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they haven't seen the best of us yet
the continuing adventures of Zev and Nova
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Eventually, Steve and Ira leave, with Steve reminding Zev and Nova that they can call him any time, and Ira chiming in with a brief anecdote about calling him at half one in the morning to pick her up from another city entirely.

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And then 'Chelle's coming home.

"Monaco? Why did they go to Monaco? And why the fuck did they give the staff the week off?"

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"They knew I'd just come here," Lan sounds tired.

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"That doesn't make it right."

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Zev leans to look through the doorway to see the hall. 

"Everything okay?" He calls out.

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"Lan's parents decided to go to Monaco this morning," 'Chelle gripes. "And left him a note."

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"At least they left a note," Lan responds. "Half the time I have to figure out where they've gone without a note."

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"They sound like truly awful people." He holds out a hand to Lan.

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"They're not that bad," Lan says, taking Zev's hand and squeezing. "They're just not good at being parents."

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"It amounts to about the same thing," 'Chelle mutters.

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"I'm afraid I'm with 'Chelle on that one, Lan."

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Lan shrugs. "I've got you guys now."

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"That doesn't make them-"

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"Please, 'Chelle?"

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"Sorry," 'Chelle says, leaning into Lan's side.

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Zev holds his tongue, but squeezes Lan's hand tighter.

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"You three do know that the living room is infinitely more comfortable than the hall?" Aaren points out from the kitchen doorway.

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"Your father makes a very good point."

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"You're also making the place look untidy."

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"Point, I'm gonna go get changed anyway."

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Lan manages a weak laugh, and steers Zev back in towards the living room.

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Zev keeps their hands together, seeing how much Lan needed it. And, if he’s honest with himself, he’s become quite addicted to physical affection. 

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Nova looks up from where he's still curled on the sofa.

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"Hey," Lan says softly. "Hope you two had a good day and Ira didn't traumatise you too much?"

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“She actually let us win Ludo,” Zev says with a smile. He wants to say that she probably gets him more than anyone else would, but that doesn’t seem appropriate. 

Instead he sits back next to Nova, wrapping his arm back around him. It feels like it’s meant to go there.

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"Yeesh, she must like you. Well done!"

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Nova leans immediately back into Zev's side.

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“Of course she likes us! I’m charming,” Zev says with a grin. 

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Lan laughs, and then winks at Nova. "I think it was all Nova, and she just figured the best way to stay on his good side was to like you as well."

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"I cannot argue with that flawless logic," Zev says, nuzzling Nova's head with his own.

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"Aww!" 'Chelle says as she comes in. "Ant said to say 'hi' by the way."

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“Awww. Hi Ant,” Zev says, pouting. 

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"We should get you guys phones, that way you can say this to em yourself," 'Chelle says cheerfully. "Although Ira texted Ant something about us planning a zoo visit?"

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"Oooh, zoo! Zoozoozooooo!"

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“I may have mentioned seeing red pandas in real life...”

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"-Then we simply must go to. Local zoo has aye-ayes as well!"

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“Well, if it wasn’t official before, it is now!”

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"We are totally doing this. Any excuse to visit the zoo is a good one!"

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Zev grins at her.

He makes a mental note to apologise again to her later, as the thought strikes him and his hand throbs with phantom pain.

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Aaren sticks his head into the room, smiling fondly at them all. "Can I get anyone anything?"

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Zev goes to shake his head, but looks at Nova. Nova won't ask for things himself, so Zev will make sure he does.

"Something small to eat? And some water, please Aaren."

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"Absolutely! Sparky, Jitterbug?"

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"Feeeeeeeed me," Lan draws out comically.

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"-have you eaten since breakfast, Lan?"

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Lan shrugs. "Fridge was empty, but there was a couple of packets of breadsticks."

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"Are they intentionally starving you?" Zev asks, genuinely concerned.

He subconsciously pulls Nova closer. 

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"No?" Lan sounds confused about that being an option. "They know Dad'll feed me? And they actually knew there wasn't food in the fridge! They put it in the note and everything!"

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"Yes, they sound very attentive," Zev says in a flat drawl. He squeezes Lan's hand.

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Lan shrugs awkwardly. "It's fine, really."

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"And them knowing the state of their fridge is attentive for them," 'Chelle states. "But! We're all here now, and we have Dad to provide us with food, and a TV on which to watch like...anything we can find?"

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"Your father is notoriously good for taking in those who need him most," Zev agrees with 'Chelle.

