McArthy dashed through the doorway, weapon in hand as he panted, sweat running down his brow. He removed the magazine, seeing that there were a few rounds left before inserting it back into the gun. He peeked out the door, seeing no movement he calmed himself for a moment before tensing up again, hearing skittering from down the hall.
He moved his head away, taking a moment to examine the room he was in.
Hess' room.
Its blue walls had taken the times well, through watercolor paint and vomit and toys and even a flying young kig-yar at times. He was glad that his investment was worthwhile. The bed, no longer a cradle, sat in the far corner as various gizmos and playthings were strewn across the carpet. McArthy had forgotten to ask her to clean it up last time he was in there, but that wasn't important right now.
He was being hunted.
He looked back outside, still nothing in the hall and it was now silent. There was still a light on in the kitchen, and the occasional shadow crept back and forward.
It could be his hunter. Or it could be his prey if he took his chances. And right now? He was all in.
Taking one last bated breath, he ran out, gun ready, and sped down the hall before jumping behind a couch and flipping it for cover. He looked over the couch, but to his surprise, he did not see his target.
Before he could do anything else, he felt an object press against the back of his head.
patunk
"Got you daddy!"
McArthy slumped his shoulders as he turned around, letting the foam dart fall to the floor as he looked up at the small t'vaoan dancing with a toy gun in hand. He chuckled, "You sure are sneaky Hess, you little rascal."
"McArthy, can you stop flipping the couch over? I think it's ruining the floor," Mim said, working in the kitchen.
"I'm just having fun with our kid honey!"
"Fun or not I do not want to have to pay for new floors."
McArthy snickered, gesturing his daughter towards the floor by the back door, "Don't tell her I hid a crack under that rug."
Hess laughed before falling onto him, climbing onto his body as he chuckled. Eventually, she ended up on his back, wrapped around as best she could in a hug, squeezing as tight as she could as McArthy rested his hands on her arms.
"And up we go!" McArthy exclaimed as he stood up, making Hess chirp in surprise.
He paraded around the living room with her, shaking his torso as she held on for dear life, the two of them laughing all the while. It got to a point where McArthy threw the young kig-yar onto the couch with an 'oof' before descending onto her with wiggling fingers.
"Daddy stop- aha!" Hess laughed as her father tickled her, legs desperately trying to kick off the attacks to her stomach.
He only increased the intensity, much to her displeasure as the child's laughter got even louder. Mim snickered and shook her head, going back to prepping food.
"You should get her ready for school dear, I don't want her being late during her first week of school," Mim called out, watching them slowly settle down as McArthy carried her in his arms.
Every time she saw the two of them together, she felt exponentially more happy, a pride that could be replicated nowhere else. Hess scurried off to her room, leaving the t'vaoan and her husband alone, the latter of the two moving next to the other.
He placed a kiss on her beak as he wrapped his hand around her waist, touching the sides of their hips with one another. Mim trilled as she nuzzled into him, causing him to recoil slightly in surprise. She snickered before finally placing the food inside a small lunch pouch.
"Are you sure you don't want me to run errands today? I'm sure you don't want to be stuck doing menial chores such as that?" He said, rubbing her side with a thumb.
Mim licked his chin before sliding the lunchbox towards the end of the counter, "No I am fine doing so, plus, I barely know how to operate the kitchen, much less a majority of the items in the menu."
McArthy scratched her chin before kissing her again, "I should probably teach you one of these days."
"Yes, should I take the Gh- vehicle today and drop the two of you off to your respective places?" Mim asked, pointing to the general direction of the garage.
McArthy chuckled, his name finally sticking with her, "Yes, that would be fine."
#
"Hey 'Oru,"
The sangheili looked up from the table he was wiping down at his boss inatheàkitchen, "Yes Mr. 'Tol?"
He heard an annoyed sigh before gaining a response, "We've known each other for how many years now? Six or seven? You can just call me McArthy, no formalities needed."
"Sorry Mr. T- McArthy," 'Oru said rubbing the back of his head.
He made his way past the empty tables towards the small barstool counter, resting his arms on the surface, "What's up McArthy?"
McArthy peered himself from around the bend, taking another look around the nearly dead restaurant, "How many people have come in today?"
'Oru did a quick count in his head and said, "Around thirty or so individuals."
"Only thirty? Sheesh," the human groaned as he leaned against the wall with his shoulder, "So uh, what's new with you? How's the family?"
He looked at him dumbly before 'Oru gave an answer, "They are doing fine. Nothing really new has happened, life has just been kinda stagnant. Lots of college work. How about you?"
"Not much, just the usual. Well, Hess just started schooling so we don't have to worry too much about watching her anymore and Mim can help around here more often, an extra helping hand is always nice eh?" McArthy replied, taking a moment to look outside at the shore.
'Oru scratched his chin, "Hess started school? Where did the years go… anyway she's going to Langwello I presume?"
McArthy nodded, "I assume you went there as well?"
'Oru gave an affirmative grunt as he pulled a stool out and sat on it.
"What do they teach?" McArthy implored.
"Well, uh, it's been a while so I don't know how much of the curriculum they have changed, but your basic math and reading comprehension skills- although Hess might be put in a slightly different program due to the fact that sangheili is not her first language.
