Marriage is Murder

Brant looked at Edward and then back to his pizza saying nothing but thinking a mile a minte about what he'd said. He ate his pizza and watched escobar walk to the fridge but paid him little mind as Jess smiled and nodded to Escobar as he went to the fridge. Cassidy savored her piza and smiled.

"This is good Michael." She said and smiled taking another bite. Steven walked in and grab a slice smiling.

"Ah a traditonal italian pizza," he said and chuckled as he stoos eating his slice " nice job fresh spinich leaves make the diferance." he said and finished his slice before heading back out to the green house

"It is excellent pizza, no matter how you like it. So, do tell," Michael teased Angus, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. "Do you consider yourself a Brit or Italian, Lad?"

"Both," Angus shrugged. "I usually just tell people I'm bilingual."

"You know that is technically so incorrect,..." Edward frowned. Knowing more than one language had nothing to do with where Angus's loyalties lay.

"Yes, well, most people get it," Angus said.

"Then you have very weird friends," Edward frowned.

"Which one of you is going to slit a wrist for me?" Escobar said, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. "I am very hungry."

Robert walked into the kitchen to get a beer, and hearing Escobar start to get cranky, he went to the larger walk in refrigerator and took a look. A moment later, he came back with a couple of test tubes for the vampire and handed them to him.

"Gracias," Escobar said, grateful. Robert nodded. He put a couple of slices of pizza on a plate, while Escobar ate, and then handed them to the vampire. "Que es esto?" Escobar frowned.

"Esta pizza," Edward said. "Esta comida." Escobar wrinkled his nose, smelling it. Escobar looked at them, eating the pizza with their fingers. He pinched the slice with two slender fingers, and attempted to pick it up. The slice was limp. He had to resort to handling it differently. He hesitated, as if Edward had asked him to eat something poisonous. hen he slowly took a bite and ate it.

He shrugged. "Paella is better, if you intend to actually eat," he said.

"I doubt this lot has ever had paella," Edward said. "It is quite lovely, though, I agree."

"I have," Angus said. "I just didn't figure anyone would like it."

"You never asked," Brian said, picking up another slice of pizza. "Khaat and I like it. What's not to like? Chicken and sausage and seafood in rice and vegetables in a lovely tomato sauce."

"I don't know. I just wasn't sure people would like it, that's all."

"Do put it on the menu for one of the evening meals soon, would you? We might even get this finicky vampire to join us."

"Finicky? I am not finicky," Escobar said. "Just make sure you can make a proper sofrito for it."

"I know how to make sofrito," Angus said.

"Do you? A real sofrito?"

"You can make a better one?"

"You're British. What can you know about sofrito? Of course I could make a better one," Escobar scowled.

"Oh, then by all means, do so. I'll add paella for the menu tomorrow night, if it isn't too much for you. You are over 600, after all."

"Your sofrito against mine, then," Escobar said.

"And for the winner?" Angus asked.

"Eternal bragging rights," Escobar said.

"You're on," Angus said.

Jack, Steven and Brant just sat and ate their pizza with Cassidy and Jess watching " I would but I don't think you'd like it" jack said as he finished his second piece of pizza. Jess just shook her head and chuckled.

" yeah would taste like pork, since your such a pig head." she told him Cassidy chuckled as did Brant who tried not to smile. Hearing the word paella he looked at Angus.

" with chorizo, pancetta and dry white wine?" he asked rembering how his father and edward use to make it togther on big family get togothers. He smiled rembering those days as a child running around in the open air.

"Depends on who's making it, I suppose," Angus shrugged. "Paella has a lot of tradition behind it, and there are a lot of variations to it."

"Perhaps," Escobar said. "But I promise my recipe is older than yours."

"Did they even have rice back then?" Angus teased.

"You have been listening to that sarcastic Englishman that keeps watch upstairs, haven't you?" Escobar frowned.

"Marcus? He knows how to be sarcastic, does he? Good for him!" Angus laughed. "Look, you might have everyone in Brazil trembling at your name, but that doesn't wash here."

"That's because your country doesn't teach respect," Escobar said.

"Not based on legend, we don't," Angus said. "We give respect when its earned. If you hadn't earned any, you wouldn't be anywhere near this house. You're just not used to people not being terrified of you. Give it a chance. You might enjoy it."

