"Hey, Danny. Can you fill me up on post dip?"

"Huh?"

Danny turned his head from tossing the used wet and dry rags into the dirty towel bucket.

It'd been better than trying to remain in his room with homework and books to read. They were done and he was done. Not much else to do during a weekend. Bored and without distraction from inside his head wasn't a welcome thought. This would keep him busy. And offering to come out milking assuaged the growing looks on concern aimed in his direction by Edi.

"Post dip," repeated Elizabeth with a lift of a hip. Showing the dipper attached on her pants pocket. "It's the same pump for that."

She pointed to the buckets in the middle of the alleyway, turning away from him to flip the knob and put the milker on.

Same for... Oh! The iodine mixed with the warm water for cleaning the cows before the milker. Same for after then.

"Sure! I can fill it up for you."

Her hand unhooked it, handing it off, already heading to put on another milker. "Thanks."

Glancing quick for Hissy McGee, Danny entered the milk room, twisting the top portion of the bottle off. Squirting in a pump, he then turned on the water to fill it up the rest of the way. Giving a twist to put the top cup back on, he squeezed the bottle, watching in fascination as it filled up the cup. Ready to dip.

Hurrying back out, past Dale whistling along to the radio as he got the cow next to one milking ready, Danny handed Elizabeth the squeeze bottle cup thing.

"There you go. Hey. So. What is that called? You call it a dipper, but..."

Elizabeth stopped moving toward the buckets, pausing. "Its actual name?"

Her eyes drew upwards, thinking. "Um... Teat dip cup. Yeah. That sounds right. Why do you ask?"

Teat dip cup.

"Nevermind, forget I asked!"

Forget the answer!

"Wh-"

Rushing away, Danny cut her off, rambling, voice still pitching and squeaking a little too high.

"That cow's next to get ready, right? I got it, nope, nevermind, hello McGee, I'm out, I'm out! Arly, get out of my way! Next cow over to get ready and not think of the name!"

"You doing okay down there Danny?"

"I'm fine! I'm fine, Dale, it's nothing, don't worry about it!"

From behind him as he got another cow ready, laughter started up.

"Would tit be better? Or maybe a more human term of ni-"

"NO IT REALLY IS NOT!"

The cow flinched under his hand, back legs shifting and dancing and jiggling around, and Danny swore as it made getting the cow ready more difficult.

"Woah, bossy!"

Lifting up the cow's tail, Elizabeth looked down at where he crouched. "There. Finish getting her ready. I'll stop with the teasing."

"...thanks."

"You better start praying Dad keeps holding off on telling any of his favorite jokes on you."

Wide eyed, cow ready to go, Danny stood up and went on tip toe to see across the backs of all the cows and stared at the whistling Dale.

"Because it's just a matter of time. Fair warning. He lives for the reactions he gets out of our friends." Elizabeth winced and then admitted, "They're bad."

Danny stared.

At her. At Dale. Back to her.

Oh god.