5
954 Words
She opened the room next to her parents’ room and said, “And home sweet home.”
Inside, they dropped off their spatial bags and started unpacking for an extended stay. But as they worked, Matt asked, “That’s it? What about your siblings? It all just seems too small.”
Liz shook her head. “They use the same layout for all their apartment condos. And the place can expand or shrink at will. There are a few dozen rooms of various sizes tucked away right now. As my siblings arrive, they’ll extend the hall. Otherwise, the building feels too empty and lonely. This way, it feels homier. Also, for all their faults, they will respect our privacy in our room. But everywhere else, expect them to be watching.”
As they finished putting their things away, Aster pranced in with a new bow tied around her head.
She inspected the room before jumping up onto the bed and yipping, “I’m going to be Queen after Mara!”
Matt turned to her, “Oh? What made you want that?”
Aster rolled over and wiggled as she said, “Mara said being queen means everyone has to listen to you! Then, I can get all the ice cream I want. I’ll even make new ice cream flavors! There will be a Queen Aster ice cream flavor! It’ll be heart and bunny flavored.”
She salivated at the thought before popping to her feet and adding. “Also, Queen Aster has a nice ring to it.”
Through their connection, Matt understood that her last point was her real motivation. At least aside from the ice cream idea.
Aster thought the name sounded cool, so she was going to aim for one of the royal positions.
Matt just rolled his eyes at his bond’s antics and let her prattle on. He was sure that she would forget about this in a week or two, so just let her have her fun. Aster, as she was now, was far too immature to be a ruler.
Oh, s**t. Mara is a Queen. Aster can’t be any worse, can she? Well, I don’t know how Mara acts in official meetings, to be fair.
Matt just hoped his bond forgot about the idea sooner rather than later.
He pulled Liz down to sit next to him on the comfortable bed and asked, “How are you feeling?”
She leaned her head on his shoulder and returned the question. “What about you? I know how much my parents can be. Are they too much for you? I can tell them to tune it down.”
Matt shook his head. “No need. I find your parents adorably charming in their eccentricities. They’re fun and everything I imagined. They aren’t pushing it too far at all.”
Liz sagged next to him and pulled him back onto the bed as she fell backwards. “Oh, good. I was so worried. They can be too much for me, and I grew up with them. But you answered your question. I’m happy to be back. The small messages we sent back and forth weren’t enough. To be honest, I did miss them.”
The three of them were chatting when a burning smell came into the room.
Matt followed his nose to find Mara and Leon snacking on what looked to be overcooked chicken wings.
He didn’t miss that, to cook them, Mara just blew a stream of fire at the bowl, and they grabbed a few of them out. They didn’t care at all about how over or undercooked each piece was.
Unable to take the affront to cooking, Matt asked, “Do you mind if I cook something if you’re hungry? That doesn’t look very good.”
Leon nodded like a chicken. “That would be great! These are awful.”
Mara nodded right along, which forced Matt to ask, “Then why are you eating them?”
Leon gave a hearty laugh and honestly answered, “This is about the only thing we can cook.”
Sensing they were joking with him, Matt deadpanned, “That’s not cooking.”
Mara shrugged. “It was the best we could do when we were delving. We never really got better.”
Matt could just imagine the two of them as a young, bonded pair with the flame sparrow Mara roasting whatever they had to eat with no control. It was a memory he could understand, but he knew that the two of them could cook. Liz had mentioned them making various dishes for her growing up.
“If you wanted me to cook, you didn’t have to butcher the meal. I would have done it anyway.”
Leon popped up and struck a triumphant pose. “Yes! Our plan worked!”
Mara clapped for him. “Good job, dear. It was brilliant!”
Matt rolled his eyes but repressed a smirk as he asked, “This is how you get Aunt Helen to cook for you, isn’t it?”
Two nodding heads met his gaze with not an ounce of remorse.
Matt laughed as he made his way into the kitchen and inspected what they had for him to use. To his surprise, he found all the cabinets were spatially expanded, which was a fantastic idea that he noted down to replicate when he got his own house and started cooking.
Now, he just needed to impress the in-laws.
How hard could that be?
He poked his head out of the kitchen to spy Leon taking a pointed bite of nearly raw chicken wing as he smirked.
Not hard, apparently, but Matt would still try his best anyway.
- Writer
