A/N - so, this really isn't even a story, just drabble. But it made me laugh so I decided to share it. I am super excited that we have a premiere date for season five! I'm very much looking forward to seeing what is to come.
This chapter gets an M rating for language. Which raises a question for me as an author. In my mind, these characters swear, Slattery especially, even though they don't actually swear on the show. So when so when you read them swearing, does that strike you as out of character? I'm curious what you as readers think.
Now on to the story!
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Chapter 11 - Parenthood
"Take away, take away some numbers..."
Danny ran his finger across the rows of ammunition that he was inventorying. With the Nathan James in dry-dock for much needed repairs, Captain Slattery was using the opportunity to make sure that everything was ship-shape before he turned the ship over to the new captain, whoever that might be. And while Danny wasn't a huge fan of spending days upon days doing inventory, he was fully enjoying the time at home with his family.
"If you take zero from a number, the number stays the same..."
"Ah-hem."
Danny's head shot up at Wolf's rather strangled cough, only to find his entire team staring at him. Sasha and Azima's amusement and Erik's studious refusal to meet his eyes, in combination with Wolf and Carlton's blatant glee, told Danny that he was about to be the butt of a joke.
"What?" he asked cautiously, fighting the urge to check his fly.
"If you take zero from a number, the number stays the same?" Wolf's falsetto was enough to have Carlton in stitches, laughing so hard that he was practically doubled over. "We understand that inventory can be difficult for those who struggle with math, Green, but probably better if you count silently."
This time even Erik cracked a smile.
"Fuck," Danny groaned. When nobody returned to what they were doing, apparently expecting more of an explanation, Danny offered. "With so few kids, there's no class for Frankie so we're homeschooling him. Well, Debbie's doing most of it but she wants us to spend thirty minutes a day doing what she calls educational fun. Math songs count."
By the time Danny was done speaking, Wolf was laughing so hard that he could barely choke out his next words. "I knew your wife outranked you, but I didn't realize that your mother-in-law did as well."
Unfortunately for Wolf, Azima took exception to the comment, her face moving from amusement to fury in a nano-second. She stabbed a finger into Wolf's side. "And what exactly is wrong with respecting one's mother-in-law?"
"Nothing, of course, you should always respect your in-laws. Do what they say. I always listen to your mother." The speed at which Wolf changed his tune had Carlton in hysterics again.
Turning her back on her boyfriend, a situation that Captain Slattery ignored for the practical reason that both Wolf and Azima were good at what they did and the official reason that neither was actually U.S. Navy so the frat rules didn't apply, Azima winked at Danny. With a grin, he returned to his original task. Making sure, this time, that his humming was limited to classic country songs.
Which just happened to be Wolf's least favorite type of music.
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The song is from Rock 'N Learn. And it is INCREDIBLY catchy. Like wake up in the middle of the night humming it catchy...