Stand By Me One Shots/Imagines + Preferences (The Cobras x reader)

Good Influence (Vince's sister)

welliqque asked for more of Vince and sister!reader; it took me awhile to come up with something and I'm sorry it's so short, but here you go :)

"Hey, Vince?"

Your brother, who was just about to head to bed, stops in the hallway at your quiet call of his name.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna bake a cake. And, uh, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to help me?"

"Uhh... Why do you want to bake a cake in the middle of the night?"

"Because it's Dad's birthday tomorrow and Mom didn't make a cake, so I'm gonna surprise them with one."

"Wait, it's Dad's birthday tomorrow?!"

"Yeah. Come on."

You turn and head to the kitchen without looking back to see if he's following you. That's the best way to deal with him. First ask nicely, let him think he has a choice. And before he can say no, act like you're sure he's gonna do what you want, like he's already agreed, and he will. Now that you know he doesn't hate you, that he's just scared of being a bad influence on you, it's easy to get along with him. He feels guilty for the way he tried to shut you out, and you have no qualms about using that to your advantage.

You start gathering the ingredients for the cake, and sure enough after a few seconds Vince appears in the doorway. He's just uselessly standing there, waiting for instructions because this was your idea and he doesn't even know how to bake.

You're more than happy to take the lead.

"Would you get me the big bowl from the cabinet?"

Some tall idiot — probably your dad — put the mixing bowl you want to use on the highest shelf in the wall cupboard, which you can only reach by climbing the counter or standing on a chair. Your brother doesn't face such obstacles, he simply stretches a little and hands it to you with no problem.

You knew it would be useful having him help you.

It seems he doesn't feel very useful, though, because as you're cracking eggs and measuring sugar and flour, he's standing behind you like a too big shadow, looking over your shoulder with a concentrated frown. Judging by his face you'd think he's trying to understand a complicated scientific formula instead of helping you bake.

When you put a wooden spoon in his hand a few minutes later his face lights up. Finally something for him to do.

You guide his hand, sticking the spoon into what's supposed to become the batter and grin. "Since the electric mixer would be to loud we have to mix it like this. Have fun."

Vince's smile freezes. "How long do I have to stand here stirring that?"

"I have no idea. But don't worry, I'll watch and tell you once it has the right consistency."

"Why am I helping you again?" he groans.

"Because you forgot about Dad's birthday. And if you don't help me I'll make sure him and Mom know the cake is from me, and me alone."

"Ah. Right. And... Why do I care about that?"

"Because you would be a very bad example for me if you didn't. And you don't want to be a bad influence on me, do you?"

Vince sighs, but he continues mixing the batter, so you count that as a win for you. He's so worried about being a bad influence on you that he doesn't even notice you being a good influence on him.

"Hey, look on the bright side, we'll totally get some of the cake, so it's not like we're not getting anything out of this!"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, I'm already helping you, no need to convince me any more. Just don't let the Cobras hear about this..."

"Oh, am I allowed to talk to them now?"

"No."

"Well, then they're definitely not gonna find out about it from me."

Mixing the batter by hand doesn't take as long as you had feared, and soon the cake is in the oven. Vince and you sit down on the floor in front of it, keeping a close look at the clock. No timer, that'd be too loud.

Vince offers to take care of taking the cake out of the oven when it's done so you can go to bed, but you shake your head.

"We still have to decorate it, too."

"Decorate it?"

"Yeah."

Vince takes another look at the clock. It's one in the morning already.

He sighs. "Next time you secretly wanna bake a cake we do it the day before while Mom and Dad are at work and not in the middle of the night."

"You can go to bed if you want. There's not much you can help with anymore anyway now."

"No."