Avalon Isn't What It Used To Be

Chapter 13: Countdown

1 weeks and 8 days until Christmas

"OWEN"! I hit a palm against the window next to the front door. Thankfully, he was walking into the kitchen and heard me nearly immediately. He jogged to the open the door, and I flew inside.

"Morning", he chirped.

"Good morning", I said landing on the counter, my lightseal fading as I blew hot air from my lungs into my fisted hands before trying to heat them with friction.

He walked into the kitchen, and grabbed my fae-sized cup and filled it with a hot brown liquid.

"Um, I'm not sure if I'll like coffee, Owen", I said gently, hoping he wouldn't take offense.

"Well, it's a good thing this isn't coffee then", he chuckled handing me the warm cup. It smelled sweet, and milky, but it still looked to similar to coffee. I peered up at him questionably.

"Just try it", he laughed. I watched him bend down and bring up a huge bowl before kicking a door shut with his knee. I quickly took a few steps back as set it down next to me. He retrieved a box, and an odd-looking metal tool, and then a canteen of milk from the fridge.

"Well"? He looked from my cup and then to me.

"Oh, yeah", I said before reluctantly putting the cup to my lips. "Oh. OH"! I quickly looked up at him with a smile, "what's this called"?

He smiled with a satisfied nod, "Hot chocolate".

"Mm", I moaned taking another sip, "So, what are we doing today"?

He poured powder from the box into the large bowl, "I have a few things in mind. First, I'm making us breakfast".

"And what's for breakfast"? I watched him pour milk into the bowl and use the metal tool to mix it as I took another sip of my 'hot-chocolate'.

"Pancakes," he smiled and then paused his stirring, "Is the pond Iced-over"?

"No, not completely. Why"?

"Huh", he huffed as he continued stirring, "Well I wanted you to experience Ice-skating," he turned to the stove and turned a dial before flames burst underneath the pan on its metal rack. He turned back toward me and leaned forward in the counter bracing himself on widespread palms, "But, taking you to an ice-rink crowded with people seems like too much of a risk if you ask me".

"Ice-skating"? I asked meeting his eyes. If the term is as self-explanatory as it sounds, I want to do it. "Do we just need the pond completely iced over"?

"Well", he laughed, "Preferably we want it strong enough to hold a large hum—"

"—I can do it" I said eagerly. We both laughed at my obvious anticipation.

He grabbed the bowl of thick cream and started cooking. I sat down and watched him move back and forth, grabbing a plate, and then a flat metal tool. The aroma grew more enticing as I watched my friend contently, my mind drifting back to the gift.

I need to at least make him something... I wouldn't even know where to begin if I knitted him something; I didn't have enough material or time for a basket, let alone a glove. Nothing I could bake would be big enough unless he helped me, which would defeat the purpose. I could always give him a piece of the seaglass that Meeks brought me to decorate Shae... Ugh, definitely not...

"Here you go", he said, setting a paper cloth down in front of me with an accurately sized pile of what he called 'pancakes'. I smiled up at him to see he was holding a plate with larger versions of the cakes he made me.