He scowls. “Very funny.”
“Also,” says one of the Youvu Hums, “since when do you join us for breakfast?”
“That’s unfair.” Lament sounds wounded. “I come to breakfast.”
“No, no, Hum’s got a point,” Toph agrees.
“If I don’t ever join you for breakfast, why are you making me broccoli?”
“Because we care about you, doofus,” Vera replies, passing out plates.
“And because we know you get grouchy when you aren’t smothered in greens,” Avi adds.
It gets a bit hectic for a while as the group jostles around, everyone reaching over everyone else to load up their dishes. No one expressly says so, but we all end up sitting beside our partners—Toph and Avi, the Youvu Hums, Caspen and Illiviamona, Vera and Jester. Lament slides into the chair beside mine and shoots my plate a judgmental glance.
“Don’t,” I warn.
“It’s just,” he says helplessly, “nothing but pancakes.”
“And syrup,” I correct.
“Liquid sugar.”
“I have a sweet tooth.”
“I’ve noticed.” He’s kind of fluttering his hands around in distress. “At least have some potatoes.”
“I don’t want potatoes.”
“You can dip them in ketchup.”
“I willlatherthem in ketchup, and you will keep your broccoli to yourself.” Our eyes meet over the wordlather, and stars help me, I blush.
I watch Lament patiently push some of the potatoes from his plate onto mine. It’s… thoughtful. And unexpected. And I must not be the onlyone who thinks so, because I catch Vera kind of gaping, and Jester’s brows are lifting behind his visor, and I feel unbearably self-conscious but also kind of warm inside?
“So,” says Toph, brushing a few stray crumbs from his beard, “did everyone see today’s orders? They’ve got us on a new investigation.”
“No business talk at the table,” Vera says.
Toph looks confused. “What’s there to talk about besides business?”
“I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“That we don’t have lives?” He lets out a gruff laugh. “Are we in denial, Vera?”
“I have a life,” she huffs.
RereadingThe Galaxy’s Daughterfor the hundredth time doesn’t count, Jester says.
“At least I don’t stay up all night playingFrog SmasherlikesomeoneI could mention.”
Frog Smasheris an elegant game of strategy and coordination.
“The main objective is to smash frogs.”
Like I said.
This devolves into an argument regarding the finer points of action gameplay. While the other Sixers are bickering, I notice Lament has already eaten everything on his plate. It’s not like he underserved himself, but he only had the healthy stuff, potatoes and broccoli and some baked tofu. Without really thinking, I cut off the warmest, fluffiest pancake bite I can find, the one that’s perfectly smeared with butter and just the right amount of syrup, and slide it onto his plate.
