Chapter Text
The year was 1885 and Nadja Grosu was getting bored with her life. Her extremely long life…that wasn’t going to be over anytime soon. Nadja had been alive for 350 years now and by no decision of her own. She never asked to become a vampire. She was forced to be by a previous lover who blindsided and betrayed her, turning her into a beast of the night; forcing her to survive on the lifeforce of others and out-living anyone she ever loved.
But that was a long time ago and much had changed over the three and a half centuries she had been alive. She had come to terms with both the perks and disadvantages of being a vampire. She was very happy to see how the world was changing for the better and being able to witness it first hand. Afterall, she was born a poor peasant girl that had very little chance of survival, who had turned herself into a rather wealthy woman. She loved being able to stay forever young and beautiful, constantly earning attention from men of any creed of life that she would use for sustenance purposes and the occasional confidence boost. .
However, the thing she hated the most about this life was how boring and mundane it had become. There are only so many experiences a woman could have in this world, even if it had progressed since she was officially alive. But since she had come into money, she was determined to try something she had always wanted to do: own a business to showcase her true talent.
When she was alive, Nadja and her sisters were quite talented bakers and cooks in their village. Although food was scarce, they could transform even the blandest ingredients into a delicious, hearty meal. Nadia’s own specialty was baking, particularly breads and sweets. They rarely had sugar growing up, but when she could get her hands on it, she would make the absolute best desserts in all of Romania.
That’s how she ended up here in London, the most progressive city at the current time, owning a bakery that was open 24/7 in case anyone was ever hungry late at night. She clawed her way to the top and with a bit of “persuasion,” Nadja became one of the first single women to ever own a business in the country.
Quickly her little bakery became far more popular than she expected. Her treats had the unique taste that came from times very long ago. They were the kind of delicate smell that reminds people of specific childhood memories. Nadja saw her baking as a form of art. It reminded her of the best times of her life and as time progressed, she was able to experiment with her baking without the fear of going hungry included.
There was only one downside of her baking in the current time: the fact that she couldn’t taste-test her own desserts. Since vampires could not digest human food, she was often unsure of how her creations tasted to her supportive customers. She felt that she was disappointing them sometimes when she couldn’t get an accurate measure of the taste. Sure, her human assistants at the bakery could taste them, but they were too frightened by her to give her any sort of constructive feedback, proving themselves useless as critics and better suited for their roles as drones.
Nadja was a big mystery for the London citizens. Everyone knew her of course, but they didn’t “know” her or anything about her. They knew her as the scary, lonely woman with faded skin who always wore black and hardly ever smiled. They called her “a vampire,” but it was rather said as a joke and not in actuality. Most likely, only children believed she actually was one, but sometimes the most naive beings are the ones who know the most.
She actually liked this reputation, as it gave her an advantage. Sure, she was sometimes afraid that her identity would be revealed to more people, but at least it made her and her bakery popular. She designed the bakery’s decoration with a dark, gothic aesthetic so the customers couldn’t keep their eyes off it and to keep it memorable for them to return.
Overall, Nadja was successful in terms of work, but she felt so lonely and needed someone's affection. Many young couples came to her bakery for the date and she couldn’t help but get angry out of jealousy whenever she saw them. She wished to relive her life again and be happy in a relationship. She had always dreamed of having a loving relationship with a man, but due to her previous relationship trauma and her unique circumstances, she had not actively pursued this endeavor. She had never met any male vampires in the area, and she was often afraid to initiate contact with human men. She didn’t want to outlive them like she did her family, so she tried not to bother them where she could, merely making acquaintances with them and using the others as a blood source.
That is until one night when a lonely gentleman walked in after finishing his night shift at the local factory.
Nadja was pretty bored as she prepared yeast dough to make bread rolls for the early morning. She looked up at the handsome man who entered the shop.
“Well hello there and good night, how can I help?” She asked the aforementioned gentleman. It wasn’t too often for someone to visit her bakery this late. She didn't really get any chance to interact with people. Looking at him a bit closer, she found that he was pretty good looking for her. He had dark hair and a neatly shaved beard, with a semi-serious look on his face. But what she noticed the most was that he was more than a bit overweight, a very rare sight in her daily life. His larger size and his fashionable clothes also made her assume that he was rather wealthy, probably coming from an elite, higher-class family.
