|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:51 pm
Hank was not very pleased. Metz had told him yesterday that one of her friends was coming over with two of her kids, so they had to tidy up a little bit. He hadn't been able to explore the garden, and even though Metz bought more beignets then usual, he hadn't been allowed to eat any of them, and Metz said that the extra peaches were for a snack, too. While she cleaned he took some of his secret things and hid under the dining room table to play with them.
His secret things for now included an old key he had found in a cabinet, a peice of painted tile from the garden, a ceramic bowl, a letter written on funny heavy paper that he couldn't read yet, an empty bottle, from under the bushes, and an old rubber duck that was under Metz's clawfoot tub. Metz didn't even know he had these things; she often saw him hide something under his shirt when they were cleaning or exploring, but she never pried. Up until today he had put them behind the old phonograph in Metz's living room, but with other people coming over he didn't trust them there.
He peeked out from under the table cloth. Metz was in the kitchen, washing up the rest of the dirty dishes. He would have to make several trips to sneak all of this up into his room, but once he was there he know where he could put it: the desk drawer Metz had given him, the one that locked.
Carefully, Hank put the key in one pocket, the letter in the chest pocket, and the piece of tile into the other pocket of his overalls. He stuffed the duck down the front, and arranged the bowl and the bottle deep in the shadows where they would be hard to spot, and did his best to slide by unseen as he headed for the stairs.
He was pretty sure Metz saw him as he army-crawled around the corner and down the hallway, but she hadn't stopped him. Once he got to the stairs, he pounded up, ran to his room, and shut the door behind him. The key to his drawer was in Metz's pencil cup. He dumped it out, retrieved the key to his drawer and put the duck, the letter, the key and the tile safely inside. He relocked the drawer, picked the pencils back up, and hid the drawer key under his pillow for easier retrieval.
Only two treasures to go. These would be harder. Plus they were breakable.
Getting the bowl up the stairs and into the drawer wasn't too bad; Metz was sweeping off the front porch when he ran past, holding it tightly to his chest. So far so good.
Horror struck as he went under the dining room table for the final time, to get the bottle. The door bell rang. There was no way he could get up the stairs, hide it, and back down. Instead he shoved the bottle back behind the phonograph where it usually hid, and went to the front door when Metz called him to greet their visitors.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 6:23 pm
Sun stood outside Metz's house with Willow and Nadia, who were her only girls, and the youngest two as well. She hadn't seen Metz in what felt like entirely too long. Not since...well....it had been a while. Recently she found out that Metz had taken in a small child, coincidentally a meta. So of course, Sun thought it would be great for the children to have a playdate.
"Willow honey, why don't you ring the doorbell?" She smiled down at the older of the two girls. Willow smiled back, thrilled at having the honor and went up on tip-toes and pressed the button, giving a delighted "ding-dong" noise herself. Nadia stared at her older sister with all the disdain a toddler could manage while he mom wasn't looking. As the door opened Nadia turned her attention to the woman opening the door and gave her the sweetest smile she could muster. Sun broke out into her own smile, but it was much more genuine then Nadias. Willow was smiling too and then trying to see past Metz's legs into the room for Hank. "Omg! Metz it's you! Willow, Nadia, this is your Aunt Metz. Metz, this is Willow and Nadia." Sun released Nadia's hand in order to give Metz a hug.
Once they'd been welcomed in, Sun looked around the place to see what had changed. Not too much minus a few details. Willow was peering around eagerly for Hank, wanting to meet her other "cousin". Nadia was paying more attention to Metz, she hadn't interacted much with adults besides her mother and she was curious if this one was like her. "So how have you been?" Sun inquired of her friend as she settled her purse down on the nearby table.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:20 pm
Hank was behind Metz's legs, peering around the door. Girls. Of course it would be girls. Girls, from his experience at the boring childcare center, were nosy and grabby.
"It's great to see you, Sun," Metz said, giving her friend a hug. She hadn't met any of Sun's children before this, but didn't want to overwhelm Hank with the entire horde of them, so she asked Sun to bring just the youngest. So this must be Willow and Nadia? It's a pleasure to meet you. Hank, come out and say hello. This is my friend Sun and her daughters."
Hank emerged from behind Metz. He didn't want to hug them, like Metz hugged Ms. Sun and Ms. Shiny, but he felt he should do something to greet them.
So he bowed to the two girls, and said, "Well met," like the people in the books Metz had been reading to him at night. Once he stood back up he returned to eyeballing them. Girls were NOT to be trusted. He was glad he had hidden the key to his drawer well (behind the bathroom mirror) on his last trip downstairs.
