#adult colorin | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fullmetaldevil-blog · 5 years

Text

Batim Stitched Au Short: A Gift of Water and Light

The 4th of July is rapidly approaching and everyone wanted to make the summer holiday special for the two demons. A little discovery goes a long way towards the holiday and with the new found information they were willing to go all out to make the most of the situation.

*Authors notes: I had planned on having this short finished BEFORE the 4th of July but as they say ‘life gets in the way’ so I didn’t get it out in time.

so without further interruptions

On with the show~!

The town shopping center was bustling with life as people came and went with party supplies for the coming weekend. Norman couldn't help but grin ear to ear as Janice, Benny's neighbor, had called him up asking him to help her set up a barbecue at the elderly home for the 4th of July weekend. She had invited Wally, Sammy, Susie, Bendy, Benny and their respective families to join them for the 4th of July celebration. The care giver happily boasted about having the best seats in the valley to watch the fireworks and she wanted the toon's first summer holiday celebration to be special. While the toon's couldn't swim and the adults were all told to bring swim gear, Janice had other festivities planned to more then make up for their inability to get too close to the water.

So now Norman found himself in the nearby art store to help pick up supplies for decorations while Janice was doing her best to keep a tight lid on the grandmas. As soon as the elderly ladies found out the 'kids' had been invited to celebrate the holiday with them they went into overdrive with making sure the party went off without a hitch, even if it was giving Janice a few more Grey hairs. The Projectionist drifted down the red, white and blue decorated isles picking up extra summer themed items when he passed by a display of items that were on sale. While normally he wasn't interested in the art supplies, a bottle with a unique label caught his attention. He approached the stand and gingerly lifted a bottle reading 'sealer' he turned it over reading what it was supposed to do.

To his surprise the liquid was used to waterproof artworks and finishes helping to preserve them. A small memory came to his mind of him watching both Benny and Bendy down ink on several different occasions. Bendy had a funny habit of downing colored ink and at one point he drank enough yellow ink and with some concentration, he had managed to turn his face, gloves and bow tie yellow like Benny. He even had Benny jokingly draw his stitches in ink on the toons face and they tried to act like there were two Benny's to fool their respective parents. They didn't get far once Allison held out a container of food with the real Benny eagerly at her side, the woman knowing how to lure her toon to exactly where she wanted him. Norman chuckled at the memory of Henry putting away Bendy's collection of colored ink for awhile as punishment.

The projectionist's eyes returned to the bottle in his hand. If Bendy and Benny were able to consume art supplies would they be able to drink this to withstand water? It wasn't a secret that both toons couldn't handle too much water while Benny could withstand it a bit longer then Bendy. For grins he grabbed a few bottles and tossed them into his cart before making his way to the register to check out. Before going anywhere Norman found a pay phone and called Janice explaining what his plan was and she sounded elated at the idea. The elderly ladies all took turns taking to Norman and finalizing their plans for the toons should the sealer work, they still had a backup plan on the off chance it didn't. Once he hung up, he retreated to his van and headed down the road.

The mans first stop was Henry's since the man lived further away and he could pick Benny up on the way back to the home. He was thankful the traffic was light as it seemed that everyone was out of town making his drive to the animators house much faster. To his surprise Henry was out in his front yard watering some roses when the projectionists van pulled into his driveway, the older man waving at the animator.

"Norman, what brings you here?" Henry smiled at him while turning the water off, he quickly rolled up the hose and approached the van.

"Nothin' much. Is Bendy aroun'?" Norman grinned from the vehicle getting a raised brow from the animator.

Henry gestured to the house "He's inside reading last I saw. Why? What's up?”

"Thanks, though I was wonderin' if it be alright fer 'em t' hang wit' me fer a spell?" Norman politely inquired.

"Yeah, I'm sure he'd like to hang with you for a bit. Just make sure to have him home before dinner." Norman nodded at Henry's request and watched the animator head into the home.

He didn't wait too long as Bendy happily came bounding out the house and to the side of the van. Norman unlocked it for Henry as the animator helped the toon inside and made sure he was buckled up.

"Hi-yah! Norman!" Bendy happily chirped in his seat. "What brings you here?" Norman laughed and told the toon it was a secret earning a confused look, but he decided to take the man up on his word. He wasn't gonna lie, he really wanted to know! Bendy waved good bye to Henry as the vehicle pulled out the driveway and headed down the road to the highway for the hills.

Bendy instantly knew where they were going when the familiar hills came into view, they were going to Benny's house! He eagerly swayed in his seat in anticipation of rough housing with his counterpart. His eagerness ground to a halt and was replaced with confusion when Norman pulled into the driveway and told Bendy to stay put while he rolled down a window and went towards the house. The toon looked at the projectionist completely baffled at why he couldn't leave the van, but did as he was told and waited. A few brief minutes later Norman exited the home with Benny following him earning a grin from Bendy as the toon slowly got himself into position.

"Where are we going?" Benny inquired as he followed Norman to the van clearly unaware as to the other occupant.

Norman rested his hand on the door chuckling "It's a surprise." The man barely opened the door when a black blur charged out colliding into Benny sending them both rolling.

The toon squeaked in shock, but was replaced by laughter when he realized who it was "Bendy! What are you doing here?" The toon pushing the other off of him.

Bendy stood up and helped Benny to his feet before gesturing to Norman. "Norman brought me."

Benny looked up at the man confused. "What's going on?"

Norman scratched the back of his head. "Well I needed help on makin' some things and I was wonderin' if you boys wanted t' help out."

Both toons nodded eagerly and both were helped back into the van. once they were buckled up and ready to go, Norman returned to the driver seat to head down the road. To Benny and Bendy's surprise they drove to the elderly home and were promptly greeted and smothered by the elderly ladies. Norman had to swiftly follow the group inside with his bags from the store, lest the old ladies lock him out.

The toons were placed in the living room and were eagerly chatting with the ladies until Norman caught up with the group entering the room with a bag in hand setting it on a counter. Once he was there the ladies turned their attention to the man thus drawing the toons attention to him as well. Norman cleared his throat and the older ladies said their good-byes clearing the room and leaving behind two very confused demons.

Norman waved at the ladies before speaking "sorry t' drag you boys all th' way out 'ere but I wanted t' confirm somethin'." Both Benny and Bendy looked at each other with equal looks of confusion before giving Norman their undivided attention. "Now so I got mah facts strait, both you boys can drink ink correct?" Both demons nodded. "Now you" Norman pointed at Bendy "found tha' you can drink different inks and feel no effect from 'em except if ya get enough if it ya can change yer colorin' correct?"

Bendy nodded and politely asked "Where are ya goin' with this?"

Norman scratched the back of his head while sheepishly smiling "See I got this idea to see if you boys can handle a little water over the weekend." Both toons gave each other worried glances before looking at Norman with deep concern in their eyes. " Now befer ya'll get any ideas 'ear me out first. See I foun' this stuff." he reached into the bag on the counter and pulled out a bottle allowing the toons to read the label. "This is used to water proof artworks. Now I doubt its a permanent fix fer yer water problem, but I think it can give ya enough immunity to it t' go swimmin' with yer folks if ya get enough of it in ya."

Both toons looked at each other nervously, but also with twinges of curiosity. Both of them had to admit to small feelings of jealously at watching most normal people play at the pool and swim, especially when they watched small children learn how to swim and play with their parents. They couldn't deal with water too long even if they wanted to. Swimming looked so much like fun and they silently dreamed of the ability to swim with their respective parents, but that was just it. A dream.

Bendy dryly swallowed before looking up at Norman. "So what do we do with it?"

The man shrugged before looking at the bottle "I think you might be able to drink it and see if there are any changes, but if you boys aren't comfortable, we can nix the idea." Just as he was about to put the bottle back in the bag a gloved hand caught his.

Norman looked to see Bendy grasping onto his hand with a shaky grin. "I'll try it."

"I ain't forcin' ya to." Norman calmly spoke. He knew there were many questions about if it could work. The toons had legit reasons to be scared as water can easily thin the ink that makes up their bodies, plus they had always drank ink, they never once tried to drink any other art supply before.

"I want to try. I want to swim and have fun." Bendy gripped his hand a little harder. Norman soon found Benny's hand on his leg as the plush toon looked up at him expectantly as well. “Please?”

"A'ight 'ere's what we'll do. We'll try a small bit first t' see if it works, then we'll try with th' kitchen sink. Ok?" Both toon nodded and waited.

Norman walked over to the bar counter that separated the kitchen space from the dining room and set the bag down. He walked around the bar into the kitchen swiftly followed by the toons. He picked them up one by one and sat them on top the bar before he opened up a bottle of the sealer and handed it to Bendy. The demon looked at the bottle and lightly sniffed it finding no real odor. He carefully brought the bottle to his lips and cautiously drank some of the liquid finding that it was quite bitter. He shuttered at the taste, but if it was to allow him to touch water safely then he'll cope. All the while he was under the watchful eye of both Benny and Norman.

"Well?" Norman asked looking at the toon.

Bendy closed his eyes and concentrated on the liquid now within his body, he willed it to cover his arm and to the groups surprise Bendy's arm took a light sheen to it, like someone had polished the toons inky skin somehow.

