A/N: Since there seems to be no end of this series in sight, I thought I'd put up the titles of all of the one shots at the beginning of each story. They can be read in any order, this is just how they've been written.
Rain Brings Growing Things
A Story to Help You Sleep
The Devil Finally Thought to ask Forgiveness
Did the Shining Prince Court the Golden Princess
I Know What Will Make You Feel Better
I Like When You Play
Fun Playing Dress Up
We Got Together Over Tea
Feel free to leave prompts of what you want to see in other one shots.
Dedicated to cabinet of curiosities for her prompt of John and Elly, having a tea party.
Elly watched her grandfather setting out a china tea set. He did this every day between lunch and dinner. Usually she was left to her own devices while he did this. She knew he liked to be alone when the set came out but today the DVD player was broken and she couldn't find any good books to hold her interest. Except the Golden Storybook but it was better when grandpa read that one aloud to her. "Grandpa," she called, "What are you doing?"
"Setting out tea," he replied. "Do you need something?"
"Why do you do it every day?"
John paused in his preparations. "Habit, I suppose," he shrugged.
"Habit?" Elly echoed.
"It's something you do over and over because you've always done it that way. I've always had tea. So I have it now."
"Did you have tea when you were a little boy?"
"Yes. My mother would call us all into the tea room and have us practice for when company was over."
"Why?"
"Because when I was a boy, tea parties were a British custom. People would dress in their finest clothes and visit each other. They'd talk about unimportant things and use their very best manners."
Elly scrambled onto the seat across from her grandfather. "Did you have tea parties with grandma?"
John smiled slightly at the old memories. "We got together over tea, yes. And our friends would come over sometimes as well."
Elly cocked her head as she looked at the tea set. "Did mummy and daddy have tea parties?"
"I doubt it. Not real ones anyway. They had fallen out of favor by that time. But your mother might have had pretend tea parties when she was your age." John grinned at the thought of his daughter doing such a girly thing. "Though, knowing her, I don't' think so."
"Where did you get this set?"
"It was your grandmother's."
"Can we have a tea party? The two of us?"
John tilted his head at her. "I don't know," he smiled. "Do you think you can use your best manners?"
"Promise!" Elly crowed.
John kissed her hair. "Then I suppose we can." He grabbed another cup, saucer and plate from the cabinet. Placing them in front of his granddaughter, he settled across from her. "How do you take your tea, Miss Elly?"
"With sugar, please."
"One lump or two?"
"Two, please."
"Sweet tooth," John chuckled.
Elly pretended to look shocked. "Manners, grandpa."
John did his best to look abashed when he really wanted to laugh. "My apologies. I'll try to do better."
"You'd better. It's not nice to be impolite during tea."
"Of course, Miss Elly. Would you like a biscuit?"
"Yes, please."
"Here you are."
Elly followed her grandfather's every move. She sipped her tea just like him, used her napkin just like him and nibbled the food just like him. John led the conversation but Elly did her best to keep up. When everything was done, John told her that it was polite to formally say goodbye to each other. John bowed to his granddaughter while Elly gave her prettiest curtsey. Then she ran to hug her grandfather tightly. "That was the best tea party ever," she declared.
John lifted her up so he could settle her on his hip. "It really was," he agreed.