CinderFrost

A Day at the Cottage

Jack wore a short, brown work dress over a white underdress with her hair in a ponytail. Rubbing the crust from her eyes as she practically plopped the kettle on top of the stove. Then using a napkin to protect her hand from the heat of a pan filled with scrambled eggs, she gripped the handle and led it to the table with three plates which had toast and jelly already set.

She soon set the full plates on a long tray with three glasses of milk and head to the dining room. Setting the tableware in place just as she heard foot steps coming down the stairs.

Jack quickly hopped away from the table and stood as straight as she could with her hands behind her back and head low.

Pitch walked around the corner with his usual scowl and went to sit in his seat with heavy feet. The twins quickly followed suit with neutral faces, used to waking up in a depressive mood.

They all sat and ate while Jack stood in the corner for a good few minutes until Jack heard the tea kettle, whistle in the kitchen. Once away, she took it off of the rack-like stove and put it on the counter with a sigh. She took a moment to breath as she leaned on the counter.

No one in this house was a morning person, especially Pitch. She just hopes to get his after-breakfast-tea right so she can have the chance for her own breakfast.

Unwrapping the Earl Grey teabag and setting it into the pot of boiling hot water, she stood in silence. The whole house was almost always in a state of unsettling quiet. The memories of the echoes of laughter always seemed to haunt Jack. Her desire for things to go back to the way they were before Katherine died.

She then popped out of her zoned out state when her stomach growled and lifted the kettle to pour the colored water into a glass mug. Putting it on a silver tray because Pitch hated seeing her actively holding anything he was going to consume.

She walked back around to the dining room and stood in the corner, waiting for them to finish eating. Eventually they all put down their silverware and Pitch snapped his fingers, signalling Jack to bring his tea.

She lowered the tray to him as she looked at their plates. Tuffnut had eaten both slices of toast but half his eggs while Ruffnut ate one slice and half of her eggs.

So a slice of toast and jelly with almost a full round of eggs. Jack couldn't help but smile a bit.

Before Pitch suddenly threw his glass mug near her bare feet, scaring her and the twins at the sudden action. She could feel a few small pieces of glass dig into the palm of her foot as Pitch stood. The tray in her hands tilting slightly in fear as his presence loomed over her.

"... Ba'ly any flava'," his British accent cut the silence before he latches his fingers onto Jack's ear, forcing her toward him. Her face scrunched in pain at his hold. "You know how I feel about thot."

Jack quickly nodded and his grip, released. She couldn't help but moan in relief before Pitch turned.

"Kids, lessons," Ruffnut and Tuffnut stood at his words and followed him without one. Jack sighed once more as she gathered the plates and cups into the kitchen. Limping as she does so.

Once in there and setting the plates down, she sat in a chair to look at her foot as small chunks of glass surrounded little, red droplets in her skin. She manages to pinch the chunks out and pulls over the bucket of water in the corner. Taking a rag and wiping the blood off.

It wasn't too bad. It stung like a thousand bees but the punctures were very small and Jack could tell it was already scabbing over.

After a moment she stood up again, her foot already feeling better, and walked back to her now cold breakfast. Better than nothing and Jack was more than grateful for the twins to sacrifice their meals.