“Oof!”

That was the sound of an Aurum losing oxygen out his mouth as an Irish-woman made her choice of seating his gut. Aurum offered a weak smile as she stuck out her tongue.

”Cute.” And heavy. Not too heavy, but still. The blond was on his stomach. There were better places to sit. Places that didn’t happen to coexist with locations of alcohol, and all the things he’d eaten that night. She should sit those places! Not here, on his tummy. He was tempted to reach out and snag that tongue, to stop its punctuation like the delete key kills a question mark… or maybe, grab her around the waist, and resituate the seating arrangement so she was sitting at his side. His hands rose with a will of their own, but something stopped him from shifting her position, or launching a tickle attack.

Shin had chosen to stop by. Er, Shin… Aurum’s eyes flared dangerously, willing him to keep clear. It was ineffective. He kept flying. Sailing through the air, then—

THUD!

Shin and Kealey hit the floor. Aurum rolled off the couch to join them. He hit his tailbone, and sat at an odd angle, laughing at their side.

>>”That might not have been the best idea.”

“I ought to bop you,” He faked a light uppercut at Shin’s jaw.

>>”That might not have been the best idea.”

>>“I ought to bop you.”

Shin snorted as he dodged the slow uppercut, caught Aurum’s fist, and rolled him to the floor. He pinned Aurum down, with a hand against his chest. “Make something,” He ordered. “Trail mix, or cookies. That’s what you ought to do.”

He let go, and gave Aurum room to get up. He was going to get up, wasn’t he? To make them snacks? He’d better. Shin aimed a smug cat-face towards Kealey as Aurum got up.

“It may not have been the best idea, but it got results~”

Something about the situation they’d gotten into on the floor was unbearably funny to Kealey, and as Aurum joined her and Shin, she burst out laughing. This wasn’t the giggling laughter from before, these were great belly laughs of pure, unadulterated, drunken joy.

The playful uppercut and subsequent pwning of Aurum by Shin was met by even more laughter, Aurum was so much bigger than Shin, and definitely outweighed him. ”Maybe you are a super hero!” she exclaimed with glee over the unstoppable laughter that was finally trickling off into giggles. ”Maybe you should teach me to do that….that way next time I save someone in the subway, the bad guy can’t break my face.” She nodded solemnly at that, the hilarity fading in the serious nature of that statement.

Shin had sent Aurum off to cook something though, and that idea made Kealey very happy, she grinned back at Shin, then pushed herself into a seated position, using the couch as something to lean against. The room was spinning again and after a moment she groaned slightly and put a hand to her head. ”I think I might have drank too much.” she said, and closed her eyes, opening them when she heard Aurum clunking around in the kitchen.

”Hurry!” she yelled, ”And make sure it’s extra awesome!” Kealey was a demanding drunk.

He'd been kidding. Then, he was on the ground. He was floored... by Shin. The little pipsqueak had taken him down... in an entirely un-Shin-like way. Aurum stared at the hand against his chest.

Mind moving that...? His mind trailed. Someone might get the wrong idea.

It seemed, the person with crazy ideas in his head this time, was Shin.

>>“Make something," the kid demanded. “Trail mix, or cookies. That’s what you ought to do.”

". . ." Aurum's eyes flared dangerously. A dark smirk slipped onto his face. He'd make something, alright... he'd make Shin regret ordering him around... Or maybe...

Aurum's eyes shifted to Kealey as he shoved himself up off the floor. Maybe, he'd make something good, then. For her sake. No use murdering Shin over Shin being a goofball. Aurum sauntered off to play in the kitchen.

But what would he make? Aurum fiddled with the contents of Kealey's refrigerator. She had things. Milk, eggs, butter... there were an awful lot of possibilities, should he go the baked goods route. But, she also had ground beef... maybe some chicken? Hrm... cream cheese.

Aurum vaguely recalled what he'd said to her when they'd gone clothes-shopping. Something about cheesecake Oreo brownies and stalkers... his eyes swung back towards the living room area.

Stalkers...

Cupboards opened as Aurum stalked the elusive Oreo. Double-stuffed, single-cream, any type would do. They were inebriated. Bossy drunks weren't always picky.

>>”Maybe you are a super hero!”

"With the power to get people to bake cookies whenever I want!" Shin pumped his fist. He grinned at Kealey, resting his hands on the calves of his crossed legs.

