Early Morning, Queen's Chambers, Glacia, Kaeleer

[glacial_queen]

"Daddy. Daddy, wake up." The words were whispered.

Technically, Kayla and Nommy weren't supposed to be in here. When Mommy and Daddy's door was locked, they were doing grown-up things and were only s'posed to be bothered if it was a 'mergency, like a scary nightmare or danger. Or scary nightmares about danger, which Kayla still sometimes had, even though there hadn't been any danger since she was a little bitty girl.

But being smart, they'd gotten around that rule. Kayla had passed through the door to the room and saw that Mommy and Daddy were just sleeping and not doing stupid grownup stuff at all and so had unlocked the door. See? The door wasn't locked anymore, so they could come in, right? That was the rule!

"Daddy, you got to wake up!" Still whispered, though 'whispering' might be a generous term for it. And this time the words were accompanied by sticky fingers poking at Warren's face. Nommy was getting a little impatient.

See, it was Mommy's Day. And that meant that Mommy didn't have boring old Court at all and spent the day with the whole family. She got to eat breakfast and bed and get presents and then they usually went somewhere fun! Kayla and Nommy loved Mommy's Day! And Daddy's day, but that was forever away now.

"Daaaaaaaaad!" They were getting less whispery now. "Wake up!"

The only rule of Mommy's Day was that she got to sleep as long as she wanted, but after that, they got to do fun things! There wasn't a rule about when Daddy could get up, though. And they needed help preparing things for Mommy's Day! Like breakfast! And presents! And, well, they were awake now. Therefore, Daddy should be awake too.

Even if it took face-pokings.

Comments

[wwiii]

... Children. Hello, children. Daddy loved you very much even if you were both poking him in the face well before...

Before...

Warren cracked open one eye, looking for an alarm clock that never did happen to be there. One of these days he'd learn. Kaeleer did not equal convenient bedside alarm clocks. And that learning would happen after a good night's sleep, well after noon.

"If you wake your mother up," he mumbled, trying to be coherent and quiet at the same time, "she'll have kittens. What are you two doing in here?"

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"That's why we're--" Nommy started, before his sister elbowed him and he lowered his voice, "--why we're bein' quiet," he finished is a whisper.

A stage-whisper.

[wwiii]

Warren was going to remind himself again that he loved his children very much, as he half-rolled over and kind of groped one hand along the floor for his pants. Pants were somewhere. Come out, pants, wherever you are...

"If I promise to get up and come right out, will you two go wait in the hallway?"

Pants. He knew he owned some. Even when it was too early for pants.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"But the door is unlocked, Daddy," Kayla said in her most innocent voice. "We get to be in here when the door is unlocked. It's a rule."

Well, the rule was for the other way. But that just meant the inverse was true, too! Right?

[wwiii]

"Daddy will go right back to sleep and not hear either of you until well after noon if you both don't let Daddy pull on some pants," Warren grumbled, already tempted to just bury his head under the pillow.

There was no sunlight. This time of day was obscene.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"How do we know you won't just fall asleep when we go?" Nommy asked. "Sometimes Mommy does."

This is what happened when you bred smart children, Warren. And had a wife who loved to sleep.

[wwiii]

"Collin..."

And another tired sigh as Warren attempted to roll over and sit up, all while retaining that mythical L-shaped bedsheet that seemed so prevalent in Hollywood, and unfortunately difficult to maintain in real life when there were two children in the room.

"Will crossing my heart be good enough this morning, or do I have to pinky swear?"

Spit-shaking had been firmly outlawed indoors ever since an unfortunate incident involving a very rare rug.

[glacial_queen]

That rug had been a wedding gift from Khary and Morghanne and was an antique.

Not that Karla was awake, mind. It was Mother's Day. She was allowed to sleep in. And she would cling to that even if they decided to parade though the room banging pots and pans.

Like the little darlings had done last Christmas.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

The children pulled back to confer for a second, then stood side by side presenting a united front. Though Collin might have been just a liiiiittle behind his sister, considering Daddy had used his real name.

