Work Text:
February 12th
Saltbaker’s POV
The beginning and the middle of February were always the busiest months. Due to it being valentines day. Me, personally, I’m not really a huge fan of valentine’s day. It’s nice to see people happy with their significant other, but in a way, I feel a bit jealous. It’s not that I crave love, it’s just that I’m very busy and I don’t really have time for it. I do think that people are good-looking, but I never got the chance to make a move, or even have a full-on conversation with them. But now, it seems like things changed.
It was around the start of fall, and a cat woman named Foxxy came into the bakery. At first impression, I did think that she was pretty. But, it wasn’t in a way it was a love-at-first-sight. She asked for cinnamon coffee cake, and before her, I never made it because nobody ordered it. I told her that she could get it for free the next day. She ended up agreeing and came the next day. From there, we became closer. We learned more about each other, and we became friends.
I have friends other than Foxxy, but with her, it just felt a bit different. We had a lot more in common than expected. We had the same side hobbies, singing and dancing. Speaking of which, Foxxy is a really good singer. I mean, it makes sense, she did sing for a living at some point, but it’s something about her voice that sounds so hypnotizing in a way. She is also very talented when it comes to painting anything. I remember when she came to my bakery with a painting in her hand, and it was such a beautiful painting. I genuinely thought it was a photo! When she told me she painted it, it was like my jaw dropped. She doesn’t diminish her talents by any means, but she tends to pressure herself and criticize any “mistake” she misses.
She also has some habits, which include zoning out at any given moment. I could always tell when she zones out, but she says that I can’t. She would always tend to have an angry look on her face, as she stares straight in her direction. Sometimes, she’d make eye contact with me as she dozes off.
Foxxy’s eyes are so lovely, also. Her baby blue and golden eyes are so alluring. It feels like your staring at gold and the ocean, all at the same time. Her gorgeous tanned skin always seems to illuminate, even on the coldest days. Foxxy is also insecure about her skin since she has vitiligo, but that’s what I find so unique about her.
At first thoughts, she could come off as a bit intimidating, but after getting to know her, she did soften up around me. We were both very vulnerable towards each other, talking about our struggles and our past. I talked to her about what I did in the past, and she was disappointed in me. But, she appreciated that I was being honest with her. She opened up about her life as a pop star, her childhood, and how she used to date King Dice of all people! What a small world we live in, am I right?
I could talk about Foxxy all day, but I really needed to get back to making this cake that a customer suggested. A custom cake that asked to be their valentine. Very cheesy, but could be the most effective way.
As I started to develop the cake more, I did start to think about it. What if I did the same thing? After this cake, I don’t have any more catering to do. After a couple of hours of constructing the cake, I called the person whose cake I baked and told them to pick up their cake.
They quickly came into the Bakery to pick it up and shyly left the bakery. After they left, I didn’t have to think at all for me to head to the kitchen once again to gather some ingredients.
Butter, Vanilla Extract, Flour, Eggs… and… cinnamon. I quickly got the cinnamon from the back of the cabinet and placed it on the table. I’m gonna do the same idea… Bake a cake to ask her to be my valentine. Doesn’t sound like a bad idea, right?
Except, it was! I managed to spill all of the cinnamon on the floor! I was super upset. What was I supposed to do? And I had no more cinnamon left! Good thing I didn’t combine the ingredients together… Just as I was sweeping up the cinnamon, I heard the door click and I went my way back to the counter.
Speaking of the cat…
“Hey Salty! How are you?” Foxxy smiled at me. That smile… so beautiful. I would usually hate people calling me Salty, but it's different when she says it. “Hi, Foxxy... I’m doing fine, just something dropped and I had to sweep it up.” I told her.
“Oh! Is that why it smells like cinnamon in here?” Foxxy asked. “Yeah. I have no more left, so I have to go to the store and buy some.” I sighed. I, truthfully, was annoyed at this.
But, some bells did ring in my head. Since this is for Foxxy, what if I asked her what she liked instead of cinnamon coffee cake? That's mainly the only cake flavor she buys.
“I have a question.” She’ll answer this, right? “What is it?”
“What’s your favorite cake flavor besides cinnamon cake?” I asked her. Foxxy then looked up at the ceiling, and then at the menu. “Hm…” She then put her index finger on her chin.
“Maybe strawberry shortcake… or white layer… there are others but I can’t think of any at the moment...” She then raised her eyebrow at me. “Why are you asking?”
“Can’t ask a question?” I smirked. She then giggled. “You can! Are you making a cake for a special someone?” It’s like she was asking the question now. It’s like she caught me red-handed!
“Since you don’t have the coffee cakes… I want two white-layer cupcakes.” She tells me. I give it to her, and she pays for it. But, before she leaves, I stop her.
