2nd Floor Common Room | Sunday Afternoon

[pursuedthestars]

Jim had not de-aged by a decade or so overnight. He was hip to the change around the island though and hadn't really ventured out of his room due to that. He wasn't a babysitter and he really didn't have a lot of experience with kids.

But, Jim was not one to just stick around one place for a long time which is why boredom (and hunger) had him making his way down to the common room. He found some dried cereal and dropped down onto the couch. He didn't turn on the television and tried to eat quietly.

Maybe if he wasn't too obvious, no kids would discover him. And then he could get the boredom out of his bones and find something else to do. Off island was looking tempting right now.

[Despite Jim, post is open for all]

Comments

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

Good luck with that sneakiness, Jim. There was a wee little redheaded child wandering in and peering at his cereal. "What're you eating?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Food," Jim said, raising an eyebrow at the kid. "Who's asking?"

Yep, he was gonna be a great dad one day.

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Me," she said helpfully, scrambling up on the couch. "Are you gonna share?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Me? That's not very informative," Jim said, watching her out of the corner of his eye while she climbed up next to him. "And why should I? I don't know you. Shouldn't talk to strangers."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Prob'ly but you look nice," Olive decided, "and it's important to share."

[pursuedthestars]

"Important to share?" Jim repeated though he was amused that she thought he looked nice. "And why's that, smarty pants? Is sharing with you gonna make me rich?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Maybe!" she declared. "I got some money! But then it's not sharing."

[pursuedthestars]

"You've got money?" Jim asked, raising an eyebrow. "How did a squirt like you get money? Sell your toys?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"From my grandma," she told him proudly, kicking her feet. "I wouldn't sell my toys. 'Less I was done with 'em. Or bored."

It wasn't a bad idea, Jim. Hmm.

"What's your name?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Jim," he provided, sounding amused despite himself. "What's yours?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Olive," she said, drawing it out. "See, now we're really not strangers!"

[pursuedthestars]

"...Olive?" he asked and then started laughing a little harder. Oh wow, this was gonna be so awesome to tease her about when she stopped being so small. "Yeah, guess you're right. Your hands clean?"

He held the box a little closer but glanced down at her hands. "You been playing in the dirt or something?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

Olive held up her little hands, obviously used to this ritual. "Not today!"

Always a promising answer.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim rubbed his chin and pretended to think very seriously about this. He raised an eyebrow, furrowed his brow and then nodded.

"Okay. Hold out your hands and make a little bowl. I'll share with you if you promise to share with me at some point."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Share what?" Olive asked cautiously, holding her hands as instructed. It was always important to be sure of these things. Olive was still learning sharing, you see.

[pursuedthestars]

"I dunno," Jim told her, shaking some of the cereal out into her hands carefully. "Whatcha got to share? Kids always have some weird things in their pockets, don't they?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Noooo," Olive said carefully, trying to figure out how to juggle the cereal so she could eat it. "I found a bug yesterday but I left him outside 'cause my mom says they don't like living inside. He's prolly still there, though!"

[pursuedthestars]

Yeah, Jim was gonna watch her try to eat the cereal without spilling it. He was kind of looking forward to it, even.

"You'd share your bug with me?" Jim wondered, leaning back against the sofa. "That's pretty nice of you."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"You're supposed to be nice," Olive told him, kind of just shoving her face into her hands. Sure, some cereal stuck to her face but at least she got to eat some. "S'a rule."

[pursuedthestars]

"Wow, that was impressive, Egg," Jim told her, laughing. "You always shove your face in your food or is my cereal just that darn good?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"My name's Olive!" she said, frowning intently at him. With some cereal stuck to her cheek, yes.

[pursuedthestars]

"Egg's a nickname," he said, laughing again but trying to hide it behind his hand. "Why are you frowning at me? It's a good nickname, kid, because I gave it to you."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Eggs are gross," she assured him, making a face. "How old are you?"

Segues were for the weak.

[pursuedthestars]

"Sixteen," Jim told her. "How old are you? I bet you're like...two."

He was maybe guessing low. Maybe.

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

Olive stared at him, sputtering. She was mortally offended. Mortally.

"Four!"

[pursuedthestars]

"Four?" Jim said, sounding oh so surprised. "Wow, you don't look a day past three! You're a little short for four, Egg."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"I'm tall for my age!" Olive retorted, looking quite upset. "You're short!"

No, he was a giant to her, but she was mad and it'd be worth the time-out.

[pursuedthestars]

"You don't know how tall I am," Jim laughed, shaking his head. "I've been sitting down this whole time. And you're being mean after I shared my cereal with you."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"You were mean first," she insisted.

[pursuedthestars]

"I was not," Jim argued, shaking his head. "I just guessed your age wrong. That's not mean. That's just incorrect. Learn your definitions, kid."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"You said I'm short," Olive said, shaking her head. "Mean."

[pursuedthestars]

"No, observation," Jim told her, shaking his head. "You are short compared to me. That is just a fact, Egg Salad."

That was a new one, yep.

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, you're a boy."

The very worst insult of them all!

[pursuedthestars]

"Look at that, you've got eyes!" Jim told her, laughing. And then he reached down, grabbed some cereal and tossed it lightly at her.

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

Olive was indignant for mere seconds before dissolving into giggles and throwing a little cereal back at him. "We're gonna make a mess," she warned, because she had to in case a grownup (someone more grownup than Jim) was around to hear.

[pursuedthestars]

"So?" Jim said, eyes wide. He let the cereal hit him and fall down his shirt and into his lap. "How are you four and caring about messes? Isn't that for your mom and dad to worry about?"

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"I don't wanna get in trouble," she whispered. "I hate time-out."

[pursuedthestars]

"Trouble?" Jim laughed because all he seemed to find was trouble. "How about this: we make a mess and I take the blame? No one's gonna put me in timeout."

How was that for nice?

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

It was pretty nice. Olive was prepared to change her opinion.

"I dunno," she said. "My mom's pretty scary. I bet she could put you in timeout."

[pursuedthestars]

"Yeah, but is your mom here right now?" Jim asked, glancing around. "I don't see a mom. I just see a you and a me."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"No," Olive agreed, and she looked vaguely confused about that. "I dunno where my mom is."

[pursuedthestars]

"I'm sure she's around," Jim told her, half smiling. "Moms just don't walk off."

Unless they were his mom, of course. "Maybe she's just taking a nap somewhere."

[dirtiest-skank.livejournal.com]

"Prolly," Olive admitted. "Sometimes I tire her out."

She had heard that a few times, yes.

[pursuedthestars]

"Yeah, I could've guessed that," Jim laughed, shaking his head. "She'll be back."

Or Olive would grow again and realize she could be separated from her mom. "But, I bet she still sticks around despite that. That's what good moms do."