Cinder and Khione remained at the hospital until visiting hours ended. Cinder very nearly fried the nurse who insisted they left, an urge that grew all the more stronger for her when Khione tearfully pleaded to stay. It was only with the knowledge that she would cost them access to Jaune by lashing out that held her back, and she was further mollified when the nurse told them when they could return tomorrow after twelve when visiting hours began.
Cinder hailed another taxi and took Khione home, though they were both quiet. Despite her words, Cinder felt like Khione hadn't just quite forgiven her for what she had done to Jaune yet, which was more than fair. It still hurt her though, but she took it as it was her own fault Khione was so silent. They had already eaten a sandwich and some crisps from the hospital vending machine, something that Cinder's refined palate would have utterly refused a few months ago. She'd gotten used to more normal food however, all thanks to Jaune and Khione, so she could stomach down the processed meal that wasn't entirely bad. She had been forced to coax Khione into eating little bites, the poor girl too worried over her father to have much of an appetite at first, but thankfully hunger won out over her worry and Khione had eaten the entirety of her food.
"Would you like anything to eat?" Cinder asked as she unlocked the door and let Khione enter her home first. The girl shook her head. "You need to eat more than just a sandwich and some crisps."
"Toast." Khione whispered quietly, knowing Cinder wouldn't let up. "It's supper time anyway."
Cinder nodded, feeling relieved Khione had at least said something to her, and she headed to the kitchen. She poured a glass of milk that she put in the microwave as the toast slowly burned in the toaster. It was brown and crispy when it popped out, a significant improvement from the charcoal Cinder usually made, and as she lathered it in butter the microwave dinged. She returned to the living room with a glass of hot milk and a plate of toast to see Khione silently staring at the clock on the wall.
She wondered why Khione wasn't watching the TV like she usually did, before she realised Khione did not know how to operate the ancient television that was probably older than the girl in question.
Khione was also probably too worried about her father to care, creating another twinge of guilt that curled up in Cinder's stomach.
It was genuinely sickening. The guilt she felt. The shame. It was nothing compared to anything she had ever thought she'd felt before.
He had confided in her about how his former lover had betrayed his trust, of how she had tried to kill Khione, who herself had expressed a deep hatred for the woman she knew had abused her father. She had known this, been told this, and what had she done?
Beaten him so harshly he'd been hospitalised.
"Here you go Snowflake." Cinder did quietly, handing over the milk and toast. Khione whispered a thank you. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." Khione mumbled quietly, nibbling at the edge of her toast. Cinder waited for a few moments before realising that was the best she was going to get from the saddened girl. She withheld a sigh and settled onto the sofa next the downcast girl, wondering for a few moments as to what to do before deciding distraction was the better option and turning on the ancient television. It was close to bedtime for most children Khione's age, and the network was winding down, ready to stop broadcasting so as to save money since most kids would be in bed by eight. They silently watched the final few minutes of the last show before Cinder reluctantly slid in a DVD of Khione's favourite movie, the 'remade' version of Beauty and the Belladonna that ultimately changed too little but too much in a frustrating paradox that never failed to irritate Cinder. Still, she suffered in silence if only for Khione's sake.
By the time Cinder felt bored enough to regret her decision she realised it was well past Khione's bedtime and the girl had still not finished her toast.
"Are you going to finish that?" Cinder asked, eyeing the girl worriedly. Khione stared at her toast before shaking her head, all without saying a word. "Alright then, time to brush your teeth and put your PJ's on. It's late, so..."
Cinder trailed off, about to say she wouldn't get a bedtime story, but the blank look on Khione's face and the unending silence unnerved her too much. It shook her to her core, and it made her weak enough to start worrying.
"Why?" Khione asked quietly, voice barely audible. Cinder paused the movie so she could hear Khione over the musical number starting to play. "Why did you hurt him?"
"I didn't mean to." Cinder responded, shifting guiltily. "I thought...He can usually take a lot more. I didn't know...I didn't think as to how tired he was."
"Do you normally hurt him?" Khione asked, now looking at Cinder with something utterly indescribable yet utterly capable of shaking Cinder to her core. "I thought...I thought you were just play fighting...you...you fight-fight don't you?"
