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Jeremiah Hamilton: A promise had been made, and after the last visit to Polly's apartment Jeremiah had decided it was time to complete said promise. Thus, he had prodded Hearth for some assistance in the kitchen in the making of some "sorry I broke your brain a little" cupcakes.
Heather Williams: Hearth had had a long day at work and still smelled faintly of some chemical or another she'd used in her restoration work. She'd jumped into soft pajamas and had a headband keeping her hair back off her face. She had put on some orchestral music turned up to 11 as she pulled out ingredients and cupcake tins of a couple different sizes.
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah was dressed equally casually in sweats and a t-shirt, humming along to the music as it played. "Thanks for giving a hand with this, by the way." He said with a smile as he looked towards his cadremate. "I could cheat and do it myself, but that wouldn't be as much fun. Plus it's been a bit since we've had a chance to just hang out."
Heather Williams: "Cheating won't taste nearly as good either," Hearth said with a little chuckle, and offered him a hug. "What flavor do you want to make anyways?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "True." He chuckled in kind, sliding in close for the hug. "Chocolate with a peanut butter filling, if we can swing that."
Heather Williams: "That's easy enough. We have peanut butter!" She moved to grab some from the cupboard. "I've also got milk, dark, and so flipping dark it'll make you cry tears of joy. And chocolate chips and chunks in a few varieties. And m&ms. So... Take your pick?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Ooh...tough call." He smirked, thinking for a moment. "I actually don't know how dark she likes her chocolate, now that I think about it..."
Heather Williams: "Then we'll just have to make them all! It's not like the rest won't get eaten." She grinned and passed him a stack of small mixing bowls and flour to start measuring out. "So what brought on the need to make cupcakes?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Very true indeed." He nodded with a smirk, getting the flour divvied up as per Hearth's direction. "I said I would bring some by at some point after mentioning your baking prowess. The last time I went over we talked a bit about what I saw going through the Astral and...hit a bit of a nerve on her end, so I figured it'd be a good way to apologize for it." Cue a sheepish look from the Warlock.(edited)
Heather Williams: Hearth measured out and mixing the wet ingredients while passing Jeremiah the dry. "The Astral is a strange place, I suppose. How are you two doing anyways?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "It was more the coming and going, in this case. Not sure if it was the touchstone Balm let us use that did it or if it's normally like that, but there was a period between falling asleep and getting there that was just...nothing. It hit harder than I expected."
"We're doing good, though." He smiled at the thought. "It's been a while since I've really clicked with someone like that. Since I was in LA, honestly."
Heather Williams: "I'm really happy for you, hun." She smirked a bit. "We'll discretely number the cupcake papers and you can track which she likes best. Alright, mix the wet here into the dry ingredients. What size of cupcakes are we doing?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Thanks. Definitely wasn't expecting it, but I'm not complaining at all." He nodded, eyeing the pans before them. "Smaller ones may not be a bad idea, if only since we're doing various levels of chocolate-ness."
Heather Williams: "You got it!" She put the larger size pans away, and started throwing paper cups into the tin. "Don't ever let go of that feeling. I've missed that kind of closeness," she admitted.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I don't plan on it. I had missed it too, although I didn't realize it until I had it again. It's been...hell, almost seven years at this point." He looked over to Hearth at that. "It's been about that long for you too, right?"
Heather Williams: "Mhmmm. Something like that. It hasn't really been that long for you, has it?" She arched an eyebrow suggestively at him.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Well...I've been with other people, yes." He smirked, giving Hearth a light nudge with his elbow. "It was all light, friends-with-benefits kind of things, though. This is the first real connection I've felt with someone since then, though."
Heather Williams: "Oh of course." She smirked. "I haven't tried that approach... Maybe I should."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "It's worth a shot, at any rate." Jeremiah nodded, smiling a touch. "Never know what you might find."
Heather Williams: "Well I'd need to find a friend first," she teased back. "Know any hot young singers who like mom vans?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: He couldn't help but grin at that, rocking his hand back and forth in a 'so-so' sort of way. "I'd have to check about the van, admittedly..."
