Fandom One Shots

My Universe-Cupcake Guru-Version 1

[Quick explanation before you start reading, this is version 1 of the story! The next chapter will have a different ending, and be third person following a different character]

The bell over the door jingled cheerfully as Akseli (Axel-ie) walked into the bakery. He couldn't help but smile at the smells wafting past him as he stood just inside the doorway.

A smiling woman around his age with wild black hair barely restrained by a headband of some sort smiled at him from behind the counter. "Hi there! Welcome to Born and Bread, you can come on up when you're ready to order."

He shook his head. "I'm actually not here to order, I have a question."

"Alright." She beckoned him closer, leaning forward and resting her forearms. There were few people in the building, so she didn't seem worried about making someone wait.

"I'm looking for Marília Paim." Akseli grimaced a little, knowing he probably pronounced the name wrong. 

The woman chuckled. "Mah-REE-lee-ah. And you've found her. What can I do for you?"

He held up the business card he'd grabbed from his office the day before. "Is this true?"

Marília glanced at the card. "Y'know, I've never had anyone come in and ask that."

Akseli pocketed the card again. "Well?"

She nodded. "I can indeed figure out anything and make a cupcake taste like it. Haven't failed yet... Why do you ask?"

"It intrigued me, 's'all." Akseli said. "Would you mind, I dunno, proving it?"

Marília smiled. "It would be my pleasure. What would you like?"

Akseli leaned in conspiratorially. "There's this really rare fruit, it's called a Kesembi, or a Tiger Cherry. Barely anyone has ever heard anything about it, and there's only one website to ever write about it."

She nodded. "Do you know what it tastes like?"

"That's the fun part. You have to guess." Akseli grinned at her. "The website describes the taste, and I've had one once, so I know what it tastes like. But you don't get to know."

Marília smirked. "And what happens if I get it right?"

Akseli shrugged. "I'll figure something out."

"And how long do I have?" She asked, pushing herself off the counter to grab a notepad from the other side of the workstation.

"Say three days?" Akseli suggested. "I'll check in with you daily."

Marília chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were just trying to be around me."

Akseli felt a light blush rise to his cheeks and tried to hide it with a quiet laugh. 

"Not that I'd be opposed to that." She added. Before he could do more than blush harder, she checked over what she had written down. "So I have to make a cupcake that tastes like a Tiger Cherry based off of a single website's description, and I have three days."

Akseli nodded, his face red.

Marília looked up. "And does my challenger have a name?"

"A-Akseli." He stuttered out.

She smiled. "Pretty. How's it spelled?"

Akseli told her.

Marília set the notepad on the counter. "Then I will see you tomorrow, Akseli. We're having a slow day, I might as well get started now."

He smiled shyly. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."

----------------------------

Marília was waiting for Akseli when he walked through the door on Friday.

"Feeling confident?" He asked her.

She shrugged. "It's a lot harder to recreate a flavor when you don't know what it tastes like, but I'm pretty sure I got it."

Akseli nodded. "Let's find out then."

Marília smiled and walked into the back of the shop. She returned a few moments later with a single cupcake, frosted simply, but elegantly.

Akseli chuckled. "Well it certainly looks good."

She rolled her eyes and handed it over the counter to him. "Of course it does. My cupcakes always look good."

He laughed and took the cupcake, peeling back the wrapping and glancing at her before taking a bite.

Slowly his eyes widened.

"Did I get it right?" Marília asked curiously, staring at him.

Akseli motioned for her to wait a moment as he savored the bite. Then he swallowed and nodded. "How?"

Marília beamed. "I just combined flavors until I found what I thought best matched the description."

Akseli stared at her. "But.... But that's not possible!"

She frowned. "Why not?"

"Kesembis, Tiger Cherries, whatever, they don't exist!"

"What?"

Akseli explained how he had made up the fruit and set up the website to go with it when he was in college, working in a web design class for his business degree. "It's not real, so how in the world did you manage to create the exact flavor I imagined?"

Marília shrugged. "I guess I'm just that good. But now you owe me."

"What? Why?"

"You set me up to fail and I still won." She grinned.

Akseli sighed in defeat. He had to admit that it was very impressive, what she had done. "Fine, I owe you. What do you want?"

Marília leaned over the counter again. "My little bakery doesn't have very good advertising. We don't have someone who works well with computers, so we haven't gotten a website yet."

Akseli could see where this was going. "I can make you a website."

"Thank you, komistus!"

He spluttered. "W-what?"

Marília smiled at him. "I looked up what language your name is from."

Akseli blushed. "A-and you know...."

"That I just called you handsome? Of course."