Soda hopped into the helicopter with ease, grabbing your arm and hauling you up behind her like it was second nature. Before you could protest, she unceremoniously plopped you into a seat and strapped herself in with practiced speed.

You, however, weren't nearly as graceful. Letting out a startled yelp, you scrambled to grab the nearest railing, clinging to it for dear life as the helicopter rocked from your frantic movements.

" Whoa there, rookie! " Soda teased, laughter bubbling out of her as she reached over to steady you. " You're not gonna fall. Relax! "

" Relax?! " you shot back, eyes wide as you tightened your grip. " This thing feels like it's held together with duct tape and hope! "

She just grinned, clearly relishing your distress. " You'll live. Probably. "

The ride itself was no better. Scrapper's piloting was as erratic as Soda's reputation suggested. The helicopter swayed and jerked unpredictably, each sharp turn and dip leaving your stomach in knots. Meanwhile, Soda was in her element, whooping and cheering like she was on a thrill ride.

By the time the helicopter touched down on the floating island, you were pale and clutching your seatbelt like a lifeline. Soda unbuckled herself with ease and hopped out, turning back to smirk at you.

" Come on, lightweight, " she called, holding out a hand. " We're here! "

You wobbled to your feet, legs like jelly as you stumbled out of the helicopter. The ground beneath you felt mercifully solid, though the nausea still lingered. You leaned against a nearby railing, taking deep breaths to steady yourself.

" Not a fan of flying, huh? " Scrapper quipped as he climbed out of the cockpit, his smirk as sharp as ever. He gave Soda a fist bump before glancing at you. " Don't worry. After a few trips, you'll get used to it. "

" Yeah, no thanks, " you muttered, determined to keep your breakfast where it belonged.

Soda clapped you on the back, hard enough to make you stumble. " You did great! For a first-timer, anyway. "

You glared at her, but she only laughed, jerking her thumb toward a massive set of towers and buildings ahead. " Welcome to the NSR! Let's get moving—the fun's just getting started. "

Still recovering, you forced yourself upright and followed her, the sprawling facility looming larger with each step.

Scrapper sidled up to you, his grin persistent. " So, you're Soda's friend, huh? Got a name? "

You groaned, swatting him away weakly. " Not now—I'm still making sure I don't lose my breakfast. "

He chuckled but wisely backed off, falling into step behind you and Soda as she practically dragged you toward one of the facility's smaller buildings.

Soda's bakery was unexpectedly cozy, a warm contrast to the sterile, industrial feel of the rest of the facility. The scent of fresh bread and pastries wafted through the air, calming your still-nervous stomach. You plopped onto a stool at the counter with a sigh, shooting Soda a half-hearted glare.

" See? Isn't this nice? " she said, ignoring your expression. " Oh, by the way, this here is my good friend [Name]! I told them they'd make a great scout, but they weren't into it—so I figured they could help out here instead! "

Soda's words spilled out in rapid succession, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke. 

" Seriously, it gets super boring sometimes, with the scouts all busy doing tower stuff and everyone else wrapped up in their own projects. Having someone to talk to is gonna make this way more fun, don't you think?! "

You zoned out halfway through her rambling, letting the words fade into the background as you tried to reclaim your bearings.

A chuckle snapped you back to attention. " You know, it's rude to stare at strangers, " Scrapper said, leaning casually against the counter. His grin widened. " Or am I just that captivating ? "

You froze.

You'd been staring.

Fuck.

Your face burned as you quickly looked away, muttering, 

" I wasn't staring. Just... zoning out. "

Scrapper laughed, the sound annoyingly smug.  "Sure you were. Don't worry, [Name], it happens all the time. Can't blame you for appreciating perfection. " He struck an exaggerated pose, earning an eye roll from Soda.

" Scrapper, stop flirting, " Soda said, throwing a towel at him. " You're making them regret coming here. "

He caught the towel midair, grinning as he draped it over his shoulder. " What can I say? I've got charm. "

" Yeah, about as much charm as a wet sock, " you shot back before you could stop yourself.

For a moment, there was silence, and you wondered if you'd gone too far. Then Soda burst out laughing, doubling over as she clutched her sides. Scrapper blinked, his grin faltering before he joined in, shaking his head in mock defeat.

" Okay, okay, " he said, holding up his hands. " I'll give you that one. Guess you've got some bite, huh? I like it. "

" Scrapper, stop being weird, " Soda said, still giggling as she slid behind the counter. 

" Anyway, [Name], don't let him scare you off. He's harmless. Mostly. "

" Mostly? " you echoed warily, eyeing him as he smirked.

Soda waved off your concern, already pulling out ingredients. "Anyway! Since you're here, you're gonna help me bake. And before you try to say no, just think of it as therapy after that rough helicopter ride."

" I don't even know how to bake, " you said, frowning as she set a mixing bowl in front of you.

