kleutertje | (no subject)

[Kicking at the side of the bed as she gets ready, but as soon as she says coffee he scrambles down and scampers off to the kitchen. He knows how to make coffee! Well. Passable coffee.

He has not actually donned anything he's still in his bunny pajama wear. Yes he has bunny pajamas I just decided, a la Ralphie in A Christmas Story. Pink and everything. In fact he probably insisted on pink.]

[Coffee! He is a perfect child and she is sorry she ever tried to squish him. She perks up slightly with the promise of both coffee and snow, and when she spots his lanky, be-bunnied self heading for the kitchen she swings by his room and leaves him to it.

His snow-wear gets more careful consideration. Knit hat - he can put the ears back up over it, if he wants. Jacket, scarf, mittens, boots, and a slightly less zombified walk into the kitchen to trade if for coffee.]

Here, [she says, pausing to drop a little smooch on the mess of his hair because if he thinks he is too old for that he is hugely mistaken.] Wrap up. You're gonna freeze your little tail off.

[COFFEE. What he knows: pull up step-stool, shove bunny suit down to his waist, put in filter and MASH IT DOWN PERFECTLY, grab two handfuls of coffee grounds from that one bag and dump them in, fill up pot with water, pour in pot, press big button. (Water and grounds inevitably end up all over the counter but he is also a helper who attempts to clean those up.)

He has no smooch problems. He just shrieks and giggles, before he takes in the rest of what she says. His tail?!]

Uh-uh.

Uh-huh.

[Most eloquent sibling dialogue here. She takes the opportunity to tug the hat down onto his head, gives his hair a little fluff first.]

It'll freeze up and pop right off.

Nuh-uh!!!!

[Hat is fine but HIS TAIL IS ALSO FINE. He hops around to display as such.]

Well of course it's fine now. You're inside, it's warm. You take that little thing outside without wrapping up, then POOF!

[MAGICIAN HANDS! Because it's going to disappear, get it?]

[BOTH HANDS CLASPED ON BUTT AS HE HOPS AROUND AND SCREECHES "NO".]

Yes!

[and with reckless disregard for the kitchen she grabs hold of him, swings him up into her arms. He's getting too big for this - not too heavy, not yet, but he's all spindly limbs and growth spurts, and it aches a little that maybe someday soon she won't be able to scoop him up like this.

But for now, at least, she can. So she gathers him in close, blows a raspberry on his cheek, gives him big, serious eyes.]

Your tail is in grave danger. I'm afraid that if you don't put on more clothes, I'll have to - [dramatic sob] - keep you inside until all the snow is gone! For your own good!

[He screeches NO NO NO but screams it and laughs it out like the kid he is as she tosses him up, doesn't wiggle so hard that she has to drop him. Screeches "EWWWWWW" when she kisses him but doesn't pull away, and gives her a pouty face back.]

It's - not!

[LIES.]

We just gotta bundle it up. That's what dad says.

[kickyfeet]

Dad's just trying to protect you. He doesn't want you to know, but that's how he lost his tail.

[Except. Coffee is done, and there's a travel mug singing her name.]

Maybe we can test it. You'll be like a famous explorer. Just put on as many clothes as you can, and then we'll go see what happens.