Day Four: Rival Stores AU

Not so much "Rival Stores" as "Callum fucks up and spends an absurd amount of time trying to apologize and also they work in different, similar stores (a bakery and a coffee shop)" but you know, this was fun. And fit their personalities pretty well - Callum is well intentioned and sometimes just says dumb shit, and Rayla is quick to anger but genuinely good hearted. Also she's definitely a punk.

Hope everyone is doing well! Enjoy my first attempt at this fandom!

As always, next prompt and fandom are at the bottom.

Callum wasn't an expert bread baker by any means – he just worked the register at his godfather's shop, and occasionally put out new pastries in the display case. But he knew that this new coffee shop next door overbaked their banana bread like it was their duty to. How anyone could make dry banana bread was beyond him, but somehow, they did.

"Seriously, their oven had to be at like, six hundred degrees," he complained, the crumbs dribbling from his mouth and onto the table under him. They'd been gifted the bread by Uncle Barius, who'd been excited about having a new family owned business on the street. Callum couldn't help but wonder if the man had actually tried the stuff first.

Ezran, who was picking at his own piece with poorly hidden disgust in his eyes, looked up from the other side of the table. "Come on Callum, they probably tried their best with what they had. Their hot chocolate is good!" he declared, pointing emphatically at the steaming cup next to his sad bread.

Callum rolled his eyes. "Oh goody, they can mix chocolate powder and milk. Woop dee doo."

"Actually, we use a specially ordered mixture of milk and dark chocolate from Scotland," said a voice behind him, one that was heavily accented and sounded a little perturbed.

Ezran's eyes went wide and he grabbed his bread and drink, scrambling down from the chair and hissing at Zym as he bolted from the room. The beagle puppy followed, but not before he tossed a look back at Callum like he was preparing for his funeral.

Callum twisted in his seat while simultaneously wiping the remaining crumbs off his face. Behind him stood a girl about his age, with stark white hair that was pulled back into braids. Her arms were crossed and she was wearing jeans and a Blink-182 t-shirt, both of which were lightly splattered in coffee stains. She was…stunning, frankly, but the look on her face could have killed people on the spot. Her eyes were an odd shade of blue, almost purple as she strode forwards and plucked Callum's banana bread straight from his hand. "It's gluten free. That's why it's more crumbly than normal banana bread," she snapped. "Which you'd have known, if you actually bothered to come try out our coffee instead of assuming."

Callum blinked rapidly, opening his mouth to try and come up with some kind of response that didn't make him sound like a total asshat. What came out, however: "No need to be rude about it, yeesh. Did you come here to try actual pastries?"

Her scowl grew, and, if she'd had a knife on her, Callum had no doubt she'd slit his throat then and there. "No. I came to speak with the owner about doing a charity fundraiser next month for the animal shelter in Xadia. But if this is what you people are like, me and my uncle want nothing to do with ya."

Callum's lips parted in surprise, but before he could call her back, try to make amends, she was out the door, taking his banana bread with her. He groaned and slid down in the seat, pressing his hands to his face. "Great."

"Nice one," Claudia, a local college student, teased from the counter.

"Shut up!" he groaned. "I feel like a dick, no need to rub it in."

Claudia's smirk was palpable despite the fact that he couldn't see it. "You kind of were a dick. Barius said that the owner of the shop is gluten free, wanted to make pastries for people who couldn't normally have them. It's a side thing for the coffee, but you know…good job making fun of them."

She was still teasing, Callum knew, but he winced and sat up, drumming his fingers on the table. "No, I was an ass. I should go apologize."

"When she probably has access to weaponry? Probably not a great plan. Her biceps were awesome."

Callum sank back down into his seat and put his head back in his hands. "Good point."

"Now get over here. We open in ten, and this drawer isn't going to count itself."

The next time Callum ran into the girl from the coffee shop was later that week, when he was over at Firestone's Bookstore dropping off lunch for his Aunt Amaya. She wasn't there (probably out with her new lady friend that she refused to tell him and Ezran about), but Gren was manning the shop, and he took the muffins Callum offered with delight. "You know, that girl from the new coffee shop down the street just came in," the man mused, already poking over the muffins to find the one he wanted. "Seems nice."

Callum winced. "Except she hates me."

"What'd you do?"

Callum wasn't sure he'd ever made the key-smash sound out loud before, but the noise he made at the accusation was pretty close. "What makes you think I did anything?" he demanded.

"Cause ya did," said the girl's voice, and Callum cursed so much in his head that if his stepfather heard him, he'd probably be grounded for a month. "You were an ass. Move it."

