(no subject)

At the breakfast table, Lucas sat and thoughtfully nibbled at the toast Mom gave him with his omelet. The family had noticed him sitting and thinking more and more. They didn't really know what brought it on but didn't mind so much since it mostly seemed to happen while he was eating. If it didn't interfere with chores, they could live with it.

But today, curiosity moved Hinawa to ask, "Have something on your mind, Lucas?"

He looks up, a crust of toast hanging from his mouth, and finishes it while putting the rest in his hand down. Once he was done chewing and swallowing, he asked, "Mom, Dad? What's money?"

She puts her hand on her chin and repeats, "What's money?"

Hinawa then glances over to Flint, who tilts his hat back before reaching under it to scratch his head.

"That's a good question," he says. "Where did you hear about money, Lucas?"

Claus keeps eating but looks up from his plate to watch with interest.

"In a book I was reading," Lucas answers. "In it, there were these thieves, only they weren't nice like Mr. Wess and Duster, and they were going to rob a bank. I asked someone what a bank was and they said it was a place where people kept money."

"Bank" is a new one on the family, too, but Lucas's definition helps some.

"So money is something important," Hinawa hazards a guess. "Did this person tell you what money is used for?"

"I think they use it to trade things."

"To trade with?" Flint asks. "What's it good for once you get it?"

Lucas shrugs.

"Well, it must not be too important if they couldn't even tell you how to use it once you have it," Flint says. "Sounds to me like they made it up for that story and you can just pretend it's whatever's important to you."

"Where'd you get the story, Lucas?" Claus asks. "I wanna read it, too."

Lucas blushes a little and says, "I got it from a friend."

Which isn't completely a lie.

"It's got lots of pictures drawn in it and stuff. It's really neat."

"Will you show me after breakfast?"

"Okay."

"Now Claus," Hinawa interjects. "Lucas might not be done with it yet. He can finish reading it first if he wants to."

"It's okay, Mom," Lucas says. "I don't mind sharing with Claus."

Hinawa smiles at her boys at that.

They finish up their breakfast and Lucas and Claus go to their part of the room. Once the comic book is out, there's a lot of "Oooh!"s and "Cool!"s from Claus.

"Ah, boys and their fun, huh, dear?" Hinawa says, clearing the plates from the table.

"They're getting smarter every day," Flint replies, readjusting his hat. "I thought it would be a while longer before one of them would ask a question we couldn't answer."

"Don't worry about it," she tells him. "Everyone learns different things when we grow up. And our boys are smart because they've got a smart father."

Hinawa gives Flint a kiss on the cheek. He blushes a bit but his smile is more noticeable.