spamalot } { of mother-daughter talks and overdue announcements

[impetere]

Cora: [while Stiles is talking to his dad and Melissa, Cora will wander away to track down Dina while they're still in a house where everyone can't hear their every move]

Dina: [she is having a tea party with her dolls when she gets there] Hi Cora! Do you want some tea?

Cora: [smiles at that before nodding] I would love some tea.

Dina: Do you like sugar?

Cora: [she goes to try and squeeze into that chair before nodding] I do, thank you.

Dina: [and she puts two cubes into the cup and pours unsweetened iced tea on it] Ms. Turtle was telling us a story about a frog she knows who turned into a prince.

Cora: [looks suitably impressed] Really? That's pretty impressive.

Dina: Uh huh. And she said that the prince was a very good man and he bought her a pretty ring and dress and took her to a ball and danced with her all night.

Cora: He sounds like a keeper.

Dina: He is. But then he ended up turning into a pumpkin at midnight. Some frogs just can't stay all princely.

Cora: I guess not. Can she turn him back into a prince?

Dina: No. Grandma made a pie out of him.

Cora: [mock gasp] Oh no! Did you eat him?

Dina: I didn't know he was a frog prince! It's not my fault!

Cora: [sighs] Poor prince. All he wanted to do was go to the ball and he gets made into a pie.

Dina: He tasted good too.

Cora: [she laughs] I'm sure he did.

Dina: Is it time to go back home now?

Cora: In a little bit. I wanted to talk to you first.

Dina: Okay. [and she goes to sip her tea because OMG SUGAR CORA]

Cora: [yeah ... she can smell it, and she picks up her tea but doesn't sip it right away] So your dad said you might have some questions about the bite I gave him.

Dina: [she looked at the door because she's not supposed to say the werewolf word too loudly, so she will whisper that word] Daddy says that werewolves bite the people that they love a lot and want to spend the rest of their lives with.

Cora: [she nods a bit] That's true. It means that they want that person to be with them forever.

Dina: But he said you won't bite me because it's a mommy and daddy thing.

Cora: Yep. It's only for people who are getting married.

Dina: So when Ryan and I get married, he has to bite me too?

Cora: If you and Ryan get married, he doesn't have to. But he'll want to. For real wolves, it's a way of saying to the rest of the pack that that person is theirs, and no one else should try and take them away. It’s kind of a wedding ring.

Dina: Does it hurt?

Cora: [she shakes her head] Not really. On most wolves, you can't see it because it heals and goes away.

Dina: Daddy scars easily though.

Cora: He does. But like he said - it's a good scar.

Dina: He has a lot of bad scars. I think he likes having a good scar.

Cora: [she nods] This one means that I'm going to protect him and take care of him. It's a promise that I won't hurt him - or give him any bad scars.

Dina: [nods] Good. Then you'll be a much better mommy than my last mommy.

Cora: [she smiles at that before nodding] I hope so.

Dina: So are you really my new mommy now?

Cora: I will be. After me and your dad get married.

Dina: Is it a bad thing to have bitten daddy before the wedding?

Cora: [she shakes her head] Nope. A lot of people do it before they get married.

Dina: Oh, okay! [and she finishes her tea]

Cora: [nods and sips hers ... and immediately regrets that choice. But she can fake being pleased for the moment]

Stiles: [and he's coming to the rescue] So ladies, shall we?

Dina: [gets up and runs to hug Stiles' leg] Hi Daddy!

Cora: [glances up with a smile and nods] I think we're ready to go.

Dina: Cora said that she's going to make sure you don't get any more bad scars after your good scar!

Stiles: Is that so? [confused look]

Cora: [small smile] I was explaining to her that when you give someone that bite, it means you'll protect them and take care of them.

Stiles: Ah, well, yeah, that's true. [reaches down to pick her up] Because the Hales look after the Stilinskis and the Stilinskis look after the Hales.

Cora: [she nods] Exactly.

Dina: One big happy family. [hugs Stiles' neck]

Cora: [she smiles at that] Yep. One big happy family.

Dina: [kisses Stiles' cheek, and then leans over to literally reach/fall into Cora's arms]

Cora: [takes her easily, before getting up so that they can still maneuver their way home] Ready to go home?

