Hi! Sorry about the delay. I've been sort of swamped (not that I'm not swamped right now) and sleepless and everything is falling apart but don't worry about it, have a drabble! Please be safe if you're participating in the protests in the US. Actually, stay safe wherever you are lovelies. Take care of yourselves.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Also keep in mind that this series dabbles across the timeline- so if kids get younger or older or dissapear because they haven't been adopted yet, worry not.
xii: renovations
"We have a mutiny on our hands," Nico said under his breath. Will stopped chopping tomatoes for a second.
"Okay," Will said. "I didn't know we were all onboard the S.S. SOLACE-DI ANGELO, but alright. What's the problem?"
"I'm rethinking the sleeping arrangements we have going on down there," Nico said.
"Really?" Will said, resuming the chopping.
"Yes," Nico said. "It has been eleven minutes and Cata has stolen Daniel's leg while Tessa tried to smother Franca under a pillow."
"Smother?" Will said, horrified. "She is six."
"She's been doing this since the age of four, don't act surprised," Nico said. "What I'm trying to get at here is that I was the good, kind father who set up air mattresses and sleeping bag pile-ups downstairs as well as a generous supply of night lights. So you need to be the dad that tells them to knock their shit off. I'll keep going with supper."
"What?" Will said. "You can't just dump this on me."
"I'm sorry, who didn't stop that drakon from busting up the top floor, thus making us need to relocate the kids to downstairs while Cabin 9 lowkey fixes our house?" Nico said.
"Whoa, who has been leaving their Big Three scent all over this house in the first place?" Will said.
"For all we know, it was Daniel," Nico said.
"Or Cata."
"No, we agreed that Cata was probably Hecate," Nico said.
"True," Will said. "Sometimes I forget because she kind of looks like you."
"No she doesn't," Nico said.
"A bit," Will said. "You know, in the nose…"
"She's adopted," Nico said. "They all are. All four of them. Four children, we have- by the way. They're downstairs. Go talk them into a cease-fire. I'll be making ravioli."
"Ravioli," Will said.
« And that pumpkin-pecan braid, » Nico said. "That thing that you love."
"Don't bribe me with food," Will said.
"I've been the Bad Dad all week," Nico said. "While you worked I had to talk Tessa down from the roof, Franca cried literally once a day and Cata was stuck with horns for three hours on Tuesday. Three. Please be the Bad Dad while I prepare delicious ravioli."
"Damn it."
Nico had done his absolute best to give their small army the best possible environment in which they may be able to be nice to one another. Four distinct sleeping nooks with small pileup of sleeping bags or air mattresses as a base were lining the wall. Each children's pillows and blankies and prime stuffed animals had been brought down as well- Will could tell by the squishy squid where Cata slept, trace Francesca's nook to where the smells of herbal sachets came from, Daniel had brought his guitar down from upstairs and each of Teresa's stuffed animals were all propped up and reading a book. Fairy lights and nightlights were illuminating their corner and little electric tea candles were circling everything.
And yes, now Tessa was being smothered under a pillow by the combined forces of Cata and Daniel who were struggling to keep the six-year old contained.
"Quit it," Will said. "Quit it in three, two…"
They got off. Teresa emerged from under the pillow, still holding her breath.
"I could have lasted another six minutes," Teresa said quickly.
"We don't need to test that sweetheart," Will said. "Okay, listen up. You guys have a pretty sweet deal upstairs. You each have your own little room, you don't have to share everything. Guess what, when Dad was growing up- he had twelve brothers and sisters in his room."
"Twelve," Franca echoed.
"That's how old Danny is," Tessa piped in.
"Very good," Will said. "And you know what? Dad never murdered anyone."
"What about Papa?"
"Him either," Will said. Not to mention that Nico di Angelo had had all but two roommates at a time, most of which were actually quest buddies with which he camped in wide open spaces. To tell the truth, moving in with Nico had been like sharing space with a troglodyte for the first three months- with occasional episodes of reoccurrence after that. Usually around March. If these kids had any of Nico di Angelo's genetic material, Will would be able to accept this mutiny-but right now his stance was to 'drop it'.
"Look, here's what you guys need to remember," Will said. "The basement is a space we share. It's like how everyone's allowed to sit at the kitchen table even if you wish that Cata wasn't there too eating all the breadsticks."
"Franca eats more than she says she does," Cata said.
"But Cata eats more," Daniel said- which led to Cata launching herself onto Daniel and Will having to pull her off.
"No," Will said. "This is what I'm talking about. This is the kind of thing I want you guys to stop doing."
"Guess what Franca was talking about in her sleep last night," Tessa said. "Jordie, oh Jordie I love you so so much, and I wish I could marry you…"
"Stop!" Francesca cried.
"Yeah, Joshua's his name," Daniel said. "Jordie is mine."
"You can't call dibs on a person you gross fart," Cata said.
"Stop it," Will said. "First off, Tessa how do you know what Franca said in her sleep?"
"I listened to Franca sleep to prepare for tonight," Teresa said- all words not usually strung together by small children.
"Tessa that's horrible!" Franca said.
"You are all being horrible," Will said. "There are four of you sharing the basement for the next little bit. Calm down. No teasing each other, no poking each other, no touching each other's stuff, no pulling hair, and definitely no hitting each other. I don't know how I can be clearer."
"Do you have a zit Danny?"
"Leave me alone!" Daniel said.
Will grabbed Cata around the waist and got up, dangling her like a rag doll or a four year old child.
"Okay," Will said. "You know what? Basement's off limits until bedtime. Francesca, you can go outside and play on the swings. Daniel, you should go help Papa in the kitchen. Tessa, how about we go read a book- Cata, you get the TV."
"Why does she get the TV?" Daniel asked.
"Because you'll be in the kitchen; let's go." Will said.
They all marched upstairs. Nico looked over his shoulder.
"I'm here to help," Danny mumbled.
"Okay," Nico said. "Go wash your hands first."
"Yeah," Danny said sheepishly marching to the bathroom.
Nico turned around and smiled slyly. "Bad cop?"
"Oh yeah," Will said walking to him. He leaned in, kissed Nico. "The worst."
"That's what I think too," Nico said.
"Nico we're married," Will said.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad," Nico said.
"Nico."
"Stop protesting, I'm making you pumpkin-pecan braid aren't I?" Nico said. "Danny come in here, we've got pasta dough to roll."
