Right after I posted my Stowaway prompt I got this one and I wrote up something quick. I love Edith. She's the one I think would relate to Gru most, but that's just me.
Set before the second movie, obviously!
Fight
"Do you understand the severity of the situation, Mr. Gru?"
"Yeah yeah I got et. I'm going to be talking with her. Okay?"
The principal narrowed her eyes but nodded. "Then you can go, Edith is going to be suspended for the rest of the week."
Gru wanted to object but instead just took his leave out of her office. Right outside the door Edith sat, holding an ice pack on her cheek. With one glance to her the blond pushed off the chair and followed him outside.
It had only been a few months since Gru officially had adopted the girls. Since then he had been trying his best to be a respectable father figure for them but every once in a while they'd have an incident like this. It made him wonder how good of a father he really could be.
The girl sat in the backseat of his car, rubbing on the red cheek that had been covered with the ice. Gru drove in silence for a while, unsure of what he could say.
"You missed a turn."
"What who.. oh." Gru groaned. "Listen, don't.. don't fight, okay? Dat isn't what-"
"He started it." Her voice turned defensive.
"Den next time tell someone."
Edith glanced out the window. Gru found himself going a further way home then he intended, but maybe this was a chance he could really get more information from her. "Tell me how it started."
Her cap was pulled down a bit more; Gru noticed she did this whenever she felt uncomfortable. He kept glancing to the rearview mirror to watch her as she spoke.
"He.. he tried to take my hat."
Gru raised a brow. "Is dat really so bad?"
"He said I was stupid. That the hat was ugly like me."
Shaking his head the man almost wished he could have smacked the kid himself. "You are not. Don't-"
"He also said I was weird because I was adopted."
Gru gripped the wheel, trying not to seem just as upset as Edith likely had been. "Dat was no reason to hit him…" Even if he really wished he could have seen her go postal on the brat.
It got quiet and when they finally pulled up to his house, Gru glanced back at her. To some surprise, she had her cap down enough to cover her eyes. It was then he saw the tears she was trying to hide. Reaching back, his hand tugged on that pink material, trying to have her look at him.
"Edith, it's okay."
"You don't get it!" She smacked his hand away which was a bit surprising. The fact she did it hurt more than then anything. "I don't like the school. I don't like those kids… they all think I'm weird."
"I hear you.." he sighed, wishing that he could make those tears go away. "When I was your age.. I got into fights every other day."
She sniffed, pushing back her cap to look at him. "Yeah?"
Gru wondered for a moment if he should tell her. After all, he had to try and get her to stop this behavior. "Yes.. I haven't always been dis cool.." He gave her a smile, which she did respond with. "But dey stopped. And I moved on."
"How did you move on?" The bruise on her cheek caught his eye again. It really worried him.
He waved his hand. "Science stuff rockets and space… De things I loved. I focused on dem and realized dat I was better den what dey said."
Edith blinked and went to rubbing her eyes as she tried to think. "What.. what do you think I could do?"
"Oh I'll help you think of something."
"Woooah! Is that a real sword?"
Gru held the little katana above her so she couldn't reach, but Edith wasn't going to stop trying. "Yes et is, but!" He set it back on the bookcase in his office. "Once you go to some classes I'll let you have it. Karate, kendo.. you like all dat stuff don't you?"
"Yeah!" Edith laughed. "You're really going to let me learn all that?"
Gru knelt down, his hand on her shoulder. "If you promise me not to fight anymore. One more fight and I'll stop de classes. Okay?"
Edith gave a little smile. "Yeah… I promise."
"Good. Now go wash up."
Her smile made him do the same, glad she was back to a somewhat normal state. She rushed off to do what he asked, while Gru glanced to his cell and hit a button.
"Yes.. hello Mom… Edith needs a good karate instructor, know anyone?"