He makes a gesture at the TV like 'whatever you choose is fine'.

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"He has nothing on Aunt Ange," 'Chelle says cheerfully, acquiring the remote and flicking through the channels.

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Aaren comes back in at that point, his smile slightly forced. He's carrying a tray filled with a variety of snacks, and also a pitcher of water and glasses.

"Here we go," he says, setting it down. Pauses, looks at the four of them. "We need a bigger sofa."

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"Or we need to get better at cuddle piles," Zev cheerfully suggests.

He feels partially to blame for Aaren's poor mood. No, not partially. Mostly.

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He really isn't. That blame is solely on Lan's parents. On the other hand, that comment makes his smile ease.

Aaren puts the tray down. "Help yourselves."

And he takes one of the chairs.

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'Chelle meanwhile has managed to find some strange slapstick comedy and seems to have settled on that.

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Zev kisses Lan's hand playfully before he lets go, to sort out food for him and Nova, and glasses of water. 

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Lan grins, blows a kiss at Zev, and then pokes 'Chelle until she fetches food for the two of them.

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Zev hands Nova some food and then makes a dramatic show of eating his own. 

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Nova ducks his head, and nibbles at his own food.

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"Jackets," Aaren says abruptly. "If we're going to the zoo you two need warm jackets."

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Zev feels his stomach drop at that, remembering what Nova did after they were bought clothes last time, but he shakes it off. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t now, and Aaren won’t let him. 

“If you don’t mind, we’d be very grateful. We haven’t had proper warm things in- a while.”

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"I can go hit up the charity shops tomorrow after school?" 'Chelle offers. "I think I saw a couple of decent jackets?"

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“Charity shops?”

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"People donate old clothes and stuff like that, it gets sold cheaper than what you might get from a high street store, and the money goes to whatever cause has opened the store."

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“That sounds like a lovely way to get clothes,” Zev says, rubbing Nova’s arm comfortingly. “Thank you, ‘Chelle, that would be really sweet of you.”

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"Sweet is my middle name!"

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"Your middle name is Ebba, for your grandmother," Aaren corrects casually. "And that definitely doesn't mean 'sweet'."

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Zev laughs.

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"My middle name is Keandre so I can't talk... Landri Keandre Aeolus. Do you think my parents could've made my name any more pretentious if they'd tried?"

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"Almost certainly!"

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“Named for a grandparent too? Or just to taunt you with that mouthful?”

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"I genuinely have no idea," Lan says. Shrugs. "I'm happy just being Lan."

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"All the power to one syllable names," Zev smirks, toasting 'Chelle and Lan.

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"Not that he's ever been 'just' anything in his life," 'Chelle smirks.

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"Nova, I fear you and I are outnumbered. But I think we make up for it by having more syllables than these three combined." Beat. "We also have Ira on our side."

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Nova ducks his head to hide his smile.

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"Ah, but we have Ant and Uncle Steve!"

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“This feud is tearing us apart!” Zev says dramatically, swooning onto Nova’s shoulder.

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"Well we can't have that. Either Zev needs to gain a syllable or Nova needs to lose one."

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"...I suppose a truce is out of the question?" Aaren asked sounding amused more than anything else.

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Nova giggles quietly.

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“Nov?” Zev gasps with an idea straight after the words are out of his mouth. “Nova, our names together is Novez!”

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'Chelle giggles. "You know how I feel about truces, Dad!"

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Nova leans a little further into Zev, smiling contently.

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“Zevon?” Zev giggles quietly, curling into Nova.

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"Well, truce or no, did anyone have any requests for dinner?"

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Zev looks to Lan and ‘Chelle for that, he wouldn’t even know what to ask for.

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"Oooh. Moroccan chicken? That's good!"

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"Any objections to that?"

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"None here, sounds good to me."

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"Final questions: couscous or rice? And lemon or plain?"

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Zev perks up a little at the idea of trying something new. "Couscous? And lemon. If that's okay with everyone else?"

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"None from here!"

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Nova shakes his head. (As though he could say otherwise, when Zev looks excited by the idea.)

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"Lemon couscous it is then."

Aaren waves slightly and heads through to the kitchen.

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Zev curls up again, flexing his hand a few times. It feels good, though he’s still not used to the healing magic. Not that it’s something you want to get used to, being injured that often. 

