Work Text:
CORA'S POV
***
There was dough all over my hands, sticking my fingers together and making it nearly impossible to let go of the rolling pin I was using. I huffed and opened all my fingers... And the rolling pin stayed right where it was.
"This is a disaster," I groaned. When I'd gotten it in my head to make something for Glymur for our anniversary, I kind of imagined it would be easier.
This mess was *supposed* to turn into pastry dough, and it was supposed to do that *before* Glymur got back. At this rate, it was still going to be a lump of sticky goop by then. For some reason, I assumed this baking stuff was supposed to be easy.
Taking a moment to consult the cookbook I was using, I tried to see where I'd gone wrong. There it was. Plain as day. I was supposed to put flour down before I tried to roll the dough out, or else it would stick to everything.
"What? You've got to be kidding me! Where's the flour..."
I shoved aside a mixing bowl, the measuring glass I'd used for the liquids, and the egg shells. Where was the flour? I knew it was here somewhere. After a few frustrating moments, I located the flour and dumped some on the table and on my hands.
Thankfully, that helped to un-stick it from everything and I was finally able to get back to rolling it out. All the same, I decided I was going to set aside my pastry dough and try making something easier.
Maybe a cake. Because at least that had to be a little easier... Didn't it?
***
It just so happened that the answer was no. No; cake was not easier. Whatever kind of black magic Glymur used to make cakes look as good as they did, and actually stay together right... I didn't have that kind of magic.
The monstrous thing I had made was leaning alarmingly to the left, and the icing looked... well, it looked like an ogre had sneezed on my cake, and then tried to smooth it over the surface. Appetizing was not a descriptor I would've used in reference to the hideous creation I'd made. The best I could hope for right now was "edible."
Maybe I could convince Glymur to humor me and wear a blindfold before I brought this thing anywhere near him.
At least the pastry dough - once I'd used flour - was still a promising option. The cake was a fail, but perhaps I could make the dough into something nice... ish. I sure hoped so.
***
Following the kind of luck I'd been having since I started baking this morning, Glymur showed up before I was ready. The pastries - my only hope at baking redemption - were still in the oven. The unfortunate ogre-snot cake was on display, slumping toward the counter like the glorious eyesore it was.
So in an attempt to save myself the embarrassment I was destined to feel, I went racing through the house, abandoning what I'd been working on in favor of barreling toward the kitchen to hide the disaster before Glymur saw it.
We passed in the hall - and by passed, I did mean we nearly crashed - and I continued toward the kitchen, calling back, "I hope things went well at the place!"
"Things went fine... Is the house on fire?"
"No! Everything's fine!" I blurted while I searched desperately for something to hide the thing I'd created.
"Cora... Is everything all right?"
"Yes, yes! Of course! All great! Just... I'm just... cleaning!"
He came around the corner and peered into the kitchen. I had just enough time to jump in front of the counter and put myself between the unfortunate-looking cake and Glymur's view of it.
"Hello..."
"Hello. Are you all right? You look... flustered."
I huffed and waved away his concern. "What? Flustered? No..."
He gave me a confused half-smile and then leaned sideways until he spotted... *It*. His expression didn't change from the mildly concerned smile he wore.
"Baking things, I see?"
"Uh... I know today is special, and I was planning to do something special for you..." Finally, I forced myself to look the ogre-snot cake in the eye. I grimaced. "When I started this morning, I had something... nicer in mind," I admitted.
Glymur walked over and wrapped an arm around me, still smiling oddly at the cake. I got the distinct feeling he was trying hard not to laugh at me.
"Looks aren't that important, as long as it tastes all right," he said.
I snorted. "So you admit that it looks hideous, then?"
"No... Not... hideous. It's... quaint."
I nudged him with my elbow and then propped my hands on my hips. "You sure struggled to get all that out."
He circled the counter, looking at my monstrosity - ah, I mean, masterpiece - from every angle.
"It has personality. I think it's rather charming... In a rustic sort of way."
"Oh just admit it. It looks like an ogre puked on it. It's not going to hurt my feelings."
Glymur covered his mouth and tried - really tried - not to laugh. "Cora..."
I bit my lip and *also* tried not to laugh. "Go on. Say it."
He walked around the table and wrapped his arms around me. "I love it. Truly, I do. This has been the highlight of my day."
I snorted. "Sure. Here I thought you said Elves couldn't tell lies." Still, I smiled and returned the hug, leaning into him.
"I'm not lying. I do love it... It makes me smile." He moved back just enough that he could kiss me. "I know baking is not something you particularly love to do, so the gesture itself is special to me."
"Even though it looks like... That?"
He looked back at the cake. "Perhaps especially so. It's glorious."
"Uh-huh. Just so you know, I made pastries, too. And they're much less ugly than that thing."
He laughed, taking my hands in his and looking me over. I was still wearing the apron I'd put on earlier. It - and the rest of me - was covered in flour and blobs of dough and icing.
"Your attempt at looking like a domestic housewife is very adorable. But you are more the wild-housewife variety," he stated.
I laughed and stood on the tips of my toes to kiss him. "What sort of things does a wild housewife usually do?"
"There seems to be a wide variety that includes anything from fighting evil wizards to hunting rabbits by smacking them with sticks."
"Hey! I never did that!"
"Ah yes. You only mentioned doing it, and I filled the blanks in, imagining what that would look like."
"Silly Elf."
At this point, I felt a lot better about my mess of a cake, though. "From now on, I'll leave the baking to you. It's too messy for me."
"Agreed."
I walked around the table to retrieve a knife and plates so that I could cut into the cake. "Want me to try it first, to see if it's even edible?"
"I trust you."
"Oh boy, you're probably going to regret that."
He smiled over at me. "Thank you, Cora. Really."
"Don't thank me 'til you try it."
"Challenge accepted."