#just crumble to dust for a while. ill come back after french please and thank you | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

artificialqueens · 3 years

Text

Down with the Recipe, Bake from the Heart, 8/10 (Taywhora) - Juno

Chapter summary: In European Week, the bakers are faced with a French signature, an Italian technical, and a Danish showstopper with a personal twist. Meanwhile, Aurora and Tayce opt to begin again, Bimini’s actions confuse the other bakers, and Lawrence ponders the future after the show.

WEEK 8: EUROPEAN WEEK

Aurora glanced around the tent as the cameramen recorded their usual stock footage, taking in the bakers, and the immaculate condition that the workbenches were returned to every week.

Last week she’d let the competition warp her mind a bit too much, she knew that now. She’d let her worry talk her into believing that Tayce was faking all of her actions in the tent, every smile, every kindness; only believing that she was capable of negativity.

“You always think everyone’s out to get you,” Blake had told her, the only person Aurora could discuss this with through her NDA, “and they’re not! They’re just trying to do their best in the contest. It sounds like she’s nice, if she helped you out when you were stressing about a different bake, and you said she did it again last week.”

“And she came looking for me when I left, too,” Aurora had muttered, chewing her nail.

“She sounds nice,” Blake had nodded. “And what did she say when you said you didn’t want to fake-flirt anymore?”

“She said it was fine, that she wanted me to do well.”

“If she just wanted to win for herself, she’d have been annoyed, right? So she does care for you, right?” Blake had nudged her repeatedly until she’d shoved him away. “Hey! If you do that again, when the show comes out I’m going to the tabloids.”

“Fuck off,” Aurora had laughed, the first genuine laugh in a while. Blake had been right - and having a clear, competition-free head had helped her see that. The more she’d talked it out, the more her worry had shattered, crumbling to dust.

Maybe it’s a good thing we have a week to recover after each bake. It’s good for bringing you back to reality after this place.

When she looked over at Tayce, she thought that Tayce looked a little calmer too. Her hands, the nails now bitten down, hugged her elbows as she stood, drifting between her feet as they waited for the judges to come in. She wasn’t looking at anyone, not even Veronica in front of her - staring wistfully at the front, a serene smile teasing her lips.

Seeing her made her stomach do somersaults again, made the tingle go back down her spine in what Aurora recognised by now as her attraction to her. After all, they’d had eight weeks of it now. Eight weeks of this rollercoaster of emotion. And as much as Aurora had wanted Tayce to feel something more for her, she was certain that her outburst last week would have ended any hopes of that.

They’d agreed to go back to being friends. Aurora knew they couldn’t continue this fake-flirting thing. Not while the others here truly ached for those that had already gone.

Bimini’s strange, apathetic behaviour since Asttina had gone was a stark contrast to the bright, happy person who’d crimped with Noel and teased the rest of them. Veronica had barely spoken to anyone apart from Tayce last week, alternating between clinging to her arm, and twisting her fingers together in her lap as if missing Tia’s hand. And true, they weren’t close, but Aurora watched the forlorn puppy Veronica had become and a twinge of sympathy had shot through her.

As for Lawrence? It was still to be seen, but so far today Lawrence hadn’t really said a word, just a quick hello to everyone before setting out her utensils and ingredients.

With just the five of them left - Lawrence in front of Aurora, and Bimini, Veronica and Tayce on the other side - the gaping expanse of the tent felt too large, too echoey, space that needed to be filled with bakers.

Every week left the tent feeling lonelier, but Ellie’s departure had been devastating to Aurora, given how close they’d grown. Ellie herself almost seemed relieved at the reprieve she’d had, hugging everyone with smiles and cheerful words, until the moment she’d let Lawrence hold her, when she’d broken apart like her hand-risen pie had the week before.

None of them thought either would ever let go of the other.

Lawrence had held everything back until they’d gone back to Carr Hall. The five people in the room made the space feel too large. Lawrence had sat in silence, her finger at her mouth, until Bimini had asked her how she was feeling and Lawrence had broken down, almost inconsolable.

“I didn’t think I’d miss her this much,” she’d cried, putting her face in her hands.

“She’ll be waiting on the outside,” Tayce had said, patting her on the back. “It’s alright! You’ll see her again really soon!”

But Lawrence had just sighed harder, her face still in her hands, the room quietly watching her shoulders shake.

——

Signature: 24 Madeleines with two fillings (France)

“Unfortunately, Prue can’t be with us today due to illness,” Matt announced when the bakers looked around for her that morning. “So for that reason, we’d like to welcome a very special guest judge this week.”

“But that very special guest judge couldn’t be with us either, so we have this person instead,” Noel continued. “She’s a sweet lady who enjoys a fondant fancy or two. Please welcome Mary Berry!”

But as they clapped, the person who came into the tent was more memorable than Mary Berry.

“Hi, how are yous!” Blu Hydrangea, previous contestant from last season, and now best-known as a Mary Berry impersonator, with her own late-night talk show, came into the tent in a flurry. Aurora put her hands to her mouth in shock.

“I’m here to judge all your bakes this week, which just goes to show that the winner doesn’t necessarily take it all! Especially not the cake!” Blu laughed at her own joke. “I don’t want you to feel nervous, I will be as fair as Prue was, and she should hopefully be back next week for you all. Best of luck!”

The thank you chorused through the tent, but Aurora was tensing up. She knew what Prue liked, she knew. But Blu? She was a previous contestant, now instant celebrity! But she was also an unknown entity. Baking for Blu would probably prove very different.

Aurora tried not to think about how the bakes may need to be different as she added orange and lemon zest to separate bowls, to add to each batch of batter. In front of her Lawrence was taking raspberries from the freezer for her own bakes, her own KitchenAid whirring in the background.