"I doubt it," Escobar said. He put the plate of pizza slices down. They were not exactly his choice. "If you'll excuse me, I have things to do." He went back upstairs.

"Be careful in giving him a hard time," Edward said. "Escobar is not a man to be trifled with. Vampires can have hot tempers. Don't push him too far, you lot."

Brant chuckled and watched as Escobar and Angus verbaly sparred then escobar left. Every one looked at Edward except Brant as he heard them all say they would not push him Brant sat and ate his pizza quietly he would never push a vampire he's seen the outcome too many times in his travels. " so Paella?" he asked " Do you want me to make it or will you?" he asked " if you make a list I'll go and get it for you?" he also added finishing his pizza and downing the last of his soda.

Steven looked at him and he raised an eye brow " what I can cook Paella" he said looking at Edward and Angus as he did " it was one of a few things I managed to pick up from you guys" he said with a smirk.

"Its late enough that I think you should wait until morning to shop," Edward told him.  "Its getting late.  

"I don't care if you want to go up against Escobar in a contest making paella," Angus said.  "Its fine by me.  I get enough action in the kitchen anyway." He yawned. "And besides, 4 am comes early.  At this rate, I'll get a good four hours of sleep before I have to be back in here again."

"You could let the house elves cook breakfast for a change," Edward said. "That is what you had them for, didn't you? To help?  Sleep in for once."

"That will get everyone all out of kilter," Angus said.

"I think they could survive one morning without you in the kitchen," Edward said.

Brant nodded and glanced at the wall clock he'd not even realized what time it was and he sighed " well we won't know how good he is unless we try" he said " I'll go in the morning, theres a fishing village I know sells only fresh sea food it will be perfect" he said and smiled as he heard edward talk to Angus " yeah, take a day off cuz, you work way to hard" he said sitting back in his chair as he watched him " taking a morning off won't hurt Angus relax." Jjack and Steven looked at him and chuckled.

" you don't know Angus do you" Jack said " its rare in the time I have known him that he takes a day off" he said Steven chuckled and nodded he agreed.

"He won't be taking the day off," Angus answered for himself. "If I have a day out of the kitchen I need to either decorate for Christmas--or try. Its a darned big house. Or--I need to do Khaat's Christmas shopping. I do not want her getting itchy that we're going to leave that undone for her."

"I really can shop for her," Brian said.

"You? You never shop for her," Angus frowned.

"That's because I've always been busy somewhere or another."

"Well, here's something you do need to think about," Angus said.

"What's that?"

"You're going to be a father again in April. You need to start considering where you're going to put this new one. The nursery is getting crowded."

"Oh," Brian said, frowning. He hadn't even considered that. "Um...yeah. Probably need to think about that soon."

"You think?" Angus laughed.

Brant chuckled and shook his head " see told you workaholic" he said and finished his soda placing his empty in the bin and heading to the potions lab again. Jack and Steven shook their heads and chuckled. Jess cleared the table along with Cassidy both headed to the living room and sat down.

"Ether way we'll help with the decorating Angus if you want " Cassidy asked smiling"I love to decorate now all the tinsel and bright colored boubles, it makes things feel happy and christmassy" she said as Jess nodded along.

"Um...go ahead and decorate, please," Brian said, now a bit preoccupied. "I...need to go upstairs." He simply turned and walked upstairs. Edward watched and laughed.

"Oh, nice going, there, Pal," Edward said to Angus. "You've shellshocked him. He's just realized how soon Number Six kid is going to be here. He's not thinking about Christmas anymore at all."

"Good," Angus grinned. "He'll leave my preparations alone then. And he's got another five months to get over it. He made it through the deliveries of the first four kids. I presume he'll survive this one too. I do believe Khaat told him she wanted a big family."

"How big is big?" Edward asked. "In Lupin terms?"

"I don't know if anyone knows," Michael said, checking the kitchen locks for the night "I'm guessing its a bit shy of Hogwarts needing to add a fifth house."

"Alright," Angus said, "Its late, I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Someone ask the elves to cook in the morning, please?" He yawned. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Michael said, watching Angus head to bed.