“Good morning, Deimos, other children. Siblings.”

“Morning, Father.” Deimos tried to mimic the older dragon’s tone, but it came off as breathless. His scales were already fluffing.

The older purple dragon drooped, shoulders slumped as they slunk towards the kitchen. There was the sound of something bitter and earthy being poured into a mug, and the scrape of utensils against dishes, before they returned to the table. They had a plate in one hand, and a large mug with the words ‘I make horrible science puns but only periodically’ stamped on the side. 

By the time they settled at the table in a chair next to Deimos, more footsteps echoed down the stairs. Icelus perked up this time, looking hopefully towards the stairs.

Chi yawned greatly, showing off pointed molars and long canines as he shuffled into the room. He was wearing a pair of pants with alternating blue stripes, and his silver scaled chest was bare, showing a litany of scars cutting through the curved blue stripes that painted his shoulders. His eyes, more awake than his posture would suggest, scanned over the table. 

“Mornin’,” Chi said, suppressing another yawn. “Any breakfast left for me?”

Icelus suppressed the feeling of disappointment that he hadn’t been acknowledged.

“On the stove,” Lamis said, already seated with her own meal. Moros skittered out of the booth and into the chair next to her, giggling as she traded saucy potato bites with him.

Chi nodded, giving the table another sweep as he passed. If his eyes lingered on Icelus, he was sure he was just imagining it.

Deimos was sniffing towards Dio’s steaming drink, brows furrowed. “Coffee?”

 Dionysis nodded and drank the funny smelling drink. 

“It is.” They paused. “Though you should not have caffeine so young. Would you like some, ah, there are juices in the fridge.”

“Juices?”

“Yes, liquids from squeezed fruits.” Dio’s hand started to tap at the air. “If juices taste too strongly, I have my own electrolyte solution which is more suited to sensitive pallets.”

Lamis made an exaggerated gag. “Your flavorless juice is the reason you’re not allowed near my juicer, Dio.”

They hissed at her, and Lamis stuck out her tongue.

“My flavorless juice is adequately formulated to replenish electrolytes without the overwhelming flavor of sugar or fruit,” they huffed. “Deimos may prefer it to your diabetic concoctions.”

“As long as it doesn’t taste like lemons,” Moros said, snickering.

Deimos hissed at him, tail whipping under the table. Moros hissed back, clambering into Lamis’ lap to avoid it.

“Do you not like lemons?” Lamis asked, scratching over Moros’s head.

“They are an acidic disgrace to citrus,” Deimos growled.

Lamis laughed. “No lemonade, got it.”

“In any case, it is a more appropriate drink for young dragons than coffee,” Dio said. “I can procure you a variety of drinks so you may decide if any please you, Deimos.”

“Yes,” Deimos agreed. He didn’t like the smell of coffee; none of them really did, but Icelus doubted he would ever admit it. “Thank you, Father.”

“Of course,” Dio said, petting over his head.

Dio detoured to the kitchen, returning with several small glasses full of orange, pink, and clear liquids for Deimos. Icelus’s brother delicately dipped the end of his forked tongue into each one, snout wrinkling.

There was more clanking in the kitchen, and water boiling before being poured, before Chi returned. Icelus looked up, and Chi smiled, Chi gestured at the chair next to him, the one closest to the booth. “This seat taken?”

Icelus blinked up at him, half awestruck, half startled. He wasn’t sure how to answer the question. “Am I in the way?”

Chi chuckled. “No. I wanted to know if it was okay if I sat next to you, or if you wanted someone else to sit there. Or no one.”

“Oh.” Icelus scooted over just a bit. “It’s okay.”

He tried not to let his tail thump so loud or his scales fluff as Chi settled beside him. He hadn’t managed to talk while he was being operated on the day before, but Chi had been nice and soothed him the entire time.

It was nice to sit beside him, especially when Icelus realized that the planty smell that was coming from the blanket was even stronger on Chi.

Chi chuckled. For an instant, Icelus felt a hand pet over his head, before it was gone, and Chi was setting his mug and plate beside him, and taking a seat.

“What’s that?” Icelus asked, barely managing to make his voice audible.

“Green tea,” Chi said, sipping the steaming mug. “And crispy roast potatoes, butter lettuce, and all the blueberries I could pick out of the fruit salad.”

