Hey. I published this late lol, sorry 😅 someone should PM me every Monday and remind me. Having graduated high school in July (2020), my week starts when I have to go to work. Sorry and thanks!

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I woke up next to Galen as always. He was snoring, and he had a strand of drool coming from the corner of his mouth. I rolled my eyes and rolled over to see Anya on the other side of me, sleeping peacefully. I smiled and booped her nose before I got up, pulling my hair in a low ponytail and heading downstairs to start breakfast.

I actually had a lot of food. I usually ate what Rey's mom made for me, and recently she had been making enough for Galen and I both, so the fact that I still went grocery shopping every week seemed a little redundant up until this exact moment. I thanked my foresight and got everything I needed.

Gimli liked meat, I knew that, so I pulled out a ham and started heating it up. Not slices or pieces or anything, the entire ham. I had planned on saving it for Christmas dinner with Rey's family. I also got some sausages and biscuits heated up for him. I had some leftover gravy from the week before so I put it on the stove to warm up, planning to pour it over the ham when it was done. Legolas, as far as I could guess, was vegan, so I made him a spinach breakfast casserole and popped it into the oven. I found myself wondering if he liked cheese, but I decided it was better not to assume. I hoped he did, because the casserole had cheese and I didn't really want to make him another one. Gandalf would eat anything, really, so I began preparing fresh bread for toast. Aragorn could have a bit of everything, so I set a big plate aside for him to put some of all of it on. Galen found a love of cereal while being here, and it was Anya's go-to breakfast, so I didn't really worry about them. The Hobbits had big stomachs despite their small sizes and would eat leather if it was all I had so I heated up a mincemeat pie I had in the freezer, the chicken pot pie underneath it, some stew I had made a few days ago, three bags of bagels and a container of cream cheese just in case they wanted some, a box of premade cherry scones and some apples and oranges. For Brian and Mary I made toast, and some waffles with my instant waffle mix just in case they wanted some.

Anya stumbled in a few minutes before everyone else. She grabbed cereal, a bowl, a spoon and the milk before sitting at what little counter space there was left. "Guess what, girl."

I could hear it in the misery in her voice. "Oh, no. Really?"

"Yep." She grabbed her back and whined. "Spectacular timing as always, my dear sweet uterus."

I gave her a sympathetic hug and brought her some painkillers and cranberry juice. "You gonna be alright?"

She nodded. "I'm not worried. Just angry."

"Understandable."

Four pair of feet pounded down my staircase just as I finished preparing the Hobbits' breakfast. Four short men appeared looking completely starved, drooling at the smell of food. I gave them their food and commanded them not to spill anything. I threatened their toes if they did.

"The smallest toe carries over half of your body's balance, so you better be careful!" I scolded. They did as I asked, though somewhat sloppily, and I brought them all cups of water. They thanked me multiple times for the food and all I could do was laugh and shake my head as I finished all the other dishes.

Legolas and Aragorn came down together, Aragorn looking well rested and Legolas looking a little hesitantly at all the food I had piled around me. I couldn't see them but out of the corner of my eye as I took the casserole out of the oven and closed it with my foot.

"Hey, Legolas?" I asked from the stove. "Do you eat cheese? I totally forgot to ask."

"Yes," he replied. "That is all right."

"Oh, thank the gods," I breathed. "This is really hot. Let me get you a plate for this." I set it down on the stove with what room I had left and grabbed a plate and fork for him. I scooped a chunk of casserole onto the plate and blew on it a little too cool it off. "It's still pretty hot, so make sure it's cooled off before you eat it, alright? If you like it I'll be happy to get you some more, just ask."

He thanked me with a deep bow and went to the living room. I hunched back down and opened the oven once more, glancing at the ham. The plastic indicator was sticking up, so I rushed to take it out and set it on the hot plate I had already set aside for it. I poured the gravy slowly, making sure the ham was covered but not soaked. I cut off a piece and put it on Aragorn's plate, as well as a portion of casserole and, much to the Hobbits' dismay, pieces of the pies and some scones I had given them. It all just barely fit. He thanked me with a smile so bright that I couldn't help but giggle as I got him a cup of water as well. The toast popped and I set the toast next to the waffles on two different plates, one for Brian and the other for Mary. Gimli came thumping down right before Gandalf came in, and I gave him what he called "the most glorious-smelling dead animal" he had ever encountered. I fought the urge to throw up in my mouth and gave him his biscuits and sausages as well, and I warned him just like I did the Hobbits, though this time threatening something with a bit more personal value.

