Small Cottage

"Please, be serious. I'm asking you for help, advice, and you're ignoring me for oatmeal." Serenity persisted. "What if I can't have babies? I want.. I want them! It's necessary."

Elroy raised his head and propped himself up on his elbow. "They've got all kind of medical shit these days, I'm sure you could," he droned.

Serenity frowned. "What is your problem?!"

"I don't really care, that's all." He went back to his breakfast, wishing there were more dehydrated peach bits floating around in the muck.

"Why don't you care? Shouldn't you care about me?!" Serenity kept bothering the crap out of him.

"Would I have stuck around this long? Would I have carried you out to the clinic when you had that seizure that time?"

"Shut up. That was dreadful, and embarrassing." Serenity mumbled. "So.. Then why don't we go on a date?"

"What?" A bit of oatmeal fell back into the bowl from his mouth.

"A date. Like, dinner or something, without the dumpster, and with more talking."

"You mean like what we've been doing every day for the past year or so?"

"Yes, but this would be more special. And date-y. And we could get dressed up.." Serenity sighed. "I was just.. I'd like to go on a date. A romantic one, where you rent a nice car. And get me flowers, and buy dinner for me, and then we'd ride off in the car and go dancing and it would be.. romantic!"

Elroy stared at her as though he had no idea what she was talking about.

Serenity got up. "I've got to go fill out some more essays. Forget it." She went into the bedroom, spreading out papers on the floor and reading them, sometimes two at once.

"Yeah, well, I have..." He glanced over at the clock on the wall. "Oh, great, I'm late! Thanks a lot!" he shouted, apparating away. Crack.

Serenity sighed and smiled idiotically. She was currently harboring an immature, school-girlish crush on him, ever since he had carried her to the hospital. She sighed, trying to concentrate on her work.

Around 6:00 PM, Elroy returned back to the cottage. He'd decided to just take the ferry instead of apparating; it gave him some time on his own to think about whatever it is Elroys think about. Upon reaching the doorstep, he realized that he hadn't taken his key that morning; deciding against apparating home was sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing. So, he had to knock.

"Go away!" Serenity shouted from inside, where she was doing the dishes, a boy band song blaring. "I'm not buying anything, okay, just leave!" She kept scrubbing the plates viciously.

"Open the door, woman!"

[I'M 14!]

"Oh, Elroy.." Serenity said, going over and opening the door, still wearing her yellow gloves and holding the scrubber. She looked exhausted. "This.. this is hard."

[YOU'RE FOURTEEN]

Elroy pushed past her, heading down the hall to his room. "Yeah, right."

"What's that supposed to mean?! Don't be all huffy and walk-y away! I've been working all day. I've been doing your dishes, cleaning your laundry, making your bed. Oh, don't forget cleaning up after you! You're a slob!"

"Then don't!"

"But I want to be nice to you." Serenity said. "You're the one who got me this house. And made sure I didn't kill myself when I got here."

"Don't need payment for that."

"Well.. Well fine then." Serenity grumbled, turning and going back into the living room.