title : i'm trying something new, does
this taste okay?
oc / pairing : clarence stevens and
stuart johnston (stevenston)
trigger warnings : some people have
food cws so food

DAY SEVEN : " does this taste okay? "

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THERE ARE MIXING BOWLS AND PANS ON THE COUNTER. ONE in the oven if you count what's baking in there currently. The aroma of sugar and  chocolate that surrounded the kitchen. When the counter was messy, that's when you knew Clarence was either stress baking or desperately trying to put his culinary degree to work and trying to experiment with things. Either way, it looked like a tornado had hit the kitchen, and the creativity was kicking.

Ever since the boss rejected three of his pitches for Christmas desserts, Clarence was on a mission. If he could help it, he wasn't gonna sell that disgusting fruitcake that they sold every year (and disgusting, he means deformed and bitter). And since the boss chose him as head baker, most of the other workers, with the exception of Tony and Alessandra had been voting against his creations.

The timer buzzed, which meant the cakes were done. He walked over to his oven, grabbing his oven mitt before he even opened the oven up. When he did, you could tell what he backed was reminiscent to red velvet. Even smelled like it, too. He gently placed it on top of the stove, and he turned to do something else, almost bumping into Stuart in the process.

"Goodness!" Clarence mumbled, "Stu, I could've almost bumped into you!"

"Wouldn't have done much damage," Stuart replied back.

"What are you doin' in here? I told Sandra not to let you pass. You have a habit of settin' kitchens on fire."

"She was distracted. Wasn't that hard to come in," Stuart answered, looking around at the kitchen, "it looks like a tornado hit it."

"Well, it's small, of course it's gonna look like that," Clarence muttered, "you didn't answer my last question."

"About why I'm here? I'm here to see you, what else? Besides ... You've been cooped up in here for the past hour, I wanted to make sure that you haven't gone insane," Stuart said.

Clarence finally took the oven mitt off. "I haven't," he said, "not yet, anyway."

Clarence looked back at the cakes that he set on the stove to cool. "Since you're here ..." he trailed off.

He carefully took one of the small cakes from the pan, putting it on one of the cakes on a saucer. He grabbed a spoon from the kitchen drawer, taking a piece of it off with the spook in his hand. He turned back to Stuart.

"I'm tryin' somethin' new," Clarence told him, "does this taste okay?"

Clarence practically spoonfed Stuart the piece of cake. If he knows anyone's going to give an honest opinion about his baking, it would be him. He saw Stuart's eyes light up and it made him smile.

"Clare, this is the best red velvet cake I've ever tasted," Stuart told him, "also ... is that white chocolate inside it── did you make a red velvet white chocolate lava cake?"

Clarence chuckled. "Yeah. Told you I was trying something new," he said, "so, you really like it?"

"Baby, I love it," Stuart replied, "If he rejects this one, I'm definitely suing him."

Clarence laughed. "You can't sue him for this," he told him, "pretty sure he can sue back for defamation if you did such a thing."

"He's rejected three of your Christmas desserts. I say something is fishy," Stuart said, "and it's not fair."

Clarence shrugged. "It's not fair. But, they're pretty much how it works in the culinary force of things. It's basically one big competition," he explained.

"But you work your ass off making this stuff. He's gotta at least give you some credit where it's due," Stuart told him.

"And he does," Clarence said, "and I honestly think he's trying to teach Tony an example through me."

Stuart frowned. He could tell how much he was stressing over it. Stuart knew Clarence loved baking. It was definitely one of the things that made him fall in love with Clarence in the first place.

He took Clarence's hand into his. "Listen to me," he spoke, "you're already sitting an example, alright? You've already been made an example to Tony. A good one. Both you and Alessandra. It's those other bakers that clearly have some vendetta. I can't really blame it fully on your boss."

Clarence huffed, shaking his head. "I'm talkin' about in regards to the competition part."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it has to be a harsh lesson," Stuart told him, "you're stressed as it is, baby. I don't think you need another thing to think about in that metaphorical mixing bowl of yours."

"Not worrying about it wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't in charge of the Christmas desserts this year," Clarence mumbled.

Stuart knew that was a lie. Clarence worried about any and everything. It was just how he was, it was because of how he was raised. He knew Clarence couldn't help it, as it was just a part of him. But he wanted nothing more than his partner's brain to relax.

He wrapped his arms around Clarence, giving him a gentle kiss to his jawline. "Look," he started, "Why don't you just relax, just for a moment, yeah?"

"Stuart I──"

"Ah, Ah. Listen to me for a second, okay?" Stuart told him, "we'll clean up this mess of a kitchen, and then we'll go out, anywhere you want, your choice. And then, we'll go out to dinner ... "

Clarence gave a smile. "You're always spoiling me," he said.

"Because I like spoiling you, babe," Stuart told him, kissing his cheek, "you deserve to be spoiled."

Clarence, as much as he hated to admit it, he liked being treated this way. Simply because no one ever treated him this way. He wasn't used to it. And although it was still very strange to him, he would rather Stuart spoil him than anyone else.

"I love you," Clarence told him, "you know that, right?"

Stuart gave a smile. "Everyday, it's implied, graveyard angel."

Clarence felt his smile grow wider. He fully turned to Stuart, placing a gentle kiss to his lips. He could still taste the remnants of red velvet and white chocolate on his lips. For some reason, it's satisfying. Tasting his own creation on his lover's lips.

He pulled back, their noses touching. Clarence hummed. "Guess I didn't do so bad, huh? He asked, in reference to the taste of the lava cake that danced along Stuart's lips.

"Told you it was the best thing I ever tasted," Stuart said, a smirk crawling onto his lips, "well, not better than──"

"Ah, ah! You dirty man, don't you dare say what you're about to say to me," Clarence replied back, placing his fingers between Stuart's lips.

Stuart couldn't help but to laugh at his response. He said nothing back, only kissed him. Clarence is met with the sweet taste once again. He had no idea how something could taste so much better on someone's lips rather than on its own.

The kiss is cut short when Alessandra walks into the kitchen. She crossed her arms. "Ah, so this is where you went."

They pulled away at the sound of her voice. Clarence looked away in embarrassment. He could hear the chuckle escape from Stuart.

"You got me," Stuart said, "successfully made it into the sacred kitchen."

"You sneaky dog," Alessandra said back, crossing her arms.

"Not sneaky. You're just bad at guarding things," Stuart snickered, "But not to worry, I didn't ruin anything. In fact, Clarence made me his guinea pig. He wanted me to try his new dessert."

"I wouldn't say guinea pig," Clarence muttered, "But he's right. You don't have to worry about anything right now. Actually, we're about to clean this up."

Alessandra nodded. "Cool, cause I was just about to leave. The school called. Angelo ended up with bruised knuckles and a bloody nose again."

"Beat up that Gray kid again, did he?" Stuart asked.

"That's what I'm about to find out," Alessandra muttered, "you boys have a nice time."

The two adult men watch as Alessandra leaves Clarence's house. The door closed behind her, Stuart looked back at Clarence.

"Now, where were we?"

"I think we were about to clean up this mess," Clarence said playfully.

"Yeah, but something before that," Stuart replied back, his smirk returning onto his face, leaning toward the other, "something along these lines right here."

Clarence chuckled, giving him a peck on his lips. "Right there?"

"Yeah," Stuart replied back, returning the endeavor afterward, "right there."