"On top of that, she'll learn some science and history surrounding the planets."
The human seemed intrigued, "I assume they have started to add more interstellar history into the equation following Sil's arrival?"
"Yes, but it is usually relegated to higher level education. I'm sure they are already teaching the full Human-Covenant war by now," 'Oru replied, scratching his mandibles.
McArthy raised his eyebrows, "Damn, that was what? Three-four years ago now? Crazy to think Mim and I escaped the last few years of it."
"On the topic of Mim, where is she today? You said she wasn't preoccupied with Hess anymore, so why isn't she here?" The sangheili asked, not trying to be rude, just curious.
"Oh, she's running a few errands."
#
Mim strolled down the sidewalk, various bags in hands full of assorted goods she had purchased for herself and the home. A new bathing suit, a new blanket, even some conditioner for her feathers. It was a nice outing, although a portion of her felt bad about being deceitful about the details of her errands, she had a feeling that it would be a slow day either way.
However, she desperately needed a day to herself for once. She loved her daughter to death, she truly would take torture than to see anything bad happen to her. But by the gods did she need some alone time once every so often so she didn't crumple from exhaustion. Hess starting school had been a lifesaver for her, a much needed respite from her motherly duties.
Although it was near impossible at this point, a single day alone with her hubby would be a dream. The amount of things they could do without worrying about Hess being around sent shivers down her spine.
As she moved from her thoughts, Mim came to a stop next to an interesting looking store. It sat on the corner of the street, which was thankfully not very busy. As much as she liked the city, it was usually a bit too dense for her taste.
The store had a holographic sign hanging above the entrance that read 'Buv's Display' in sangheili. Peeking through the window, she saw a wide assortment of interesting objects, all alien to her. Curious and with no responsibilities for the day, she shrugged her shoulders and walked through the entrance. The door slid open and shut for her, then she stopped in the entrance and gazed around the shop. At the very back end of the store was a counter, an ibie-shan standing behind, preoccupied with something to notice her entrance.
Mim continued to gaze around the store, then she heard a high pitched hiss directly in her left ear. Before she could react to the sound, something suddenly coiled around her neck firmly, making her let out an alarmed squawk, dropping her things and trying to grab at what was around her neck.
The commotion caught the ibie-shan's attention, who quickly whipped from the counter to see Mim struggling near the entrance. Mim was able to grasp the scaled creature around her neck, still unable to see exactly what it was. As she stumbled around, squawking and pulling at it's grip, she looked up and saw the ibie-shan rushing over.
Quickly grabbing onto whatever was around her neck, the ibie-shan said in a strange, strong accent, "Calm down, little lady! Nothing to be scared of! Is just my pet, Maxo!"
Mim froze for a moment as she looked at the ibie-shan standing two inches over her, then craned her neck to try and see what was still compiled around her neck. Suddenly, a serpent head slowly bobbed into view, then the creature let out a long, soft, rumbling noise.
Staring at the creature, Mim said, "I've never seen one of these before."
Chuckling, the ibie-shan calmly uncoiled the creature and said, "Obviously. Though, Do not blame you. They are expensive, and far more popular on New T'vao than here. Maxo here is Huka. Not need to fear him, very friendly. He just relaxing around your neck, he gets bit too comfortable around strangers."
Sighing with relief, rubbing her neck, Mim picked up her bags and said, "Thank you. I'm sorry for the… panic."
Chucking, the ibie-shan rested the huka around his own neck and said, "It is no issue, pretty lady. It has been slow day, and Maxo here still needs to learn not to coil around strangers. Anyway, name is Buv."
The shop owner held out a hand, then Mim grasped it and said, "I'm Mim, nice to meet you. And Maxo, of course."
Laughing, Buv began moving back towards the counter and said, "Is always great to meet a new comrade, Mim. Now, please, have a look around. A lot of stuff here could only be found on New T'vao, my homeworld. I have many things, like a… you speak sangheili, yes?"
Nodding her head, Buv sighed and said in sangheili, "I have many things from simple decorations to more complicated things, like various types of bongs, instruments, clothes. I also sell huka, I have some in back. Do not worry, it is totally legal."
Mim slowly nodded her head, honestly more transfixed on the strange creature on his neck. How had she been on this planet for this long without knowing about these huka? She watched curiously as it basically leaped off his shoulders and began slithering around the store, it's large size a little off putting.
Buv must've noticed her staring, as he chuckled and said, "Do not worry. Huka have weaker muscles after years of breeding. They could not kill if they wanted to."
Slowly nodding her head, Mim went ahead and began browsing the various items in the store. The items he called bongs were particularly interesting. They were quite large, and shaped to fit around a kig-yar beak.
Noticing her interest, Buv chuckled and said, "You know, pretty lady, if you like bong, I have sustenance for them under counter. Just food for thought."
Something about what he said sounded… off to her, so she simply shook her head and said, "I think I'm good."
Shrugging his shoulders, Buv said, "No worries. If you ever change your mind, you know where shop is."
Feeling something brush against her foot, she lifted her foot with a small chirp and watched the huka slither between her legs. Hearing the shop owner chuckle again, she turned her gaze to a shelf beside the bongs, only to freeze as she stared at the various objects lined up.