>>”Maybe you should teach me to do that….that way next time I save someone in the subway, the bad guy can’t break my face.”

"Sure!" Shin exclaimed. He paused a second, and tilted his head at her. "... Did you mean force people to make baked goods, or take people to the floor?" Shin figured either would be a good power to have. Why let someone punch you in the face when you can make them bake cookies?

She shifted to sit, leaning against the couch. Shin scooted over, and sat next to her, offering a shoulder.

>>”I think I might have drank too much.”

"Then, take it easy," Shin noted thoughtfully. He laughed as she cracked the whip on Aurum to make 'make something awesome'. "Haha. Maybe you already have the beginnings of the power of baked goods... I can teach you, yet."

”Putting people on the ground.” Kealey said, nodding solemnly at the question Shin asked. Not that being able to force people into cooking would be a bad idea….it was just, ”I can already make people cook good food for me. I just have to look at them like this…” Kealey turned to look at Shin, widening her eyes and looking up slightly through her lashes. In reality…she looked really drunk.

A shoulder was offered and a shoulder was accepted, and Kealey found it vastly preferable to the way her head had hung backwards when she leaned against the couch.

After she’d shouted to Aurum to make something super awesome, he’d continued clunking in the kitchen. That boded well for whatever he was cooking. They’d made a huge mess and lots of noise with the fish & chips…and they’d turned out awesome. The logic stood.

She smile some more and kept her head right there on that shoulder, for some reason, the world didn’t spin so bad when it was tilted like that.

It took a lot to make and bake a cake. Did he recall the magic recipe? ... No. "Guess that means no cake mix..." Aurum muttered to himself as he went through Kealey's cupboards. His fingers hopped over other things, like Gold Fish crackers and tomato soup. They stopped on a box of Oreos. "Perfect!" He pulled the box free, and sat it on the counter, alongside the other ingredients.

Yes, everything was shaping up nicely for drunken baking. He even had the bowls out. There wasn't even a mess, yet.

Oreo Cheesecake brownies, here I come... Aurum trailed.

First things, first. He preheated the oven. It was supposed to be preheated to 350 degrees, right? He set the heat, and let it start. Aurum clapped his hands together, and turned towards the 9 inch square baking pan.

"Time to grease this sucker up..."

5 minutes later, Aurum was working on the batter. Butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs.. the recipe for success. The mixture turned in the bowl, round and round with a wooden spoon. Then, he stirred the cocoa powder, baking powder, flour, and salt. Slowly, he mixed everything together, until it looked smooth and amazing.

He grinned at what he was doing. This was great. A drunken thought passed through Aurum's foggy head.

I. Love. Baking~! It was probably more fun than whatever Kealey and Shin were up to, now.

He shook his head, and chuckled at the thought. Most certainly, more fun. Aurum returned his focus to the brownies. A few minutes later, he slipped the finished recipe into the oven, and set the timer. If they were still awake when it screamed at them, he'd take them out. Otherwise, it'd just scream.

Aurum pulled out the chair at Kealey's kitchen table, and sat down in it. He rested his head against his crossed arms, and slumped forward. He'd take a little nap while the brownies were baking. Yes. Just a little...

A large Aurum snore cut through the kitchen's stillness. Somewhere, a clock ticked. Aurum snored on, not knowing. He may have drooled.

>>”Putting people on the ground.”

Shin met her solemnity with a dull grin. Jujitsu training. He could do that. Or maybe, he could teach her to box? Did Kealey like boxing? Would she...? Eh. He'd probably just teach her Judo takedowns. Easier.

He tried not to snerkle as she made her 'get what you want' face. Shin laughed lightly. "Right."

Her head found its way to his shoulder. He let his head loll to the side, and rest gently against hers. This was nice, just sitting. It was warm, and he was getting tired.

Shin's head bowed slightly as he let out a doggish yawn. He swung his face to face her with a sleepy smile. "So, how are you?" This was the first time he'd seen her this late. Shin was getting tired, yes, but he still didn't want to sleep. What did one talk about at 3AM? Shin let his head roll back against the couch cushion. He stared groggily at the ceiling, and mumbled over his tongue. "Wonder what Aurum's makin'...'

It had been a while. He hoped it was something good.

He had laughed…Shin had laughed at her look. Kealey considered railing at that incredible injustice, then let it go. It would take too much effort at this point….right now all she was…was hungry. Hungry and drunk. Someone had told the blond once that if you were commenting on your own drunkenness, you were definitely too drunk to make important decisions on your own. They were probably right.

