All the Milk and Cookies!

[Ellen Banks]

Ellen has had a bad year no one would question that she would think from being punched square in the face by Erika Bellefonte to being shot in the throat and left to die in the courtyard 2014 has not been kind to the Banks heirness having throw everything it could to drive her insane.

But getting out argued by Frank Cox? That had to be a low point…

Ellen was ready to put the entire incident behind her and get back to baking but winched just a little once Frank said the word; “What” with the longer then necessary “Aaa” Ellen hated when she did that. It was like nails scraping across a massive chalkboard not to mention terrible grammar on her part. But she tried to shoulder on regardless.

Splat. Ellen dropped her hands for the moment and shut her eyes forcing herself to remain totally calm as a dad of icing went down her cheek “If I kill her now? Would people really suspect foul play? They’ll probably just assume she stuck her head in the ovan for the sheer amusement of it. If Ellen played her cards right she could get away with it.

Frank wasn’t helping her cause as she shook it further sending splatters of more icing on her face she didn’t react she simply shut her eyes took a deep breath and counted to 10 to avoid strangling Frank right there “I swear if any of this gets in my hair” She muttered to herself

Ellen didn’t hear most of Franks ranting and raving but did manage to catch the tail end of her question “Well if you really must know” Ellen began before making a point to wipe her face “I have no problems with singing, I’m actually quite good at it, years of training…But Christmas songs are well, like Christmas. Unnecessary, cheesy, fake and generally overrated”

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Oh, sorry about your face!" chirped Frank. She then licked her thumb and began moving forward to rub against it, talking as she went, because Frank couldn't do much of anything without running her mouth at the same time (this had been scientifically proven and everything; the official studies would likely go out in September assuming they passed peer review).

"Christmas so isn't fake and overrated!" Frank insisted, frowning as she started bobbing and attacking other bits of icing or potential spots on Ellen's face. "it's only fake if people who practice it are all fake and stuff and then it's not real Christmas; it's, like, the stupid fake kind."

Frank moved to lick her thumb again, eying Ellen's face with a look that would make moms across the world quite proud of Miss Cox.

[Ellen Banks]

“No..No Frank, remember: Remember how important boundaries and personal space are b-“ And of course Frank just blatantly ignored Ellen’s protests just like she always seemed to do. She was just so stubborn wasn’t she, she wouldn’t if she even heard Ellen blatantly tell her “No” She wondered if her words ever came close to penetrating the great big blink pink wall of fluff that Ellen imagined surrounded her brain.

Even if Ellen strapped a bomb to herself and told her the slightest physical contact would set it off and blow them both to hell (Well Ellen certainly to Hell at least) Would she care. Would her last thoughts on this earth be: “Worth it” It was a measure of her opinion on Frank Cox that she didn’t want to test that.

She stood then squirming just a little as she felt Franks spit rub against all the marks that had been left from the icing trying not to scream “get the hell off me now weirdo!” “You know, I could have just gotten a cloth….but thank you, mother”

Ellen felt like she just wanted to scream at Frank, how could someone her age still believe and think the way she did, She couldn’t have seriously believe the season was as she said it was could she? The world wasn’t magical and full of unicorns it was a harsh cold place with no place for Frank’s vision of how things were.

Maybe that’s just why she was considered one of a kind.

“You seem really confident of that, I’m sorry I don’t seem to share your fate…”

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"I eat personal bubbles!" Frank insisted, adding a little "nom, om, nom," noise to it as well. It was entirely likely that if you x-rayed Frank's head, you'd find nothing but cotton candy fluff and small dancing, singing cartoon characters mining said fluff to keep their magical kingdom alive.

Because she didn't even seem to flinch a bit as Ellen squirmed and essentially pushed her away. "Aww, I'm not your mommy, Ellen," said Frank, "because that," she locked eyes with Ellen, "would be super weird and kinda freaky and all," Frank then giggled and turned, pushing around a few more cooking things, getting various cookies and stuff ready. She didn't even break stride as Ellen insisted that she didn't share her... we're going to assume Robbo meant to type "faith" instead of "fate" and just got confused. "Because obviously Ellen doesn't share my fate," said Frank, looking into the middle-distance, "that would mean that Fate's controlling her and that would just be all kinds of awesome. Plus, Robbo's awesome at her, so Fate wouldn't even want to."

Frank then turned as if that moment didn't happen (and who's to say it did, really?) and started working the various cookies, before pausing to look at Ellen. "You know," she said, "you might feel better if you actually tried singing along. Don't you have at least one Christmas song you like? Like, maybe one you heard during a really sweet moment or something that reminds you of your friends or what it was like to be a little girl with dreams and stuff," which was how Frank always saw the world, really. Obviously.

