Third Floor Common Room [Sunday morning]

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Tobias was up early--it was selfish to lay in bed and wait for others to serve you--and was in the common room working on breakfast.

Toast, oatmeal, fresh fruit: nothing fancy because Abnegation didn't believe in fancy, but cooked correctly and served with an open heart because his faction lived to serve.

...even if he wasn't sure why all of the lights and electricity worked all the time around here. It was extravagent!

[OOC: Back from my mini-vacation. Come plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.]

Comments

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel wandered in, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she did so.

She quietly observed the boy making breakfast for a moment before offering, "Can I help?"

She'd never had the opportunity to help someone before, except for Mother, and she really wanted to. Even if she wasn't allowed to use the stove. Or knives. Or anything glass.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Of course," Tobias said. "Can you stir the oatmeal? Watch out, it can spatter and hurt."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Okay!" Rapunzel agreed, scampering over to stir the oatmeal very, very carefully. "It's really nice of you to make breakfast. Yesterday I found some cereal but I didn't know what I was gonna do today."

She had eaten that cereal all day long, actually, and was perfectly happy with it, but now there was only marshmallow dust at the bottom of the box. So sad.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Cereal's okay but oatmeal stays with you longer," Tobias said in the careful tone of someone reciting something they'd heard an adult say. "Plus I'm allowed to use the stove now that I'm big."

Or nine. One of those.

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"You are big," Rapunzel agreed. Given that she was seven, anyone older than her was obviously Big. (Plus she was still awed by people, in general.) "I'm not 'lowed to use the stove."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"My mom died, so someone has to cook," Tobias said, busying himself cutting up an apple with a not-very-sharp knife. "Dad's busy and sometimes I get hungry before he's home."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no." Rapunzel stopped stirring the oatmeal and looked over at him, her face falling. "That's sad about your mommy," she said softly. "Do you want a hug?"

She wanted to give him one, but it seemed polite to ask first.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Surprise flared in Tobias's brown eyes. Not many people volunteered to touch him.

"Okay?"

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel didn't get nearly as many hugs as she wanted, honestly, so she was all too eager for the chance to hug someone else. She left her spoon in the oatmeal and scampered over to wrap her little arms tight around him. "I'm sorry about your mommy," she said quietly, hoping that it helped a little. "But it's good that you and your daddy still have each other, right?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan finally got up the courage to leave his room and, after a long climb up the stairs, he found his way into the common room.

"Smells good," he remarked quietly, looking nervous near the door.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Would you like some?" Tobias asked. "There's plenty."

And if they ran out, he'd just give this kid his portion. It was how Abnegation rolled.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan thought about it for a second before nodding.

"I didn't eat yesterday," he said, frowning. "Couldn't find food."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"That's terrible!" Four said, eyes wide. "Have an apple while the oatmeal's cooking. It'll fill your stomach up."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Nathan said politely. "You can cook things? With fire?"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Tobias nodded. "It's that or eat raw chicken for dinner, and that'll get you sick."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Wow." Nathan blinked. "Did your mum teach you?"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Tobias nodded. "We're all supposed to help out, though. Part of being Abnegation. Serving is important."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Abneg -- " He stopped when the letters wouldn't work right. "What's that?"

[DAMMIT]

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Wanna help me stir?" Rapunzel offered, waving to him. "It's not hard but I can share my job if you want!"

Unless he was allowed to use the stove. Then he could help Tobias, obviously.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"What're you stirring?" Nathan asked, chewing on his lips before he took a few steps closer.

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Oatmeal," she said, lifting the spoon out with a giggle. It was all goopy! "It's good for you, promise."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"What's oatmeal?" Smart guy, this one. Or just very, very sheltered and deprived.

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"S'like porridge?" Rapunzel said, scooping out more to show him. "Like really, really thick soup, but for breakfast."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"What's it taste like?" he asked, coming closer and peering at the oatmeal. It looked weird but it didn't smell bad.

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Like nothing," Rapunzel said, kind of making a face. "Or kinda like bread? But like nothing how bread tastes like nothing. Sometimes at home I put raisins in it, though, and that's really yummy."