Four Cinnamon Rolls at Sweet Nothings

January 4, 2021 -- Sweet Nothings

Ryan pushes open the door to Sweet Nothings, leafing through a notebook as they hear the small jingle of a bell. They like being places like Sweet Nothings--places where most of the history that the building has seen is happy, people getting things that they like and doing a job they enjoy. The half-transparent figures that flit on the edges of their vision now that they’ve stopped wearing their glasses are mostly smiling, and if there have been disasters here, they’ve been well-paved-over by good memories.

Finding the page they’re looking for and bookmarking it with a finger, Ryan looks up from the book to make their way to the counter, scanning it to see if Atlanta is in.

Pascal smiles at Ryan from behind the counter, and Atlanta pops up from where she was putting a fresh batch of vanilla cupcakes with blueberry frosting and topped with white chocolate snowflakes in the display case. As often happens when she’s baking, there is a streak of flour in her hair.

“Hey, Ryan! What’s up? We’ve got some cinnamon rolls with some gingerbread spices if you want!” Atlanta gestures a little further down the display case to a tray of cinnamon rolls with small gingerbread cookies smiling up from each one.

Ryan’s attention is instantly shifted away from their notebook, first by Atlanta and then by the prospect of gingerbread cinnamon rolls.

“Hello,” they say, making a beeline for the display case, blinking away the afterimages of various treats that had been in the case before and drawing their attention back to the present, “and yes, absolutely--that’s not why I’m here, I was actually wondering if you had a second? To talk about cupcake recipes,” They clarify, realizing there were a lot of topics they could want to talk with Atlanta about. “But first things first, I absolutely want one of those, how much is it?”

“For you? Nothing.” Atlanta slides the display open and uses tongs to pull out two cinnamon rolls and set them onto two little blue plates. “And I’m always available to talk about cupcakes. Do you want to talk up here, or down in the office?” Atlanta emphasizes office in a way that makes it clear she’s talking about the secret base, even though there are no other customers in the shop. “You can manage up here on your own for a bit, right Pascal?”

Pascal lifts one large hand ruffles Atlanta’s hair. “Of course.”

Ryan opens their mouth to object to being given stuff for free, but the promise of free food and the fact that they know they’ll lose the argument makes them rethink it, smiling instead.

“Thanks,” they say, accepting one of the plates and tucking their notebook under their arm so they still have a hand free. “And--” they have to admit, they’re curious about the “office,” given that a lot of what they know about it is that Ernest can’t get in due to its proximity to the kitchen. “If you don’t mind, I just realized I’ve never seen the office, so that would be cool.”

Atlanta waves off Pascal. “Yeah! There’s some comfy chairs down there. Follow me!”

Atlanta picks up her own plate and grabs two forks before leading Ryan through the swinging door with signage declaring “employees only.” The kitchen was spread out to the left, and Atlanta leads Ryan down the staircase in front of them to the basement. To the right of the stairs is a small office, and there doesn’t appear to be anything else. But when Atlanta touches a brick in the wall, it opens up to reveal the secret base.

It’s not a huge base, but very comfortable. There are a number of bean-bag chairs, a small kitchenette, a regular computer, a large table for planning and homework, and a less-used padded corner for sparring.

Atlanta sweeps her hand around. “Ta-da!”

Ryan’s eyes widen as the wall opens up to reveal the room beyond, but they smile when they see the rest of it--they weren’t sure what they were expecting from a secret base, maybe something full of robots or with some massive supercomputer, but this one is...comfortable. Useful, definitely, but the kitchenette and bean-bag chairs give it a feeling almost like parts of the Big Base--somewhere that people could relax and hang out, as well as just prepare to save the city.

Now that they think about it, a base like this makes a *lot* more sense for Atlanta than whatever spy apparatus they’d been imagining. They let out an appreciative whistle, moving to the table to put their plate down.