"Pinky swear," Kayla said, holding out her hand. "It's Mommy's Day. Everything's got to be extra-special on Mommy's Day."

The possibility that Mommy might want to cuddle with Daddy and have some more grownup, locked-door time was just absurd, clearly.

[wwiii]

We are putting extra shielding up around this room in the future, Warren thought. Loudly. In the direction of she who was not awake, honest.

And by 'we,' of course he meant 'you.'

"Pinky swear. Double pinky-swear, even." He held out both hands, one for each child, with his little finger only slightly hooked for them to accept. "But then you have to let Daddy get dressed, okay?"

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

There was a mental nudge of assent from his very sleeping wife of sleepingness.

Kayla and Nommy reached forward and linked pinkies, looking Very Solemn. After all, pinky swears were unbreakable vows. Swearing on Jewels had nothing on them--especially since Daddy didn't have a Jewel and Nommy was still to little to have his Birthright Ceremony yet.

"Why aren't you wearing your pajamas, Daddy?" Nommy asked, proudly showing off his awesome dinosaur pjs. "Did you outgrow yours?"

"No, silly," Kayla hissed. "Mommy's not wearing hers either. They were being gross and kissy last night."

[wwiii]

"Very gross, very kissy," agreed Warren, stretching one wing out around the both of them once their most solemn of pinky swears was finished and nudging them toward the door. "And the sooner I get some pants on, the sooner we can chase the kitchen staff out and make breakfast for Mommy, right?"

They were likely to be thrilled.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"Ewwww, groooooss!" Nommy declared, forgetting to be quiet again. And then he looked intrigued, stopping just before the door. "Does that mean Mommy's gonna have a baby? Cora was gross and kissy with her husband and now she's gonna have a baby!"

[wwiii]

That small choking sound was Warren very pointedly not laughing while he was within arm's reach of his wife. She had a spectacular left hook when she was sleeping.

"No promises," he managed, sounding only slightly wheezy, and then pointed at the hallway. "Out."

[glacial_queen]

Sleep punching was a legitimate medical issue! Everyone knew that! Karla was a Healer and fully qualified to make that diagnosis.

But Karla was asleep, and deeply so, so she couldn't groan and hide her head under a pillow. But if she were awake--which she wasn't!--she would be slightly amused at Warren being the one who was stuck answering this question. And trying very hard not to grin until the door latched shut behind their precocious offspring.

"I am still sleeping," she announced quietly, cracking an eyelid at her very patient husband. You know, in case he hadn't realized that.

[wwiii]

"Fast asleep," Warren chuckled, shaking his head a little. "Remember this on Father's day, hm?"

He'd been jumped on, last year. Repeatedly.

[glacial_queen]

"I stopped them!" Karla protested. And she had! ...Eventually. After laughing. For a few minutes. "You are less committed to sleep than Mommy is. The children know that."

She leaned up and gave Warren a kiss, letting the sheet slip down to her waist. "See if you can't find my nightgown while you're looking for your pants. I should probably be wearing something more than a smile when the children bring me breakfast."

In many, many hours. Like, after the sun had been up for awhile.

[wwiii]

He chuckled against her mouth at that, snaking one hand around her waist just to give her hip a playful little tickle.

"Aw, but I like your smile," he protested, lightly. "Still, I'll see what I can do."

[glacial_queen]

Karla laughed at the tickle, batting his hands away so she could snuggle back down under the blankets before the children noticed she was awake. "Yes, but I don't think the children will respond well to you kicking them out of the bedroom for an hour while you appreciate the rest of me, too," she pointed out. "I don't think Nommy's that interested in getting a new baby brother or sister."

Not that he could from any amount of gross kissing his parents did. But five years had gone a long way towards easing the sting of that realization. As did the idea of another long, Craftless nine months of pregnancy. "Shoo. Your little monsters await your presence."

[wwiii]

"And I did pinky swear," Warren agreed, sighing and pulling himself to his feet, giving his wings a good stretch before scavenging the floor for clothing. Knowing those two, he probably had about thirty more seconds to get his pants on before they attempted their little door trick again, and so that was his first priority, even if it was generally a tired, hopping-on-one-foot sort of struggle first thing in the morning, since Karla had finally talked him into the whole leather pants thing at least on an occasional basis.

