Story in a nutshell: Mateo and Gabe friendship
Authors Note: I had told myself I would write one of these two after I got at least one review on my Gabe and Naomi bonding story. It finally happened, months after my initial post it finally got a review. Now I am doing these two. It wasn't my first idea but I think it's better honestly. Next up I have a Gabelena fic if people are wondering if another is coming out.
"And as a reminder anyone who feels that they need to bring up your grade can submit a dessert to our fundraiser. All money is going to our physical education department and I will award thirty points to anyone that bakes something themselves," said Senora Garcia as her health class filed out. After a rather crushing blow to his grade from an egg assignment, Mateo de Alva was determined to do this extra credit.
After class, he rushed home to find his mother not home from work yet as he got everything to bake. Empanada's would be the best thing since people could buy one by one. Gathering his ingredients Mateo started to add it all together. Then found that it would be best to cook for precisely twenty minutes.
"Good afternoon Mateo, did you start dinner?" said Rafa as she came into the kitchen with a bag.
"Nope mama, I am making empanadas for my school's fundraiser for new gym equipment. It's my extra credit" he said putting his first batch into the oven. This was easy as he failed to notice his mother's hesitant look.
"Oh honey do you remember the last time you baked?" she asked remembering just how horrible those cajeta-filled cupcakes tasted.
"I was nine, I can only improve with age."
With that he put his dessert into the oven and let it bake for twenty minutes. "And it's no different than potions," he finished off.
That didn't seem to take very long for the oven to fill up with smoke though. What exactly did he do wrong? He followed the recipe exactly as he wasn't sure what was wrong with the oven. Then he doused a small flame with some water.
"Mateo don't cook," said Rafa as Mateo drenched some stray flames. The smoke cleared as the remains of the Alva kitchen stood in disarray. "Here, why don't I make these for you?"
"What? Mama no," said the 16-year-old wizard as he reached for his bag. "I can totally make my own empanadas for the school fundraiser.
He honestly couldn't but he wasn't going to let his own mother take over the project. This was for extra credit in his health class. After failing that egg assignment he had to bring up his health grade. Otherwise no straight A pluses or tens. Not on his permanent record.
"I know this is really important to you."
"And I can handle it. Now I need to get to the castle," he said before kissing her cheek and racing out the door.
He had one more place to make a pit stop at. He saw the Turner house come into view as he thought to ask Naomi what she was making. She was probably a good baker and probably done. It was safe to ask her since it was her extra credit for the same class. He made his way past the docks to the home of his blond friend as he knocked on the door. Thankfully, Naomi was there.
"I need your help with this extra credit," he said kind of breathless.
"Sorry, don't think I can," she said looking genuine and a bit excited. "My mom and I are making a desert native to Norberg. If you need some help why not ask Gabe? His parents are bakers and he can make some mean churros."
Huh, fair point he never thought to ask his older friend that. "Yea okay."
"Good luck," she said before shutting the door.
With that he headed to the castle. He hoped Gabe was on duty and could find him easily enough. Then again it'd be probably better to ask.
"Hey Ricco, did you see Gabe?" he asked seeing the guard. He was friends with Gabe so he probably would know where to find him.
"Yea last I checked he was with Esteban in the library."
Odd place to find Gabe, he never struck the wizard as an academic type. Then again Esteban was with him so who knows what was going on. Quietly he headed toward the library trying to think of the best thing to say. Then he walked straight into a taller boy dressed in a guard's uniform. Or he was right there.
"Hi Mateo," he said giving him a small grin.
"Hi Gabe. Listen, I need your help," he said before quickly explaining what was going on. "What do you think?"
"I can help you but here not at the shop. My dad is donating some desserts and helping senora Garcia catch kids trying to fake making something. It'll have to be here at the castle."
Good thing he talked to Gabe. He didn't know Senora Garcia actually had bakers in the city watching out for them. And then suggesting that they do it here in the castle. No one would ever know the difference. He was going to get his A+.
"Before dinner that way no extra clean up required."
With that both boys parted ways to meet up. Gabe had his duties as a guard and went looking for either Princess Elena or Princess Isabel. Then he went to his lab to get working on something. Besides the fundraiser he had to work on getting things ready for a visitor in the next couple of days to the castle. Elena had a king coming from another kingdom coming to visit.
Then the clock struck six as he went down to the kitchens. There was multiple cooks to feed multiple people in the castle. So, he didn't know where exactly to find Gabe before he saw a yellow shirt waving to him. There he was. Everything on the table was ready for him as Gabe had several mixing bowls.
