Another quick one that came to me today while picking apples with my kids. I probably should spend more time polishing these one shots, but I've got 100,000+ word fics I'm still writing here, so this is as good as it gets for now...
Sparkling, deep amber liquid swirled in the disposable paper cup, topped by a frothy ring that clung to the rim, and the fragrance of fresh-pressed, spiced cider filled Nate's nostrils as he brought the cup to his lips to take a swig. Savoring the taste as it slid down his throat, Nate wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and let out a satisfied "Ahhhh!"
"You know too much of that stuff can have... adverse affects, right?" Sully asked around a cigar as he walked up behind him. Watching as his mentor pulled out his lighter and cupped his hand around the flame, Nate raised his eyebrows at the irony of the statement.
"Well, so can too much of that stuff, but that's never stopped you,right?"
Sully shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't say I didn't warn you when we're stopping at every gas station on the way home."
The two men walked in amicable silence, breathing in the crispness of Fall as they headed toward the rows of fruit trees that stretched out before them, where Elena and Nate's four-year-old bundle of energy were still gathering in fall's bounties. Squealing children ran by, sometimes nearly colliding with the two men as they passed, and were always followed by parents who seemed to range anywhere from cheerful and excited, to one step away from running screaming from the Johnson You-Pick Orchard with the intent to never look back. After enjoying a chuckle at the expense of a particularly frazzled-looking father who was running after his toddler, Nate looked over at his companion.
"Hey, Sully," he asked. "Got any more of that 'cider enhancer'?"
Slipping a thin silver flask out of his front pocket, Sully unscrewed the lid and passed it to Nate, who splashed a bit into his cup. Nate started to twist the lid back on, but Sully snatched it from him and threw back a swig before closing it himself. "This stuff's the only thing keeping my nerves down," Sully muttered as he slipped the container back into his pocket and took a puff of his cigar.
Nate laughed. "Oh, come on Sully. It's not so bad."
"Mmm." Sully gave him a sidelong glance. "One thing's for sure: if it wasn't for that little rascal of yours, I'd would be remorselessly leaving you to your own devices today."
"Exactly!" Nate said, throwing up his hands as if Sully had just uttered a profound secret. "It's all about the kids, right?" As if to reinforce the point, a child's happy shriek pierced the brisk autumn air and an apple went sailing through the sky to be caught by an older sibling. "Speaking of which," Nate added as an aside. "You'd better put that thing out while we're around kids before you start getting the evil eye from the adults out here."
"Oh, right!" Sully quickly stubbed the smoldering cigar out on a tree trunk and tucked its remains in his shirt pocket.
Nate smiled. For all the ways Sully was, and always would be, Sully, Nate knew he cared the world for Cassie. In years past, telling him he should abstain from his favorite vice around any group of people was sure to earn a few grumbles, but when it came to Cassie, Sully was happy to oblige. At least until the little squirt was out of sight and out of range of the smoke. Recognizing the bushel basket he had left behind, Nate drained his cup of (spiked) cider and turned into the row, where he immediately spotted his wife and daughter.
"But I'm tiiired, mom!" Cassie sniffed, sitting on an overturned basket with her bottom lip extended so far Nate was sure it would dry out in a few seconds.
"I know, baby," Elena said in a motherly tone as she placed another apple in her basket. Nate smiled as she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and locked eyes with him. "Look, honey, it's daddy!" she said, hoping to distract the smallest member of the Drake family.
"Hey, chipmunk!" Nate said warmly, and squatted down next to his daughter. Sully picked up his discarded basket and trudged by, making his way a little further down the grassy row to find more prime real estate to gather from. Turning his sky-blue eyes to look into little Cassie's weary, hazel-green ones, Nate smiled. "What's up, Cass?"
Cassie pouted but replied, "I don't wanna pick apples any more dad! I'm tired. Can't we go home?"
Putting his hand on her small, bony shoulder, Nate said gently, "Soon, kiddo. Soon." An idea popped into his head, and his eyes lit up. "You know what daddy used to do when I got tired of doing something?"
"What, daddy?"
Leaning in conspiratorially, Nate whispered, "I'd pretend I was doing something else. Something exciting!"
The youngest Drake looked puzzled. "Like what?"
"Ummm," Nate's eyes wandered as he scrounged for an idea, and briefly came to rest on his wife's face, who was now also looking at him with arms crossed and lips pursed, waiting to hear what he would say. "Like... treasure hunting," he said tentatively. Elena's brows shot up to nearly touch her hairline, and Nate looked away before she could direct any scolding his direction. "You know, like in those cartoons you watch," he quickly amended.
Eager, glistening eyes stared back at him, Cassie's rapt attention now hanging on his every word. "How did you do that?"
"Yes, dear," Elena said sarcastically. "How did you do that?"
"Well!" he began, ignoring his wife's skepticism. "First off- you need a treasure." He waved to the rows of trees around them. "Just think like all these apples were little rocks you had to sort through to find a priceless jewel. Second," he held up a finger for emphasis. "Booby traps. There's always booby traps."
Elena rolled her eyes while Cassie gasped and squirmed on her basket. "Like what, dad?" she whispered excitedly.
