“Thank you.” Ori’s tone was as prim as her brother so often was, but the smile on her face wasn’t nearly as reserved.
Ira, meanwhile, nodded set Theo down to pour two cups of coffee; the boy immediately ran over to join his sister at Ori’s side, where she was asking them questions about themselves -- most of which she already knew the answers to from Ira, but still! They were so fucking cute! Words did not do them any damn justice at all.
As Staas started whipping together dinner with his usual ease and efficiency (so much so that even Ori was convinced that he needed no help), Ira set a steaming cup on the counter within easy reach of the other man, but far enough so that it would stand out of his way. He stood back and sipped his own coffee contentedly while his friend and his sister talked over the menu – Ori was delighted at the special gift of steak-- and the kids piped up with their own suggestions. The dark hot liquid wasn’t the only thing warming Ira’s insides at the moment-- the only thing that could have made the scene even more perfect was if Papa was there too, he thought. But Ira couldn’t possibly complain. He’d take what he was given, and eagerly at that.
After a couple of minutes or so the kids were distracted with a DVD of, interestingly enough, Dutch Sesame Street, but Staas indicated that the siblings were not to join them in the living room quite yet. The lighter in the man’s hand promised a fiery display of culinary skill, and Ira backed up obediently, so that the children were visible in his periphery and that Ori had a better view of the show that was to come.