[Ellen Banks]

Ellen merely looked on as Frank was kind enough to describe what she did with those with personal bubbles with the added addition of sound effects as if she could tell that Ellen was just dying to know how she did away with metaphorical bubbles. You could consider Ellen’s curiousity slated for the moment. Ellen showed her appreciate for Frank’s explanation by staring at her blankly as if she couldn’t believe this woman was apart of her life. “ Of course you do” Ellen muttered, because even if she said it in her “Unique little way” she couldn’t deny the truth in it.

In somr horrible confused alternate universe there was a elder Frank who was in change raising Ellen. Ellen pitied that alternative version of herself. Candy, for breakfast, dinner and supper, her entire attire consisting of glitter of some kind. Frank explaining the birds and bees. The horror she had to shake her head free of those images before she was Frank hit her with a serious gaze. “Yes, freaky, weird. All kinds of disturbing. On a side note Frank, never have kids.” She felt the need to tell her that just in case she was insisting on inflicting the world with generations of insanity.

And then something…odd happened. Ellen started talking about people Frank had never heard of before and just stared into space away from Ellen. She frowned a little and tilted her head to move besides Frank as if trying to see at that angle will reveal someone hiding in the kitchen “Who are you-Why I’m I even asking I don’t care” It was probably just one of Frank’s imaginary friend anyway.

Ellen absent mindedly turned back to her own work as Frank began to talk and actually began to consider Frank’s point. There was a few songs she enjoyed in the past. In fact Ellen was quite joyful child, and Christmas was one of her favourite times of the year. She used to get so giddy on Christmas Eve. God, that felt like a thousand years ago, almost like someone else life “Well, there is one I used to enjoyed…when I was a kid…You won’t drop it unless I tell you will you?

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Nope, personal bubbles didn't stand a chance around Frank Cox. she chewed at the air a few more times, fighting off a bit more giggles. She stopped only when Ellen spoke, though she didn't stop humming or sort of dancing or place or wondering. "aww, but I always thought I'd make a super cool mom!" Frank insisted. "'cuz I totally know what it's like being a kid and all. It doesn't seem all that scary to me."

It probably helped that Frank would never have to worry about money or how to raise a kid. If nothing else, her parents would just be so utterly shocked that someone had been willing to mate with their daughter that they'd give them regular money baths. Frank didn't dwell on it, just like she didn't dwell on the little aside or Ellen's inevitable poor reaction to the craziness that entailed.

Because there was Christmas songs and memories and whatnot to get to and, "Yep, I'm totally determined to hear it. Plus, I bet you've got a totally awesome singing voice, since, like, your speaking voice is all sweet and stuff," and yes, only Frank would think that Ellen's speaking voice was "sweet."

[Ellen Banks]

Frank’s parents weren’t the only ones who would be utterly stunned that someone wanted to reproduce with Frank Cox and want to spend a lifetime with her in marriageable bliss. Ellen was even a little surprised that Frank even knew how sex was meant to work. Ellen just assumed that she thought that babies came from a magical stork in a burst of glitter and confetti with a parade of pink butterflies thrown in there for good measure but apparently she was aware of the facts of life. Lord knows the mental image of Frank part taking in such activities was…well it was nauseating to Ellen and the idea of her actually getting a boyfriend…She would have to call into question that poor bastard sanity. She would sit down with the guy and make sure he was completely sound of mind, and he knew that Frank was…Well Frank…

…Or at least she would if she cared about Frank’s relationships. Which she REALLY really didn’t. At all.

“Well, when I have children remind me keep your number on speed dial whenever I need a baby sitter, if you’re so sure you’ll be mother of the year” Now Ellen had a habit of being vary sarcastic with Miss Cox. It seemed to be easier then to argue every single insane thing that came out of her mouth but what Ellen just said was the height of sarcasm. She would rather leave them in the care of wild wolves then having them exposed to the insanity of Frank Cox. But by then Frank would be in some kind of mental asylum where she can make cookies and spray sparkles on the walls to her hearts content.