"We do." Cinder admitted, and Khione's face fell. "We did. Today was an exception. I was...I was trying to help him, to help you."
"How?!" Khione snapped, and Cinder flinched in front of the girl's anger. "How can hurting him help us? How can hurting other people help us?!"
"I...I...I just..." Cinder tried, but her words failed her, and after a moments of her trying to stutter out something Khione's anger only grew and her face settled into a deep glare that cut to Cinder's soul. "The money...he needed-"
"You suck!" Khione snapped, throwing her hand up into the air before stomping off angrily. "You don't even care! I thought...You were supposed to be my mom!"
"Khione!" Cinder choked out, hurrying after the girl after she stomped into her bedroom and tried swinging the door shut. Cinder blocked with her foot and gently pushed her way in, not wanting to physically hurt Khione the way she had to Jaune. "I care, of course I do! I wouldn't still be here if I didn't!"
"You don't!" Khione howled. "You don't care! You hurt dad! You just care about money and excuses and-you're just like her!"
"K-Khione..." Cinder tried, but Khione just toppled into her bed and started sobbing gut-wrenching tears of complete despair.
"You're just like her and I'm never going to have a mom who actually loves me!" Khione wailed, gripping onto her soft duvet as she wept. Cinder was gripped by fear and indecision before something inside her snapped and she rushed forward, pulling Khione into her arms and holding her tightly even as she squirmed.
"I love you." Cinder said firmly, and Khione froze, tears still spilling down her face. "I love you. I may not have given birth to you, I may not have been in your life for years and years but I know that I want to be in it for as long as I live. I know that you are the daughter I haven't had and don't need to have because I have you. I love you Snowflake."
Khione sobbed and buried her head into Cinder's neck. Cinder held Khione close and gently ran her hands down her snow white hair, whispering soft, comforting words as she gradually eased back onto the bed and tucked Khione into the bed.
"P-Please don't go." Khione asked quietly, cheeks still wet from tears and hiccupping slightly. "I don't want you to go m-mom."
"Then I won't." Cinder promised, settling in next to Khione and cuddling her close. "I will never leave you Snowflake. I love you too much to do that."
"I-I love you too." Khione replied quietly, snuggling closer against Cinder, who embraced her as tightly as she dared so as to not actually disturb Khione.
"Good night Snowflake."Cinder said, kissing the top of Khione's head tentatively. "Don't worry about school tomorrow. I think you are more than allowed a few days off to see you dad in hospital."
"G-Good night mom." Khione mumbled, clearly tuckered out from everything that had happened. Cinder felt tired too, but she was kept awake by the soaring feeling in her chest as she listened to Khione's soft breathing and the words 'Mom' and 'I love you too' echoed in her mind. Before the title had felt sincere but misplaced. Now it felt cemented, solidified, certain. Jaune had said so, now Khione had said so.
And so Cinder did not sleep until a misplaced blink accidentally turned into a deep sleep, her intent of burning any boogeymen or monsters that tried to so much as dwell within the vicinity of her daughter keeping her up until the early hours of the next day.
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Khione woke her too early for Cinder to fully function, but function she did. She had to now, the alternative meant letting her Snowflake down, and Cinder would rather go back to not knowing Khione existed than do that. So she made breakfast, brushed teeth, showered and then she got dressed, all the while helping her Snowflake do the same.
They killed some time re-watching the Beauty and the Belladonna remake again before setting off for the hospital at one in the afternoon. They arrived at half past and spent some time buying snacks and newspapers and magazines for Jaune before going up to his ward, which opened for visitors at two in the afternoon. It was mostly quiet when they got there, and Cinder nervously held Khione's hand in one hand and the stuff they'd gotten for Jaune in another, wondering whether he would send her away or tolerate her prescence.
She didn't know which idea scared her more.
"Daddy!" Khione yelled, rushing to the bed when she saw her father awake in the bed and staring out the window nearby. A wide smile that would have outshined the sun spilled onto Jaune's face and her pulled Khione up and onto his lap, crushing her in a bear hug that practically engulfed her.
"Heya kiddo!" Jaune grinned, ruffling Khione's hair fondly. "How are you eh?"
