o2 | Dictation/Action

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie is silent for a moment, before sighing. ]

I give this place about twenty points just for not being too high on the bullshit meter.

And I get there's a price for making wishes, but still?

Here's the bullshit: I've got something to celebrate, and from what I've gathered in those "days of old" stories before the world ended? You get a cake when you've got something to party about. I already spent a wish on a pizza party, and since I'm basically trained to not trust anything, I won't let myself go any further.

So.

Baking. How does one accomplish it, and where the fuck does one start?

Comments

[nohalfway]

You... Free now? I'm kinda rearing to go for this.

[ Her girlfrie-- best friend is here. Time to celebrate. ]

[dog_eat_dog]

Well, if you're raring to go, it'd be particularly evil-stepmother to deny you, wouldn't it?

[Tess knows when she's been a dick. She might not apologize for it directly, but she'll make a show of making up for it just to make herself look better. She's so hard suffering.]

I'll be back at the apartment in fifteen minutes.

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie would be lying if she said she wasn't... Surprised by the sudden change of heart. She knows that she's been overstaying her welcome in Tess' eyes, at least in regards to the room she's sleeping in. She hasn't been easy to live with, and she feels bad for it... So Ellie's pretty surprised that Tess is offering to help, even if it's for a price. A price that Ellie's actually more than willing to pay. ]

[ She makes a noise at the "stepmother" comment, something between a snicker and a snort, but she sounds pleasant nonetheless. ]

Alright! I'll throw something on then.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Guilt goes a lot further in a place where people are generally pretty nice. With the bar lowered, Tess tries to keep herself a little more friendly.]

Alright.

[Tess will be there on time, walking in with a brown paper grocery bag in one arm.]

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie's gotten herself cleaned up, despite the expectation to get covered in whatever junk goes into cupcakes. Hair tied back in her usual ponytail, she wears a loose-fitted rockband t-shirt and jeans, shoes off since she's been toeing around the house. She's in the kitchen, grabbing a big bowl and assuming that's all they'll need. ]

Yo, Tess!

[ She peeks over the wall and waves. ]

[dog_eat_dog]

Hey, kid.

[Tess is in her usual jeans and t-shirt, too, and she nudges off her boots in the doorway and scoots them aside so they're not underfoot. She sets down the groceries on the countertop and then makes a beeline to the fridge to get herself a beer.]

The measuring cups are in the drawer next to the cutlery, and the vegetable oil is the big bottle under the sink. Get them both out and find us a spatula, huh?

[nohalfway]

[ She drags a chair over, given that the counters are relatively high up. It's more comfortable to have the counters at your waist than at your neck. She gets on her knees, propped up and reaching over to the bag to obtain the mix, then all the other pieces Tess requests. ]

Hey, you should pass me one of those.

[ A beer, she means. ]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess glances over Ellie's way with a raised eyebrow, both at the chair and the the request.]

If I say no, are you going to hold it against me?

[nohalfway]

[ She wears a pretty relaxed expression, shrugging her shoulders with her hands up. ]

I might bitch about it, but no. I wouldn't.

[dog_eat_dog]

[A snort of a laugh.]

If Joel walks in, you hide it fast.

[nohalfway]

[ Alright. Ellie smiles, nodding her head as she reaches into a drawer to get a spatula. ]

Secret's safe with me if it's safe with you.

[ Okay, Tess is slowly regaining her cool status again. ]

[dog_eat_dog]

It's safe with me.

[She leans against the countertop with her beer in hand.]

The Coors are mine, Joel's are the nicer ones.

[nohalfway]

So steal Joel's beers, right?

[ Nah, she knows better. Ellie takes the bottle, pops the top open with ease, and holds it up to Tess. ]

To... Hoping I don't burn these cupcakes.

[dog_eat_dog]

If you want to get lectured.

[Just in case that wasn't clear. Besides, her beers are notably closer to water.

Tess holds her beer up, though.]

It's really not that hard, you know. I think you'd have to have cooking skills in the negatives to screw them up that badly.

[nohalfway]

[ Clink. ]

Well, most I've ever cooked is rabbit and deer.

[ She takes a heavy swig of her drink, then sets the bottle down before wiping her mouth. ]

Never baked anything before. But how hard can it be?

[ Ellie takes the box in hand, mulling over the directions. ]

Where do we start?

lol forgot to click post hours ago...

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess chuckles, mostly at how Ellie apparently takes to beer like a fratboy, and she digs the cupcake tray out of the oven drawer.]

Pour the cake mix into the bowl.

lol whoops

[nohalfway]

[ Done and done. Ellie tears open the box like a kid on Christmas morning, pouring the mix in and ready for the next part. ]

Uh... Eggs now, right?

i'm bad

[dog_eat_dog]

One egg. It only makes like two dozen or something.

it's ok, so am i.

[nohalfway]

Alright...

[ One egg. Cracked egg, right? Something that Ellie can safely say she has never done. Quickly, she washes her hands, patting them dry with a nearby rag before grabbing the eggs on the counter. Carefully, she takes the egg, eyeing it cautiously. ]

[ One. Two. Bam. Ellie smacks the egg against the bowl too hard and it comes crushing open, shell cracked all over her hands and counter, egg not even close to the mix in the bowl. ]

[ She makes a long sound of disappointment, groaning. ]

Fuuuuuck, really?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess sighs and moves over, one hand on Ellie's shoulder to guide her over to the sink. A tinge of irritation pops into her voice, mostly from the anxiety of seeing food wasted –– something she still hasn't kicked over the months.]

Ellie, for fuck's sake. It's an eggshell, not steel, you don't have to hit it that hard.

[nohalfway]

Augh, I'm sorry. Shit, now I wasted a fucking egg.

[ She feels just as bad about it. Ellie washes her hands again, repeating the process by grabbing yet another egg. ]

Careful...

[ Ellie is much more gentle this time, successfully cracking the egg and hesitatingly opening the shell to let the contents out. ]

A-hah. There.

[dog_eat_dog]

We'll survive.

[Tess resumes her role as supervisor, just directing and watching.]

Half a cup of vegetable oil next.

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie sighs. ]

I'unno, I need a drink after that egg-loss. It's got me pretty...

[ She takes another big gulp of her beer, then slams it down. ]

Beat.

[ Eyes glancing at Tess. Ah. Ah? Got that egg pun? GOT IT? ]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess's eyes narrow slightly. She even purses her lips a bit, ostensibly because she wasn't humored but it but moreso to keep herself from smiling at such a bad joke.]

Haha. Cute.

[nohalfway]

[ Yes. Greatest feat ever known: she got Tess to laugh. Even if it was a little bit, nice to know the woman is capable of it. Ellie finds herself laughing in turn. ]

Meeeeeh, shitty one, I know.

[ But funny nonetheless. Ellie proudly grabs the bottle of vegetable oil and begins to measure it out. ]