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And the next few days pass in much the same way. 'Family' breakfasts, calm days with Lan complaining about the work he has from his tutor, documentaries playing on the TV.

Lan and 'Chelle are both open and easy with their affection, both spoken and, with Zev, physical - pats on the shoulders, brief hugs.

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'Chelle finds them two warm winter jackets that are still lightweight enough that they won't feel constricted by them.

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Aaren makes a variety of meals, all taking into account the fact that Zev and Nova are still coming back from the brink of starvation.

And Saturday morning the wake to find him making a picnic, a phone trapped between his ear and shoulder.

"Yeah, Steve, I always make extra, what do you take me for-?"

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Zev sits at the counter, nursing a cup of tea, and wonders if he should offer to help. Aaren only has so many hands.

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Well, 'Chelle's in the kitchen as well, and rescues her Dad's phone, winking at Zev. "Yeah, Uncle Steve, you know what Dad's like, we're gonna have far more food than any of us could possibly eat."

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Zev laughs, winking back.

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Inexplicably, she pulls a packet of breadsticks out of one of the cupboards and adds it to one of the bags.

"Yeah, we'll be ready to leave in about half an hour? Yeah, probably better for you to come here, I think all of us squeezing into Dad's car's gonna be a bit of a push..."

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Nova leans a little more into Zev.

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Zev wraps his arm a little tighter around Nova, and kisses the top of his head.

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"Alright, cool, see you in twenty."

She hangs up the phone. "Uncle Steve's gonna come over here so we can split into two cars."

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"Makes sense," Aaren agrees. "Okay, I think I've got everything. Is Lan awake yet?"

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“I did hear ‘Chelle make an attempt,” Zev laughs. 

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"M'wake," Lan mumbles as he stumbles into the kitchen. "S'that coffee? Coffee!"

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"What would you do if we didn't make you coffee?"

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Lan takes the mug 'Chelle hands him, and takes a big gulp before replying. "Stare pitifully at the kettle and eventually have to figure out how to use it before all my faculties are online?"

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“I think watching you try to make coffee would be hours of entertainment.”

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"Probably also pitiful enough that we'd take pity on him."

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"Only if he turned those big, sad eyes on us."

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"It's a weapon I'm delighted to have in my arsenal," Lan says with a grin.

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Nova giggles into Zev's shoulder.

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“Yes, truly my one weakness is big sad eyes,” Zev says, grinning back at Lan before he noses into Nova’s head. 

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"'One weakness', ai," Lan teases with a knowing look from Zev to Nova.

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Aaren takes a break from making sandwiches to push a breakfast roll into Lan's hand. "Man cannot live on coffee alone."

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“Mmm, just the one,” Zev says somewhat dopily, wrapping his arms around Nova.

To Aaren: “Don’t challenge him to that.”

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"Everyone knows Lan can't resist Dad's cooking. He'd be eating again before the first day was out."

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"Alas, she speaks the truth. I would fall at the first hurdle."

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“What a delicious hurdle it is.”

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"More commonly known by most as: breakfast."

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"Now Ira would take that challenge to the point of collapse," 'Chelle says thoughtfully. "Dad. I think we have enough food for an Arctic expedition, never mind the zoo."

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"Never hurts to be prepared!"

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“On the upside, if we get lost, we’ll be fed for days.”

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"Not the way Lan eats," Nova mumbles into Zev's shoulder.

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“Us for days, Lan for minutes.”

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"I fear I should be offended. But that takes energy. And I have more important things to expend energy on."

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"Hopefully not something only minutes long."

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"The zoo!"

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"I'm finally going to see what all the red panda fuss is about," Zev laughs.

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"It is such a good fuss. Also: aye-ayes. They're good too."

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"That doesn't sound like a real animal."

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"Oh but it is!"

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"-It is too early for you to start spouting aye-aye facts, 'Chelle."

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"What time of day is appropriate, according to you?"

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"Sometime around noon?"

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Zev laughs.

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"By which time we will actually be seeing aye-ayes. I should educate people before we get to them."

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"Getting to see something that isn't a cat, dog or rat is honestly a treat."

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"Oh boy. You're gonna love this."

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"I think Nova and I have proven ourselves easy to please." 

He tucks his face into Nova's neck, hugging him tightly. 

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Nova leans further into him.

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"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Aaren points out with a smile. "Being easy to please."

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"Oh, we'll form preferences. Eventually." Zev's voice is somewhat muffled by Nova's shoulder.

