It seems impossible that finals should’ve arrived so quickly, but they have. In just a few hours time, he’ll be turning in his final bake and leaving with more baking experience than he ever imagined he’d have. He’s invited his friends over. After how well Angela’s introduction to Banshee went, it seems fitting, especially now that Dirge has returned and taken his baking well.

“A mug bake?”, Dirge muses as he sits atop the kitchen island with his legs criss-cross applesauce. “And this was chosen by the whole class?”

Grim nods before saying, “It is relatively simple. We figured with finals, it’d be a nice reprieve”. He’s chosen to go for the mug brownie, figuring it could be a nice push, since he doesn’t often work with fudge. He’s halfway through preparing his mix when he casts a glance over at Angela, curious when he notes a lack of caramel anywhere on her table. She looks up from the carrot cake she’s making, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she teases, “Take a picture, it’ll last lost”.

“It’s just a little surprising is all.” The Edge muses as he tucks his own pizza mug into the microwave. “You aren’t using caramel.”

Angela’s silent for a moment, shaking her head at herself as she folds her shredded carrots into her mix. “Well, I mean, I don’t always have to use caramel.”

“I mean, yeah, obviously”, Tanner says with a roll of the eyes as he rushes up to the group, takes a moment to lightly kiss The Edge before he drops the ingredients needed to make his cinnamon roll in a cup on the table. “But you do always use caramel.”

Grim just hums to himself, then asks, “Has your father said anything more about it?”

“No. Well, not exactly.” Angela affords him a small smile. When The Edge takes his cup out of the microwave, she hurriedly tucks hers in after it. She then brings her arms to rest against the table, her stare thoughtful. “Okay, maybe a little. I love caramel, and I always will. But I guess I leaned so heavily into it to prove my dad wrong. And I…well, now, I don’t have to.” She then frowns, her eyes narrowed as she glares into the microwave. “Anyone else having doubts about this?”

The Edge simply shrugs. “No, why would we?” He then wavers, lips pressed tightly together as he considers his own steaming mug. “Pizza counts as baking, doesn’t it?”

“If bread counts as baking, I am certain we can make pizza”, Grim says with a shudder. Of course, he isn’t certain how pizza will taste in a microwave, but it does technically fit the assignment. He then glances over at Angela, relief flooding him when Doughgirl approaches her with a vial of caramel in hand. He raises the bone above his eye sockets.

She just smiles, taking her cup out of the microwave before directing Doughgirl, after it cools down, to apply a swirl of caramel. At the very top, Angela herself adds a drop of cream cheese frosting and explains, “I mean, I am still me. And a little caramel never hurt anyone”.

“No, I suppose it hasn’t.” A moment passes where they just look at one another, interrupted by the sudden sound of something colliding against the microwave. The two jolt apart, their eyes turning upon the microwave where his brownie mug resides. Confused, Grim can only stare as the mug begins to shake before shattering altogether. In its place stands a fudge that looks remarkably similar to a Doughkid, though with pointed ears. A grin stretches across her face before she lifts a hand to knock at the microwave door. She steps out, then affords Doughboy a neighborly wave where he sits atop an empty carton of eggs upon the table.

Silence stretches over the group before Dirge draws close. “Amazing? Have you ever seen anything like this before?”

“It is a Brownie”, Grim explains as he rushes for the fridge and sets out a bowl of milk for her before letting out a sigh. When everyone just stares at him, he shrugs. “As in the mythological creature.”

Tanner’s silent for a moment before he asks, “What, like an elf or something? Why?”

“...I can’t say.” Grim shakes his head and is about to snap his fingers and turn the creature back into dessert when Dirge suddenly steps in.

He watches the Brownie sip at the milk before she starts cleaning up some sugar. “Does she work for you?”

“No”, Grim hurries to say. “It’s a contract, reapers have no control over Brownies. And neither do bakers for that matter.”

With that, Dirge smiles and says, “Good”. He then taps the space beside the Brownie, then clears his throat. “Excuse me, ma’am. Are you seeking alternative places of residence? I’d make it worth your while.”

The sight is still a little perplexing, though not necessarily in a bad way. For so long, he’s assumed his baking wouldn’t be accepted by his family. It’s nice to know otherwise, so much so that when they all set out for their final class, Grim does so with a slight skip to his step.

Their final assignment is, seemingly, simple. Take the original recipe of their doughkid and bake them to completion to show all they’ve learned over the course of the semester.

“You have absolutely no reason to worry.” Sporting a wide-fanged grin, Banshee unlocks the hearse and gives him a hug for luck. “Something tells me you’re gonna knock ‘em dead.”

Grim offers her a small smile before climbing out of the front seat. “Thank you. Regardless of the outcome, I promise to return home and bake everyone a blood orange cheesecake.” At the hopeful stare he gets in return, he hums to himself. “With real blood, of course.”

With that, he and his friends slide out of the hearse and rush onto campus. Soon enough, they’re in class, placing their mug bakes upon the front table before rushing to their own tables.

“You’re bringing back the scream cheese muffins”, Angela remarks as her eyes take on a hungry stare.

With ginger fingers, he adds Doughboy to the mix of red velvet and cream cheese and answers, “If you are still interested, we shall engage in a trade. My muffins for your lava cake, as agreed”.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone take baking as seriously as you two.” Tanner exchanges a gentle wave with his Doughgirl, the scent of sweet potatoes wafting out of her pan as he slides it into the oven. With that, he lowers to the floor, forever by her side even as he turns a playful stare up at his companions. “But so long as we’re exchanging recipes. Ange. Those salted caramel cupcakes.”

Angela waves a spoonful of caramel sauce about her own Doughgirl, tucking her into a bed of apples and pie mix. “Only if you make with that ciabatta recipe. You know, I never got to taste it.”

Before long, they’re all exchanging recipes and stories whilst they sit on the floor of the class.

“What are y’all gonna do after this?” Tanner asks as he flicks a glance between the two of them. “The Edge is opening a restaurant. I’m gonna cook, he’s gonna sing. We could use some extra hands.”

Grim smiles, then says, “I am currently unemployed and have no intention of remaining that way”. He then pauses, apprehension descending upon him. “What sort of food would we make?”

“Any kind we want.” Tanner brushes his hair out of his face, affording his oven a moment’s stare before turning back to face them. “We’re gonna pick a place between the worlds. That way, we can cater to both.”

Angela hums to herself. “Got any room for caramel on the menu?”

There are just a few minutes of class remaining. Grim presses his back to his oven, comforted by the warmth that exudes it, as well as the warmth of Angela’s hand coming to rest in his own. The timer of his bake remains an ever present notion in his mind. But for once, it doesn’t seem so daunting.

Surrounded by friends, supported by family, assured by the future. No matter what his final grade looks like, he’ll always be grateful for this moment.