MHA #6, Late Saturday Morning

[arboreal_priestess]

As a rule, Prices didn't RSVP to things. All that did was let your enemies know where you were going to be at any given day or time. So when an invitation for a weekend on the island showed up in Oregon (and not sent by Verity), there had been no indication that it had been received, never mind decided upon.

And, just because they were paranoid safety-conscious, they'd skipped the first day of festivities, figuring anyone keeping tabs on them would note their absence and decide they weren't going to show up.

But, let's be real. No true cryptozoologist would pass up visiting an island with gremlins, alots, and teal deer in it, especially an island right next to what might be the only surviving male dragon in the world. That, added to the possibility of annoying their sister and/or cousin? Made Parents' Weekend an event not to be missed.

"I'm telling you," Antimony complained quietly as they walked down the hallway, "it's not yet noon. Verity's not even gonna be awake yet."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she will be," Sarah said, biting back a grin. "She's got the mice, remember?"

"And I'm telling you, I don't trust that smile," Alex said before knocking briskly on the door of Number Six.

[Specifically for one, but open!]

Comments

[arboreal_priestess]

"What is?" Verity asked, coming into the kitchen to wrap her arm around Liam's waist. "Oh, gave her the first omelette, I see. Trying to earn brownie point with food? I hate that that works."

[firstofitskind]

"She's also the one who followed me in to the kitchen," Liam pointed out, some of the tension melting from his frame as he leaned in to her touch. "Next one's yours."

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Wait but what about me?" Alex asked, wandering in. "Do I have to come in here and wrap my arms around you, too? Because I'm prepared to do that in exchange for breakfast."

[firstofitskind]

Okay, was it terrible that Liam allowed himself a moment to picture that? Because Alex's arms were- well. They were nice arms.

"No," he said, a blush creeping up on his cheeks. Apparently the ability to make that happen was a Price family trait as well. Hooray. "No. You're good. No hugs required."

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity noticed that blush with an internal hmmm.

"Are you sure?" she asked, all innocence. "Because Alex is a really good hugger. Years of experience. I think getting held in exchange for an omelette is a very fair trade."

[firstofitskind]

Congratulations, Sarah, you were no longer The Worst. That title had officially passed to Verity, for now.

"Very sure," he said quickly. "Because if I demanded one from Alex, then I'd have to demand one from Antimony, and I'm fairly certain she'd rather spontaneously combust." Look at that logic!

Plus, while it may have been a nice mental image, the idea of actually touching someone who was, essentially, a stranger, was just... nope.

[cryptidsandkinfolk]

Sarah wandered over the the fridge to see if Verity had any orange juice and cayanne pepper to drink. "I think I should be the next person to get an omelette," she declared, "because I'm the only one not trolling Liam, either by accident or on purpose."

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Wait, we're trolling Liam now?" Alex asked, confused. "I just want breakfast."

[cryptidsandkinfolk]

"Verity is, because she's now The Worst," Sarah replied, now digging through the sad little spice rack that sat on Verity's counter. All the cousins kept cayenne pepper handy for when Sarah or Grandma Baker visited. "But I'm sure the orgasms make up for it."

At that, all the Prices were booing at her, throwing balled up napkins and dirty looks. None of them seemed remotely surprised though.

Familial trolling, a proud Price tradition.

[firstofitskind]

Tsk, Sarah, and you'd been doing so well at not being The Worst.

"Just for that, you get yours last," Liam decided, handing Verity her plate.

[cryptidsandkinfolk]

Sarah winked at him, stirring a heart spoonful of pepper into her OJ. "Or maybe I should get the next one," she pointed out. "Then I'll be too busy eating to keep making commentary."

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"But then I'll be last," Alex complained. "And that's not fair, I've been the good one. As usual," he added to Liam. "Not that the competition is all that stiff, considering."

He gestured to the women in the kitchen, all three of whom were wearing mischievous smiles.

"Not my fault I make a compelling argument," Sarah said.

[firstofitskind]

"First of all," Liam said, pointing at Sarah. "You're a telepath. Of all of us here, you're the one best equipped to keep talking even with their mouth full."

Well, possibly excluding Liam given skin-to-skin contact via his hands, but as he was wearing gloves and there was only one person here he'd do that with anyway, sort of a moot point.

"Second," he turned to Alex, "Technically, I'd be the last one, regardless. But here you go." Because he actually had a pretty good point about being the most well-behaved.

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Ha," Alex said to Sarah, smug with his plate of omelette in hand. "Hope you're not too hungry."

[cryptidsandkinfolk]

"That's fine," Sarah said, grinning at him back while the color seeped from her eyes. "Hope you like earworms."

And then everyone in the kitchen got the video of Baby Shark in their head. *Baby shark doot doo doo doot doo.*

[arboreal_priestess]

"No fair! No fair!" Verity protested, waving her hands. "Stay good, Sarah! Stay good! Stop using your powers for evil! Y-People ethics!"

[firstofitskind]

Okay this was... clearly one of those internet meme things that no one had shown Liam yet. In any case, hopefully she'd stop now that Liam was handing over a plate.

"I'm not sure what that was about, and I don't really want to ask," he admitted.

[precise_priestess]

"Do you live under a rock?" Antimony asked. "Does Verity keep you locked away in a room where you don't have access to the outside world? Blink twice if you need help."

[firstofitskind]

"No?" Liam said, finishing up another omelette. Instead of taking that one, though, he left it on a plate on the counter and then started making another. "Is this an Internet thing?"

[precise_priestess]

"See, he says no, but then he asks that question," Antimony said, rolling her eyes.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Oh hush," Verity said, picking up the extra omelette. "Besides, if I did keep Liam locked in my room, he wouldn't be in the much of a hurry to call for help, trust me."

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Hi, wow, do not need to think about that," Alex said. "Not even a little. Wait, who's that omelette for?"

He was still maybe a little hungry, shh.

[firstofitskind]

Really now, Alex. Who else lived in Verity's apartment?

"The mice," Liam said, as if the answer was obvious. "If you want seconds, you get to explain what happened to their breakfast."

[god_of_scales_and_silence]

"Nope," Alex said immediately. "I'm not that hungry."

Not hungry enough to get between the mice and their food, nope nope.

"You cook for them. Huh."

[firstofitskind]

"Or make sure I get enough to share with them if I order takeout," Liam said. "Which is more often, honestly. My cooking repertoire is not that extensive."