“This place is awesome,” they admit, still looking around to take it all in, seeing some of Atlanta--and more of Demeter--in the half-solid images of the past flit around the base. “And it smells like baking all the time. How are you not always hungry?”

“Well the first reason is that I can eat the food any time I want, and the second reason is that I enjoy making cupcakes a lot more than eating them. Don’t get me wrong, I love cupcakes, but the scent is more familiar and calming than it makes me hungry. Most of the time anyway.” Atlanta grins and takes a seat at the table, tucking one leg under herself. “So what did you need to talk about?”

“Oh!” Ryan pulls out their notebook, flipping it open to where they’d copied down a couple of cupcake recipes from the collection Atlanta had put in the base and putting it on the table so Atlanta can see it. “Okay. Mostly I’m making sure I’ve copied these down right and if there are details I should know, but I was also wondering--” They pause and then back up, realizing that they have to explain a bit first. “Okay. Uh, background, Mom is heading back to work full-time this month--she’s been taking time off to recover from all the, you know,” they wave a hand ambiguously. “Time displacement, but she’s been eager to get back. Anyway, there’s a new special exhibit in her wing going up as a celebration of it reopening and her being back, and I was thinking I’d make cupcakes for her to celebrate?” They look a little sheepish as they finish their explanation, “Anyway, I was wondering if you had any ideas for what would be a good celebratory cupcake recipe.”

Atlanta sits up straighter, always eager to talk about cupcakes. She gestures excitedly but with no real meaning as she talks. "That's so sweet! And honestly, I think any kind of cupcake is a good celebration cupcake! The best ones are those you know are special to the recipient. Like I made Boon a spiced chocolate cake for our anniversary because it's her favorite. Or like how I found out you love cinnamon stuff before making you cupcakes a while back for helping Boon. Like, the act of making someone something is special in and of itself, but catering the flavors to the person you're trying to celebrate kicks it up a notch! So what does your mom like?"

Ryan nods while Atlanta is talking, following along. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking! I thought it would be nice for her to come back from the exhibit’s opening to cupcakes. She likes--well, she likes chocolate a lot, usually with something else. Her favorite thing is usually chocolate and caramel? Which would be easiest with chocolate cupcakes and caramel frosting, but I’m not entirely sure how to get that flavor to work.” They pause, a little embarrassed of the next idea, but decide to come out with it anyway.

“If I can actually get in decent practice with icing, I was thinking of frosting the cupcakes with the insignias of some of the really famous heroes in Halcyon’s history, because that’s what--” they wave their own hand, without much direction, as they search for the words, “--the whole exhibit is about, you know?”

Atlanta nods along at all of Ryan’s points. “Yeah! Caramel buttercream is totally a thing! And if you want, you could also make the insignias out of chocolate instead, and put them in the frosting. That way if you mess them up, you have a disfigured chunk of chocolate to eat instead of ruining a whole cupcake. I learned that the hard way.” Atlanta taps the side of her head like this is sage knowledge. “But learning to do lines and draw with icing is also totally possible if you want to go that direction! I mean, it’s essentially the same skill as making little chocolate pieces to put into the frosting. You can come over and practice if you want!” Atlanta forces herself to take a deep breath and sit back in her chair. “Sorry, I don’t want to like, be pushy or anything. I just get really excited about cupcakes.”

“No, you’re not being pushy--I came over here for ideas,” Ryan says quickly. “I like the idea of making the insignias of chocolate, though, and putting that on top of the frosting, that sounds like it’ll look really pretty.” They jot down a note in the margin of their notebook. “I...might also take you up on the suggestion to practice here, as well. I don’t want to ruin the surprise by doing it at home, and the base is, uh…” they search for the best way to put it. “Not always conducive to practicing something that needs intense concentration?” Their laugh is fond--while sure, more than a few study sessions while they lived in the base had been ruined by the antics of Big Team, they still loved the base.

