Set between seasons 2 & 3. Nikita makes cupcakes.
There were three reasons why Nikita didn't go into Division that day. One, she didn't want to. If she wasn't needed for a mission to bring in the agents who hadn't accepted the recall order, then she wasn't going to hang around the hellhole. It was so strange that she was fighting for that place. At least the team could have a shot of the life they deserved. That was, after all, the second reason she didn't go in; she and Alex were out enjoying their life. They wandered around different shops, got things they didn't need, and ate so much food. Some of the food they bought made it back to Nikita's apartment. But that was for her third reason for not going in.
She was going to make cupcakes for Michael. Her boyfriend had actually gone into Division that morning, his sense of duty outweighing the desire to just say 'fuck it'. Michael did encourage Nikita to spend her time as freely as possible. She deserved to have as much fun with her best friend as she could. Of course she would do that. But afterwards, she would do something to treat him. He deserved good things as well. And what was better than homemade sugary confections just in time for his upcoming birthday.
It was ambitious of Nikita to make cupcakes from scratch instead of from a box (at least, according to Alex it was); except, Michael was worth the effort. She found an online recipe to follow, and gathered all of the ingredients necessary; she even grabbed extras for decoration. Once she returned home (that was a fun new way to think of their apartment) she preheated the oven and tossed everything on the counter. She had to take a moment to think about how to begin, however. Her baking skills weren't necessarily the best, "Okay. First… the bowl."
As long as Nikita followed the recipe, she knew how to bake. Other than that, she wasn't exactly sure what she was doing. She could mix and measure the ingredients well, but how to ensure the cake didn't stick to the pan, or be too dry, or fall completely apart she had no idea. She just had to be careful and hope for the best. Though, the fact that she didn't have the right utensils and dishware probably wouldn't be helpful. She had been so focused on getting all the right ingredients, she forgot she didn't have a fully stocked kitchen. What she had would simply have to make do.
The medium sized bowls she grabbed from one of the cupboards was the best she had. It wouldn't hold all of the ingredients, but Nikita planned on halving the recipe anyway. She only had to make enough cupcakes for her and Michael (and Alex, since she begged for some after she had heard the idea). It should be fine. The wet ingredients went in okay; though, she did get a little bit of eggshell and yolk on the counter. And the dry ingredients mixed well together; she didn't even spill that time. Adding it together was just where she possibly went wrong.
Actually owning a hand mixer, Nikita was able to beat and whisk and whatever else. She began to add the dry to the wet, when things erupted. She didn't turn down the speed of the mixer, nor did she take her time in dumping in the flour mixture. White stuff exploded over her and the counter. Quickly, she turned off the mixer and tried to figure out what she did wrong. Reading the recipe, she cursed, "Add it gradually. Fuck."
With an exasperated sigh, Nikita did her best to scoop the mess into the bowl and try again. She kept the hand mixer speed low, overly cautious of the bowl size and her risk of spilling. Going slow seemed to do the trick. The cupcake batter formed perfectly. She didn't have any bubbles or clumps, and it smelled amazing. Tense shoulders relaxing, she grinned in satisfaction. Until the oven beeped aggressively at her. It had to remind her it had finished preheating, "I know. Shut up. I'll get to you in a minute."
Although talking to the inanimate object made Nikita scoff, it did help her focus on her next step. She had bought a cupcake tin while she was out with Alex. The tray probably should've been washed before she used it. Yet she figured covering it with cooking spray and placing little cupcake cups in the holes would be alright. Maybe that was why Nikita wasn't the best baker. She didn't have nearly enough patience.
That showed itself more as she poured the batter into the cups. Nikita wasn't gentle or easy with her movements. She just dumped it from the bowl into the tray. Cupcake batter spilled all over the counter and the tin, but the tray was filled and all the batter was used. She could simply pop it in the oven, set the timer, and not think about it for a while. Well, she would have to think about it a little. She definitely put way too much batter in the tray; things might explode again. There went being careful.
"Whatever. I overfilled the cups. But who cares. They're in the oven. It's frosting time," Nikita sighed, ruffling her annoying hair out of her face. The frosting would hopefully be less of an adventure than the batter. It was less ingredients and less steps, after all. She had also begun to learn from her mistakes. Not only did she read the instructions in the recipe, but the tips as well.
Her first step was to clean her previous mess before making anything else. A clear space might clear her mind. Nikita continued to ignore the dishes in the sink. But the spills and smudges on the counter could be wiped up- should be wiped up, especially where the egg had splattered. The ingredients she wasn't using should be put away as well. She didn't need to be so chaotic in the kitchen. Just because she wasn't used to operating in the space, didn't mean she could lose her mind. She had to treat it like it was ops or something.
