Lock & Key

LOCATION | Emerald Street, House
DATE | May 7th 2022
TIME | Dinner time
ATTIRE | Link
TOPIC FOR | @Brooke
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They had keeping their heads just a little bit down since it seemed to The Pack wasn't an issue anymore, Zayden had even told Angela that there was nothing to fear from that pack anymore. So, after some further discussions and pack meetings, the pack had voted to stay. It was a good region for magical creatures, whom then didn't have to hide who they were and since they had some good allies here in Athena, Angela hadn't found it an issue to not think about staying. Finding the perfect home had been one of her priorities, and it didn't need to just fit her, it needed to fit for her and Brook, but the pack as well and the members who had chose to settle down in the neighborhood. "Babe, come and get this real quick," she yelled from the kitchen trying get both the potatoes in the pot, and the chicken out of the oven, while pouring up two glasses of wine, making sure the table was set for the first dinner in their house. No more house jumping for safety and motels, they could finally call some place home, and that called for celebration. "Shit, please take the chicken out of the oven, ouch!," she burned her fingers on the boiling water from the potatoes in the pot, but got them out and put on the plates. "Seems like I've failed this chicken," she let out a sigh looking at the slightly overcooked chicken being pulled out of the oven. "At least we have the wine." She laughed a little bit while shaking her head.

Brooke had been somewhat busy when they had moved in. Usually, she was quite collected and didn’t let things go to her head, but now they had settled. So, even though it was over the top, she had spread salt in the morning in the doorways that could be vacuumed the next morning. She had also bought them a new broom and thrown the old out when they had left their old place. Besides that, she had boiled milk in the oven, let it boil over the top and burned sage. Most of these things were to some superstitious bullshit, but in her dear childhood family, these traditions were made to get a clean plate. Getting rid of bad energies, facilitating more money, and of course, fighting off or scaring evil spirits away. Brook knew that it could look and seem odd, but it made her feel more at ease and most often it wouldn’t be something that bothered anyone else. It had been truly funny to have their youngest run after her. Neoma had been asking ’why?’ all day, and it had been interesting to explain why Brook did all of these thins and why Angela didn’t. It was all about believes and making space for each other. As of right now she was helping each of the kids with getting their boxes emptied and put in things in the correct places. Dylan and Arista did somewhat well by themselves, but sometimes they needed help – and that was okay!

“Coming!” she called back and called for Dylan to keep an eye on the youngest for a moment. She was quickly on her feet as soon as Dylan showed up and jogged into the kitchen, just in time; “Language,” she whispered a little correcting. She grabbed some oven mittens and shortly looked at Angela’s fingers, “You okay?” she soke softly before she opened the oven, pulling the chicken out of the oven. A long hum left her as she inspected the overcooked chicken, “It’s just a little dry,” she mused and put it on a safe spot for hot kitchen stuff. A chuckle left her as Angela reminded them of the wine. A longing hum left her, almost wanting a glass already. “And maybe we should make a little more dressing for the potatoes?” she wondered, hoping they could fill their kids’ tummies, so everyone could sleep well. More dressing might make up for the dry chicken, she believed. Werewolves could be difficult to satisfy sometimes.

Angela made a small grimace to the correction of her language, oh well, if Brooke didn't correct her at least ten times a day, as it really a day? "I'm fine, I just tried to do everything at once," she mumbled a little annoyed to try not letting her frustration get ahead, because once it did it typical were set for a range of different words that Brook didn't have time to correct nor redirect the kids from. About to throw another curse word, but folded her lips together in a slim line and exhaled throughout her nose in annoyance. "Otherwise there is nothing left to do than put some of the chicken tenders in the oven, Neo loves them, so no matter what she will not be difficult to satisfy, Arista is another case," Angela pointed out, well maybe she was sometimes being harsh, it could be an entire alpha thing that sometimes just came to show, even when she tried not to. "Arista come in and set the table please," she called for their oldest daughter, who didn't really flinch coming, Dylan and Neoma not far away either, and well Angela believed in the children helping setting the table and being a part of the whole thing. Usually she didn't mind doing her cooking with Dylan, or having Neoma watch either. It was just different tonight because it was the first night in the new house where it was functional.