While they’re thinking of the upcoming exhibit, though, they remember something. “Oh! I was also going to say--you and--well, your whole family, really, might be interested in that exhibit. And I’m not just saying that because my mom puts together really cool exhibits and I’m biased,” they clarify quickly. “It’s about the history of heroes and superheroism in the public eye--and in Halcyon in particular. I’m pretty sure there’s some stuff about Daybreak in there, and *definitely* a lot about Hero One. There’s even a coda section about the Big Team that she’s not letting me see until the day of,” they realize they’re rambling, after a moment, and laugh. “Sorry. Guess it was my turn to get a little carried away. I just think it’s going to be really cool.”

“Oh that’s so cool! I know Jasper and I will want to go at least. I don’t know if it’s weird for Grandy to be like, a historic figure? But we can get them a disguise or something if they want to check it out and not be recognized. It worked at HacyCon. Oh!” Atlanta leans forward again, excited. “If your mom needs anything like, fact checked or something I’m sure they’d be happy to help out. They’re friends with Uncle H, too, so I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to convince them to go to the museum. Plus, with the nursery done, Dad has so much energy that he doesn’t know where to direct anymore that it’s pretty easy to get us out of the house.” Atlanta grins, happy that her dad was excited about the baby but also knowing it was going to be a long few months until May.

“Oh man,” Ryan says, shaking their head and trying to wrap their head--again--around the idea that Atlanta was going to have another younger sibling. “Congratulations again, by the way. I--well, I don’t really have any idea what being an older sibling is like, but just based on what I’ve seen of Jasper I’m sure you’ll continue doing a great job at it.”

They redirect themselves back onto the actual topic quickly, though. “But yeah--I would understand if Hikari didn’t want to come, I can imagine how it might be a little weird. I think Mom actually had Hisham check over some things for accuracy--she’s really careful about, like, respecting the privacy of retired heroes, so I think she was hesitant to actually go to Hikari to ask about it.” Ryan shakes their head. “I mean, that and also I think she was a bit daunted. It’s gotta be weird to vanish from your timeline for, like, a year, and when you get back your childhood favorite superhero is back, retired, and living with their family.” Certainly *they* don’t know how they’d react to something like that. Still... “Still, if they do come, you have to tell me what they thought about it. Mom would be over the *moon*.”

“Aww, thank you. Jasper and I...we’re really close. Part of that was Mom being gone…” Atlanta trails off for a moment, thinking about those four years, but puts a smile back on. The past was the past. “But we’re really excited for the baby. But you know, if she wants to talk to someone about being time vanished for a while, both Mom and Grandy have gone through that. Like, Grandy was barely around when Mom was growing up. And your mom can just talk to my Mom if talking to Grandy is too weird. Like, the offer is open. Same goes with talking to Grandy about exhibit stuff. Sure they’re retired from heroing, but they’re pretty open about that, and also it can’t hurt to ask. Even if they say no, they’ll be nice about it. I can even do it for you if asking them directly is too intimidating.” Atlanta smiles encouragingly, then shakes her head. “It’s still kinda weird that The Hero One is my *grandparent* and like, people get weird about talking to them because they’re famous. And like, it’s weird to think about how this person in my history books is living in my house, making dad jokes, playing fetch with Lugnut, refusing to move if Sheila falls asleep on them, even if she’s drooling.”

“Someone should start a support group or something,” Ryan muses, because it’s easier than thinking about how familiar Atlanta deliberately pivoting away from talking about her mother’s absence is; they’ve done the same thing any number of times. “For people who have been displaced or lost in time. I mean, better yet, I wish there was a way to stop people from getting lost in time enough that we have enough people for a support group, but, well, it’s Halcyon City.” They shake their head, taking a bite of the cinnamon roll before they forget to.

“But I’ll definitely ask them about the exhibit, now that you’ve mentioned it. I’ve talked with them a few times and it was only a *little* awkward,” they wiggle a hand back and forth to emphasize the *little*. “But I know what you mean--honestly, about all sorts of things. Sometimes I just take a step back from my life to look at it and…” they gesture, in a vague “what the fuck” motion.

