Best Served Cold

"What are the ingredients for this one?" Darlet looked over the cooler of various fruits and syrups, plucking some out at random. "I know it's strawberry something something. But you made the recipe, not me." Eventually lifting a jar of strawberry preserves from the bottom of the cooler, placing it down on the counter. 

Quince churned vanilla ice cream in a bowl, working on getting it fluffy and whipped for the recipe. "Fresh strawberries, strawberry preserves, white chocolate chips, white and pink sprinkles, and grab the jar of Maraschino cherries." The recipe didn't ask for too much, and she knew most of it was presentation to get the look just right. 

Darlet scrambled around the kitchen, pulling open cabinets and drawers looking for the various things needed to make this ice cream fruit thing. If only Quince's kitchen was as organized as her imp business. But instead it was more like an escape room with a food theme. Where the hell were the cherries? Another cabinet held various spices and salt shakers, this one had sprinkles in it too? He found star shaped ones, rainbow pellets, St. Patricks green. Aha! Pink and white. "I uhh. Think I got it all?" 

As Darlet dropped each of the ingredients on the counter next to the ice cream, Quince got out the glass parfait cup and began surgically adding ingredients to the cup. Layering the preserves and ice cream. "Make some good use of those claws and cut these wouldja?" She shoved the bowl of whole strawberries over without looking. When it came to the kitchen, her focus was laser and precise. Darlet followed her orders with no hesitation and pushed over the cut up strawberries, plucking a whole one up to his mouth afterwards. 

"Dang. You really have this whole desert thing down. Remind me to invite you to my birthday party, I could always use a custom cake maker." Darlet joked, poking a finger into the jar of preserves to get a taste before getting his wrist swatted by Quince who still hadn't taken her eyes off of the treat she was preparing. "Ow ow. Okay. I'll just wait." He laughed, and he could see Quince sharing a familiar smirk as she shook her head. But soon after, it was all but done. 

"Okay. I left you the most fun part. The cherry on top." Quince popped the lid off of the red jar, holding it out to Darlet who used a nail to stab and retract a cherry. Shaking it off just above the delicate and picturesque dish of Strawberry Shortcake Parfait. "Hoo baby. Now that is one good looking treat. Thanks for the help." She turned to smile at Darlet briefly before snagging the cup up and taking the first bite. Darlet watched in horror, he was here to try her deserts and here Quince was eating it right in front of him. She noticed his expression, unable to contain the laughter that rumbled in her chest. "Priceless, I knew you'd make that face! You really thought I'd just eat it right in front of ya. I was just making sure it wasn't poisoned s'all." She handed the dish off to him. 

Darlet's face began to heat up. He didn't get worked up like this often. But when teased with the prospect of food, he couldn't help himself but feel a sense of dread when he is denied it. "That was mean. There isn't much. I thought you'd finish this in two bites." He pouted slightly, looking down at the dish. There was a considerable hole in the side of the dessert, but most of the good stuff was still intact. Including the cherry. He took a bite, letting the soft strawberry flavouring coat all 9000 tastebuds. "I would have eaten this even if it was poison. That's a ten."