“The tea…” Icelus pressed his nose back into the blanket then held up a fistful of it towards Chi. “It smells like this.”

Chi hummed, side eyeing Icelus. “That’s because that’s my blanket, Icy. Are you cold? We can turn up the thermostat.”

Icelus shook his head, though he wasn’t sure what a thermostat was. “I just like the way it smells. It’s soft…”

“I’m glad you like it.” He smiled slightly. “It’s a very special blanket, you know. My friend May made it for me. Think you can take care of it for me?”

Icelus nodded quickly. “I’ll be careful with it.”

“Good. Blankets are made to be cozy, and I’m afraid that blanket was languishing alone in my room without anyone to make cozy. I’m glad it gets to keep you all warm.”

Icelus hesitated before leaning into Chi’s side. “Do all your blankets smell like tea?”

Chi paused mid sip. “I don’t actually know. Maybe I should go sniff around my room to see. Do you like the smell of green tea?”

Icelus nodded. It smelled like the scent under the antiseptics and sterilized knives. It smelled like gentle hands petting over his head and murmuring that he’d done so well, he’d been so brave, even though that was hardly the worst thing that had ever happened to him. He’d felt brave then, though.

Almost absently, Chi shifted, tucking his arm around the little dragon. “Do you want to try a little sip? It’s warm.”

Icelus was feeling warmer now that he was tucked into Chi’s side, but nodded anyway. He wanted to see if the smell matched the taste.

Chi held the mug, tilting it slightly for Icelus to sip. Icelus did so carefully, too timid to touch Chi’s wrist and balance the drink.

The tea tasted leafy, like rolling around in the conservatory grass and chewing on tree leaves. Yet, at the same time, a floral aroma wafted from the back of his tongue to tickle his nose and tastebuds. He swallowed, feeling the delicate heat slip down his throat, soothing a tightness he didn’t realize was there.

Icelus sighed and sank more against Chi. 

There was a pause, then Icelus felt the arm squeeze around him once, before going back to its loose hold. “That yummy?”

“It smells like flowers.” They’d had flowers before, when they were a little younger. Before they’d started eating them when they got hungry, and they got taken away.

“It’s a jasmine green tea,” Chi said. “They mix flowers in with the tea leaves, and it gives it the taste of those flowers.”

“Oh…” Icelus sniffed towards it again, then peered up at Chi. “Does all tea taste like that?”

“Don’t get him started on his tea,” Dio groaned, rolling their eyes. 

Chi snapped his teeth at the other silver dragon, settling back in his chair. “At least my drinks taste like something.”

Icelus muffled a giggle in the blanket.

Chi rubbed the top of his head, grinning like he’d won something at Icelus’s joy. “I’ll teach you all you want about tea later, when the peanut gallery isn’t here.”

Icelus giggled again. “Okay, Da–” Icelus panicked, realizing he hadn’t been told what he should call Chi. “Ch– sir!”

Chi laughed. It didn’t even sound strained. “I told you, no one needs to call me sir, unless they ask nicely. You can just call me Chi.” Another pause. “Or dad, if you want.”

“Dad,” Icelus tried shyly.

“Icelus,” his dad replied, cuddling him under his arm. “Do you want more salmon? Did the potatoes not taste good? I can get you something else to eat if you don’t like them.”

“Oh, no, it– it tastes good,” Icelus insisted. “I’ll eat more.”

“You don’t have to eat it if you don’t like it,” his dad said. He nudged his own plate closer. “Here, do you want my blueberries?”

Icelus picked at the blueberries and popped them in his mouth. He hummed happily at the familiar fruit. The white coats sometimes gave them fruit as rewards as a part of their allowed calories. 

Icelus settled against Chi as they both started picking at their food, warmth blooming fully in his chest. He peered at his food, and his brow pinched in thought as he tried to figure out how he was going to eat while staying in contact with his dad.

Lamis cleared her throat, loudly, and Icelus felt Chi look up from his food. The gold spotted dragon tilted her head slightly at Icelus. Chi followed her gaze.

“Hey, you want to sit on my lap, sweetpea?”

Icelus looked up at him and nodded. Chi lifted him easily into his lap, like he weighed nothing, and Icelus felt like he was perched on a throne. His tummy had even calmed down enough to start eating his own food. Chi rubbed encouragingly over his back as he took a bite of vegetables and salad, and Icelus’s scales fluffed even more.

…