"How are you?" Khione retorted indignantly, poking Jaune's chest. "You're the one who's sick!"
"I'm just a drama queen who got a little tired." Jaune deflected easily, kissing Khione's forehead before blinking when he saw Cinder standing there awkwardly. "Oh...hi?"
At least he wasn't angry.
"Hi." Cinder replied lamely, putting the plastic bag carrying random assortments Khione had picked out in the shop downstairs onto a plastic table next to Jaune's bed. "How are you?"
"Better now that I had some sleep." Jaune replied, glancing at Khione before turning back to her. "Listen, about what-"
"I'm so sorry!" Cinder blurted out, startling Jaune by hugging him as tightly as he had just hugged Khione. "I swear I didn't mean to but you usually take worse and I thought we were just sparring and that-!"
"You should breathe." Jaune chuckled, patting Cinder's back awkwardly. "Also can you let me breathe too? Feeling a little swamped here."
"Sorry." Cinder said weakly, quickly pulling away, and Jaune gave her a worried look before swallowing nervously.
"I didn't...You don't have to stop." Jaune said, cheeks flushing quickly. "I just mean group hugs are always good, just not so tight ya know?"
Cinder dove back in but made sure not to crush him this time. She also wrapped one arm around Khione, who giggled happily and snuggled in between them both. Cinder raised her head so Khione wouldn't here as she whispered into Jaune's ear.
"I'm sorry." She swore sincerely. "I'll never...We'll never be like this ever again because of me, I swear."
"I know." Jaune whispered back, rubbing her arm softly. "Which is why I'll forgive you. But I'm putting my foot down now, no more being a villainess. Agreed?"
"Absolutely." Cinder nodded, though part of her wanted to protest the ruling. Even if it wasn't legal, she could support Jaune and Khione much better if she was able to rob banks and whatnot. Now she had...nothing really. She had no way to make money without stealing from those who had it already.
Jaune smiled at her warmly, which was enough to dispel her lingering doubts, and she accepted the weird warmness emanating from the group hug. After a few minutes Jaune made a humming noise.
"What was in the bag?" He asked, and Cinder smiled before reluctantly pulling herself out of the group hug.
"Hospital stuff Khione picked out for you." Cinder answered, picking up the bag and moving to hand it to him before pausing. "How long will you be in here for?"
"Just for the rest of today and tonight so long as nothing else happens." Jaune answered with a smile. "After that I'm scot free."
"Good." Cinder sighed, before handing Jaune the bag. "Though I suppose that means you'll have to get through these hospital supplies quickly. We didn't know how long you'd be in for so we might have over done it."
"I'm sure I'll be fine." Jaune replied, raising an eyebrow as he pulled out a pink magazine with unicorns in the front. "Are you sure you got this for me kiddo?"
"Yep!" Khione chirped happily, before shyly looking away and twiddling her thumbs. "But I wouldn't mind having it after you've read it pleeease?"
"Sounds fair." Jaune snorted, flicking through the magazine before handing it to Khione, who pouted. "What?"
"You didn't even read it!"
"Yes I did."
"No you didn't!"
"Hand it back a sec then." Jaune said, and Khione gave him back the magazine. He flickered the pages even quicker this time. "See? I just read super fast."
"Liar, liar, your pants are on fire." Khione grumbled, but she took the magazine happily enough and contented herself with reading it on Jaune's bed, sitting next his legs and using him as support as she played with the stickers that came with it.
"See what I'm reduced to?" Jaune said to Cinder, who was still smiling from the cute interaction. "I was once a mighty box stacker and janitor. Now I'm nothing more than a table."
"There are worse fates to be had." Cinder teased back, before a serious look fell on her face. "You won't be both either. You can't work two jobs, it's too much stress."
"We need the money Cinder." Jaune sighed. "And no, you aren't allowed to rob banks to make up for that."
"I wasn't going to say that!" Cinder lied, before sighing heavily. She vomited internally at the thought, but she couldn't think of another option. "I...I'll...I'm going to get a job."
"Like a heist job or a kidnapping job or hitman job or a-"
"A job-job smartass." Cinder grumbled, and Khione perked up and gave Cinder a stern look.