“Um.. odd question, can you come back here tomorrow?” I ask her. She looks at me, confused. “Oh, of course! I was planning on coming back here tomorrow anyways, need to treat myself for valentines-eve.” She says.
I looked at her, confused. “I celebrate valentines day the day before… So I don’t have to go outside and see all the couples.” She explains.
I nodded my head. “That makes sense. I should do that.” She then comes back to the counter. “Wait, you don’t have a valentine?” She asked me.
“No,” I replied. “I’m shocked. I thought a charming man like you would have a date.” She said. What does she mean by that?
I chuckled. “I’m flattered, but I guess I’m just too busy.” I caught a glance at her, and it looked like she was eyeing me down. I guess she’s secretly judging me. “Ah, I see… If you weren’t busy, would you consider dating anybody?” She asked me.
“Maybe.” I shrug. I was really lying, the woman I wanted to date in question was right in front of me. She nodded her head. “Hm… Alright. I’ll come here after work tomorrow, is that okay?” Foxxy asked. “Oh yeah, that’s perfectly fine.” Foxxy then heads out the door, but not before saying something. “See you tomorrow!” She shouts before she heads out the door. Just like that, she’s gone. I check the clock, and it seemed like it was just about closing time.
I lock the doors and I go back to the kitchen to clean up the spilled cinnamon on the floor, and then I throw it out. I put the rest of my supplies where it needs to be, and then I go upstairs to my house to sleep, but not before kissing Chalice to bed.
---
February 13th
I did my usual morning routine, wake up, brush my teeth, take a shower, put on clothes, take Chalice to school, and then get ready for work. Same ol’, Same ol’. I opened the bakery for the day, and in the beginning, it didn’t seem like nobody was coming in. So, I decided that it would be a good idea to start baking the cake now. Wouldn’t want it to be old, right? I regathered all of the main ingredients to make the cake. But, I was debating which flavor I should do.
Foxxy did mention that she did like strawberry shortcakes and white layers. Maybe I could combine both? The strawberry flavor on one layer and the vanilla flavor on the second layer with the shortcake decoration on the cake? I end up getting two different cake batters, and I ended up baking them in the oven over the span of an hour. With a few minor distractions, such as customers coming in, things were going alright. I put the cake in the oven for about 35 minutes. I put a timer as the clock ran. It was good that I did that because it seemed like an ambush of customers crusading into my bakery, ordering various things from the valentine’s day menu. After a while, the cake was ready, and I carefully took the two cakes out of the oven and let them cool down. I’m pretty sure I burnt my hands a bit, but it’s all in the name of love I suppose.
After the cake started to cool down, I cut the two layers of cake into a heart shape, I made sure both sides were symmetrical, and I had to perfect it. Just as I was cutting, the door rang, now, I was very focused, and when I heard that, I accidentally cut myself with the knife. I yelped loudly, trying not to say any expletives as I went to grab a paper towel, salt was coming out a little bit on my thumb, and I went to the front of the register.
A customer was standing there, curiously looking at the menu. “Do you have any heart-shaped cookies?” They asked. It was an elderly woman. I looked at the sign where the cookies were supposed to be. There was none in there. ‘Sorry, but we have nothin’.” I tell her.
“Ah, no… When will it come back?” She asked. “Well, until next year. I’m not open tomorrow.” I explain. “But, any valentine’s day related item you get, you can have it on the house, what do you say?” Why not reimburse? “Alright…” She then pointed to the pink macarons. I ended up giving her two of the macarons, and she kept on asking me if she should pay for them, I politely told her no. The money that she was supposed to give me, she put in the tipping jar and left the bakery.
It felt quiet, but it really wasn’t. Jazz was loudly playing in the store, but I was still alone in the store. I went to the bathroom to get a bandaid and I put it on, as I continue my journey to make the cake.
I then stack up the two cakes together, and then I take the strawberry shortcake frosting and frost the cake with it. After doing that, I put some red decorations on the side of the cake, symbolizing hearts (which took about two hours). I get pink and red heart sprinkles from the cabinets and sprinkle some on there. I go a bit further to see what I’ve done. It’s simple, but I really like the design. Plus, if I wanted to go extravagant, I wouldn’t have the time to anyways, I wanted my love’s cake to be fresh and pretty. The cake is best when it’s just served!
Instead of taking the red frosting, I decided to make a white frosting and put “be my valentine” in front of the cake, all in the display.
I took strawberries out of the fridge to water them and put them on the cake. I didn’t really know how much would be “too much”. Plus, it’ll be in a box. So, I ended up only putting about 4 strawberries on the bottom of the cake.