"Bendy! Look!" Benny's voice causing Bendy to look at his arm. He was shocked at the shine on his arm and held it up to examining it with a wide grin on his face. It worked!

Norman let out the breath he had been holding and chuckled "Well now, we gotta see if th' stuff works."

Benny extended his arms and grabbed a hold of Norman's shoulders and pulled himself up onto the mans back to watch while Norman scooped Bendy off the counter and turned on the water in the faucet. Upon seeing the sink filling up with water Bendy froze up with fear clear in his eyes.

"W-What if it doesn't work?" The toon lightly grasping onto Norman's shirt. Bendy stared at the clear fluid and the last thing he wanted to was to lose a hand to the stuff. While he could easily replace a lost limb with enough ink the process to do so was excruciating.

The man looked down and patted Bendy between his horns and turned the toon to look at him in the eyes. “Well I'm 'ere should anythin' go wrong. If it bother's ya don' hesitate t' say somethin' so I can pull ya away."

The demon nodded and looked at his arm that had a shine from the sealer he drank. He inspected his arm one last time and slowly and carefully dipped his fingers into the water. He fully expected to have to rip his had away once it starts to melt causing excruciating pain, but he felt nothing. His hand was perfectly intact and he tested it by wiggling his arm around in the water splashing about. He was fine! He was completely fine!

The demon turned looking up at Norman flashing him a wide grin "It worked!"

"Let me try, let me try please!" Benny tried to crawl over Normans head, but the man caught the toon with his other hand and lifted him up and over.

Norman chuckled at the eagerness of the toon "ok, ok, ok hold yer horses." He lowered Benny allowing the toon to grasp the remainder of the bottle and waited patiently while the toon downed the liquid. He chuckled at seeing Benny's reaction to the taste of the liquid with the toon uttering small complaints about it apparently being quite bitter and no better then drinking bacon soup. Just how bad was the stuff?

Bendy told Benny to concentrate on the liquid and to focus on having his ink push the fluid to coat his arm like he had. The demon nodded and closed his eyes focusing and in a short time his arm developed a small sheen as the fluid mixed in with his fabric skin. Benny opened his eyes to inspect his arm noting the glossy surface and beamed up at Norman, confirming that his arm was ready. Norman nodded and slowly lowered the toon to the sink. Benny took a glance at this arm and slowly lowered his hand into the water and after a minute he was happily swishing his arm around in the water. Soon both demons were happily splashing water about and even got a little on each other as well as the floor.

"A'ight you two" Norman lifted them away from the sink. "We need t' figure out 'ow long this lasts an' if ya can cover more then just yer arms."

Both demons nodded and set about drinking more of the sealer while Norman wiped up the water on the floor. They discovered that they can cover their entire body with the coating except their eyes so Norman made a mental note to get the demons a pair of goggles to solve that problem. He made them promise not to say anything to their parents until the weekend. Both devils were confused, but consented and once Norman was sure they had agreed, he set up a sprinkler for the two to play in the back yard. The man sat back and watched them play for a good hour happily running in and out the sprinkler and he even had to butt in at one point when Bendy grabbed the hose and chased Benny. The mans reward for trying to save the plushtoon was him getting soaked instead. The projectionist retaliated by grabbing the 2nd garden hose and all but drowned the little ink demon in retaliation. Once Bendy learned his lesson about messing with the man, Norman returned to watching them play while letting his clothes dry. Janice came to the back of the house to call the boys back inside to help with the decorations and to turn off the water. She was met with a mini chorus of 'awwwws' but seeing the elderly ladies moving to the dining room to begin making decorations spurred the toons into coming inside. Norman left the toons in the ladies care while he set about what he really was called over for.

With the demon's out of the way, Janice met Norman on the side of the house and helped open up the crate that had been delivered. Both of them stood back admiring the grill and smoker she had bought with the man's help. Since becoming good friends with both the toons respective families and the elderly ladies adopting the toons as their grandchildren, the families often gathered at the elderly home for a holiday or a weekend. It was beneficial for everyone since it was such a large home and the amount of love within. Janice wanted to make the summer holiday special and went out of her way to find a grill and smoker set large enough that could feed everyone. The pair eagerly grinned at each other rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Norman pulled out the parts and started assembling them while Janice fingered through the instructions reading them aloud and slowly the smoker and grill was put together. They didn't want the toons knowing the grill was there so with a bit of effort they rolled it deeper to the side of the house and covered it with a tarp. Once they were done Norman glanced at his watch.

"Well it's 'bout that time." Norman tiredly shrugged.

"Thanks for the help Norman" Janice smiled while walking with him back to the house.

"No problem, 'sides I wanna see 'em have fun." He chuckled as they came to the door and stopped seeing the table covered in a mound of summer themed decorations and two toons sleeping in their chairs. The ladies beckoned the pair to come and to take the 'tuckered out boys' home.

With small whispers of 'thanks' Norman gathered up the sleeping devils and noticed that the shiny coating that was on their bodies has begun to fade. He checked his watch and noted that the sealer seemed to last for up to 5 hours with them. That would be more then enough time for the weekend activities before the real show begins. With the final farewells given, he left the home and set the sleeping demons in the van and drove down the road. He first stopped at Benny's house dropping him off and then headed to Bendy's home dropping him off before heading home himself.

---- 4th of July -----

The weekend hadn't come soon enough for Bendy as he eagerly ran about the home helping Henry pack the SUV with food. Linda had spent the previous day cooking extra food that was to be brought with them and more then once she had to fend off her husband and demon. It had even gotten to a point to where Henry and Bendy had to tag team her to sneak a bite of the morrow's meal before getting swatted away. Linda even placed a bunch of chairs at the kitchen doorways to block her husband from entering till she heard a splash and saw Bendy's Ink Demon form pop out of one of his dark doorways snagging 2 cookies. He froze when he realized she was standing right next to him armed with a broom, she swatted the demon playfully on the head chasing him back into his dark door. Bendy popped out into the living room holding the two cookies for which both he and Henry happily enjoyed while under Linda's watchful glare. After that the pair made it a point to stay away lest they end up on the wrong side of Linda's broom and once she pulled out the long handle skillet the argument was over.

On the other end of town Tom and Allison were loading up several roll away coolers with food while Benny carefully stowed away drinks and small dishes within his hammerspace. He wanted to sneak some of the food so bad, but was willing to wait till he got to the Grandma's house. Plus Norman had warned him not to eat too much before their planned event, but by golly he couldn't wait! Allison had been asked to make pies and small side dishes that he had never seen before. He asked about several of the food items that had been made and was told that they are items typically made for summer parties as they are light and easy finger food. Tom had surprisingly enough behaved himself despite the spread since he said that once he got there he was hitting the pool and couldn't afford a bunch of food in his stomach. When Benny asked him why, his answer was that humans would cramp up if they went swimming after a meal and he wanted to save the food for later.

--- At the home ---

Norman and Janice buzzed about the home preparing the house and warming up the grill. The pair stood before the fully set up grill marveling at all the meats and veggies that were slowly cooking on it. Norman had come the previous day to marinade the meats in his self proclaimed 'special down home seasonings' as well as to drop off the needed supplies for the grill so they wouldn't have to make any last minute store runs. Janice left Norman to attend to the grill while she retreated into the home and pulled out two gift bags looking them over with joy. The Grandma's had found out that Norman's experiment was a success and they immediately pooled their money together and bought both toons swim sets and toys to play with in the water. While the older ladies themselves couldn't swim they were more then happy to sit pool side and watch their grand kids swim in their place.

Soft knocking on the door followed by small curses let Janice know that their first set of guests had arrived. With a spring to her step she opened the door to be greeted by Allison and to see Tom struggling with balancing all the coolers while Benny was trying to help him pull them up the small hill to the door.

"Welcome everyone!" Janice cheered at the crowd and was briefly hugged by Allison.

"Thanks for the invite Janice." The actress smiled as she handed over some of the bags of food, before turning to try and help her husband.

Benny darted past Tom leaving the man to struggle alone before going into the home. Once he was inside he transformed into his Ragdoll form and from the safety of the home he extended his arms outside and relieved Tom of all the coolers, the man patted Ragdoll's large hands as they withdrew into the home.

"Thanks Benny." Tom patted the Ragdoll demon on his shoulder when he finally got inside the house.

Benny happily hummed at the gesture handing over the coolers to Janice and Allison before a horn honked outside grabbing the demon's attention. Tom watched as Benny's attention was drawn outside and the demon stayed deadlocked on it. A grin swept across his face as the cords that kept his arms together once again lengthened coiling on the ground. Tom lifted a brow and looked past the devil to see Henry's SUV had just pulled up in front of the house.

"Hey old coot!" Tom cheekily hollered at the slightly older man stepping out the vehicle.

Henry waved from the side of the truck before turning to fiddle with it's contents along side Linda. Bendy exited the vehicle and immediately spotted Ragdoll in the shadows of the doorway and wanted to play with him as he kept eyeing the demondoll, but relented and needed to help Henry. Linda and Henry slowly pulled out all the things they packed away and were met by a large pair of gloved hands that drifted over to take their luggage. The man smiled looking over at Benny who was gathering up their baggage to spare them from carrying them.

"Thanks Benny." The man patted the hands before they withdrew into the house.