For a moment Frank almost got her, her gut reaction to any kind of compliment kicked in as she afforded her a soft smile as her featured softened. “Well I have been told it’s rather nice. I’ve had lesions in singing when I was a child in fact I’m trained in oper-“ But Ellen stopped herself just in time. No! No not this time! This was how Frank got her every single time, with that bizarre talent of persuasion she had. Not this time. She wasn’t going to get lured into it this time I’m not here to entertain you Frank like some kind of barking seal you can just make demands of. Let’s just finish these cookies..” She said turning back to the role that she was given from Frank however after awhile her fingers began to drum against the table top in a distinct rhythm“Have yourself a merry little Christmas..” She sang softly under her breath almost unaware she was doing it

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank beamed at Ellen, nodding vigorously. "I'll totally remind you! Your kids are probably gonna be super adorable, especially if you can find a guy who's at least as pretty as you," she gave Ellen a nudge and a wink, then giggled slightly. If Frank noticed the sarcasm dripping from Ellen's voice, she didn't show it in the slightly, instead moving back to getting the cookies together and such, pausing only when she remembered the whole bit about singing Christmas carols and finding at least one that Ellen had some positive reaction to.

Which caused Frank to lean in closely. "Aww, c'mon, you gotta--" she started, only to stop as Ellen sang. Frank held on every word, leaning forward and looking rapt. "You sing so pretty!" she said, her voice actually somewhat dimmed. "You should so sing more often!" Frank was already ready to hum and maybe even sing along, though what she really wanted was to hear more of her friend singing. It was just so pretty and so nice to see Ellen allowing herself to be at least a little happy in there.

Though Frank did keep moving to get the cookies together, because they still had a job to do, obviously.

[Ellen Banks]

Damn it Frank, why were you so talented at exploiting Ellen’s weakness for having her ego stroked? Ellen was clearly trying very hard to hate and act very irritated by your tomfoolery but you make it very hard when you keep calling Ellen pretty and adorable, but Ellen could never help the instinct to be flattered when someone did that and she hated that she did and she hated Frank for exploiting it.

But most of all she hated the bashful smile that has grown upon her lips at Frank’s words…”You’ll be looking for quite some time I would imagine” her attitude softening ever so slightly.

She wasn’t even aware she was doing it until Frank was good enough to point out that she was in fact singing, it was something she just naturally seemed to sing to herself whenever she needed to do some kind of task and it something that did help her past the time and focus on the task at hand and at some point it just became instinct to do so. When Frank pointed it out. At first Ellen was tempted to stop but then she noticed something funny. Singing did make her feel better and it was actually kind of fun todo so, despite herself she was indeed starting to have fun. She looked at Frank for a moment her expression blank as she seemed nothing but encouraging

She always did seem to be ….

Finding herself oddly receptive to Frank’s idea’s she found herself singing a little louder and more confidently actually smiling this time as she worked clearly enjoying herself “..Make the yule-tide gay from now on our troubles will be miles away…

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"I'll keep my eye out," Frank insisted, even pointing at her eye for a moment before giggling again. She really should try to find someone for Ellen too, just like she tried to set Franck up (which totally would succeed if things hadn't just sort of fallen apart for reasons that Frank and Fate just didn't quite understand. Probably Franck is cursed or something. That was clearly the logical explanation here.)

Then Frank did something nearly miraculous: she remained quiet for an extended period of time. She didn't attempt to join Ellen in song, nor did she attempt to hum along or drum on various kitchen utensils or do anything to otherwise distract from her friend's singing. She did still keep making cookies for a while, but she did so with an almost eerie, practiced quiet, which sort of shattered the idea that Frank Cox had to make as much noise as possible when doing something.

She did look to Ellen though, smiling and nodding, clearly wanting the other girl to continue.

[Ellen Banks]

(Wow I really should have spell checked my last post)

Yeah, because that’s just what Ellen needed. Frank Cox playing taking an active role in her love life. Lord knows what mayhem she might do if she got that idea in her head. Probably round up a bunch of bachelors with some kind of net and shove her in a room with them like she picking out a stray dog. She could only hope that idea would fade aware as she her attention was grabbed by one of her many other project she no doubt had “Please don’t…” She was more then capable of handling such things on her own…

…Despite recent history proving otherwise

She didn’t know what it was but she was getting really into the song even (Dare she say it) Even having fun doing so, it had been so long she had bothered to sing she forgot how it always seemed to make her feel better, so she would say she did in fact get just a little more into it. So as she continued to cook, any attempt of holding herself back was set aside as she said with as much gusto as she could muster her voice loud and sweet as it rebounded through the room as she went through the entire song as she worked, Once she was done however she looked almost bashful about what had just occurred slightly embarrassed “So ummm…” Cue awkward cough “I think the cookies are done by now”

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Oh, it's totally no trouble at all!" Frank practically chirped, nodding. "I can totally get you all the hottest of guys," and the more she spoke, the more it became obvious that she was quite determined to do just that. Frank likely would have continued for quite a while, likely venturing into how they needed to buy Ellen a pair of tight leather pants, had there had not been the whole Christmas carols and cookies and whatnot to distract.