As she was spooning mixture into the moulds, she was greeted by Bimini’s soft voice, becoming very familiar. Aurora smiled, not looking up, trying to concentrate on this week’s Signature.

“You alright babes?”

“Yeah, good thanks Bim. You?”

“I’m at my wit’s end,” Bimini chuckled, a darker sound than Aurora had anticipated. “I feel so restless. I’ve put my madeleines in the oven, but I feel like … I can’t do enough to get rid of all this pent-up energy I have.”

Bimini was wringing their hands, grey circles deepening under their eyes. This close up, the stark reality of their worry was showing through the cracks of their smile. They’d barely spoken to anyone this morning, and their smile was weak.

“Go run around the tent a few times!” Aurora said, half-jokingly, motioning with her finger in a circle.

Bimini sighed, shutting their eyes. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do that.”

Everyone watched in astonishment as Bimini simply left the tent and started to run a few circles, lapping it a few times.

“The fuck’re they doing?” Lawrence muttered, turning to Aurora.

“No idea,” Aurora replied, shaking her head and going back to her bake.

When Bimini came back in five minutes later, they didn’t really seem out of breath, but they were red and flustered, some strange, frenetic look in their eyes.

“Bim?” Veronica said quietly. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, babes, fine -“ Bimini waved her away, picking up their oven gloves to take the madeleines out of the oven. “That’s helped a bit. Let’s get this done.”

All of them kept half an eye on Bimini the rest of the morning, their strange mood a catalyst for them all.

“This week’s a big ‘fuck you’ to brexit, I know that,” Bimini said, just as darkly as before, when Lawrence and Aurora joined them at their workbench. “I just … I don’t know.”

Aurora hadn’t really thought of European Week, the theme this week, as a political statement. “Are you feeling like it’s too political?”

“Nah - the opposite really - not political enough I think,” Bimini frowned as they pondered it. “And this - I mean, it’s a baking show. Why was this left until now? Closing the door after the bloody horse has bolted.”

They didn’t really get a lot more out of Bimini, as they seemed to shrink into their own mind, their eyes becoming distant. Aurora went back to her bakes, but Lawrence kept going over to them, as did Veronica, Aurora hearing their voices at intervals followed by Bimini’s placating them.

“Sorry if I went on at you a bit,” Lawrence said to Bimini at the tea machine.

“Nah, it’s alright,” Bimini replied warmly. “It’s nice. It’s nice to hear you talk. My mum’s from Glasgow too. Feels familiar, innit. Like a bit of home.” Bimini smiled a wistful smile. “I miss my mum.”

“She’s gonna be cheering you on all the way when this airs,” Aurora said. “Everyone will. The whole country’s gonna fall in love with you. You helping us all out on alt week, and turning the tent into a fashion show, and crimping with Noel -”

But Bimini laughed, quieter than usual, turning their face away. “You two. I don’t think that’s gonna happen. I’m just Bimini, babes. Just Bimini.”

“No! Positive mental attitude, remember?” Aurora said, but Bimini was already walking away, their shoulders hunched, as Aurora and Lawrence looked at each other, the same realisation passing between them both.

——

Bimini hadn’t finished the twenty four madeleines they were meant to serve up to the judges. They’d managed to produce twenty after misreading the instructions, but they didn’t seem to mind, shrugging when asked about it.

Aurora met Lawrence’s gaze as they waited, listening to the judges’ critiques, and they didn’t need to say a word to each other yet again to know what the other was thinking.

Bimini doesn’t want to do this any more.

Not that they could blame them. The fun was starting to go as more people left, and one by one, they were all waning as they lost their person. Asttina had gone three weeks ago now, Veronica was still pining over Tia, and Lawrence’s dry wit seemed to have left the tent with Ellie last week.

Does that mean it’s gonna be me or Tayce leaving this week?

Maybe Tayce was thinking the same thing, as they found themselves falling into step as they left the tent; and whether she meant it or not, Aurora found herself slowing her pace a little, letting the rest go ahead, letting Tayce slow her own steps too.

“You had good feedback this week on your madeleines.”

Aurora glanced at Tayce, who was looking straight ahead still.

“Yeah. Can’t believe it’s the semi-final next weekend too.”

Tayce hummed, raking her fingers in her hair, before turning to face Aurora. “Look, Rory - “

“I let my anxiety run away without me,” Aurora interrupted her. “I know that thinking things doesn’t mean they’re real, but all the fake stuff just doesn’t help me. I know the nation will love us, but you know, they’ll love us anyway, even without that.”

“They’re gonna adore you,” Tayce nodded. “They’d be mad not to adore you as much as …”

But as Aurora’s heart skipped a whole flurry of beats, Tayce paused, looking up to the sky. “Yeah. The whole country’s gonna fall in love with you, Rory. I know it.”

——

Technical: Margherita pizza from scratch (Italy)

Aurora almost laughed aloud when she saw the instructions for the first time.

Pizza? On the Bake Off? This isn’t real.

But she pinched herself, and that felt real enough.

She started off a little blasé but the more they all got into the bake, the more difficult it seemed to become. For a start, no one’s pizza dough seemed to be cooperating. Everyone started again, even Lawrence, the only person in the tent yet to have to do so; but Veronica was the first person to sigh in relief when her dough complied.

Next was the tomato sauce. Aurora knew she was a good baker, but that didn’t mean she was an amazing cook. Making sauce just brought back flashbacks of making white sauce in her Food Tech classes at school, to have her hopes of becoming a great lasagne maker dashed by her teacher wrinkling her nose whenever she passed Aurora’s hob, white sauce bulging with bubbles like a witch’s brew.

And when the pizzas were finally in the oven, all of them were second-guessing the temperature.

“How high are you cooking it and how long for?” Lawrence leaned to Aurora’s desk to ask.