Henry and Linda gathered up the last of their bags while Bendy followed Ragdoll's hands back into the house to help put food away. As soon as the older animator and his wife stepped through the threshold into the home they were greeted by various smells of the food already there along with the faint smoky smell of the grill.

"So happy you're here!" Janice approached the couple with wide arms hugging the both of them.

Benny reverted back to his toon form and went chasing after Bendy as they went running into the living room to go play nearly running Norman over whom had come inside at the sounds of the two demons. The man telling them to slow down a bit as the house wasn't going anywhere.

With the two demons out of the way Janice pulled Henry and Linda aside before grabbing Tom and Allison as well. Making sure they were out of ear shot of the toons she told them of Norman's experiment and how it had worked. Naturally the parents questioned the stability of the events and Norman joined them to answer any and all questions. He told them of how the sealer worked and that he personally supervised them playing in the sprinklers and hosing each other with the spare gardening hose. The more information Norman provided about their experiment and the general time limit that he had discovered the parents relaxed while a glint of eagerness shown in their eyes. They had been told to bring swim gear and now hearing that the toons would be able to swim with them added on to their eagerness.

Once the group was done chatting, they slowly drifted into the living room and was met by both Benny and Bendy running up to them wearing a pair of swim trunks each and a set of goggles around their pie cut eyes. Benny wore purple swim trunks with a yellow and black crisscross pattern on the rim of the shorts and sported purple goggles. Bendy wore yellow swim trunks with a simple black trim and wore yellow goggles on his shimmering pie cut eyes. The group could hardly contain their laughter as the toons eagerly bounced around them begging to go swimming. Norman had to catch them and made sure they each drank a copious amount of the sealer and to wait a bit for it to set in.

While the two devils impatiently waited for the sealer to do it's job, a ring of the bell caught their attention and they rushed to the door to find Tom already opening it.

“SAMMY!” Both toons practically flew out of the doorway earning a yelp from the man, but he was just fast enough to side step the lunging demons.

“Do you have to do that every time you see me!?” The irate musical director questioned as he was holding a fruit bowl out of harms way and was thankful he didn't get tackled by the toons or else the food was done for.

“Quit complaining song bird and get inside already.” Tom gestured for the man to come inside.

“Nice to see you too Mr. Connor” Sammy groaned as he warily heading inside the home with both Bendy and Benny following the man in his shadow. Sammy repeatedly looked over his shoulder to be met with two sets of grins earning a small whimper from him as he was led into the kitchen. He noted the outfits the little devils wore, but with their mischievous pie cut eyes watching him he wasn't about to question their attire and assumed that they were dressed for the occasion. Norman happily greeted the musical director and showed him round back where both Allison and Linda had already changed into their swim suits. Sammy smiling at the two women “I see you ladies and demons are all ready for the pool.”

“Yep, are you gonna swim Sammy?” Linda inquired while looking over the former director. The man wore a simple shirt, pants and shoes and clearly didn't look like he was gonna hit the water any time soon. He didn't even look like he was dressed for the summer at all.

“Nope. I don't feel like swimming.” The man shrugged answered before a hand landed on his shoulder. Sammy turned to see Henry grinning at him simply uttering 4 little words. 'not on my watch'.

Much to the musicians protest, Sammy was led away to another room of the house to change since Janice had bought quite a few swim sets for both the men and woman. It was a pool party and she meant it. The two ladies could hear the shrill cries of the musical director as Henry clearly wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. While the two men were disposed of, Benny and Bendy got roped into helping Allison and Linda apply some sunscreen on their backs earning a nearly completely Grey face from Bendy and a pink face from Benny, both women laughed at how shy the toons were.

Wally and Susie were the last to arrive as Wally had offered to pick the woman up along the way. Both arrived already dressed and ready to go for the festivities. The former janitor came sporting a Hawaiian shirt shorts and even a lei as he bounded through the home with arms full of drinks and a black bag that he didn't want the toons playing with. When asked about the bag, it was opened to reveal various small fireworks. Norman naturally got on his case about the bag, but was told that he had brought them to provide a mini light show so the toons could watch since. He wanted to add a small personal touch to the evening hours festivities. Norman glanced at the bag with concern and made it a point to mention the evening plans to Henry, hoping the animator would be ok with the fireworks.

Susie had brought several fruit platters and arrived already wearing her swimsuit under her dress. As soon as she saw the other ladies already outside and ready to go she eagerly joined them getting hugs from the other ladies. Bendy and Benny thought they were free of the suntan lotion and tried to slip away, but Susie roped both boys into giving her the same treatment as their mothers. Both demons silently swore to themselves that they would never go near the stuff again.

Sammy finally exited the changing room looking paler then normal, with Henry following right behind him looking pleased with himself. The musical director had been changed into a pair of black and white swim trunks with little musical notes swirling around them. The man became irate when all the woman snickered at the choice of attire for the man.

“looking good Sammy” Linda snickered while Allison blatantly laughed and Susie's smile was cracking.

“It's wasn't my choice!” The now red faced Sammy shouted.

“Oh shut up and march” Henry lightly nudged the musical director to the gate of the pool area. “You coming Wally?”

“Nah, I can't swim, but I'll be more then happy to mind the eats while you all swim.” Wally pointed at the grill next to the pool. “And besides, I'll still be able to have fun with ya.”

Once Benny and Bendy were done with Susie they eagerly ran up to their respective mothers and asked if it was ok to go swimming which naturally earned a concerned look from the remaining guests. Norman took a moment to explain to the party what they discovered all the while the toons were glued to the gate leading to the pool.

“So your telling me that the little hell spawns can swim now?” Sammy groaned at the mere thought as Tom opened up the gate letting Bendy and Benny though. “Nothing is sacred anymore.”

“They aren't 'hell spawns', and yes they can at least learn now.” Tom motioned for the group to enter the pool area with Sammy being the last to enter.

Allison inflated a few floaties and had Benny and Bendy both put them on while Susie slowly dipped into the water happily sighing at it's cool feel. Norman pulled Henry aside briefly explaining the later events to the man earning a small groan from him but told Norman that he had come prepared on that off chance. Once Henry was fine and dipped into the pool, Norman took up a spot on the beach chairs as he was working on his 'tan' and to play 'life guard' despite the pool being full of adults and two 30 year old toons.

“Aren't you coming in Sammy?” Susie swam out further into the pool before swimming to it's edge looking at her former boss giving her the sweetest doe eyes she could muster.

“No. I didn't come to swim nor had I planned on it. I shall gladly take a seat right he-” Sammy didn't get to finish his sentence as both Benny and Bendy eagerly tackled the man sending him and both demon's over the edge, the man howling in frustration and surprise as he fell into the pool.

The entire party burst into laughter at the misfortunes of their musical director and laughed even harder when the man scrambled out the pool like a wet cat. “NOT FUNNY!” Sammy shrieked at the rest of the group earning more laughter and a pair of grins floating at the edge of the pool eyeing the man.

Allison and Linda both swam over and collected their respective demons from the edge of the pool and to relieve Sammy of them. Each woman floated in the shallow end teaching the toons the basics of swimming. Allison scowled at Tom as the man went running into the pool doing a full on canon ball kicking up a lot of waves that was making the toons struggle a bit with the choppy waters. Bendy kept eyeing Henry as he wanted to swim with him, but couldn't since the man was in the deep end and even though he had floaters around his arms, Linda didn't want to take the chance. Henry noted that Bendy kept watching him had a little idea, he swam up to his wife and toon gently taking Bendy from Linda's grasp. He floated on his back while having Bendy ride on his stomach while the man did a few lazy circles in the deep end. Benny feeling a bit jealous at his counterpart looked over at his father and Tom realized what the little toon wanted, but he had a different idea. The man had Allison swim to the deep end while he dove beneath the surface earning a confused sound from Benny. The noise turned into a shocked squeak when Tom swam beneath him grabbing him by his feet and pushed off the bottom of the pool launching Benny into the air sending the toon flying into the deep end with a splash. Allison was right there to scoop up the toon as he was shocked by the action, but quickly wadded back to Tom to do it again since it was fun.

The group swam for hours with Sammy finally lightening up and joining them in the water with both Bendy and Benny wadding around him in the floaties like little demonic sharks. Sammy looked amused at the toons slow but steady paddling around him and even asked if Benny was taking after his father in doing the dog paddle. That comment earned him a beach ball to the face from the 'dog' in question. Janice relieved Wally of the grill and had him sit pool side while the group broke into a game of 'air ball'. The elderly ladies finally joined them and rested in the adjacent chairs with Norman while occasionally bouncing the beach ball back into the pool if it got knocked out. They were more then happy to watch the wide grins on the toons faces as they paddled around the pool playing with their parents and friends.

Norman and Susie decided to make a small game of 'fetch' earning a small scowl from Tom at the dog joke, but with the offering of money the man was more then willing to join in. Sammy lightly commented that this sort of pool game was right up Tom's alley earning a devious look from the man. Susie fetched a small bag of change from the elderly ladies and they took small brightly colored pool weights and placed a few coins within them. The name of the game was for everyone to stay at the edges of the pool and once the weight was tossed in at random that they were to dive for the weight and whatever change was inside was theirs to keep. Both toons groaned at not being able to dive for the change, but they cheered when they were told that not all the toys being used are weights as some of them will float as well to make it fair.

