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Adren sat on the bed. It was easily the biggest bed she had ever seen.
"So," a voice behind her said, "what's up with batman?"
Adren flipped her hair out of her face as she turned to face Nick.
"What'd I tell you about knocking?"
"I didn't use the door. Are you and the K-man . . . a thing?"
"Say what? He's like my brother."
Nick nodded. "It's all good. Just looking for info."
"Info yourself out of my room."
Nick bowed and rolled forward, under Adren's bed.
"Get out from under there!" Adren leaned down and looked under the bed.
Nick was gone.
"Dang!" Adren threw one of the pillows at the wall. "How does he do that?"
"Now that would be telling." Nick leaned out of the closet.
"Get out!"
Nick walked out of the closet and out the door calling over his shoulder, "As you wish, m'lady."
As the door closed behind the boy, Adren flopped back on the bed.

***

Kamor and Milla were trying to fix the kitchen sink.
Well, Kamor was fixing and Milla was watching. Helpfully.
"Are you sure you're supposed to turn it that way? What if you break it?"
Kamor didn't so much as glance in the girl's direction. "I won't. Back away from the counter."
Milla stepped back apprehensively. "Why?"
"So you don't knock anything over when you freak out." Nick said from behind her.
"Ack!" Milla squeaked. "Don't do that!"
Nick grinned and bent over, hands on his knees. "How's tricks, Kay?"
"I could use some help."
"What can I get you? Wrench? Hammer? Sonic screwdriver?"
"Go turn the water off."
"Be right back. Alright what now?"
"Nothing. I need a new piece of pipe."
"Length? Diameter?"
"Right angle bend. One inch."
"Hmm. That might take a while."
Kamor pulled himself out of the cabinet. "No rush."
Milla leaned on her fist. "He's gone again," she said, dryly.
"I was talking to you."
"But I-"
"You were about to ask if you should go get Adren for lunch."
Milla stamped her foot. "No fair!"
Kamor opened the refrigerator and retrieved an unfinished bagel from breakfast. "Want to play hide and seek?"
Milla frowned. "You're joking, right?"
"You can hide first."
A slow smile crept across Milla's face. "You're on!"

***

Adren walked down the stairs wondering if lunch was just going to make itself, or if she was going to have to take point.
"Hey!" A stage-whisper broke into her thoughts. "Watch it!"
Adren looked around for the owner of the voice. "Nick?"
"No. It's Milla. Try not to step on me."
"Where are you?"
Milla faded back to her normal coloration. "On the stairs. I'm playing hide and seek with Kamor."
Adren looked confused. "What?"
Milla returned to the color of the stairs. "Go try not to give me away."
Adren walked down the rest of the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Aren't they cute?"
Adren spun around to see Nick leaning against the counter, spinning a piece of pipe in his hand.
Nick set down the pipe and walked to the doorway of the kitchen.
"I've been watching them for about ten minutes now."
"From here? No, wait. Stupid question."
"Nah, not stupid. I went out to get this piece of plumbing and they figured they had time for a game of hide and go find the other person. Which, by the way, is awesome in this house."
"Thank you for getting the pipe." Kamor grabbed the pipe out of Nick's hand and crawled into the cabinet again.
"Yipe! If that's what it's like for you guys when I do that . . ."
Adren raised one eyebrow at him. "Mm hmm. Wait, Kamor. If you're in here, who's Milla playing with?"
"No-one. We're done." Milla said, fading back to normal as she stepped away from the wall.
Adren and Nick jumped simultaneously. "Yipe!"

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