Mystique || Sweet Pea [3]

10

10 || The Past

"Do we have to go?" Eddie whined, cleaning up the morning after he and Toby played video games all night.

"Yes." I nodded. "Archie's been my friend forever, and he needs your help."

"But, I don't want to deal with Dodger." Eddie huffed. "He's probably mad that I've been missing for the last week."

"You don't have to go anywhere near Dodger." I stated. "I already told Archie that wasn't allowed. He just needs you and Toby to get the word out that El Royale has arcade games now."

"I can do that." Toby nodded, looking up at me. "But only if I get to come back here."

"My door is always open, so long as you clean up after yourself." I shrugged. "Besides, you're Eddie's friend. You'll always be welcome."

"Do I have to go?" Sweet Pea sounded, eyeing the two boys as they folded their blankets.

"Absolutely." I nodded again. "Because if I have to be up this early on a Saturday, so do you."

"You're lucky that I love you." Sweet Pea groaned, ducking back into our room.

"Yes, I know!" I called after him. "I'll make you boys breakfast while you finish cleaning up."

"Thanks, Kit." Eddie smiled. I smiled back and headed upstairs, starting on breakfast for the whole house. Before I started on the pancakes I planned on making, I brewed a pot of coffee. Alice was the first one to meet me in the kitchen, wrapped up in her robe with a tired look in her eyes

"Morning, Alice." I greeted, gesturing to the coffee pot. "I made coffee."

"Morning, Kit." Alice smiled sleepily. "Thank you."

"No problem." I waved her off, pouring some pancake batter into a pan. She sipped her coffee while I worked on breakfast, neither of us talking. I hummed to myself as I finished up the pancakes, and focused my attention on some bacon.

"Hey, baby." Sweet Pea greeted, wrapping his arms around me from behind and planting a kiss on my cheek. "Looks good."

"Hey." I grinned, flipping the bacon. "Coffee's brewed, can you make me a cup?"

"Of course." Sweet Pea nodded, moving toward the coffee maker.

"Morning, Kit!" JB greeted next, followed swiftly by Toby and Eddie. "Oh, coffee!"

"Brew another pot!" I told her, finishing the bacon. I turned to Eddie and Toby with a smile. "There's OJ and milk in the fridge. Breakfast is almost ready."

"More chaotic than usual in here." Betty muttered, brushing past me to get to the coffee pot. "Morning."

She was met with a chorus of 'morning's', which she ignored for the most part as she waited for a fresh pot of coffee to be brewed.

"We have a full house here, huh?" Dad asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and kissing my temple. "Morning, Kit."

"Morning, daddy." I smiled, scrambling a pan of eggs. As soon as the eggs were done, I started making plates and passing them around. Once everyone had a plate and was eating, I took a seat on the counter and watched them all with a smile on my face. I sipped the coffee Sweet Pea made for me and enjoyed the sight and sound of my makeshift family- minus Jughead- interact with each other.

"What's up?" Sweet Pea asked, leaning beside me on the counter.

"Just, taking it all in." I shrugged, laying my head on his shoulder.