"Are you okay enough for cookies?" Meredith asked, eyes wide and hopeful as she looked up at him. Vien chuckled, a shaky hand reaching down to brush a lock of dark russet hair from her face. He tucked it behind her ear gently, smiling at the sight of the large mulberry birthmark that covered a good portion of the skin around her left eye. He personally thought it was one of the loveliest things about her, despite what he heard some of her classmates said.

"Yeah, I'm alright, Merry. I'd hate t-to waste your and mother's cooking," Vien murmured softly, index finger twitching again as he let his hand fall from her face. Meredith's grin widened, and she took his hand excitedly as she began to lead him to the door.

"Come on, come on! James is probably still working on his photographs, so if you hurry you might get some tea before he's finished!" she chirped, leading a chuckling Vien out of his room and down the dark oak stairs. Vien let her tug him down the last of the steps, smiling softly as she led him through the hall and into the large kitchen. He could feel his stomach growl at the aroma of freshly baked cookies, soothing the faint scent of metal that still lingered in his nose. His mother had her back to them, and before Vien could walk over to her Meredith was tugging him over to the table a small distance away. He let out a small laugh as he was shoved gently to his usual chair, Meredith plopping down beside him.

Their mother turned around, an ornately carved silver tray in hand. She smiled softly at them, the various cups and plates clinking against each other faintly as she walked. "Glad to see you awake, Vien," their mother said as she set the tray down carefully in the center of the table. She smiled warmly at Vien, reaching over to ruffle his inky black hair good-naturedly. She stood upright again, smoothing the front of her apron as she looked around the room. "Now, where is that brother of yours?" she wondered aloud, though she was quickly answered by a tall, dark-haired boy jogging into the room.

"I'm here, mother," he assured her. "How could I resist tea and cookies?" he chuckled, sliding into the seat across from Vien. He was almost eerily similar to his younger brother in looks, the only differences being his dark curls and faint dusting of freckles. He had inherited their father's cold blue eyes as well, though his mirth all but made up for their frozen gaze. Their mother sat down in the seat between James and Meredith, smiling happily at them as she gestured to the tray.