Zoro was sat on the sofa with his legs kicked up on the coffee table, completely exhausted after a full day's work followed by picking Tony up from his after school club and then having to make dinner as soon as he'd got home. He'd got considerably better at cooking since Tony had come along and now he was able to make decent meals for the two of them. He was no 5 star gourmet chef but it was good.
Tony was sat on the floor in front of the TV which was playing a rerun of Adventure Time to itself as the little boy was surrounded by his toys and a toilet roll which he was using as bandages for his 'patients'. Zoro smiled at him, "You alright there, Tony?"
"Mhmm. Dad, will you paint my nose for me?" Tony asked, looking up at him with big brown eyes.
"Sure thing, go find your face paint then."
Tony made an excited noise and bounded over to his toy box, pulling out a toy first aid box, a white button up shirt that used to be Zoro's, a pair of antlers on a headband from an old Christmas costume, and his face painting kit. He bundled them up and staggered over with them, Zoro taking some of the load off and putting it on the coffee table.
"Come on then," Zoro said after fetching a cup of water and Tony's juice cup from the kitchen, he picked up the paintbrush and wetted it, "Let me see."
Tony bubbled a laugh and stuck his face forward to his dad, giggling when the paintbrush, lathered with blue paint, tickled his nose. After a moment, Zoro pulled back, "There you go."
"Thanks dad!" Tony chirped and began putting on his antlers and then his white shirt which Zoro help roll the sleeves up on.
"Oh no!" Zoro said, feigning surprise, "Where's Tony gone?" He pointed to his dressed up son, "Have you seen Tony?"
Tony laughed before putting on a cute 'serious face', "No, I am Doctor Chopper!"
"Doctor Chopper?" Zoro repeated and gasped, "The famous super awesome doctor?"
"I have patients to see!" Tony said and strode over to his toys with his first aid kit in tow but not before taking off his antlers and turning round with a cheeky grin, "It's me really dad!"
Zoro pretended to be shocked, "You get me every time," He said and Tony laughed as he set to work on his toys.
Doctor Chopper was who Tony pretended to be whenever he was playing doctors. Chopper was a clever reindeer who was a doctor who was one of the best in the world! Zoro had asked why Chopper was a reindeer and Tony said that it was because reindeers are his favourite animal; Zoro was proud to have such an imaginative son.
He got up off the floor and took the paints and water into the kitchen and put them on the side when the flap of the letter box rattled. He looked at the clock and remembered that it was about the right time, they always got late post around this side of town and went to the front door, picking it up off the mat.
It was all basic mail; bills, invoice for the rent, and the bank saying Zoro's paycheck had been paid in. But one letter with Tony's school name on caught his eye and he frowned, they rarely ever got post from the school. He turned the brown envelope over and opened it, beginning to read.
'Mr Roronoa
I am delighted to tell you how well your son has been doing in lessons recently. It is because of this that I would like to discuss a course for your son to be a part of. We believe that Tony is a gifted student and we would like to offer an opportunity for that gift to develop.
Please find below a slip to return to school with your child arranging the date for a home visit in which the details and any questions you may have will be discussed.
Many thanks,
S. Black (Teacher of Sunny Class)'
Zoro stared blankly at the words until the sudden onslaught of the memories from a few days ago attacked his mind in the form of an incredibly large inward cringe. Oh God. Mr. Black, in his home? This wasn't going to end well, was it? He was going to have to tell Tony what not to say because he couldn't handle another embarrassing situation like that.
"Dad?" Tony said, popping around his side with his big eyes and blue nose "Are you okay? You look sick… Do you need Doctor Chopper to fix you?"