A New Favorite Treat
A/N I guess for one-shots now, I have a habit of putting the author's note at the beginning. This one-shot is a bit more on the fluffier side. Honestly, I don't know which type of story is better: fluffy or serious (Opinions needed.) Anyways, hope you enjoy!
She's outside, sitting quietly on the side of a large oak tree, looking around the forest ground lying beneath her feet. The wind would blow and bring small goosebumps and chills on her arms. The sky was filled with gray clouds making it was a rather dreary, gloomy day; but that didn't matter. What did matter was the treat held between her two hands. The best treat in the world:
Ice cream.
Back in London, ice cream was a prominent dessert that only the best could afford. Now that Maria was living in Moonacre Valley, ice cream was quite difficult to find. Recalling the past couple days, she remembers mentioning to Marmaduke that she was deprived of her favorite past-time snack which was ice cream. Being the wonderful chef he was, Marmaduke offered to go on an endeavor to find said dessert.
After some researching, searching, and whatever Marmaduke did in his past time other than cooking, he found the epitome of the Holy Grail in the form of an ice cream recipe. To say Maria was less than thankful was a great understatement. She was ecstatic from the news and already knew it would be delicious.
And it was. Maria sighed as she lifted her spoon and took another bite of the spoon that held chocolate ice cream. It was absolute bliss after that.
"Why are you looking so peaceful? Shouldn't you be scurrying around doing what your governess told you?" a boyish voice perked up above Maria. Raising her head to see him, her eyes immediately spotted a Bird Boy. He was crouched down on a tree, gazing at her like a cat would.
She lightly grins at him before inserting another bite into her mouth. "You know, I don't only study. I have hobbies as well. Eating ice cream is one of my personal favorites," she says after she finishes swallowing.
"What is this ice cream you speak of?"
That question alone stuns her. Robin doesn't know what ice cream is. The one and only Bird Boy, heir to the De Noir throne, and former rival does not know what ice cream is. Maria can only gape at him as he raises a questioning eyebrow.
Determined to make him taste a bit of heaven, Maria stands up and beckons for him to come down. He shrugs his shoulders and descends gracefully from the tree, the almost silent fall of his feet making a thud.
She lifts a spoon filled with the last bit of ice cream up to his mouth when he stands up. He looks at her like she's finally lost it. Perhaps she has but she'll blame it on the ice cream. "Try it," she encourages. "You won't regret it."
Robin gazes at her quizzically while taking the bite. If Maria's eyes were correct, his face gradually transformed into one of child-like delight. His eyes lit up and the pure sense of joy escapes his mouth and takes the form of a bright grin. Maria retracts her hand and drops the spoon back into the bowl. She places on her hip, a smug smirk resting on her face.
"I knew you would like it," she simply states as she watches Robin lick his lips. Even in the cold autumn air, ice cream still brings a sense of warmth despite its name.
He nods. "Maria…you have given me a newfound beauty in life. Where do I find more of this little piece of paradise?" he asks completely serious. It took Maria all her willpower to not chuckle at the dazed De Noir.
"Marmaduke made it. He found a secret recipe and I'm planning to learn how to make it myself. After I learn, I can make some for you," she replies.
Robin furrows his eyebrows. "Hmmm, I'm sure I'll be able to learn how to make ice cream myself. It can't be that difficult," he says much to Maria's surprise. Robin the hunter? Making ice cream in the De Noir mansion? She can't help but let a sliver of doubt creep in.
"You? Making ice cream? Without a recipe? By yourself?" she points at him while shaking her head. "I don't believe it." He stares at her while she says this, his mind comprehending this newfound challenge.
He looks her dead in the eye as he says this. "I accept your challenge, Maria Merryweather. By the end of these two weeks, if I don't make a treat acceptable enough for your taste, I will be deemed the defeated," he says while sticking out his chest, before sprinting off, not even saying a farewell.
Maria turns and stares blankly at his receding form. I didn't even challenge him to anything. Shrugging her shoulders, she left it there. If Robin wanted to prove himself victorious, let him. After all, she wins either way in the end.
It is late in the evening when there a knock on her door. Usually, everyone did not disturb Maria during this time due to her ritual reading hours. "Come in," she calls, not moving her eyes from the book from her lap. Digweed slowly peaks his head in. "You have a visitor, Miss Maria," he says to her.
"Who is it?" she asks, eyes still captivated by the book.
Digweed smiles at her. "It's Mr. Robin De Noir, Miss," he says, trying to keep the teasing tint to himself. If Maria did hear it, she ignored it. Placing her bookmark at the page she just finished, she closed the book and excused Digweed. "Tell him I'll be down quickly." Nodding, he steadily closes her door, his padding footsteps slowly retreating.
Stretching her arms and back, Maria yawns before laying the book down on her bedside table. Walking to the door, she opens and closes it, slipping down the staircase.
