Work Text:
“Darn,” I say, rooting through my cupboards. “We’re missing a few ingredients. No cake baking for us.”
“What’s missing?” Monika kneels down beside me to peer in the cupboards. “Can we use substitutes?”
“For flour?” I laugh. “Also eggs, hundreds and thousands, and whatever we want for decorations. Oh,” I gesture to the mess around us. “And icing sugar!” I tell her.
“So we have caster sugar and butter?”
“...we also need butter.” I deadpan.
“I guess I’ll just have to go get the things we need.” Monika offers.
“But we’re already in pyjamas!” I protest. “We can always do something else.”
Monika laughs, kisses me on the cheek. “I can get changed, silly. Anyway, I’ve been looking forward to this.”
“Me too!” I say. “Sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not!” she says, smacking me playfully with the back of her hand. She gets up from the floor and offers me a sweet smile before giving me a hand up. “You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“Liar. I always notice when you’re gone.” I say, gratefully accepting her hand up and brushing off the stray icing sugar lurking on my top. I’m surprised that’s all there is - it ended up going everywhere.
Before long Monika is wearing a simple outfit, a skirt and top and, tying the laces on her boots. I managed to clean up the remains of the icing sugar while she got changed and wrote her a simple shopping list. Ingredients for the cake and a few other things it would be nice to have. If Monika’s shopping, we may as well take advantage of it.
I give her the shopping list and a hug before letting her go, leaving me home alone. Considering there’s not a lot else for me to do while she’s gone, I decide to get everything ready for her return.
A few minutes after, I hear my phone start to vibrate. Sighing, I check the caller. Monika. Why’s she calling me when she knows that I hate speaking on the phone? Nevertheless I accept the call.
“What’s up?” I ask, stuttering a little.
“I was just wondering what flavour squash you want!” Monika replies.
I raise an eyebrow. Couldn’t she have just texted me?
“Well I’ve got lemon and lime here, but I wanted something less citrus-y,” I tell her in barely more than a whisper. “Maybe something like apple and blackcurrant, or summer berries. I’ll let you decide.”
“Okay, thanks!” Monika says, before hanging up the phone.
I’m only able to get the butter out of the fridge before my phone rings once more. Monika again. I swipe my phone to accept the call.
“What’s wrong this time?” I enquire.
“You want chocolate for the cake, but you didn’t specify what sort.” Monika says.
“Well, we’re making a funfetti cake, so maybe white chocolate? How does that sound?” I ask.
“Perfect!” Monika responds.
“Also, get some milk chocolate, for our snacks.” I remind her.
“Okay!”
We say our farewells before I hang up the phone, relieved that the phone call is over.
Unfortunately, my relief is short-lived, as Monika phones me again after less than a minute after our last conversation. I suppress a sigh, annoyed at having to talk on the phone once more.
“What now?” I ask, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice.
“Is something wrong, my love?” Monika asks me, a hint of concern in her voice.
“Nothing, it’s just…” my voice trails off, not willing to tell her the real reason why I’m so irritated. “I just realised we don’t have any strawberries.”
“Is that all? I can easily add them to the list!”
The other end goes silent as I take a deep breath, trying to keep my anxiety and anger in check.
“Okay, that’s done!”
“What did you want to ask?” I’m feeling less anxious during each phone call, but I still don’t like talking on the phone.
“Do you want little sprinkles or little balls for the top of the cake?” Monika replies.
“You know, you can make some decisions for yourself.” I roll my eyes, safe on the other side of the phone call.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me!”
“How did you-?”
“I know your tone! Anyway, I want the cake to be perfect for you!”
“It’s our cake, not my cake! But I think the little coloured balls would be better. There’ll be sprinkles inside the cake.”
“Agreed!” I hear the sound of something clanging against metal - probably the coloured balls being added to the basket.
“Anything else?” I try to figure out any more issues Monika may have with my shopping list before I hang up.
There’s a pause on the other end before I hear the words “Nope, I’m good.”
“Call if you want anything else.” I say the words through gritted teeth, but Monika doesn’t seem to notice as she just says a cheerful farewell before hanging up.
While sorting out everything else we’ll need, I make a bet with myself - I’ll only get three more ingredients out before Monika rings again.
Turns out, it wasn’t even three ingredients. It’s one. I sigh and accept the call.
“Shall I just stay on the phone as you shop?” I ask in a rather sarcastic tone.
“Really? That would be great!” Comes Monika’s overly cheerful reply.
I cover the microphone on my mobile and sigh. It was a joke! Looks like I’m stuck on the phone now.
We go through the shopping list together, with me giving occasional clarifications as Monika searches the store and tells me about the adventure. Working together as a team, we
get through it all in about ten minutes, my fear of talking on the phone seemingly vanishing as the time goes on.
We say our goodbyes and hang up. Putting my phone back in my pocket, I breathe a sigh of relief and get to finishing my task. It doesn’t take long, and before I know it everything is done.
Monika returns not long after, shopping bags in hand. I get up, pausing the anime I was watching, and go to help her.