Heather Williams: "Hook me up and I'll make you a cheesecake," she said, though it was obviously a joke. "And the van is crazy useful. Great horsepower, excellent safety ratings, plenty of space to schlep furniture, ikea crap, or minions around to mage fights! Why downgrade to a clown car?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Sold." He replied with a laugh. "Very true indeed. Being behind the wheel of anything bigger than a sedan makes me a little twitchy, though, so I'll leave that to you."
Heather Williams: "Seriously?" She threw a chocolate chip at his forehead. "It's not like it's a semi truck! Alright. Now this batter is ready for chocolate. Split it in thirds and mix in the base chocolate. Then split it again and you can fold in the various other chocolatey bits."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Hey!" He did his best to dodge the flying bit of confectionery, grinning all the while. "I never said it was. You know about me and driving, though...took a while for me to get comfortable doing it again in general."
"Yes ma'am." And Jeremiah got to doing just that, divvying up the batter and mixing in the chocolate as directed...and maybe sneaking in a taste or two along the way.
Heather Williams: The best part about baking was nibbling along the way. Heather herself kept stealing little chunks of dark chocolate. It was the finest available, the packaging in German. "And stop ma'aming me! It makes me feel old," she complained.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Sorry...force of habit." Jeremiah replied with a small smirk. "Manners maketh man and all that."
Heather Williams: Hearth groaned. "I'm not even 35 yet! I'm not old! I'm not!"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I'm 33, so no, no we're not." He nodded sagely. "We've got a while for that yet."
Heather Williams: "How long is that, do you think?" Hearth asked innocently.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Eh...depends. I think it happens when you stop looking for the horizon and get into a rut that's too deep for you to get out of again. Age is just a number and all that."
Heather Williams: Hearth harrumphed and ate more chocolate. "I think I'm going to go on a trip next week."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Oh? Where to?" Curious Mastigos is curious.
Heather Williams: "Back, ah, down to Virginia."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah nodded quietly at that. "Work thing, or personal trip?"
Heather Williams: "I used to live there," she admitted. "I still go down a few times a year."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Don't think I knew that. I was in Richmond for a year or so when I was younger. Was nice enough, from what I remember."
Heather Williams: She chuckled. "Ah Richmond. What we superior NoVA people like to refer to as the armpit of the state."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "...yeah, I can see that." He chuckled as he nodded. "What are you heading down there for, if you don't mind my asking? Seeing family, or..."
Heather Williams: Hearth turned to dig through a cupboard for something. "Yeah, family. I came up here to be with Mom but I still go down to see them sometimes."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah looked like he was about to say something but stopped, the metaphorical light bulb flickering on over his head. He gave a solemn nod, holding an arm out for her to come in for a hug if she so wished.
Heather Williams: She took a moment before she turned around, then gave him a tight hug. "Sorry, didn't mean to get so maudlin when this was supposed to be about cupcakes and romance."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "No worries." He gave a proper hug in return. "I asked, after all."
"And it's not like I can say anything on that front anyway."
Heather Williams: She laughed a little and leaned into the hug for a moment before straightening. "Well then! Let's get these puppies into the oven and set the timer so you don't forget to take them out of the oven. They need to cool all the way before they're frosted- I personally am a huge fan of strawberry or orange cream frosting but we could go chocolate on top of all the chocolate. But it's late so that's going to be a tomorrow thing for you."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Was figuring chocolate for the top and the peanut butter filling, yeah." Jeremiah nodded, moving to get the pans in the oven. He looked back towards Hearth once that was handled, though, watching her for a moment before speaking. "If you ever want someone to come with you when you go to see them, let me know."
Heather Williams: "Oh shit! The peanut butter. Don't stick them in yet." Hearth groaned. "You got me all distracted so it's definitely your fault. Don't worry, we can fix it."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Mea culpa..." he replied with a small smirk, pulling the pans back out again. "Voila."
Heather Williams: "Ah screw it. We'll fill them after they're baked. Easier that way. I will leave you to do the boring baking part. I am going to back to the office and finish up some work."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Think I can manage that." Jeremiah nodded, replacing the pans back into the oven once again. "Sounds good."
He opened his arms again for another hug, smiling softly. "Thanks again for the help."
Heather Williams: "Anytime. Seriously and literally. I love you, like a brother. So you're safe from me."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Right back at you. You're like a sister I never had...all of you are."
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