"That's one Lien in the swear jar!"
"I know Snowflake." Cinder sighed defeatedly, and Jaune snickered as Khione went back to her comic and stickers. "I'm serious Jaune."
"Oh I know." Jaune grinned. "No-one ever escapes swear jar duty with Khione around."
"I meant about getting a job-job." Cinder huffed, and Jaune gently placed a hand on hers, which made her blink.
"I know." He said sincerely. "And thank you, but...have you ever even had one before? Do you know how to go about getting one? Where to look? What to do in an interview?"
"Yes." Cinder lied boldly, and he gave her a deadpan look. "I know the basics."
"Stuff from movies don't...don't count." Jaune sighed, rubbing a hand down his face before shrugging. "Or they do. I don't really know. I...I appreciate it Cinder, just don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it."
"I will." Cinder lied again. She didn't need his help, she could figure it out. Besides, she was doing this to help him out, not add more stress and duties onto his shoulders. "When you get discharged do you want to do something? All of us do something I mean."
"The weathers nice." Jaune murmured, staring out the window and either ignoring or not noticing Cinder's reddened face as she realised she had almost asked him out. "If it keeps up we should go to the park. It isn't very labour intensive and there's plenty enough to do."
"Sounds like a plan." Cinder smiled, and Khione perked up at the thought of ice cream.
Now all Cinder had to do was find a job so she could pay for said ice cream. It should be easy, labour was always required somewhere after all, and she had a plethora of skills that any employer would surely find her worthy of hiring for.
It would be a piece of cake.
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Requires experience in the retail industry...
Requires experience in administration...
Requires customer service qualification RNL Level 2...
Requires prior work experience in...
Requires...
Requires...
Requires...
Cinder very nearly crushed her phone in her hands as she scrolled through dud, after dud, after dud of jobs online. She took them directly from the government work website, knowing the one thing she knew she could trust the government to want is workers working rather than cashing in on unemployment benefits. All of them were unsuitable for the simple face they either expected her to already have experience in that field of work or they were seemed fake for whatever reason, the pay being too good or the addresses being duds.
Jaune kept Khione distracted but visiting hours would soon be over. She wanted to apply for something before she returned home, to make sure she had gotten the ball moving, but so far she had found nothing and even more nothing. It didn't help that Jaune would give her curious glances that made her both frustrated and want to ask for the help he had offered earlier.
She had two viable choices. One was for a fast food restaurant not too far away and another was for a retail store that was somewhat far away but had listed experience as optional rather than required.
Cinder would honestly moonlight as a gods damned stripper than do either of those, let alone the fast food one, but she had little choice. She would rather be a gods damned fast food worker than a stripper, so she reluctantly sent both an email from the links on the job advertisement that had her hastily written CV attached to it. Once that was done she turned off her phone and relaxed, talking with Jaune and helping entertain Khione until it visiting hours were over and she had to take Khione home.
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Jaune was released from hospital the next day with orders to take it easy. Under Cinder and Khione's urging he quit from his janitorial job on the way to the park, which they were all headed to since the weather had thankfully held up.
"I really feel like I should have done that after you got a job." Jaune complained as he held Khione's right hand. Cinder held her left, and every once in the while they would swing a giggling Khione into the air, though the pace of their swings was slow and sparse so as to not push Jaune too far. He protested he was well enough at first, but he had not raised an objection to their sporadic swinging since.
"You need not worry." Cinder replied confidently. "It will not take long for a place of fine repute to hire me. I have many skills."
"Okay, I feel the sudden need to clarify that getting hired by the mob doesn't count as getting an actual job." Jaune said, earning a glare. "I know you probably knew that already, but being called organised crime gives them a sort of legitimacy I didn't mean to include when I meant a 'proper' job."
"I know that much." Cinder scoffed, swinging Khione up. Jaune quickly followed, and the precious little girl laughed happily as she was swung back and forth of the soft green blades of grass for a few moments. "Besides, if I was intending to participate in organised crime I would not need to join a family. Technically I already own one."
"You wha?" Jaune blinked, stumbling for a moment. "How did that happen?"
