched gaily at the top.

It's as if cupid laid a clutch of eggs, like a fish.

"So, y'see, I got a shit-ton of work to do," Marj grinned, "Y'might want to lose the hardwear."

[chozobloodrites]

Samus blinks her eyes, at first sure that this is some tactic to blind her. However, the bright pink stays, flooding her senses with cheer and good-will that Samus certainly will not bring herself to emulate. And again, she is struck with a feeling of pure confusion.

Seriously, what the fuck are those?

Never once in her poor, miserable life has Samus tasted the glory and wonder of the cupcake. Perhaps that is why it remains poor and miserable. She looks disbelievingly and Marjorie and shakes her head.

"It stays on. Tell me what these are."

[inkstolen]

"What the hell do you mean, 'what these are,' missy?" It would take terms of strong religious significance to adequately explain the importance of food in Marjorie's life. She gestures sweepingly at the little cakes and waits for the other shoe to drop.

Surely, you jest.

No?

The sarcastic, incredulous expression dims and fades as no punchline is forthcoming, "Oh jesus, you're serious. Sweetie, these are cupcakes. They're...just try one, here!"

The single finished one is swiftly nabbed and held up as an example. This is Marj's most tragic expression, "C'mon, please?"

[chozobloodrites]

Samus grabs the cupcake slowly from Marj's hand and stares down at it. If only her damn suit systems were fully functional she'd be able to figure out the contents of this thing. But alas, she's left with nothing but the word of a woman who's mental stability she regretfully finds herself starting to question.

But Marjorie looks truly disheartened by Samus' reveal, and the grumble in her stomach tells her that sustenance is going to be necessary quite soon.

Samus touches the side of her helmet, and in a flash of light it disappears revealing the blond-haired woman beneath. Yes, dear readers, Samus is in fact a woman. She brings the cupcake to her lips and takes a tentative bite. As she chews, her expression changes from curiosity, to bewilderment, to pure joy.

This. This is possibly the best thing she has ever eaten.

"This thing ... it's amazing!"

[inkstolen]

Marjorie likes to think of herself as someone who recovers quickly from surprises, but this is more than just 'a surprise.' It's more like...a gift. A gift in blond.

Then it becomes clear that this is either Samus' first cupcake, or her first in a damn long time. Nobody smiles like that for nothing, and that kind of smile, bright and beatific, is precious. Oh god does she love watching people eat.

"Oh, you just wait 'til you try the chocolate kind," She drawls, fumbling blindly behind her for the bowl of icing and the spatula. Work. Got to get to work...but in a minute, "Y'wanna help me finish a few of these babies? You can take some home with ya, if you like."

[chozobloodrites]

"That sounds like an acceptable reward."

Sure, she said before that she wasn't in it for the monetary gain, but with delicious cake like that she deserves compensation for her work. Coming to terms with the fact that an arm-cannon and advanced bio-suit are not going to help with this one, she finally decides that it might be time to finally remove it for the first time since coming to this station.

With nothing more than a flick of her wrist the room is enveloped in light for just a moment. When it fades, all that's left standing in the source is Samus the woman, not the machine. Her skintight blue undersuit hugs her curves and leaves little to the imagination. Drink it in, Marj, it's gotta be awesome for you.

Samus grabs the spatula and eyes it warily. Never one has she actually needed to cook for herself before. This is going to be a new adventure.

"What do you need me to do?"

[inkstolen]

It's not a crime to be an admirer of beauty. But now, to business:

"Alright, get comfortable, because you're gonna be on your feet for a while. Don't lock your knees, or they'll be bitching at you later" Marjorie settled herself at the crowded countertop, with the spatula at hand, the bowl of whipped frosting between them and a naked pink cupcake, front and center, "Take the cupcake in your off-hand...and just....smooth it on there until you got a nice skin of the stuff."

It was a pale pink frosting, flecked with darker chunks of near-red. They weren't sprinkles, they were bits of the fruit that had been pureed into the frosting. Strawberries.

"Now when you're done with that, take another scoop and just...twist it on," She demonstrated the technique, deftly smoothing a neat conical whorl into the finished shape with the tip of her spatula, "There. Takes a little practice t'get just right, but it's frosting not fuckin' cement. Now you try."

[chozobloodrites]

Samus nods and listens intently as Marjorie explains the delicate art of cupcake frosting. Once finished, Samus actually feels rather confident with this job, it seems far too simple to mess up

[inkstolen]

Marj just giggles, leaning on the counter, to maintian the barest semblance of composure needed to keep control of herself and avoid falling over.

"Alright, alright," the giggles color her speech, as she gently scoops off the frosting and taps it back into the bowl "Here, let's...try this again. May I?"

Whatever the answer, she doesn't wait around, instead wrapping her hands gently around the spatula and Samus' hands all in one. Scoop- just the right amount, and it's more than a little awkward to do so like this, but the actual application of the frosting isn't so much worse.

"Easy..." Marjorie directs her, "Don't be in such a fuckin' rush. You have to touch it gently, like it's alive."

[chozobloodrites]

So she has made a fool of herself. Samus' chest tightens in frustration and anger, being laughed at is never an easy feeling. Ha ha, no seriously, we are laughing with you not at you. That's never true.

Samus' lips curve to a frown as Marjorie wraps her hands around Samus', demonstrating the technique as if she were a child. She watched the demonstration just minutes ago, the application in her memory. But, even if she won't admit it, the assisted help does make it.

Perhaps a bit too stuffily Samus moves Marj's hands out of the way, insisting on doing it once more on her own. She takes the scoop, spreads evenly, another scoop, the topping, done. It's a definite improvement. A perfection on the art of cupcake decorating? No, but it will likely pass inspection.

[inkstolen]

Marjorie might laugh at you, or hit you, but she'll never tell you it's for your own good, or say she isn't doing it. She lets go when Samus shrugs her off, and watches with a grin. Such temper.

"Yeah, you got it," A young species of approval in her voice, "You learn quick."

[chozobloodrites]

Damn straight she does. Learn quick or die. Then again that didn't exactly pertain to cupcakes. However, one never knows when a lethal baking accident can occur, best to learn quickly and keep on your toes.

"Is this it?" She asked as she began another cupcake.