Speaking up again, Buv said, "I see you take interest in the toys. If you have ever wanted to experience a sangheili without the commitment, I have what you need." He finished his statement with a sly grin, putting her off even more.
Nervously chuckling, Mim took a step away and said, "O-oh, no I-I'm good."
Nodding his head, the shop owner said, "Ah, here for the simple…"
He scratched his head for a moment, then simply said in sangheili, "...decorative items."
Mim nodded, then spun away from the impure aisle she was in and turned to another shelf. This one held a lot of different items, from small statues of creatures she hadn't seen before, ones she learned about being native to this world, along with other kinds of small stone and wood carvings. Suddenly, her eyes fell on a small rack of stuffed animals. One specific stuffed toy caught her eye.
Without her even noticing, Buv appeared directly beside her and spoke up, making her jump with a scared squawk, "A stuffed Malinchor, hm? You know those creatures went extinct 900 years ago on New T'vao. A shame. Some theorized they could've been as smart as us."
Mim held up the plush animal, looking at it. It looked a little similar to a kig-yar, though it's entire body was covered in the fluffy feathers, and it's torso faced more vertically with a long, curling tail. The plush was almost the size of Hess too. She'd love it.
Looking at the plush, Mim thought about how much Hess would love it. Turning to Buv, she waved it and asked, "How much?"
Turning from the toy to her, Buv chuckled and said, "For you, pretty lady? 15 zeeks."
She swiftly pulled her wallet out and handed him the solid, rectangular money, then said, "That's pretty cheap."
Holding the money behind his back with a grin, Buv said, "For you, everything in here has a discount."
Mim chuckled as she approached the entrance to leave, then said, "That's so kind. My husband will love to hear about this place."
She watched his mouth go agape as she slipped out of the shop, snickering to herself as she haphazardly put the plush in one of her bags and strolled back down the sidewalk. Mim couldn't wait to see the look on Hess' face when she handed the plush over, and she could already imagine the grin on McArthy's face when she tells him about how she got such a discount.
#
"You all only have ten minutes to complete the pre-test. And no cheating, children, I'll know if you do."
The female sangheili leaned against the wall for a moment as she watched the room of young kig-yar and sangheili all nod their heads, then look down in front of them. Each desk had a holo table inside it, and all the children were putting their answers into a test.
Turning her head to see the far left front seat, she saw a particular t'vaoan girl still staring at her. The teacher stared back, then it clicked in her mind. She felt ashamed for a moment, she completely forgot about little Hess.
Walking over to Hess, the teacher spoke in a quieter voice, "I'm sorry, I forgot. You can start the pre-test now, you have ten minutes."
Giggling, Hess said, "It's ok, Ms. 'Morlum. I'll breeze through this test!"
Chuckling, the teacher said, "I'm sure you will."
She turned away and walked to her desk, about to take a seat, then she heard Hess release a chirp and say, "Done!"
Whipping around for a moment, the teacher walked back to Hess and asked, "You finished? But you just started, like, ten seconds ago."
Chuckling, Hess said, "I don't know. The m-math was easy."
Turning her shocked expression to a smile, the teacher moved back to her desk and said, "Well, let me get your results then."
She took a seat on her chair and looked at her own holographic screen. Quickly flicking through to look at the test results, the teacher was caught slightly off guard by Hess' scores. Pre-tests were handed out to test the students' skills on subjects she hasn't taught them yet. Usually they don't score well, which is perfectly fine, yet Hess had… a perfect score.
Peaking away from her seat to look at Hess, she could see the child was staring into her own holographic screen, grinning. Turning to look at the rest of the students, they were all still only starting the pre-test.
"I wonder if she should be brought up a grade." the teacher said to herself, rising while brushing off her clothes.
Striding back over to Hess, Ms. 'Morlum knelt next to Hess and asked, "Did your parents teach you?"
Giggling, Hess shook her head and said, "Not really. But… my aunt showed me how to do lots of cool things!"
Hess then pointed at her holographic table and said, "Like this!"
Positioning herself to see the screen, Ms. 'Morlum went wide eyed at the display. Hess had found a way to break into the holo-table, and was currently playing a game on it.
Collecting herself after a moment, the teacher chuckled and asked, "Uh, Hess, do you think you might want to be moved up a grade? You got a perfect score, you seem to know a lot for a girl your age."
Hess shook her head and said, "No, I am only good at that math stuff. Plus, if I went up a grade, I wouldn't be able to play with my new friends!"
Ms.'Morlum took a glance at the students around them for a moment, then sighed and said, "Okay, I think I'm gonna need to talk to your parents then. This is very… interesting."
A sudden quiet gasp came from Hess, then she lowered her head and eyes, putting both her hands over her beak, and softly asked, "A-am I in trouble? I-it's only my first day."
The teacher immediately felt guilty. As advanced as this child obviously was, she was still a child, she shouldn't have brought up talking to her parents like that. Shaking her head, the teacher softly said, "No, no, no, you're not in trouble sweetie! You're just very smart! That's a good thing!"
Moving her hands off her beak and meeting the teachers eyes, Hess said, "O-oh."
Smiling, the teacher sighed and said, "Alright then. Well, please do not tamper with the holo-table to play games, though. Now, just wait until everyone else is done with their pre-tests, then we'll move on to a lesson you already understand."
