puppy love } { of tacos and ant men

[arbalete]

Derek: [he's back at the campus, working on coming off sabbatical while still taking care of Baal. At the moment they are in his little closet of an office - Derek grading papers and Baal working on his letters and handwriting. Derek checks the clock every now and then, waiting for Allison to come meet them for dinner]

Allison: [and there have been several texts indicating that she is very much on her way just getting delayed by work things, and eventually she bursts through the door] Hi.

Baal: [looks up and smiles] Mama Allison!

Allison: [smiles] Hey, Baal.

Derek: [looks up from his desk and smiles] Hey. I got your texts.

Baal: I have been working on my letters. Do you wish to see?

Allison: I would love to see. [and she'll go to stand next to him] Sorry I'm late. Got held up on a case.

Derek: It's fine. Living in a big city means that most places are open late for dinner.

Baal: [and he's going to show her the notebook of his letters] Papa says I need to learn the straight letters and the curved ones both. I do not like the curved ones.

Allison: I was never big on them either. But he's right, you do need to learn both.

Baal: [pouts] I still do not like them.

Derek: [chuckles] Once you learn them, you can choose which you want to write with.

Allison: Yes.

Derek: So, dinner?

Allison: Yes, please.

Baal: Yes! [and he will go to put his schoolwork in his backpack]

Derek: So where shall we go?

Allison: I don't know about you, but I feel like tacos.

Baal: I second tacos.

Derek: Tacos it is. [he puts the papers in his desk and locks it, then grabs his briefcase] Let's go.

Allison: [nods as she goes to follow them out]

Derek: [and he will take her hand, and they will walk down the street towards the area where the restaurants are. Baal is in front of them, looking from window to window to see what's inside] Was it a good day though?

Allison: It was. Lots of crime solving.

Derek: Bad guys arrested?

Allison: Yes, indeed.

Derek: Allison Argent. Saving the world by day, eater of tacos by night.

Allison: That's just how I roll.

Derek: I happen to love that about you. [grins]

Allison: Well, I'd hope so.

Derek: [and he will lean over and kiss her]

Allison: [kisses him back] So what were you two up to today?

Derek: Well, I got my sabbatical finished with the school so I'm officially a grad student again. And I came in to find a pile of online student papers to grade.

Allison: Putting you to work right away.

Derek: Yeah, to help him catch up from the other TA who is not nearly as organized as me.

Allison: Good to know you were appreciated.

Derek: I tend to be a workhorse when it comes to academics. I'm good at it.

Allison: Hopefully not too much of a workhorse.

Derek: Well, back then I didn't have anything to come home to. Now I've got two things. [he smiled and squeezed her hand]

Allison: [smiles back] Good to know.

Derek: I think I'm going to actually miss him when he starts school in the fall.

Allison: I think you'll be okay.

Derek: Yeah, and he'll be with Ben so lord knows the trouble those two are going to cause.

Allison: Hope might be going to public school with them next year too.

Derek: The boys will love that.

Allison: [she nods] I think Hayley is nervous about public school, given Hope's magic, but Freya's been really helping her control it so she's easing those fears in a lot of ways.

Derek: Cora's worried about this year because if Ben is going to be a werewolf, this is when it may start showing up.

Allison: Then at least he'll have two friends to ground him.

Derek: Yeah. I think that will be important for all three of them - they have friends to turn to for that kind of grounding.

Allison: [she nods] I just hope they still all reach out for friends too.

Derek: [smirks] Look at you, talking like a mother.

Allison: [her eyebrows go up] Am I?

Derek: Just a little.

Allison: I didn't realize it was being "mom-like" to care about kids making friends.

Derek: Most people don't care about it if they aren't family members to the kids.

Allison: Or they care about the kids?

Derek: You'd really be surprised. I didn't think so either until Ben started going to school how many people don't care at all.

Allison: Well, I care about Baal, but I think it's too soon to be sliding me into mom status. [not that she was opposed to the idea maybe, down the line, but she and Derek were still learning to navigate this - or at least she was - so it's a little too much too soon for her and boundaries have always been important that way.]

Derek: I'm sorry, I was just teasing.

Allison: I know. I get it, I just ... this is still new, you know?

Derek: Yeah, I know.

Allison: [gives his hand a small squeeze as they come up on the restaurant] Okay, taco time.

Baal: I will go and get us a booth. [and he will push the door and rush inside, obviously excited]

Allison: Should I stop him?

Derek: No, he'll be good. [and they will see Baal waiting patiently with the hostess talking as he waits for them]

Allison: [nods as she greets the hostess with a smile] Is there going to be a wait?