There was some head leaning, some yawning, and the room was finally slowing it’s incessant spinning. Shin moved to talk to her, but Kealey stayed right where she was, worried that if she moved her head the spinning would start again.

How was she? Kealey had to think about it for a minute before she answered, ”I’m really good.” she said, eyes still shut as she tried to muddle through her fuzzy thoughts, ”I think I might have needed this as much as you did. It’s the only way I feel alone in my head anymore…I have to drown everyone else out…”

They sat for a few more moments, then Shin wondered aloud exactly what it was that Aurum was making. Kealey had to admit that she was curious too, the noises had stopped a little while ago and they’d heard nothing from their companion, she shrugged her shoulders. ”He’s some kind of food guru…I’m sure it’s awesome…though what kind of awesomeness he could have made from what I had in that kitchen…I’ve got no idea.”

She considered getting up to go and look see what was transpiring in the kitchen, considered it for about ten seconds, then filed it away under things she’d do when she was more motivated. For now, though, she was comfortable. ”He definitely knows what he’s doing…” she repeated, and he would definitely let them know what it was done.

He definitely knew what he was doing. And as he ‘definitely knew’, Aurum slept.

In his dreams, he chased Frisbees, though not the type utilized as a flying discus. No. He chased the type that, once upon a time, was a mere pie tin. That’s right. In Aurum’s dreams, he pursued pies.

It probably explained the drooling. Probably. The women throwing the pies had nothing to do with it. Apple pies, pumpkin pies, meat pies, cherry. The skylines were dotted with pie tins. Deliciousness, in UFO-style.

Time and again, Aurum leaped. He had to catch the pies. The pies were delicious. Time and again, he missed. The pies were also crafty. They sensed his desire for their goodness. They whirled through the air, up and away from his grasping fingertips, as if hauled up by some unseen cloud-fisherman.

In Aurum’s dream, Bon Jovi was screaming.

Whoa, oh. We’re halfway there. Living on a prayer.

Halfway there. Maybe, if he had some sort of ladder for catching the pies? Or some bazooka…

As Aurum contemplated how he’d steal the pie, one dropped into his hands. He blinked, then looked around for who had thrown it. Nobody was there. He shrugged. He supposed he ought to hold on to what he got… now, what was that screaming…?

Aurum stirred. “Bwuh?” He bonked his head on the table, and sat up straight. Aurum rubbed his bleary eyes, and looked around the kitchen.

What was I…?

Aurum had set Kealey’s alarm clock radio as his oven timer. The Clock Radio Timer was screaming Bon Jovi. The situation hit Aurum like a wicked guitar solo. He shot up from his seat, and wrangled potholders. The brownies slid out of the oven, and onto a cooling sheet.

Aurum grinned at them as he set them out to cool. He had made it, just it time. I swear… Aurum shook his head with a drunken chuckle. He turned, and pointed his body towards the living room.

“Brownies are done!” Aurum called. “And they look amazing!”

Aurum stalked over to shut off Bon Jovi.

Those were enough prayers for tonight, Mr. Jovi. Thank you.

>>”I’m really good.”

"That's good," Shin replied tiredly. Did Kealey's apartment have a ceiling fan? Or maybe something on the ceiling to count?

>>”I think I might have needed this as much as you did. It’s the only way I feel alone in my head anymore…I have to drown everyone else out…”

Shin broke off his investigation to swing his focus back to the blond on his shoulder. He rested his head against the side of her's again, in an 'I'm here, so know I care' sort of way. His eyes tilted back up towards the ceiling, and resumed their tile-counting as he mused on life, and Aurum's current choice in recipes.

>>”He definitely knows what he’s doing…”

"He's like some sort of ninja when it comes to food. Or maybe, a samurai. Which one is cooler?" He asked her.

The conversation faded into back and forth ninja-talk for the next few minutes. Then, Aurum's alarm went off. Shin nearly fell over. "What in the..."

>>“Brownies are done!” Aurum called. “And they look amazing!”

Shin rolled forward, and pushed off the floor. He turned, and offered Kealey a hand up. "He doesn't need to tell me twice." Shin laughed.

Friends, Kealey decided, were wonderful things to have. Just having Shin and Aurum there to listen to her that night had made all the difference in the world. It had been nice to be there for Shin, to help him out in his time of need. It was nice to need and be needed, and know that the friends would still be there the next day. At least Kealey, hoped they’d all be friends the next day.