Alright, there had to be something wrong with her when she thought planning missions and preparing weapons was more normal than baking. Nikita and the others used to use their dining table as weapon storage, for God's sake. Maybe they could use their time working to bring in the newly nicknamed Dirty Thirty adjusting back to a normal life. Or, as close to normal as they could be. Being completely honest, that was the more realistic option for the team.
Shaking away her distracting thoughts, Nikita readied the powdered sugar, milk, and butter for the frosting. She had to use the hand mixer again, but she was fairly certain she had gotten a handle on it. She'd start slow, gradually add ingredients, and keep the bowl steady. Although that went according to plan, the bowl she had grabbed wasn't quite big enough for its rapidly mixing contents. Powdered sugar puffed up in Nikita's face. She huffed, but at least it didn't explode everywhere. She could live with that.
Soon, the frosting was complete. Nikita just added a few drops of red food coloring to make it more colorful. She only added enough to make the white frosting pink, yet her fingers were still stained. It was like she couldn't win. She only got some of the dye off her hands when the oven beeped; the cupcakes were done and needed her immediate attention. Slipping on an oven mitt, she quickly pulled them out, turned off the oven, and slapped the tray on the counter.
Even though the cupcakes were huge, they looked absolutely delicious. Nikita smiled brightly to herself. The worst part was over. All that was left was decoration. She began to take the cakes out of the tray and place them on a plate, using a knife so she wouldn't burn herself. Unfortunately, she moved too quickly with the first one and dropped it. The cupcake landed top down on the counter, getting smushed instantly. Nikita couldn't sigh anymore. She just put it on the plate and moved more steadily with the rest.
"Okay. Wait. Hot cupcakes will melt the frosting. I should wait for them to cool," Remembering what the recipe stated, Nikita left the cupcakes alone for a moment. She left the kitchen completely, so she wouldn't be tempted. After only a few minutes of replying to texts and changing out of her flour and sugar covered clothes, however, she returned. The cupcakes were somewhat cool to the touch. They didn't burn her finger. So, she shrugged, "Good enough."
Since one of the cupcakes was already deformed, she decided to decorate that one first in case anything went wrong. The frosting did melt a little, yet it was alright. Nikita still managed to make it look good. Once that was done, she grabbed the container of sprinkles. She twisted off the top and tried to shake just a little on top of the frosting. Instead, a whole bunch spilled out. Hurriedly, she stopped and checked to see what had gone wrong- again. Apparently, the sprinkles' cap wasn't a twist off. For it to be the shaker she thought it was, she could've simply popped open the top. All she could do was nod, "I did that to myself."
After she tidied up one last time, everything else went off without a hitch. The cupcakes were beautifully decorated. She arranged them neatly on a nice plate. A candle was placed into the biggest one. And she decided to eat the deformed cake. Despite the numerous sprinkles, the cupcake was mind-blowingly amazing. Nikita's eyes slipped closed, and a joyful hum vibrated her chest. She could ignore the hectic baking if that was a result. It was so good.
Just as she finished devouring her cupcake (and contemplated eating another) the front door opened. Michael was finally home from Division. Nikita bounced excitedly on her toes. He was going to be just as delighted as she was about the confections. She couldn't wait to see his reaction. Calling from the kitchen, her smile was beyond clear in her voice, "Hey."
"Hey," Michael responded from the doorway. He removed his suit jacket and shoes, and shuffled towards the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen. He hadn't expected Nikita to be cooking when he got home; he hadn't even expected her to be home. Watching her move excitedly around the kitchen was a pleasant surprise in more ways than one. Once he was near enough to his girlfriend, he took her hand in his and pulled her in for a long, slow kiss. She smiled and hummed into the affection.
"Mhmm, you taste like sugar and vanilla," As they separated, Michael flashed a crooked grin. Nikita began to giggle, but it was cut short by her boyfriend kissing her again. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his palm into the small of her back to pull her in close. She came willingly, encircling her arms around his neck. They remained that way for a while, simply drinking each other in. When they broke apart once more, Michael got a good look at Nikita's messy appearance. His grin grew exponentially.
"What exactly did you bake?" Picking out the frosting Nikita had accidently gotten into her hair as she ate her cupcake, Michael chuckled. She had flour and powdered sugar on her cheek and nose as well, which he gently wiped away. He was sad he missed whatever it was that made her such a mess. No doubt, he would've had fun watching her create chaos in the kitchen.
"Homemade cupcakes," Nikita beamed proudly. She moved from her boyfriend's arms to show him the cupcakes piled neatly on the plate. There was still more cleaning up for her to do, yet that could be ignored for the moment. She didn't want to clean right then anyway.
