regency au } { of nice goats and bad chickens

[impetere]

Stiles: [he made the mistake of letting his son's hand go] Ben, come back here!

Ben: [NOPE NOT GONNA] Birs!

Stiles: [sighs, and goes after him]

Sheriff: [hearing them steps out of the barn, and then laughs]

Ben: [fortunately is tiny and therefore cannot get far, but HE JUST WANTS TO SAY HI TO THE CHICKENS, DAD, IS THAT SO WRONG] Look - birs!

Stiles: [swoops Ben up into his arms, checking his shoes for poop] Yes, Ben. Those are chickens. Can you say chicken?

Ben: Chi-en.

Stiles: Good. So are you ready to go meet your grandpa?

Ben: [points to the chickens] Chi-en.

Stiles: Yes, Chicken.

Ben: [tries to squirm away so he can still get to the chickens]

Stiles: We will play with the chickens later. [and he will turn and head towards where John is washing his hands]

Ben: [whimpers but he doesn't have much of a choice, unfortunately. too tiny to fight back]

Cora: [is going to get pulled aside by Jody to give the boys some time]

Stiles: [and he will walk over to his father, all smiles] Good morning, Father.

Sheriff: Morning, Stiles. So who is this you brought to see me.

Stiles: This is my son, Benjamin.

Ben: [pouting dramatically]

Sheriff: Hello, Benjamin.

Stiles: [looking at his son] Ben, this is your grandfather. Say hello.

Ben: [glances over, still looks unhappy] 'ello. [and then goes back to sulking over his father's shoulder]

Stiles: [sighs] He seems to be more interested in the chickens, I'm sorry.

Sheriff: He takes after you. You used to chase them all the time when you were little. [tilts his head] Ben, would you like to see grandpa's cow?

Ben: [his head lifts at that and gives him a look like "you better not be playing me, dude."] 'ow?

Sheriff: Yes a cow. Her name is Susie.

Ben: [looks over at his dad like "are you going to ruin this for me too?"]

Stiles: We can go see the cow.

Ben: [looks back at his grandfather] 'ow.

Sheriff: [holds his hand out] Take my hand, okay?

Ben: [will do so but he's not on the ground so he'll just wait to see what's going to happen]

Stiles: [puts Ben down] Don't let go of Grandpa's hand, ok?

Ben: [nods and goes to toddle after the Sheriff]

Stiles: [will follow behind]

Sheriff: Does your daddy let you play in the barns back home, Benjamin?

Ben: Pigs. [that would be yes]

Stiles: And the horses.

Ben: 'orses.

Sheriff: Thor still looks strong. How old is he now?

Stiles: I think 'bout twelve now.

Ben: 'orses, 'orses, 'orses.

Sheriff: [and they will walk into the barn and wow, there are two horses in their pens, a cow in her area, a pig pen with two big pigs, some chickens, a goat on top of a haypile]

Ben: [sees the goat and his eyes go wide, letting go of his grandfather's hand and darting forward] 'oat!

Stiles: Should I be worried?

Sheriff: Nah. He's Jody's baby.

Ben: [and he will reach the goat and reach up to place a hand on it's back and pet it gently] 'ood 'oat.

Goat: [do you have greens, little kid? He's going to bump the child gently wanting food]

Ben: [he does not have any greens, sorry goat friend, but the bump will make him giggle a little]

Stiles: [goes to his son, but Noah puts a hand on his shoulder] But -

Sheriff: He's okay, Stiles. You got to let them learn on their own sometimes.

Ben: [there's just some repeated babbling that's supposed to be "nice goat" but his formation of words isn't that good yet, and he'll just keep gently petting the goat]

Goat: [and he is hungry so he's going to just start nibbling on the toddler's shirt, letting Ben pet him]

Ben: [which Ben is totally cool with, such a nice goat]

Chicken: [and that is when the chicken notices the boy and goes close looking for corn]

Ben: [brightens immediately] Chi-en.

Chicken: [head tilt] Bkaw?

Ben: [holds out his other hand to pet it] Goo chi-en.

Chicken: [looks at the hand. There is nothing there, so she is going to peck him because food. now]

Ben: [jerks his hand back, eyes welling, feeling so betrayed by his chicken friend] Ow!

Stiles: [whoops. Okay, time to swoop in and kneel down next to Ben] Hey, it's okay, buddy.

Ben: [wibbling and not full on crying yet but he's getting close] Bad Chi-en.

Stiles: Yes, that was a bad chicken. [takes Ben's hand and kisses it] But see, all better?

Ben: [dubious look is dubious]

Stiles: Still want to see the cow?

Ben: [shakes his head as he leans into his father's shoulder. the chicken has betrayed him, there's no saying the cow won't do the same]

Sheriff: [comes and joins them] Why don't we join the ladies in the house?

