All In How You Make It
by Bleedred (Toilinthefields)
Last updated: December 31st, 2011
Characters: France, Germany
Pairings: France/Germany
Rating: Everybody
Genre: Romance/Cake (Cake is a genre)
Warnings: France, Germany, violence against cake batter, cake not being a lie, mentions of affection, implied homo-romanticism
Summary: France shows Germany the best way to bake a cake.
A request for Shuriken7 on the hetachallenge 2011 Advent Challenge
"Relax, Allemagne," a voice reassured him as a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him from beating the cake batter into senseless oblivion. Normally he wasn't this careless, but today he was in a hurry to get the cakes baked. He needed to get them prepared and decorated for the party that he was helping France host in the forthcoming evening. Sure, they often argued and had rough spots in the past... especially with the long-standing Alsace-Lorraine fiasco, but he was more than willing to at least be a good neighbor and help out. Besides, Germany loved baking cakes.
He stiffened, mentally cringing at the hand on his wrist. It's owner merely kept on talking to him.
"You need to make the cakes with love~" he said, guiding his... friend? Enemy? Frienemy? Guiding his colleague's hand into a more gentle pace at whipping the batter together. Germany sighed, because he knew better than to hurry at making a good cake, but they were so pressed for time. Every second was precious time that they could lose! How could France be so laid back about this? Then again, the man was known for showing up to parties at least an hour late... An entire hour! How ... how ... unpunctual! Germany would have berated himself if he were ever late to such events, but France was so casual about it, as though it were acceptable. Maybe... that was why he was so unperturbed with the time it took to prepare the food.
"They will be able to taste it in the cake, mon ami~" France put a hand on Germany's shoulder, who only continued to frown as he took up the much more sluggishly determined pace with the batter.
"I know, I know..." he half-growled, not meaning to snap exactly as he shrugged his shoulder out of the other man's grasp. He sighed. "I... I just want to get this done... It is not like we exactly have all of the time in the world to be... leisurely about this."
France continued to stand right next to him, hovering slightly over his shoulder with a fatherly grin on his face. It was kind of unnerving. Germany felt his ears go slightly red as he just knew that France was scrutinizing every motion he made with the cake batter. If he was going to micromanage Germany, why didn't he just do the work himself? Germany could go grease the pans or something, maybe wash up the dishes they'd already used so they could save time cleaning up later.
The older nation chuckled happily, still giving off the air of a mentor. "I do not think you are quite putting enough love into the preparation, Allemange~" he cheerfully chided, putting his hand on Germany's upper arm. Gott, what was with all of the touching? Did he absolutely have to keep touching him? Before he could pull away though, he felt something warm press itself to his cheek before it quickly vanished.
Germany froze.
In a second, not only were his ears red, but his entire face felt hot as though all of the blood rushed to his cheeks in some sort of über-blush. France just... He wasn't sure whether to feel violated or disgusted or what exactly he ought to be feeling towards this. Germany clenched his jaw shut and furrowed his eyebrows together, trying to sort everything out in his head.
"There, Allemange~" he heard France purr with a gentle pat to his shoulder, "Now you have plenty of love to put into the cake~"
He wanted to reach up and just reacquaint his palm with his face, but... he didn't. Germany remained tense for a moment before he let his shoulders relax as he found it suddenly... much easier to go at that much more... affectionate pace with the cake batter he was trying to get all of the lumps out of. Maybe there was something to this... love in the food nonsense after all.