That made Metz laugh.
Poor Hank, he's not used to as much entertaining as we're doing. Come in, everyone, and settle down. I've gotten more beignets today, and Hank is starting to make to become an excellent sandwich maker."
Hank back a bit further into the hallway, away from Metz's visitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 1:43 pm
Everyone blinked a little in surprise at Hank's greeting. Sun chuckled delightedly in response. "It's good to meet you Hank!" She gave him a broad smile. Willow had never heard that before so she wasn't quite sure how to respond, so she bowed back. "Well met!" She mimicked for lack of knowing what else to say. Nadia kept he smile firmly plastered to her face. As far as she could tell her "cousin" was weird.
Unfortunately for Hank, Willow charged right on in after him. That way she was closer to him, and farther from Nadia and that's exactly how she wanted it. Nadia on the other hand was quite content to stay with her mother and her mother's friend. With the normal people.
"He's adorable Metz." Sun said turning to her friend. "Beignets and sandwiches sound wonderful." She took Nadia's hand again and led her in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 4:13 pm
Hank did not smile back or greet them warmly. Instead, he responded to Willow's charging in after him by backing up. And backing up some more as she followed him, so he ended up leading her backward into the kitchen until he bumped into one of the chairs. Willow was just a bit too close for his taste.
Luckily Metz came to his rescue.
"Hank, why don't you get out some juice for everyone?After we eat you can show Willow and Nadia around the house."
Hank obediently turned to get the juice, but sagged a little when she said he could show the girls around. They might want to poke around.
He could try to ditch them later. For now, he went to pour the juice.
He gave Metz apple juice, and poured Sun, Nadia, and Willow each their favorite juice. Without asking what it was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:08 pm
Willow watched Hank continue to back up and wondered maybe if this boy was shy like Edmund. He seemed like he might be shy, or maybe he just wasn't a friendly boy. Either way she settled down happily with her mother and Nadia. The idea of seeing around the new house seemed fun to her and she smiled excitedly as Metz mentioned it.
Nadia wasn't really interested by any of it. Not the shyness of this boy, or seeing the house really. She remained next to her mother keeping an expression of mild interest firmly on her face until the juice pouring. Now that was interesting. As young as she was, she was rather observant and she did notice how he poured exactly what each person would have asked for without asking. "Wow, how did you know what kind of juice was all wanted?" She asked with the interest creeping into her voice. Maybe it was a power, it was kind of neat if it was.
Willow blinked and peered at Hank curiously, she hadn't even noticed about the juice. Nadia found herself thinking that Willow was obviously just dumb. Sun on the other hand gave Nadia a pleased smile, proud that she had noticed something like that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:09 am
Hank knew the nosiness would start. Girls. Couldn't leave anything alone. Couldn't just accept it and drink their juice.
"I know things about food," he said, as he clambered onto a stool to get out Metz's teabags and sugar. He got out the citrus tea, which Metz drank when she was happy, and not the cinnamon tea, which she drank when she was sad, and put them buy her mug. Metz was busy pulling out the things for sandwiches, and talking to Sun as she did so.
"Hank met Shiny and her son Ask the other day. He seems like a nice boy. So much for her never having kids. Hank, could you get out everything else for sandwiches?"
"Yes, Metz." He looked at the guests. He knew Metz would eat a turkey sandwich and save her beignet, and he would eat a turkey-and-cheese-and-mustard sandwich and eat his beignet for dessert.
He helped Metz make a ham-and-cheese sandwich for Willow, and gave her the peanut butter for Sun.
Then he went back to the refrigerator and looked for soemthing. After a few minutes with half of his body disappeared inside, Metz asked him what he was looking for.
He re-emerged with a grimace, and a package of pepperoni.
"Nadia, we don' have any salami. Is pepperoni ok?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:33 pm
He knew things about food. It was interesting to Nadia, and she saw that it continued as he started on sandwiches. Willow thought that was rather neat as well and she gave a little hum of approval.
"Yes, that's fine." She gave him a smile and swung her legs as she watched him work. Pepperoni wasn't her first choice true, but it was in the family of her first choice so that was ok.
Sun gave a chuckle over the bit about Shiny not having kid. "Yes so much for that." She gave a little impish smile. "It took some convincing but she finally gave in and now she seems happy to be a Mother. Ask is a great boy though."
