Meet the Percys [Modern AU]

[adivasheadvoices]

 

 

What it comes down to is that the current tax structure is untenable. We throw good money after bad in the Middle East in the hopes o

Kate Percy pauses, frowning at the blog post she's drafting. Nobody has come to her office to ask for a snack or a Band-Aid or any of the other interruptions a stay-at-home mother is accustomed to.

Which means someone, somewhere, is probably getting in trouble.

She clicks "Save draft" -- it's not going anywhere interesting, anyway; she needs more coffee -- pushes back from her desk, and pokes her head into the hallway to listen for things breaking.

Comments

[newredmuses]

"I'll make a deal." He holds her a little closer. "I'll go make the blasted chocolate milk if we can go right back into this when I'm finished. Hang the blog post."

[adivasheadvoices]

"When did you turn into such a negotiator?" she murmurs.

[newredmuses]

"I don't have the room to swing you over my shoulder right now."

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate is not going to crack up again.

So she makes some very undignified sounds instead and nuzzles his neck.

(And maybe nips. A little.)

[newredmuses]

An insistent bellow emanates from the kitchen. "Are you two done kissing now?"

Harry makes a noise at the base of his throat. "Our lord and master calls us in." He sighs and tries to disentangle himself. Starts to try. Considers it.

[adivasheadvoices]

"Well, you promised to make the chocolate milk."

She pats his hands where they lie around her waist.

[newredmuses]

"On certain conditions, if you'll remember!"

With a long-suffering sigh, he makes his break and heads for the kitchen. "I may not be in such a negotiating mood later, for your information."

[adivasheadvoices]

"Is that so," she calls after him, turning back towards her study.

"Well, wifely duty is to be obedient, I suppose."

[newredmuses]

"We'll discuss that too!" he calls over his shoulder.

"What are we discussing?" pipes the little pitcher.

"Where your mother keeps her sweetener," his father says, perhaps louder than is strictly necessary.

[adivasheadvoices]

. . . If he thinks he's getting away with that one unscathed, he is sorely mistaken.

The blog post, unsurprisingly, is not much closer to being done by the time Henry has received and consumed his chocolate milk.

[newredmuses]

The kitchen has gone quite quiet again. If Kate listens, she may hear a brief, enthusiastic conversation, perhaps a phone call.

Quiet.

Then, the jangling of car keys, and the slamming of the garage door.

More quiet.

Total quiet, in fact.

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate pauses in her typing, listens for a moment, then shakes her head.

Her boys have the shortest attention spans of anyone she knows. Well, no, that's not entirely fair. Give them a task that appeals to their honour and ingenuity and there's no one more single-minded.

In any case, peace and quiet is probably what she needs to get this done. Even if she was looking forward to Harry's idea of negotiations.

[newredmuses]

It may be an hour has passed before noise troubles the Percy household again. The car pulling up in the driveway, stuttering to a halt too quickly to be prudent. The front door opening, then clamorously falling shut. Heavy footfalls, only a single set, right past Kate's study.

Harry is still wearing his jacket as he strolls through the house, unconcerned.

[adivasheadvoices]

She's in the final editing stage, sufficiently absorbed that it takes her a few minutes to notice that there's no pitter-patter of smaller feet.

Raising her eyebrows, she gets up and pokes her head out into the hallway again.

[newredmuses]

"My mother's been complaining," Harry remarks, not turning around as he heads toward the kitchen. "She was very glad to take Henry overnight. The thought just came to her out of the blue, and she called me."

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate comes out to the kitchen and leans in the doorway, folding her arms.

"Completely of her own volition, was it."

[newredmuses]

"The woman loves her grandson. She's very intuitive." He opens the fridge and peers in. After a moment: "I came here looking for something."

[adivasheadvoices]

"I'm sure you'll remember it in a minute," Kate says, almost sing-song.

[newredmuses]

"A plague upon it! It's sure to come to me." After a moment, he twists at the waist and winks. "Ah, I have it now." And he holds up a tin of buttercream frosting, leftover from some birthday party or other.

[adivasheadvoices]

Bright: "Ah, you found where I keep my sweetener."

[newredmuses]

"I should have known you'd hide it in a cold, dark can." He peels the lid off and peeks inside, before his face brightens, and a moment later he's dipping a finger in. Delicious!

[adivasheadvoices]

"Oh, Harry," she says sweetly.

"You want to get in trouble, don't you?"

[newredmuses]

"A fine thing for the likes of you to say." He strolls toward her, tin still in hand. "I don't have to court trouble, do I."

[adivasheadvoices]

"And yet you do."

[newredmuses]

A little shrug.

He doesn't break eye contact.

Not even for a second taste of the icing.