Isaac shuffled sleepily into the McCalls' kitchen, running a hand through the crazy bedhead that he had. The smell of something cooking had dragged Isaac out of the guest room that he had been staying in. He was surprised to find Scott standing in the middle of the kitchen, looking distraught with flour in his hair and some kind of batter smeared across the side of his face. The kitchen was a mess; the sink and counters filled with various baking ingredients and cooking utensils.

"What are you doing?" Isaac asked around a yawn. "You have batter on your face, by the way."

Scott frowned and rubbed at his cheek, observing the mess around him. "I was trying to make a cake, but…" he gestured vaguely. "It's a lot harder than it sounds."

"Why were you trying to make a cake?" Isaac asked, picking up a wooden spoon that had something that looked possibly chocolate flavored on it and frowning at it.

"For your birthday," Scott said. When Isaac looked up at him, surprised, he said, "I know it's kind of stupid, I just wanted to do something special for it. I feel like… Like you probably haven't had a really good birthday in a while."

Isaac looked at the ground, biting the inside of his cheek. "No, I haven't really." Honestly, he hadn't even remembered that it was his birthday. It'd been years since he'd even celebrated it, and even then it was usually just him and Camden going for ice cream or something. He cleared his throat in the slight awkward silence that spread over them.

"Yeah, I'm sorry but the cake turned out as kind of a bust though," Scott apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Isaac laughed. "It's OK; it's the thought that counts."

"Oh, I did get you a present though," Scott said, running out of the kitchen and up the stairs. He reappeared a moment later, a haphazardly gift-wrapped package in hand. "Happy birthday." He held it out to Isaac.

"You didn't have to—" Isaac started, but Scott cut him off and shoved the gift into his hands.

"I know. Just shut up and open it."

Isaac smiled and did as he was told, somehow ripping off the wrapping, which was more tape than actual wrapping paper. Inside was a long stretch of soft navy blue fabric.

"You bought me a scarf?" Isaac said, running the soft material through his fingers.

"Yeah, I don't know. It just seemed…right," Scott replied with a shrug.

Grinning, Isaac wrapped it around his neck. "I love it. Thanks."

Scott beamed back. "You're welcome."

They both turned back to the huge mess that spread over the kitchen. "I should probably clean this up, then." Scott sighed.

"Or we could just go get pancakes," Isaac suggested, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the door.

"Yeah, pancakes sound good," Scott agreed.

Both smiling, they abandoned the disaster that was the kitchen, and Isaac had to say, spending the day with Scott seemed like the best birthday he could've asked for.