“Good night. I was thinking about maybe buying some biscuits?” This man said to her “I'm starving and feel so tired!”
“Certainly,” Nadja said before grabbing some biscuits and putting them in a small paper bag “It will be 2 pounds! Enjoy your food.”
The handsome man paid and took the first bite of his treats in front of her. “This tastes so good!” He said with a delightful smile on his face. “They are different from any other cookies I've ever eaten and by far better! Miss, this bakery earned a new regular customer!”
“Thank you,” Nadja said with a nodding smile before quickly trying to get back to her work.
“Also my name is Laszlo Cravensworth, and I assume you are Nadja correct?” He was pretty clearly interested in her and wanted to keep the conversation going.
“Yes, I am, but I'm working and don't have time for conversation at the moment,” Nadja felt quite uncomfortable with the thought of man flirting with her, clearly because of her past trauma and also the fact that she became pretty antisocial living in the dark for a few centuries. While she did enjoy some casual conversations with her customers, she had become uneasy with this man attempting to woo her.
But Laszlo was unyielding and determined. This woman before him was the epitome of attraction to him, and he would be damned if he let her go so easily.
“Oh, my apologies, miss,” he started, a blush appearing on his chubby cheeks. “I can certainly clear out of your place in a moment, but I must ask, would you possibly be a bit more free tomorrow evening? I’ve recently taken up a position at the nearby factory as a supervisor and while it’s by no means manual labor, it can become quite overwhelming at times. I’d love to be able to unwind here at this quaint bakery once my shift is finished over a cup of tea and some of your delicious biscuits.”
Unsure of his intentions, Nadja was a bit hesitant, but curious about this interesting man. Against every gut feeling she had, she felt oddly attracted to him both romantically and intellectually. Besides, if he decided to pull any funny business, he could become this month’s meal if she must do him in.
“Uh… sure…” she started, nervously playing with her apron. “I don’t have any custom orders tomorrow evening and I should have some free time between 10 and 2 if you wish to stop by again.”
“Great!” He said with a happy, yet goofy expression on his face. “I should be off around this time tomorrow evening as well, so I bid you adieu until then. Thank you for your time, Miss Nadja. It was wonderful to meet you.” He tipped his hat, throwing an extra quid into her tip jar as he walked away back into the night. Nadja smiled to herself as she walked back to knead her bread dough. Maybe this man was different from the others. He might have been human, but there was a spark in his eyes that just gave her a good feeling.
At the same time, Nadja was afraid that he's actually married and only flirting with her because he thought she was pretty. She always wished for a man who would respect her and always be there for her, but would this dapper gentleman be the one she’s been waiting for? Or would this end up with her heart broken like before?
The next night, Nadja made sure to take special effort into her appearance, putting her long, dark hair into an intricate updo with sparkly hair pins and carefully taking her time with her makeup since using a mirror was out of the question. If she was going to do this courting thing, she was going to do it properly. She tried to get as little flour on her dress as possible while she did her prep work to stay presentable as she waited for her expected stranger to arrive.
Soon enough, Lazlo had returned to the bakery wearing a slightly nicer outfit and carrying a small bouquet of red roses. “Hello again, Miss Nadja!” he said happily, slightly bowing to her as he removed his hat and jacket on the coat rack by the door before approaching the cafe table she was sitting down at. Before she could even respond, he came right up to her, presenting the bouquet to her with a wide grin on his chubby bearded face. “These are for you, m’lady,” he said as he handed her the flowers.
However, in the process of the exchange, one of the rose thorns nicked his finger, causing a bit of blood to seep from the superficial wound. As he cursed to himself upon the pain, the pheromones and scent of the blood triggered Nadja’s primal vampiric instincts, causing her pupils to dilate and her fangs to excrete venom, causing her mouth to become sticky and uncomfortable. He pulled out a handkerchief from his breast pocket, wrapping it around the cut to stop the bleeding, blissfully unaware of the predator accompanying him.
