Valentine's Day

"Cacao... butter?! I-Is that any different from normal butter? Oh no, it's too late to take it out of the oven! M-Maybe I can-- Oh!!"

     Stepping over the many pots and pans she had dropped on the floor accidentally, Ennette hurried to the oven and opened it up. The hopeful look on her face immediately deflated into humiliated and defeated. What greeted her were not the beautiful, heart-shaped chocolates her recipe's picture showed, but... blobs. Lumpy blobs.
     With a noise between a groan and a sigh, Ennette pulled the tray out and set it on the counter to cool down. Looking at them now, they... they looked like... something, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. Feeling eyes on her, the princess looked over her shoulder in time to see a few people from the kitchen staff quickly hide behind the wall. Her frown deepened as she turned back to the chocolates. The staff had kept offering to help, to even make the chocolates for her, but she refused. These kinds of treats have to be made by her, otherwise there was no love! But now, staring at... these... the idea of giving them to Benny suddenly didn't seem nearly as romantic. She couldn't ask the chefs to make her chocolates now, even she had her pride! Maybe she could buy some...? Yeah... Yeah! People bought chocolates all the time! She'd go into town and find the best store there was, and buy the best chocolates they had!! Yes, this would be perfect!!

     With her plan decided and time running out, Ennette immediately set out for the city. To her dismay, just about every store she had gone to, while pleased to see her, was completely out of stock of their best stuff. Store-by-store, her hopes got more and more dashed. By the time she had entered the final store in the area, she was ready to admit defeat. Maybe she'll pick up one of all kinds of candy instead? Would flowers help? Maybe she could serenade Benny with Lis--
     "Why yes, we DO have one!"
     Ennette's eyes immediately widened. "You do?!"
     "Well--" The shopkeeper turned sheepish. "--yes... and no."
     "No...?"
     "It's been set aside for someone."
     "Wh-Who?!" Ennette practically hopped onto the counter. "I-I'll pay double! Triple, even! Double for you and a refund for your customer! Please, I need this!!"
     "What is it you need so badly, love?"
     Hearing that deep, velvet voice, the princess gasped and spun around, eyes wide as she saw an amused Benny standing next to her. "B-Benny!" she squeaked. "H-How long have you been there?!"
     "I just got here," he said, one hand in his pocket. "I was on my way to pick something up, but saw you and had to say hi to my favorite princess. Now, what was it you needed so badly?"
     Normally she would have melted at such sweet words, but all she could feel now was panic and fear. "I-I, uh--"
     "Ah! There you are!"
     Question marks floated above Ennette's head as she looked back and forth between the shopkeeper that was handing a delightfully wrapped box of chocolates to Benny, who paid in return.
     "Y... You...?"
     "I told you I had to pick something up." Benny teasingly held up the box before examining her expression. "... Love, was this what you wanted?"
     She stiffened. "N-No! I--"
     The box lightly tapped her on the head. "Lucky me, then. I picked the right gift."
     Ennette struggled to make sense of the situation. "Y-You mean these were for me?"
     "That's right. I'm no good at making gifts. Figured buying something worth a pretty penny would be better for a princess, anyway. Was I right?"
      She was stunned. Slowly, she took the box into her hands, staring down at it with wide, almost tearful eyes. A gift for her... All this time, Benny had been planning on getting her something as well today, Valentine's Day.
      A hand against her cheek shook her out of her thoughts. She looked up to watch Benny pull his hand back, examining the chocolate powder on his finger before licking it, to her dismay. "Were you making me something, love?"
     "A-Ah, well," stammered the suddenly pale princess, mindlessly reaching to touch her cheek. Had she been a mess this entire time?! She looked down at her dress, wincing internally at the sight of so many stains from her attempts to bake. How mortifying!! "I-I tried but it wasn't any good! That's why I was trying to get this instead!"
     "My, my, the princess herself wanted to make me something. I'm flattered. Good thing, too, I'm getting a little hungry."
     "No!" she gasped to everyone's surprise. "No, it's not good!"
     "Is that so?" he mused as he held the door open for her. Just as she passed, he leaned closer and whispered to her, "Then will you feed me some of these chocolates?"
     She nearly tripped over herself. "I-If you want!" Oh goodness, she'd never get used to how bold he was. Still, she stared down at the box, her heart fluttering like crazy. To think he'd gotten her a gift too.
     As they walked together, she timidly reached for his hand. That (semi) warmth, that comforting squeeze he gave, those were things she'd never get used to, either, but it always made her days better-- He made her days better, and she wouldn't have it any other way.