Sweetest Thing Around.

Soft footfalls padding across the lino flooring and shopping bags rattling was the only noises in the house I could hear while making my way to the kitchen. Beams of light came in through the light curtains for the first time in two weeks, casting everything in a spring like glow that seemed to warm up and dry everything it touched.

Jack, from what I could guess, was still sleeping having just come home from All Time Low’s latest tour over in Europe. Last night as he walked in through the door all he managed to do was say hello, kiss my cheek and fall asleep before his head even hit the pillow. Considering how long the flight was it pretty much what I expected.

So to celebrate another awesome tour on his part and an awesome homecoming surprise; I was going to attempt to make ‘sweet teacups’. I’ve never made them before, nor could find more than the picture Jack had sent me two weeks ago text squealing how cute they were, but I was going to try. They didn’t look very hard to make.

Opening a shopping bag I pulled out a packet of tic-tok biscuits, marshmallows, chocolate freckles and muck lifesavers. I got the icing leftovers from a cake I made the other day from the fridge and a large serving plate from the cupboard, ignoring the array of bright colour sticky notes inside the door covered in Jack and Alex’s sloppy handwriting that I hadn’t had the heart to remove yet.

In fact most of the kitchen and spare bedroom were covered in the little coloured papers, but really that was a story best explained by them.

Taking a moment, standing quietly in the room, I listened out to make sure Jack really was asleep and hadn’t hear me coming in through the front door. When there were no footsteps, thumping or doors moving I deemed it safe and opened the packet of biscuits, followed by the other packets, creating a mass of sugary multi-coloured display on the bench top.

Truth be told, Jack would be happy to just have all this thrown into a bowl and served to him for breakfast, but where would the fun in that be, for me at least?

I picked up a marshmallow, put it in the icing just enough to get a little on the bottom and placed it in the middle of the biscuit. Holding in place for a moment I pulled out my phone searching for the picture to make sure I had this right. Though I have to admit even if did get this wrong, I’d still eat them happily.

Using the picture as a mini guide, I grabbed a tea spoon and placed a drop of icing on top of the marshmallow before sticking on the chocolate freckle. It slid to the side a little but I managed to correct that before it had the chance to fall off all together.

I got to and cut one of the lifesavers in half, dipping the edges into the icing and sticking it to the side for a handle. Overall the whole thing was a little lopsided and had a tiny bit to icing dribbling down the one side, but for a first attempt it was pretty good. I smiled to myself and set it aside onto the serving tray.

From there I set myself a little mini express operating line – Rian’s way of explaining how I do things when cooking for whatever reason – making these little teacups. It was easy to see why Jack was flailing over them so much that day he sent the picture; they were pretty damn cute. I grinned to myself think of how Jack would react to seeing this.

It wasn’t until I was about twelve biscuits in when I first heard soft sleepy footsteps pad along the carpet. I didn’t even have the chance to think about hiding anything when Jack stumbled into lounge room within my view, rubbing his eyes very much like a five year old kid would. I smiled fondly watching as he yawned slowly, looking around until his bleary eyes landed on me.

He smiled, a little dopy like, reaching down to scratch his stomach.

“Good morning,” I happily greeted leaning against the bench hoping that my body blocked a little of what I was doing.

“Mornin’,” Jack said around another yawn. “Or is it afternoon?”

“Noon. I didn’t wake you up coming in through the front door, did I?”

Jack shook his head slowly and stumbled a little into the kitchen almost bumping into the same chair he almost hits every other morning. Chuckling at his adorable dopiness, I opened my arms, wrapping him into a hug when he was close enough. Jack sighed resting his head on my shoulder as his arms secured themselves around my waist.

He was still loose and sleep warm and the large hoodie he was wearing made him feel that much more cuddly than normal. I pressed my face into his shoulder smiling against the fabric.

We stood like that for a fair while before Jack eventually pulled back enough to peck my lips and cheek. I repeated the motions and let go all together matching his bright smile.

“I didn’t get to ask last night, but how was the flight?”

“Good,” Jack nodded flashing a bright grin that made me suddenly curios. “Me and Alex managed to steal a whole bunch of straws from one of the flight attendants. We like, made guns out of them and spent a whole hour shooting each other, with noises and everything! It was so awesome.”