Willow gave a bright smile. "Ask is fun to play with. We play tag in the mud." She made squishy noises like running through the mud. Nadia had to use all her willpower not to look at Willow like she was nuts. Nadia HATED when Willow made those weird little noises. They were so...unnatural.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:47 am
Once everybody had their sandwiches, Hank climbed into his seat to eat his own and looked at the girls across from him. Willow was making little humming and squelching noises. . . Nadia kept glancing at her and squinching her face a little bit. She was annoyed, but Metz and Sun didn't seem worried about it.
He ate quickly, and put his plate in the sink. He was about to sneak off when Metz said, "Hank, please don't try to get away. I see you. Once the girls are done you can show them around, ok?"
Hank sighed. "Alright, Metz." He climbed back into his chair to wait.
Once they were finished, he'd take them upstairs real quick, then show them the basement and the rest of this floor. Hopefully Metz and Sun would be finished talking by then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 2:22 pm
Both girls were a bit puzzled as to why Hank was trying to sneak away. Willow actually felt a little hurt and she gave Hank a puzzled look. But, she reasoned with herself, he was probably just shy like Edmund, that was all, she'd have to be understanding with him.
Nadia on the other hand just felt confirmed that this kids was weird. Interesting, but weird. Unless of course he just wanted to get away from Willow's unnatural noises, in which case that was more then understandable.
Sun continued her conversation with Metz as she ate about Shiny and Ask, and the girls ate their sandwiches. "Mmm This is yummy Hank." She gave him a friendly smile.
"It is good, even if it is pepperoni." Nadia had to agree. Even if she hated agreeing with Willow at all.
"Did you play any games with Ask?" Willow decided to ask Hank. It was something maybe they had in common after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:05 am
Hank wasn't keen on making conversation. Period. Less so with girls. But Metz kept glancing at him as she and Sun talked, so he would try to be sociable.
With only the briefest of pauses, Hank replied, "Metz says I always make good sandwiches. For everyone. Ask and I jumped in puddles together until the storm got really bad. We both like water, I think."
Hank glanced at Metz. He thought that was pretty good, as making conversations went. He had replied to both and added a bit to keep the conversation going. That was good, right?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:59 am
Willow smiled brightly at the idea of jumping through puddles. It sounded like a grand time. Though to Nadia, it just sounded annoying and disgusting. Getting all wet like that and ruining your clothes did not sound like anything fun to her. Then again she generally did not like water. Baths were ok, but otherwise she didn't have much interest in it.
"That sounds like fun!" Willow said happily, clapping her hands together in approval. "I always jump in puddles in the rain." She gave her Sun a little glance and then leaned closer to him to whisper. "Mom gets mad because my clothes get all gross." She gave a little eye roll.
Nadia merely gave a soft snorting noise at Willow's statement. Which earned her a weird look from Willow.
"I don't like getting wet. Not unless I need to". There she had stated her opinion on it, and now she could go back to her delicious sandwich.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 2:44 pm
Hank wished they would hurry up with their sandwiches. He had to keep the conversation going until they were done. He wasn't cut out for this much work.
Maybe if he got them to talk more, he could talk less. He already knew that they reacted differently and liked very different things. If he could get them to argue about something, he would barely have to talk at all. That would be the best.
"You two don't seem to agree on much. I thought sisters got along."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 12:32 am
At this statement both sisters gave him an almost startled look. Nadia's expression was the first to change into a face of disdain that anyone would think she'd get along with Willow. Willow's face just looked sad. She wished she could get along with Nadia, she had tried. It seemed like nothing she could do made Nadia nicer to her. Though Nadia had first shown her reaction to Hank's statement Willow was the first to speak.
"Well, sometimes things don't happen like they're supposed to." Her voice came out quiet. She didn't want Sun to hear the sadness in her voice as she spoke. She gave Hank a long look and then pushed her chair back and went over to him. "Can you give me the tour now please?" She tried to make herself smile, but her emotions wouldn't let her so she just kept a straight face instead.
Nadia watched the whole scene quietly. Willow was such a crybaby. Nadia figured she'd been kind of mean to Willow, but it wasn't like she'd done anything that warranted any sort of crying. Then again... Nadia supposed she never HAD cried, so maybe she was wrong. She gave a little shrug anyway and got down from her chair, waiting for him to start the tour.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:26 am
Hank was quite pleased. No more polite conversing. Now he just had to walk around the house and say things like "This is the bathroom."
He led the out the door of the kitchen opposite the one they had come in by. He pointed to a closed door. "That's the butler's pantry. Metz keeps sharp things in there so it stays locked. And this is the dining room. We only eat here on Sundays." The dining room was pretty cluttered with furniture, but Hank liked to walk in here because the carpet was so thick and squishy.
"Through here is the living room."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