There was, and so Frank stared longingly at Ellen. The whole song went through, and Frank worked silently at getting the cookies along. Toward the end though, she just sort of ended up looking at Ellen. Cookies did require more waiting than actual work, even when you were making as many as they were. Frank spent that waiting looking at her friend.

"Aww, you don't need to be shy! You've got a super pretty voice, way better than mine," Frank nodded and then turned, "aaaaand you're totes right! First batch coming through!" she threw on an oven mitt and drew the hot sheet of cookies, which happened to be impressively long, needing nearly two hands to hold, and sliding it onto a counter. Another sheet, just as large as the first, went in to replace it, with Frank adjusting things. "Now, we totes gotta wait for this to cool and then decorate!" Frank clapped her hands, already moving to arrange sprinkles and stuff. "Oh, you've probably never gotten to do this part before! It's the super fun part," Frank nodded. "You throw sprinkles or icing or whatever onto the cookies and make them look even more awesome," Frank bobbed yet again, before holding up a container of sparkling green sprinkles, shaking it as she beamed at her friend.

[Ellen Banks]

Oh yeah no. That wasn’t happened. There was no way Frank was having any influence on Ellen’s love life. That was one place Ellen really couldn’t abided Frank dressing her up in tight pants or whatever she thought was attire worthy of a attracting a man. She would probably have Ellen dying her hair bright pink and wear nothing but a bra and underpants. And Ellen didn’t even want to know the type of boys she’ll round up for her. She’ll probably round up every weirdo she could find. With a big net like was a dog catcher of some kind.

Was it so silly to believe that idea was in the scope of imagination? This was Frank Cox she was talking about.

Ellen had to be honest. It was unnerving to hear Frank so silence while she was singing and Ellen didn’t exactly know what was to follow or what she was thinking…but then again how did that change from the rest of the time she was around Frank. But in some ways it was oddly comforting like she knew that if she started talking it’ll break the spell in a manner of speaking and Ellen would stop.

She was smarter then she let on Ellen suddenly realized…

Her body languages were becoming more and more open as her usual cold façade was in danger of being slowly melted away by Frank’s unique charm. She was actually having a lot of fun and this was turning into a very pleasant experience for her.

Wow, Ok. Ellen would have to concede even though she was a little rusty and not the most well experienced in cooking it looks like these cookies were turning out really well. “Well, at least they look edible they’ve already surpassed my expectation” Ellen noted standing back as Frank took the pan out

Ellen blinked a little as Frank presented her with the “Sprinkles” which Ellen took from her hand frowning “So I just…” Ellen started gingerly throwing the sprinkles on the cookies almost afraid of making a mess

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of the cookies. She released it slowly, sighing as she did, her eyelids fluttering and her mouth hanging open. "There's really nothing like a batch of fresh baked cookies, amiright?" she grinned at her friend, then nodded again.

The various decorating materials were gathered. Frank had actually made the icing ahead of time, so they'd just have to get it all in order and get things together. She hummed a bit to herself, then did the presenting, and then started arranging the cookies a bit more, only pausing to shake her hand as the heat got to them.

Ellen spoke; Frank turned. She nodded as Ellen repeated, then let out a little squeal. "Fun, right?" Frank giggled. "It's totally easy to do. This part is, like, the part they were willing to let me do." She nodded. "You can get them wherever you want. Sometimes I make designs and stuff, but sometimes," She grabbed her own sprinkles and shook it hard, sending sprinkles spraying all over the cookies, decorating them in a burst of color.

And, of course, she giggled.

[Ellen Banks]

The smell of freshly baked cookies wafting in the air. The steam coming out of the oven, the sight of frying cookie batter twitching as it made contact with the cold air bubbling nicely. Clearly just waiting to be cooled down and devoured by the mouthful.

Once again Ellen found it hard to argue against Franks words. “No, there really isn’t…” She noted to herself. In fact if she wasn’t likely get scaled she might very well sink her teeth into the cookies right then and there.

Ellen had never really got into the presentation of food, let alone icing. It was awhile since she participated in arts and craft and honestly didn’t know how one was meant to go about doing this. To be honest she was too afraid of getting some kind of icing on her clothes so she gingerly tried to copy every moment Frank made and al the shapes that she did. They were pale imitation of Frank’s but it did the job “You know this is a little fun, Or maybe the cookies fumes are getting to me” Ellen said picking up the smallest amount of sparkles and dashed them across a few cookies