Aurora checked. “One-eighty, and I’ll give it twelve minutes to start.”

“One-eighty,” Lawrence repeated, her thumb in her mouth, glancing from Aurora to the oven and then back again. “I have mine at one-ninety. That’s not too much more. Maybe I’ll turn it down in the last few minutes. Thanks, Ellie.”

“You’re welcome. Wait,” Aurora said, realising. “Lawrence -“

“Hmm?”

“I’m not Ellie!” Aurora laughed.

Lawrence didn’t. Frowning, she opened and closed her mouth once or twice. “Did - did I call you Ellie?”

Lawrence couldn’t meet her eyes. And Aurora found words wouldn’t come; shaking her head, she turned back to her sauce. “Don’t worry about it.”

But Lawrence chewed on her thumb the rest of the bake, barely responding at all to Matt and Noel’s time calls, and by the time she remembered to take her pizza out of the oven, it looked charred around the edges.

“Ah, shite,” she growled. “Shite with it.”

“Lawrence?” Aurora said, but Lawrence busied herself with a serrated knife to carve the burnt edges, or as many of them as she could before they were called to step away from their bakes, and Lawrence let hers go onto the tray with a huff, a balloon letting itself deflate.

Judging for Technical felt regimental and flat, everything sucked dry from the tent. Bimini hunched on their stool, hands cupping their chin as they leaned their elbows on their knees. Lawrence chewed her thumb, her eyes dull, not looking at anything in particular, needing a nudge in the ribs when the judges called her name.

But it had been Aurora’s pizza that had come out trumps, Aurora as shocked as everyone else as they all applauded her.

It’s a good position to be in obviously. Not having to think about Tayce. I can just focus on myself.

But when they’d all filed out, Tayce had hung back at the edge of the tent, and Aurora froze to see her, her unexpected presence disabling her.

“Rory. Well done on coming top in Technical. I bet this week is yours for the taking. Your madeleines were great, too.”

Tayce didn’t lay a hand on her as she did before, or put on any flirtatious tone; instead standing with her hands in her pockets, licking her lips, her voice quiet and a little demure. She reminded Aurora of her youngest cousin, coming to apologise after she’d knocked one of her cakes over one time.

Aurora swallowed, smiling mechanically. “Thanks, Tayce.”

Tayce held her eyes, a quiet, earnest moment. “I’m gonna go for a walk around the pond. Give some pizza to the ducks. D’you want to come?”

And the same tingling sensation started, spreading down her back, at Tayce’s words, her heart singing a little.

“Yeah. That would be great.”

They set off towards the trees, following the path to the clearing where the pond was. It was late spring, and Aurora could have sworn she’d seen some ducklings the previous week, so a walk round the pond seemed like a great opportunity to spot them.

Once they arrived, they were not disappointed. What looked like at least twenty ducklings following three mothers on the bank had the time of their lives chasing freshly baked pizza dough around the waters.

“I’m sure I saw somewhere that bread isn’t good for ducks,” Tayce said, “but what else are we gonna feed them?”

“We could have given them something from alternative ingredients week!” Aurora said, finding herself laughing.

“Or pastry week!”

“Or, oh god -“

“CHOCOLATE week!” They both said together, bursting into laughter on the bench, Aurora automatically finding Tayce’s hand and squeezing it in glee. As their laughter died down, she found that she didn’t want to let go.

Tayce was looking down at her hand, then up at her eyes, something flickering behind them, and Aurora held her gaze, wondering what she was thinking, her heart beating in her throat …

Aurora finally let her hand go to pick up another piece of pizza, and Tayce did the same, averting her eyes.

“I don’t know if we can feed chocolate to ducks,” Aurora mused. “I’m sure I read somewhere that it might kill them.”

“Chocolate week almost killed us, let alone them!”

“Good point. Well, you won that week, didn’t you? Getting your first badge!”

“It was a good week for both of us,” Tayce sighed. “A really good week.”

Tayce stared out to the pond, letting her hand drop to the bench beside her, palm up; and Aurora took it again, knowing this time it was definitely an invitation, rewarded by a squeeze as she interlaced her fingers into Tayce’s. As they sat silently, hand in hand, watching the ducklings, Aurora could have sworn they both let out the same contented sigh at the same time, could have sworn she saw goosebumps rise on Tayce’s arm.

——

It was so lonely in the hall. So quiet without the others. Tayce had been cornered by a tearful Veronica outside the door, and Aurora had left them to it, which left her in the big common room with Lawrence alone; Bimini having already gone to their room.

Lawrence still had her book in her hand, but she hadn’t turned a page in the last ten minutes, and kept letting it drift down to her lap as her eyes grew distant, staring out the window.

“I miss Els.” Aurora sighed eventually, her chin in her hands. “She knew how to get a party started.”

At first, Aurora wondered if Lawrence would acknowledge the fact she’d spoken, but eventually she blinked out of her reverie with a groan. “She irritated the hell out of me.”

“You miss her too, then?” Aurora smiled knowingly, and Lawrence returned it wordlessly. “Did you make any arrangements to meet her in Dundee or something after filming is done?”

“No!” Lawrence frowned. “Why would I do that?”

Aurora turned back to the table. “Sorry. I thought -“

“No, she’s coming to Glasgow!” Lawrence looked affronted.

“Oh! For a second I thought you weren’t … you know.”

But Lawrence just leaned back into the sofa, staring wistfully at the ceiling. “Let’s just see what happens, alright? I don’t want to say anything yet either way.”

Aurora leaned back with Lawrence, linking an arm into hers and staring at the ceiling fan as it turned.

Neither of them spoke. No sarcastic barbs from Lawrence, no dry observations like usual. It seemed like without her shield of humour Lawrence preferred to be silent, but Aurora didn’t mind; as they all became more comfortable with each other, there seemed to be less and less to say.

