Emily (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
iluvroadrunner6) wrote2018-01-21 04:13 pm
iluvroadrunner6) wrote2018-01-21 04:13 pm
Entry tags:
original } { a strange way to save a family
Fandom: Original
Title: a strange way to save a family
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,156
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Jonathan Stryker hasn’t become the country’s greatest spy, to find himself conquered by the whims of a four year old.
Notes: Expanded fic based on my submission for the Word Bowling Challenge at GYWO.
“Are you sure about this?”
Jonathan could tell by the way that his sister, Cynthia is looking around his apartment that she thinks he’s in over his head. The four year-old boy that is currently toddling into his modernly styled living room also is looking equally dubious at the prospect of having to stay here for an extended period of time, but Jonathan is confident – almost ridiculously so.
“I think I can handle hanging out with my nephew for a few hours,” he says with a nod. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
“I know.” She pauses for a moment, before she looks back at him and nods again. “I know, you’re right. It’s just – you don’t really spend a lot of time with kids and Tyler – well, he can be a bit … particular.”
“He’s my nephew, Cynthina. We’re family.” He places an arm around his sister’s shoulders as he begins to steer him towards the door. “I know I’m always away on business, but I’m trying to be more reliable. Just think of this as day one of a closer family unit.”
There’s a deep sigh as Cynthia nods in agreement, waving her hand a bit as she does. “Okay, okay. I’ll call you when I’m on my way back.”
“Good. We will see you then.” He stands at the door, waving a bit as she heads down the hallway to the elevator, and as she leaves, he adds in a: “How hard can it be?” He should have realized, in the moment, that he had made a huge mistake.
Unfortunately, he does not.
Taking a deep breath, he turns and goes to find his nephew who is standing where he was left in the living room, looking unconvinced that this is what he is intended to do with his afternoon. Jonathan rubs his hands together and flashes him a grin.
“Okay, Tyler. Let’s have some fun.”
* * * * *
Jonathan Stryker hasn’t become the country’s greatest spy, to find himself conquered by the whims of a four year old. A man who could choke out guards in under six seconds, hack into the most complicated systems in the world, break down a situation with scientific precision is currently chalking up his floundering in this particular situation to the fact that he is lacking proper support. As good as he is in the field, it doesn’t mean anything unless he has the intelligence he needs provided by hardworking analysts. If he was a wiser man, he might come to the conclusion that dealing with children is different than dealing with foreign agents and spies, but the narration would never really give him that much credit. The fact is, he has never dealt with a child before, inexperience having made him overly cocky, and now he finds himself in the midst of a crisis, looking for a way to cheat just enough to make it through this day intact.
Ever since his sister left, it has been one near disaster after another, and he’s beginning to find himself reaching the end of his rope. He wrenches the dangerous scissors out of Tyler’s hands, staring down into the bright, wobbly eyes of a toddler, before taking a moment to regroup. This scenario is going to take a little more intuition than he had originally bargained for, so he takes a deep breath and tries to focus on what resources he has available. There are any number of things he could go for in this situation, any number of bribes he could choose from, it’s just a matter of finding the right solution to the problem. And he will find Tyler’s price – he always does.
“Okay, champ,” he sighs. “How do we make it out of this without an international incident? Soda?” The suggestion seems to have no effect, Tyler continuing to look just as disappointed and despondent as before. “Chocolate?” The child’s eyes brighten, and he knows they have a winner. “That’s my boy.”
“Mama never lets me have chocolate ‘cept for Halloween.”
“Well, today is your lucky day,” Jonathan replies as he turns to lead the way into the kitchen to find the boxes of special chocolates that he usually saves for special occasions – and by special occasions he means special lady friends. He makes his way out, before pulling off the top of the box to offer it to him and Tyler makes a bit of a face.
“I want Reese’s Pieces.”
“What do you mean? It’s chocolate. Chocolate is chocolate.”
Tyler’s face turns red and he puffs up, shouting at the top of his lungs. “I WANT REESE’S PIECES.”
“Alright, alright, alright, alright.” Jonathan’s hands come up to try and soothe the savage beast, placing his box of fancy chocolates to the side for a moment, before going to find his car keys. “Get your shoes on, we have to run to the corner store.”
Tyler soothes almost immediately, tipping his curly had up at his uncle with a nod. “Is that where the Reese’s Pieces are?”
“Yes, it is,” Jonathan nods, before pulling on his jacket and muttering under his breath. “And possibly a bottle of vodka for me for later.”
* * * * *
By the time Cynthia returns from her day out, the formerly immaculate apartment looks like a tornado has run through it. Tyler is passed out cold on the couch, a bag of Reese’s Pieces has been scattered across the top of the coffee table, and Jonathan is collapsed on the floor next to it, looking like he’s been hit by a truck. She smirks a bit, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she leans in the door way.
“How hard can it be, huh?”
Jonathan looked over at her and shakes his head. “I take it back. Not as easy as I thought.”
“I thought you might say that,” she laughs as she makes her way closer. “But I think you for your trouble. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t stepped up.”
“Of course,” he sighs softly, getting up to his feet and giving her a small smile. There’s a little less bravado here, just more her brother, here to support her. “I know I can get busy with work, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I know,” she says, pulling her son up into her arms and letting his head rest against her shoulder. “And I really appreciate it.”
“Mama,” Tyler mumbles sleepily as he starts to stir. “What’s vodka?”
Cynthia laughs. “I’ll tell you in the car, bud.” She then steps back and lets Jonathan lead her towards the door. “I’ll see you later, little brother.”
