MHA #6 Saturday Morning

[arboreal_priestess]

Two years ago, Verity had been caught flat-footed by the sudden appearance of two tiny, adorable cherubs calling her 'Mom.' Last year, Verity had been prepared for that, but had been taken aback by the sudden appearance of a third child, a young boy who called her 'Ate,' which meant big sister, but she was basically a parent to him, too, in this weird and distant future.

This year, however...this year, Verity was prepared. There were already pancakes being prepared, with fruit to make silly faces on them. Multiple kid-friendly movies were queued up on various devices for when the kids got bored and needed entertainment. Brightly-colored plastic cups and bowls were stacked on the counter so that even the most rambunctious kid could get their own food, with chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs and sugary cereals ready for whenever a capricious appetite demanded.

Hell, they even had extras, in case a new kid or two showed up.

Take that, past!Verity. Nothing could throw this year's Verity.

Comments

[nextoftheirkind]

"Moooooooooom!"

[arboreal_priestess]

"Yes, Hayley?" Verity asked mildly, trying not to let it show on her face how completely unprepared she was to referee this argument.

[nextoftheirkind]

"Dad isn't respecting my bodily autonomy!"

[arboreal_priestess]

NOT THE ARGUMENT SHE WAS EXPECTING, NO.

"Well..." Verity flailed. "Uh. Nobody is kissing anybody for the duration of the visit and when everyone goes home they can negotiate kissing privileges with their parents."

[firstofitskind]

"By 'nobody' she means you three, specifically," Liam quickly amended, jabbing a fork in the kids' direction.

Because there was no way in hell he was going an entire weekend without getting to kiss his wife thank you very much.

[nextoftheirkind]

"That's not fair!" Hayley protested. "Mom said everybody!"

"Yeah, but it's still morning," Tyrus pointed out. "We're lucky Mom's speaking words right now." He reached out to thump Hayley gently on the temple. "Stop being a brat so you can see how much you can get away with."

[firstofitskind]

Thank you, Tyrus, from sparing Liam the indignity of uttering the words 'Life's not fair' in all seriousness.

"Surely you'd rather hang out with us than run off and find someone to swap spit with this weekend, anyway?"

So much better.

[nextoftheirkind]

"Ew, daaaaaad," Hayley pouted, because did he have to be so gross?

[arboreal_priestess]

...From Verity's expression that probably wasn't MUCH better, but she was going to go along with it for solidarity.

"Also, otherwise we wouldn't be able to kiss all of you, too."

[foundgeneration]

"I think as a teenager I'm supposed to object to that," William noted.

He wasn't, for the record. He liked his family, demonstratively affectionate as they were and all.

[firstofitskind]

"I don't see you doing any objecting," Liam pointed out.

[foundgeneration]

"Yeah, well," William grinned, and shrugged. "You're all okay, I guess."

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You're pretty okay, too," she told him. "All of you. Even if you do like reminding us that we're old."

[nextoftheirkind]

"Aww, not just old, Mom," Tyrus said, leaning in for a kiss, too. Because you weren't ever too old for mom-kisses. Not in a family like theirs. "We remind you that you're short a lot, too."

[nextoftheirkind]

"I don't," Hayley said, clearly angling for Best Child status.

[nextoftheirkind]

"Cause you're short, too," the boys said in unison - and then grinned at each other.