John had been speaking to Miranda by the sink. Cayn had gotten his height from the man, and the shoulders too, even though the Orville son had yet to fill out in all John's places. It was a contemporary and youthful silhouette on the prince, and a dignified rounded belly on the otherwise not so indulged shapes of the patriarch. Maybe, though, Valeria would think the absolute power had shifted from the older man with whiskers, to the boy who kept his face clean.<br/><br/>The kitchen was already accepting its new scents. Cayn, when he tried to impress, had a history of overdoing it, and finding failure in ambition. Today his mind hadn't been trained on the task, and he'd been able to effortlessly solve all the problems of timing and availability. That is, if she'd been fifteen minutes earlier, coming down. Not that the food was ruined, but there was no steam coming off the meat, which would have been his preferred effect. Their parents had been wowed, though.<br/><br/>The brother who she knew better now, smiled in the later sun, and washed his hands in a ray of water from the tap quickly. He wiped on a towel on his way to her and flung his arms around, standing by her side, more like presentation than affection. "Valeria! You've been cooped up for so long." he said with a grin that suggested everyone knew how she could be. The truth was that she didn't often lock herself in her room, but their son was so convincing with his expression their parents unlearned what they'd never notice about their daughter.<br/><br/>He talked to John on their way. Their parents were in love, a comfortable kind of union, but people had still characterized their sure flame as something that would fade into convenience soon. John and Miranda had been hearing that since before Cayn had been a swell under her shirts. It was hard to think Cayn hadn't been inspired by their adoration. His interpretation had been a little more possessive, as it turned out, and Valeria could swear to that now.<br/><br/>He followed her to her place, and made sure she couldn't be too creative about her placement. Little sister, with her hair in a strange haphazard mop. How lovely. He played with it a little once he'd put her down to sit. John snickered to Miranda. "I think the prince is finding his princess again." Father said. It was a reference to the games the boy would have them all play. Back then he'd not understood that being the royal children under the same castle meant you shouldn't really have that fateful fairy tale union. Of course, their parents had thought it was adorable. Cayn had also said on occasion he'd marry Miranda. They'd listened to that with the same ears.<br/><br/>The meal was on its way soon, and Cayn made sure to plate her up before he thought of himself. While mother and father talked, he leaned in close while putting some greens beside her potatoes. "I've made something simple with chocolate for desert." he whispered to her, and his voice was the same kind of low that would leave a girl confused as to what he meant - coyness or actual sweets. He kissed her cheek once he'd scooped away a wave of her hair to sit behind her ear.<br/><br/>"You two should go to the park." John said and shouldered Miranda softly. "We had a good time and it's at is peak of its beauty. I think we had our fill of the sun, but definitely go. You can take the small tent, if you want to stay a night or so." Always the involved father. It had Cayn raise his eyebrows like it was a wonderful surprise. He put his hand on her thigh and tilted his head in a very eager manner. In the past, she'd not been able to break the heart expressed on the willing face, more of a younger sibling then than ever. Perhaps the man and woman in the background would be more reason for her agreement, this time. Or the threat of a forced revisit to new memories.<br/><br/>"Yeah. Summer won't last forever. What do you say? I think the water's nice there, too."