With new enthusiasm, Hess happily nodded her head and said, "Okay!"
Chuckling, Ms. 'Morlum stood up, then turned to the rest of the class and said in sangheili, "Seven minutes remaining. Remember, this isn't for a grade, so please do not feel stressed."
#
Ding
McArthy turned his head out through the kitchen's opening to see who had entered the shop. To his excitement, he saw none other than Mim strutting through, taking a brief look around.
The restaurant was still relatively empty, of course that didn't account for the mid-day lunch rush. Business during this time of the year was slow in general, a majority of the system's inhabitants were doing their own things and usually visited during the summers where the beach was packed.
"Good afternoon Mim," said Va, looking up from a magazine she was reading to take a peek at her boss.
The t'vaoan nodded, "Same to you, Va. I'm assuming my husband is in the back?"
"Yep."
Mim made her way through the building, passing by tables before opening the swinging door and walking directly into McArthy's embrace.
She squawked in surprise as he wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a kiss on the top of her snout, "Hey love bird."
She regained her composure and nuzzled into his neck before pulling away to look him in the face, "You scared the shit out of me, anyway, how are you hubby?"
"Oh I'm doing fine, just stocking up around here and I saw your pretty face walk through the door," he said, "I'm sure you had fun running around and buying things for the house."
Mim snickered, "I bought a lot of nice stuff, like a swimsuit I'm sure you'll appreciate. Oh, and I found this wacky shop downtown that sold sangheili sex toys."
"What? Am I not doing it for you anymore?"
"Oh you, I didn't get anything of that sort. The only thing I did buy there was something for Hess."
McArthy frowned at her with concern before she chuckled, "Oh, I didn't buy her- I bought her a cute stuffed animal!"
"That's what I thought," he said, laughing as she lightly slapped his face.
They released each other as McArthy peeked out into the dining area once more, seeing no activity he placed a hand on the back of his wife's head and scratched her plumage, making her purr. Before he could do anything further, a noise rang out from Mim's pocket, causing her to reach down into her pants and pull out her phone.
"Who is it?"
Mim gave him a look of concern, "It's from Langwello."
She answered, holding the phone up to her ear, "Hello?"
"Hello! I'm principal 'Turel of Langwello. You're Mim 'Tol, mother of Hess 'Tol, correct?"
Shooting a quick glance at McArthy, Mim nodded and said, "I am. Did something happen?"
She could hear the sangheili chortle, then they said, "No, of course not. Her teacher, Ms. 'Morlum simply wishes to speak with you at your earliest convenience about your daughter."
Sighing, Mim put her free hand on her hip and said, "I guess me and my husband can come in today after school. Will she want Hess there too?"
"No, you do not need to bring your child. Consider it a parent teacher conference. I'll tell her you two will come in today after class. Thank you for your time, Mrs. 'Tol."
"Not a problem, Mr. 'Turel."
With that, the principal hung up on Mim, leaving her to sigh and pocket the phone. Raising his hand to rub her head again, McArthy asked with a grin, "What did Hess do?"
Moving her head against his rubbing, her throat vibrating with satisfaction, she answered, "Oh, nothing. Her teacher just wants to talk to us. She isn't in any trouble."
Chuckling, McArthy gave her a kiss on the tip of the beak and said, "Well that's not a problem at all. I'd love to meet her teacher. Imagine the look on her face when she finds out Hess' dad is human!"
Snickering, Mim licked his cheek and said, "That may explain a few things about her behavior, now wouldn't it?"
McArthy laughed, then put his hand on her hip as he continued scratching her feathered head, spinning them around and said, "You and I both know she's more like you than me. A little genius with the energy of a cracked out puppy. She's cuter than one too."
The two laughed as they spun around in the kitchen for a moment, but their moment was halted as Va stuck her head through the double doors and said, "I know you two are busy flexing your healthy relationship, but we got customers now."
Immediately after, McArthy and Mim heard the ding of the doors opening. Grunting, McArthy gave Mim another kiss and said, "Well, seems I have some work to do. Want to help me out? Maybe I can start teaching you how to cook human food today."
Mim nodded her head with a giggle and said, "I'm sure I'll never get as good as you."
McArthy made his way to his cooking area, then said, "It's not as hard as you think. You can already cook, now I just gotta teach you how to cook in a more primitive way. Like evolving, but backwards."
Sticking her head through the window leading into the dining area, Va asked, "So devolving?"
"I pay you to be a waitress, not a smartass. You got orders?"
With a sigh, Va presented a paper and said, "Got an order for two jumbo corn dogs and a normal medium rare black anus steak."
Taking the paper with a chuckle, McArthy corrected, "Angus."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You humans wouldn't have made those words so similar if you weren't weird."
Spinning around to the convection stove, McArthy laughed and said, "I will happily admit humanity is a bunch of weird fuckers! I'll get those ready as quickly as possible!"
Waving Mim over, McArthy pointed at a fridge and said, "First we want to start with the food that takes longer to cook, so get a steak from out of that and bring them here."
Nodding, Mim walked past him and opened up the fridge, looking down the labeled shelves until she found a platter with slabs of meat, covered in plastic wrap labeled as 'steak'.
"Then, slap it on here," pointing at a cast iron he had prepped while she was digging through the refrigerator.