He's waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, hand-carrying a bowl filled with ice cream. No one questions him at the moment; all of them taking in the sight of the feared hunter holding a bowl of strawberry-pink ice cream.
He's not ashamed though. Swiveling his head, he stares dead straight at Maria as she descends the stairs. "My first creation; did not try it but I don't need to. It's already as great as it is," he says completely and utterly confident with himself. Rolling her eyes at his arrogance, Maria turns to the couple members in the household.
"Uncle Benjamin, Loveday, please excuse Robin. He is not quite his normal self, you see," she says pointing to his bowl. "I'm afraid he has a small case of brain freeze." Before Robin could defend himself, Loveday nudged her fiancé. Whispering something to him, they both chuckled before excusing themselves.
When the pair was left alone, Robin shoved the bowl up to Maria. "Try it and be amazed." Maria rolled her eyes before delicately picking up the spoon. She picked up a bit of the pink ice cream and took a bite.
Her inner conscience told her not to show her true feelings but her taste buds told her otherwise. Strawberry ice cream was not a suitable name for this monstrosity. Swallowing her first and only bite of this ice cream, she wheezes out a long sigh.
"Come," is all she ways before she's pushing him towards Marmaduke's kitchen.
"Why are we here?" he asks when they enter the room.
"Because De Noir," she says while going to the cabinet and grabbing sugar, cream, strawberries, and milk, "you're not going to be only killing animals with this ice cream." She cringes, slowly recalling the horrid taste of that so-called dessert.
He pouts and semi-glares at her, as she scurries around the kitchen trying to find the right pots and pans. He begins mumbling to himself probably how he thought it looked delicious. Not that she was really paying any attention to him.
She glances at him while he's leaning against the counter, cheeks resting on his hands. "Listen close, Robin," she says. "Making ice cream takes patience and time. You definitely need a recipe if you are to accomplish the desired taste and look."
He only clicks his tongue at her. She takes this as his gesture to continue.
"First you grab the washed strawberries and place them in hand-cranked ice cream maker. Dump in six ounces of sugar, a pint of cream, and rub it through a sieve with the back of a spoon." She shuffles around the kitchen, grabbing cartons, measuring cups, spoons, and fluidly places them all in the ice cream maker.
Robin just stares at her, bored and completely uninterested from her instructions. Like he has better things to tend to.
"Usually, it would take half an hour to crank this," Maria places her hand on the ice cream maker. "But with Marmaduke's magical cooking abilities, the kitchen itself can churn this for us."
Right as she said that, the kitchen began cleaning the kitchen, the silver wear, and of course, churning the ice cream. The sweet aroma of the strawberry dessert already began filling the air. A short smile tugs at Maria's lips as she takes in a large breath of air.
As if amused by her gesture, Robin stifles a short laugh and roughly coughs to cover it up.
"Something humorous?" Maria asks, narrowing her eyes to him.
"Not at all," he replies and then looks away.
She puffs one of her cheeks before beckoning him to exit the kitchen. As they are walking to the door, Maria turns to him. "I hope you took notes. If you want a sample of the ice cream next time, be my guest."
Thanking her, Robin walks out the door and waves to her. Smiling, she waves back.
The next week, Digweed comes up to her room again and tells her she has a visitor. "It's the De Noir, Miss," is all he says. Thanking and excusing him, Maria sighs as she places her book down on her desk. Walking to her mirror, she fluffs her hair and heads out of her room.
He's at the bottom of the steps again holding a bowl filled with vanilla ice cream. Only this time, there is no sense of pride in his eyes; only a blank gaze. No one was present in the room except her and Robin, and frankly, Maria preferred that. "Are you here for me to try your ice cream again?" Maria asks.
With conflicted eyes, Robin nods without saying a word. Though it wasn't normal for him to be so quiet, Maria didn't question it. She was still on the stairs when he strides towards to where she's standing, ice cream in hand.
"What are you—mmf!"
And before she has time to process the situation, he's already standing in front of her and pressing his flushed lips against his. Maria had no idea what was going on except the Robin De Noir was kissing her while holding a bowl of ice cream. Maria had no time to react as the gentle caress of Robin's lips went against hers.
After a few seconds, they parted and Robin instantly gives her a smirk.
"It wasn't only the ice cream I wanted a sample of," he explains. Shoving the bowl of ice cream into her hands, Robin's already out the door, rendering her speechless with widened eyes.
It took her a moment for Maria to come back to her senses, but when she does, the corners of her lips tip upwards.
She guesses ice cream might not be her favorite treat anymore.
A/N (Wow, author's note at the bottom too.) Sorry for the slight OOCness. For this drabble to work, I had to make them a little OOC. Hope you found this cute and let's just say, when Maria ate the ice cream, it was delicious and had a little heart-shaped candy in the middle. ;))
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