"Wow. Those look amazing. What's the occasion?" Michael was able to ignore the disaster zone of a kitchen, entirely distracted by the delicious cupcakes.
"Just something nice to do. And, you know, someone's birthday is coming up," Winking at her boyfriend, Nikita couldn't stop her wide smile. Michael's birthday wasn't for another couple of days, yet she had already planned on doing so much for the special day. The cupcakes were only a small part of it.
Recalling the surprise party Nikita had thrown for Ryan a couple of weeks ago, Michael quickly checked his surroundings. He had spent all day in Division without his girlfriend. He wasn't up for the rapid taunts of their friends just yet, "You didn't tell anyone…"
"It's our little secret," Nikita chuckled. She had told Alex about Michael's birthday, and the young woman was planning on a gift to buy. And Birkhoff knew when to torture his best friend on the day he grew older. However, at that moment, it was just the couple. They could enjoy each other's company without their ever present team near. It was why they had finally gotten an apartment of their own, after all. They could be free by themselves.
"Oh. Good," Smiling easily again, Michael sighed. When it was his actual birthday, he knew he'd be perfectly fine spending the day with his friends. In fact, he would love that. But with a long day of work behind him, he only wanted to be around his girlfriend. Nikita's smile reflected the same thought.
"Come on. Try one," Holding out the biggest cupcake, the one with the candle in it, Nikita commanded her boyfriend. Michael chuckled, and reached for the treat; however, she suddenly held it away from him. She hadn't lit the candle yet. That was the most important part. Hurriedly, she grabbed the box of matches and tried to do just that. The match wouldn't light, though. She kept swiping it against the side of the box, yet nothing happened. No matter how hard she rubbed, no fire started.
Michael eventually reached to help her, yet Nikita stubbornly pulled away. She could strike a match. The box just wouldn't yield. Desperate and frustrated, she glanced at her boyfriend. As she caught sight of his scruffy beard, an idea instantly jolted to her mind. She struck the match against his jaw and, sure enough, it was lit. Whereas she beamed, he stared at her bewildered, "Did you really just do that?"
"It worked in The Mummy," Shrugging, Nikita stated simply. She lit the candle then shook out the match. She was honestly surprised her idea had worked, but she wasn't going to say anything. She was just going to accept it and move on.
"You and Alex need to stop getting ideas from movies," Michael shook his head. One day, that tactic was going to get someone hurt. He didn't want to be around when that happened.
"Just make a wish," Rolling her eyes, Nikita attempted to glare at him. It fell flat as Michael stared earnestly at her, though. His green eyes pierced her brown for a solid moment, sparks flying. Then, he closed his eyes, muttered something, and blew out the candle. When he looked at his girlfriend again, he smiled brilliantly. She couldn't help but be drawn ever so closer to him, "What'd you wish for?"
"If I tell you, it won't come true. And I need it to come true," He didn't exactly tease. Michael was serious about needing his wish to come true; it involved his and Nikita's future. The expression she gave him would make him tell her eventually, so he distracted them both by taking a bite of the cupcake. Instantly, his lips lifted, his eyes closed, and he hummed. That had to have been the best cupcake he had ever tasted, "Oh. Wow. There's no way you made this. You had to have bought these."
"Jerk. You know what? For that, you have to clean the kitchen," Shoving Michael lightly, Nikita held back a chuckle. He simply continued to eat the cupcake as he glanced wearily at the dishes in the sink and the splatter on the counter. She followed his line of sight, and sighed. Fine, they could split the job, "Okay. The dishes. I'll clean the counter."
"A whirlwind who can bake. Who knew," Around one last bite of cake, Michael quipped. He had always thought she was a hellion out in the field. Of course that would translate to the kitchen. Nikita just couldn't stop moving. Nor could she be patient.
"There's a lot you still don't know about me," Her return quip wasn't necessarily true. Nikita and Michael practically knew everything about one another. Sure, some things from their past remained unsaid. But they continued to know more about one another than anybody else. It was a result of having seen each other's hearts. They knew their souls as though it was their own. Considering how closely tied they were, it almost was.
"Well, I'm willing to find out," Michael grinned, pulling Nikita in for another kiss.
"Happy early birthday," Bumping her nose lightly against his, Nikita whispered against his lips. Michael simply shook his head. Who cared about that. His day had become beyond perfect with her in his arms. The amazing cupcake just made it sweeter. He soon lifted her up, placed her on the counter, and continued to kiss her soundly. Smiles pulled at both of their lips throughout the soft affection.