"Why are there a couple of them?" he asked coming up and noticing. "Don't you just mix it all into one?"
At this Gabe looked like he was going to laugh a little before coughing. "You were going to put fruit into the filling?" he asked looking a bit confused. "I mean you mixed it with the dough?"
"Yea- that wasn't the thing to do?" he asked. To be honest, Mateo never made it before and neither did his mom at least last he remembered. Rafa did know how to make them, except it's probably been awhile. This was the place to learn he supposed wanting to try making something new.
With that Gabe showed him how to make the dough and then how to make it sweet. Then showed him how to make sure the fire was hot enough. That was also what probably got him confused and the smoke. Now he knew what to do. Together both boys filled up the middle of the dough as it was folded over. Gabe even showed him how to make designs on the folded part.
"This was a bit different but I like how they're turning out," said Gabe as Mateo looked confused. "My dad never put fruit into fillings before. Usually it's meat, then to make things sweeter it was chocolate. Mama used to make the fruit filling a long time ago when I was really little. She would sneak some vegetables in with the meat to make sure I ate them."
With that Mateo laughed a little hearing that.
"Sounds like something my mama would do too," he said. "She never made these in a long time. I don't remember her making them for me but she knew the recipe."
"Mothers," said Gabe has he flipped them over before sliding them back into the oven. "They know everything."
"I know what you mean," he said knowing that his mother loved to dote on him. "What was your mother like?" Mateo couldn't help but ask that, he was curious to know. Actually, he didn't know Gabe all too well so now would be the best chance to get to know him a bit better. Maybe he could learn some more about the teachers at school. After all they went to the same school and had the same classes.
"A mother, I was closer to her than my dad. She always told me to do my best no matter what, stay confident, and to be brave. I would do things to impress my dad but she was always proud of me."
That was the reason for his over confidence, supposed Mateo, as he sprinkled some powdered sugar onto some of the done ones. And why he tried so hard. He did have to admire that about Gabe, he had confidence even if it was a little much.
"And your mom?" pressed Gabe. He was curious to know more about him.
"The same, I liked that she never took away my magic and give me my freedom to do it. I never realized that she would do that until recently." This was true as Mateo had becomes used to it after so long.
It was quiet between them as Gabe took out more from the oven as Mateo was powdering. He had to do most of the work to show his teacher. This turned out to be a pretty fun assignment and it was helping him learn more about his friend. And he was so going to get that A plus in this class.
"I know we don't do much together," said Gabe as Mateo looked up at him. "Want to tell me more about yourself? Besides magic, because I think I know a lot of what you could do."
Wow that was pretty sudden but it did seem to make some sense. He was just thinking how they didn't really know each other all too well. He grinned at hearing the magic comment. Gabe didn't know the half of it.
"Well I grew up with just me and my mom. I go to the city school and do generally really well, I'll be a junior," he just blathered on as Mateo talked.
"I remember that school well," said Gabe. "I remember getting As in school, although my dad wasn't really impressed always wanted me to join the olaball team."
Wow, his dad sounded tough, thought Mateo as they got comfortable together. "Too bad, you're pretty smart, especially to have your job." Which was true, Mateo couldn't be a guard it wasn't his thing. Everyone had that thing in life; his was magic and Gabe was a guard.
Question after question was fired at each other before they were all baked. It was like a rapid-fire game of 100 questions. At least everything that they made was getting done. Honestly this was going better than he expected. Gabe laughed at his jokes and they even ate a couple that were warm. The empanada's themselves tasted fantastic, he thought letting it melt in his mouth. It might have been nice to get food like this growing up under Shuriki's reign.
"Hey Gabe, this was really fun," he said while they were finishing up. One of the kitchen hands came to gather their dishes to prepare for dinner. Everything needed to be rinsed beforehand and cleaning what they used was going to be no issue.
"Yea I really liked doing this. Maybe we could do something else another day," he said making sure his clothes looked okay. Mateo looked down to see the flour as he brushed it off.
"Exactly," said Mateo filling up a box with the empanadas. Gabe just continued as he helped clean up what was left. "Hey, Gabe maybe next time you could show me how to make the ones with meat in them."
"Of course, and you could show me a thing or two about magic," he said curious to know if he had any skills himself in that area. It might have been fun as this.
"Deal," they said at the same time as they headed out of the door. Then parted ways, Mateo back home for the night and then Gabe back to his guard duties. He wondered how Gabe felt about his job but brushed that question to the side. He would just have to ask next time.