" Perfect! Then I get to teach you, " she said, flashing a grin. " It's easy. You'll be a pro in no time. "

Scrapper chuckled, leaning against the counter as he watched the two of you. " This oughta be good. Don't worry, [Name], if Soda can bake, anyone can. "

Soda threw a handful of flour at him, making him jump back with a laugh. " Keep talking, and you're gonna help too. "

" Pass, " he said, brushing off his jacket. " I'll end up burning the kitchen down. "

You sighed, resigning yourself to your fate as Soda launched into an overly enthusiastic explanation of her baking process. Despite your initial reluctance, you found yourself relaxing as the warm scent of cinnamon and sugar filled the room.

Soda clapped her hands together, her grin as bright as ever. " Alright, [Name], let's start with something simple—cookies! You can't go wrong with cookies. "

" I can definitely go wrong with cookies, " you muttered, staring skeptically at the bowl in front of you.

Soda rolled her eyes, handing you a measuring cup. " Not with me as your teacher. Now, first things first: grab the flour. "

You reached for the bag of flour, accidentally lifting it too fast and sending a small cloud of white dust into the air. Soda coughed, waving her hand in front of her face, while Scrapper leaned against the counter, his smirk firmly in place.

" Off to a strong start, " Scrapper quipped. " Didn't realize we were making snow angels instead of cookies. "

" Scrapper, " Soda said with a pointed look, " if you're not going to help, at least don't distract my star pupil. "

" I'm just here for the show , " he replied, holding his hands up in mock innocence.

" Okay, [Name], back to the flour, " Soda said, brushing some off her apron. " Measure out two cups—carefully this time—and pour it into the bowl. "

You managed to get the flour into the bowl with only a little spillage, earning an approving nod from Soda. " See? Easy. Now, sugar! Half a cup. "

You grabbed the sugar, pouring it into the measuring cup—only for your hand to slip, sending a cascade of sugar all over the counter.

Scrapper snorted, clearly enjoying himself. " Sweet start. Literally. "

" Would you stop? " you snapped, glaring at him as Soda stifled a laugh.

" Hey, I'm just saying, this is comedy gold, " Scrapper said, grinning. " I should've brought popcorn. "

" Scrapper, hush, " Soda said, though her grin suggested she was having a hard time keeping a straight face. " Alright, [Name], no big deal. We'll clean that up later. Let's keep going—grab the butter! "

You managed to soften and mix the butter without any mishaps, which felt like a small victory. Soda guided you through cracking eggs and adding vanilla extract, all while Scrapper continued his running commentary.

" Careful with the eggs, [Name]. Wouldn't want to scramble them, " he said, chuckling as you hesitated over the bowl.

" Don't listen to him, " Soda said, giving Scrapper a look. " You're doing great! "

Finally, the dough was starting to come together. Soda handed you a wooden spoon, encouraging you to mix everything thoroughly. The spoon got stuck in the thick dough almost immediately, and you struggled to pull it free.

" Need some help there, champ? " Scrapper asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

" I'm fine, " you gritted out, wrestling with the dough.

Soda stepped in, laughing as she helped you mix it properly. " Okay, okay, team effort. Now for the fun part—chocolate chips! "

You dumped the chocolate chips into the bowl, this time with no disasters, and Soda guided you through scooping the dough onto a baking sheet. The cookies went into the oven, and you leaned against the counter with a sigh of relief.

" That was... exhausting, " you said.

" Hey, you survived, " Soda said, patting you on the back. " And look, now you'll have cookies to show for it! "

Scrapper leaned over, inspecting the mess you'd made of the counter. " Yeah, and a crime scene for the cleanup crew. "

" Scrapper, " you groaned, shooting him a tired glare.

He held up his hands again, laughing. " Alright, alright, I'll lay off. But seriously, not bad for your first time. You didn't burn the kitchen down, so that's a win. "

Soda grinned, tossing a dish towel at him. " And you didn't help at all, so you don't get any cookies. "

" Aw, come on, " Scrapper said, dodging the towel. " I'm here for moral support! "

You shook your head, unable to keep from smiling as the timer dinged and Soda pulled out the tray of golden-brown cookies.

" Well, [Name], " Soda said, handing you one of the warm treats, " what do you think? Worth all the effort? "

You took a bite, the rich, gooey chocolate melting on your tongue. For the first time since you'd walked into this bakery, you had to admit—this wasn't so bad after all.

" Guess it was, " you spoke with a semi-full mouth, swallowing the chunk of the sweet treat you took a bite out of. " they're pretty good anyhow, " you repeat.


Scrapper chuckled, taking a few for himself and shoving one entirely in his mouth, eating it quickly. " damn, good stuff, " he joke with a full mouth, Both you and Soda glared at him for his antics.

Damn. What an Asshole.