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"Ah, whatever shall we do then?"

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"Learn to please us."

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"Such a hardship," 'Chelle teases as the doorbell goes. "I think that's our cue to leave."

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"Ready?" Zev murmurs into Nova's ear. 

They haven't been out since Aaren found them.

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He shrugs a little - he doesn't know, but it"s fine, right?

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"I'm with you, no matter what, all right?"

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He smiles, nods a little.

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Aaren's moved their picnic to the hall and returns with the jackets that had been hung in hallway along with gloves and hats and scarves. "Wrap up warm."

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Zev kisses Nova's temple, and then helps Nova into his coat, giggling a little as he buttons it the whole way up to his chin.

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Nova giggles as well, and returns the favour.

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Ant sticks eir head into the kitchen. "C'mon," ey encourages. "Cuteness awaits!"

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"It's already here," Zev crows, cuddling around Nova again.

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"Okay. Fair. But more cute!" Ey bounces in place. "Also, Ira's boss heard 'family day out' and banned Ira from working."

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"Then I suppose we had better move." 

Zev simply changes his position from entirely-wrapped-around-Nova, to just holding his hand. 

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Ant grins and leads the way outside at a skip. Sure enough, Ira is leaning against what is clearly Steve's car, parked in the street in front of Aaren's driveway.

"We're splitting into two cars, four people in each. Your choice where you go?"

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"Oh." Three people already in both. He clings a little tighter to Nova. "We...I don't want to disrupt anyone."

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"We're all pretty flexible. And Ira and 'Chelle can drive either car. Your choice where you two go."

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"'Chelle?"

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"I'm a better driver than Ira," 'Chelle says cheerfully.

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"You wish, bluebottle."

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"Not to insult you, Ira the incredible, but I would rather go with whomst I know."

His arm tightens around Nova.

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"I'll get in with Steve, Ira and Ant," Aaren says to Lan. "You know where you're going, Sparky?"

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"Yup. Now let's all stop standing around in the cold," 'Chelle pulls open the back door of her dad's car and smiles at Zev and Nova.

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Zev smiles gratefully at her, and then pulls Nova into the correct car, nuzzling him as much as possible.

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He snuggles into Zev's side.

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"Seatbelts please," Lan says, pointing out where they are. "Safety first and all that."

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After some searching, Zev finds the belts, and fastens them with some glee over himself and Nova.

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'Chelle smiles at them as she adjusts the mirrors, and then pulls the car out of the drive and towards the zoo. "Did either of you have any thoughts about where you wanted to start?"

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Zev noses into Nova's hair in question.

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"I'm not...sure?"

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"I mean, there isn't any hurry. We've got a bit of a drive, and we can make some suggestions if you'd like?"

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Zev cuddles closer into Nova. "Whatever you'd like, mi vida."

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Nova doesn't seem to have any ideas, although he tentatively asks about the aye-ayes and red pandas.

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'Chelle and Lan are more than happy to provide suggestions, although they're careful not to overwhelm Nova and Zev.

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Zev perks up at any mention of big cats.

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Well then. By the time they reach the zoo, they'll have a basic idea of their route worked out.

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Ant bounces over to them. "So where are we starting then?" ey asks enthusiastically.

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Zev, still wrapped around Nova like an octopus, grins. "I believe mi vida mentioned aye-ayes? Or red pandas? Though, if the lioness are in a mood to be seen, I won't say no."

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"Red pandas are closest, and then I think the aye-ayes are past the lions in the low-light exhibit. So we can do that. And there's other stuff along the way, just say if you want to stop."

Steve and Aaren have already taken care of paying for everyone, so Ant can lead the way, with 'Chelle knocking her shoulder into Zev's companionably.

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"Low-light?"

Zev lets go of Nova with one arm, so he can link hands with 'Chelle.

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"Aye-ayes are nocturnal, so normally they wouldn't be active at this time. So this zoo has an exhibit that mimics night-time during the day so that its visitors can see the nocturnal animals active."

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"And that isn't...disruptive? To them?"

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"Nah. They've basically swapped their circadian rhythms. So they still get their sleep, just at night, which they think is day."

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"That is incredible."

Zev squeezes Nova in excitement. 

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And here are the red pandas! Who Lan is very enthusiastic about!

He points to one climbing down a practically vertical tree trunk. "They are so cute, and so good!"