Gandalf got his bread and ate it happily, accepting the only apple I had left and going into the living room with the others. Mary came in and I gave her her breakfast without sparing a glance. She was hurt, and I could feel it, but I ignored it, because it hurt me too. I hated myself for being like that to her.

Brian entered and he smiled at me as I gave him his breakfast. He sat next to Mary on a barstool next to the isle. Anya joined them and she and Brian were talking about something I didn't have time to pay attention to since I was preoccupied with the others. Legolas ate nearly the entire casserole, reminding me that just about every creature in Middle Earth had big stomachs and that included Elves. I fetched water for them because they didn't know how a sink works and I wasn't about to show them, since it wouldn't really matter to them soon anyways. I was rushing so much that I didn't notice Galen was watching me running around until I tripped and he caught me, making everyone go quiet. I straightened, embarrassed, and thanked him quietly.

"You should slow down," he said gently in his adorable morning voice. "You'll break something if you aren't careful. Not everything needs to be done in twenty seconds or less."

I nodded, smiling at him, and continued ferrying water to and from the living room.

Eventually Anya said something that made me stop in my tracks. "Are you going to eat, Mira?"

I turned to her, and for a second I actually didn't know what she was talking about. Then my stomach rumbled and I felt my face flush in embarrassment. "Oh. Right. I totally forgot to make something for myself. I'l just eat in a minute, it's no big deal."

The mood turned sad. I gulped, looking at everyone else as they looked at their own food with gloomy gazes. Finally Pippin stood up and held out an apple, smiling brightly. "Here ya go, Jenakin!"

And then everybody was offering me food, and tears filled my eyes as I smiled and laughed as they gave me some of their food. Even Anya tried to get me to eat some of her cereal. We were best friends, but I wasn't too keen on eating after her. I politely declined.

Everyone, including me, was full when the food was gone. And it was gone - I didn't have anything left in the fridge. I had food stored in various freezers, though, so I wasn't worried about lunch or dinner. It was tomorrow that worried me.

"I'm going to have to go out grocery shopping," I said to Galen as he helped me wash the dishes. The others were figuring out how toilets worked or practicing with swords or looking at books, doing their best to keep out of my way and especially out of trouble. "Want to come with?"

"Don't you want to take Anya? She probably isn't cut out for watching these buffoons."

"Hey!" I said playfully. "These are my friends. Don't be mean." I bumped his hip with mine and he did the same. It would have knocked me over if I hadn't been prepared for it. He grinned at me and I grinned back, and then we were washing dishes again.

My phone rang. I jumped to dry my hands and sprang on it, accepting my uncle Benji's call immediately. I stepped outside before I started talking.

"Hey, Benj," I said happily. "What's up?"

"Hey, M," he said tiredly. "Just checking in."

"I'm great, just great. Passing all my classes, keeping the house clean, not talking to strangers, just like you taught me."

I heard him yawn. "Sorry, this job is killer. And with the baby..."

He and Diana had just had his third (her fifth) child. He was only a few months old but apparently he was already quite the handful. "I understand," I told him. "I actually just met a bunch of friends from school and they're crashing at my place for a little while."

"You allowed to have guests?"

"Probably not." He laughed, and so did I. "Don't worry about it," I told him, "I don't think Mrs. P will mind. That much. They won't be here for long, I don't think."

He made a disbelieving noise. "Whatever, M."

It was quiet for a moment, but I didn't mind, and I don't think he minded either. It was probably the only peace he had had in a while.

"Hey, M?"

"Yeah?"

He paused for a second. "Be careful, okay?"

"What do you mean?"

He started to say something but stopped. "I don't know. Just got a feeling."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"Are you sure it's just a feeling?" I said jokingly, but I wasn't joking and he knew it. I started to get a bad feeling in my stomach.

"Yeah. It's only a feeling. Dad Mode, you know? I know I'm not your dad, and I would never claim to be, but it just goes crazy when I think about you up there by yourself. It scares me."

I knew.

"So, promise you'll be okay, alright?"

"I promise, Benji," I told him.

"Good. Alright. I have to go. I love you, M."

I hesitated. "Benji, I -"

He hung up.

I hung up too.

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:'(