“Only two more weekends after this one,” Lawrence said eventually.

“Yeah,” Aurora sighed, “and then back to normal.”

“What if this isnormal now? Being on screen, baking stuff. I’m … well, I just hope I’m liked.”

Aurora heard Lawrence’s fear. Her words were quiet, timid at the edges, unsure of what was to come.

“Course you’ll be liked. We all like you.”

“Yeah, but you’re not the general public, Aurora. I don’t - I just wish I knew how we’re all going to be edited, and I hope people will still like me with all the editing.” Lawrence rubbed her forehead. “Fucking internet trolls. They can ruin you.”

“Who cares what some troll who probably can’t even boil a bloody egg thinks of you? We all know you, and we bloody love you to bits, Lawrence. And for every one … coward behind a screen, there’s gonna be like, ten thousand fans who feel the same as we do. Promise.”

But Lawrence was silent again, this time her breathing speeding up a little, a cold shiver at her arm. She unlinked herself from Aurora and stood up, taking a deep breath.

“I think I’m gonna go up. Netflix and chill with myself.”

“Sounds good. I’ll do the same I think.”

But Aurora didn’t get far up the stairs until she heard Tayce again, coming up the stairs behind her.

“Rory?” The warm voice and the accent still sent the shiver down her spine, as much as Aurora tried not to focus on it.

“Hi, Tayce.”

Tayce had a hand on her hip at the foot of the stairs, the other one raking through her long black hair. She looked tentative, cautious, but there was some peaceful, earnest calm about her that threatened to pull Aurora back into her jumbled feelings.

“I’m just gonna have an early one tonight. Put on some Netflix. Eat some madeleines or something.” Aurora indicated to the plate of madeleines she still hadn’t finished since this morning.

“Okay.” Tayce blinked at her, the smile on her face smaller than usual, and she let both her hands drop to her side as she watched Aurora on the stairs. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

But Aurora’s feet wouldn’t turn her around.

Jesus. Okay, fuck it. There’s only two weeks left.

“D’you want to come and watch some with me?”

Tayce’s smile twitched at the corners, just a little bit, but her eyes did not light up as they normally did. “Sure. Let me grab some pizza for us. Bit of savoury after all those madeleines today, eh?”

She waited on the stairs for Tayce. Let Tayce loop her hand into the crook of her elbow as she came up the stairs. Led Tayce to her room and set the tablet on the bed, as she put the plate down and kicked off her shoes.

Within minutes they were back where they had been before, under the duvet, silent as the episode of Glow played before them.

As much as Aurora wanted to, she couldn’t deny that Tayce was a magnet, pulling her towards her by some inexplicable force of nature. Aurora was no longer inclined to fight her emotions.

When Aurora reached towards her, to take her in her arms, she found Tayce willing, returning the contact and wrapping her arms around Aurora’s waist, both of them curling into each other’s bodies under the duvet.

That same, contented sigh in rhythm, the sound so near to Aurora’s ear as Tayce rested her chin on her shoulder.

And when Tayce kissed her on the cheek, it felt like a question; Aurora wordlessly twisted her head and kissed her back.

And when Tayce’s eyes fell on hers, lingering for an eternity, Aurora saw a twinge of fear, a rabbit in headlights, before she leaned in tentatively, giving Aurora the chance to lean away; but Aurora closed the distance before her mind had the chance to kick back into sensible gear.

It was more, much more than a simple peck this time, making Aurora’s chest flutter with butterflies; it was slow, languid, deep - maybe too deep, and when Tayce’s tongue met hers, her body started to pulse with fire; but then Aurora’s mind didkick in, and she pulled away, thoughts back in a whirlwind.

“What is this now? Is this …” Aurora shook her head, her thoughts frantic, trying to cling on to one to say. “Tayce - what are we doing?”

“I’m - Aurora, I’m kind of …” Tayce screwed her eyes shut. “I’m falling. For you. A lot. Okay?”

When the words spilled in a frenzy from Tayce’s lips, she opened her eyes again, and they were filled with a terror Aurora didn’t think she was capable of; and Aurora’s own heart bubbled, the strength of her feelings rising in a tsunami.

She squeezed Tayce tighter, as if clinging on to a sinking ship, legs intertwined in the duvet, feeling Tayce’s fingers grip her tighter too, her heart racing in her chest, her breath coming in short gasps.

“Tayce … I am too.”

——

Aurora never remembered falling asleep these nights, but she always remembered waking up, normally to an empty bed. This time however, she woke up to the gentle pattering of feet around her.

Checking her watch, she saw it was just before six in the morning. Filming wouldn’t start for another three hours, but she caught sight of Tayce’s back, Tayce’s retreating back, shoes in hand as she crept to the door.

“Tayce.”

Tayce whipped round to face her.

“You’re awake.”

“Yeah.” Aurora rolled over to her side, tugging the duvet with her. “You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” Tayce nodded fervently. “I’m gonna go back now though, to my room.”

“I don’t bite first thing, you know.”

But Tayce shook her head. “I want to get back. Get a shower. Change my clothes. You know, get ready for today. It’s the Showstopper, and I want to make sure I’m ready.”

“You sure? Positive? You’re welcome to stay. I’ve wondered what you’re like to wake up to as well as to go to sleep with,” Aurora purred, grinning up at her.

“Yeah, not now. See you at breakfast.”

The sound of the door closing behind Tayce sounded heavy and final.

Aurora pulled the duvet over her head, remembering that yes, they were still both on a baking contest. Competing.

This is so different from what we did in the tent.

There, Tayce had been overly attentive. There were constant touches, stroking her knees, smouldering looks, and little names that probably hadn’t gone unnoticed - lots of baby this and bitch that and the general underlying tension that simply did not exist in reality.