Ben: Mama.

Stiles: Yeah, let's go find mama. [and he will pick Ben up and they can walk back to the cottage]

Cora: [and she and Jody are inside having tea, and they look up when the boys come in] What's wrong?

Stiles: He got pecked by a chicken.

Cora: [pouts at Ben] Poor thing. Chickens are mean, aren't they.

Sheriff: However, the goat has a new friend.

Jody: Aww, he could always use more of those.

Stiles: [sits next to Cora, rubbing his son's back] I think you should stick with goats and horses from now on, Ben.

Ben: [just burrows his face in his dad's shoulder so he can wallow some more]

Sheriff: [chuckles] He gets that dramatic flair from you too, Stiles.

Cora: I don't know, my brother can be quite dramatic as well.

Sheriff: Did your brother have a habit of lying face first on the ground pouting when he didn't get his way?

Cora: No, but he is the master of sulking.

Sheriff: Stiles would do it all the time. You try to pick him up and it was like all his bones disappeared.

Stiles: I deny any of these claims.

Cora: [she laughs] I'm sure you do.

Sheriff: It doesn't mean it's not true. I remember them quite well.

Cora: That I'm sure of too.

Stiles: You are both mean.

Cora: [leans in to press a kiss to her husband's cheek]

Stiles: Okay, you not so much.

Cora: [she smiles, before turning back to Noah] I'm glad we could find the time to bring Ben. Stiles has been wanting you to see him for a while.

Sheriff: I have been wanting to see him too. All of you, really.

Cora: It's a shame you are so far away.

Sheriff: There have been times I have thought about moving closer.

Cora: We would always be happy to have you.

Stiles: You kidding? I'd be ecstatic.

Sheriff: [looks at Jody]

Jody: [shrugs in return] It's your choice. I go where you go.

Sheriff: I know, but I want it to be our choice.

Jody: [gives him a bit of a look at that, before giving his shoulder a squeeze] I go where you go.

Sheriff: Even if it means that will be making that our home forever?

Jody: You're my home. Always have been.

Sheriff: [smiles and leans in to kiss her]

Stiles: [looks at Cora, grinning a bit]

Cora: [squeeze his hand in return]

Jody: [kisses him back, before pulling back] I guess that's a yes then.

Stiles: Wonderful. I will ask Lord and Lady Hale for some land for you to build a home on near the manor.

Cora: I'm sure they'll be more than happy to arrange it.

Stiles: And I really think our children will benefit from having their grandparents close for most of their lives.

Cora: As do I. I can write them tonight.

Stiles: Thank you, love.

Sheriff: Yes, thank you. I can work with my brother to find a member of his guard to take over my duties. I'm getting too old to play sheriff.

Cora: [she nods] I think Laura would have all our families close if she could. Fortunately, Jeremy comes and goes so frequently it's almost as though he is.

Sheriff: How are your siblings doing, m'lady?

Cora: Well. Derek and Elena recently welcomed their third child.

Sheriff: Another girl?

Cora: [she laughs] One day Derek may get lucky, but that day was not it.

Sheriff: Female genes run strong in your family, it seems. I was surprised when Stiles wrote that you had a boy.

Cora: Normally it runs through the alpha - we have long been a matriarchal family, going back many generations.

Stiles: And they are very strong women too.

Cora: If only the rest of the world would see it that way.

Stiles: The rest of the world will catch up one day.

Cora: We can only hope.

Sheriff: Each generation has the chance to advance the mindset of the world. [looks over at Ben] You have your chance to make it happen.

Ben: [blows raspberries against his dad's neck]

Cora: [laughs] I'm sure we are in great hands.

Stiles: Thank you, son.

Cora: I think he's ready for a nap.

Sheriff: He can sleep in our room if you want to put him down there.

Cora: [nods as she gets up to take Ben from him] Just for a little while. I'm sure he'll be much more social when he's done.

Stiles: [hands him over, rubbing his sleeve on his neck] Maybe he will even want to see the cow now.

Jody: [and Cora and Ben exit, while Jody turns back to Stiles] It's probably best that way.

Stiles: He is still learning that not everything is to play with.

Jody: He'll learn eventually. But some people have to learn for themselves.

Stiles: I know, but I just feel the need to make sure he doesn't get hurt.

Jody: Which is normal.

John. Yes, your mother was afraid you would break half the time when you were learning to walk.

Stiles: At least I am not doing things wrong then.

Jody: No. You're doing just fine.

Stiles: Good.

Jody: Now. I need to start dinner. You boys let me know if you need me.

Stiles: We will. Thank you Jody.

Jody: [and off she will go to cook and we will skip]