Work Text:
Harry stormed into the kitchen.
“Is that being used?” he asked, gesturing to one of the ovens.
Sidheach glanced between him and the oven, a wary look entering his yellow eyes. “Padma’s roasting a turkey,” he said slowly. “There wasn’t enough room in the other kitchen, with all the sides she decided we should make.”
Harry gave a curt nod, before opening the oven door—the lower oven, because he wasn’t tall enough to reach the upper oven, not without a stool. Then again, only Sidheach was tall enough to use the upper oven without a stool. The heat spilled out, warming his face, and the Pareya startled, dropping the bowl in his hand when Harry pushed his face forward and screamed into the oven.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Sidheach said quickly, taking several steps forward and dragging Harry back. He made sure the Submissive was well clear of the oven before he used a foot to close the door to it again. “What’s going on?”
Harry grumbled indiscernibly as the Pareya’s arms wrapped around him, cradling him carefully and reminding him just how small he was when compared to this particular Bonded. He continued to grumble when Sidheach picked him up and set him on an open patch of the kitchen island, mildly surprised that there was an open space. The primary kitchen was overflowing with appetizers, a ham, a roast, and several other cuts of meat that he didn’t recognize, and all the sides his more culinary-inclined Bonded were making for their special dinner. The secondary kitchen, the one more suited for baking, seemed to be as equally busy, with mixing bowls, cooling racks, and stacks of ingredients all pulled out of the cupboards.
“What’s going on?” Sidheach repeated. “Are Quinn and Theo being difficult again?”
“I wish,” Harry muttered, continuing to look around the kitchen. “Don’t you have any help?”
“I started out with Fred and George, but kicked them out when they tried to experiment with some of the tarts. Quinn was in here earlier, but then he stepped out to confer with Theo about something and he hasn’t come back yet. I’m sure one of the twins will come by soon and get volunteered to help.”
“Which twin?” Harry muttered. It was a question that always had to be asked, considering his Circle had three different sets of them.
“Which indeed,” Sidheach agreed easily.
Harry grunted, then gestured at one of the bowls that hung in mid-air, the contents being mixed with a spell. “Give that to me. I’ll mix it by hand.” He sighed when Sidheach gave him another wary look. “I’m fine—mostly,” he reassured the Pareya. “Mixing will get the rest of frustration out. Plus, things always taste better when they’re mixed by hand.”
“That’s a myth and you know it,” Sidheach retorted, even as he summoned the mixing bowl closer. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed you never answered my question. What’s going on? Do I need to sit on someone?”
Harry cracked a tiny, reluctant smile at that as he took the mixing bowl and automatically began stirring. It certainly would be a sight to see. “I’m not sure you can sit on everyone involved at the same time.”
“I’ll certainly try. Is it Rhys and Perry then?”
“I wish.”
“Hadrian and Wikhn?”
“Again, I wish.”
“Alec and Brishen?”
Harry groaned. “It’s really a miracle our Circle is as functional as it is, isn’t it?”
“I can name several Circles that are less functional than ours, if that will help.”
He could too, Harry knew, as he continued to beat the mix in the bowl. Probably some sort of cookie or biscuit, he determined as he took a closer look at the mix. “I got the rundown on the guests we’re apparently expecting,” he said after a minute. “Kalziks, LaRurentes, and Gorgens, who are all either Clan Chiefs or former Clan Chiefs for the Earth element. And one of Rhys’ siblings is bonded to one of King Raspen’s siblings, so Earth Royals too. Perry’s family Circle, which means Air Royals. Charlie invited Ebony and her Circle, so Fire Royals. Hadrian invited the Cunninghams and the Dreswells let it be known that they’ll be stopping by for Devrim. And Alec said he wouldn’t be surprised if Alcandor and Killigan make an appearance.”
He whined at the mere thought. One dinner, one night, Royals from all six elements. And so many other people that mingled in the high noble society. The Deveraines, the Kadels, the Prewetts, the Hartwoods, the Shiaes, the Kuroes, the Peverells, the Evansons, some Vegas…
Sidheach hummed, quickly deciding it wasn’t the time to mention that some of Luna and Rolf’s Fae relatives would be coming as well, which meant Fae Royalty. “It’ll be a full house,” he said instead. “Events like this usually are. But you don’t have to worry about all the politics of it, right? Isn’t the agreement that Bran and Theo are in charge of all that?”
“Yes,” Harry reluctantly agreed. “But we’re hosting. And hosting the first night of Starspun at that. It’s different.” He gave the oven another considering look, so Sidheach angled his body between the Submissive and the appliance, thankfully broad enough that he could block it entirely from view.
He stepped forward and pressed a kiss to the top of Harry’s head. “It’ll be fine. But if you need a break from all that, you can always come hide here with the excuse of checking on the food. Or you can track down whatever hidey-hole Callum manages to find.” He plucked the bowl from Harry’s hands and replaced it with a different bowl.
Harry gave the Pareya a suspicious look. “You know where some of them are? I can never find them, I usually have to get Luna or Bran to drag Callum out.”
“Pareya thing,” Sidheach said easily. “It doesn’t help me much, though. I’m too big. Usually I recruit Padma or Parvati, since they’re closer in size. Do you want to stick with the stress-mixing or do you want to knead some dough? Bread’s next on the list.”
Harry opened his mouth, prepared to ask what was all left on the list to make, but then abruptly decided he didn’t want to know. He was sure that particular list would be just as overwhelming as the guest list.
“Kneading,” he decided. When Sidheach turned to find the proving bread dough among all the other prepared mixes, he quickly snuck a cookie off the cooling rack and took a large bite.
“I saw that.”