This, after hours, was far simpler, the most natural progression in the world. This was languid familiarity, curled into each others’ bodies, legs intertwined under the duvet while their breathing fell into a relaxed rhythm and Aurora linked her hands around Tayce’s waist, resting her cheek to her chest.

They had come a long way the last four weekends - from fake flirting as if trying to make an ex jealous, to whatever this was now. And it was only the beginning.

There will be time for the rest later. All the time in the world, after the contest.

——

Showstopper: Kagemand/Kagekone (Denmark) in the shape of a person dear to you

Aurora had been looking forward to this challenge more than anything this week. Everyone was, judging by the general good mood at breakfast earlier, no one with a hangover, even Bimini coming back on a high off their morning run. Aurora placed the picture of her nan next to the KitchenAid, unable to hold in her contented sigh.

As Lawrence was the only person in front of her now, she could steal a glance at Lawrence’s photo as well - a woman about the same age as Lawrence, her arms wrapped around her neck, both of them locked in a moment of joy as the camera had snapped.

“Chloe’s my cousin. And my best pal,” Lawrence said, a soft tone that Aurora was unfamiliar with. “I get her into trouble and she gets me out of it. Always has.”

“Do you see her a lot back home?”

“Yeah, at least once a week normally.” Lawrence rubbed the back of her neck. “Not for a while though, not since filming - she works weeknights, normally I see her on a Sunday afternoon, in the pub, for a roast and a pint.”

Lawrence chuckled, a strangled noise in her throat. “I’m looking forward to doing that again.”

When she turned back to grab her pans, Aurora went to her own desk, to peer around the room at who everyone else had, but it was hard to see. The sunlight reflected on most of the glass on the pictures, and Bimini’s was obscured, so was Veronica’s. But Veronica had already told them who she was making the cake based off of.

“My big brother, Steve,” she’d told them at breakfast. “He’s amazing. He always pushes so hard, tries to get through everything on his own! He’s shown me that I can always rely on myself to get through things. Myself is all I’ve got in the end.”

“Steve,” Bimini had muttered next to them. “I dated a Steve once. He was Italian. Well, he said he was. He sounded like he was from Clapham.”

Everyone had stared at them. It was the first thing they’d heard Bimini say since the previous morning, their odd restlessness making them silent the rest of the day. Aurora had noticed their eyes had dulled, their posture was slumped.

“Hi, how are you!” Aurora was pulled from her reverie by Blu’s voice as she joined her, in her Mary Berry disguise, smiling up at her. She fixed her face into a smile back.

“Who’s this lady you’re doing the Kagekone for?” Blu ran a finger down the edge of the picture frame.

“My nan. She’s so cool. I get my sense of humour from her. She’s the one who really got me into baking to begin with. When I was growing up, we’d always make cupcakes together, you know with the butterfly wings?”

“I remember that well!” Blu smiled. “It looks like you’ve got loads set up! And how do you think you’re doing in the competition?”

Aurora tensed her lip. This could be an opportunity if I can play it right.

“Why, how do you think I’m doing?”

But Blu laughed. “Nice try! I’m not really at liberty to say yet, the cheque hasn’t cleared my account yet for this guest slot! But seriously,” Blu said, leaning in a little nearer, “you came top in Technical, and you did so well in Signature. Do you feel like you have any reason to worry this week?”

Aurora let her eyes float around the room, lingering on Tayce for a second too long.

“Maybe not,” she shrugged. “I can’t help worrying though.”

“Are you worrying for someone else?” Blu’s eyes glinted with anticipation, and her smile was crooked.

Aurora sighed. “How do you know?”

“Oh come on,” Blu rolled her eyes to the ceiling, laughing. “I feel like everyone knows who Iwas worrying about last year, and I didn’t need to worry either - I ended up leaving the week before her!”

“Are you both still -“

“Yeah! Tell you what, if I was where you are right now, I’d be making my Kagekone for Cheryl. I’m surprised no one else here is making them for someone else in the contest; from what I’ve heard through the grapevine, things have been pretty spicy over these filming weekends!”

Aurora’s face grew hot. She smiled as best as she could, and ducked her head to try to focus on her bake.

“Good luck! Break a leg!” Blu seemed to sense her embarrassment, and blew her a kiss as she walked away, heading to Veronica on the opposite side.

——

“Aurora, could you bring your Kagekone to the front, please.”

Aurora stood from the stool, still a little nervous to present, but feeling the warmth of Lawrence’s smile next to her like sunlight on her skin as she brought it to the front. The Danish pastry had cooled, and Aurora definitely thought it looked a bit like her nan.

She winced for a second as Paul cut into the face, but when they bit into the pastry, showering her with praise about everything - the bake, the flavour, the presentation, the additional confectionary she’d done to go with it - the whole world in the tent seemed to swell with sweetness, the air full of sugar and glitter.

As she walked back to her desk with the remains of her pastry, Lawrence beamed at her, giving her a little clap as Aurora blinked back the happiest tears she’d felt.

Tayce was smiling as well. A little sadly this time. Her Kagemand hadn’t had such good critiques.

“Well thank you all bakers - you’ve all raised the bar even higher this week - and while you relax in the hall, we will deliberate who will become Star Baker, and who will be the next person to leave the tent.”

Tayce hung back for Aurora, reaching for her hand, and Aurora took it, let Tayce silently tell her she was happy for her. It was a good thing that Tayce held Aurora’s hand through the rapidly fading light of the day, for Aurora felt she might just float away without this anchor.

“You’ve got it this week, for sure,” Tayce whispered to her outside, while everyone else traipsed inside, leaving them alone in the grounds.

Maybe it was Aurora’s imagination, but Tayce’s voice sounded choked, her cheeks pinched.