Obliging, she placed it on the metal, hearing it sizzle not long after. "This takes a few minutes to cook, as well needing to flip to the other side to make sure it's safe to eat. So we are basically good to relax for a bit."
McArthy leaned back on a counter, looking at Mim for a second, "Why did Hess' teacher call us?"
"They called me, at least they know who the better parent is," she replied, a sly look in her eyes.
"Ouch."
She chuckled, extending her leg and rubbing his thigh with a foot, "That and you haven't gotten a new phone since you dropped your last one in a fryer. Anyway, I assume she might've just said something... weird. Sil has a way of slipping strange thoughts into her mind."
The human shook his head, "Maybe having a literal pirate babysit our child sometimes isn't the best idea, ya know?"
"She's a good person at heart," Mim responded before looking into McArthy's skeptic stare, "Relatively. If anything bad were to happen to Hess I would have her head hanging from our bannister."
He walked forward slightly, looking at the cooking meat, "At least I know you have that covered."
He took a pair of tongs and flipped the steak over, revealing it's dark underside and another fizzling of the oil.
"Hun, can you reach into the fridge and grab two corn dogs?" He asked, moving over to the fryer and grabbing a basket.
Nodding, she opened the door and looked into a box labeled 'Jumbo Corn Dogs'. Pulling a pair out, she took a glance at their shape before returning her gaze to a waiting McArthy, "You know, they look oddly familiar, no? Suggestive even."
Chuckling, McArthy set down two baskets and said, "These ones you can at least bite."
She brought him the two corn dogs, which he promptly placed in a basket, placed another on top, and dunked into the fryer. Gesturing to them, he said, "Now we just wait five minutes, it's that easy with corn dogs!"
Mim looked at the frying corn dogs, then back up to him and asked, "And this is what you do all day?"
McArthy chuckled, then leaned back on the counter and said, "Well, yeah. It gets really hectic when it's busy, and I have a very large menu here, so the difficulty of meals vary. But on a normal day like today, this is it."
Huffing, Mim peeked out of the window into the dining area, seeing the seated duo of t'vaoans chatting, then said, "I'm sure taking care of Hess on a sugar rush is more chaotic than the busiest day here."
With a laugh, McArthy said, "I would have to agree. Remember when she caught the backyard on fire just to get to those cookies while we put the fire out?"
Mim nodded her head with a giggle and said, "Of course, how am I supposed to forget something like that?"
McArthy ducked his head a little as he chuckled, taking a peek out at the dining area as well. He was able to see the pair of customers right around the edge of the window, now receiving some drinks from Va.
"She's really slacking today," he muttered to Mim, who snuck a lick on the side of his cheek.
She leaned on his shoulder as her eyes darted towards the timer, "So why don't you scold her?"
He huffed, "I've learned that telling someone they're wrong only reinforces their bad habits."
She cocked a brow before moving towards the fryer, staring at the timer a little longer. Mim felt a hand on her shoulder before she looked back at her husband's grinning face, "You know, a watched pot never boils."
With a huff, she turned back to the timer and said, "That's ridiculous. And this is a fryer."
McArthy chuckled as he held both her shoulders, massaging her, and said, "Ah, it's just a term. It just means staring at it makes it feel longer."
"I'd say it feels longer when I don't look at it," she said, rubbing her waist against his crotch.
He increased his intensity, smirking as he said, "Is that an insult?"
"Hey weirdos, no sex in the kitchen," Va said, leaning over the window.
The couple looked at the kig-yar in spite, separating from each other with a glare. The timer rang off, prompting McArthy to flip the steak over and put it on a plate while Mim pulled the basket of corn dogs out of the fryer.
#
McArthy and Mim both walked down a hall, turning their heads to look at the many doorways reading into classrooms. They've never gotten to properly see the school Hess was going to before. The walls around many of the doors seem decorated by projects made by the young children, and they soon reached Hess' classroom.
Taking a quick look at the door, Mim looked up at McArthy and asked, "Are we… supposed to knock? Just walk in? Oh gods being a parent is complicated."
McArthy couldn't help but laugh, then put his hand on her shoulder and jokingly asked, "You're only figuring that out now? Eh, I guess things change a bit with school. Well, I would suggest choosing the confident path, let's just walk in. Show this teacher who's boss."
Chuckling, Mim said, "I don't want to look like an ass."
McArthy grinned and said, "With one so big I can't see-"
He was cut off as Mim elbowed his gut, making him curl up and release a laughing wheeze. With an amused hiss, Mim said, "This is a school and there's our daughter's teacher in that room! Leave that kind of talk for later."
She watched him nod his head with a wide smile, then shook her head and opened the door, stepping into the room. Mim looked across the many desks and chairs in the room, her eyes landing on the sangheili teacher sitting behind her desk in the corner of the room.
The teacher looked up to greet them, "Good afternoon Mrs. and…" she paused momentarily, looking at McArthy in confusion before finishing her sentence, "Mr. 'Tol?"
"Good afternoon to you as well. You are Ms. Morlum, correct?" Mim asked, bowing her head.
The sangheili took a moment to respond, her train of thought dashed before coming back to her senses, "Yes- please, take a seat by my desk."
