Third Floor Common Room, Monday Morning

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Know what was almost as cool as the world not ending? Being completely done with everything you needed to do. World? Saved. Joni? Fed. Standford application? Completed and fired off. Lilly, Jackson and Daddy? Texted, and they were fine, thanks for asking. So now Miley was going to move on to things that she didn't need to do but really wanted to do, and the first of those was baking. Specifically, Pig Pickin' Cake.

So she turned on the TV for background noise -- ooh, that awesome Tim Burton movie was on -- and got to work mixing batter, humming a little to herself as she worked. YAY.

Comments

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack was still in a good mood from yesterday though he was no longer running around and screaming at the top of his voice.

Instead he was just grinning ear-to-ear as he walked into the room. "Miley!" he said in an oh-so-friendly way. "It's snowing out! Isn't it beautiful? God, what a wonderful day. It's just-"

Jack tried to think of a better word but couldn't.

"Wonderful!"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Miley head-tilted.

"Are you okay?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"I'm great!" Jack exclaimed happily as he hopped on to the couch. "The whole world is great! Everything is great! The world is back to normal, my family is all alive and well and there is nothing- And I mean nothing that could spoil my mood today."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"...huh."

Well, that was nice and creepy.

"Good for you?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Oh come on!" Jack said noticing the reaction. "We've been under so much doom and gloom lately. Is it wrong that I'm glad that whole thing is over with and we can get back to a normal life?"

And then he spotted what was on tv.

"Ooo. Good movie."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Pouring out the batter into a cake dish, Miley had to agree there. "It really is, right? It's way cute for a kids' movie."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, and I always had a soft spot for those old Christmas animated TV shows," Jack said leaning back on the couch. "Which this is completely different from but I still like the animation thing."

This might change if this particular Jack gets involved in Eureka's Christmas Special.

"What are you baking?"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Pig Pickin' Cake," Miley chirped. Look, Jack might usually be a pretty immature guy, but he was being civil today. Plus, she got to talk about herself and what she was doing. So. "I can save you some if you don't call me immature on the radio anymore."

HYPOCRITE.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack let out a single "HA!" in amusement. "Fine. I'll stop calling you immature if-"

He stopped and turned to look at Miley

"Pig Pickin' Cake?" he asked. "There's not an actual pig involved with this cake is there?"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

It didn't count if you didn't finish the sentence, Jack!

"Noooo," Miley answered, rolling her eyes. The 'duh' was implied. "It's whipped cream and pineapple."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Damn it! Poor Jack and his sentence fragments.

"Okay, well I had to ask," Jack said rolling his own eyes. "Our radio station is run by a pirate with notes written by squirrels. Anything is possible here. The pineapple and whipped cream part sounds good."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"I know," Miley replied, flashing him a smile.

Real modest, Miley.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"So with the promise not to call you immature also include a piece of said cake when it is done?" Jack asked hopefully.

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Yep!" Detecting that Jack was probably about to just overflow with generosity, Miley headed him off and said, very sincerely, "You're welcome."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Jack said with a grin and turning back to the movie. "You know if that meta for Jack Skellington ever came here to deliver present I'm getting there's a whole bunch of people here who might like his gifts."

...

"Probably not me but some people..."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Some people," Miley agreed. "There's lots of weird people running around." As she transferred the cake to the oven and set a timer, she asked, "Wait, do you have anyone in mind? 'Cause I'd wanna avoid them."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Well those guys playing D&D over the weekend sounded a wee bit scary," Jack admitted. "Especially when it comes to horses."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"...you were playing D&D over the weekend."

YEAH, JACK.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"For a minute!" Jack protested. "But I was a freaking gnome who could only shoot rainbows. I was useless!"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"So it's better to be useless than useful, is that what you're saying?" SHE QUESTIONED THIS ATTITUDE, JACK. "'Cause it sounds like Weird Topher ran the whole thing, but he's super lame, so."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Nooo, that's not what I'm saying," Jack said with a sigh. "The game just wasn't for me and I had RL stuff had to drop out."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"But if weird people play D&D, and you played D&D..."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Okay. Fine, I'm weird," Jack admitted with an eyeroll. "It wasn't like there was TV to watch or anything in there."

...

"And no calling me weird Jack on the radio."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Why would I do that? I already have a nickname for you!" Miley reminded him.

Charming, charming girl.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack smiled. "You had a nickname for me," he pointed out. "You'll need to come up with something different. Or you could just call me Carter."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Hang on. Juuuust a second.

"Wait, why?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Because you asked me to stop calling you immature and you said you'd stop calling me immature?" he replied slowly.

Jack might have thought he finished that sentence earlier.

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"...no, I didn't."

SHE WAS CERTAIN OF THAT, THANK YOU.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

IT WAS UNSPOKEN! AN UNSPOKEN AGREEMENT!

"Oh come on!" Jack complained. "You're still going to call me immature? I said I wouldn't call you immature."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Like it's my fault you're a bad negotiator? You said you'd do it for cake!"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack opened his mouth to complain some more when he realized that he was at least getting cake out of th deal.

"Okay, I can live with that," Jack said after mulling it over. "There's always other nicknames I can come up with."

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Miley set her hands on her hips and gave him a look.

Double standard. Deal with it, Jack.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Whhaaaaaat? What's wrong with that?"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"You're gonna call a girl names?" Miley, honestly now. "Reeeeeal classy. And mature."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Well you call me names," Jack protested. "Why can't I call you names?"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Because," Miley said decisively.

Yes. That was it.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Uhhhh. No. Not a reason."

C'mon, Miley. You can do better than that.

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Because... I'm cute?" she tried, batting her eyelashes.

Believe it or not, this had worked for her in the past.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Sorry. Miley is Jack's daughter's age and the cute card won't work.

"Should Dave know that you're fluttering you eyelashes at other guys?" Jack asked.

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Miley cringed. "Ew, like I'd be interested in you. Please."

That was rude.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Hey! I'm a catch!" Jack protested. "Just not for you. Because I'm not interested either."

SO THERE!

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

"Good! 'Cause I've got a boyfriend! Nyah!"

She stuck her tongue out. Like a five-year-old.

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack pulled up his phone to take a picture of Miley.

"Gotcha."

Don't worry. Somehow he sill managed to take a picture of his feet.

"There. Now who's immature?"

[its-theclimb.livejournal.com]

Miley thought about that.

"...YOUR FACE."

Then she stormed out. To return later to get her cake out of the oven, of course.

But there was still a bowl full of batter that she had yet to wash. Enjoy!

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack watched her stomp out with a bemused expression.

"What does that even mean?"

and then...

"Hey! Cake batter."