She’s scared.

“You’re gonna be fine,” Aurora replied, as sincerely as she could. She knew she’d had good critiques, but Tayce’s hadn’t been as good as her Technical and Signatures had, and it was never certain; one slip on the flavour, and Tayce could be in danger.

Tayce swallowed, her smile stuck fast like concrete.

“Rory, this week is yours for the taking. Well done.”

——

“This week’s Star Baker made Madeleines to die for, and made her nan proud with the likeness of her Kagekone. Congratulations, Aurora!”

This time, the tears wouldn’t be held back. Lawrence nudged her arm as she clapped, while Tayce rested her head on Aurora’s other shoulder, and for a second the world felt warm and comfortable as they shared this contact …

But the person set to go home was a shock to them all. Tayce’s hand had been sweating in Aurora’s, but she’d frozen on hearing the name announced.

“Bimini. I’m so sorry.”

“Nah, don’t worry. I was expecting that. Nah, it’s fine!” Bimini gave a gentle laugh as Veronica hugged them, before standing and letting the others in the room come to hug them too. All four of them remaining, forming a circle around Bimini, all sobbing on their shoulders as they patted them all.

“Hey, no need for crying, I’m only leaving the tent,” Bimini said to Aurora, putting their hands on her shoulders and looking up at her. “No need for that! I’ll be right out there waiting for you at the finale, babes.”

Aurora sniffed. “We don’t know I’m gonna be in the finale yet.”

“I do!” Bimini wasn’t visibly upset. They weren’t shaking, or jogging their leg against the stool any more. The serene smile was back on their face as they held her eyes. “You’re brilliant. You can do it! Don’t be sad I’m going, babes. Be happy you’re Star Baker!”

And Bimini left the tent, going to their exit interview, as Aurora followed them to do her winner’s one, wiping happy tears from her eyes as night started to fall.

When Aurora called her nan to announce she was Star Baker a second week, her nan was even more tearful than Aurora herself, screeching into the phone with an energy that she seldom heard from her.

”You’re so deserving of all of this, Aurora, so so deserving! You worked your arse off for it and you did it! You’re going all the way to the final, I just know it!”

And for once Aurora didn’t even pay attention to the cameras as they pointed in her direction, not caring they were seeing her wiping tears that were black with eyeliner from her cheeks, not caring that her face was probably red and blotchy and swollen on screen.

Let them see. Let them see real moments. I can do this.

When Aurora found Tayce, waiting for her outside Carr Hall after the winner’s interview, silently holding her arms out to her, Aurora let herself drift into them, let Tayce’s kiss congratulate her more than anything else could. She was melting, dissolving, letting her feelings for Tayce run riot in her bloodstream, the most exhilarated she’d been so far, resting in her arms.

And when Tayce pulled back, to rest her forehead on hers, to trace her hairline, her jaw with her fingers, Aurora wanted to stop time in this moment, to hold on to it for the rest of her days.

“I know I said just friends last week,” Aurora murmured, “but maybe I was wrong. Maybe we could give it a chance. As long -“

“As long as it’s real,” Tayce finished her sentence. “Aurora, you have no idea how much I’ve wanted this for so long. I just want you to know that, okay? I want you to know it, and to know I’m not doing any fake flirting, or anything for the camera, okay? I want to know you.”

Tayce stroked her face, ran eager fingers through her hair as she met her lips again, and Aurora allowed herself to believe her words as much as she believed in her place in the contest.

——

FOUR BAKERS REMAIN

#rpdr fanfiction #rpdr uk #down with the recipe #juno #uk2 #baking au #gbbo au #taywhora #tayce #a'whora #bimini bon boulash #veronica green #lawrence chaney #fluff #lesbian au

4 notes · View notes

peggingtaron · 4 years

Text

Belle & Edward

Pairing: Edward x Belle (Edward Scissorhands x Beauty & The Beast crossover)

Summary: Belle, with a dreamy far off look and a nose stuck in a book, is isolated from the common folk that judge her, and dissatisfied with her life in the small suburban town. Upon exploring the old abandoned castle, far off from the town, she discovers a boy with scissors as hands, living his life all these years in the ancient shadows of the castle. A scissor-handed boy named Edward.

•

Word Count: 2.6K

A/N: I started writing this on wattpad when I was 16 so excuse the occasional cringe

Chapter 1 — Little Town

Once upon a time, by a little town, there was a mansion. In that mansion lived an Inventor. The Great Inventor made many odd contraptions, spectacular devices and wonderful gadgets. But none so odd, none so spectacular and none so wonderful than his creation of a man. He gave him inside, a heart, a brain, everything. Well, almost everything...

The Inventor was old, so very old. He died before he got to finish the man he invented. So the man was left by himself with scissors as hands...Incomplete and all alone.

His name was Edward.

Edward had spent years, alone, isolated in the shadows of the deserted castle as dust and cobwebs collected around him. He knew, in his unfinished state that he would spend all his days without anyone's company. Forever in solitude. Forever desolate.

For who could ever learn to love a beast?

><><

This little town was never an exciting place during the morning. In fact, this little town wasn't the least bit exciting at all for Belle. Belle spent her mornings on strolls around the neighbourhood. She did this everyday, perhaps in hopes to spot even the slightest moments of routines to change. But no, this was never the case. Belle would find men coming out their houses at the exact same time, driving their cars out their driveways in a practised, perfect pattern, children playing on their lawn with the exact same games, women keeping up their gardens in the exact same fashion of their neighbours.

In disappointment of the unchanging cycle, Belle would bury her nose behind a book and everything around her would seem to blur. She didn't regard her surroundings as all she would see were the visions of princes and princesses, pirates and sword fights, fairies and mermaids, all brought to life by the words of her books. The more impossible the story, the better.

