This is a fluffy post-war Shrios story. I normally don't write fluff and thought I would give it a go!

And I don't know if Kolyat managed to stay in character. He's hard to write.

So, enjoy and let me know what you think!

Pancakes fix everything

A five year old drell with beautiful dark red scales stood outside her parent's bedroom, peeking in through the half open door. She saw her father touch her mother's hair and kiss her forehead before tucking her in. When he turned around and made his way to the door, Miyo Krios stepped away and pretended to not just have spied on her parents.

But Thane saw right through her. He knew his daughter and knew that she had been watching. Children were more than easy to read. The way she looked down at her naked feet and the way she squeezed the stuffed toyed were clear giveaways. He couldn't stop himself from smiling as he stroke over her head.

"Miyo." Thane said and crouched down to be at eye level with her. "I didn't know you were up. Are you hungry?"

The child nodded, but didn't look up. Thane pressed his lips against the diamond shape on her forehead and stood up. Gently, he took her hand in his and started walking towards the kitchen.

"What's wrong with mommy?" Miyo asked silently without looking at her father.

"Mom isn't feeling well today." Thane said as they entered the kitchen.

That wasn't a lie. She wasn't feeling well. The war had taken a toll on her and even now, nearly seven years later, she was still suffering from it. The physical wounds had healed, but the mental ones were more difficult to treat. She was fine most of the time, but there were days she'd just stay in bed and not do anything. And even though this wasn't the first time Miyo had asked about it, he still didn't know what to say. How did you explain PTSD to a child?

"Is she sick?" Miyo asked as she climbed onto a chair.

"Sort of." Thane said as he turned to the fridge to make breakfast for the younger. It was weekend, so there was no need to rush. "What do you say about some pancakes?"

"Yes!" She cried out and clapped her hands together.

"Go and ask your brother if he wants some as well."

There was the sound of small feet pattering against the floor as Miyo ran towards Kolyat's room. In the beginning, when Shepard and Thane adopted Miyo as an infant, they had worried Kolyat wouldn't care for his sister. However, the two had grown close quickly and Kolyat gladly babysat, or took Miyo out for a day on town, despite the number of looks they got from being drell on Earth.

Kolyat was still living with them, since he had been unable to find a place on his own. Thane and Shepard were more than happy to accommodate him. He had been talking loosely about moving back to Kahje to continue his studies and follow in his mother's footsteps as a researcher. Shepard was supportive of the idea, but Thane fussed. Shepard had to tell him to tone it down a bit. After all, Kolyat was a big boy now.

Thane hummed a low tune under his breath as he started preparing the breakfast. The joys of being a drell. He only had to look over the recipe once and then he knew it by heart.

"I heard a rumour about pancakes." A voice said from behind him.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Kolyat still in his sleepwear, with Miyo on his back. The younger drell was clinging onto him and her cheek was pressing against his neck.

"Yes, since there's no school or work today, I thought I'd make something special."

Kolyat loosened Miyo's grip around his throat and took her under her arms. As he plopped her down on a chair, he looked around the table.

"Bad day?" He asked and there was no need for him to elaborate.

"Yes." Thane said quietly.

Silence fell in the kitchen, only interrupted by Miyo's humming. She was so carefree, so young and hopeful. She gave Thane hope. As the pancakes sizzled in the pan, he turned around to look at his children. Kolyat was struggling to keep his eyes open, as he probably felt like it was way too early in the morning for him to be up. Miyo was looking out the window, at the sand dunes and the desert flora.

"Daddy?" Miyo said suddenly. "What's a frog?"

Thane couldn't help but frown that was a bit sudden question. He turned back to the stove and flipped the pancakes.

"Why do you ask?"

"Sarah in school called me one."

"That's not very nice of her." Thane frowned. Children were ruthless.

"Frogs are great." Kolyat intervened and pulled up an image of a dart frog with red skin and black speckles on his omni-tool. "Look, they are almost like drell. Large eyes, beautiful colours. And they're poisonous."

"Are we poisonous?" She frowned.

"Slightly." Thane said as he started plating the pancakes.

"Does mommy get sick when she's with us?"

"No, she's, erm, used to it." Thane's voice trailed off a bit at the end. He heard Kolyat attempt to disguise a laugh as a cough.

"That one looks like you!" She shrieked in excitement as she spotted a blue one.

Thane smiled softly as he plated the final pancakes and placed the plates in front of the siblings. Miyo was occupied with Kolyat's omni-tool, attempting to find one that looked like her father. After handing them some cutlery, Thane turned back to the kitchen bench to brew some tea to bring into Shepard.

As he had his back turned, Miyo stared intently at her plate, evidently deep in thought. She chewed on her bottom lip for a while, before remembering what her mother had said when they had been out in the park a few weeks ago and she'd been cranky. Shepard had bought her a large cinnamon bun. You're not happy if you're hungry.

While Thane poured water into a cup, Miyo slid off her chair, grabbed her plate and started making her way towards her parents' bedroom. Thane whipped around and Kolyat just shrugged, with a mouthful of pancake.

"Miyo?" He called out and started following his daughter.

He caught her at about the same time as she reached the bedroom. The door stood open and Thane crept closer, listening intently as well as looking in through the crack in the door. Miyo had placed her plate on the bedside table and stepped away, her hands behind her back. Shepard rolled over in the bed and looked at the child.

"You're not happy if you're hungry, mommy." Miyo whispered.

Thane felt his heart melt at that comment and from the look on Shepard's face, she felt the same. Smiling softly, she sat up on the bed and lifted Miyo into her lap.

"I love you mummy." Miyo mumbled against her mother's shoulder.

"I love you too, pumpkin." Shepard kissed her daughter's cheek.

"No!" Miyo shook her head. "I'm poisonous!"

"Oh?" Shepard looked over Miyo's head and locked eyes with Thane, who just shrugged with a sheepish smile on his face.

This will perhaps become a series of fluffy and humorous one-shots.

I'm unemployed with too much time on my hands, so I have nothing better to do than write fanfics.

Let me know what you think!