A moment later, her nightgown was flying in a graceful arc toward his wife on the bed. Because Warren was nothing if not a shameless romantic.

[glacial_queen]

Karla rose up on her elbows to catch the nightie, watching her husband appreciatively. He was so handsome, even stumbling around trying to slip pants on before dawn to appease the demands of their children.

If it wasn't for those very same demandy children--and wherever did they get that trait from?--Karla might have appreciated Warren a bit more physically. But they were and it was early and Karla was snuggly and warm. She settled back under the covers with a happy sigh.

"Have fun with your munchkins!" she mumbled cheerily, waving at him over the blanket.

[wwiii]

"I will have fun with my coffee while my munchkins have fun breaking every egg in the kitchen into the pancake batter all at once," Warren promised. "And then, when I am good and caffeinated, I'll personally pick out all of the shells. Because that's how much I love you."

No love was truer than this.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

So true. So very, very true.

"You are the best husband a girl could have," Karla murmured, already half-drowsing. "And the best father, too. No jumping on you this year."

The children were waiting expectantly outside the door, Kayla tapping her foot and Nommy fidgeting with impatience.

"Daddy! Daddy!" They cheered as soon as he appeared outside. "You're here!"

Look at that, Warren. Look how much your children love you!

[wwiii]

"Kayla, Collin," Warren replied as he shut the door behind himself. "Of course I am. I did pinky-swear, after all."

And that was the most solemn of swears. Truly.

"So, what do you two want to do for Mommy today?"

Since they were up before the asscrack of dawn, and all.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

Nommy wibbled up at his Daddy. "Why are you using my in-trouble name?" he asked. "I'm not in trouble, am I? If I am, Kayla should be, too! She was the one who let us in!"

[wwiii]

"Right now," Warren replied, "it is your 'just woke Daddy up by nearly sticking your fingers up his nose' name. You can be Nommy again when the sun comes up."

Ever the diplomat, that Warren.

"Or when I get my coffee. But maybe you guys could not unlock the door in the future? Please?"

Hah.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"But Daaaaaddy," Kayla said, giving him a pair of very big eyes. "You wasn't having grownup time! You was sleeping! And we wanted to celebrate Mommy's Day."

They'd just wanted to make her breakfast and presents and plan the day! And they needed their Daddy for it!

[wwiii]

Warren and Karla had also been celebrating!

With sleep!

Either way, Warren relented with a little sigh, shaking his head and smiling a little.

"Okay, okay. You guys win. So, what are we making for Mommy for breakfast today?"

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

Glorious sleep! Sleep that was still somehow in short supply, even though they ruled a Territory at peace and had children old enough to sleep through the night!

Well, that was Karla's belief anyway. But then, she was never a fan of waking up before noon as it was.

"Pancakes!" Kaela shouted at the same time Nommy announced, "Muffins!"

"Pancakes with choco chips!"

"Muffins with marshmellas!"

"Pickleberry pancakes!"

"Choco-pickle-marshmella muffins!"

...They were their mother's children all right. Maybe they'd grow out of it?

[wwiii]

Oh, they definitely were. And Warren couldn't see either of them growing out of it any time soon.

"What if we were to start with chocolate-chip pancakes," he ventured, "for breakfast. And then later today we can make marshmallow muffins, for dessert after dinner."

And that way the kitchen staff wouldn't want to murder him for the spectacular mess created all at once. They could space it out somewhat, throughout the day.

"And give her some pickleberries in a bowl on the side?"

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

That compromise seemed acceptable to the children. Or they were easily distracted by the promise of getting to help out in the kitchen. Usually, very little hands were not allowed to help out in Cook's kitchen. Even Mommy and Auntie J weren't allowed to help in Cook's kitchen. But Daddy got to go into the kitchen sometimes and say that it was a little hands helping day and Cook would listen.

