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Celebor's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Donovan. "That 'kid' is my son," he said firmly, "and I do happen to be worried about him. As much as an a** as he is."

Ulani leaned forward before Celebor could get too upset. "He's been interacting a bit with Miyu, poor girl," she said softly, "but that hasn't done much good. Rhea can't be anywhere near him or else she starts to be like him. Not as bad as when he first arrived, but Cindy's been putting her though a lot of exercises. He thinks Feng and Ryu are idiots for walking around in their human forms, and for believing that half-bloods have the strength of both races, rather than the weaknesses."

Celebor relaxed a bit. "To be fair, Donovan, you've been getting a lot better since you started coming here all of the time. Really."

"Not as if you've been here much yourself," Ulrich quipped to Celebor. He held up his hands defensively. "I know, I know, it's not your fault. You have a family to look after now. I get it. I'm just saying."

Celebor smiled warmly at Donovan. "Thanks, but ... I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Maybe household items, once the house is complete. Blankets, sheets, pillows and the like. We didn't have much in the cave - didn't need much, especially as the children were with their trainer most of the time."

Just then Niyana returned to the kitchen and sat down next to Celebor. She looked tired, and she leaned into him and lay her head against his shoulder.

"Ruque is already asleep," she murmured. "The girls are quiet ... Ruran is ..."

"Himself," Celebor finished with a sigh. "Well, he's still sick, he'll fall asleep eventually."

He glanced at Donovan. "He caught a nasty cold our second day here. Adonijah threw him in the river and instead of coming in and drying off, he ran off and we didn't catch him for several hours."

Celebor chuckled softly, slipping his hand into Niyana's and squeezing it gently. "Ruran was being himself ... insulting everyone and everything. Tried attacking Adonijah, said he was weak ... Adonijah just reacted. Ruran tried again, Adonijah socked him in the gut good and hard. As much as I know I shouldn't be saying this, Ruran did deserve it and he needed to learn a lesson ... though not enough of one, I think."

Niyana frowned at Celebor. "He didn't leave his bed for three days," she chided him.

Celebor smiled. "Well, someday he'll learn his lesson," he shrugged. "All we can do until then is wait and try to put up with him."

"You'd best make sure he's not listening," Ulani cautioned him with a smile. "You never know how he's going to react."

"He'll be doing his best not to listen," Niyana said sadly. "I'm here."

Celebor held Niyana close. "I only wish physical punishment would do something for him," he murmured. "It means nothing. If anything, he enjoys it. Really, there is no way to punish him."

"I find that threatening him with no meals works," Ulani put in with a faint smile. "Sometimes, anyways."

"He loves your cooking," Niyana frowned. "That's probably the only threat that we have that works with him."

"It hasn't yet," Celebor nodded sadly. "But we're working on it. Trying to, anyways."

He sighed, then rose from his seat. "At any rate, it's late, and we should be up early tomorrow to keep working on the house. Good night, Donovan. Say hello to everyone from us, let them know that we're here."

He paused. "Is Lin staying here for a bit to rest up before heading home?"