It's mid-afternoon when Lan and 'Chelle return with the shopping.

Zev can be stirred long enough to be convinced to eat, eyes watching Nova the entire time, but once that’s done, he’s quick to settle back into Nova’s shoulder. 

Upon hearing Lan and ‘Chelle’s voices, however, he sits up properly. 

'Chelle sticks her head into the living room. "I come bearing tidings of food! And clothes!"

Nova shifts to let Zev sit up, but stays close to him.

"Oi, 'Chelle, come and help me with these bags."

“No, ‘Chelle, abandon Lan and join us! We’re watching-“ 

He peers at the screen. “Big cats?”

"Sorry, Lan," 'Chelle says cheerfully. "You heard Zev, higher calling and all that!"

Nova looks uncertain and opens his mouth as if to offer assistance.

"I don't mean lions or tigers either, I mean-" He gestures at the screen. "They are actually just large cats."

He goes to joke at Nova about waking up and finding that, but the look on his face stops him. He goes to stop him, but realises he feels much the same. Though if he gets up and offers to help, he's not sure that would make it any better. So he does the thing he knows best and just flops on top of him, legs over his and arms wrapped around his chest.

"Octopus," he whispers.

"Ocelots are actually about the size of housecats," 'Chelle says, sitting down in front of the couch.

Nova giggles quietly at Zev's octopussing.

...And 'Chelle actually squeaks. "Your giggle is adorable, Nova. We need to make you do it more."

"I concur. And also add that that squeak was adorable."

She tilts her head back and sticks her tongue out at him. "We already knew I was adorable. I'm gathering evidence on you two."

"Da~ad, make her help me!"

Aaren chuckles. "I'll come give you a hand. You two mess up my kitchen organisation if I don't intervene."

"And how goes the investigation?" Zev says, resting his chin on Nova's shoulder.

...until he is distracted by ocelot kittens. His eyes go huge. "Nova, I get the documentaries now. My god, look at their tiny feet. Look at the tiny feet!"

"I think I'm safe in declaring you both adorable."

Nova's torn between hiding his head in Zev's chest, and ocelot kittens.

Zev gives him gentle strokes up his arm to try and comfort him, but the kittens...

"'Chelle they all sound like you," Zev says dreamily as the tiny balls of fluff squeak.

'Chelle grins. "I'll take that as a compliment," she declares, pulling out her phone, and tapping something on the screen before she tucks it away again.

Lan appears at the moment. "Okay, that's unfair, you get to watch ocelot kittens and I had to schlep shopping."

Grins at Nova and Zev. "Left the clothes outside your door, let us know if they don't fit."

"Our..." The only clothes Zev remembers bringing were the ones he and Nova were wearing. He looks at Lan incredulously for a second, then 'Chelle. 

"You bought us clothes?"

"-didn't we mention that this was on the shopping list?"

"Not that I heard."