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Something very sad crosses over Zev's face, like he doesn't believe he should be here-

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-but that goes quickly, and instead he presses a kiss to Nova's temple. "Nearly as cute as you. Nearly."

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'Chelle notices anyway, and squeezes his hand, leaning a little heavier into his shoulder.

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Nova gives a slightly startled squeak, but leans into Zev. "They're...very cute."

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"So what does that make you?"

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"-I don't. know?"

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"Even cuter," Zev whispers, and rests his chin on Nova's shoulder, to better watch the red pandas. 

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Nova smiles and leans into Zev. Eventually though-

"We should go find the lions?"

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"The aye-ayes were on the way through, yes?"

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"Nope! Lions first! And you say 'find' like you're not at the zoo with people who know the layout like the back of our hands!"

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"Except for the margay enclosure. The first trick to finding the margay is finding the enclosure. I have no idea how it keeps being hidden."

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"What's a margay?" Zev asks, but obediently follows Ant. 

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"Small South American cat, very similar to an ocelot."

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Zev stops in his tracks, eyes huge. 

"Dios mío, tengo que verlos de inmediato o tal vez nunca me recupere."

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"Eso es difícil cuando no podemos encontrarlos."

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"And now we're speaking in tongues!"

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Zev winks at Lan. "Nos vamos a meter en problemas si seguimos haciendo esto."

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"Probablemente."

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"Tja, om vi talar i tungor..."

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"If you're not careful, Ira's gonna confuse us all by refusing to speak in anything but Japanese."

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Zev laughs. "My deepest apologies, but ocelots and ocelot-alike were mentioned and I'm afraid I forgot how to speak English."

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"It's okay. I understand more of languages than I speak of them. And to be fair, ocelots and margays are very exciting."

But in the meantime: Lions!

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While they walk to them, Zev takes a moment to check in with Nova. 

"You all right? Not too overwhelmed?"

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"M'okay," Nova assures him, smiling.

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Zev kisses his cheek. "Good. Tell me if you are, okay? I won't have you being scared again."

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He nods. "I will."

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Zev smiles, and tucks himself into Nova again. "I love you," he says. 

And then he loops an arm around Nova, to pull him after the others.

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He's still not good at saying that back, but he squeezes Zev a little bit.

Lions! With teenage-looking cubs playing around!

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Zev absolutely does not press himself as close to the cage as legality will allow, just because he's so amazed by the creatures.

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Nova watches Zev as much as he watches the lions, smiling fondly.

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"Lions are really cool," Ant says as they watch. "The females do pretty much all of the hunting."

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Zev watches as a mother playfully knocks her cub down, and sticks her face into his belly. 

He turns back to the others grinning with wide, amazed eyes.

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"Hyenas are pretty cool as well, although this zoo doesn't have any. They're actually a matriarchal species. But not in the way elephants are."

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Zev smiles at that. "Matriarchal, huh." 

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"Yup. Some species actually realise that women are the ones who know what they're on." 'Chelle is very obviously joking about that.

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"And there are people who believe humans are the smartest species. For shame," Zev jokes right back, bumping 'Chelle with his hip.

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"I know, terrible isn't it? C'mon. Aye-ayes now if you two are ready?"

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Zev could quite easily spend the rest of his life staring at the lions, but he could probably just nag someone later to bring him back. 

He loops his arm back around Nova. "Ready if you are."

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Nova nods eagerly.

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And an equally eager 'Chelle will lead them to the low-light exhibit. The aye-ayes are part way through, so they get to pass the galagos, slow lorises, armadillo and civets before they reach the aye-ayes.

Who are rather awake and climbing around the branches in their enclosure.

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Zev has to be firmly pulled away from the civets, but does look enchanted by the aye-ayes. If not a little concerned. 

"How are they so cute but somehow also look like demons?"

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"I know right? They're awesome, right?"

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Nova is enthralled.

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Zev is more concerned by the creatures, but smiles very happily at Nova being enthralled. 

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'Chelle takes Nova's awe as a cue to start spouting off all the aye-aye facts she knows. She knows a lot of facts about aye-ayes.

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A truly astonishing amount.

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"Insomnia has some perks," Lan whispers to Zev so as not to disturb Nova and 'Chelle. "And one of those perks is a truly astonishing breadth of knowledge about seemingly insignificant things."

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"You never know when such information could be useful, but truly does the mind catalogue the strangest things."

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"I have an upsetting number of rules of etiquette branded into my brain. I'm still trying to get them out."

