43. Whatever It Takes
Whatever It Takes
Chess
If you’re going to make breakfast for a houseful of preds and one recently sexually destroyed rabbit, you have to start early.
Even if you’re running on last night’s leftovers and the muscle memory that comes from being someone reliable, you start before the coffee pot finishes its cycle.
I know our girl’s not supposed to have a favorite, but she definitely will lean toward me this morning because I’ve outdone myself.
The annex kitchen is smaller than the one at Apex, obviously, but I’ve got everything arranged for maximum efficiency.
The tile under my feet is warm, the air humid with steam and the sizzle of two different pans.
It smells like fried happiness in here—bacon first, but also the weird, sharp tang of Fruity Pebbles that is somehow ten times stronger in pancake batter.
I’m making her favorite things alongside the protein Felix will throw a fit if I don’t include.
If you get up before the rest of them, you get to be the one who sets the mood for the day.
I like that. It’s the only time my head is ever quiet.
I’m humming off-key and it’s probably annoying, but it doesn’t matter because I’m the only one in the room.
The pancakes are just bubbling at the edges, so I flatten them with the back of the spatula, then pivot to check the eggs, which are loaded with cheese and diced ham.
Aubrey is the only one who ever comments on the cheese in eggs; he likes it, but he always acts like it’s a guilty pleasure.
So I put in extra because I know the others enjoy it as well, and the dragon had a very active night.
In another pan, the thick-cut bacon is just about perfect, and I kill the flame so it doesn’t go from crispy to cinder in the time it takes me to plate.
I was an okay cook when we first met our darling bunny, but I strive to be better now that I’ve adopted our family caretaker role.
It’s not a competition, of course, but I’ve seen the look the others give when I serve up a plate.
Even Felix will sneak an extra bite or three if it’s hot and fresh.
It’s my way of making sure people get what they need, even if they pretend they don’t need it.
Their praise and gratitude make everything inside of me feel integral and needed, which is something only Fitz made me feel before.
I have a role, just like everyone else, and they all depend on me.
I’ve got the plates lined up on the counter.
When they’re done, I portion out the pancakes in stacks of six for the big guys and Dolly, and four for me and the tigers.
Protein is portioned out with the same precision.
You have to be careful with athletes like Dolly, or they’ll forget to eat and then faint in the middle of the day.
Our girl has tap in less than an hour, then Rockland, and then hip hop after that.
She’s going to need lots of good fuel to get through that grueling schedule before she can grab an on-the-go lunch.
Her lunch bag is prepared and ready, too, because I know Tuesday and Thursday leave no room for her to eat in a stationary setting.
I hear my mate before I see her. Her steps are careful, but not because she’s trying to sneak up on me.
There’s an odd tempo to her gait, a softer hit with the left foot and the other lands a little harder.
It’s not a limp, exactly, but a reminder of last night and fun that leaves you with aches you don’t want to explain to the public.
I don’t look up until I hear her approach the kitchen, and then I turn with a smile.
She’s glowing. Not in a radioactive waste way, but like someone who woke up in a better world.
Her rainbow hair is twisted into a messy knot, the ends curling in damp spirals that make her look adorable.
My angel is already in her dance clothes—leggings and a leotard under a baggy T-shirt belonging to Renard, plus the thick leg warmers I bought her on a whim last winter.
The top is loose at the collar, and I see the faint yellow edges of a bruise on her neck, plus the more vivid burnt bite that’s from our dragon.
There’s a subtle shimmer around it, and it must mean the bite is healing.
Dragon matings leave a hell of an impression behind, and I’m kind of jealous of how distinctive it is.
I point at the nearest stool with my spatula. “Sit. You’re not standing until you’ve eaten enough for two rabbits.”
Dolly gives me a look, but I am immune to her stern glare.
She doesn’t enjoy being fussed over, but she secretly enjoys the care we show her.
Even so, she obeys without protest, sliding onto the stool with a delicate wince.
“You’re becoming a tyrant like the others, you know,” she says, but her eyes are on the food, and there’s a glint of something soft behind the sarcasm.
“Yep. I’m the food police, and I’m a bad, rude kitty for making sure you don’t pass out later on.” I slide a mug of coffee in front of her. “Drink up. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a second serving of pancakes before anyone else gets out here.”
My angel snorts, but it’s almost a laugh, and I turn back to the griddle.
The second batch of her favorite treat is just about ready, so I work on that for a moment before adding her syrup.
It’s also homemade, and I warmed it in the microwave because Renard once made a comment about cold syrup being a war crime.
Once I’m done, her eggs go on the side in a perfect mound, and I add five strips of bacon, even though she’ll try to give one away.
You have to play the long game with bunnies who know what they need to eat to stay in form, but had a mother who damn near gave them an eating disorder.
“Okay, let’s do this,” I say, and set the plate in front of her like it’s a final exam.
“You have tap at six, so Felix is taking you before his run. I’m working in the admin building today, so I’ll be close when someone from the Captain’s crew walks you to Rockland’s office.
I’ll be in the outer office while your escort stays with you in the room. ”
Dolly lifts a forkful of pancake and then sets it down to look at me.
Her expression is earnest. “You guys know I can handle her, right? It will not be like last time. I’m not—” she searches for the word, then gives up.
“I will not let this woman win, and she doesn’t realize how much stronger I am now.
The first time was a surprise, and I freaked, but… I’m good now.”
“I know.” I say it before she can spiral.
“But you shouldn’t have to handle it alone.
