"What was it this time?" Roy asked, as he stopped by where Julius sitting next to Lyn, watching the boy sleep on the couch he'd been hauled onto.
Julius glanced up. "He was playing tag with Kody for almost two hours."
"I just wish he wouldn't push himself that much," Kody said. He was practicing handstands, occasionally using blue platforms to balance himself so he wouldn't fall over. "So we could have more time together."
"Get me some juice for when he wakes up," Roy said, flicking his eyes towards one of the servants.
Kody immediately flipped upright and scurried off.
"I didn't mean -" Roy said, reaching one hand out towards Kody, only to slowly lower it, disconcerted. "I - uh - sorry?"
In the confused silence between them, Lyn stirred. "...Who...?"
"It's me. Julius."
"Jules...?"
"I'm right here." Julius held Lyn's hand as Lyn slowly blinked himself awake.
"How was your nap?" Julius asked.
"Mmmh." Lyn stretched and yawned.
A servant with a pitcher of apple juice and cups entered the room at the same time as Kody, who was carrying a glass of berry juice.
Kody looked at the servant. The servant looked at Kody.
Both looked at Roy.
"You're - actually, just put them on the table, I'll deal with it." Roy dismissed the servant with a flick of the hand, then turned to face Kody. "You know I wasn't talking to you, right?"
"Uh... I thought you needed..."
Julius was helping Lyn sit up, now, and handing him the berry juice, and Lyn was smiling as he took it and started to drink.
Meanwhile, Kody was shrinking. "...Sorry."
"Kody. You're a Wizard same as me, you don't have to do these kinds of things, you don't have to apologize. Just let them do the little things for you so we can get on with the more important business."
"It's... hard to remember, though. I'm used to..." Kody looked down, shame burning in his cheeks. "One of the first things Mama ever taught me was that if a Traited told me to jump I needed to ask how high. That's what our kind were for."
"'Our kind', right, your family was... I keep not realizing how deep it runs for you."
On the couch Lyn was waving to catch Kody's attention now, and Kody poured himself his own apple juice, and they high-fived.
Roy stared at the three laughing and talking about who won what and what they'd do next, Lyn making silly faces and sitting sandwiched between the other two, and then turned and walked away.
He had some things he needed to think about.
