Work Text:
From my One Shot Collection, "Quiet Moments"
"Jerk."
"Loser."
"Wuss."
"Stupid head."
"Weirdo."
"Brat"
"Nerd."
"Dork—"
"—Both of you stop that right now. It's Christmas! You're supposed to be kind to each other! Also, you're learning to sign to improve your dexterity for faster molding, not to insult each other behind my back! Get back to your morning chores!" Lowering her voice to a murmur, Ur added, "I can't believe of all the words you kids chose to learn…"
Ur was setting things on the counter to prepare a big Christmas breakfast for the three of them. She didn't really stand much on ceremony when it came to the holidays with them. She didn't want to seem like she was trying to take the place of their moms or anything; and even though they've been together all this time, she didn't know much about what boys would want for gifts. So tomorrow, when everything was on clearance, she'd take them out to buy them new clothes, and to let them each pick out one item for themselves. Today, though, they would take a day off from training, and spend it doing fun things together.
That is if they could call a truce on the little cold war they've been embroiled in.
She loved her boys, but they've been more than a handful the last couple of days. She'd expected some angst from Gray, this being his first Christmas without his family. But Lyon had celebrated many holidays with her over the last year, and he'd never acted like this. Ever since they'd gone to that reindeer farm to purchase meat and milk, as well as to ride the animals around the corral—at the bright gaze Gray had been giving the large beasts upon his first time seeing them up close, Ur couldn't resist—their competitive spirits had gone up a notch. Usually she didn't mine. Their need to one-up each other tended to make them train their magic more diligently. She could live without the childish insults, though.
She heard the door slam, and counted to ten before she turned to fuss at the boys for the uncalled-for abuse to her entryway, when she found Gray stewing by the kitchen table.
"Where did Lyon go?"
"He said he didn't need my help shoveling the snow," he pouted.
"Why would he say that?"
"Cuz he's a big jerk."
"You both hate shoveling snow. I don't see why you're so upset over him taking the job on his own."
"He was being an ass about it."
"Language! What exactly did he say?"
"That I'm just a stupid kid who'd get in his way, and he could get it done faster without me. He's not even that much older than me!"
"I'll talk to him about it later," she consoled. Then, since she had him alone, she thought it'd be a great chance to ask him about the sudden rise in tensions between them. She just needed an excuse to keep him in the kitchen for a few minutes. "Do you want to help me make breakfast?"
Expecting a quick answer, whether a yes or no, she wondered at his pause to consider. This was the first time she'd asked one of them to help cook something, so maybe that was it. Cooking for the first time could seem daunting, and she smiled at the idea that he was probably debating how much he was willing to look like a fool in front of her. Her cute little brats were so eager to impress her sometimes.
"Can I make pancakes?"
She blinked at that. If he thought it was as simple as adding water to a ready-made mix, he was in for a let down.
"Pancakes are pretty involved. I don't have any boxed mixes."
"I know. I've seen your pantry. You have everything I need."
Now her eyes shot up. He knew how to make pancakes from scratch? Knowing how volatile he could get when any skills were called into doubt, she kept that thought to herself, instead drawing attention to another curiosity.
"You inventoried my pantry?" she asked with a wry grin.
Looking bashful now, he shuffled his feet a little as he replied, "I was just… I mean… it's… it's just something I like to do... We used to cook all the time together, me and my parents. I just took a look around your kitchen one day, cuz I was… hoping maybe I could make something. Cuz I think cooking would help me remember happier times with them…"
Her smile was so warm as she reached for an apron hanging from a peg by the stove. Draping it over his head, she had to cinch the top strap so the front wouldn't hang so low on his chest, and wrap the apron strings three times around his tiny waist, and the bottom dragged a little on the floor. He returned her smile with one of excitement mixed with gratitude, and climbed onto a small step stool to reach the needed ingredients on a high shelf in the pantry.
Allowing him to do his thing, she worked on rincing and cutting up some fruit to go with the pancakes, before starting on a batch of scrambled eggs. Gray was quick to tell her to save him a few for his batter. This ease between them was nice. There was no awkwardness or the usual shy awe that her adorable pupils tended to show. Now was a good time to ask about his and Lyon's enmity with each other.
"So, do you think you can tell me why you two have been at each other's throats lately?"
"I don't know! He's been a pain in the butt ever since we rode the reindeer! Just because he sucks at it doesn't mean he has to take it out on me!"
"Again, language. And I thought he was doing well. It's not his fault the one he chose to ride kept mistaking him for one of her calves. He was pretty upset when she bit him while trying to pull him off her back. And everything else that happened would have been pretty frightening, even if he wasn't in any real danger."
"Arrogant jerk just hates that I'm better at something than he is."
Ur was going to correct his assumption, but paused. There may be something to that, though not what he was thinking. She's known Lyon longer than Gray has, and he could be pretty prideful, but he had a good heart. She'd seen it often the past few months, ever since Gray decided to stay. Being an orphan himself, he'd be hard pressed to not feel sorry for his fellow student. His constant admonishments to do better, his urging to not fall behind, and his eagerness to show off new skills often came off as bragging. Truthfully, a lot of it was. But she'd seen anticipation in his eyes whenever he acted like this towards Gray.
