fandomhigh | Cupcakes, Friday 8/5, 2nd Period

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cupcakes

Cupcakes, Friday 8/5, 2nd Period

Cupcake class was back in the Home Ec room once more and Stark was at the front of said room with a box in front of him. All usual for a Friday.

“I thought we could make blue cupcakes this week,” he said once everyone had arrived. “I like blue.” And possibly another student (or two) had mentioned a fondness for blue as well. Perhaps one of them was getting a hesitant smile right now.

He eyed the box warily before opening it up. “Let’s see what the box has in store for us this week. Perhaps it will only be what I expect.” Stark paused, then shook his head. “No, I don’t think so either.”

“We have blueberries, which are supposed to be here. That’s good. Blue marshmallow Peeps, which are just marshmallow so that’s fine too. Good. But these things often start out well…” He gave a soft sigh and started removing more items from the box. “And blue cotton candy.” He smiled slightly at that because it was just a lot of sugar, after all, and he did love sugar. “There’s blue raspberry flavoring as well. And Blue Curaçao.” This was going too well and now Stark was getting suspicious as he pulled out an assortment of blue sprinkles and sugars to add to the tops of cupcakes.

“Oh. There we are. Of course. Blue corn. That’s not terrible, I suppose. Blue cheese. That isn’t for cupcakes. Or it ought not to be. And I don’t even know what butterfly pea flowers are.”

“Wait. Why…something is moving. Oh, no. Nonono. Absolutely not!” Stark glared at the box before reaching in and pulling out a very much alive blue lobster followed by a very much alive blue crab. “No. No. Those are going back in the box and nobody will be cooking them and I’ll…take them to Furnado. Or to the beach. We’re not eating them.” Stabby would never forgive him.

Summer being safely tucked away in her warehouse as a squirrel meant he couldn’t look at her in dismay and possible accusation yet again this week. Alas.

“If anyone needs help, ask. I’m happy to help. Leave the crustaceans alone. Please.”

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"What the hell," Travis said. "Who packs these boxes?"

"I don't know. They change before I open them again." Travis had missed so many horrified faces from Stark this summer.

"I just try to accept it now."

"This freaking town," Travis said with a sigh. "At least you get to decide whether anyone should use whatever ingredients."

"That never stops Summer," Stark said with a small sigh. "But very few things do."

Summer was a force.

"I don't think anyone else would do it. Unless you're going to try and put lobster in desserts?"

"Yeah, Summer seems . . . incorrigible."

That was very politic, Travis.

"I am definitely not going to try to put lobster in desserts. I'm from Seattle. I know where seafood belongs."

"Summer is...Summer," Stark agreed, with a fond smile.

"I'm glad you aren't putting lobster in any desserts," he said, more seriously. "I'm not sure I could forgive that." He was fighting back a smile though. He forgave Summer all her food trespasses. He could forgive Travis. He would just have to make a very, very sad face at him for a while.

Not sad faces! Travis would not be able to handle sad faces. It'd be a very effective deterrent.

"Neither my mom, my best friend, nor my dead husband's memory would forgive me if I tried," Travis said. "Day-old grocery store sushi, sure. Seafood cupcakes? Never."

Stark had a very effective Big Sad Eye when he wanted to.

"I'm glad. I would hate to have to throw you out of here. I hope nobody you know would approve. Aside from Summer, of course."

“Pretty sure I’d have to disown them if they did,” Travis said. “It’s a crime against cupcakes and seafood.”

"It is," Stark agreed. "Definitely. Seafood does not belong in any cupcake. It's fine for eating other times. Not for dessert. Although... perhaps not crab. Not with Stabby at the clinic. But other seafood is fine."

Maybe he could suggest another dinner? Maybe. If he worked up the courage.

“Right. The clinic crab.” Travis gave the box a concerned look. “He’s not . . . the one in the box, is he?”

"No! No, no. He should still be safely in his tank. I'm not sure he nurses would give him up. Or that he'd go without a fight." He was called Stabby for a reason, after all.

"But I still don't think I'll be having crabs anytime soon."

Stark, phrasing.

"Maybe we could... get something else to eat? Another time? Or it wouldn't have to be food. There are other things. If you wanted to do something?"

Smooth, Stark. Very smooth.

Travis chuckled. “I’d love to. Maybe a movie this time? If the theater’s open. . . .”

Stark flashed him a relieved smile. "Oh. Good. Um. Right. We should do that then. If the theatre is open. What if it isn't?"

There were movies on the mainland, Stark. That could be a possibility.

“Then we’ll do something else?” Travis offered. “I’m flexible.”

Oh look, more phrasing issues!

"Oh. Good. But...I'd like a movie, I think. I don't remember going to a movie theatre before."

Possibly there had been an IMAX thing on one of the school trips but that wasn't the same even if Stark had done that.

"And it's good trying new things."

“I promise, we can do something that you introduce me to sometime, too.”

"I'll have to think of something," Stark said with a small frown. "I'm not sure what..."

Adventures in space never ended well, after all. And he didn't have a ship in any case.

"But a movie, for now. This weekend?" Was that too eager? "Or another time. I have plenty of time."

“This weekend,” Travis decided. “Why wait?”

"Good," Stark said, flashing another smile. "This weekend then. I'll meet you there? Sunday?"

Unless they needed to see each other before then. Stark was amenable to that as well.

“Sunday sounds good,” Travis agreed. “And we can meet up, or . . . maybe this time I can walk you there?”

"I'd like that," Stark told him quickly. "Walking together. Yes. Let's do that. If you don't mind?"

He did know that his apartment was not actually on the way.

The island was tiny. It wouldn’t be much of a detour.

“If I minded, I wouldn’t have suggested it,” Travis pointed out with a smile. “I promise.”

Maybe Stark would just have to walk Travis home in return. And then awkwardly run into Eddie in the morning.

"Then I will see you on Sunday. I'll wait."

… Yes. Yes that absolutely had to happen.

“Sunday,” Travis agreed. “Not much of a wait at all.”

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