Trying to ground herself back into humanity, Nadja did the best thing she could think to do and smelled the beautiful bouquet of roses. While there definitely was a hint of floral scent in the air, all Nadja could smell was the sweet, cinnamon and clove scent of Lazlo’s blood. This confirmed two things to her: First, Lazlo was indeed a human and not another vampire unfortunately. Secondly, he was actually a virgin, meaning that he was not married. Most virgins had a special scent to their blood and he reeked of it.
However, Lazlo’s blood was the most unique one she had ever smelled. It was so sweet that it smelled almost like her fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Perhaps this was due to his heavy set body structure. While she had of course seen fat men in her life before, she had never actually been able to get a scent of their pure blood like she just did now. That was definitely a scent she enjoyed and if this date went sour, she knew where her next meal was coming from.
“T-Thank you,” Nadja stuttered, snapping back from her trance, her eyes returning to normal and swallowing the venom built up in her mouth. “They’re beautiful, and smell… wonderful.”
“Sorry about the little slip up there,” he nervously chuckled. “The woman that sold me these flowers said that the thorns had been removed. I guess she must’ve missed one.”
“No worries,” Nadja responded, gesturing towards the seat across from her. “Please have a seat and rest.”
Lazlo ordered some biscuits and a cup of black tea, and Nadja happily obliged to retrieve the sweets and tea from the back of the bakery. He seemed to be very hungry from whatever his job was, and it worked in her favor, considering Nadja had decided to create a new backup plan. She was curious about how the blood of a fat man would taste; Even better, a fat virgin's blood. So if this endeavor went sour, she decided that she would have a meal that would last her multiple months. It seemed that Lazlo had a decent appetite and a tendency to gain weight, so she would use this to her advantage. If he was going to be her meal, she was going to prime him to perfection. She wanted to make him as fat as she possibly could and had already taken the first steps to do so. That's why she put extra cream and sugar in cookies she had baked for him, not to mention the amount of milk and honey she provided for his tea.
She assumed it would take two or three months to make him perfectly plump and fattened. Then, if this wasn’t going to work out, she would be able to enjoy possibly the best meal of her life.
“I must say that you look wonderful tonight,” Lazlo complimented his beautiful date, sitting down with a minor groan. His joints were aching from the changing weather and being on his feet for a majority of his shift as he was not used to that (not to mention the extra 50 pounds resting upon his body). He noticed the little change in flavor of biscuits she had given him but he preferred chocolate anyway.
“Well I do appreciate the compliment, but may I ask you if the cookies taste alright? I’m afraid they might not be the best I’ve ever baked,” Nadja seemed quite nervous as she asked him to try changing the subject, as well as to make sure if he noticed the changes in ingredients. “I was trying my best though. I really wanted you to enjoy your treats.”
“To be honest, they are even better than those from yesterday!” Lazlo answered after he finished all of his cookies and used a napkin to clean his face of all the crumbs. “They are so sweet and creamy! I'm really used to eating very rich meals, so it’s just what I like.” He patted his belly bulge, as if he wanted to show how proud he was of being so plump and well-fed.
Nadja blushed. He was really charming. She thought that the idea of making him fatter on purpose was thrilling. Perhaps it could have something to do with her hidden deep down preference for large men.
Even though Lazlo was very attractive to her, she was pretty repulsed about considering any men as her potential lover. The only things she really focused on these days were things related to her baking business and how to get some blood to survive. She couldn't really trust anyone, especially skinny men since the monster who turned her into a vampire was stick thin.
Later in her endless life she had some short romances with men, who were almost always at least a bit chubby, as the thought of a man smaller than her was repulsive. Even though this relationship probably wouldn’t come to a pass, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of sexual pleasure in the thought of fattening up a random handsome gentleman. These thoughts wouldn’t hurt, right? She wouldn’t get that attached, would she? She will have some fun at least… right?