“See you later,” Jonathan nods as he waves her down the hall again, and once the door is closed behind them, he takes a deep breath and leans against it with a sigh. “I need a nap.”
Title: a strange way to save a family
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,156
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Jonathan Stryker hasn’t become the country’s greatest spy, to find himself conquered by the whims of a four year old.
Notes: Expanded fic based on my submission for the Word Bowling Challenge at GYWO.
“Are you sure about this?”
Jonathan could tell by the way that his sister, Cynthia is looking around his apartment that she thinks he’s in over his head. The four year-old boy that is currently toddling into his modernly styled living room also is looking equally dubious at the prospect of having to stay here for an extended period of time, but Jonathan is confident – almost ridiculously so.
“I think I can handle hanging out with my nephew for a few hours,” he says with a nod. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
“I know.” She pauses for a moment, before she looks back at him and nods again. “I know, you’re right. It’s just – you don’t really spend a lot of time with kids and Tyler – well, he can be a bit … particular.”
“He’s my nephew, Cynthina. We’re family.” He places an arm around his sister’s shoulders as he begins to steer him towards the door. “I know I’m always away on business, but I’m trying to be more reliable. Just think of this as day one of a closer family unit.”
There’s a deep sigh as Cynthia nods in agreement, waving her hand a bit as she does. “Okay, okay. I’ll call you when I’m on my way back.”
“Good. We will see you then.” He stands at the door, waving a bit as she heads down the hallway to the elevator, and as she leaves, he adds in a: “How hard can it be?” He should have realized, in the moment, that he had made a huge mistake.
Unfortunately, he does not.
Taking a deep breath, he turns and goes to find his nephew who is standing where he was left in the living room, looking unconvinced that this is what he is intended to do with his afternoon. Jonathan rubs his hands together and flashes him a grin.
“Okay, Tyler. Let’s have some fun.”
Jonathan Stryker hasn’t become the country’s greatest spy, to find himself conquered by the whims of a four year old. A man who could choke out guards in under six seconds, hack into the most complicated systems in the world, break down a situation with scientific precision is currently chalking up his floundering in this particular situation to the fact that he is lacking proper support. As good as he is in the field, it doesn’t mean anything unless he has the intelligence he needs provided by hardworking analysts. If he was a wiser man, he might come to the conclusion that dealing with children is different than dealing with foreign agents and spies, but the narration would never really give him that much credit. The fact is, he has never dealt with a child before, inexperience having made him overly cocky, and now he finds himself in the midst of a crisis, looking for a way to cheat just enough to make it through this day intact.
Ever since his sister left, it has been one near disaster after another, and he’s beginning to find himself reaching the end of his rope. He wrenches the dangerous scissors out of Tyler’s hands, staring down into the bright, wobbly eyes of a toddler, before taking a moment to regroup. This scenario is going to take a little more intuition than he had originally bargained for, so he takes a deep breath and tries to focus on what resources he has available. There are any number of things he could go for in this situation, any number of bribes he could choose from, it’s just a matter of finding the right solution to the problem. And he will find Tyler’s price – he always does.
“Okay, champ,” he sighs. “How do we make it out of this without an international incident? Soda?” The suggestion seems to have no effect, Tyler continuing to look just as disappointed and despondent as before. “Chocolate?” The child’s eyes brighten, and he knows they have a winner. “That’s my boy.”
“Mama never lets me have chocolate ‘cept for Halloween.”
“Well, today is your lucky day,” Jonathan replies as he turns to lead the way into the kitchen to find the boxes of special chocolates that he usually saves for special occasions – and by special occasions he means special lady friends. He makes his way out, before pulling off the top of the box to offer it to him and Tyler makes a bit of a face.
“I want Reese’s Pieces.”
“What do you mean? It’s chocolate. Chocolate is chocolate.”
Tyler’s face turns red and he puffs up, shouting at the top of his lungs. “I WANT REESE’S PIECES.”
“Alright, alright, alright, alright.” Jonathan’s hands come up to try and soothe the savage beast, placing his box of fancy chocolates to the side for a moment, before going to find his car keys. “Get your shoes on, we have to run to the corner store.”
Tyler soothes almost immediately, tipping his curly had up at his uncle with a nod. “Is that where the Reese’s Pieces are?”
“Yes, it is,” Jonathan nods, before pulling on his jacket and muttering under his breath. “And possibly a bottle of vodka for me for later.”
By the time Cynthia returns from her day out, the formerly immaculate apartment looks like a tornado has run through it. Tyler is passed out cold on the couch, a bag of Reese’s Pieces has been scattered across the top of the coffee table, and Jonathan is collapsed on the floor next to it, looking like he’s been hit by a truck. She smirks a bit, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she leans in the door way.
“How hard can it be, huh?”
Jonathan looked over at her and shakes his head. “I take it back. Not as easy as I thought.”
“I thought you might say that,” she laughs as she makes her way closer. “But I think you for your trouble. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t stepped up.”
“Of course,” he sighs softly, getting up to his feet and giving her a small smile. There’s a little less bravado here, just more her brother, here to support her. “I know I can get busy with work, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I know,” she says, pulling her son up into her arms and letting his head rest against her shoulder. “And I really appreciate it.”
“Mama,” Tyler mumbles sleepily as he starts to stir. “What’s vodka?”
Cynthia laughs. “I’ll tell you in the car, bud.” She then steps back and lets Jonathan lead her towards the door. “I’ll see you later, little brother.”
“See you later,” Jonathan nods as he waves her down the hall again, and once the door is closed behind them, he takes a deep breath and leans against it with a sigh. “I need a nap.”