The couple pulled out a pair of padded chairs already set up in front of them and sat down. They watched expectantly for Ms. Morlum to say something, but she was evidently confused.
McArthy was the first to speak, "Is something wrong?
She shook her head, before she said, "No nothing, sorry. Uh, first order of business, there was something I wanted to speak to you about."
Mim and McArthy both looked at each other before returning to the teacher, "Yes?"
"Well, your daughter has been bypassing some of the security systems of our school desks, and while this isn't too much of a problem right now, it could cause some issues further down the line."
Mim sighed, slumping into her seat, "We'll speak to her about it."
The teacher continued, "Furthermore, she says she learned it from her 'aunt'."
"My friend Sil, whom I have known for most of my life and saved us from certain death, regularly hangs out with our daughter," she said, gesturing towards McArthy.
McArthy muttered under his breath, "Only the best influences for our daughter…"
The teacher's eyes widened, "W-wait, Sil? You mean the famous alien pirate who brought us advanced technologies, alien culture, and occasionally dances at the local strip club?"
Mim and McArthy both frowned.
"What?"
"Right, right, not appropriate. B-but still, not many people actually know her. You two, though, your family!?" the teacher exclaimed.
McArthy tilted his head, "Us? We're married, yes."
"I meant family of hers! Sils family! At least as close as you can get to family. I had no idea…"
Mim spoke up, "We're very close to her,"
"Some more than others..."
"But we consider her family," the t'vaoan placed her hand atop McArthy's.
Ms. Morlum nodded, "Well, this is a lot to take in. I'm teaching the family member of the biggest celebrity these worlds have seen! I of course won't favor her, but…
"Uh, well, let's just get to the important stuff. She's shown signs of being very advanced for her age. What I wanted to discuss was the possibility of moving her up a grade."
McArthy sat up, "Oh? is that so Ms…"
"Ms. 'Morlum. May I ask again, she is adopted, yes? I only assume because…" she said much more condescendingly than she meant.
Mim flicked her hand, "Oh don't worry, we adopted her before she was even born."
"I still remember getting to lay around all day watching the egg," her human chuckled.
"How lovely! Not enough people adopt these days, it's tragic, really. Especially with how easy it is to leave your children at a doorstep when they're just eggs. I only ask because of, well, the obvious, along with a few noticeable behavioral things, which are only normal for such a young girl.
"Anywho, based on her pre-tests, and other obvious factors, she could actually be placed ahead two grades! Well, particularly in math. You two, of course, are the ones who'll decide whether she should be moved up a grade."
The two looked at each other, thinking about what to say next, before McArthy looked back and the sangheili and spoke up, "Well uh, not really, just simply because I think we feel as though there are some things she might not be as…"
"Proficient," Mim said for him.
"Yes, proficient in, and as you guys primarily speak sangheili and she doesn't know too much of it, I believe she doesn't need to move up a grade or two. Although, would it be possible for her to selectively take higher level classes? Like, her math is two grade up while everything else remains the same?"
Morlum nodded, "She could, seeing as she leaves class for a portion of the day already for her sangheili lessons."
Nodding, McArthy said, "Yeah, that would work, then. If you're okay with it, hun."
Mim gave his hand a squeeze and said, "Sure, as long as she doesn't get overwhelmed. The last thing I want is for our little girl to get stressed."
"Good… good…" the sangheili said, writing something down on a form before pressing it before them, "If you would like to see your daughter take higher classes, just sign here. It's a form that gives your consent to do such."
McArthy read through it before looking back towards the teacher, "Uh, I need a pen."
Morlum blinked before tossing him a pen, which he promptly used to sign the paper, handing it to Mim who did so likewise.
#
"Please, Hess, give it back."
"No!"
"Please, I just want my food."
Hess held the granola bar high above her head, not that it mattered since she was on the roof while 'Oru stood raggedly on the porch below.
"No!"
He pulled on his mandibles with his finger before groaning, "Hess, don't make me call your mother."
[Vine boom sfx]
Hess stared down at him, a shadow hiding her eyes, "No you won't."
Like wildfire, he felt a pang of excitement echo through his stomach.
Checkmate.
He pulled out a phone, hoisting it up to show Mim's contact information on it's screen, "I will."
The child stayed still for a moment before jumping down, hesitantly handing the sangheili his granola bar. She trudged inside, closing the door behind herself and leaving 'Oru outside.
Beep-beep
He looked back down at the phone, seeing a message from the contact he had open.
'Be back soon.'
Relieved, he sighed and opened the door, taking a few steps before plopping onto the couch. He rubbed his palms along the fabric, taking a moment to examine how unnaturally soft it was, before grabbing the remote and turning on the holoscreen. He flipped through the channels, scratching his nose before deciding on the news.
"The forecast this week is partly sunny skies for the next few days as a storm front moves in from the sea, afterwards you should expect clear skies for the rest of the week. Kel, back to you,"
'Oru reactively looked out the back door towards the evening sky, only to meet the eyes of Hess.
"Gah! Hess, ah, you, sheesh," the sangheili babbled as he held his chest.
The small t'vaoan stared at him before speaking, "You're under arrest!"
"What?"
He shifted his arms, only to be unable to move them a distance away from one another. Looking down, he saw his hands were constrained in a pair of metal cuffs linked by a short chain.