Once Susie and Norman loaded all the toys they both turned their backs so they couldn't see where they were tossing the toys and one by one they tossed them into the pool. The first toy landed near Sammy as the man lightly swam to the toy, but was pulled under by Tom whom nabbed the toy holding in high in the air claiming victory. Benny cheered when Tom gave him the toy and the toon wadded to edge of the pool setting it aside to count the change later. All the while Sammy glared at Tom from under the water vowing revenge.

After Tom's little stunt with Sammy, the musical director took the game more seriously. Plus he realized that the fathers were playing for their toon's sake as the demon's had to stick to the surface while they could dive to the bottom to scoop up the weights. Tom and Henry played for keeps as the men were openly competing and were immediately on top of any sinking toys while their little demons wadded around gathering up the floating toys. Sammy stepped up his game by diving for the toys as soon as they were tossed into the pool to get the jump on Henry and Tom. He only got as far as one toy cause as soon as the man reached the surface with the toy to hold it up triumphantly he was met with two shimmering pie cut eyes as both Benny and Bendy wadded up to him with equal puppy dog eyes. The man's stern facade cracked and he gave in splitting the toy and taking his losses. So much for his revenge.

The fun and games came to a close once Janice announced that food was ready and for everyone to dry themselves off, both toons and some of the adults were a chorus of 'awwww's, but the setting sun was a indicator that they hadn't eaten anything and that the 5 hour mark was rapidly approaching for the toons. One by one everyone got out of the pool and dried themselves off somewhat before heading to the grill and tables that had been set up next to the pool. Allison and Linda both carefully toweled off their respective toons and wrapped them in the towels while carrying them over to the table to let them eat.

The table had been decorated in the various decorations that the demons and the ladies made earlier in the week making both parties swell with pride with complements to the overall decorum. However the decorations paled in comparison to the food that had been laid out along with the additional items that were being added that was fresh off the grill.

Everyone happily chatted amongst themselves as they dug into the various dishes that had been brought. Norman boasted about his famous ribs and made sure that both Benny and Bendy had a heaping serving alongside Henry's steaks and Tom's Burgers. Soon it became a battle of who had the best meats as Henry, Norman and Tom all boasted about their 'famous' dishes and proceeded to make everyone try them to see who was top dog of the grill even though they didn't cook them as Wally had minded the grill for them. The verdict was that all the prepared meats that the men took pride in were equally good and the toons didn't care, food was food. Sammy despite his occasional standoffish attitude towards the toons, made sure they had some of the fruit salad he brought since it 'was the only healthy thing on the table'. His words got debunked when Susie blatantly pointed out the fruit platters she brought and Wally made a comment about 'birds of a feather' earning him a stern look from both the dueling pair. Bendy happily gorged himself on Susie's tropical fruit platters thoroughly enjoying the fruits making the woman smile while Benny nearly inhaled the more traditional fruit salad that Sammy brought.

The shimmering pool surface was dyed a deep blue as the amber rays of the sun had just set drawing the pale purple curtain of the night sky with the occasional early stars peeking through. The Night sky now upon the group the elderly ladies ushered the party guests inside as they, Norman and Janice set up the grass lot on the side of the house that over looked the city below. The ladies brought out several blankets handing them over to Norman and Janice to lay out while the more mobile ones returned to the home to fetch a water basin and a few buckets. Janice took the basin and the buckets from the ladies and filled them with water setting them aside. Once the outside was set up Janice returned to the home to fetch the guests as they moved to the side of the house.

“What's with the blankets?” Bendy asked as he took in the sights of the blankets that had been laid across the grass.

His question was met with a hand atop his head ushering him to the space. “You'll see” Henry smiled at the toon as he found a spot on the blanket and sat down.

Bendy looked at him confused till Linda lifted him up and sat next to Henry setting him down on her lap. He looked up at her confused and saw several others all doing the same. Sammy picked a corner seat but was quickly booted towards the front by Janice whom needed the elderly ladies to sit towards the back since it was closer to the house. The man grumbled, but Susie shut him up by offering him an empty spot next to her which he gladly took. Tom, Allison and Benny sat towards the middle with Benny sitting between his respective parents. Norman sat towards the rear along with the ladies as they were fiddling with several bags rummaging through them and slowly pulling out their contents while Wally was preparing some items in front of the group.

“What are those?” Benny asked when he saw Norman slowly circle throughout the group passing around strange sticks occasionally returning to the ladies for a few more.

Tom looked at his stick grinning. “You'll see” the man grasping it and bent it in half making a loud cracking sound.

Benny looked at him baffled as to why he broke his stick till it suddenly started glowing a bright yellow. “That's so cool!” The toon shouted at the glowing stick in his father's hand.

“Yep, these things are called 'glow sticks'” Tom smiled while lightly shaking it to make sure it was completely mixed through. “You bend them in half mixing two chemicals that create the glowing light you see.”

Benny eagerly bent his finding that his glow stick was pink earning snickering from Bendy earning a scowl from Benny. The small ink demon didn't laugh too long as he found that his glow stick was also pink earning a retaliatory snicker fest from Benny.

“Here, Benny” Allison chuckled handing him her glow stick that was purple earning a grin from the toon and a 'thank you'.

Linda tapped Bendy on his shoulder and waved her green glow stick at him which he gingerly exchanged his with hers while thanking her.

Once all the glow sticks were all broken and passed around with the night sky now fully upon them Wally took center stage with his bag as he pulled out several items and set them up. Henry got a little tense at the sight of the objects, but Linda was right there telling him that everything was fine and that she was with him. Bendy looked at his slightly panicking creator with worry and removed himself from Linda's lap and sat on Henry's leaning into him to calm the man down. Seeing Henry's ill reaction to his items made Wally rethink his choices, but Linda pulled out a small pair of earmuffs having Henry wear them before giving Wally a thumbs up urging him to continue.

“Since this is Bendy and Benny's first 4th of July, I thought we might start it off with a bang.” Wally addressed the crowd.

“Get on with it.” Sammy piped up from the side.

Wally laughed “Hold your horses Sammy.” The man bent down and pulled out a lighter and carefully lit one of the little sticks.

The toon's watched as something shot off the end of the stick and into the air bursting into a bright array of colors decorating the sky along side a loud bang making them jump slightly from the noise.

“What is that?” Bendy looked up at Henry who was still a bit tense, but was relaxing a bit as Wally lit another stick sending up more bright colors. The toon nudged him to get his attention with Henry removing a cover to listen to him. “What is that?” Bendy pointed up at the sky.

“Those are called fireworks.” Henry looked down at Bendy gesturing for the toon to turn his attention to the sky as another firework danced in the air. “They are used in celebration of many different holidays, but primarily for the 4th of July and New Years in the states. There are many types of fireworks that dazzle crowds as they paint the night sky. The really large fireworks are handled by people called Pyrotechnics, they are kinda like artists but their canvas is the night sky. They paint dazzling collages of colors in the sky and can sometimes be accompanied by a band of sorts.”

Bendy and Benny both listened to the animators words as Wally sent up the fireworks one at a time with each one more spectacular then the last. They were amazed by the brief flashes of colors that raced through the sky to paint their picture before their light was sniffed out. They thought the show was over once Wally ran out of the fireworks, but Norman shouted for the group to look strait ahead at the valley below them and both demons eyes were wide in shock.

The electric sea before them was bursting with color as fireworks broke through it's surface like a fish showering the sea below in dazzling colors. There were hundreds of light shows all going off at once completely filling the night sky putting Wally's little show to shame. Benny tugged on Tom's arm and the man lifted the toon up to sit on his shoulders as the little plushtoon was captivated by the valley wide light show. Bendy was about to try and do the same, but Henry beat him to the punch and lifted him up on his shoulders so he could get a better view.

By the end of the various fire work shows the toon's were slowly nodding off while doing their best to fight sleep. They wanted to see the shows to the end. Little 'Z's kept popping up and bursting over the toon's heads as the the firework shows showed off their finales trying to out do the other before the their lights and colors cascaded to the electric sea below dipping below it's surface leaving a tranquil night sky. Once the stillness of the night had been restored Benny and Bendy finally succumbed their respective battles with the floating 'Z's. Bendy slumped over Henry's head earning a chuckle from him with Linda scooping him off her husbands shoulders while Benny nearly fell off of Tom with the man scrambling to catch him. He succeeded in catching the toon, but by his leg temporarily dangling him upside down earning a scowl from Allison as she took Benny from him with the toon out like a light unawares as to the events around him.

The mother figures followed the elderly ladies into the home leaving the guys to help clean up with Susie abandoning them to their fates. Sammy was about to complain, but a look from Norman quashed that idea and he just muttered as he helped gather up the now dull glow sticks. Tom and Henry gathered up the blankets folding them while Wally cleaned up the remains of his firework display and poured out the water basin and buckets of water that they had nearby for emergencies. Norman returned to the grill extinguishing the coals that had been left burning to smoke the last of the meat while everyone was watching the show. He piled the ribs on a plate setting it aside before double checking that the smoker and grill's coals were completely submerged in water before grabbing the pan and pouring out the ashes and spent coals at the edge of the garden. The backyard was soon returned to it's normal order and everyone piled back into the house to help clean up.