I laughed. Yeah, I could totally see them doing that.

“Rian tried to make one but he-“Jack stopped, mouth dropping open a little and eyes widening. “You didn’t. You seriously didn’t!”

I followed the direction he was looking bouncing on his toes and grinned ducking my head a bit sheepishly. I had been hoping that he wouldn’t notice them yet so I could finish, but that was alright. It still surprised him and the look on his face?

Worth it.

“Surprise!” I chuckled lightly stepping out of Jack’s way so he could get a better look.

Jack picked up one – the one I happen to just finish when he walked into the lounge room – and fiddled with it, poking the marshmallow a couple of times before pulling the ‘cup’ off it’s ‘saucer’. He ate it making a small humming noise. I laughed taking the biscuit from his fingers for myself.

“You are one awesome lady,” Jack muttered around the food in his mouth. “I knew I loved you for a reason! I’m sending you pictures of food more often.”

Heat prickled on my cheeks as I ducked my head down again so my hair could cover some of my face. Jack’s laugh bubbled around the room followed by a light crunch of food, which I realised was a lifesaver he snuck from the open packet.

He grinned at me, all teeth with little pink bits between them. His smile, like always, was too contagious not to reflect back just as brightly.

“Would you like to help me make the rest?”

It was amazing how one simple question made his eyes light up so brightly and as much as I hate using this cliché phrase to explain it, it was the only one that really matched: it was like a kid on Christmas morning. Jack bounced a little on his toes nodding his head enthusiastically.

“Alright, so how do we do this?” He asked picking up a marshmallow and popping it into his mouth after a second glance at it.

“For one, you don’t everything before you make them,” I laughed slapping his hand away as he went for another one. “You just use the icing like glue and stuck them all together, like the others I did, it isn’t hard or anything.”

I quickly made up one for show and leaned back against the bench as Jack made one himself. At first with the mess he was making with the icing I thought he was just half asleep still, though then I realised he was making sure to get much icing as he can on his fingers for an excuse to lick them clean.

That used to be my trick back when I first met him. Now though, I found out that if you make extra icing, the more you get to eat after.

I laughed watching Jack before reaching over, sliding my fingers through the icing bowl and smeared it across his cheek, making it thick as possible. He gasped reaching his hand up effectively ending up with just as much of the sugary cream on his hand as was on his face.

The shock didn’t last long though, replaced by a dirty smirk. I stepped back slowly towards the doorway to the lounge room quickly trying to plan my escape with a nervous smile trying to break out.

Jack was quick though, always is, and leaps forward catching the back of my shirt when I tried to run for it. Where to? I have no idea because Jack would catch me anywhere. I squealed out a laugh failing around but froze quickly as a hand, covered in icing, wrapped around my mouth. Jack’s laughing echoed in my ears.

Suddenly his face was next to mine, cheek to cheek and acting as some type of large cat, Jack started rubbing his face all over mine covering hair and all. I squawked behind his hand trying to get away without laughing or falling over. I reached over blindly for the bench locating the bowl I was searching for. Without a second though I dumped it on Jack head, getting just as much icing on me in the process or maybe even more.

Jack pulled away quickly, eye wide in surprise and amusement. I bit down on my lip harshly to keep quiet watching the white globs of icing drip down his face, neck and eventually his pyjamas to the floor. We burst out laughing at the same time.

I have no idea what I looked like but I could imagine it was just as bad as him.

“From now on we are doing this every time I come home from tour. This is awesome!” Jack exclaimed flicking icing at me to prove his point. “I bags not cleaning this up though,”

“Hey, that’s-“

Before anymore words could escape my mouth, his lips pressed against mine. All sloppy around bubbles of laugher, but still good.

This was how it always was around Jack. Sweet, fun and good. He always knew what to do to make someone laugh and had the heart of the biggest kid that I knew, but that’s exactly what made Jack, Jack.

No matter how much icing or teacup thingy’s ended up all over the kitchen. I wouldn’t change this sunny afternoon for anything.

And from the way Jack smiled when we eventually pulled away for air, it was obvious he wouldn’t trade it for anything either.