Hostess: Not for this little cutie. [smiles at Baal] He has perfect manners.

Allison: Good. [and will wait for her to lead the way]

Derek: [and they will get led to a nice booth by the window and the hostess hands Baal a menu with crayons before heading out]

Allison: [will slide in the other side and Derek can pick whichever side he wants]

Derek: [will probably sit next to Baal to help him if needed, but directly across from Allison.] So what do we want to do after dinner?

Allison: [gives a small shrug] Maybe watch a movie?

Baal: Can we watch the movie with the Ant Man?

Allison: Sure. Do you guys own that one?

Derek: It's on Netflix

Allison: Oh! Then let's do it.

Baal: I can make the popcorn now

Derek: [smiles] He's learning the microwave and how to listen for the pops.

Allison: Good. Popcorn is my favorite movie snack.

Baal: I have only brunt the house down once.

Allison: ... Well, let's hope it stays that way.

Derek: He's learning to use his nose and ears to tell when the popcorn is done, and not just one of them.

Baal: If I use my nose, it is not done. If I use my ears, I burn the house down.

Allison: A delicate balance.

Baal: Papa says that once I have mastered it, I will be allowed to learn how to make hot dogs in the microwave.

Allison: Soon you'll be feeding yourself.

Derek: That is the plan. Self-sufficiency at an early age.

Allison: That's a pretty good plan.

Baal: I like knowing how to be able to fend for myself.

Allison: It's a good skill to have. Especially when your dad is busy.

Baal: I will one day be able to provide for him.

Allison: Hopefully that won't be for a long, long time.

Baal: I did it just yesterday while he graded the papers of the idiot undergrad students. I made the popcorn and poured the soda.

Derek: [laughs]

Allison: [laughs] Okay, but not more than that.

Baal: I would be proud to provide for my papa. He saved me from the bad men. It is my role as his son.

Derek: That's not what she means, Baal. She just means that you get to be a kid and let me take care of you for awhile longer. [he looked at Allison]Right?

Allison: Yes. When we say things like provide for here, that means paying for things, paying bills - worrying about adult stuff.

Baal: Oh. [he nods] I do not want to pay the bills. I have learned that bill are evil.

Allison: [laughs again] Okay, they may be, but they're also important.

Baal: They are?

Allison: When people do work for you, or you owe them money because they lent it to you, you should always pay for it. You wouldn't like it if they asked you to do something for them and agreed to pay you, but then they didn't, right?

Baal: No, but if I pay with the cash, then I would not have a bill to pay later, yes?

Allison: Yes, but those aren't the only kind of bills there are. There are bills so that you can turn on the lights and get on the internet, and have clean water ...

Baal: The water does not come from Allah?

Derek: We're still working on that part.

Allison: [she nods] It does, but some people abuse that gift, so the water isn't always clean. There are special people who know how to make sure it's safe for us to drink.

Baal: Oh.

Allison: So we pay them as gratitude for doing that for us, so we don't get sick.

Baal: And so they give us a bill to show that gratitude?

Allison: The bill is more a reminder. Because if you take too much from someone without saying thank you, then it can make them sad and not want to keep helping us.

Baal: And then you will need to get your own water from the well.

Allison: And that water may not be safe to drink because someone else has polluted it

Baal: That is very sad.

Allison: It is, unfortunately.

Derek: [and hey look tacos arrive]

Allison: [yay tacos! time to dig in]

Baal: [and he has come to love tacos and street hot dogs and the little fried things that his Aunt Laura makes but tacos are becoming a thing for him and Allison time.]

Allison: [good, they can have a thing. and once the tacos are done, they retreat back to the apartment for Ant-Man]

Baal: [yup, and he is successful at the popcorn]

Derek: [smiles at Baal's glee] It's the small things.

Allison: Yes, it is.

Baal: [and he will bring in three bowls, giving the first one to Allison] Is this enough for you?

Allison: That is perfect.

Baal: [he will smile, giving Derek a bowl and then hopping onto the couch literally between the two f them]

Allison: [which is fine, Allison is good with that]

Derek: [not so much here, but he will deal]

Allison: [relax, you get to snuggle her directly when he goes to sleep]

Derek: [he better]

Allison: [he will. but this is the problem with having children so early in a relationship]

Derek: [the tiny ball of fur was too hard to say no too, Allison]

Allison: [yes, well now you must suffer the consequences]

Derek: [at least he's not an infant]

Allison: [at least there's that]

Baal: [and while he loves this movie, he'll end up falling asleep on Allison about two thirds of the way through]

Allison: [and she glances down, before looking back at Derek] Do you want to put him to bed?

