"And what reputation is that?" He grins sunnily at Lan.

He takes Nova's cue and starts eating too. 

Lan's response is cut off by 'Chelle. "Pretty sure there's a rule about table-conversations needing to be in a language we all understand. You two keep that up I'm going to start responding to everything in Swedish." She sounds far more teasing than anything else.

Zev shoots a guilty look at Nova. 'Chelle makes a point, he's keeping him out. 

"Sorry. It's been some time since anyone knew anything more than 'hello', 'goodbye' and badly pronounced insults."

"I promise all my insults are correctly pronounced!"

"It's fine, we just agreed that conversations other people couldn't understand at the table were bad form. Anywhere else in the house, please, indulge yourself."

Nova gives him a small smile back - it's okay, he likes hearing Zev speak Spanish.

Zev smirks at Lan. "I'll be the judge of that, vato."

He takes Nova's hand for a moment, squeezing it. "Maybe I could teach you a few things?" It's never been necessary before, but right now it feels like they have time, more than they've ever had.

"'D like that," Nova says shyly.

"Me too."

Maybe one day I'll teach you 'te amo', he thinks.

The rest of breakfast passes uneventfully, and 'Chelle gets up to clear the dishes when they're all done.

Zev smiles up at her when she takes his. He almost offers to help, but one look at Nova keeps him seated. 

Once 'Chelle's finished clearing the dishes, Lan gets up, pulls a list off the front of the fridge. "This everything, Dad?" he asks.

"Unless you two can think of anything I've missed. You got your credit card, Sparky?"

"It's in my purse, Dad, we got this."

“Good luck,” Zev says. He’s been inside supermarkets recently. 

Far too big. Far too much choice. 

"I have a method! And a map of the supermarket! And a list that is, if Dad remembered, ordered in the same order as the supermarket!"

She strikes a dramatic pose and points towards the doors. "Onwards, Monsieur Aeolus, to glory!"

"Jackets and boots first," Lan says, pushing 'Chelle out of the kitchen. "And car keys. I refuse to go to 'glory' on foot."

Zev smiles at them as they go, feeling...fond?

'Chelle and Lan can be heard bickering cheerfully in the hall, then they both yell: "Bye Dad." and the sound of the door opening and closing can be heard.

Aaren shakes his head fondly. "Those two," he says fondly, then turns his attention to Zev and Nova.

"Did you two need anything else?"

Zev turns a knowing look on Nova. “I think there was something mentioned about...nature documentaries?”

Nova ducks his head. "Uh, we don't- have to."

"-nope, I do believe you were promised them. Let's go see what's on."

He heads through to the living room without checking to see if they're following.

“You cannot hide that smile from me,” Zev murmurs, grinning. 

He tugs Nova up and starts leading him into the living room. “Come on. Maybe they’ll have more tiny monkeys.”

What they have instead, is red pandas, which is probably as good.