Dina: Yup.

Stiles: Her bag is already in the jeep.

Cora: [nods] Let's go. [and they head out to leave]

Dina: [and she stays snuggled in Cora's arms happily, saying goodbye to her grandparents.]

Cora: [says goodbye as well and they get her into her booster seat in the car and off they go back to the Hale House?]

Dina: [yup, and she will probably be bouncing by the time they get to the house and take off to run after the twins if they are around]

Cora: [yep, the twins have been tormenting poor Jonathan all morning and he's sulking a bit on the steps. when he sees his aunt he brightens a bit, running down the stairs and throwing his arms around her waist] Hey, kiddo. What's wrong?

Jonathan: My siblings suck.

Cora: [she laughs] I'm afraid they don't get much better as you get older.

Dina: We can team up against them, Jonathan!

Jonathan: [looks dubious]

Cora: [she nods] She's right. You can do it, go

Jonathan: [sighs] I can't wait until I can shift. [and off he goes after Dina]

Stiles: [coming up beside her] So you had a period where you didn't hero worship Derek after all...

Cora: [sighs] Oh, no, I still did. Doesn't mean I was blind to when he was being a jerk, though.

Stiles: Hopefully he will be just as close to the twins as you are to your siblings. When they stop being terrors on four legs.

Cora: [sighs] One can only hope.

Stiles: [wraps his free arm around her and leads her back into the house]

Cora: [and in they go] Mom?

Talia: Kitchen!

Stiles: [guides them both to the kitchen, dropping his and Dina's bags at the bottom of the stairs] We're home. Miss us? [grins]

Talia: [smiles and nods] House got a little too quiet without you. Did you enjoy your trip?

Stiles: I'm sure you, like my dad used to say, enjoyed it immensely. [he slid into a chair] It was good. The Kirsanov beach house is amazing.

Talia: It is rather lovely. I've been there once or twice.

Stiles: Private little getaways with Thomas? [grins]

Thomas: [putting his hand on Stiles' shoulder from behind, making the boy jump] Don't ask questions you don't really want the answers to, son.

Cora: Yes, please don't.

Talia: [shakes her head] We've been down to see Victor and Leah during the summers when they're there.

Thomas: [kisses Talia on the cheek as he moves by to get a drink from the fridge] The sun and salt water are good on old bones. Remember that, Stiles, when Cora's still running circles easily around you in forty years.

Talia: [an amused look at that] You still keep up just fine.

Thomas: Only because of whatever cocktail of herbs Satomi gives you to put in that horrible morning tea you give me.

Talia: The benefits are worth it though.

Cora: [her face just watches her parents going "please stop flirting."]

Stiles: [is amused. But hey, he's used to his dad and Melissa do this all the time and old people flirting is cute to him]

Thomas: Speaking of, it was nice and quiet without you here, Stiles. You're absence was noticed.

Stiles: Yeah, I'm sure. [looks at Cora and smirks]

Talia: It's going to be strange once you're at the loft for good.

Stiles: Yeah, it's going to take some time to adjust, but I'm really ready for this. But I mean, Dina's still going to need someone to watch her after pre-school. So you'll still see me almost every day.

Talia: Oh, I'm sure we will. And don't get me wrong - this is a good step. I'm proud of you.

Stiles: [smiles and puts a hand on top of Cora’s] Thanks.

Thomas: [chuckles and looks at Talia] Pretty sure in a few years, more than just Dina'll be running around here while you're both at work.

Cora: [a mild look at that] Dad.

Talia: [nope, she's not saying anything]

Thomas: Oh come on, baby girl. Your old man knows how this whole thing works. Can't tell me you two haven't talked about things like that already.

Cora: [no she can't but stop. That's it, that's the look.]

Stiles: I think I'm gonna go put my stuff back upstairs quickly... [because wow did the room suddenly get chilly?]

Cora: [not chilly, just ... uncomfortable, she buries her face in her hands and sighs] Sorry. I'm sorry.

Thomas: [sighs] Alright, I give. I'll just keep my grandfatherly thoughts to myself.

Cora: Just ... we're only trying to figure out the wedding right now. Can we take it one step at a time? [which, yep, that's how she's going to tell them]

Talia: [yep, mom caught that] Wedding?

