MATENTINES BLIND DATE - PINCH OF LOVE

 Praline had always had a number of buns seeking her affection, due to her sweet nature, and even sweeter scent. She never fully understood it herself but she enjoyed being generously spoiled by numerous suitors of well-to-do families: it was like dating figurative prince after prince. At the time, the buns she had been courting would reserve the fanciest of restaurants for her, or would even hire her her own personal chef. These gifts were often done to make up for the fact that her lovers were busy buns who rarely ever found time to be present for the actual relationship. Praline originally accepted this by telling herself that food could be her one true love! It worked for a while, but the thought of not knowing what actual love felt like started to make her feel blue.

It was somewhere between all the fancy 5-star restaurants and failed dates that a heavy hearted Praline stumbled upon something new and exciting: 'Hellfire's Kitchen'. The words were written in bold on the front of a red brick building, one could call a hole in the wall type dining establishment. It was definitely nothing like Praline was used to visiting: it had no crowds, no dress codes, just comforting meals and a fun ambiance. 

The experience was so different and the food was so tasty, Praline kept coming back for more! It made her giggle every time she would hear orders being barked in the kitchen. Even though she had only caught a few glimpses of the bun who was responsible for yelling such oddities as "WHERE IS THE YAM SAUCE?!", his voice became a familiar, almost comforting, part of her day. It was even more common to hear the unison of replies "YES, CHEF!!" while buns ran frantically from the dining area to the kitchen. 

 One day, Praline’s curiosity simply got the best of her: she wanted to personally give her compliments to the chef! When she eventually managed to flag down a waiter and express her interest in the mystery bun, they in turn seemed extremely hesitant , if not completely and utterly anxious, to let her meet him. They quickly realized that Praline would not take no for an answer, and scurried off towards the back. Within seconds, the room became unusually quiet: no pots clanging, no water pouring, no knives chopping-... it was far too strange. The door that separated the dining area and the kitchen suddenly burst open, allowing a bun to step out from the pitch black darkness. Praline could only briefly make out a silhouette, thanks to the light of the bright flames surrounding the buns' horns. When she could finally take in his whole appearance, her eyes sparkled with interest. My my, he was quite handsome! 

It took a moment for the standoffish chef to eventually let his guard down, and introduce himself as Blaze. What could the bundle of sunshine and smiles, who quite honestly stood out amongst the more devilish red and black decor of his restaurant, possibly want with him? He was under the impression that she had complaints to make, as most people only ask to ‘speak to the manager’ when they find a stray bun hair in their tomato bisque. Praline instead showered him in compliments, using vocabulary that could only be comparable to those written in the likes of some top chef monthly magazine review. His ego would’ve been inflated, had she not also given him some constructive criticism. Now, normally, he wouldn’t like this sort of thing, nor would he give those opinions the time of day mind you but… what’s the harm in adding a bit more cream to the chocolate chili tart, or a drizzle of honey to the baked acorn squash, if it makes her happy? A truly odd sentiment, for him of all buns.

Ever since Praline became a regular at Hellfire, Blaze began this new habit of looking towards the door and window, hoping to spot her before she arrived. Admittedly, many had also noticed how he had taken an interest in her: he made sure that her usual table was always reserved and ready for her arrival, he started taking her advice on certain dishes and flavors, and even went so far as to add new items to the menu, per her request. The staff had never seen their beloved chef go from being so strict and serious, to becoming agreeable and accommodating in the presence of another. It became clear that he had a soft spot for the sweet scented cookie bun! 

On one faithful Matentine’s day, Praline arrived at the Hellfire without her usual cheerful disposition. As she browsed the menu with tear-filled eyes, the whole staff could immediately tell something was off. Blaze wasted no time in making his way over, though he did so instinctively and hadn’t actually prepared what to say. Fortunately for him, Praline was always honest and openly went and shared her woes, without any prying on his part. Another Matentine’s had gone by as just another date where she had been stood up. Was she no fun to spend time with? Praline half-heartedly voiced that it was probably for the best if she went home, as she didn’t want to sour the mood. Blaze in-turn insisted she stay, and that he would make her something tasty. On the house, of course! After all, nobody leaves Hellfire’s Kitchen on an empty stomach. 

While Blaze went back to cook up something delicious, Praline became enticed enough to sneak a peek. Her cheeks turned rosy while watching first-hand how he worked his magic in the kitchen.  His movements played in slow-motion: from the heat of the raging flames causing a few beads of sweat on his skin, to the way his arms looked while adding the seasoning to the food , the 'salt bae way'. She started to think about how none of the people she had courted had ever cooked her something themselves. Maybe the reason Blaze’s cooking started to taste better, was that he put his heart and soul into his craft. She’d always been told that the special ingredient and best flavor of all was a little something called love. Did he know this, too?

When the food was ready, Praline decided to ask Blaze to join her. Boy, did he look flustered by her request. After pointing out that he’d only made food for her, she teased that a meal is always best enjoyed in good company, and that she could really use it right now. Who could possibly say no to sweet words like that? Albeit embarrassed with all the staff watching, Blaze managed to say that their interaction was starting to feel like a blind date. In Burrowgatory, the normalcy was ongoing hookups and mating, but truth be told, he himself had no experience in either departments. It was something he felt embarrassed to admit, so he just as quickly covered it up by stating he was waiting for the right one. 

Hearing Blaze open up about his life made Praline happy, to the point that she volunteered to be the one he needed. To practice with, of course! Upon seeing his stunned expression, she clarified that she was an excellent teacher, who could offer a bit of role-play on this blind date. What was he thinking? His cheeks looked a deeper red than usual.

What started off as a game of pretend turned into conversation that flowed naturally as the meal went on. Praline wondered: If Blaze is always busy making food for everyone else, then who's taking the time to feed him? She made a mental note to return the favor the next time she would visit, and bring him a box of chocolates. A bun filled with so much spice deserves a little sweet treat~