Now, language was mostly corrected when the kids would be able to hear it. Sometimes Brooke even forgot that Angela had cursed, and her correction would come way too late. After all, Brooke herself could get caught swearing. “As one do,” she teased a little, knowing she did her best and that this was mostly because the kids were somewhat busy with their rooms, which to some extend was Brooke’s fault. Maybe she was so keen on settling that she forgot to enjoy it and be helpful like she usually were. A smile that tried to hold back was showed on Brookes lips, as she could recognize the was Angela kept her mouth shut. She loved to see her trying. She chuckled a little and shook her head, looking at the overcooked chicken. “That might be the least we could do,” she mused and started to change the temperature on the oven, so it matched what was needed for the chicken tenders. Now, changing the temperature didn’t go smoothly and as if she knew the oven, no she had to make sure she adjusted the right place and enough. She didn’t want to burn everything down.
Brooke raised a brow, listening to the oldest daughter’s steps. It said a lot about her mood and told one how much one had to walk on eggshells if they didn’t want a discussion to blow up. She noticed how Arista took the plates and how Dylan and Neoma wasn’t that far away and possibly could help a little too. As Arista took one of the foods for the table Brooke moved closer to Angela, with her back to the counter. She leaned across Angela to grab her glass of wine that Angela had poured for her. “Take this in,” she spoke softly looking at how everything was settling, taking a sip of the wine. She could swear that this would be a core memory if she agreed on that cartoon movie Inside Out.

Angela was always very observant on how her children acted, moved and how the voices were. Not that it was that obvious, but maybe it came with being the alpha of the pack, you just learned to be more aware of people's body language and all the small things to make sure they thrived. But Arista was good at setting the table, and that made Angela relax a bit more of having wanted it to be perfect. Because perfect was them being together under one roof. Then Brooke handed her one of the glasses of wine that had been poured, and Angela gladly took it, and took a sip before she with a gently swift movement grabbed around Brooke's wrist and pulled her closer to place a quick soothing kiss against her wife's lips, then letting go again. "This is perfect," she whispered then taking another sip, before getting the potatoes done.

A soft squeal that turned into a giggle left Brooke as she was pulled in for a kiss. An appreciative sigh left her before Angela spoke. “It indeed is,” she mused. “I’ll get the chicken tenders,” she spoke softly before she let her hand slide out of Angela’s grip and let it innocently run down from Angela’s waist and towards the beginning of her leg until her fingertips couldn’t touch her anymore. Brooke found a bag of chicken tenders in the refrigerator and with no effort she punctured a hole in the bag and widened it so she could reach the chicken tenders and put them in the already preheated oven. As he closed the oven she got rid of the bag and blew at a curl that had gotten in her face, not wanting to directly pull it out of the way. “When’s the potatoes done?” she wondered glancing over at her wife, she believed that the potatoes were close to done.

Angela took a slightly deeper breath in and looked towards the potatoes, "just a minute more and they should be perfect," she replied then turning around to check on them, and right she was. After all it wasn't like she was a fool in the kitchen, but Brooke had way more flair for it. Angela then took the pot and got drained the water from the pot, so it was easy to combine the rest and toss it into a larger bowl. Then heading towards the table with the bowl to place it there. "Love, come and sit, we will just start with the chicken, then get the tenders after -" it would after all be a shame if the other food got cold by the waiting. And their children already started getting on their chairs waiting for their mother's to sit down.

Brooke didn’t hesitate before she moved and followed into the living room. “I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming,” she said and took some quick steps over to her assigned chair and sat down. She was quick to get something on Neoma’s plate and started cutting it into pieces so it would fit a two, almost three-year-old. Dylan was good enough to get something for himself, and she was certain that Angela could serve herself and assist Arista with anything that seemed a little too complicated. Arista was a smart girl, but that didn’t mean that she could do everything on her own yet. “Ne-Neoma,” Brooke laughed as her daughter caught onto a pie e of a potato that Brooke had only just cut for their daughter. It was too hot, which was the main reason why she tried to be quick about it. “Honey, it’s too hot. Spit out,” she said with a light voice, holding her hand under Neoma’s mouth. Jackpot, the sweet little girl spat out the hot piece of potato, hopefully having learned a lesson. “Patience,” she said and let a hand run over her daughter’s hair. Brooke was good at starting with making sure everyone was cared for and served herself as one of the last.

Angela shook her head a bit lightly as Brook started cutting Neoma's food, knowing she needed some help, but also knew she was more than capable to do it on her own too, at least with practice. But Angela also grew up rather independent, even if she had been taken in by some lovely strangers back in the day. Angie believed the best way to learn was to struggle, because it forced you to act and learn from the thing you might have found hard in the beginning. There was a reason she was the alpha. But she didn't make a comment or anything, because tonight was their night all of them. She let Dylan and Arista put food on their plates before she waited last before serving herself. Then looking over at her youngest, eager to get her food in her mouth as always almost burning herself, but she knew Brook had it under control, hence why Angela just shook her head with a lovely smile on her lips. "Blow on it, like this," she then blew on her own plate to show Neoma how she could get her food cooled down. Arista mirrored her  mother and started blowing on her plate as well, which by the end had Neoma do the same. "There we are."