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"Leave it to me. I'll get them out."

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"I'd surely appreciate that."

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And 'Chelle seems to have run out of facts eventually.

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"What, they don't turn invisible? Predict the future?"

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"Not that we've been able to discover. But we also haven't figured out how to speak aye-aye yet, so...doesn't mean much. Also like. At night? These guys basically are invisible. Camouflage from predators."

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"Not in a zoo, apparently."

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"I mean. Sometimes they're harder to see than this. But seeing the animals is kind of the point of a zoo."

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Zev nods his head to the side, smirking. "You got me there."

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"Anyone fancy going and seeing the otters?"

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"I'm game!" 

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"Ooh. They have two types here! Asian short claws that are just next door - don't ask - and eurasian otters. They're both adorable." And Ant bounces ahead of them to lead the way.

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Zev wraps an arm around Nova, smiling at the bouncing Ant. 

"Look at em go!"

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Lan laughs and ushers them through.

Where, indeed, there's a gang of Asian short claw otters playing around in the water, and on the land bits of their enclosure, and squeaking. They make a surprising amount of noise for such small creatures.

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Zev turns a teasing grin on 'Chelle. "Are these your people, 'Chelle?"

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'Chelle laughs and throws her arm around him and Nova (gently of course). "Says you."

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"I knew I'd heard those squeaks before!" 

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Nova giggles quietly.

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"Ooh. They're doing a feed in ten minutes!"

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"You can watch them eat?"

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"Yup. And the keeper gives a little talk about them as well."

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"Oh, 'Chelle, I'm so proud that you'll let others inform us of an animal's abilities."

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'Chelle sticks her tongue out. "Did you know that otters gang up on caymans and win? Not these ones. But other otters."

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"And a cayman is?"

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"Reptilian cousin of a crocodile and alligator, predator. They have a pair here in the reptile house. We can show you later."

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"Ah." Zev looks back behind him, like he can see the reptile house. "They sound...delightful."

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"You might have not realised this yet, but Ant is surprisingly fond of predators. I blame Ira."

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"Ira's more a shark than anything else if you ask me..."

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"I'm something of a big cat, myself. Still a predator, though I can be undone by chin scritches."

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"That doesn't undo me."

Ira is rather suddenly right behind them.

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Zev did not jump. He was very much unruffled by her sudden appearance. 

"I wouldn't try and pet a shark to begin with, let alone their chin."

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"-Aquarium. We're taking you to an aquarium. Some sharks love scritches."

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"Who's getting close enough to sharks to test that theory?"

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"Well fed sharks don't attack."

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"Wow. Is that some analogy for you, Ira?"

Ira snaps her teeth lazily at Lan, and something passes between them.

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Huh. That was...interesting. 

"Well, I suppose with Aaren around we never have to worry about anyone not being well-fed."

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"Yeah. Dad takes personal affront to anyone going unfed."

And here is a keeper to feed the otters! Who are all now clustering near the barrier, chirping eagerly.

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Zev nudges 'Chelle, grinning at the chirping.

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'Chelle nudges back and sticks her tongue out.

The keeper starts talking about the otters, the species in general, and also about their otters specifically - all of whom have names.

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Nova leans into Zev and watches curiously.

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"Finbar. That's an adorable name for an otter."

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The keeper grins. "We do try to get adorable names for them. And sometimes we do have competitions to name new babies, not just the otters, all the animals."

"We know," Lan says with a grin. "'Chelle keeps entering them."

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Zev watches as Finbar does little praying hands around his food. 

“Awww!”

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The keeper finishes up his talk, and then takes questions from his...admittedly very small audience, but there's the impression he's done this talk to less.

'Chelle asks a couple, although that seems to be because she's pretty sure Zev and Nova won't, rather than a lack of knowledge on her part.

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Zev seems pretty content to listen, half watching the otters. 

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Nova is equally content. The keeper wraps up his talk, thanks them for their attention, and heads off to his other duties.

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"Aaren had sent me to see if you guys were okay, didn't need anything to eat or anything."

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"I wouldn't mind some food. Watching the otters eat made me very jealous."

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"I can always eat."

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"As if that was ever in doubt."

And Ira will lead the way to an indoor picnic area, where Aaren and Steve are sat at one of the tables talking over mugs of coffee.

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Zev will direct himself and Nova closest to the food, and gleefully help himself, smiling at Aaren.