"Oh, you know," Nate glanced at his wife and was relieved to see a less judgmental stare coming his way. If he wasn't mistaken, she might have actually looked impressed at how his ploy was working. "Trap doors, spikes, hidden crossbows... the works. And last, but certainly not least, every treasure hunt has bad guys," he continued sagely.
Cassie looked concerned. "Who are the bad guys? Mom?"
Nate's gaze flicked back to Elena in alarm. "No! No, no, mommy's a good gu- good girl, that is. No, I was thinking more like Uncle Sully."
"Uncle Sully?"
Nate leaned even closer and shielded a whisper with his hand. "Uncle Sully has the perfect bad guy mustache!"
Cassie's mouth formed a small "o" in realization, then she leaned over and whispered loudly in her father's ear, "What should we do, daddy?"
Nate stifled a laugh as her breath tickled his ear, but quickly got his composure back and looked solemnly at his daughter. "First: we mount an attack!"
As Sully reached up for another gleaming Red Delicious, he suddenly felt something soft and smushy bounce off the back of his neck. "Hey!" he cried, reaching back and finding applesauce smeared across his nape. "What the godda-"
"SULLY!" Elena warned.
"-darn!" he caught himself. "What the gosh darn heck is goin' on?"
He turned to see Nate and Cassie making a break for the nearest tree. Nate was grinning ear to ear, while Cassie was giggling uncontrollably as she bounced along behind her father. They both peered around the small trunk, which looked ridiculous for Nate, whose large frame wasn't even close to being concealed by it. Cassie, on the other hand, was actually pretty well hidden, though he could still see her shaking with barely-contained laughter.
"Nate, was that you?" Sully asked, though his initial disgruntlement was lost on seeing his little niece.
Nate gasped dramatically and looked at Cassie. "Oh no, Cassie! The evil treasure hunter's not dead yet! We'll have to get more ammo!"
"Ohhhh," Sully nodded in understanding as he watched Nate and Cass scramble to gather more fruit. "So I'm the bad guy, huh?" He smirked. "Are you sure that's a role that you want me to play, Nate?"
In response, little Cassie and Nate just lunged from behind the tree and began assaulting him with half-rotten apples. Sully gave a cry of surprise and held his arms up to block the onslaught.
"Uh, guys?" Elena called, her hands firmly on her hips. "You know apples stain, right?"
She watched as Sully hefted his entire basket and ran after Nate, who turned heel and yelled "Ahhh! RPG, RPG!"
"Nate!" she called more loudly, raising herself up on her tip-toes.
"Uh, I mean, whatever they use in those cartoons- gah!" Nate threw his arms up as the entire contents of Sully's basket was emptied over his head. Cassie squealed with delight.
Heaving a sigh, Elena shook her head and watched as Sully and his surrogate son pelted each other through the orchard. "You two are so immature," she mumbled, though she couldn't help but smile.
Turning on Sully with a wild grin and an apple in hand, Nate gloated, "Ha, you scoundrel! Now you have no more ammo! We've got him now, Cassie!"
To his surprise, little Cassie suddenly ran over and stood by the older man, an apple raised in his defense. "NO! Not Uncle Sully! I want to be on his side now, daddy!"
Nate looked stunned. "What- Cassie, you can't do that to me!"
"No, no. You're doing good, kiddo," Sully smirked, patting his niece on the back. "That actually happens quite a bit in treasure hunting."
"SULLY!" Elena's voice drifted to them.
"Er, in the cartoons or whatever."
Betrayal clearly on his face, Nate stared and finally tossed his fruit projectile aside. "Fine then!" he sniffed. "I still get the treasure, though!" He turned and reached for a particularly shiny, deep crimson apple hanging from the tree. "A flawless, ruby-red specimen, straight from Fujiyama!"
Elena, who had just caught up with them, snorted a laugh. "That was so corny, Nate."
He grinned devilishly over his shoulder at her and gave the apple a tug. His brow furrowed in confusion as the whole branch bowed under the force, while the desired fruit remained firmly connected. "Stubborn thing, this one is!" he muttered. Pulling harder, the scarlet orb finally popped off and the branch snapped back, sending tremors up the full height of the tree. The motion shook loose some of the higher fruit, and suddenly Nate felt one apple bounce off his head, while another hit his shoulder. "Hey, no fair!" he cried. Taking a step back, he slipped on a rotten fruit and promptly fell on his backside at the base of the tree. Dazed, he looked up with wounded pride as he heard snickering behind him.
"Daddy!" Cass giggled as he looked back at her. "You said there's always booby traps!"
Elena and Sully positively lost it at that, doubling over as they roared with laughter. Slowly the look of shock on Nate's face faded to a sheepish grin, then finally an outright smile at his own expense as he shook his head at the irony of the situation. "That I did, Cass. That I did."
As he stood and took his little daughter's hand, leading her back towards their baskets, Sully elbowed Elena softly in the ribs. "She's bright, that one," he said in a low voice. "She'll be real good in the family business some day."
"Sully," Elena groaned as she walked side by side with him toward the setting Autumn sun. "She is not going into 'The Family Business'."
"Just somethin' to keep in mind," Sully shrugged.
Elena hummed around a smile. "You know you two are a terrible influence on her..."
Sully laughed with her. "I resemble that."