“In the past year a Valkyrie has tried to convince my mom that Boon was born a sheep, I’ve had Knights of the Round Table try to foist Merlin off on me when they don’t want to deal with him, one of my friends is a robot kid with robot wings and another can control the weather, and a legendary superhero who I was named after is actually still alive and your grandparent--and like, when I think of the people I know, that’s all what’s *normal* these days.” They laugh, shaking their head again. “If any of that *wasn’t* happening, I’d think it was weird.”

Atlanta nods along. "Seems like a common feeling after joining Big Team! Like, I can't believe it's been over a year since I joined, but also hard to remember that this hasn't been my entire life. I'm dating the most wonderful person to ever exist and they're also a sheep person, I have friends, I have Pockets, Dad's a lot better about superpowers, my Mom and Grandy are back, my little brother can turn invisible -- which is exactly as much of a nightmare as you'd think. Thankfully Jasper isn't good at being quiet, but Mel is trying to teach him. Traitor." Atlanta smiles fondly, despite the harsh words, and her tone has no bite to it. "But uh, two things," Atlanta leans forward seriously and lifts a finger to count each thing. "First, you were named after Grandy? Is it a middle name? And second," she grins, unable to keep up the serious facade, "how is it going with Merlin?"

Ryan, mid-bite of cinnamon roll, goes slightly red at the question about being named after Hikari--and very red at the mention of Merlin, even though they can’t stop themself from smiling as well.

“Oh, uh--” they sputter a bit, trying to recover their footing. “Uh, about the name thing--yeah, uh, my middle name is Hikari. After Hero One, because they were kind of...the reason Mom got interested in superheroes in the first place, you know, and then that led to all the stuff she’s doing now--anyway,” they say, realizing they’re rambling. “Yeah. Uh. That’s a thing, so it’s kind of...extra surreal that this cool historical figure my mom liked as a kid and then named me after is just here and pretty chill and also your grandparent.” They’re clearly a little embarrassed about this, not quite meeting Atlanta’s eyes. “I, uh, didn’t mention it because now it just feels a little weird, with Hikari being back and also just...a person that I know Instead of, you know,” they wave their hand in the air. “*The* Hero One.”

“That’s adorable.” Atlanta has eaten the gingerbread cookie off of her cupcake and is chinhandsing at Ryan. “You and my little sibling are going to share a middle name. One of my middle names is Satou, so like, all three of us get to be named after Grandy.” Atlanta scoops up a forkful of frosting and uses it to gesture at Ryan to continue. “Sooooooo, what about Merlin? I see him at the Consortium sometimes, but we don’t really talk. Should I ask him how it’s going next time I see him?”

Ryan is still more than a little sheepish about the entire deal, but they smile at the news both about the impending James sibling and Atlanta’s own middle name. “Middle name buddies,” they joke, holding their hand up for a high-five, which Atlanta gladly reciprocates.

“And things are going pretty well with Merlin. I mean, kind of well. We’re doing pretty well, like, as a “thing,”” Ryan does air quotes with their free hand, “but he came along on the mission to stop Ragnarok and we were on separate teams and, well…” Ryan shakes their head to dismiss the lingering anger--at the rokkr, obviously, but more at themself for not realizing what a bad plan they had. “Well, he’s fine now, but he got hurt before the teams met back up, and that wasn’t...well. It wasn’t great.” Which is an understatement. Ryan’s face falls, looking more morose than before.

"Oh no, I'm sorry. That really stinks. I mean, I've been there, with Boon." Atlanta reaches across the table and squeezes Ryan's arm, not really knowing what else to say about that but wanting to be supportive. Seeing the people you care about get hurt never got easier. It was part of why she always tried to protect everyone while out heroing. "Do you want to talk about it, or should I show you the latest Lugnut in the snow video that Jasper sent me?"

