Jacques chuckled. "The brownies picked out all the kitchen stuff for that reason, anyway."
"I didn't get to fully redo the kitchen," admitted Jones.
They spent the rest of the hour-long ride talking about home upgrades and Jenny's reaction to the house and all the rest, and it almost felt normal again.
Chapter 31
"Straight inside as ordered," said Julian, shivering just inside the doorway as he got his shoes off and stowed away in the little cupboard there. Coat next, and then he scooted out of the way of the other three people trying to do the same.
"I'm going to love eating food I don't have to check for poison," said Alex. "And tea!"
"I desperately need tea," agreed Julian, flopping on their loveseat despite still wearing the fancy clothes required even there at the end of Chudleigh's little party.
Jacques set down the kitten basket, which opened of its own accord and sent kittens streaking in three directions, clearly done with confinement and disinterested in anything but exploring.
"Go change and ye'll get a full meal," said Alys from the kitchen.
Julian yelped as his bottom got a small shock, but he was laughing as he got up and headed upstairs instead of protesting. It was a comfort to use their safety-charmed iron stairs and feel the familiar magic thrumming through the whole household. Their rooms were just as they'd left them, trunk already somehow in place, though not yet unpacked. They wouldn'tneed any of the outfits in there for casual friend time with the Guardians, so they changed into cosy hanging out clothes.
Alex even wore jeans along with his thick woollen socks, his new favourite hand-knit pair that were a Solstice gift from one of Julian's aunties.
They both had warm sweaters, too, with Julian in autumnal gold and Alex in black, sleeves pushed up immediately, as was his way. Horace rode Julian's shoulder as they padded down in sock feet to find the Guardians had also changed, even quicker than the two of them, and were chatting with Nat and Alys while their meal floated out on trays and in serving dishes that settled onto the coffee table between them.
Horace decided to go visit some of his plant friends, flying up around the skylight and then alighting in several spots around the room to tell Julian how they were doing. Each plant gave Horace different information than they'd tell Julian, which he found fascinating and informative, especially when one of the ones near the top seemed like it was a little lonely.
"Gonna have to give that plant up there a friend, I guess," said Julian, looking up to where the string of pearls looked perfectly healthy. "Horace says it's lonely."
"That's adorable," said Alex, snuggling up on the loveseat and kissing his hair. "Can it be in the same pot or do we have to mess with the system already?"
"I think I can sneak another succulent in that pot, as long as I'm diligent about overcrowding. There is a lot of space for them all to grow." Julian kissed the curve of Alex's jaw, then turned his attention to the tray that floated up somewhat pointedly.
"I didn't know plants could get lonely," said James, though most of his attention was on his own food, and Jacques was ignoring them entirely.
There was tea, of course, their favourite Assam as strong as they could want. Alys had made phyllo dough cups with brie and caramelised onions, and another set with the same brie but pear and honey instead. The crunchy, one-bite treats were absolutely delicious for how simple they were, and Julian hoped for her sake that she hadn't spent too long on the dough, as they vanished quickly.
Everything was on its own plates, and when one plate emptied, another would take its place.
Next on the tray was a dish of ginger-glazed carrots, sweet and just a little spicy. She hadn't made them a salad today; instead there were crispy brussels sprouts with smoky bacon and a sweet maple glaze. Accompanying those two was a pile of asparagus spears in a rich Béarnaise sauce that Julian shamelessly ate with his fingers, licking the sauce off and grinning.
Once those were eaten, a larger plate arrived with mashed potatoes, two thick steaks, and yet more of the yellow Béarnaise. Julian dug in, glad for the magic that kept the tray steady as he cut into the tender steaks and sighing happily over the perfect mix of rare meat and browned outer crust. The mash was the perfect pairing, rich with butter and full of tasty lumps of perfectly-seasoned potato.
"You're spoiling us rotten and we love it," said Alex.
"Ye've been poisoned," said Alys tartly. "It's best to be sure you're properly fed up so you recover completely."
Julian breathed in and felt the magic of the Source filling him up just as much as the food. He'd missed that power, and he could tell that Alex, too, was drinking it in as much as the dark, sweet tea they both loved.
"This is really good, Alys," said Julian, still making headway on the main course knowing there might be yet more afterward. "Don't tell Chudleigh, but you're much better than his chef."
"He's perfectly fine," said Alex, "just really basic."
"I felt like it was a strain on his creativity every time he had to feed us," said Julian. "Though I did like the game pies. I can't say I'd mind that, but I suspect we haven't got anything we'd need to hunt in our bit of forest."
"Nah, th'locals keep populations in check," said Nat. "Wee folk like a bit o' pigeon pie from time to time as well."
"I think ours was pheasant or grouse," said Julian, "but the spirit is the same."
"We get enough variety here, anyway," said Alex. "We haven't had steaks in a while, I guess you got the butcher to send some over?"