At least Shin agreed with her opinion about Aurum’s cooking skills.

A ninja…or a samurai…which one was cooler. Kealey had to admit that in this, Shin’s knowledge probably superseded her own, so they discussed the matter for the next few minutes. Later, she’d wonder what they’d actually decided, but the conversation was a really good one. At least as good as two people who’d drank as much as Kealey and Shin could handle at that point.

The clock radio in her kitchen suddenly turned on and Kealey jumped as much as Shin did…who had possibly set that? There was a small commotion, the oven opened and closed, then Aurum called from the kitchen that he’d finished the….brownies?

Shin clambered up and offered a hand, and Kealey took it gratefully, climbing to her feet with what seemed like great aplomb and grace. (It was something else entirely.) And they stumbled to the kitchen.

Upon arrival, the smell of the brownies…oh dear sweet lord…the smell of those brownies. The ingredients were still out on the counter, and Kealey’s eyes widened, ”You made the brownies.” she said breathlessly, flinging her arms around Aurum’s waist for a moment and a squeeze before turned back to the brownies, dancing from foot to foot in exhilaration and excitement as the chocolately cheesecakey goodness wafted through the air. She turned to Shin.

”These brownies are stalker good.” she said, eyes shining with the hopes of a million brownies.

>>”You made the brownies.”

Kealey flung herself at him. Yup. That was pretty much the reaction he'd expected. It was hard to hide that smirk. Alcohol really cut down on his tact, huh?

He was disappointed when she left, but the compliment made him smile.

>>”These brownies are stalker good.

"Just wait until you try them. Hold on, while I cut them up."

He plodded past her, cave-man-style, sharpened tool in-hand, and cut the brownies. They probably didn't care if the brownies were still warm and gooey. Aurum pulled a couple of plates out, and set them down for Kealey and Shin.

Shin didn't even wait to let Aurum put brownies on plates. If Aurum was the brownie-cutting samurai, then Shin could be the ninja. He darted forward, and stole a crumbly handful of brownie-chocolate-cheesecake... goo. Shin shoved it in his mouth, and was in heaven.

"Shooo goood," He looked up to the ceiling. This time, not to count tiles, but to thank Buddha, or whatever cooking deity Aurum worshiped. Tears practically streamed down Shin's face as he enjoyed the brownies, in ecstasy. Anything Aurum and Kealey had said after he'd started eating, he'd missed.

Stalker-Good. That's what they were. "Congrachewreishuns, Aurum. Yoo jus got a starker." Shin thoughtfully chewed.

Aurum cut brownies, Kealey danced, and Shin…well Shin ninja’d a brownie right from underneath Aurum’s watchful eye. The result was chocolate crumbling all over the floor, Shin stuffing his face with brownie, and a proclamation that Aurum had earned his first stalker. Kealey simply had to giggle, she hadn’t even tasted the brownie yet, and she had a feeling that a similar reaction was in store.

Instead of the ‘om nom nom’ method of brownie eating Shin had chosen to employ, Kealey waited for the plate, and took it gleefully from Aurum after he dished up the ooey, gooey, cheescakey deliciousness from the quickly cooling pan. They smelled simply marvelous, and Kealey gingerly picked up the square and took a bite.

In similar fashion to Shin, the blonde’s eyes rolled towards the ceiling and she muttered a little prayer of thanks to heavens for allowing such splendor to exist on the Earth. That might have been a little blasphemous, but Kealey was just drunk enough that she simply filed it under the list of things she’d have to tell the Priest at confession. Those lists had been longer lately, but shockingly Father Michael hadn’t assigned lengthy or harsh penances. In fact, Kealey’s drunken mind reasoned, he seemed almost pleased to her about her exploits in the city. It jus didn’t make sense.

She shook off the church thoughts and went back to the brownie, bite number two was every bit as good, ”Make that two stalkers.” Kealey said, ”And if you’re not careful, I’m going to end up getting used to this food.”

Turning, Kealey propped herself up against the counter and continued to assault the brownie, she’d probably have another too. After a particularly good bite, she sighed happily, ”You’re so giving me this recipe. “

They stood in silence for a few minutes, too busy eating and being inebriated to deal with anything else. Then Kealey smiled around the little kitchen and said, ”This is fun.”