"Ollie! We've got to be out the door in five minutes!" Kim yelled as continued filling his lunchbox and she heard him scurry into the kitchen. "Breakfast sandwich or oatmeal?"
"Sandwich," Ollie muttered as she looked over at him and he let out a sigh. This couldn't be good for him to start the morning in a mood. "Can you and Dad come to career day next week?"
"I can make it. I'll ask Tommy at the dojo tonight," Kim said as Ollie grabbed the breakfast sandwich, but still looked glum. "Ollie- what is it?"
"I just wish I could ask both of you at the same time," Ollie muttered and Kim let out a sigh. He had been so happy that they were dating, but when they had explained that they wouldn't be living together anytime soon he had turned sour. Apparently, he had gotten it in his mind that them dating would mean that they'd all be under one roof in no time. "Can't we just move in with Dad?"
"Your dad and I…we don't want to yank you around. So if we move in with him- it'll be forever, Ollie," Kim responded and he glared up at her.
"Dad wants us there. Why don't you want to be with him?" Ollie retorted as he walked past her and she took in a deep breath. Tommy hadn't said much to her about moving in with him, but knowing Tommy he was going to wait to really talk about it until she brought it up. Was Ollie right about where Tommy wanted them to be? Or was he just anxious to be with both of them all the time?
"You…good…" Tommy trailed off as he walked into her office and saw the paperwork stacked up around her. She glanced up at him and offered him a timid smile. She didn't want to have this conversation, but knew that she needed to make him aware of what Ollie had asked her about this morning.
"With work? Yeah. Ollie…he hit hard this morning," Kim whispered as Tommy took a seat in the chair with the least amount of paperwork. "He'd like for you to come to career day next week."
"Oh yeah, sure…is the info in the weekly email?" Tommy asked and Kim shrugged. She really had no idea and hadn't had time to look for it today either. "That's not what's bothering you."
"He said that he wished he didn't have to ask us separately," Kim said and Tommy stilled. He was sure that that was going to come up some day, but he hadn't thought that that was going to be so soon. "And then he laid it on thick about us moving in together."
"Shit, Kim. I'm sorry," Tommy muttered as she gave him a look. "Did he say I wanted you to move in?"
"Yup," Kim muttered and Tommy shook his head. Ollie had asked him if he'd be okay with them moving in, but he hadn't been the one to broach the subject. He'd been honest with him, but he had also said that it was a decision they'd all have to make together. Apparently Ollie's idea of talking about it was giving his mother a guilt trip. "I'm guessing that he asked you about it and you said you wouldn't mind."
"Pretty much. I didn't think he would…next time he hits me with one of those I'll let you know," Tommy said as she just nodded and he watched her. Something else was bothering her, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to push it to get an answer from her on what that was. "What is it?"
"We can talk about it on date night. It's nothing," Kim whispered as Tommy stood up and walked around to the other side of her desk. He squatted down in front of her and gently ran his hand up and down her thigh. When her tension didn't release, he moved around behind her and started rubbing her shoulders. He glanced at the clock and knew that he was cutting it close to get to his first class of the evening, but he also wanted this time with her. "Tommy- you've got class in five minutes."
"I know," Tommy muttered as he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're leaving as soon as Ollie is dropped off?"
"I don't know. I've got to get the class schedules together for the new crop of registrations and there are a lot of placement tests that still need to be done. And that got dumped on my desk earlier today. Something about the annual Spring Fling event," Kim said as he looked at that paperwork and then grabbed it. "Tommy- it's my job."
"I'm just going to get you the contacts that I've used over the years and it'll be back on your desk on Monday," Tommy said as he let out a sigh. "I wish I could stay."
"Yeah. Well- this is the real world and unfortunately we also have bills to pay," Kim muttered and she reached up to give him a hug. She didn't mean to, but she sunk into him- needing some strength from him today. His scent always centered her and she felt her body relax as she breathed him in. Her mind clicked over that she should pull away and let him go, but her body did not want to cooperate. She, reluctantly, pulled away from him and she saw the concern on Tommy's face. He knew that there was something else that was on her mind. "Okay- go. You're already late."