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Aaren smiles back, and pushes mugs of hot chocolate around the table for them all. "Are you enjoying yourselves?"

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"Yes. It's...strange. So many people, all...at ease." 

Zev sips his drink.

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"We do try. And you'll find that more people than not are decent sorts."

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"Yes, well, it's a learning process." 

He tucks himself a little closer to Nova.

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"Such is life, unfortunately. I've more years than I care to admit to-"

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"Fifty-six," Aaren stage whispers to the kids with a cheeky grin.

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"Than I care to admit to," Steve repeats louder, "and I still find myself learning new things about how people behave."

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"Nova and I had been on our own for some months before Aaren found us. We hadn't seen much of ease."

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"Kids on their own don't," Ant murmurs, "not when they're running."

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"True enough." Zev seems to mostly direct his words into Nova's shoulder.

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Nova leans into him.

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"Gosh, we're a maudlin lot. Zev, think fast, favourite animal so far?"

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Zev leans his chin on Nova's shoulder, and grins. "Lions. Easy!"

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"A very good choice! Tigers next?"

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"Unless anyone else has a preference, please lead me to the big cats!"

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"Finish your hot chocolate first."

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"We can walk with these cups you know, Dad. And it's not like they're full."

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"Oh, I wouldn't disobey a direct order from Aaren."

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"We need to get you into the habit of that. S'our job to keep our parents on their toes."

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"So, you want me to obey you instead? As you teach me to disobey?"

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"He's got you there! C'mon. Tigers!"

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Zev grins, and coaxes Nova up. "We're being commanded, mi vida."

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Nova lets himself be coaxed, smiling.

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And Ant starts to lead the way to the tigers-

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"Margay!" Lan doesn't quite shout part way there, detouring to a small, out of the way enclosure.

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"My god, I wonder what's over there? Could it be margays?" Zev's smiling though, even if a little bit of hot chocolate spilled onto his new coat.

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And a very happy Lan. Who points out the margay sleeping in a basket at just about eye level.

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And an ecstatic Zev. 

"My god," he says, tugging on Nova's arm excitedly. 

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Nova grins, mostly at Zev, but also at the margay.

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"Are they always that size?"

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"Yup. They're small cats that mostly live and hunt in the trees."

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"I want one."

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"Unfortunately there are laws about exotic pets. And these little guys are near threatened in the wild. Deforestation, illegal pet trade, that kind of thing."

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"It's all right, little darlings," Zev coos to them. "I know all about being threatened in the wild."

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'Chelle grins a little at him. "You could get a domestic cat. They're not too dissimilar."

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Zev blanches at that a little. "Oh, I...well. That would require me having-" 

He stops himself before he says 'a home.'

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"Think about it. You don't need a decision now. I'm just pointing out options."

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"Options. Huh." 

He goes back to staring at the margays. 

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'Chelle nudges their shoulders together and lets him stare for a while. "Hey, we were heading towards the tigers, right?"

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"Little cats to big cats. I am being spoiled."

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"There are many good cats in this zoo. And you can totally see them all."

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"I won't say no to a cat."

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Ant leads the way. "There's two breeds of tiger here. Amur tigers and Sumatran. This is the amur enclosure, they're the largest of the species."

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Zev nods along to eir explanation, smiling at the larger tigers.

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Well, between Ant and 'Chelle, they are well supplied with tiger facts.

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"I suppose you're going to tell me these aren't suitable pets?" Zev says, as one tiger leaps a clear six feet across a pond. 

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"I don't think we have space for one."

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"I would ride one like a horse."

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"I think you might still be a little too tall. How is everyone taller than me?"

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Zev looks at em with a grin. "Well, someone named you Ant."

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"That would be because it's less...ick than the name I was given. Ira started calling me it and it fitted."

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"Oh." Zev's entire body slumps, and he unconsciously tucks himself closer to Nova. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I'm sorry."

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"Hey, you didn't know, it's not your fault my parents were jackasses. Besides. We've got Steve now."

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"Steve seems alright. For an older man," Zev half-jokes. 

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"I think the fact that Ira could break him if she needed to contributed to her feeling safe with him."

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"Serious question." Zev leans into Ant's ear. "Is there anyone Ira couldn't break in half?"

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"...Drex, maybe?"

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"Yes, that checks out. Luckily it's the only man I think she would never have to."

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"I mean, you haven't seen Drex when he gets protective, but believe me, we're all firmly on the right side of that."

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"You're all good people. Of course you are."