Derek: Yeah, I can do that. [and he will remove the popcorn bowl from his and Baal's laps before going to pick his son up]

Allison: [and she'll turn off the movie and clean up the popcorn. yay multitasking!]

Derek: [and once the little boy is tucked in, Derek will find her in the kitchen and pull her close to kiss her as he had been wanting to do all night]

Allison: [smiles softly as she kisses him back] Hi.

Derek: Hi.

Allison: He asleep?

Derek: He sleeps like the dead. We're good.

Allison: Good. I'm almost cleaned up here.

Derek: Can you stay for awhile longer?

Allison: [she nods] Maybe a little while.

Derek: I will set up some music in my room then, or we can watch something on the tablet?

Allison: Sounds good.

Derek: [and he will go to his room and look for something to listen to as a filter between the rooms more than setting the mood]

Allison: [and she will finish cleaning up and follow him, settling on his bed]

Derek: [and he will come over to join her, shifting back and pulling her into his arms and then kissing her deeply]

Allison: [and she'll kiss him back, because she does love kissing him, but eventually she'll pull back and raise her eyebrows] I thought we were watching a movie.

Derek: I can't get a kiss in first?

Allison: You can. And you did.

Derek: And now I can start the movie. [and he will reach for the tablet]

Allison: Good. [and she will settle in so they can watch]

Derek: [and it's totally a romance]

Allison: [and she’s amused]

Derek: [he's a romantic guy!]

Allison: [he is! but he's probably the only guy she's met who will watch a romance without expecting something]

Derek: [that's probably because she knows him better and that he's a respectful person. His mama taught him well]

Allison: [yes she did. Good job, Talia]

Derek: [and he will just hold her, happy to snuggle up, holding her hand as they watch]

Allison: [and she is good with that, but ... also might pass out in the middle because romances aren't really her thing, and she had a long day]

Derek: [and he will smile, and go to gently settle her in the bed to sleep for a bit while he goes to turn off the movie and music, check on Baal and then come back and kneel by the bed and gently shake her shoulder] Allison, sweetie...

Allison: [blinks as starts to wake up] Hmmm?

Derek: You fell asleep.

Allison: [winces] Oh. I'm sorry.

Derek: It's okay. I would have just let you keep sleeping, but I know you haven't wanted to stay overnight so I didn't want to go against that.

Allison: Staying overnight is okay if you think it's okay. Just not ... the other stuff that usually comes when I'm staying overnight.

Derek: I think it's okay, but you're the one who has to go to work tomorrow and I don't want you to go in wearing the same clothing as today.

Allison: Mmmm. Probably right.

Derek: Unless you want to wear something of mine. I have some suits that would look amazing on you.

Allison: [she laughs] Maybe. But I think that might be a little obvious.

Derek: [smiles] You'd still look good.

Allison: Maybe I'll wear one for you sometime.

Derek: Alright. But it's up to you if you want to stay. I do love waking up to see you.

Allison: [glances down at her watch] I was ordered to come in late tomorrow.

Derek: Then stay. [he reached over to run a hand along her cheek]

Allison: Okay. Do you have something I can sleep in?

Derek: Yeah, give me a sec. [and he will go and find his old basketball jersey] This work?

Allison: [she nods] That works. [and she'll shift to change, leaving her work clothes draped over a chair]

Derek: [and he will change into his sweatpants, going to join her in the bed]

Allison: [and she will curl up on her side to let him curl around her]

Derek: [which he will, keeping her comfortable against him]

Allison: [and off they go to sleep]

Baal: [and he rolled a 1 in sleeping through the night, so he is going to sneak into the bedroom and silently climb into bed with them, snuggling up with them and trying not to wake them]

Allison: [and conversly, Allison rolls a nat 20 to wake up] What's wrong, kiddo?

Baal: Bad dreams.

Allison: [frowns softly] You want to talk about it?

Baal: Sometimes I still see the bombs.

Allison: Oh. Does Derek usually let you stay here?

Baal: Sometimes.

Allison: Okay. [and this is why she didn't want to do other stuff. She pushes out and inches over so that he can settle between them]

Baal: [and he will, trying not to disturb Derek and unconsciously just puts an arm around Baal]

Allison: [smiles softly] There. [and she'll settle down next to him to go back to sleep]

Baal: [and he will nestle in and fall asleep as well]

Allison: [and they're off for a pleasant night's sleep]