Tommy and Kimberly sat next to each other in the back of Ollie's classroom. He had asked them to talk about the dojo for career day and Tommy adjusted his gi as he mentally ran through the demo they had planned. It was short, but there was less room than he had planned for. Kim grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, reading how nervous he was. She was used to career day and other parent events. He just didn't want to embarrass Ollie.
"You're going to do great," Kim whispered as he nodded, but still looked a bit nervous to her. "You teach teenagers every day- they're seven and eight."
"They're a harder audience- trust me," Tommy muttered as she forced back a laugh and he shook his head. There was a reason he had chosen to get a doctorate and he was only at Reefside this year because of his research with Anton Mercer- it had left him little choice for academic employment. "There's a reason I only teach the advanced classes at the dojo."
"Mmhmm," Kim mumbled as she fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt and wiped her hands on the karate pants she had had to borrow last minute. They had originally planned the demo with one of the other instructors, but they had called out sick last minute. She knew she was capable of running through this demo- she was the backup for it, but it was always different when she worked with Tommy.
"Ollie Hart- it's your turn," Kristin said as they watched Ollie take a deep breath and they both rose to their feet. Tommy quickly placed down a mat before they both started moving desks out of the way. They could see the distress in the teacher's eyes, but ignored it as they gave Ollie a thumbs up that they were ready.
"My parents work together at Green Dragon Karate Academy. My Dad, Kyoshi Oliver, is the head instructor and has been doing karate for over 20 years. My Mom, Kimberly, is the general manager and keeps the schedule together. She doesn't really do karate," Ollie said as Kim placed her hands on her hips and stared over at her son. The other children laughed as Tommy handed her a staff and she casually spun it around. Tommy had seen that look in her eyes before and knew that she was about to prove a point. "They're going to show you a bo staff kata now."
Tommy and Kim moved apart and both took in deep breaths to focus. They began moving, in sync, as they flowed through the kata. Part of the demos was to make it easy enough that they could always hit it, but hard enough that it was impressive to a newcomer. Kim finished and took Tommy's staff as he nodded over at Ollie.
"One of the katas I am working to learn is the Heian Shodan kata," Ollie said and they moved into the kata. Tommy kept an eye on Kim. He was convinced that she could teach classes after all of her years of being a ranger and then running various dojos, but she still refused to even take a belt test. He could to this kata in his sleep and it impressed him that Kim was to that point as well. "And then- there's always kicks."
Kim stepped away as Tommy bounced on his toes. He did a few lower level kicks, testing that his hamstrings were still properly warmed up. He worked his way up through front kick and side kicks, finally ending in a butterfly kick, followed by a tornado kick. When he landed he glanced over at Ollie who had a huge smile on his face and then locked eyes with Kimberly.
"This is what my parents do," Ollie finished as he motioned at them and the class gave them a cheer. Kim reached down and gave him a quick hug as Tommy started to put the room back together and she then joined him. They both saw the relief in the teacher's eyes that they were not going to leave putting things back together for her.
"Thank you Mr. Oliver and Ms. Hart. With that- we are going to go to lunch and then we'll finish out careers this afternoon," Kristin said as she gave Tommy a look and Kim then locked eyes with her and shook her head. He was off the market and she would make that obvious if anyone tried to hit on him. Tommy was oblivious to the exchange and instead walked over to Ollie and gave him a fish bump.
"You did great," Tommy said as Ollie beamed up at him and then gave him a hug. "I am going to have to run back to the high school after lunch."
"That's fine, Dad. Looks like Mom isn't happy with Ms. Malort though," Ollie said as Tommy looked over and then let out a chuckle. He'd seen that look before and it meant that the teacher had definitely been checking him out and Kimberly had caught her. "Why is she mad?"
"I have some guesses, c'mon- let's get to the lunchroom and get a seat. I'm sure she'll catch up," Tommy said as he looked over at Kim and she nodded for him to go on. He didn't want to be around for this talk and he was sure this would be the last time any of Ollie's teachers looked at him like he was an option.
AN: It's a holiday weekend here in the U.S.- sooooooo- it's time to for another twofer weekend. All of my stories will get two chapters this weekend.