Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Late Morning

[pocketpretzels]

Several years on the island had given Watts a general idea of certain rhythms - which is why his and Steven's somewhat impulsive trip to Japan had concluded last night, in anticipation of certain little visitors this morning, or just attending their usual Saturday services at their synagogue if no such visitors showed.

Luckily for them, it ended up being Option A.

"All right," Watts said, once everyone- including Raphael, of course- was assembled in the kitchen. "We are now taking votes for what to have for breakfast."

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"I would like to put forth a vote for fruit," Steven said.

Because that way the children were guaranteed at least some vitamins.

[pocketpretzels]

"Just fruit?" Watts asked, opening the refrigerator to peer in to it speculatively. "Or something that includes fruit?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Fruit as one component of our meal," Steven clarified. "Either in the item or on the side."

He looked down at the two children where he was doing a good job of not hugging them tightly this entire time. "What about you two?"

"Pancakes!" Evie announced, very loudly. Volume was still a work on progress.

[pocketknights]

"Yeah, pancakes!" Francis seconded.

For the record, he also would have been fine with waffles. But since pancakes was Evie's first suggestion, he was more than happy to support that. "You can put fruit on those!"

[hasaknightjob]

"You're right, you can," Steven said. He indulged himself in bending down to place a kiss on top of Francis's head. "Look who's clever for knowing that."

[pocketknights]

Francis beamed at Steven. "I like strawberries and raspberries and oranges and blackberries and apples and blueberries and peaches!"

... Perhaps not all at once, though.

[pocketknights]

"I like strawberries and berries and apples too!" Evie said.

She didn't remember the whole list but she was for it even if she couldn't recite it all.

[pocketpretzels]

"I think we have... most of those," Watts said, digging around in the refrigerator and coming up with an armful of everything but the peaches and blackberries.

[pocketknights]

"Yay!" Evie made grabby hands from her seat at the counter. Or as grabby as she could while holding a stuffed bunny.

[pocketpretzels]

"Now," Watts said. "Who would like to help make breakfast?"

[pocketknights]

Evie lifted her free hand up all the way over her head and waved it back and forth. "Meeeeeeee!"

[pocketpretzels]

"Me too me too me too!" Francis added.

"All right," Watts said, smiling at both of them. "What about you, hmm?" he asked Steven, nudging him playfully with one shoulder. "Are you going to help as well?"

[hasaknightjob]

"I could make tea?" Steven suggested.

Highly milky tea for the children, of course.

[pocketpretzels]

"That seems acceptably helpful," Watts said, after pretending to think on it for a moment. "What say you?" he asked the children.

[pocketknights]

Evie thought about it. "I want tea in my cup."

"You can have tea in your cup," Steven promised her. He went to the cupboard where they kept things in preparation for just such weekends. "See? Safe and sound, just for you."

[pocketknights]

"I want tea, I want tea!" Francis added.

[hasaknightjob]

"And which cup would you like it in?" Steven asked. He stepped to the side so Francis could see the options.

[pocketknights]

Francis carefully looked over the options, scratching at his chin in a recognizable imitation of Watts.

"Thiiiiiiis one," he said finally, pointing to a mug with a purple design on it. "Because purple!"

[hasaknightjob]

Steven couldn't help the fond smile at the resemblance to Llewellyn. "Excellent choices all around. And I think your dad and I shall use our favorite cups?"

Steven looked to Llewellyn to confirm. Not that he was uncertain about the choice, but he wanted to demonstrate to the children how to ask what others wanted and listen to their preferences.

[pocketpretzels]

"Yes," Watts nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. And speaking of cups - Evie, if you could find for me the cup measure and the Tablespoon- that's the big spoon used for measuring," he added.

[pocketknights]

"I can do that!" Evie announced. She took her stuffed bunny over to one of the drawers and started rummaging for measuring spoons. She hummed a song to herself while she did.