“You weren’t watching the anime without me, were you?” Monika jokes as she hands me some of the bags.
“No,” I tell her. “you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“That’s good.”A laugh escapes her lips.
We take the bags to the kitchen and put the missing ingredients on the tabletop with everything else. As we’re working I steal a few glances at Monika, but she doesn’t seem to realise.
I can’t keep it in any longer, so I take a deep breath and break the silence between us.
“Monika?” I ask hesitantly.
“Yes, my love?”
“Why did you keep calling me? Why not text? You know I hate talking on the phone.”
Monika freezes, her eyes widening. She stops what she’s doing, walks toward me and takes my hand.
“I’m so sorry, I forgot! I’d never want to make you uncomfortable.” Monika’s eye fall to the ground, tears welling in her eyes.
I take my free hand and cup her chin, forcing her to look at me.
“It’s okay, sorry I was too harsh,” I tell her. “It actually helped. Talking to you put me at ease. But why not just text?”
“Well…” she pauses, and I see her cheeks flush a little. “I like to hear your voice.”
My hand drops to my side as I try to process that. Now it’s my turn to blush.
“That’s… that’s so sweet!” I say as I hug her. I can feel the tension slip from her body as she nuzzles into my neck, her arms wrapping around me.
We stay curled around each other for a while before I pull back and smile. I’m not the only one smiling either.
“You know,” I say. “I could use some help with my fear of talking on the phone. Would you?”
My smile broadens. I couldn’t have wished for a better answer.
“Ready to bake this cake?” I ask.
“Let’s do this.” she says, a gleam of determination in her eye.
After Monika changes back into her pyjamas, we work together for a couple of hours, chatting idly and creating the cake. A three layer funfetti one, vanilla frosting sandwiches the layers and white fondant coats the top. Monika bought coloured fondant to create little flower decorations, adding squirts of cream, chocolate shards and coloured balls to them. The end result isn’t bad - a pretty, colourful cake.
“I think Natsuki would be proud of us.” I say as we admire our creation.
“We should definitely send her a photo!” Monika gets snaps a photo and presumably sends it to Natsuki.
“We forgot the candle!” I say, rooting around the tabletop to try and find it.
“It’s right here. I put it with everything else.” Monika tells me, picking up the candle.
I step aside, letting her take it out of the packet and place it in the middle of the cake. A vibrant ‘3’ flashes at me when I take another look at the cake.
“That looks lovely!” I compliment her, staring in approval at the cake. “Shall we move everything to the living room?”
“Yes!” Monika says, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and smiling lovingly at me.
It takes both of us to move the cake, but thankfully there are no disasters. Then we take our snacks and utensils to the living room. While this is going on Monika gets a text from Natsuki; a thumbs up emoji.
I make sure that everything is in place and flop down on the sofa, exhausted by our busy afternoon. Monika joins me and places her head in my lap. I start stroking her soft hair, after loosening it from its ponytail.
We stay like that for a little while, enjoying each others company. But before long the cake starts to look far too tempting to resist. I smile at Monika.
“Shall we try the cake?” I ask her.
“Hang on, I’ll be right back.” With that statement, Monika hops off the sofa and leaves me in a state of confusion.
She soon returns, telling me to close my eyes and hold out my hands before coming back into the room. Something long and thin I’m pressed into my hands. I’m curious about it, but I keep my eyes closed.
“Okay, open your eyes!” Monika’s voice fills the room.
I do as I’m told and see that she has placed a single red rose in my hands. The flower is simple, yet it conveys so much. Speechless, I delicately hold the rose and twist it around in my hands.
“I hope you like it,” Monika says, her hands anxiously scrunching at her pyjama top. “I saw it when I was out and couldn’t resist getting it for you.”
“It’s perfect.” I whisper. Leaning forward, I daintily kiss her on the lips. “Thank you.”
Monika goes quiet, but I see her blush spreading.
“In fact, I’ve got something for you too.” I pull the little gift wrapped box from my pyjama pocket. “I hope you like it.”
“If it’s from you I will, sweetheart.” Monika says, accepting the gift.
I watch with baited breath as she opens it. A gasp escapes her as she lifts the heart shaped locket out of the box. Immediately she clasps it around her neck.
“You didn’t even look inside!” I protest.
“Whoops. Silly me.” she takes the locket off to open it. Inside are two photos of us. One from a poetry reading, the other from a theme park. Her eyes light up in delight.
“I love it!” This time she moves into me and we kiss before she smiles at me, her blush still there.
“I’m glad you like it.” I smile.
“It’s beautiful.” Monika says as she struggles with the clasp.
“Here,” I offer.
I take the locket and clasp it around her neck, pulling her hair out of the necklace and letting it flow free.
“Happy three month anniversary.” I say, giving her a hug.
“Happy anniversary.” she says, hugging me back.
We stay there for a moment, enjoying each other’s warmth and weight.
I think back to three months ago, before we first started dating. I never could have dreamt we would come this far.
I let go and gingerly place a kiss on the top her forehead.
“Ready for cake?” I grin.