Belle would find herself so enraptured by the premise of her story, she never regarded the conspicuous whispers of townsfolk as she passed them. Not that it would effect her at all. You would think by Belle living in this town for most her life, her neighbours would think of something else to sneer at. Though, it was only Belle, and with the exact same whispers as the day before.

"Look, there's that strange girl." "Dazed and distracted as always." "That girl's always got her head in the clouds!" "No denying, she's a funny girl that Belle!" "Shame that such a beauty is so odd." "What an odd child."

Not one comment could faze her. Nothing could make her look up from her book.

It was because of this, that she was rather surprised when she found path blocked by a boy. She looked up from her book with a sigh, rather expectant to see what would be in front of her.

"Bonjour, Belle!" The boy flashed a handsome grin at her.

"Hello, Gaston." Belle mumbled.

Belle was often greeted in French since moving to town, from a small French provincial village. She had no idea why this tickled and amused Gaston and her classmates so much. She was after all, immaculate in her English.

Gaston always held a confident demeanour with him, all too proud of his tall, slender, handsome figure. Many girls of Belle's age envied that Gaston favoured her attention, being that she was such an outcast to people of Gaston's supposed calibre. Belle was not at all pleased with the attention she got from Gaston either. Beneath his superficial pearly white smile surfaced a spoiled, egotistical, empty-headed boy much too pretentious to believe that Belle genuinely had no interest in him.

Gaston smiled down at her, grabbing the book from her hands. He smiled at Belle amused as she tried to reach for it, but Gaston being a great deal taller than her held the book high from her.

"Gaston, may I have my book back, please?" Belle mustered a polite expression as much as she could, while she grew concerned when Gaston fumbled through the pages carelessly and left creases of the book's spine.

"What are you reading this time?" Gaston flicked through the pages of the book and squinted at it. "How can you read this? There are no pictures."

"I know." Belle made a grab for the book unsuccessfully. "But why should that mean it's any less wonderful? You see, some people use their imagination."

Gaston gave a momentary judgemental glance at Belle, before tossing the book aside. With a gasp from Belle, the book landed on the lawn beside them, it's pages sprawled amongst the dirt of the grass.

Belle was quick to gather her book and smooth out the crinkled pages and had barely comprehended what Gaston was saying, as she nurtured the book in her arms like a newborn baby.

"Belle, I think it's time I should see you without a book covering your pretty face." Gaston gave a confident stride beside Belle who had continued walking. He put an arm around Belle, which she immediately shrugged off. "Movies are the new books, Belle. I don't suppose you're busy tonight. How 'bout it?"

Belle rummaged her mind for a response to help her escape. To her saviour, Gaston's little brother, Dirk called after him, running towards them.

Dirk arrived, panting and backed away slightly when he saw that Gaston had given him an annoyed glare for interrupting them.

"What? Did I interrupt something?" Dirk glared back at Gaston.

As quickly as she could, Belle briskly began walking her way back home.

"Wait!" Gaston called after her. "What about the movie?"

Belle continued walking and replied over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Gaston, maybe some other time, I can't. I have to go home and help my father."

Dirk spitted a loud scoff. "Yeah that crazy old man will need all the help he can get!"

Both Gaston and Dirk bursted into a hearty fit of laughter, Gaston giving Dirk a slamming high five. Belle stopped dead in her tracks, turning her heel back to face them, fuming.

"Do not talk about my father that way!" Belle exclaimed furiously.

Gaston choked on his laughter as he attempted to stifle it, clearing his throat and hitting his little brother in the shoulder. "Yeah! Don't talk about her dad that way." He tried to scold, but a smirk was still visible across his face.

"My father is just as sane as anybody else here." Belle asserted. "Just because he's inventive and creative does not mean he's insane, it means he's a genius! He is not crazy!"

At the moment, a piercingly loud squeal of an explosion bursted from afar. Sounds of crumbling crashes and thunderous eruptions echoed across the street, causing Belle, Gaston and Dirk to flinch. Many people had come out of their homes to look at the source of the noise, but their eyes immediately travelled to Belle.

This was unfortunately a regular occurrence, courtesy of her Inventor of a father, Maurice. Belle did not regard the grimacing looks she got from her neighbours or the return of Gaston and Dirk's giggling fit as she immediately ran home, worried for her father.

Belle ran frantically back to her home. She gasped as she saw the door, leading to the basement, seeping out smoke. She quickly opened the door, violently coughing as a suffocating cloud of black smoke puffed into her face. "Papa?" She managed to call out through the smoke.

Belle sprinted down the stairs as she saw her father groan in pain. "Are you alright, Papa?"

"Merde!" He cursed. "I give up!" Maurice kicked onto the device that was bursting out smoke.

Maurice coughed, wheezing through the smoke as Belle helped guide him upstairs, away from it. "Papa, you can't give up now. You always say that." Belle encouraged as she went to fetch him a glass of water.

Maurice sighed. "No. This time I mean it. Series of failures - one right after another...Who am I kidding? No one will ever need my boneheaded contraptions!"

"Don't talk like that!" Belle sat beside him.

"Well it's true! Just ask everyone else out there." He gestured to their neighbours.

"Papa, you will succeed, you'll become a world renowned inventor and all those who spoke ill of you here will bow down to you." Belle was beaming with a radiating smile that never failed to warm Maurice's heart. The girl's purity was always something for him to lift his spirits after hours of failed work.

Maurice gave a hearty chuckle. "Well, my dear. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but thank you."

Belle's smile eventually began to fade, her eyes softening and Maurice's spirits were soon depreciated. "What's wrong?"

"Papa...do you think I'm odd?" Belle had a quiver of worry in her tone.

"Odd? My Belle?" Maurice thought the idea was absurd. "Who would ever think that?"

