tattoo AU and bakery AU for taakitz :>
“I didn’t know the place came with a handsome neighbor,” Taako crows, peeking out the window of his new bakery-cafe at the tattoo shop next door. The Raven’s Nest is small and staffed by only a few people, one of whom is the hottest motherfucker Taako has ever laid eyes on. “Hot boy, fresh out the oven. Steaming.”
“Maybe you could bring him something. A cupcake or a macaron, maybe?” Ren, his business partner, leans casually against the counter she’s just finished wiping down for the day.
“You’re a genius. Box me up something that says ‘date me, like, ASAP’.”
“What color do you want the frosting to be?”
“Not literally, you fucking fiend! I don’t want to creep the guy!”
“He says, staring at tall, dark, and handsome through the window, again.”
“I take back the genius title and I am putting it in my pocket and sending it back to the factory.”
Ren laughs. She puts a few tasty little petit fours in a larger box and ties it with a ribbon.
“You want to write your number on top, or are we taking it slow?”
“You’re not involved! There is no we here! But, no, no, if he wants me, which, obvs he will. It’s a known fact of the universe that I am delectably wantable. But if he wants me he can walk fifteen steps to the left of his job, and there I’ll be. Available, but not too available. It’s the perfect crime.”
Ren just shakes her head, and she goes about setting things up for opening in the morning.
It’s funny how nervous Taako is. He knows his shit is good, and his face is handsome, and he’s a delicious fucking catch for anybody, even such a hotboy as this one, but his heart is pounding like he’s been crab-walking a marathon in a bikini all day, and he doesn’t want to look sweaty for his first impression. He steadies his breath at the door, and then he walks in under the cheery jingle, smiling like he knows a sexy little secret. That’ll get him good. Got to.
The hot tattoo artist looks up from the till and nearly spits his coffee.
“Hey sailor,” Taako says, layering warmth in his voice like a fine little lasagna. “My bakery just opened up next door, and I thought I’d come round and meet the neighbors, share a few little treats.” He winks. The guy swallows his coffee hard and puts down the cup like it’ll kill him if he even thinks about getting another sip. His eyes are still a little too wide, which Taako has no objection to--they’re the most gorgeous deep brown he’s ever dreamed of sinking into. And those cheekbones, and that hair, done up in perfect braids and tied into a loose bun. God, what a hottie. “I’m Taako, by the way. You know, like on the sign.”
“Kravitz,” Kravitz says. His voice is hoarse, presumably from the coffee, but hopefully from just how handsome Taako is, and his subsequent realization of his goal in life and/or purpose in the universe. “Charmed.”
Taako sets the cake box down on the counter and leans against it, taking a calm glance around to assure himself that he’s not in the way of any customers.
“So tell me, stud, what’s the skinny on this place?”
They chat long enough that Ren comes and gets Taako so that they can close up the shop, and the next day Taako peeks through the windows, trying to tell if the cake box is gone, but that pretty little pink container of goodness is still sitting in the same place. Taako frowns.
“He didn’t eat my shit.”
“Maybe he just didn’t throw away the box?”
“He should have taken it home and hidden it from his coworkers so he could have it all to himself! What gives!!”
Taako takes another box of goodies over that night. And the night after that. He sees Kravitz’s coworkers eating the treats, but never Kravitz.
This becomes his goddamn white whale.
“So what kind of treats do you like, hm?”
“Oh, you know,” Kravitz says, rubbing at his neck. “Yours are so good. I can’t even choose.”
Taako narrows his eyes.
“Pick three and I’ll bring you some more.”
“Oh, you really don’t have to, Taako! I really appreciate it, but surely your customers want to pay for those things you keep giving us for free!”
“End of the day treats that don’t sell are totally fine to give away.” Taako folds his arms. “You’re doing me a favor.”
Kravitz looks unreasonably sweaty.
“Wouldn’t you know it, I have to go puncture a man, sorry?”
Taako tries again the next day, and the next. Ren tells him to cool it, but he can’t let it go. He makes Kravitz a little cake, the most perfect thing he’s baked in years, and he brings it over during the day, instead of at the end. Kravitz looks up from the till and swears under his breath.
“Taako,” he says, with a fruit salad of mixed emotions sliding down his face. Taako hopes he was the one who threw the bowl. “Good to see you.”
“Why don’t you eat my fucking treats?” Taako says, completely out of energy for subtleties. Kravitz winces.
“It’s, Taako, your treats look wonderful. Amazing. I wish I could eat them, honest! I’m just-- I’m allergic to eggs.”
Taako makes a dialup noise.
“You’re-”
“You were so excited about bringing them over, I didn’t want to tell you and ruin things. But- But Sloane and Barry have loved everything you’ve made!”
“You dim fucking, dull ass walnut!” Taako is so frustrated he actually stamps his foot on the tile, like a child. “I could have been perfecting my vegan treats for a month now!”
“You can make vegan cake?”
“Oh my god.” Taako rubs his face. “Oh my god. I have so much research to do. I’m going to make you something you can eat. You poor, deprived sonuvabitch.”
“Thank you?”
“And then when you eat it and don’t get sick, you owe me a kiss.”
“I do? I mean, not that I’m opposed- I- Realy, do there need to be rules, about, us, you know, hypothetically kissing?”
“Absolutely. But don’t you fret, my handsome little friend. You’re going to usher in a whole new era of Taako’s patisserie with your bare hands.”
“I’m still back on the kissing part, actually?”
“There’ll be time for that later. I have to go bake all night. See you later!”
“Can’t we kiss now? Taako? Taako, come back, what do I do with this cake? Taako?”
But Taako is too busy huffing the delirious thrill of fresh new beginnings. Romance, take two. Let’s go.
