Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sometimes he thinks his kids take unfair advantage of being the only cats that don't make Yuri sneeze. Yuri doesn't seem too bothered by it, but Randahl feels bad whenever he sees Fionn sitting on Yuri's chest or Duibhe sprawled out across his stomach.

"Okay, you two, I think it's time to let Yuri-papa get up," he scolds, but they won't move. Yuri's sleeping, but he'll probably want to get up soon and Randahl knows all too well what it's like not to want to displace his cats when they're so comfy. "You don't want me to have to pick you up, do you?"

"Mm..." Yuri's eyes open and he grins. "I bet you could if you wanted, you're pretty strong," he teases, and Randahl wonders if he's actually been asleep all this time. He's good at pretending, in case he needs to lull someone into a false sense of security. Most would consider this a neat trick, but Randahl knows the main reason for it. It took Yuri nearly a year of friendship to admit to most of his past, and it still deeply upsets Randahl to know why he's had to become so tricky and underhanded.

But that's neither here nor there right now. Yuri pets his "blankets", and for some reason that makes Fionn get up and start meowing.

"Wow, is my touch that repulsive? Rude, kitty, a guy could feel unwanted from that!" But both cats are doing the we're starving to death we haven't eaten in thirty minutes meow and Randahl knows it's time to hit the surface to get them some fresh fish. They'll eat the stuff salted in the barrels, but only if they absolutely have to.

(Not that Randahl blames them. It's not as good as fresh.)

"Don't tease the kids, Yuri," Randahl playfully scolds. Yuri pulls himself out of bed and quickly gets changed, Randahl blushing as he tries not to stare too much. They've seen each other undressed dozens of times, but Yuri's always been gorgeous and has gotten even more so over the past five years. Randahl lets himself stare a moment longer before he gets fresh clothes of his own for the day.

The cats don't like waiting. They meow while Randahl and Yuri get dressed, and they only have time for a quick good-morning kiss before Fionn's pawing at the door and Duibhe's threatening to run and meow to the guard to let them up.

The morning sky's still a little pale, even though the sun's coming up. Randahl hears the faint sounds of others waking up, indistinct chatter, birds chirping. It smells like it might rain later, hopefully not a storm like the one they had last month.

"Hey, slow down, you two," Yuri scolds. "Are we gonna have to pick you up and carry you ourselves?"

"I think they're afraid Ashe and Caspar's kitty is gonna get all the fish before they can," Randahl laughs. Those two are still arguing over what that cat's name is, even more so than who he's gonna end up going home with when the war's over. Randahl personally thinks it'll be Ashe, because Hilda's mentioned her mother isn't a big cat person. Plus, kitty's the only animal who isn't absolutely terrified of Dedue.

"Ashe wouldn't let him, and Casapr'd rather fight an old man for a meal than let the cat fend for himself," Yuri says. Luckily, there's plenty of fish waiting when they get to the kitchens. Over the years Professor Byleth and the house leaders have started making sure they have a surplus of fish because half the monastery likes to feed the cats.

(And meat, because Dimitri would adopt every dog in the place if he could get away with it.)

"Sometimes I wonder if it's possible for the world to run out of fish," Randahl muses as they watch the cats dig in and Yuri gets out some eggs and flour for their own breakfast. "Between Flayn and the feline population."

"Don't forget Ingrid, Caspar, and Raphael," Yuri adds. "But I doubt it, fish keep on spawning and they grow into food."

"True." Randahl gets out two sets of silverware, plates, and mugs to put aside while he watches Yuri mix the batter anf fold in some stewed apples. Randahl is only decent at cooking, not as clumsy as Flayn or epically bad as Professor Hanneman, but he could never make something as fancy as the pancakes Yuri's whipping up like it's nothing.

"I wonder if I could make herring pancakes someday?" Yuri says at length as the cakes fry and the bacon crisps up in a separate pan. Randahl nearly chokes, shuddering.

"What?"

"No, really. Fruit and herring tart's already a thing, right? So why not pancakes?" Randahl squirms. He's ambivalent about fruit and herring tart; it's not his first choice for a meal, but if it's being served he won't turn it way in disgust. Herring pancakes, though, or any kind of fish in a pancake...

"Some things don't belong together. The tart was probably just an anomaly, and the fruit's probably what saves it from being gross."

"Oh, come on! It's not the best dish in existence, but it's obviously the work of a very creative chef. You've gotta give it that."

"Well..." Randahl sighs. "Okay, it's creative, but creativity has limits in the kitchen. What if someone suggested adding venison to the Gautier cheese gratin?" Yuri flinches.

"Don't do that to poor venison, what did it ever do to you?" Randahl snorts.

"See?"

"Okay, you win. No more gross food talk for the rest of the day." He glances at the kids. "Don't they ever get full?"

"Some mornings are hungrier than others." The food's ready within minutes, along with the tea Yuri put on the stove between chopping apples and spicing bacon. Someday I need to learn his secrets to working so fast! Randahl helps Yuri plate everything up and pour the tea, and they settle down at a small table in the courtyard. It's nice to be able to sit here alone once in a while.

"Well, this isn't one of my fancier dishes, but here's hoping it's good," Yuri says. Randahl, who's had Yuri's apple pancakes before, knows they will be. They dig in, Fionn and Duibhe joining them moments later. Luckily, they're full from all the fish; they usually don't beg but when they do it can get really annoying.

"Here's to a hopefully quiet day," Randahl says as he lifts his teacup. Yuri grins, touching the lips of their cups together.

"And if not, we'll have had a nice quiet morning."