Hess bounced on the cushion, "For the crime of not letting me eat candy!"
'Oru attempted to break free from the handcuffs, finding his hands too wide to allow clearance from the hole, and upon closer inspection there appeared to be no way of unlocking them without a key of some sort. He looked back at the child and asked, "Hess, where did you find this?"
"In mommy and daddy's room. I also found this in the same drawer," she answered as she pulled her shirt a little, revealing a red lacey design underneath her clothes, "It's my armor!"
The sangheili grimaced at the cuffs, their purpose much more clear to him. It would be an awkward conversation if Hess didn't return these… items where she found them before Mr. and Mrs. Tol returned. Holding his wrists up, he softly spoke, "Would you be so kind as to remove my constraints… officer?"
She looked dumbly at his wrists, "How do I remove it?"
"Do you have a key?"
Hess remained quiet, observing the metal before running off. Grumbling as he struggled in the cuffs, he stood up and said, "Hess! Please, can you go find the-"
'Oru cut himself off as he watched Hess jump onto the counter next to the stove, open up the cupboard, then literally jump in and begin eating whatever sweets she could get to. Before he could do anything further, he heard the clack of the front door, turning to see both Mim and McArthy step inside.
The t'vaoan took a look at him before cracking a brow, "Hey 'Oru- why are you handcuffed?"
'Oru nearly tripped over a bag on the ground, "She's in the cupboard eating everything with sugar in it! Stop her!"
"What, you mean He- Shit!" McArthy explained, quickly dashing off into the kitchen.
The sangheili shook his head and stepped towards Mim, hoping to find a solution to his restraints, "She found these in your room, Mim, do you know where the keys are?
"I'm so sorry sweetie, here let me look," she replied, taking a moment to examine the handcuffs and stride towards her room.
"I let my guard down for a second, and I got arrested," he turned his attention to wherever McArthy was, "Is Hess alright? How much did she get into, Mr. T-McArthy?"
A voice echoed from down the hall, "She's on the ceiling!"
'Oru reared his head back, "... is that even possible?"
"You wouldn't believe it," Mim said as she walked back into the living room, keys in hand.
She grabbed his wrist, taking the key and inserting it into the appropriate hole, twisting and freeing his hand. "I'm so sorry 'Oru, I feel so embarrassed," she apologized, freeing his other hand.
"Oh... don't worry. Everyone has things to be embarrassed of," he replied, bringing a hand up to the back of his neck and scratching it.
Mim lowered her head slightly, even after the young man tried to soothe her feeling, she still felt quite humiliated, "Just... Don't think too much into it. And please don't bring this up to your coworkers."
Sensing her pain, he said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Tol. I'll keep it to myself. I'm... very good at that."
"Good," Mim turned her head over her shoulder, "Honey? Where is our child?"
"Uh, would it be child abuse to temporarily lock her in that kennel I brought home?" a disembodied voice asked.
"Yes- just give her to me. Oh, 'Oru here," she handed him a wad of zeeks, "Tell your father we said hello,"
"I will, Mrs. Tol. She was a joy to watch until she wasn't, but at least it was more interesting than whatever else I could've done. Goodbye!"
He swiftly turned around, bolted to the front door and closed it behind him. Mim watched him leave with a sigh, lowering her head and pressing her fingers to her forehead. Suddenly, feet shuffling to her side made her turn her head to see McArthy pacing towards her, Hess in his hands, her legs in a full sprint in the air.
What really made Mim gasp was her red lingerie hanging out from under her daughter's clothes. She quickly took Hess from McArthy's arms, seeing rips in his clothes from her claws lashing out at him. With a sigh of relief, McArthy wiped his brow and said, "You do not want to know how I got her off the ceiling."
Releasing a huff of amusement, Mim properly held Hess, crooning, and said, "I won't ask, seeing as onel one of you looks hurt."
"Ah, she didn't break the skin, I think."
Rocking Hess back and forth as she chirped and jittered, Mim looked down at her and said, "Poor baby, for as much as she likes sugar, it doesn't take much to get her like this."
Stepping next to Mim, looking over her shoulder at Hess, McArthy sighed and said, "Her pupils look like tennis balls. We should get her that stuff you give her, works well for sugar highs."
"Oh, you mean a bit of our alcohol. Sure, I'll go get it."
Shaking his head for a moment as Mim began moving towards the kitchen, McArthy asked, "Wait wait wait, that's what you've been giving her!?"
Looking back at him with a tilted head, Mim opened a cupboard and said, "Of course. Did you not know that?"
"Of course not! If I had known I would've said something! You're not supposed to give children alcohol!"
Removing a bottle with her free hand as Hess struggled in her other hand, Mim said, "Maybe that's the case for human children, but t'vaoan chicks are different. Trust me, I am one myself."
Sighing, McArthy leaned against the table and said, "Fine, but if she turns out to be an alcoholic you can't blame me."
Giggling, she held Hess out and said, "Don't worry, I don't even give her much. Just enough to calm her, watered down."
McArthy stepped forward, holding Hess, then watched as Mim swiftly filled a small cup with water and some of the alcohol from the bottle, then walked towards them and said, "Open up, Hess. I got some soda for you."
