[She's smiling at first, glad that they've settled in and are safe and warm, but the question gets a laugh.]
I can't say no to that, feeding four of us is pretty expensive, even if Ahiru's vegetarian. [It just means Steph and Saul have had to consider what they cook to make sure Ahiru's still getting plenty of protein.]
[Kanaya has invaded the McGill-Brown residence with three white boxes, one large and two small. The smallest of all is for Steph: Fingerless black leather gloves.]
I thought you could get a lot of use out of these.
[There's a similar sized box beside Steph, to be passed to Kanaya in a moment, though when she opens her own present, she's distracted by the nee to laugh.
It's warm and amused, as she shakes her head.]
I guess great minds think alike.
[Which is why she's handing over the box for Kanaya, containing green leather gloves.]
[But practical gifts are good gifts, and Steph actually pulls the gloves on, curling her hands into fists to make sure they're suitable for punching people.
that'll make it easier, even if you can't exactly tell them that. i can ask around and talk to the people i work with to see what's the best way to get a job working the powerlines. no promises, but i'll do what i can.
[And Steph just shakes her head as well, laughing a little.]
I used to think it was excessive when Ellie would bring home an entire deer.
[And she nods for the bit about trading, glad that he'll have squared all his debts. She doesn't like owing people, and she can imagine Peter feeling similar.]
Spices it is. I'll even through some herbs in 'cause I'm nice like that.
[she's right, peter doesn't like owing people, and he's not too proud to take advantage of tempest's ridiculousness to cover his debts. he'd suggested she sell the extra first, so all's fair.]
A deer's sensible at least. Easy to freeze.
[he makes a face, reaches out and shoves her shoulder lightly.]
Jim used to complain about us having to take his beer out of the fridge to fit it all in.
[She regrets the words as soon as they're out of her mouth, because she knows what her expression must be like right now, sad and a little wistful.
She misses them, she misses that, even if she's mostly happy where she is now. It feels like a lifetime ago, living in the Housing building with Ellie and Jim and Bones.
[peter sees it, and he lets it go. considering the things that have been going down, steph has every right to feel nostalgic, to miss when things were simpler.]
Sure am.
[he even says it in a tone that is hard to classify as joking or serious. call it a favor.]
That's when it's time for a second fridge for the beer.
[it doesn't even occur to peter that this is non-standard behavior. probably because he's living in the trailer inherited from his dead alcoholic uncle. and they sure do have a beer fridge out in the yard. also inherited.]
I'll go out and spend all my mammoth steak on you.
Ooh, fancy. Not that I'd have any idea what I was looking at, but I bet it's shiny.
[not quite true, but the extent of peter's expertise in jewelry is being able to tell what's costume from what's real, at least as far as metals and pearls go.
because there's no point in stealing costume jewelry.]
Shiny is one word for it. Expensive's another. I gotta admit it was kind of nice to just - pick what I liked without even thinking about the price tag.
[It's not something she's ever really done back home. Even after things got better, they were still primarly living on her mom's wages, and she never quite lost the mindset of penny pinching.
And Peter is one of the few people she's comfortable talking about that sorta thing with, because she knows he'll get it better than most people might.]
Yeah, I bet. Lynda's talked like that sometimes, and she doesn't even wear fancy things.
[peter pulls one of the rings from his fingers. it's simple and silver, with a black cabochon stone (so much for werewolf mythology), and holds it up like he's pretending it's an earring. then he holds it near her hand so she can see.]
Fancy things are weird, even when you can afford 'em.
[She doesn't even have her ears pierced, and she only breaks out any other jewellery for special occasions. She's only worn one of the pieces they bought in Chicago, the other two just got safely tucked away with the rest of her stuff.
The demonstration makes her smile.]
It doesn't, does it? [weird] Not sure why that is.
[he slips the ring back onto his finger. there's a smooth space where it goes-peter only takes his jewelry off to bathe and transform.]
Shit, Destiny explained this to me. Something about skin tones. Fashion.
[he passes a hand over his head and makes a woosh sound. because that isn't hideously obvious from the fact that you wear only earth-tones purchased from goodwill, peter.]
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