We’ve got a system, and you’re not putting anyone out.
We all want to keep you safe, and Farley wants more evidence on the bitch so he can push to get her ass booted before the middle of the year. It’s all part of the plan, Angel.”
She’s quiet for a second, then pushes the pancake stack together, so the syrup leaks down the sides. “What about after Rockland?”
“You go straight to hip hop with the same escort. Fitz will pick you up after.” I watch her for a reaction, but she just chews her food and looks at the wall. “You’ll be at your diplomacy class then, which should be safe, all things considered.”
She cocks her head, as if she’s trying to decide if I’m joking. “All things considered? I don’t think so, Chessie. Every minute of every day is planned out to keep people from fucking with me. We have no idea when or where the Fae lady will strike next. You know that’s a pipe dream.”
“Efficiency breeds calm.” I say it lightly, but I mean it. “The more you know what to expect, the less space there is for bullshit to fuck up the flow.”
My mate eats in silence for a few bites and then glances at my plate. “Yours is perfect, too, you know. You could be a chef rather than wasting time working at these dumb schools.”
I shrug. “Not interested. Too much yelling and managing people. I enjoy taking care of our family, not other people. Plus, I enjoy being in the academic atmosphere, even if it sucks right now.”
A minute later, I hear the telltale slap of wet feet on tile and brace for chaos.
Fitz rounds the corner, wearing nothing but boxers with eggplants on them and a towel wrapped around his head like a turban.
His eyes are clearer than yesterday, which means he actually slept, and he makes a beeline for the coffee.
He pours himself a mug, then hops up beside Dolly with a manic grin.
“Morning, beautiful Baby Girl and sexy spotted cheetah,” he says, then reaches for a strip of bacon from her plate and pops it in his mouth before she can swat him.
“You’re going to lose a finger one day,” she warns, and I smile to myself. She doesn’t want to share today, and that’s good.
“I’ll put it in a jar for your collection if so,” he says with a wink. “Look at this freakin’ spread my mates have here. Chessie, you’re a goddamn hero this morning. After our rowdy night, I’m starving, baby.”
“I had to,” I answer, flipping another pancake onto the plate. “Our girl has back-to-back classes and needs protein and carbs to keep her energy up. She might need a sedative after Rockland, too, but we’re all out.”
Fitz grins, but there’s a gentleness in his eyes as he looks at Dolly. “How do you feel, Baby Girl? Are you moving all right? I know we pounded the shit out of you, but how could we not with those lovely noises you made, hmm?”
Dolly shrugs. “Ask me after the meeting with Rockland how I feel, but if you only mean after last night then I’m fabulous. It was just what I needed, Fitzy.”
The virtual assistant picks up on her statement, replying, “Happy to serve you, Baby Girl. Rocking your world is a privilege, not a chore.”
Laughing at his own craziness, Fitz gives us both a satisfied look. “Can I have my plate now, Chessie?”
“You can get your own like the rest of them. Only Dolly gets table service.” He pouts, making our girl smile, and I nod at the counter. “Go ahead and grab yours before the big guys get here.”
For a while, it’s just the three of us, eating and drinking coffee.
Dolly relaxes into the rhythm, and by the time Felix shows up, she’s halfway done with her plate.
The Raj is in full running gear, his hair pulled back tight and a black compression sleeve on his wrist. He pours coffee for himself and, after a second, pours a third mug and slides it to Dolly without asking if she wants more. She takes it with a grin.
“Everyone ready for today?” he asks. His eyes land on the bruise on Dolly’s neck, and his mouth twitches. “I’d say we’re sorry, Princess, but I guarantee you’d know I was lying.”
“I’m not pressed,” she says with a shrug. “I’ll catch flak in class, maybe, but I don’t really give a shit. I have enough real friends; worrying about random people’s opinions is not on the planner this year.”
“All the pleasure was mutual, so they can fuck off, anyway. Where’s Aubrey and Ren?” The raj eyes the clock with a stern look. “Sleeping in?”
“Probably, but they’ll be in before she has to go, I’m sure. Aubrey will want to see his handiwork in the light, you know.” I wink at my angel, and she rolls her eyes.
Felix grunts as he sits on the other side of our mate, looking her over with a predator’s eye. “Are you going to make it through tap?”
“I’ll crawl if I have to,” she shoots back stubbornly.
“Good. I’ll be in the hallway before it’s over if you need an excuse to get out early.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t make it easier for anyone to say I’m using you guys to get an advantage. We’ll save that for when it’s really an emergency, Felix. But I appreciate it.”
A minute later, the dragon and the gargoyle finally join us.
Aubrey’s cardigan is buttoned wrong, and Ren’s hair is still damp, but they look more awake than I thought they would.
The dragon fills a mug, gets his plate, and sits at the end of the counter, immediately reaching for the hot sauce to douse his eggs.
Ren comes to stand behind me, leaning in to see if the pancake mix is up to his standards.
He says nothing, but the approving hum is enough.
It’s a good morning, just like I planned.
The room is quiet for a bit, except for the sounds of eating, so I allow myself the happiness that engenders, even for a moment.
As I watch Dolly polish off the last of her pancakes, I think maybe if we have breakfast every day like this, it will balance out all the shit being flung at us during the day.
While the others chat again, I finish eating quietly. Felix asks Fitz to run a background check on the new law professor, and Fitz says he’s already started. Dolly sits with her coffee, watching us, and for a second, she just looks happy.
That’s enough to get me through anything, and I know the others feel the same.