Callum tried to force the scowl off his face and twisted out of the way so that he could face her. Her hair was down today, save for two little braids by her ears, and she was wearing a hoodie and jeans. Somehow, she was still one of the prettiest people Callum had ever seen. "Look, you misunderstood me."

She huffed a laugh and settled a couple of thick books down on the counter for Gren to ring out. All fairytales, from what Callum could see. Totally didn't match his internal picture of her. "Right. So ya weren't absolutely trashing my uncle's gluten free banana bread alternative while simultaneously shitting on a drink that you hadn't even tasted?"

"Well-" Callum hesitated, because that had been exactly what he had been doing. He should apologize, should try and make amends, but his pride was struggling. "Well you haven't even tried our stuff!"

The look she shot him was withering. "Yeah. I'm gluten free, you absolute chicken twit."

Gren looked like he wanted nothing more than to sink behind the counter. He handed the girl her bag with a weak smile. "Here's your things, Rayla. Have a good day, all right?"

Her smile was absolutely blinding as she turned to him. "You as well, Gren. Hope he doesn't pester ya too much longer."

She shot Callum another glare and stormed out. Callum looked at Gren in disbelief. "What do I do?"

Gren just stared at him. "Dude, if I have to tell you that, you really need some help. Like beyond me. Stop being an ass, okay?"

Callum thunked his head on the counter. "I'm trying."

He had a name. He could work with that.

Rayla.

Somehow, it fit her personality. Her beauty. The ease with which she moved, like the earth didn't exist and she could just dance on the clouds if only gravity-

Yup, Callum was a goner.

How was it that a girl who had been nothing but mean to him somehow made him fall head over heels? He wasn't a masochist – at least, he didn't think he was. Maybe he was.

Callum was finding out new things about himself, apparently.

Like that he really couldn't bake, no matter how much Uncle Barius tried to help him. Maybe he could with regular flour, but gluten free flour was a pain in his ass (no French puns intended). No wheat, no yeast, add xantham gum, whatever the hell that was, don't overmix or you're absolutely screwed, and somehow, even if you didn't fuck up, it still became a brick.

At least for him, anyway. The muffin Uncle Barius made to demonstrate for him was pretty much perfect. Moist, even though it was still a little dryer than normal, and it didn't fall apart everywhere. That in and of itself made Callum a little smug, until Barius reminded him that bread was sliced way thinner and even regular, wheaty bread got crumbly when it sat out for a while.

So yeah, okay, gluten free baking was fucking hard, and Callum wasn't happy about it. But still, this was the only way he could think of to apologize to her. So he stayed in that damn kitchen with a bag of gluten free flour that had probably cost a million dollars, given how big it was, and he just kept going.

After the third day, he was fed up. He took the offered reprieve from his uncle and put on a clean apron, tying it around his back as he stepped out into the store to ring customers up. Lo and behold, the first one was a man who looked eerily similar to Rayla. He was tall, taller than Callum's stepfather, and his hair was also white. Callum had thought maybe Rayla dyed hers, but it was looking like that wasn't the case.

"Um, h-hi," Callum stammered, fingers slipping a little on the knot. "Welcome to Castle's Bakery and Pastry shop. What can I get for you?"

The man smiled at him, warm, if the look in his eyes wasn't a little off putting. "I'm here for your uncle, Barius? My niece Rayla said he might be willing to work with us on a fundraiser we're doing."

Callum nodded. "For the animal shelter in Xadia, right?"

Rayla's uncle tilted his head. "Yes. Did she speak to you about it?"

"Um…kind of?" Callum said with a wince. "I uh…I didn't exactly get off on the best foot with her, unfortunately."

The grin the man gave was blinding. "Most people don't, young man. It's all right, don't take it personally. She's got a fiery spirit. It'll be fine. She's quick to temper, but she's also very quick to friend."

Callum slumped. "I tried to apologize, but I messed it up. Any advice?"

Barius glanced out from the back and waved at the gentleman, who in turn smiled down at Callum and clapped him on the shoulder as he eased past him. "Be yourself. You seem polite enough where it counts."

Callum sighed, cracked his neck, and looked up with a plastered on smile as the bell jangled again.

The Dragon Prince Coffee Shop was medieval themed, which Callum found kind of neat – why their bakery wasn't castle themed with the name it had was beyond him, but Barius was his own level of odd. The door handles were tiny dragons, and the walls (normal brickwork) were decorated with shields, crossed swords, and vines and ivy. Despite the heavy feeling, the actual space was airy and light, and the sun streaming through the windows lit it up with a bright atmosphere. The counters sparkled like they were made of hidden gems, and there wasn't music playing, but instead trickling water and bird noises.

