Disclaimer: I don't own The Gifted!

A/N: This is a future family AU for The Gifted that tumblr user bisexualblink and myself have created together! It's been a LOT of fun, and there will be a lot of these in the future. The Thunderblink kids are 8 and 4 here.

Fake Out

"…love…"

"…uper duper sleepy."

"Mommy…"

Clarice rolled over, ignoring the voices and dragging the pillow over her head. She slid her arm across the mattress, expecting to brush her fingers against her husband or one of the kids, but there wasn't anything. Huh. Bed to herself. Oh rare luxury.

She sprawled out, shoving one leg over on John's still-warm side of the head, using her free hand to snag his pillow and drag it to her side. Getting the bed to herself? She must've still been dreaming.

"I think she's not gonna wake up."

John's laugh was muffled through the pillow over her head, but she still heard it. "She's already awake, she's just faking."

Oh whatever, she was not. She was definitely still going to catch those last few minutes of sleep before they—

"Here, JD, use this."

John, you dirty enabler. Clarice braced herself, and sure enough, a second later she was batted across the back with something soft and squishy. Determinedly, she didn't flinch or wriggle around. Instead, she forced herself to stay perfectly still and pretend her son wasn't gently walloping her with a pillow.

"Mooom!" JD sang, laughter in his voice, "You have to get up, come on. We're going on a hike, remember?"

She felt Hope sit down, her back to Clarice's side, and Hope's little hand patted her hair. "And I get to wear my tutu."

"Nope," John said, "We talked about that already. Tutus and the woods don't mix, princess."

"I can wear the green tutu."

"That's not what I meant."

JD tugged at the pillow covering Clarice's head, and she had to hold on to keep it in place. Changing tactics, JD crawled up toward the top of the bed and laid down on Clarice's other side. "We brought you a muffin! And coffee. And I brought a tangerine 'cause you liked the ones that Uncle Marcos got from that guy, the one with the cool scales."

Oh, right, that guy from Florida who had been going up to Canada. He had control over plants, and he had grown a temporary tangerine tree for Marcos when Marcos had guided him through Georgia. Marcos had brought the extras home to the HQ for everyone. JD's coaxing was tempting, and almost enough to make her get up, but she also liked laying there with the two kids boxing her in. It was nice, so she stayed under her pillow a little longer while Hope played with her hair and JD nuzzled her shoulder.

"You two are spoiling her," John said, and she heard him put some stuff down on the nightstand. Breakfast. "She's never going to get up now."

Hope dropped back down on the bed and started to crawl under the covers. Clarice automatically snatched her and pulled her close, letting go of the pillow in exchange for something better. JD flopped over Clarice's back, and then the mattress dropped a little as John sat down on the edge. A strong, calloused hand wrapped around her leg and tugged, and all three of them slid toward John.

"You don't dislike hiking that much," John said, resting his hand on the back of her neck and then threading his fingers into her hair, "You just want to keep the kids for yourself."

"I'll take you, too," Clarice said, opening her eyes into slits and grinning wickedly at him, "I'll keep all of you for myself."

John smirked before leaning down and stealing a kiss. "And exactly how are you going to keep me?"

"I have my ways."

"You're being mushy," JD said, shoving up onto his elbows. His shaggy dark hair fell in his face, but his bright green eyes, almost the same shade as her own, peered at her hopefully. "What about hiking?"

Clarice was about to explain how they could go hiking tomorrow when a furry black and white blur raced into the room and leapt on the bed. Zingo licked John's face and crawled over Clarice and bumped against JD and then started digging into the covers after Hope. Any hope Clarice had held for a quiet morning was instantly shattered and quickly followed by peals of giggles and little shrieks of laughter from Hope and JD.

The dog unburied Hope. The four-year-old pushed her dark purple and blue hair out of her golden-brown eyes and grabbed for Zingo before the dog bounced off the bed, dashing out of the room with the kids tearing after her.

Clarice sat up and brushed at her own messy hair before glancing at John through purple strands.

"What kind of muffin did you bring as a peace offering?"

John smirked and reached over to grab the muffin. "Apple cinnamon."

"Mmm. You're forgiven." She supposed she could get up and go hiking if she had coffee and an apple cinnamon muffin to bolster her.

"I didn't ask for forgiveness," John teased, "You like hiking, Clarice. So I don't need forgiveness."

"You're still forgiven for waking me up."

John looped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his side as she started to chow down on the muffin. "Thank you?"

"Hell yeah, thank you."