Without argument Hess opened her beak like a trapdoor, Mim swiftly pouring in the drink and shutting her beak with her fingers. McArthy watched Hess carefully as she swallowed the drink, an obvious expression of disgust washing over her face. Mim let go of her beak, watching Hess chirp for a moment in distaste, then her pupils slowly grew smaller.
Giving the young t'vaoan's head a light pat, Mim turned to McArthy and said, "Just go to her room and lay her down, she should be out in a minute. Then meet me in our room, we have a little privacy violation to go over."
Mim then slipped the red lingerie off Hess and walked off, leaving McArthy to rock Hess and say, "You've been a bad girl, Hessy hun. You'll probably get no desserts for a week because of this."
Hess' tongue slid out of her mouth as she hung her back with an open beak and said, "Tastyyyyy dessss…"
Chuckling, McArthy walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway, making it into Hess' room and carefully settling her into bed. Once he had the already sleepy Hess tucked into her bed, he carefully crept out and shut the door behind him. With a sigh, he turned and walked to the end of the hall, walking into his bedroom and seeing Hess looking at an open, empty drawer.
Strewn out across the floor were multiple objects, all obviously having been taken out by Hess. Face in hand, Mim said, "This is embarrassing."
Putting his hands on her shoulders, McArthy sighed and said, "Yeah, well, at least Hess is too young to know, for now. God, did she get her hands on everything?"
"Seems like it. Help me put this stuff back."
As McArthy stooped low to the floor, he lightly chuckled and said, "Uh, you know, now that our daughter has, ya know, touched all this stuff, I don't exactly feel comfortable using it."
Placing a few things in the drawer, Mim spun to face him and said, "Well, I guess we can get rid of them, but our nightly endeavors may lose some variety. Not like that's a real issue. Would you like to sell them or..."
Shaking his head with a smile, McArthy said, "Preferably burn them, and we can get new ones! We just need to actually hide them better. To be fair, we kinda just hid them in an unlocked and visible drawer."
Shrugging her shoulders, Mim said, "Fair enough. I will ask Sil to bring us some new ones when she visits tomorrow."
Groaning, McArthy placed the last few things away and said, "Great."
"Oh, you love her!"
Turning to her with a blank face, McArthy said, "I really, really, really don't."
Shutting the drawer with a huff, Mim said, "Well, you'll learn to. She may teach Mim a few too many things, but she really is a good person at heart."
Shaking his head with a snicker, McArthy sat down on their bed and said, "She's a pirate. She kills and plunders for a living, those kinds of people aren't good."
Sitting down next to him, Mim laid her head on his shoulder and said, "She kills and plunders people who deserve it. There's a difference."
Scoffing, McArthy said, "People she thinks deserve it."
Bobbing her head, Mim chuckled and said, "Don't think too much into it. She saved our lives, and she's my closest friend. I know her, so take my word for it."
McArthy released a long sigh, then leaned his head against hers and said, "Alright. But don't be surprised if I don't learn to like her."
#
Yawning, McArthy pushed his arms through his shirt and walked into the living room. Mim was sitting on the couch watching the holoscreen as he walked in. Turning her head to him with a croon, she softly said, "Morning, hubby. How was the extra sleep?"
Rubbing his temple, McArthy sighed and said, "Good, good, just got a bit of a headache. Hopefully it will be gone before I get to work. Thanks for taking Hess to school, hun."
He moved over to the cupboards, taking out a small bottle of medicine for his headache, then turned around to watch Mim press into him with a hug, rubbing her beak against his cheek. With a chuckle, he put the medicine bottle on the counter and wrapped his arms around Mim, giving her head a kiss.
Pulling her head back, she pecked him on the tip of the nose and said, "I'm sorry you have to work."
Chuckling, McArthy kissed her on the tip of the beak and said, "Hey, that's how it's supposed to work for you, eh? I gotta work to support my matriarch, and I get to do it with a job I love."
He then raised the bottle of medicine in her view, giving it a shake, then said, "And if you're worried about the headache, that's what this stuff is for."
Shaking her head with a giggle, Mim said, "Calling me a matriarch is not very accurate, but whatever works for you."
The two chuckled as they pulled close for another kiss, then the sound of the doorbell rang. The two separated with a grunt of reluctance, then McArthy pulled away and said, "I'll get it. I gotta head out anyway."
Her throat vibrating, she followed him to the door and said, "Your hair is a little messy."
Chuckling, he said, "Just want to keep me in the house as long as possible, huh?"
Mim only nodded with giggle, making McArthy grin as he walked up to the door. He made it to the door, then pressed on the panel and watched it slide open, revealing a casually dressed Sil, holding a briefcase.
With a grin, Sil raised her arms and said, "Well, if isn't McArthy!?"
McArthy grabbed the door and ripped it shut on her face, then spun around and walked away from the door.
Heya people! I'm back! With the gracious help of TheQuackster, we have brought you the first chapter of my slice of life series! I will be clear, the upload schedule for this will be inconsistent since I am gonna be focusing on some of my main account stories like Date Night and Friendly Treachery, but more chapters will come, rest assured! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will try my best to make the rest enjoyable as well!
Please feel free to leave feedback, because I haven't really made a story like this, and I'd love to hear what you people think! That's all I got for now, so thanks for reading and have a good day or night