Benny and Bendy had their swim gear removed and were wrapped up in a blanket as they napped on the couch while the ladies were packing up the remains of the food. Allison and Linda divided up the left overs so everyone got to go home with a container and that there was plenty left over for the elderly ladies whom were being helped to bed by Janice along with Susie's help since the elderly ladies were a bit too energetic for bed. Tom took up residence on the couch while Henry poured himself a small cup of coffee.

“Got a bit of a drive before you old man.” Tom commented while he watched Henry lightly sip on the dark brew.

Henry chuckled at Tom's comment. “Yeah, but it was worth it.” The man smiling at his reflection in the cup. “Seeing the excitement and wonder in their eyes when they were swimming and at the firework show was worth it.”

“You know.” Tom sat up a bit while he lightly ran his hand along Benny's horn earning a small smile from the sleeping demon. “You, Linda and Bendy can spend the night at our place so you don't have that drive home. We got spare rooms and I'm sure Benny would love the company.”

Henry looked at Tom in brief surprise before he smiled. “I think I'll take you up on the offer, but let me see what Linda has to say about it. Though I doubt she'll be up for the drive either, we aren't as young as we used to be.”

Tom stifled a laugh. “Ain't that the truth.”

“Awww, c'mon guys, you aren't that old” Wally chimed in from the kitchen as he joined them with his own cup of coffee.

Tom laughed while Henry chuckled at the janitors statement. “Trust me Wally, kids make you feel older then you actually are. They have boundless energy while you are long past your sell by date.”

Tom finally got a handle on his laughter and joined in “Yep, and then you come to realize that your injuries are no longer caused by your own stupidity, but from trying to play with the kids.”

Wally shrugged at the two men. “I guess.” Janice and Susie emerged from the hallway that lead to the ladies room chatting away gaining Wally's attention. “Ready to go?”

Susie looked at him before tiredly nodding. “Yeah, I'm ready to head out.”

“I'm taking off too.” Sammy emerged from the restroom fully dressed again shooting small glares at Henry whom lifted his coffee cup in greeting.

Janice smiled at the group before making her rounds hugging Susie, Wally and Sammy. “Thank you all for coming, I'm sure the boys had a wonderful time.”

Wally grinned from ear to ear. “It was my pleasure ma'am. I couldn't resist coming when I found out that the little ones were gonna be here.”

“Someone has to keep an eye on the little hell spawns since their so called parents don't do it.” Sammy deadpanned.

“Hey!” Tom piped up. “These so called parents aren't about to deny their children when it comes to them showing affection towards their family or friends 'Mr. Sammy'”

“Besides, you act like you don't care but you're the first one to show up when it comes to them.” Henry bluntly pointed out.

Sammy's face glowed red in embarrassment “S-Someone's gotta be the responsible one here Mr. Stein! And that's Sammy to you Mr. Connor!”.

“'Ey. Pipe down.” Norman walked into the room followed by Allison and Linda carrying several boxes. “The kid's are sleepin'”

“Here.” Allison walked up to the irate music director. “This is for you to take home.”

Sammy calmed down a bit and accepted the box with a small 'thank you' before turning to Janice pulling out the swim trunks he wore earlier. “Here, thank you for letting me 'borrow' them” Sammy turned his head to Henry emphasizing 'borrow', before he held out the pair for Janice to take.

The woman shook her head before smiling mischievously at him. “Nah, you keep them. They looked good on you.” her statement earned a few snickers in the room.

Sammy's face turned an even deeper red as he pocked the swim wear grumbling small curses. He turned thanking everyone for the day and the food before heading to the door to head home. Taking that as a sign to leave, Wally gathered up his and Susie's boxes from Linda while the actress hugged Janice good-bye and thanked her for having them over before joining Wally in the doorway. The pair followed Sammy out leaving the rest of the party waving good-bye and wishing them well on the roads home.

“Don't you have to be going home too Norman? You have a longer drive then I do.” Henry turned to look at the projectionist.

“Nah' I'm spendin' the night 'ere.” Norman tiredly smiled down at Henry. “Since Janice asked me t' help out with the holiday she offered t' put me up for the weekend.”

Tom got up from the couch and walked over to Norman holding out his hand. “I'd like to thank you for all that you did for the little devils today. It was truly something watching them laugh and play in the water for which they have never done before. That opened up so many opportunities for them.”

Norman looked at Tom's outstretched hand before taking it and pulling the mechanic in a small hug before releasing him. “It was mah pleasure. I want th' best for 'em just like y'all do.”

Each respective parent took turns hugging Norman and thanking him for his efforts in pulling off the holiday for all of them. They all had to admit that they would have had fun even if the toons couldn't join them in the pool, but with the introduction of the sealer provided by Norman, that changed everything. Henry and Linda were able to relive what it was like teaching a small child how to swim and the joys that came with it while Tom and Allison were experiencing it for the first time.

Allison and Linda drifted to the couch gathering up their sleeping demons in their arms while Tom and Henry packed the remains of the bags with Norman's help. Henry told Linda how Tom offered for them to spend the night at their house to prevent the drive home and she was instantly on board with the plan. She had to admit that she too was tired and was only staying up to keep an eye on Bendy since the demon is very energetic, she was silently thankful that all the swimming tuckered him out.

The last of the bags were packed and the boxes of food had been rounded up. Norman offered to walk them home, but was turned down by Allison telling him that he looked tired and that it was only a 5 minute walk, that he had done enough for the day. The group said their good-byes as they drifted down the road home accompanied by a small flashlight that Tom packed. The fathers idly chatted while occasionally glancing over their shoulders at their wives behind them that were carrying the little sleeping devils.

Henry smiled at the relaxed expressions on the toon's faces and turned around facing the road ahead of him. “We need to do these events more often.” the man speaking into the open air. “There's so much more to do now.”

Tom looked over at the content animator silently agreeing before looking back at his own little toon in Allison's arms. Benny was so relaxed in her arms and it was a comforting sight to see him in such a state of contentment rather then fear. The toons had come a long way and were finally getting to experience the outside world for what it is and all the wonders that came with it. Water was always their biggest obstacle and now that hurdle had been cleared opening up a whole new world of opportunity for them. Tom felt like his heart was a little lighter and his step a little faster as he turned to the road before him looking forward to the new adventures that the morrow was sure to bring.

29 notes · View notes

fallen029 · 7 years

Text

Parenthood: Beach Retreat.8

Mirajane sighed as she sat at the table on the back porch, Pike snuggled up in her lap, as he colored and she sat idly by, listening to the sounds of Nathan and Mace down at the beach, chasing their beloved dog around as the Master and Freed watched them. Across from Mirajane sat Laxus, who was eating a late breakfast.

"You're going to hate yourself," she told him through a yawn. "When we get back and you can't wake up before noon. This vacation lasted too long. You've gotten lazy."

"Me?" Laxus stabbed at his eggs. "Worry about yourself, demon."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're about to face-plant into poor Pike's drawing. Would you like that, buddy? If Mommy fell into your masterpiece?"

"I colorin'," he told them both, not looking up. "Daddy."

"I know." To Mirajane though, Laxus said, "You're the one that's gotta go back to work as soon as we get back. Not me."

"Yes, you. We need you to take a job. Remember? We're saving for a house, Laxus."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm serious."

"I hear you, woman." He stabbed again. "I just don't care."

Mirajane rolled her eyes before glancing back down at their son. "That's really pretty, sweetie. Can you say thank you?"

"T'anks, Mommy."

"Awe. You're getting so big. You know that?" She snuggled him then, leaning down to nuzzle her head in his hair. "Mommy's gonna have to get a new baby."

"Don't go telling the boy that, Mira," Laxus grumbled slightly. "You know how it turned out for Nate when he realized what having a brother meant. You won't be fostering any good feelings by phrasing it the way you did. And besides, we've just been talking about it. No one said we were actually having one. The last thing we need is him repeating that to one of the others and them thinking your pregnant."

She just snuggled Pike some more and said to him, "What are you drawing though, baby? Huh? Is that Daddy?"

Of course. What else would a purple blob that kinda looked like a stick figure and kinda look liked poop with a yellow line coming out of it be? Huh?

"Spitting image," Laxus remarked, glancing down at it. "Emphasis on the spit."

"Dragon."

"What?"

Pike though took that as a compliment and only grinned. "Daddy. I draw you."

"I see."

"You sure are talkative today, baby," Mirajane told Pike who giggled. "I think he's finally getting the hang of being on vacation, Lax."

"That's my boy," the slayer complimented through a mouth full of bacon. "Don't feel comfortable in new places. That's smart. You get the lay of the land, Pike, make sure everything's alright before you decide it's all okay. You got a mage's instincts."

"Or," Mira said slowly. "He's just shy."

"'Shy?" That did not sound cool to Laxus. At all. And therefore, his son was not that thing. "He ain't shy. What would he have to be shy about? Huh? He's just here with the same people he's always been with."

"New places are scary."

"No," Laxus grumbled. "They're not. They're just something for him to investigate. Be cautious about. That's what he is. Cautious. My boy. Not shy."

