Work Text:
“God, it’s freezing in here,” Jinx grumbled.
She looked over at Isha and Ekko, who were both cuddled around their little kerosene heater. The clock tower they lived in wasn’t exactly insulated well. It was warmer than outside, but not by enough. Jinx didn’t bother taking off her coat.
“You two look like you need hot chocolate,” she said with a smile.
Isha cheered, but Ekko looked slightly hesitant.
“Try to keep our stove in one piece this time.”
“Jeez, you’re never going to forget that one,” Jinx said.
She went over to the kitchen, and to her surprise, Isha followed despite Ekko’s protests at being abandoned.
“Ha! Looks like we know who’s the favorite parent.”
Isha pointed to the marshmallows.
“You little schemer. I gotta bribe you, huh?”
Jinx took a few marshmallows out and handed them to Isha.
“You’re my favorite parent,” she signed.
“Hey, Ekko, she said I’m her favorite!”
“That cheating,” he said.
Jinx shook her head and got the mugs out. She filled the battered kettle with hot water.
“So, Isha, what other goodies do we got to make this a cocoa smorgasbord?”
Isha pulled out the cinnamon.
“That’s good. We got any peppermints? No? That sucks. Hmm. Ooh, whipped cream. Now what are you going to do with that?”
Isha pointed the can at her threateningly.
“Don’t shoot!” Jinx said, throwing her hands up in surrender.
But Isha had no mercy. She sprayed the whipped cream all over her. Jinx flopped to the ground dramatically.
“Direct hit. I’m down. How absolutely...delicious.”
Ekko came into the kitchen, looking down at her with a smile.
“You can’t even make hot chocolate without getting shot,” he teased, before getting a face full of whipped cream himself.
“Hey, careful,” Jinx said, getting to her feet. “There won’t be any left for the cocoa.”
The kettle whistled, and Ekko filled the mugs with hot water while Jinx mixed in the cocoa mix.
“Don’t forget the cinnamon,” Isha signed.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Ekko said. “Jinx, do we have any chili flakes left?”
“Yup,” Jinx said, jumping up on the counter to get them from the top shelf.
“Don’t break our counter,” Ekko said.
Jinx rolled her eyes as she watched him put an unholy amount of chili in his cocoa.
“Your daddy is crazy,” she told Isha.
Isha grinned and took the chili flakes from Ekko, adding some to her own. Jinx shook her head in disapproval.
“You’ve radicalized her.”
After adding the marshmallows and whipped cream (and in Jinx’s case, a few extra spoonfuls of sugar), the three of them went back to the warmth of the heater to burrow under blankets. Ekko put on an old record, something they used to listen to when they were little kids. Isha gave Jinx her favorite storybook.
“Do the voices,” she signed.
“The voices, huh?” Jinx said. “Okay, okay. Once upon a time…”