“I’m glad you enjoyed them,” she said, wiping a stray hair out of her face. “If you want anything else to eat tonight, it's not an issue. I have plenty of sweets which weren’t bought today, so you can finish all of them if you wish to. I focus on the good quality of my baked goods, so I usually just throw out all leftovers or give them to the tuberculosis camps down the street when I get the time. I’d rather them go to someone that really appreciated them.”
Lazlo thought it was really kind of her to offer the treats to him. He got that feeling that the more of Nadja’s treats he ate, the more appetite he had to continue enjoying himself and satisfy his gluttonous soul. Not to mention how infatuated he was with the amazing talented lady who made the most delicious biscuits he had ever eaten. He had always been quite awkward and never had luck with ladies. That's why he was in his 30s and still a bachelor. He wasn’t proud of this fact, but he was determined to eventually find a soul mate of his own. Perhaps this beautifully mysterious lady could one day be his wife.
“In that case, could I get a lemon tart? They look delicious,” He asked elegantly “Not to understate your impressive talent, of course. I'm sure everything here is delicious, and I would be glad to try a piece of all the cakes your bakery has to offer. I’m just pretty curious about this tart. I have never eaten anything like your baking before!”
Nadja looked at him with growing excitement in her eyes. He was like a human pig! So gluttonous and easy to fatten up. He’d be huge in no time if he kept eating at this rate!
“Certainly!” She said, eagerly scurrying to the kitchen to grab a tart for Lazlo. “Here you are and please don’t worry. Eat as much as you want and don't be ashamed. It’s just me here tonight, and I think all men should be able to eat whatever they please.”
That's how the next few hours passed. Nadja brought Lazlo a taste of every cake in the bakery, with him complimenting them and eating every single crumb presented to him. Throughout the night, they had learned a lot about each other and found that they had several common interests. They had both traveled across Europe throughout their lives. They had a similar taste in music, both of them having a passion for singing and playing the piano. They both also had dreamed of going to the New World one day, seeing all of the natural beauty America had to offer. She learned that he was the son of a wealthy businessman in the area who owned a manufacturing plant a few blocks down the road. While he was not the son who would be inheriting the business, he was working as an operations manager on the night shift and was guaranteed a steady income for all his life. Additionally, she found out that he too had a troubled romantic past, never having a serious relationship now at the age of 35.
Before they knew it, it was almost 5 am, and the sun was going to rise soon. With a yawn, Lazlo decided to call it a night, as he needed to get at least some sleep before his next shift. As he readied himself to leave, he realized that his belly was so stuffed he could barely stand. He also noticed that the buttons on his vest were so close to completely exploding. When he finally got to his feet, he was panting and was red in the face. Although he appeared to be a bit embarrassed, Nadja couldn't deny how arousing this sight was for her. Her fangs were watering from both arousal and thirst.
He walked/waddled to the door, Nadja tailing behind. As he grabbed his coat and hat, Nadja could see a ray of sunlight peeking out behind the clouds, one of the first she had seen in person in over a century, bringing a small smile to her face.
Before he opened the door to leave, Lazlo took her by surprise, grabbing her petite cold hand, and gently kissing it; his plump lips and trimmed beard brushing against her pale skin.
“Miss Nadja, this has been one of the best evenings I’ve had in a long time,” he started, looking her directly in the eye. “You’re a wonderful woman, and I am so glad I ran into you. Would you possibly be available later this week as well? I’d love to visit you again soon”
“I-I’ll be back here on Friday, Mr. Cravensworth,” she answered with a slight blush on her face. “I have some… personal matters… to take care of tomorrow night, but after that, I’m available every night after that.”
“Very well, Miss Nadja,” he answered, releasing her hand. “Have a great morning, and I look forward to our next meeting.”
He left the bakery, leaving Nadja stunned and confused. For a moment when they made eye contact, she could’ve sworn that her dormant heart was beating. She hadn’t felt that alive in centuries and her emotions had her head reeling. She decided to head back to her apartment above the bakery to clear her mind, but as she walked, she noticed that Lazlo’s bloody handkerchief was left behind. She picked it up, inhaling that heavenly scent again. Maybe this wouldn’t be the scent of a delicious meal, but rather the scent of a man who she could actually rely on.