Mirajane didn't feel much up for arguing. "Sure, Lax."

"It's the truth. Ain't that right, Pike? You're not shy. Are you?"

"Daddy. Rawr!" He drew a squiggly line then on the paper, a yellow one. "D'agon. Daddy."

"That's right." Laxus nodded. "We're dragons, ain't we, Pike? And dragons ain't no cowards. They ain't shy. They roar and take what's theirs."

"He's a little demon though," Mirajane reminded. "Aren't you, Pike? You hide in the shadows and lay in wait. Then you strike."

"Nah. Na-ah." Laxus shook his head. "He's a powerful dragon who-"

"Oh? And demon's aren't powerful, hmmm?"

"They're very powerful." He leaned across the table, so that the two of them could see eye to eye. "But a dragon's better. And you know what I am, Mirajane?"

"Someone in need of a toothbrush?"

"A Dragon Slayer," he told her darkly. "Which makes me what now? Hmmm?"

"Pompous and arrogant considering you've lost every time we come up against dragons?"

"Stronger," he said, "than a dragon."

Mirajane grinned widely. "You know what I am then, Laxus?"

"Ready to admit defeat?"

"Even stronger than a Dragon Slayer."

"How do you figure?" he asked. "Huh?"

"Because," she sang, removing one arm from around Pike so that she could reach out and poke his nose, "I tamed you."

Narrowing his eyes, Laxus gave her a glare. "I ain't tamed, woman."

"You are tamed."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Mirajane-"

"Awe. You're so cute when you try to defy your master."

More narrowing. Then, with a defeated grunt, Laxus settled back down on his side of the table before stabbing at his eggs once more. "You're annoying."

"But most of all right."

Grunt. Giggle.

"D'agon." Pike snuggled back into Mirajane then, dropping his color crayons so that he could grab onto her arm and pull it back around him. "Mommy."

"You wanna be a dragon, baby? Huh?" She sighed. "Inevitable, I suppose."

"He ain't ever seen you as Satan Soul," Laxus told her then, as if as a show of sportsmanship. He'd won, but she was still his. Gotta leave her feeling good. "Hell, even I want that kinda power. To be a demon."

"Shut up, Laxus."

"It's true. You're the most powerful woman in all the world."

"But not just person. In general. Woman."

He shrugged. "Everyone else factored in, gee, you'd probably rank about...right behind me."

"I'd only rank eighth?"

"E-Eighth? So you're saying I'm-"

"Uh-huh."

"Look, you little demon-"

"I'm looking. But all I'm seeing is a number seven."

More growling. "Tell me who you put above me?"

"Na-ah."

"Yes. Now. Tell me."

"No way."

"Mirajane-"

"Laxus-"

"Mommy." Pike didn't feel like waiting that fight out as he held his picture up for them to see then. "Look!"

"Hmmm?" Glancing at the paper, she took it from him. "Oh, Laxus, look. Isn't he so talented?"

"The most." He snatched the drawing from her. "Buddy, this is going straight in my pocket right now. I'll keep it always-"

"No, Daddy!" Pike moved to take it right back, the slayer easily giving it up. "Mommy's."

"W-What? Buddy-"

"Mmmm." Mirajane took the drawing once more. "It's lovely, dear."

"But it's of me," Laxus argued. "It's mine. You drew it for me. Right?"

No. Did Pike ever say that? Definitely not. And, with that, he moved right on the the next sheet of paper his mommy had put on the table for him. He felt like drawing...stuff. For Gramps. He liked stuff. He loved stuff.

"I'll keep it close," Mira promised Pike even though he was no longer listening, no longer cared. "Always."

"It isn't of you," Laxus argued. "It's of me. And it's mine. Pike, tell her. You want Daddy to have it. Don't you?"

Absolutely not. Instead of answering, he only sat to attention and dropped his crayon before saying, "I go potty, Mommy."

"Ooh." She got to her feet and him to his then, taking the drawing with her, before grabbing his hand and leading him back into the house. "See how big you are now? You even know when to go potty."

Of course he did. That was baby stuff. Like, a whole year and a half ago. Peeing in the potty wasn't difficult at all. Not compared to the horrifying world of learning to tie shoes and eating vegetables.

Laxus was left alone out there then and, with a sigh, got to his feet. The others were all milling around and, if Pike loved Mirajane so much that day, fine. He'd go have some adult time with someone else. Bickslow and Lisanna were too childish for such a thing, Elfman was annoying as hell, and Freed and Gramps were watching the other kids, leaving him squarely with one person.

"So you're sure you aren't sleeping with this guy?"

And that person went by the name Evergreen.

"No, Laxus, tell me what you really think of my character?"

Oh, and he managed to piss her off in the first five minutes of them hanging out.

"I'm just saying," he grumbled as the pair sat out of the front steps, him smoking a cigar and her just glad to be next to him, "that a man don't fork over a place like this for a week and a half to someone he ain't either screwing or related to."

For a moment, she just sat there, not looking at him, and thought. Then she said slowly, "Would you?"

"Would I what?"

"Let me use your beach house. If you had one."

He shrugged. "We're family."

"Are we?"

"In a roundabout way, sure." He took a longer puff that time, of his cigar, before saying, "But, uh, just so you know, I think very highly of you."

"Really now?"

"Yeah. But you're married to Elfboy." He shrugged. "I could see sleeping around on something like that."

Ever elbowed him, if only slightly. "If we're related, it's through him. He's your brother."

"Maybe." He glanced down at her. 'Brothers can say such things about one another, after all."

"Laxus."

"I ain't judging," he told her. "And I won't tell. Just curious."

"It was a woman," she told him. "That let me stay here. She owed me a favor."

"You sleepin' with women now? Elfboy turned you off men, huh?"

"Shut up."

"Can't buy that, considerin' he ain't one, but-"

"You're really annoying when you want to be."

He laughed then and it was deep. The type he reserved for the demon and the boys. But, if one wanted to factually correct, it had been coined far before any of those things entered his life. Back when he was a teenager with two guys and a chick that would walk the planet and back for him.

Sometimes they got those laughs. They amused him that much. They deserved to be appreciated too.

Even when they were all adults, sometimes they still deserved attention too.

"I just don't," he told her then, slowly, "see any of you guys as having friends."

"What?"

Shrugging, Laxus said, "You, Freed, Bickslow. Even Elfman and Lisanna. It's weird, you know? To see you guys with people other than...us. Our family."

"What's in that cigar then, Laxus? That's got you all sentimental?"

"I ain't sentimental." And he wasn't. "And this is a high caliber of tobacco here. For a high caliber of man."

"Uh-huh."

"It is." He took another puff before asking, "So what was it then?"

"What was what?"

"What was it that you did to score this place from some woman? Hmmm?"

"If you really must know-"

"I just must."

"She isn't a close friend, but," Ever started with a sigh, "I was owed payment for a job I did for her and her husband. It was a diamond that was stolen from them that I was supposed to get back from this crook. Which I did. In lieu of the money, they offered a vacation here."

"Never thought I'd see the day."

"What day?"

"The day that you did something so unselfish as take us, all of us, not just the Thunder Legion, out with you on a trip that you earned. Hard earned and deserved. But you shared it. Huh." He grinned down at her. "You really are a mommy now, huh?"

"Shut up."

"That's so cute."

"Oh, whatever, Daddy Dragon."

That got a glare. "Watch it, Ever."

"Even cuter."

Snorting, Laxus said, "I am a father. A daddy. I love my boys. You ain't going to embarrass me about it."

"And you're not going to embarrass me."

"Oh? You love Mace?"

It was his turn to get a glare. "What does that matter? And I thought that we were talking about-"

"We were," he said. "Before you started going on about how cute I am."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Careful, Ever. I've been your brother now for a few years, huh? Can't start perving on me just yet."

"Oh, whatever. You're so full of yourself."

"Should I not be?" And that time when he looked at her, he had back on his intimidation look that he used on her and the rest of the Thunder Legion when they were young, any time they doubted even just a smidgen how awesome he was. Still, to that day, it worked like a charm. "Am I not the Thunder God, Evergreen?"

Looking off, she mumbled something under her breath that he was certain was pretty much admission to his superiority to all. Dealing with Mirajane and her constant discrediting of his greatness, it was nice when the Thunder Legion showed him just how awesome he really was.

Or at least when they bowed down to him. That was cool too. Like when his sons did, but better, because it wasn't just the threat of a timeout, grounding, or spanking that was making them do it.

Hmmm. It was nice to be respected, revered, and (most importantly) feared. There was nothing like it, really.

When he finished with his cigar, Ever and Laxus headed back inside, just in time to run into Freed and Bickslow, who were taking off for somewhere, not even Lisanna tagging along.

"Sorry, boss, no time to talk," Bickslow said with a slight wave.

"I never wanted to do anything of the sort to begin with," Laxus grumbled, headed to the living room. Adult time had been fun. He and Ever never got to hang out alone. A good solid fifteen minutes or so had been grand.

Now it was time for complete alone time. He was thinking of napping. Or contemplating his future. Which would lead to napping.

Ever, however, turned right back around to follow the guys. "Where are you two headed then?"

"Somewhere you're not allowed to go."

"I was talking to Freed, Bickslow."

