Title: Ready or not
Author: Kaye
Fandom: Realm of Tortall
Pairing: Jon/Thayet
Theme: 10 (#10)
Warnings: Minor stalking, very, very minor
Disclaimer: No, I don't own this, or any fandom
Summary: Kalasin, Roald and Thayet play hide and go seek.

"One, two." The childish voice called out slow and wobbly, almost as if they didn't know what was coming next.

Thayet hid herself behind the tapestry in the next room over, having seen Roald, her son, hiding in the chest in the hallway. She put her finger to her lips at Jon's questioning look and he stood, peaking out the door to see his daughter counting loudly, and rather cutely, as she tried to think of what came next.

"Fourteen, seven..."

Jon stepped back into the study. "You know this place is off limits," he whispered, following Thayet's request that he be silent so as not to draw attention to her rather obvious hiding place. After all, the tapestry only hung halfway to the floor, revealing his wifeís booted thighs. He really hoped this was not an example of how she hid in the forest when she was on patrol.

Thayet's head shot out from behind the curtain and she gave him a look. "I don't recall you getting mad when Kalasin chased Roald in here just a few moments ago."

"There's a difference, my children are not bothersome."

"And I am?"

"Six, eight..." Kalasin continued counting, getting closer to yelling out "ready or not" at each number.

"Very bothersome." Jon stepped closer to Thayet, a gleam in his blue eyes that made her want to shiver. "You haunt my dreams after all."

"Nine," Thayet froze in her spot, half out of fear of being discovered by her children with their father practically stalking her, and half out of the need to have Jon not stop his advancement. "Thirteen..."

Thayet gave an audible sigh as her daughter missed the next number, happy for once that Kalasin still didn't know her numbers. "Jon..." Thayet's voice was warning but Jon just continued to step forward, now standing in reach of Thayet.

"You are the one who invaded my space."

"Is that a crime?"

"Of course, and it requires a very high price to be paid." Jon's voice was a purr that made Thayet grip the curtain tightly in her hands.

"What kind of price?"

"A kiss." He bent forward so he was Thayetís height, looking expectantly at her.

Thayet rolled her eyes, listening for her daughter's voice.

"Twenty-six, twenty-seven..."

Kalasin was still going and so Thayet rolled her eyes, giving Jon a little peck on the lips, but before she could pull away he had wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up and deepening the kiss.

"Fifteen, three, ten! Ready or not here I come!" Kalasin gave a wide grin as she ran past Roald's hiding place, her eyes set on her father's study. Someone always hid in there, and if not, her daddy could tell her exactly where they were hidden. She let out a giggle though when she saw her father had already found her mother for her.

Thayet jumped away from Jon, who was giving her a wicked grin, which stayed on his face even as Kalasin attached herself to his leg. "Thank you daddy! You caught mommy for me!"

"Yes I did hunny." Jon turned a much less sinister smile down to his daughter, making Thayet gasp in annoyance at the two of them as Kalasin's words rang in her ears.

"Mommy's it, mommy's it! You need to count now! You need to count now!"

Thayet glared at Jon as she practically stormed out of the room. "You're going to get it tonight Jon." Thayet hissed as she reached the door.

She was merely met with Jonís hearty laugh, and that just made her even more annoyed.

She definitely needed to teach her daughter how to count to ten much, much quicker. That way Jon could't do that to her every single time.

Fin