Lorraine woke up early, after doing her business and noticing the almost permanent bags under her eyes, the doe shuffled out of her room. As she walked out of the hall into the lounge room, she squinted at the bright, early morning light pouring in from every window. She stood in the walkway, staring at the floor to adjust to what was to her, unholy, unwarranted, absolutely despised headache-inducing brightness.

"Good morning dear, sleep well?" came Alastor's voice and Lorraine looked, the buck nothing but a red silhouette against the morning sun.

"Morning." she replied and blinked a few times.

A red glow surrounded the curtains of one of the larger windows and closed them. The assault on the doe girl's senses immediately eased.

"Thanks." she said and followed him into the kitchen.

"Not a problem, what can I get you for breakfast?" the buck asked.

Lorraine stopped by a cupboard, confused. "I was just going to have a brownie..."

"Lorraine..." Alastor began.

"It's quick and light," Lorraine stated curtly as she opened the cupboard with a paw and reached for her painkillers. "I'm not very hungry anyway."

"You can do better than pre-packaged garbage. I can make you something."

The doe walked around him to the fridge and pulled out a sports water bottle filled with apple juice. "I like the brownies, plus you always cook something. You, John and Gilda fight over who makes lunch or tea."

"What if I want to make you something?" Alastor asked. "Even if it's just a poached egg."

"Why is this a big deal?" Lorraine replied as she set her water bottle on the counter by her medication. "The sugar in the brownie is actually beneficial to me and it means I won't have to sit out in the cold photosynthesizing until after I have lunch."

"You, my dear, deserve better than the cheap, mass-produced filth sold to the masses," Alastor stated seriously and his ever present smile became a smug grin. "You are what you eat after all!"

Lorraine, too tired to have the energy to argue, sighed in frustration.

"Can't I just pick what I want?" she huffed before mumbling "...I just want to do stuff myself..." The doe ran a paw through the fur on the back of her head. "Sorry."

Alastor blinked. "I take it your... freedom regarding something as simple as your own meals are a sore spot for you?"

"No-not really-" Lorraine protested and wilted as the buck raised a brow. "...Maybe...I shouldn't care though..."

"Whether you shouldn't care or not is meaningless. You do care so, it's natural you would react the way you do." Alastor replied. "Let me say that I do not mind in the slightest if you'd like me to make you something," Alastor beamed. "We could go out for a change! We could go to that quaint tea shop you like so much. Why with how early it is we'd have first pick of the food and seating!"

"It's cold though..."

Alastor looked amused. "It is up to you dear. What do you want to do?"

"You really don't mind making something for me?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I rather enjoy cooking." the buck replied.

Lorraine blinked slowly as she thought. "... Can I have pikelets?"

"Of course you can, I'll let you know when they're ready so you can take your medication before you eat." Alastor nodded.

The doe girl put her bottle back into the fridge and returned the box of painkillers to the cupboard. "Thanks."

"So, what are your plans for today?" Alastor asked as the two of them sat at the dinner table.

Lorraine pulled her focus away from her small plate of jam covered pikelets. "Huh? Today? I was going to try growing stuff on me..." she scrunched up her brow in thought. "If I can get bucksleaf growing on my legs an' back I'd have a steady supply in case the cutting we planted carks it."

"Unless you neglect it or some oaf tries to kill it, I doubt it will die anytime soon," Alastor pointed out and took a sip of the steaming mug of coffee held in his magic. "How will growing things on you work exactly? Everything I've read about Flora Doe are frustratingly vague on the topic."

"The short answer is floramancy," Lorraine said. "Basically, I pick which part of a plant to replicate, after eating a piece of one to absorb its genetic makeup, and grow that part on a sort of mimic plant with a shallow root system running through the wood bits of me. My magic supplements any environmental and soil conditions or additional nutrients the plant might need. Oh, and the more differences between my environment and what the plant needs means more magic is used and more energy I need to replace."

Alastor stared at her for a moment, then turned towards the kitchen. "Well, I'm making you an extra large lunch then. Have to supplement any magic you use for growing things with plenty of food. Now where did Thorax put the pan..."

Author's Note

Dragonfire2lm: Was gonna write more but I lost my energy and couldn't brain. Either way, it's a neat little thing. I hope you enjoyed.