"And I was talking to you, Ever. So buzz-"

"We're going into town," Freed responded, hardly glancing at the woman. "You're welcome to tag along. Bickslow is only in a bad mood because Lisanna said-"

"I didn't cheat," the seith complained as they headed out the front door. "At cards. She's wrong. Just because I'm better than her-"

"And I'm out." Ever hung back, closing the front door behind the two of them. Because she was not getting into that. No way.

The other two continued on though, Freed being forced once more to listen to the agonizing story of how Lisanna accused Bickslow of cheating at poker the night before. It wasn't fun. At all. It lasted the whole way into town. Once there, luckily, Bickslow posed a question.

"Hey, Freed?"

"Yes?"

"...What were we supposed to be doing again?"

"Again?" five little voices echoed from around the seith's head. "Again, Freed?"

"We," the letter mage said with a sigh, "are trying to locate a chest."

"Right. And some fake gold or something."

"So you were listening over the grumbles about Lisanna."

"I wasn't grumbling about Lisanna," Bickslow argued. "I was grumbling about what she said. Difference."

"Hardly."

"Freed-"

"I plan to write an enchantment tonight, down on the beach," the man said. "After burying the chest, of course. And, when triggered, it'll become like a pitfall, only the sand will cave in, revealing the chest. Thus, the boys solved the map."

"That's a lot of work," Bickslow said. "I mostly just keep them entertained with jokes."

"You keep Pike entertained with jokes," Freed corrected. "The elder two have tired of hearing the same five knock-knock jokes."

"Hey, man," the seith complained, glaring over at him. "I know, like, twenty, so-"

"You are just annoyed that I am doing something nice for the boys," he argued, "and will get credit for it with Laxus."

"I'm out here too, aren't I? Huh? I'll get credit. It's stupid Ever that won't."

"It will be my map, my enchantment-"

"I'm walking around finding the chest. Automatic credit."

"Yes, well, not as much as me so-"

"I'll tell Laxus! That you're hording this over me and-"

"And I will inform him that I did not do it for the credit. Only because I care for his children."

Bickslow's face fell. "You're a tough one to beat, Freed."

"I have had much practice at this."

"And more time to dedicate to it."

Shrugging, he added, "I do expect you, of course, to help me dig out this pit."

"Yeah, about that-"

"I mean if you don't care about Laxus' children and Lisanna's nephews-"

"Really tough," Bickslow sighed in defeat as his babies mimicked him. "Nearly impossible."

Back at the house, the boys were about done with the ocean and Makarov sent them inside to take showers. He instead went into the kitchen where he found Mirajane cleaning up from breakfast and no doubt planning on starting lunch in the next hour or so.

"Hi, Master," she greeted as Pike, who was helping (getting under her feet constantly and doing no good at all), rushed to go hug the man. "The beach over for the day?"

"More like for now, I'm sure," he said as he only patted Pike on the head with a grin. "And how are you, my boy?"

Giggling, Pike rushed over to the kitchen table, having to stand on his toes to reach atop it and snag a drawing off. "Gramps."

It was of an extremely artistic take on their pet doggy, but a veteran of children's drawings from being a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and guild master to countless young children, he knew exactly what it was. And, with a big grin, he ruffled Pike's white locks and announced his love of it.

Yeah. Pike got some rave reviews from his work. Personally, he wasn't shocked. Everyone loved it. For someone that hadn't even mastered his shapes yet, Pike was pretty well off in the world of art.

That got the little boy out of Mirajane's hair for a bit as, of course, he wanted to go spend time with his grandfather then who was heading off to his bedroom to rest. It wasn't Pike's usual nap time, but he planned on sitting around and coloring anyhow. With the other boys in the shower, the doggy was running free too and followed after them. Master let him sleep up on the bed with them, which was great.

Pike loved his dog. And his Gramps. They were two of the best things in his life. Right up there with Mommy, Daddy, and paper air planes. He couldn't make the latter, of course, but Nate could and they were pretty stinkin' cool.

"Hi, Elf," Mirajane greeted soon after her son was gone as the man seemed to replace him. "What have you been up to today?"

"Other than listening to Lisanna drone on and on about how there's nothing wrong with her accusing Bickslow of cheating if she knows for certain she is?"

"Is there something I should know about?"

"Poker," her younger brother clarified. "He cheated in poker. Or cards. Or something stupid like that."

"Ah."

"The rest of us are ready to pry each others heads off and these two are arguing about a damn card game."

"Makes sense to me."

"Yeah, me too." He sighed. "That's what makes it so bad."

"You wanna help?" Mirajane glanced over at him. "I'm trying to get the place all cleaned up before lunch."

"But won't it just get messy again after lunch?"

"Sure," Mira agreed. "But that'll just give me something to do later."

"I don't think you understand vacations."

Giggling, Mirajane said, "Laxus thinks the same thing."

"The one occasion we agree then."

"No, there's more. Many more," she said. "The two of you just don't like to admit it."

Ignoring that, Elfman remarked, "You two got home pretty early yesterday for your big night out, don't you think?"

"No," Mira said with a shrug as she wiped down the counter tops. "We went to lunch, spent time in the city, and then came back. Why is that such a big deal?"

"Ever told me that Laxus was under the impression that the two of you would, well, spend the night somewhere else. We would have watched Nathan and Pike, you know."

"That was never in the plans," Mira told him simply, not even glancing that way. "So I have no idea where he'd have gotten that crazy idea."

"I was kinda looking forward to it, really," Elfman admitted.

"W-What?"

"A free bed," he explained. The two didn't seem to be vibbing that day given the two misunderstandings. "I would have enjoyed the free bed."

"Oh." Mira gave him a sad look then. "I'm sure if you ask, Lisanna and Bickslow, they'll share the couch and you can have the pullout one. Really."

Elfman only shook his head at her. "There's only a few more days out here anyhow and then we can go back home."

"It is, huh?" Giving him a grin then, she said, "It's been really fun though. While it lasted."

"Compared to taking jobs constantly, most anything would be."

"I like my work," Mira informed him. "And the few times I get to take jobs, it's great."

"I didn't say I didn't like it. I just meant that-"

"No, I understand." That, at least, didn't need an explanation. "Trust me, I really do."

Elfman stuck around for a bit, in the kitchen, to help her finish cleaning up and get lunch started. Once that was done and she alerted everyone that it was done, she went to wake the sleeping dragon. He'd just eaten his breakfast not long ago, after all, meaning that he wasn't hungry. And if Laxus wasn't hungry, she wasn't hungry.

Or rather, she was missing her dragon and was using everyone else's distraction with food as a chance to be alone again.

"Finally," Laxus remarked, trying to keep himself from yawning. Mira had risen him and practically demanded that he put on some swim trunks and escort her down to the beach while the others ate. And him, being the overly compliant husband he was, did so without complaint. "Me and you, down on the beach, alone. I get to admire my demon in her swimsuit without having to worry about that product of that admiration whining about how he hates water."

"Shush." Mirajane was seated next to him, slathering her arms with sun screen. Shifting in the sand, she turned away from him before saying,"And get my back."

"I'll get more than back."

"Anyone could come out on the porch up there, so you better not."

Grunt. "Me and my woman all alone on a beach with the sun high in the sky, well, I might just get carried away."

"Don't worry," she sighed as he gently rubbed at her back. "I'll keep us both on base."

"Mmmm. My demon ain't easy."

"Nope."

"But that's why I keep you."

"That," she agreed, "and I take care of your children."

"That's a big plus too. It ain't easy raising dragons."

"I heard demons are harder."

"Don't know how you'd know that, considering we only got dragons."

Again, she hummed. "Half the time you want them to be demons and the rest you want dragons. So which is it?"

"Whichever I want, whenever I want."

"Your usual solution to problems."

"I'm an easy guy to understand most of the time."

"Not exactly what I meant, but if you think so."

It was Laxus' turn to hum. "Yoru skin's so soft."

"Thanks."

"Though I guess if it wasn't, you could just transform into a version of you that had soft skin," he mused. "Right?"

"Don't ruin this by being annoying, Lax."

"Me?"

"You."

"Never. Sometime sitting in the sand and sun with you? How could I ruin it?" He removed his hands then before wiggling his fingers. "So? Need your front?"

"Laxus-"

"Alright, alright. You win." He went back to facing the ocean. "We won't hookup out here. Or rather you lose, I suppose."

"You're just so funny."

"Thanks."

"Mmmm." With a sigh, she said, "So?"

"So what?"

"Did you wanna talk? Or just sit here in silent contemplation?"

He held down another yawn. "I contemplate, babe, then I also pass out. Your choice."

"Are you honestly that tired?"

"Meh."

"Laxus-"

"We're sitting out here and having a good time, Mirajane," he scolded. "Don't ruin it."

Glancing up at him, she said, "Well, we can talk then."

"Hmmm. I like topics about me, my immense power, and how I bagged the hottest women in all of Fiore. You?"

"I like bits and pieces of that," she agreed. "Mainly the part on the end."

"I thought you might."

"Not the stuff about me being yours or whatever," she was quick to add. "Just me in general."

"Why, you're quite lucky, demon." He patted her on the head. "I love talking about you. Even in general."

"Really now?"

"You're one of my favorite subjects, to be honest."

