If You Must

All That We Are Is Surprised

Penelope

Simon and Baz show up right on time (the one thing Baz is useful for is keeping Simon punctual). When the doorbell buzzes Micah glances up at me from the ham he's slicing for sandwiches.

"Do you want me to get the door?" He asks, wiping his hands on a towel. He's wearing his glasses like he always does when he's tired (otherwise he wears contacts), and in his soft cotton t-shirt and loose jeans, I don't think he's ever been more attractive. I like Micah like this-- soft and easy and comfortable.

I don't realise I'm staring until he grins at me like he knows I got distracted (Micah is the only person I've ever met who can distract me). Smiling back at him, I shake my head, setting down the salad tongs I'm holding.

"No, let's both. We don't have much left to do for dinner, anyway. And they'll want to see you-- it's been a while." Micah nods and takes my hand. Pulling me towards him, he presses a quick, surprising kiss to the top of my head before leading us out of the kitchen. Heat rises to my cheeks, and I'm pretty sure I'm grinning like an idiot. An uncontrollable, Simon-Snow-grin.

We open the door to Simon and Baz's smiling faces. Simon's got one arm around his fiancé's waist, that familiar little divot of worry visible between his eyebrows. His smile seems genuine enough, though. Baz looks haggard (probably why Si's worried), but seems cheerful enough. Curiosity spikes through my stomach, but something about the dull gleam to Baz's grey eyes makes me think twice about asking. At the very least, I'll wait until later to ask Simon.

Cheerful hellos are exchanged. The boys shake hands; Simon hugs me; Baz flicks my arm with an affectionate smirk. We all corral around the table, chatting and laughing jovially. It all feels strangely... normal. For a vampire, an ex-supervillain, a clever Mage with purple hair, and an American.

Simon looks around and sighs melodramatically.

"It's weird to be back," he says, flopping into a chair. Baz and I raise an eyebrow at the same time.

"Simon, you've only been gone a few days," I reply, folding my arms. Simon rolls his eyes.

"Yes, Penny, but it's different, isn't it? It's just weird to be back without living here." Beside him, Baz half-sneers, settling gracefully into a chair (Tyrranus Basilton Grimm-Pitch is a Disney princess, and nobody can convince me otherwise).

"I can't decide if I should feel insulted or not, Simon..." He mutters. Micah laughs, and I smile.

"I feel like you should probably be insulted," Micah replies. Baz grins conspiratorially at him.

"I think you might be on to something." Simon rolls those blue eyes again.

"I swear, every time we're all together you all gang up on me," he bemoans. Reaching over, I tousle those tawny bronze curls.

"It's because we love you, Simon."

An idea dawns on me as I watch my best friend's smiling face, and I stand up slowly, not taking my eyes off of Simon.

"Come help me finish up dinner?" I ask him. Micah and Baz look at me.

"Baz and I can help, too, Pen," Micah offers. I shake my head, shooting Baz my 'I've-got-an-idea' look. He nods like he understands, peeking sideways at Simon.

"No, you two can stay out here and plot. Si and I will be right back."

I lead a very confused Simon Snow into the kitchen, pressing a finger to my lips. Nonplussed blue eyes stare down at me as I take him into the farthest (and hardest to hear) corner of the room.

"Penny what--" I shush him and he sighs, starting again more quietly. "Penny, what's this about? What're you doing?" I plant my hands on my hips.

"Did you and Baz practise Magic today?" I demand softly. Simon looks even more baffled, shaking his head.

"No, Baz wasn't feeling well. Why? Why are we in the kitchen?"

"Have you got your wand?"

"No, I don't need it anymore. S'useless. And I asked you first, Penny."

I grin at him.

"We're going to test the limits of what you can do."

---------------------

A/N:

Aleister Crowley, it feels good to write again. I've got forty-odd days of school left, and I keep getting so distracted I forget to write for fun. It's amazingly wonderful to write Snowbaz again-- I missed our boys. Sorry for my long hiatuses lately! I promise (for reals this time) to write more often. I really want to finish this fic; I've got a lot of exciting stuff planned for it (AKA lots of wedding DRAMAAAAA and a shit ton of fluff).

Terribly sorry again for my absence, lovely readers,

-Lefty