Christmas Morning - 33 Apocalypse Ave
Since Landen had arrived for the house Christmas party on Friday, the Next-Parke-Laine family had had a quiet weekend. Landen became reacquainted with Friday and Fandom, Thursday became reacquainted with Landen and life, in general, was good.
The sun was barely up when Thursday felt an extra pressure on the bed. She cracked one eye open, saw Landen snoring softly and rolled over onto her back.
Friday was at the end of the bed on his knees, looking expectantly at her. He put his hands in the air. "Massa eu lacas!" he shouted and bounced up and down, as if expecting them both to jump to attention and take him downstairs.
Landen awoke with a jolt and looked with a sleepy frown at Friday. "Is it morning already?" He looked at Thursday.
"Apparently," Thursday replied and threw the covers back. She leaned over and gave Landen a kiss. "Coming, coming," she said to Friday when he scrunched up his face and protested them being so slow. She crawled to the end of the bed and scooped him up, kissing him on the top of his head. "Merry Christmas."
Friday grinned at her, then bounced. He might have only been two, but he'd been instructed on the ways of Christmas by the people around him and he wasn't exactly your average two year old.
Landen reached over to the bedside table and picked up his glasses and put them on. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and flexed his toes before standing up and following Thursday and Friday downstairs in shorts and a t-shirt.
Friday didn't need to wait for an invitation. He was already into the presents that had been set aside for him. Pickwick was there as well, plocking her way through the leftover wrapping paper. Landen sat with Friday and helped him tear open the paper.
"Tea?" Thursday asked after the last gift was unwrapped. Friday was giving Landen unintelligible instructions on how to set up the
play house Santa gave him. Thursday busied herself in the kitchen and returned with two mugs of tea, handing one to Landen when he was finished. Friday and Pickwick had disappeared inside the play house.
Landen smiled and gratefully sipped his tea. He pushed himself up onto the sofa, balancing his tea precariously in one hand. Thursday sat next to him. "We haven't really talked," he noted in a way that feigned an absent air.
Thursday knew better. "We haven't," she admitted. They had talked a little, but mostly the past few days had been silently enjoying each others' company, small talk and showing Landen around Fandom. "We can."
"Seems nice."
"Hmm?"
"Fandom. Reminds me of France."
"With less snails on the menu."
"And more oddities."
"You wouldn't think that was possible, but Fandom manages quite well."
Landen shifted on the couch and looked at Thursday over his glasses. "We can't hide here forever."
"No," Thursday agreed. "For now it works."
"I mean perhaps it's time to do something instead of waiting the Minotaur out." Friday knew that word all too well. He peeked out the window of the play house. Landen noticed and went quiet.
"When they find him." They were both right. Something needed to be done, but nothing could be done until he was found. Thursday set her mug down and crawled on all fours over to the play house where she peered in at Friday. "I can see you!" Friday responded by squealing, giggling and hiding in the attached tunnel. Sitting back on her haunches, Thursday looked over her shoulder at Landen. "Let's go to the park."