"Who do you talk about me with then? Hmmm? Dragon?"

"I think, my little tiny demon, that there is a bigger question to be had here."

"And what's that?"

Getting to his feet, Laxus held out his hands to her, waiting for the woman to them before pulling her to her feet.

"Just because I'm talkin' about you," he began as he led her over to where the water was ebbing and flowing onto the beach, pulling in and pulling right back out steadily, "don't mean that I'm sayin' good stuff. Now does it?"

"You talking about me behind my back, dragon?" She was trying to sound tough, but failed as a giggle escaped. Just the feeling of the salty water against her bare feet brought her joy. "That's not every nice."

"I ain't very nice."

"Yes, you are."

"I am?"

"Uh-huh." She grinned up at him. "No matter how much you fight it, you definitely are."

"Meh." He shrugged though one of her hands was still very much interlaced with his. "I'll take you word for it."

Elfman, for whatever reason, was feeling rather father/uncle-ish that day and, after lunch and another nap for Pike took to playing a rousing game of hide and seek with the boys in the house with Makarov and Ever all playing.

"How," Laxus remarked as he and Mirajane passed where she was 'hiding' on the couch while openly seated on it and reading a magazine, "is this hiding?"

"Don't question me," she told him simply. "I am keeping your sons preoccupied, might I remind you."

"You might."

"Laxus-"

"Dragon." Mirajane just kept dragging him right along and up the stairs. "We should be a tad more worried about getting out of these wet clothes, don't you think?"

No. He wanted to stay and argue with Evergr….

Oh. Ooh! Heh.

He took over leading then as, in his zealousness, he pulled Mirajane along.

"if anyone's hiding in our room," he called out as they entered it, "they better get out and get out fast."

"Laxus," Mira giggled as she shut and locked the door behind them. "Honestly."

"Wet trunks go over here," he began as he slipped right out of them before tossing them onto his duffel bag. "And wet demon goes-"

"You're not funny."

"Then why," he asked as he only came over to help her out of her top, "are you laughing?"

Because he was her dragon and she loved him and, hell, he was the funniest man on the planet.

To her.

It went along with the love thing.

"Never get tired of this," he told her as he untied the top first before moving onto the bottoms. "Demon. Do you?"

"A tad."

Grunt. "You stand alone on that."

"I never said I was today though."

"Are you?"

"A tad."

"Mira-"

"We're not," she told him as she slipped out of his grasp, moving to grab one of the towels they'd brought into the room with them and dropped, "doing this."

"Mira-"

"We're in a house, full of people, who are all roaming around playing a game of hide and seek." For someone that wasn't doing 'this', she sure was enticing him with the way she was drying off. All sensual and stuff.

Or maybe Laxus was just hot.

Probably a bit of both.

"We'll be quiet."

"Knock it off."

"If we ain't doing anything-"

"We're not."

"Then why did you lock the door?"

"Laxus," she sighed. "Honestly, could you just-"

There was a bang, suddenly, on their bedroom door as well as the loud wailing of a young child and the screaming of another.

"You're such a baby, Pike!"

"Mommy!"

"I didn't do anything! Don't go tell her I did!"

Another bang. It was probably poor Pike, pounding his fists against it in vain. "Mommy!"

"This is why you shouldn't play with us!"

Mira and Laxus just stared at one another for a moment before she sighed.

"Put on some pants, dragon," she ordered as she went to do the same and then some. "Duty calls."

Heh.

He didn't get to be alone with his demon again for the rest of the day. Whatever it was that Nate did to Pike (they never got a clear answer out of either of the boys) really seemed to affect the youngest Dreyar boy. He clung to Mirajane all day. Even when the brothers made up as they always inevitably did and Nathan told Pike he was sorry and gave him a few hugs, the boy wouldn't leave Mira's side.

They were back to square one on that front.

The house was just too big and scary for him. So he wasn't a demon or a dragon. He was a little baby that just needed his mother to protect him. And? He'd never claimed otherwise. That was Laxus' doing, not his.

Luckily for them though, the boy still wanted to go to bed with Makarov that night for some reason. Pike was nothing if not a creature of habit.

"G'amps," he ordered Mirajane after his nightly bath. All snug in his jammies, the boy wanted nothing more than for the Master to read him a story and then fall asleep with him. Gramps was the coolest. "Please?"

After checking with Makarov (he was shocked that she would even suggest otherwise at that point), she left the two of them alone and got to work winding the other boys down for the night. It wasn't easy. Mace and Nate seemed to be hyperactive that night, even the former giving everyone trouble which was odd.

It was Laxus, finally exasperated with them running around, hitting his breaking point and yelling that got them into their sleeping bags and silent.

"Now that," Lisanna complimented, "was impressive."

"Shut up."

"No, really. You really showed them, Laxus."

"Knock it off."

"Yelling at two little boys. So extreme."

"I hate you."

They were all thankful though. Sometimes it took a bit of grumpiness to get things done.

And, with Bickslow and Freed still out, as they had been the entire day, Lisanna had nowhere to go and would be downstairs with the boy. Not to mention Elfman who, once more, was sent to the couch. In a show of solidarity, Lisanna offered up the pullout, claiming she'd take the couch, but Elfman turned her down.

"What kinda brother would I be then?" he asked.

"The type I would be," Laxus retorted when he overheard them. "I mean seriously."

That left Mirajane and Laxus with, shockingly enough, more time to be alone. When they went down to the beach that time though, it wasn't in suits or the intention of getting in the water. Just to watch the stars, Mira claimed. When she saw Laxus snag the a few bottles of beer from the fridge, she kept her mouth shut and just went along with it.

"This," he said as they settled into the sand, a bottle in each of their hands, "is what it would be like, demon. All day, every day. If you would only let me take you on a vacation just the two of us."

"We just went on a vacation, Lax."

"Right, I know. We're kinda still on it."

"I can't take another for months," she told him. "Maybe eve a year."

"Sometimes I think that you forget that your grandfather-in-law is the Master."

"Sometimes I think that you forget that he's also my employer."

"An employer that adores you. And one that, if things go your way, will also be living with us." He snorted. "I think you can negotiate some more vacation time."

"You'd be surprised."

"Yeah," he grumbled. "So would you."

Neither were exactly astrologers and definitely not astronomers, so the stars were more pretty to them than they were actually providing any information. Laxus spent more time stealing peeks down Mira's shirt than anything else, but hey.

Eventually the two of them fell back, into the sand, because Laxus had said something that Mira claimed wasn't funny, but made her unable to stop giggling and, well, if she was falling over, he was falling over with her, because that was just how their relationship worked.

"I love you," he told her as she buried her head into his side. "Do you hear me, Mirajane? Huh?"

"Yes," she gasped out through her giggles. "I do."

"Good." He was shifting then, spilling his beer in the process, but that was okay, because it was for the demon and he could do things like that, for the demon. "So good."

And then she was looking up at him and he grinning at her and every thing was so perfect and awesome and-

"Oy, boss. Not that it isn't obliged, the free, err, stimulation and all, but I am sorta dating her sister, so this could get rather awkward."

And there was Bickslow and Freed as well as five glowing eyes in the darkness, carrying a treasure chest that was overflowing with gold because, you know, screw Laxus and his life.

"I would ask," the slayer grumbled as he and Mira sat up in surprise at the sight of them coming over, balancing the chest between them, "where the hell you two are coming from. Or even when you got that."

"In town," Freed said, glancing their way. "We were-"

"But," Laxus sighed, "I'm not going to."

"Your loss, boss," Bickslow enticed as, somehow perfectly in sync, the two men dropped the chest as the same time as five voices repeated the words loss and boss continually. "It's pretty cool."

"Also," Freed asked then, "do either of you know where a shovel might be located?"

For a moment, Mira and Laxus just sat there in shock. Then, slowly, she leaned over and up to his ear.

"Do you think," she whispered hotly, leaning heavily into him at the same time, "that we can still find that hotel room?"

Laxus blinked. Then he stumbled to his feet.

"See ya later, children," he told the other men as he helped his wife to her feet. "I got a room to find."

"So was that a no to the shovel?" Freed asked as, with a giggle, Mirajane sprinted off to the house though that was no doubt just a stop onto her true destination, Laxus following. "Laxus? Mirajane?"

"They're gone, bro." Bickslow shook his head after them. "So best get to diggin' with your hands. Either that or the boys plastic ones."

"Can't you just enchant them? Hmmm?" Freed looked to him when it was clear Laxus and Mira were lost for the day. "The boys plastic shoves? With the babies? And then we don't have to-"

"Are you implying that we use child labor?"

"Soul labor," he corrected. "But I'd hope."

"Bah!" Bickslow got down on his knees then and began to dig with his hands. "To even suggest it."

"Right, but forcing them to fight for you-"

"That's love," Bickslow retorted. "Ain't that right, babies?"

Freed was unimpressed with the way they all cooed love back to the man. Only sighed before slowly getting onto his knees to dig as well.

The things he did for Laxus...

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Full Story on FF

Full Series on Archive

#Miraxus #Bixanna #Elfever #Freed Justine #Makarov Dreyar #Fairy Tail #Fanfiction #Thunder Legion #Thunder God Tribe #Thunder Strauss Tribe #8 of 10

1 note · View note