"Everyone." Belle exasperated. "And they're right! I don't fit in here - there's no one to talk to - no one that doesn't look at me strangely."

"What about Gaston? He's a looker." Maurice chuckled. Maurice got up, brought out his tool box and began to fumble around with them.

Belle muttered. "Oh yes, he's a looker - but he's also conceited, selfish, rude, vain and — ugh! Let's just say that, that's one friendship best avoided."

"Well, what about Kim? You seemed to get on with her well." Maurice was still engaged in conversation with Belle despite being absorbed in his mechanical work.

"Yes, I do like Kim. But she hangs out with the wrong crowd, is always with her boyfriend who seems just as irritating as Gaston and...she really doesn't seem like she wants to be seen with me."

"Now what makes you say that?"

Belle slouched tiresomely, feeling slightly relieved that she was venting out all her troubles. "Oh mon dieu, Papa, why did we have to move here?"

"Hey, I rather like it here." Maurice said defensively. "It just takes some getting used to."

Belle groaned throwing herself on the sofa. "There must be something more to this small suburban life!"

Maurice tutted. "That's your books talking -- all those stories about far off kingdoms have gotten to your head. There are no princes and castles here, Belle."

Belle raised her eyebrows as she looked out the window and stared at the marvel of a castle-like mansion far off on top of the hill. "I beg to differ, Papa." She muttered almost to herself.

The castle had always intrigued Belle. It was a magnificent view, that was also seen from the window of her bedroom. The very sight of it from her bedroom window would lull her into a dreaming sleep of fantastically impossible worlds. Whether it be a world where teapots and teacups greeted you for morning breakfast, or a world where magic portraits could come to life.

In school, she'd heard the castle was an abandoned one, untouched since an old inventor had passed away there, though there is still some speculation that his ghost haunts the manor. Although this was a ridiculous rumour, the more time she spent in the dreary suburban neighbourhood, the more she hoped something so ridiculous was true - ridiculous was fascinating.

"I'll be right back, Papa. I think I'll go out for another stroll..." She said as she eyed the castle.

><><

Belle was careful to make sure she wasn't seen going off to the mansion. She couldn't imagine the rumours that would circulate after neighbours seeing a strange girl voluntarily wander into the only bizarre place in this perfect town. It puzzled Belle completely, as to how people had never thought of exploring there before - how nobody had a good sense of curiosity to be fascinated with a house that wasn't plain and identical as every other house in the neighbourhood.

Belle creaked open the gates, wincing at the loud yelps the rustiness of the untouched gates made. The path leading up to the castle was eerie with dark trees hanging over, though eerie in a way that fascinated Belle. Belle was boiling in anticipation, as she observed her surroundings.

She stopped in her tracks as she spotted a light pink car parked in the pathway. She observed the track tyres and noticed that they were fresh and someone had just come here. This was only perplexing as Belle could not think of anyone who would dare visit here.

She briskly walked up the path, growing more eager.

Belle widened her eyes as she saw Peg Boggs, dressed in a light pink outfit with her Avon suitcase in hand. Peg was Kim's mother, and was one of the very few people that treated Belle with kindness. Peg was admiring the splendour of the garden in front of the castle, and eventually Belle's eyes drifted towards the garden as well.

Belle felt an ecstatic grin creep across her face from ear to ear as she marvelled at the sight before her. Bright flowers organised in colourful bunches, topiary plants shaped perfectly into animals some of which were imaginative much like the ones in the stories she'd read and beautiful stems of vines framed around the castle.

Belle felt the fairytales she'd dream about come to life before her.

"Belle?"

Belle gasped as she snapped out of her marvelling gaze at the sight. Peg was just as surprised to see Belle there as well.

"Mrs. Boggs, hello." Belle smiled.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" Peg greeted her with a warm smile.

"I-I'm...I...Well, I've always wanted to come up here...The castle, it's...it's..."

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Peg chuckled as she looked back at the view.

Belle's smile returned to its radiant beam. "'Wonderful' is an understatement, it's epic, it's incandiferous, it's...magical."

Belle grew red in the cheeks at her excitement. These sorts of remarks are what labelled her as odd to everyone in her neighbourhood. Belle's smile faltered and her head bowed sheepishly.

Peg chuckled. "There's no need to feel embarrassed, Belle. I find your enthusiasm endearing."

Belle gave a modest grin before returning to her initial confused state. "What are you doing up here, Mrs. Boggs?"

Peg gave a tired sigh, gesturing to her suitcase. "Avon calling. I've had doors slammed in my face all morning, and I'm simply tired of it. I thought it was time that I tried something different, or rather, go somewhere else."

Belle nodded. "Well, this sure is a change of scene." She mused as she looked back through the garden.

Belle's eye was caught by a single red rose, standing out amongst a patch of white flowers. She knelt down to the rose, bringing her nose to it and inhaling it, fluttering with delight at its smell. As she was marvelling at the flower, she felt a strange sensation that she was being watched.

Almost instinctively, her head jerked up to the one of the windows high up on the castle. In a flash of a glimpse she spotted a face staring down at her curiously, though the face disappeared as quickly as she saw it. "There is someone here..." Belle gasped in delight.

"Really?" Peg asked. She began to clutch onto her Avon suitcase and make her way towards the door. Belle wasn't sure why, but she followed Peg.

"Perhaps I'll join you on this Avon calling." Belle smiled. Her eyes tore away from the window that she fixated on. Little did she know that the face that she saw reappeared at the window, eyeing her in enchantment, as she made her way inside with Peg.

#johnny depp #edward scissorhands #edward scissorhands x oc #edward scissorhands fluff #edward scissorhands x beauty and the beast #edward x belle #emma watson #beauty and the beast

9 notes · View notes