A/N: For some reason this idea won't leave me alone, so I'm writing it. Major trigger warning for suicide, both ideation and attempt. Please please don't read if this will cause you harm. This chapter does not feature the actual act, but it's forthcoming, so prepare yourselves.
It was Tuesday, Lena's least favorite day. She didn't know why, exactly, but for some reason she'd never had the Monday blues the way most people seemed to. Instead, Tuesdays were her dreaded day - lacking the shock value or energy of a Monday, and with the weekend nowhere in sight. She woke up slowly, having hit the snooze button, which she never did. Stef was already in the shower, which was something of a blessing. Usually Lena showered first, made coffee, and started breakfast before her wife was even awake, but it seemed Stef had decided to give her the gift of an extra ten minutes in bed today. She could hear the kids' shower running as well, which meant either Callie or Jesús was up and about. (Brandon showered at nights now, to get a better chance of hot water, and both Mariana and Jude usually slept in.) When at last getting up seemed unavoidable, Stef came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her torso, her newly short hair dripping onto her shoulders.
"Good morning, love," she greeted, winking at Lena where she lay in bed. "You feeling okay?"
Lena nodded, hauling herself up and stretching. "Just couldn't get going today," she explained. "Can you do coffee while I shower?"
"On it," Stef affirmed, turning away from her wife and dropping the towel to her waist. Lena watched as Stef carefully affixed her bra and pulled it over her chest, still adjusting to the new weight of implants. On went a black t-shirt, underwear, and the uniform, all with Lena still gazing at her wife's back. When Stef turned around, she was surprised to discover that Lena hadn't gone into the bathroom, but she covered the startle with an attempt at coyness. "See anything you like?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.
"Everything," Lena replied, leaning across the bed for a peck on the lips before she turned to go into the bathroom and shed her pajamas. Stef followed and swept on her usual light makeup - brown pencil eyeliner, a dab of mascara, and light-coverage foundation - while her wife showered. Stef lingered in the bathroom until Lena stepped out of the shower, reaching for a towel which Stef tugged away.
"Mmm," she hummed flirtatiously, eyeing her wife's body. Lena rolled her eyes but accepted the kiss she was offered before grabbing her towel and wrapping it around herself.
"Go make me coffee, woman," she demanded with a swat to Stef's shoulder.
"As you wish, m'lady," Stef acquiesced, giving her another kiss on her way out of the bathroom.
Lena dressed, styled her hair, and applied her makeup as the welcome aroma of coffee rose through the house. She heard the kids' bathroom cycle through three showers before achieving silence, and she mentally took inventory of the day's plans. Brandon had piano, so he would want to drive himself to school; Jude had to stay after with his tutor; and Mariana had STEM. That left Jude, Jesús, and Callie walking home, but with two cars, everyone could easily get a ride to school.
When she finally arrived downstairs, a little anxious at the time, she was pleased to see four kids sitting at the table, all in varying states of cereal completion. Stef was buttering toast, which she set down at Lena's spot, which already had a steaming mug of coffee in front of it.
"Thank you," Lena said, squeezing her partner's hand as she sat down to eat.
"Jesús, let's get going!" Stef yelled up the stairs in reply. "I swear, that boy..." She trailed off, leaving the threat unfinished. "Alright, you four - backpacks? Lunches? Homework done?" The kids at the table nodded in the affirmative to all three questions, and she kissed them all on the heads before grabbing her own lunchbox. "I've got to run. Have a good day, babies." She pulled a final kiss from Lena's mouth. "I love you. I'll be home for dinner."
Lena nodded distractedly. Jesús was usually one of the first ones up, and for him to stay in bed this late was unheard of, unless he was sick. "Jude, was Jesús awake when you came down?" she asked, and her youngest shrugged, his mouth full.
"I 'unno, he wasn't like getting dressed or anything," Jude mumbled, swallowing his bite in the middle of the sentence.
"B, please go check on your brother," Lena directed, and through Brandon's whine she justified, "because you're the oldest. Now go. The rest of you, get your stuff together, we've got to get going. Brandon's going to drive today, so two in his car and two in mine."
Brandon came thundering back downstairs. "He told me to fuck off," he announced, and Lena winced. "Hey, I'm just quoting!"
"Alright. Get your stuff and go." Lena scrubbed her hands down her face. "You can take the green car today, to get to piano, so take your siblings to school please. I'll deal with your brother."
Upstairs, she found Jesús lying on his back in bed, his eyes open and staring blankly up at the ceiling.
"Baby, let's go," she urged, patting first the door, then his bed, and finally his chest in effort to prompt some kind of reaction from her son.
"I'm staying home today," Jesús grumbled, rolling away from his mama's inquisitive eyes. "I'm sick."
"Head or tummy?" Lena asked automatically, putting a hand to his forehead. "You don't feel feverish..."
"I'm just sick," he reiterated, pulling his covers over his head. Lena sighed.
"I don't have time to fight you on this right now. If you say you're sick, I'll trust you. Stay in bed, drink water, and I'll call you at lunchtime, okay?" She kissed the lump under the blankets. A guttural sound of affirmation came out. With one more affectionate pat to what she thought was his shoulder, she left the room, shaking her head. It was pretty clear he wasn't sick, just tired, but she didn't have time to argue and drag him out of bed. It was already nearly 8, and she needed to be at school.
She texted Stef on her way out the door: Jesús staying home, says he's "sick." Didn't have time to fight it. Will call him at lunch. I'm late. Love you, be safe. A response quickly winged its way back: the eye roll emoji, followed by Okay. Love you too. I will. Text me after you call him. And with that, Lena had to put her son to the back of her mind, before she was late to work.