I made some final touches to the cake, and then voila! The cake is done! I was very proud of my cake, and maybe Foxxy will be too. Speaking of which, I checked the time, and it was 15 minutes before Foxxy would make her way here. I took out a valentine’s shaped box and carefully put the cake in there without messing up anything. If anything messed up, bad luck.
Feeling tired, I slumped down on the chair, feeling the bead of sweat on my forehead. I’m not sure how much I rested there, because it didn’t feel like long, that I was going back to the counter to see who was there.
When I saw who it was, in a way, my heart did drop. It was Foxxy, once again. It’s not that my heart dropped due to me being scared, well… it was… but it was also nervousness. What if this was all just for nothing?
Once again, she looks beautiful as usual. Her hair was in her usual up-do, and instead of wearing her typical turtleneck and long skirt, instead, she was wearing a sailor outfit.
“Oh, you actually made it!” I say. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I? Wouldn’t ditch you.” She smiled. I smiled back at her.
“How was work?” I ask her. “Fine. Nothing much was going on in there. How was the bakery today?”
“It was busy in the beginning but it hasn’t been busy all day,” I tell her. “That’s good…” I purposefully avoided eye contact with her, I felt like my stomach was doing backflips even more now that she was here.
As I was looking at my hands avoiding eye contact, I see her hands inspecting mine. “You hurt yourself today?” She asked. It felt a lot hotter in the room, even though it was practically in the middle of winter. “Yeah, I cut my finger cutting a cake,” I explain.
“Hard work is pain,” She told me. She then let her hand go. In a way, I was a bit disappointed.
I felt like I was getting off track. “Oh, yeah… I have to give you something, I-I’ll be right back.” I leave to go to the kitchen.
---
Saltbaker leaves to go to the kitchen and looks directly at the cake. But, he has got to psych himself up before he goes. He takes some deep breaths, and then takes the cake and comes back to the front. Foxxy, meanwhile, was staring right at the kitchen like a hawk, so when they accidentally made eye contact, they both looked away from each other.
“I made you a cake.” Saltbaker then put the cake on the counter. Foxxy was confused. Her birthday was next month? Her birthday is on the next month 13, not this month!
“Saltbaker,” She looks at him with a serious look in her eyes. Saltbaker then looks down at her, and then he thinks of the worst scenarios possible. Then, she speaks, “My birthday’s next month!” She chuckles. Saltbaker then nervously laughs.
“Oh, I know… This is just for you now…” He says. Foxxy makes an “O” sound before covering her face with her hands. “That’s so embarrassing, I’m sorry,” She then laughs.
“It’s okay!’ He reassures.
Foxxy then looks at the cake. The cake is super pretty, even in the box! It’s pink, and red, and has strawberries on it. It’s like what Foxxy wanted in a cake, even though she didn’t ask for it.
At this time, it seemed like Saltbaker was biting his nails in anticipation as to what to say, or what she was even going to say.
“Saltbaker, this cake is so beautiful! Thank you!” She still looks at the cake and notices that there was letters on the cake. “You mind if I open it? I can’t see the letters on it.” She asks.
“Y-Yeah, I don’t mind,” Saltbaker says nervously.
She slowly opens up the cake, to make sure it doesn’t get messed up. She then stops in her tracks.
“Will you be my valentine?” was written on the cake. Foxxy was astonished. Is this real? Was he really asking her to be her valentine?
She nervously laughs. “Are you pranking me?” She asked. “No, I’m serious…” He says. The regret instantly filled up.
Foxxy then smiled, and her smile turned wider. She couldn’t be happier. After all, this time of her worrying that he doesn’t like her back, was all for really nothing? Him, the Chef Saltbaker, liking her? This all didn’t feel real.
“Of course, I’ll be your valentine!” She announces. Saltbaker’s head instantly shot up. Did he hear that correctly? Foxxy then puts the cake back in the box and reaches to hug him. He hugs her back, and this time instead of a normal hug, he practically lifts her up in the air. Now, instead of them being separated by the counter, they are closer to each other, more than they ever did as friends.
“I really thought you would say no.” He said in between the muffled hugs. She then looked him, right in the eyes. “Of course, I wouldn’t! I like you for so long… and I really couldn’t have said no to you!”
“How long was that?” He asked her. “For about two months,” She replied. They then stared at each other’s faces, and then at each other’s lips. They got closer and closer until she gave him a peck on the lips.
Saltbaker then put Foxxy down. “So… what do you have planned for tomorrow?” Foxxy asked him. “You know that new fancy restaurant down the block from here? We’re going to that.” He says. Foxxy’s eyes widened.
“How did you manage to get a table at that place?” She asked. Saltbaker winked. “I have my ways,”
Guess it was a date.