Daddy was awesome. Cook didn't even listen to Mommy when she was the Queen!

"I wanna mix!" Kayla announced, grabbing onto Warren's hand and swinging it. "I wanna lick the spoon!" Nommy declared, fluttering off down the hall.

"Ew! Lickin' pancake batter is gross!"

"Not with choco chips innit! Choco chips make everythin' yummy!"

[wwiii]

Well, it probably helped that Warren had never blown the kitchen up, and that he tried to clean up after himself as best as he could.

The begging didn't hurt either.

"No licking the spoon until after the pancakes are done," Warren decreed, holding Kayla's hand and grinning a little as Nommy fluttered ahead. "In fact, you might not like the batter all that much, but you can each have a handful of chocolate chips, if you promise to wash your hands before we start any cooking. Okay?"

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"Yaaaay!"

Dad is great! He gave them chocolate chips!

"Can't I just lick my fingers and get all the chocolate off?" Nommy asked, fluttering in zigzags. "They'll be nice'n clean!"

"Ewww! That's gross!" 'Gross' was the word du jour for Kayla, Elizabeth, and Charlotte apparently. Of course, considering Kayla and Charlotte both had little brothers, it was sometimes very apropos. "Your hands will still be all germy!"

"But you still have girl-cooties when you wash your hands," Nommy pointed out. "So you're gross!"

Aren't you sad you never had siblings, Warren?

[wwiii]

Almost. Almost.

"No hand-licking," Warren decided with a shake of his head. "Actual soap and water. And nobody has cooties right now. We had cootie-shots yesterday, remember?"

Several times.

"But I don't think Mommy wants Nommy-spit pancakes today."

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

It wasn't Nommy's fault that Kayla kept getting reinfected by virtue of being a girl. And being friends with other girls.

"No one wants Nommy-spit pancakes," Kayla declared staunchly, swinging Daddy's hand. "Ever. Gross."

Gross would hopefully only stick around for another few weeks. Then it would be a whole new word!

"How come not pickleberry pancakes, Daddy? Mommy likes pickleberries!"

[wwiii]

Warren raised an eyebrow slightly. Well, there was really only one way they'd ever learn...

"I'll tell you what," he ventured. "We make two batches of pancakes, one with chocolate chips and a smaller one with pickleberries, and then we see which ones we like the most before we decide which kind to bring to Mommy."

He realized that he was going to have to eat one, too. But on the grand scale of things, he'd had far more horrifying baked goods courtesy of their mother than some pancakes with pickleberries in them.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"Jellybean pancakes?" Nommy was nothing if not culinarily adventurous. "Mommy likes jellybeans! More than pickleberries, even!"

Or, rather, Nommy did. But it was Mommy's Day, so Nommy would generously share.

[wwiii]

That sounded... slightly less horrible, at least. While, at the same time, like something that someone could potentially break a tooth on.

"I think the jellybeans might get less... jelly-ish if we put them on a frying pan," Warren ventured, not entirely certain about that, but perfectly willing to share that theory all the same. "How about... any other fruit? I brought some banana home the other day, and blueberries."

When they weren't being absolutely nightmarish, being able to grab portals in order to grab out-of-season or exotic fruit was amazing.

[wingedwitchling.livejournal.com]

"Strawberries?" Kayla asked, even though that wasn't on the list of fruits Daddy had mentioned. "Strawberry pancakes with lots of whipped cream and syrup!"

"Whipped cream!" Nommy agreed. Then caught his big sister's look. "And strawb'rries!"

Yeah. Totally excited about the healthy, fruit part of that idea.

[wwiii]

Oh, absolutely.

"I think we can probably find some strawberries," Warren decided, chuckling and shaking his head a little. Oh, children. If worse came to worse, he'd just get somebody from Portalocity to deliver, though he'd be shocked and appalled if Cook was running a kitchen without strawberries in it. Honestly. "Strawberries and whipped cream, and maybe we can sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top, hm?"

Because he hadn't forgotten about the chocolate chips. Even he had a bit of a sweet tooth, when the kids started tossing around their cooking ideas.