“Thanks,” Ryan says, managing a smile again. “We talked about it--it wasn’t really either of our faults, just bad planning and plans deteriorating when they’re put into practice. The most important thing is we all ended up alright at the end, you know? And Ragnarok didn’t happen. So it’s all alright, and we’ll just be more careful if he comes out onto the field again.” There is the distinct feeling that by we Ryan mostly means themself. “That said, I *absolutely* want to see another Lugnut in the snow video--and after that I’m going to bother you until you give me the caramel buttercream frosting recipe.”

"You'll be alright. Lean on the team, they won't let you down." Atlanta gives Ryan's arm a final squeeze before letting go and pulling out her phone. "The frosting recipe is upstairs, so we can get that for you on the way out. In the meantime, robot dinosaurs and cinnamon rolls."

Atlanta slides her phone to the center of the table so that both she and Ryan can enjoy the video of Mel, Jasper, and Ernest throwing snowballs at Lugnut, who tries to catch them in his mouth, and all having a blast. Large swaths of snow are cleared behind Lugnut from his tail wagging. Maggie and Boon are hiding behind the doghouse and burst out throwing snowballs at the boys, and the video cuts.

Ryan grins through the video, but when Maggie and Boon burst out from behind the doghouse they devolve into giggles. They’re not a dignified giggler, if such a thing exists--it sounds like little gasps of air are being punched out of them. “Sorry, I--sorry, wasn’t expecting--*pfft*--wasn’t expecting the dynamic Valkyrie duo.” They pause, catching their breath. “A sentence I expect a lot of villains are gonna be saying, or at least thinking, in the future.” They take another moment to calm themselves down, before shaking their head. “Hey, Atlanta?” They sound a little more serious, this time.

Atlanta laughs along with Ryan. Her whole family was so good, even if she was still kinda afraid of Maggie. She still had a hard time believing her life was this happy and settled. When Ryan’s question comes, she’s caught with a mouthful of cinnamon roll. Eyes wide in embarrassment, she looks over at them. “Hmm?”

“I’m glad I got to be on Big Team with you,” Ryan admits. “I mean, not to try to say you should stay, don’t take it as that, but--I’m not sure I would have gotten to know you if I hadn’t joined the team while you were there. And I’m definitely not sure we would have ended up friends. So I’m glad we were on the team together this year.” They clear their throat, awkward at the sudden genuine emotion.

“And, uh, best of luck going forward. Not that I think you’ll need it, I’m pretty sure the people who need luck are gonna be anyone who tries to get in your way, but--I know a lot of you guys have said that if the Team needs you you’ll be around, but that goes both ways, you know? If you ever need us, you know where we are.”

Atlanta smiles and reaches out to squeeze Ryan’s arm. “I’m really glad we were on the team together, too. Because I’m super happy we’re friends. Plus, if you weren’t on Big Team, who knows how long it would have taken Boon and Ernest to find me when I got kidnapped.” She laughs at her own joke, and then nods. “And yeah, I know. I’m sure we’ll be leaning on Big Team quite a bit. It means a lot to me that you said it. This whole new league thing is huge and scary and it’s nice to be reminded that even though we’re not on Big Team anymore, you all still have our backs.”

“Always,” Ryan smiles back at Atlanta, and then chuckles to themself. “Besides, once Mom learns that the best cupcake recipe on the planet also comes from Hero One’s granddaughter, you’re going to have to *try* to stop seeing me. She’ll be dragging us here for every family celebration for the rest of time.”

And, they think to themself as they pull out their notebook again, ready to take notes, if their mom doesn’t, *they* certainly will.

With a flourish of her hand, Atlanta raises a finger like she’s giving a serious lecture, but she can only hold back a smile for a moment. “Well, my young apprentice, the key to perfect buttercream is a long-held James secret, so what I tell you is to be held in the utmost confidence…”