In his hands, Callum nervously clutched a paper bag with the three muffins he'd deemed acceptable after nearly a week. Zym had been having a field day with scraps, and Barius was trying to figure out a way to use all the leftovers Callum had created. He felt a little bad, but the muffins had to be perfect.

The air smelled like ground espresso and drip coffee, and there was a light chatter throughout the room from seated patrons. He stood in line patiently, tapping his fingers against his bag, and eyeballed the pastry selections in their small case. They looked delicious, to be honest, and Callum felt himself feeling smaller with every step to the front.

When he got there, Rayla looked up with a practiced smile, one that fell the moment she laid eyes on him. "What do you want?"

"Rayla," her uncle practically growled from where he was pressing espresso. "Be nice."

"Yes, Uncle Runaan," she said through gritted teeth. She looked back at Callum, irritation in her wrinkled brow. "What can I get you?"

"Um. Nothing, actually," Callum said, holding out the bag. "I brought…I brought an apology muffin. Or three."

"I thought I told you, I-"

"They're gluten free," Callum said, a little softer this time. "I just…I wanted to say I was sorry."

Rayla took the bag slowly, suspiciously, and looked into the bag. "Why don't I believe that?"

"I believe that," Runaan said, settling a hand on Rayla's shoulder and tossing a small wink at Callum. "Take your break, dear."

She looked up at her uncle in startled surprise. "What?"

Runaan gently pushed her away from the register. "Go on your break, and talk to this young man. Now. I have a line forming, so shoo."

Callum gave the man a grateful look and followed Rayla, who was grumbling a little, out the front door and to one of their outdoor seating tables. He sat down across from her and twisted his fingers in the hem of his shirt while she eyed the muffins.

She was wearing a Sum41 shirt today, more coffee splattered jeans, and what Callum could only call combat boots. Way out of his league, and yet he still had a little bit of hope. If he could just salvage some kind of friendship, he'd be happy.

"I wouldn't intentionally make something to hurt you," Callum said after she'd stared at the muffin for longer than a minute. "I'm not that big of a dick."

She snorted. "Could've fooled me."

Still, she took a bite, and Callum stopped breathing for a second as she chewed. Her nose wrinkled, but she didn't spit it out, and that was good enough for Callum. She set it down on the bag and pressed her lips into a line. "Not enough salt," she said finally, looking up. Her eyes were definitely purple. "But it's a good start."

He relaxed, his shoulders slumping, and ducked his head. "Thanks. Look, I'm…we got off on the wrong foot."

"Understatement of the century."

"It was my fault," Callum continued. "I was being a dick about your food, and then I didn't step up and take the blame for being an ass, and I'm sorry. Can we like…can we start over?"

Rayla was studying him when he looked up. Tracing over his form like she was trying to see inside of him. Finally, finally, her lips quirked up at the sides. "I'd like that. Not easy to make friends when you're homeschooled and you work with your family."

Callum rolled his eyes. "I feel that. So hard. Middle of nowhere problems, am I right?"

The smile she gave him was soft, full of amusement, and Callum found himself sinking into the feeling of it. "You're right."

"I know we just kind of um…became acquaintances?" Callum tried, and his fingers were drumming against his leg again. This was either the worst idea he'd had all month or – no, it was the worst idea. "But like…stop me if I'm being creepy, but you're really pretty. And you seem nice, when I'm not pissing you off. And I-I kind of wanted to know if you'd want to go for dinner sometime maybe if that's okay?"

Her eyes glittered with amusement, and her lips were still tugged into a grin. "Perhaps. As long as you know somewhere that doesn't sell coffee or pastries and is also gluten free."

His whole body eased, the tension melting away. He couldn't help but grin back – her smile was infectious. "I might know a place." He didn't, but that didn't mean he wouldn't research the hell out of it as soon as he got home.

Rayla stood, sliding her half eaten muffin back into the bag and handing them back to him. "Good. Come over after we close?"

"T-Tonight?"

Rayla shrugged. "Why not?"

She pressed the bag a little harder against his chest and leaned down. "Anything would be better than this nonsense you baked."

He opened his mouth to protest, but cut himself off at the sight of her smile. "It was a sweet gesture. Don't do it again."

She let go of the bag and walked back into the coffee shop, and Callum sank all the way down in his seat, cheeks burning.

Yeah, okay, so he was at least a little into the "mean" thing.

He could work with that.

Tomorrow's fic: Game Night, Stranger Things