Author's Note: getting my drabble on


Poolside
by: mazzie may

Cassie takes a running start, jumps‒

"Oh snap!"

splash

‒landing in the deep end of the pool.

Johnny applauds his daughter's catch of the football he'd tossed moments before. "Atta girl, pumpkin pie!"

Having a child is like agreeing to let one's heart wander around outside of one's chest. That precious heart of his bobs around the water, grinning and trying to tread to the edge with the football in hand.

Her adorable crooked grin (which she inherited from her daddio) slips into a frown, like a wave washed it away.

"She's not coming down," she says without pretense. No tone, just fact. Johnny pulls a bit of a face at that, looking at the empty poolside Zero G chair Cassie is eyeing with distaste. It spends most of its days unused, as the lady that uses it does so rarely.

He dunks his hands in the water and brings them up to push his hair back. "I'll go remind her. She probably just forgot."

"She remembers everything but us," she sulks, setting the football on the tasteful border.

He flicks water at her. "Hey, now," he warns. "Don't be shitty."

She sticks out her tongue. "She's shitty."

"Oh, I know," he says. "The bad attitude won't help you, though."

Johnny wades to the steps and climbs out of the water, reaching for a zebra stripped towel.

"Bee-arr-bee, sweet pea."

"Whatever," is her only reply falling back into the water to play by herself.

He finds Sonya snug as a bug in rug in their bed, a thick manila folder laid open across her thighs.

" 'Ey, mama," he says, dabbing at excess water on his trimmed chest.

He only thinks of it like that as Sonya's eyes rove it before returning to what he assumes is work. "Let's go outside."

"Go outside, then."

"I've been outside."

"Then go do it again."

Sigh. Everything is always a challenge. Of course, Johnny doesn't mind a bit of chasing‒Lord knows how much of it he was doing when trying to catch her eye originally. Hell, her being difficult for the sake of it has lead to some pretty incredible nights.

Like the one Cassie was conceived.

Johnny is always down to play, but now that Cassie's in the picture, it can't all be fun and games: Sonya refuting him to see what he'll do; Johnny's vast attempts at conquering her.

"I want you to come with me," he says.

"No."

She doesn't even look up. Damn.

"C'mon, baby." He puts a knee on the bed, balancing himself as he places his towel around his neck."There's grass, and something called the sky," he says with exaggerated wonder. She scoffs.

"You'll love it."

"I'm reading."

Johnny lets some real frustration show. "You're always reading."

With a sigh, Sonya looks at him with thin patience. "It's for work, it's important," she insists.

"Your eyes are meant to look at more than paperwork, baby."

"Like your movies?" she smirks.

He sticks his tongue out at her, crawling on the to the bed. "Most importantly," Johnny acknowledges. "But there are other things."

"I'll stick to this‒hey!"

The folder flutters out of her hands when Johnny takes a swing at it. It goes flying off the end of the bed, lost somewhere to the floor.

"Oh look, it's over there now."

She scowls at him.

He sighs.

"There is a ten-year-old sea princess that wants to show you her kingdom, and that can't happen from here."

The frustration on Sonya's face melts into a touch of guilt.

"I know you don't leave the bed on Saturdays," he goes on, laying on his side. A few errant water drops darken the sheets. "You know I think that's too cute for words; tough as nails Sonya Blade maroons herself in her bedroom every weekend."

Her glare is back.

"Make an exception, baby. Our baby would really appreciate it."

()

Cassie continues to pout and ignore Sonya's presence for all of five minutes, before she's asking her mom if she saw her jump.

Sonya doesn't get in the pool, only dipping her feet in from the top of the steps, but she stays outside.

"C'mere, Mrs Cage."

"You just want Mrs Cage to get her shirt wet."

"Well, duh."

"You guys are gross."


Author's Note: I know this is kind of cheating, as this story takes place when they're still married. Johnny still has to play messenger tho. Hope your Father's Day is lovely! Review, if you could.