He was seeking his approval, and he was trying to be a good example for the younger student.
"You're not wrong, but have you thought about it from his perspective?"
"How so?"
"He's your senior—"
"—Don't remind me. He's always quick to make sure I know."
Chuckling, she continued, "And as your senior, your opinion of him matters."
"Isn't it usually the other way around?"
"Not always. Leaders don't want to be pushovers in front of their followers, but good leaders don't want to be seen as tyrants. Good men inspire others. I think he sees you as more than just a fellow student. He's got it in his head that he has to look out for you, and that he needs to be strong in front of you, so you'd want to get strong, too. Now imagine how he must have felt when he got embarrassed in front of you."
Gray had gone through the motions of preparing the recipe he remembered so well, while taking in every word. He stirred the batter steadily, and spoke into it as he responded.
"That's stupid."
Disappointed by his poor attitude towards his fellow mage-in-training, she didn't get a chance to scold him when he looked up from the bowl and said, "He doesn't need to prove anything to me. And just because he's a jerk doesn't mean I think he's a weak jerk."
That was high praise indeed.
With all the eggs cracked and scrambled, she brought her bowl over to the stove, where Gray already had his own pan heated and ready. Firing up another frying pan, she kept a close eye on him, being the responsible adult she was. Watching as he poured the first batch of pancakes into the greased pan, she wondered why he was using up so much space for one pancake. Also, she knows he's only eight, but how hard can it be to make a circle?
When she saw what he was really doing, her wonder grew to amazement.
With a surprisingly steady hand, he'd poured the batter into the shape of a reindeer's head! It was very impressive for such a young kid.
"You're pretty talented."
Nodding, he said, "Thanks… My mom always made reindeer pancakes for my dad and me on Christmas Day. It was like a tradition, I guess. I liked watching her make things, and I thought it looked like fun, so she taught me how. Dad liked to cook too. He taught me how to make hot cocoa, and lot's of other things, but those are the two things I liked making the most."
She was very pleased to see him smile so fondly as he talked about his parents. This was the first time he'd been able to talk about them without cutting himself off, or going all melancholy. They maintained this companionable silence, finishing all the food and placing everything on the table, including a tall stack of reindeer shaped pancakes.
Just in time, Lyon came through the door, shucking out of his boots and sweater—because powerful ice mages like him didn't need a heavy coat— and trudged to the table, dropping into his seat. Eyeing the delicious looking food, he couldn't wait to fill his belly after all the hard work. Waiting for Ur to say grace, he stabbed the serving fork into as many pancakes as it would hold and loaded them onto his plate. Then he paused.
"What's up with the reindeer? You never made these before."
Before Ur could reveal who had made breakfast today, Gray piped in.
"It's cuz it's Christmas, and Ur thought you'd want payback from the one that bit you."
Gray remained nonchalant as he served his own food, seemingly not caring that both of them were giving him dubious looks. He did send a sly look towards Ur that Lyon didn't notice, and she schooled her features, catching on.
He didn't want Lyon to know he'd made the pancakes. Lyon wasn't one who liked to cook all that much, so Gray must have been trying not to show him up again. That was so sweet and considerate!
Lyon looked at the reindeer. It was pretty cute. But why hadn't Ur ever made these for him before. She was incredibly nice, but she usually didn't waste time on childish things like this. Narrowing his eyes a little, he began to wonder if she'd only done that because of Gray. He was pretty much the baby in the household. But then he remembered that the younger boy was the same age as he'd been when he'd first come to Ur, and she'd never indulged him like that.
But… she'd made them into reindeer… for him?
"Why?"
"Cuz they can't bite back!" was Gray's quick response as he tore into an antler.
That wasn't what he was asking about, but he smiled anyway. Who cared what her reasons were? She'd thought to make these for him, because he's been feeling down over the whole reindeer incident. That made him feel so warm and special inside. Plus, Gray wasn't being an annoying little twerp to him, so that was a bonus.
Pouring a generous amount of syrup over his stack, he dug in to the best tasting pancakes he'd ever had. Ur saw how much he was relishing every morsel. Finally taking a bite, she had to admit, Gray's pancakes were better than the ones she always made. That was gonna be a problem. If Gray wanted to keep this charade going, he'd have to share his recipe with her. And seeing how much they both seemed to appreciate the cute shapes, she'd have to teach herself how to make animals too.
While all this was going on, Gray was savoring every bite, getting lost in fun, happy memories of his parents, and allowing himself to make new ones with the family he had found.
The End
Edit May 2023– My works won for both categories in the TheGuildAwards Tumblr:
The “Let’s Play the Quiet Game” Series for Best Serial fanfic
“ Let’s Play the Quiet Game-Recovery” Best Angst fanfic
Thank you all so much for voting!