"A woman has her secrets Jaune." Cinder teased, before giving a pointed glance at Khione that was followed by a furtive look sent his way. "Perhaps I'll tell you another time."
"Understandable."
"In return for a secret of your own." Cinder smirked evilly, fully expecting him to back down from the offer. Instead he huffed before shrugging.
"Fine." Jaune gritted out, surprising her. "But only because I really wanna know how you turned into the Godfather...well Godmother if we're being semantic."
"Uncle Ironwood is my godfather!" Khione chirped up suddenly. "He got me that really big car for my birthday remember! When will I be old enough to drive it again?"
"When you have gray hair and wrinkles." Jaune replied quickly, earning an 'Aww!' from Khione. Cinder gave him a curious look, and he returned it with the look of a man who had seen too much before mouthing out four letters Cinder honestly did not expect to see.
"T.A.N.K." Jaune mouthed, and Cinder stumbled out of surprise for the first time...well, for the first time she could remember really. "Smooth."
"Poo-poo pants." Cinder retorted, making Khione giggle. "Take that old man."
"So we're crossing that line eh?" Jaune replied calmly, eyes slowly narrowing into a glare. "Pee-pee brain."
"Fart breath!"
"Bogey butt!"
"Swear jar! Swear jar!" Khione chirped happily, and Jaune ruffled her hair as they came to a stop underneath a shaded oak tree.
"Those aren't swears kiddo."
"But you always tell me not to call people stuff like that!"
"Your mother actually is those things, there's a difference."
"You little-!" Cinder snarled, and Jaune backed away quickly.
"I'm gonna get some ice cream, don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
"That little..." Cinder grumbled, watching him retreat and resisting the urge to chase him down due to her not wanting him to over exert himself fleeing from her righteous wrath. "Your father really is a poo-poo pants."
"Yup!" Khione giggled, before her eyes widened. "Don't tell him I said that! Please!"
"I don't know..." Cinder teased, crouching so that she was face to face with Khione and tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"Pleeease?"
"I suppose I could...if you give me a hug." Cinder graciously allowed, and Khione giggled before jumping onto her, wrapping her arms around Cinder's neck and squeezing tightly. "Anything you want to do whilst we're here?"
"Swings!" Khione cheered, before frowning in thought. "And...uhm...other stuff?"
"Swings and other stuff." Cinder nodded. "I'm sure we can do that. First, ice cream."
"I want chocolate!"
"I'm sure your father will supply you with such." Cinder replied. "Personally I prefer vanilla."
"Ugh!" Khione shivered. "Vanilla tastes like pee!"
"How do you know what pee tastes like?" Cinder retorted with a smile, making Khione blink.
"Uhm...Dad told me." Khione replied, and Cinder's smile grew and she ruffled Khione's snow white hair for the clever and quick comeback.
"Smart girl." Cinder praised, and movement in the corner of her eye made her turn. She felt the beginnings of her power burning at the tips of her fingers at the thought of someone attacking them, but she dispelled it quickly upon noticing it was Jaune.
"Chocolate for you." Jaune said, giving Khione a chocolate cone that had a flake as well. "Vanilla for you, and strawberry for me."
Cinder accepted her vanilla ice cream, which unlike Jaune or Khione didn't have a chocolate flake as well, and she took a lick before realising Jaune was handing something else to her as well.
"Also for you." Jaune said sheepishly as Cinder stared at the white tulip in his hand. "I may or may not have stolen it from the park keepers garden. I...It's to prove I accept your apology."
"T-Thanks." Cinder blinked, before coughing and snatching the tulip from him, unconsciously cradling it against her chest. "That is very kind of you."
"Y-Yeah." Jaune said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Khione cocked her head, chocolate around her mouth and a curious look in her eyes as she stared at them.
"Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?" Khione asked, and Jaune choked on thin air whilst Cinder adamantly refused, her face redder than a sunburnt Atlesian. "Ok."
Khione licked some more of her ice cream whilst her mom and dad calmed down, both of them doing their best to avoid looking at the other.
'If they act like they are, why aren't they?' Khione wondered, before shrugging and happily returning to the demolishment of her ice cream before it melted.
A/N: Next update 05/08/2023