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"Why are we here again?" Rodney asks for what must be the dozenth time. John dragged him out of bed way too early and insisted he come along on this morning's fool's errand.
With almost visible patience, John says - also for the dozenth time, "It's for the kids." He pulls into a space next to the elementary school and hops out, grabbing a carton of eggs from behind the seat.
Rodney rolls his eyes and checks his watch. "Oh, geez--it's the vernal equinox, isn't it?" When John grins at him and starts walking, he huffs, "You know that you can stand eggs on end any day of the year, right? Not just today?"
John doesn't stop, so he demands, "Do you really want their first exposure to science to be a lie?"
Coming to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk, John pulls Rodney in and drops a chaste kiss on his nose. "It's not exactly a lie, Rodney. Just think of it as their first experiment."
Rodney grudgingly allows the concept with an airy wave. "How old are these kids?"
"This is Miss Brown's second grade class."
"So what... Three? Four?" At John's scandalized look, he protests, "Hey, don't look at me like that. I skipped a bunch of grades after my first science fair project was a model nuclear bomb."
John shakes his head, probably not as surprised as he should be with this tidbit from Rodney's childhood. "These are mostly seven- and eight-year-olds," he explains as he herds Rodney through the school's entrance, immediately losing him to the first open door. "McKay!"
Reappearing with a cup of coffee pilfered from the teachers lounge, Rodney throws John an unapologetic look. "What?"
"C'mon," John says, towing him along by an elbow to prevent further straying. "Katie's classroom is this way."
They peek through the window of a door that's decorated with paper flowers and a childishly written sign reading, KATIE BROWN, GRADE 2. Katie follows her distracted students' curious looks and ushers them in. "John, you made it!" She gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Ewwwww..." the students groan.
"Wait, wait." Before Katie can reach him, Rodney rucks up his shirtsleeve and chants, "Circle, circle, dot, dot. Now I've had my cooties shot." The kids let off another outburst, this one filled with delighted giggling.
"Hey, what about me?" John asks as Katie gives Rodney a friendly peck.
"Sorry, pal. You're already infected," Rodney says unrepentantly, crossing his arms. "You're on your own."