"Yeah." He nudges her shoulder. "I think you'll like them plain."

Curtis doesn't bother with the knife and fork; it's too much hassle to do it one-handed. Instead, he tears off part of the topmost pancake -- then hesitates, and starts tearing it into smaller pieces without eating any of them.

"Or just with butter." A memory bubbles up: "I think I had chocolate chip pancakes once."