"You can have half of mine. Then we'll find out together if this jam is any good," Zev offers, breaking off a small piece for Nova.

...he takes the offered bit and nibbles on it, more to reassure Zev than anything else.

Ira takes a butter scone, with mild reluctance, and a roll of her eyes.

Zev screws up his face at the taste, but after a moment relaxes. He eats the entire scone with a look of curious confusion.

"I cannot tell if I like it or not. I'm directly in the middle."

Aaren grins. "And that is a totally okay place to be!" (Opinions, opinions are important things to have Zev and Nova expressing!)

Doorbell!

"Do your scones work as a summoning charm or something?" Steve asks curiously.

Zev knows that its most likely Drex, and if not, still someone that won't hurt Nova or him, but he still curls closer to Nova protectively.

It's an instinct at this point.

And not one anyone is going to fault him for! Aaren goes to let Drex in.

Esca bounds into the living room, and immediately comes over to greet Nova and Zev, tail wagging happily.

"Hello Esca," Zev says fondly, gently stroking him with his bandaged hand.

Esca's tail speeds up happily, and he nuzzles under Nova's hand.

Nova smiles and pets Esca too.

“We wondered where you got to,” Zev mock accuses the dog, smiling enough that he didn’t sound even remotely angry. 

Esca gives a soft bark, nuzzles them both, and then trots over to lick Ira's face.

"Hello to you too," she murmurs, scritching his ears.

Drex pads into the room, nodding to Steve.

“Esca’s adorable face works on everyone, I see,” Zev says to Ira. 

He smiles ruefully at Drex, then waves hello with his bandaged hand. 

"I like dogs. You know where you stand with them."

Drex grins at Ira, and shakes his head at Zev, more exasperated than angry.

"Here," he says, holding out one hand to him.

“I know, just after you’d fixed me up.” His tone is joking, but his face is apologetic. “Should I unbandage it first?”

"You're going to need to unbandage it afterwards, but either way."

Zev decides to just get it over with now, and untangles his fingers from Nova’s (apologising all the while), and unwraps the hand. 

He almost wishes he didn’t. It’s not bleeding anymore, but the dried blood, mottled bruising and split skin is not a pretty sight. 

Drex clicks his tongue, and keeps his hand extended insistently.

Zev lays his hand in Drex’s.