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A warm scent wafted in the air as Osvald found his way from his study to his home’s kitchen, exchanging words with his companion.
His companion whose eyes lit up with excitement when discussing magical theories or was lit ablaze with a determined light when they had debates. His companion whose smile made him feel strange but warm.
They stepped through Osvald’s house’s front door together, still talking of the idea of a single, powerful form of magic, when his wife approached him, greeting both him and his friend with a cheery smile.
“Me and Elena have been making dinner for you!” She then turned to address his friend. “And Harvey, I’m so glad you’re joining us for dinner, I’m sure Osvald wouldn’t enjoy his favorite meal as much without you,” she winked and nudged Osvald in the ribs playfully.
He returned the look with a deadpan stare, though it didn’t last long as an energetic child bounced over, wrapping her arms halfway around Osvald as she looked up, her smile wide.
“Hi Papa!” She then turned, excited. “You brought Harvey again!” She squealed in delight, the sound made the corner of Osvald’s mouth quirk up a little.
Harvey leaned down, his charismatic smile wide as he ruffled Elena’s hair playfully. “Hi there kiddo.” Elena giggled and swatted his hand away, attacking him with an embrace as well.
Osvald snorted at the exchange and turned to his wife. “Thanks for letting me drag him home again, Rita,” He said, “and thanks for making dinner.” Rita beamed.
“Of course! Why don’t you three get settled, I’ll set the table,” She bustled off to the kitchen and began to pour a warm steaming meal from a pot into a bowl.
Osvald removed his coat, Harvey following suit as Elena took their gear without being asked and ran off to shove them into the closet. Osvald led Harvey to their table and offered his chair he often sat in to Harvey, who accepted.
Elena wobbled over to them, now carrying a chair, and slotted it uncomfortably close to where Harvey was sitting. “Here Papa!” She then scampered off again to assist Rita in the kitchen.
“She’s a good kid,” Harvey sounded amused and affectionate, Osvald grunted his agreements and shifted the chair so it wasn’t pressing up against Harvey’s before he sat down.
“She is.” They sat for a moment, silent except for the chatter of Rita talking to her daughter in the kitchen. There was a bright, warm laugh from Rita as she emerged from the kitchen, carrying a big bowl as Elena came around the table, prancing as she distributed ceramic bowls and silverware.
Elena finally took her own seat, though her energy levels never subsided as she bounced happily. Rita slid the serving bowl into the center of the table, and then took her spot across from Osvald.
Osvald couldn’t help but stare at Rita’s warm brown eyes, not noticing as Harvey took the bowl of goulash, ladled some for himself, and passed it to Elena, who clumsily spilled a bit onto the table before managing to successfully get the bowl mostly full.
It was only when Rita turned away to get herself some goulash that he realized he was staring and looked to his side, only to find himself gazing at Harvey instead.
Harvey, actively in the act of swallowing his goulash, nearly choked before he finished his mouthful and responded with an unmoving look of his own. Osvald blushed slightly and turned to stare at his empty bowl, waiting until Rita had finished serving herself to lean over and receive the bowl of goulash.
He put some in his own and pushed the main bowl back to the center before he stared down and began to eat.
“So, were you up to anything interesting today?” Rita asked between her mouthfuls of food.
“Yes-” Osvald began, only to be interrupted by Harvey, who looked mildly embarrassed before he recovered and opened his mouth to continue.
Rita raised an eyebrow at his reaction. “I’m sure you two did very normal things,” she smirked mischievously, seeming to enjoy as Harvey looked embarrassed yet again.
“Very normal things,” Osvald chipped in to confirm what she said. “We worked on a few spells, I helped Harvey out some-” Harvey coughed, cutting Osvald off. Rita however, took an interest, looking entertained.
“Helped him how?”
“I held his hands and assisted him in creating flames,” Osvald told her bluntly, before Harvey could stop him. Rita laughed warmly, amused. Elena looked up from her own meal, clearly not having paid attention to the conversation but detecting Harvey’s reactions.
Harvey laser focused on his goulash, though it was obvious he felt Elena’s gaze on him as well.
Osvald’s eyes then widened as he suddenly realized why Harvey had reacted in such a way and looked glanced away awkwardly.
Rita’s only reaction was an outburst of laughter, which was followed by the higher pitch of Elena’s, who likely had no idea why Rita was laughing but felt like joining in.
“He just needed a small nudge in the right direction,” Osvald started, trying to justify the hand holding. Harvey nodded, fast and aggressive.
“Alright, alright,” Rita said, relenting only temporarily to allow them to continue eating. Osvald was grateful, enjoying the warmth of the goulash and taste of it. Harvey made a noise of appreciation.
Elena leaned over to whisper to Rita, though her voice was not even the slightest bit silent. “Mama, why were we laughing?”
“You don’t need to worry about it,” she told her, though the question had caused Harvey to nearly choke again. Elena glanced at him, shrugged, and then returned to eating. Harvey followed her example a few heartbeats later.
The four ate in almost comfortable silence for a while.
Elena was the first one done, excusing herself and hopping away to deposit her dishes where other unclean ones lay in a sink.
It was a few moments before Rita followed. She took her emptied out bowl, dropped it off next to Elena’s abandoned bowl, and returned. She sat back down, patiently waiting until both Harvey and Osvald had finished and followed her example before she spoke up again.
“Is holding hands all you did?”
“I was helping him create flames,” Osvald retorted, stumbling over his words slightly.
“We talked?” Harvey added, trying to be helpful but only worsening the situation. Rita snicked.
“Would you like to go back to that?”
“Why don’t we see Elena to bed,” Osvald suggested, trying his best to ignore his wife’s taunts. Rita rolled her eyes with a smile.
“Sure, why not?” Osvald stood, offering a hand to both Rita and Harvey, and helped them up, before Rita led them to Elena’s room, where they found the young girl bustling around her room, preparing to sleep.
She spotted them with a wide grin.
“Night!” Elena dashed over. She then gave them all hugs paired with a kiss on the cheek, the gesture making Rita hug her back, Osvald smile, and leaving Harvey pleasantly shocked.