Stiles: Yeah, uh we were talking about it over the weekend. I mean, we're already kinda at this point since, you know. [he rubbed at his neck] I'm thinking it's the right time for that too.

Talia: [nods for a moment, before smirking] Finally.

Cora: Mom!

Talia: What, I'm not going to be the only one, and you know it.

Cora: [is just going to fold her arms against the kitchen table and bury her face in it. sigh. her family]

Thomas: No, I'm pretty much with your mother on this.

Stiles: [rubs her back] At least they're not saying I can't marry you?

Thomas: Pretty sure that wouldn't work anyway. Didn't when you were sixteen.

Cora: [sighs as she picks her head up] I'm probably going to be hearing that from everyone I tell.

Thomas: It's not a bad thing, sweetheart.

Stiles: At least you won't be having people ask if you're ready so soon after being divorced.

Cora: [... okay, she can acknowledge that and gives him a sympathetic face in return] Sorry.

Stiles: Don't be. I wasn't sure I was going to be ready myself until the other day myself. But I'm doing what Laura tells me to do and I'm trusting my gut.

Cora: Good. [there's a smile as she takes his hand] This'll be good.

Stiles: But we're not in a rush. I mean, we don't even move into the loft until June at the earliest since that's the day the contractors should be done with building the layout.

Cora: [she nods a bit] And if we're going to do it here, a winter wedding might not be a good idea.

Thomas: You'll probably want to think about your semester breaks at school, since you both will probably want to enjoy some time alone afterward.

Stiles: He's got a point. [honeymoon time would be really nice]

Cora: [nods a bit] Maybe next summer?

Stiles: That works. And that way we can give people a good notice to not be pregnant during that summer. [laughs]

Cora: [laughs a bit] I'm not sure if that would do anything.

Stiles: Well, Malia and Allison would probably appreciate the notice.

Cora: Probably. But I don't think they'd be able to make any promises.

Stiles: Well, at least we warned them. If they are uncomfortable, it's their own poor planning.

Thomas: [laughing behind his hand]

Talia: [is fairly amused herself, but Cora's not wrong either]

Cora: [she laughs] I guess so.

Stiles: And we may need to throw a mini Hunger Games for the kids on who wants to be the ring bearer.

Cora: [a beat] Jonathan. Ryan's not coordinated enough and Jonathan is right about Dina's height. [because she's pretty sure Dina would be in tears if she wasn't the flower girl for her dad's wedding.]

Stiles: [that's why Flower Girl wasn't up for hunger games] Well, it would be over a year from now. But yeah, he would be the best right now.

Cora: [nods] We'll see where we are then.

Stiles: And it's a long time off. Since this summer may not be enough time to figure it all out.

Cora: [nods again] But it's not like we're going anywhere.

Stiles: Not intentionally. I'm not feeling up to tempting fate with that kind of thinking.

Cora: [there's a beat as she thinks about their life for a moment before nodding] Fair point. First living together, and if we're not killing each other by Christmas, then we can worry about the wedding.

Thomas: [shaking his head, looking at Talia amused] And to think our biggest issue was if I was going to be drafted again before our wedding.

Talia: [smirks a bit] A different time, I suppose.

Stiles: ... You guys got married before the draft ended? That was like 1973.

Thomas: Do I look like a spring chicken to you?

Stiles: ...... No?

Cora: [sigh] My mom is older than she looks. Werewolf genes.

Stiles: [blinks] Just how old ARE you two?

Talia: [exhales as she thinks for a moment] Well, Laura was born in '86, and I was ... definitely in my thirties.

Stiles: [his eyes just open wide] Wow.

Thomas: Same with me. And I can confirm she's just as beautiful as she was the day I met her.

Talia: [there's a bit of a teasing look at that, because no, she's definitely gotten older, but she appreciates it all the same.]

Stiles: So that means in like 40 years, people are going to think I'm a cradle robber?

Thomas: [guffs] They start doing that in twenty, son.

Cora: [blushes a bit before deciding to recover by teasing him] At least it's typical for software tycoons to have trophy wives?

Stiles: You are so not a trophy wife.

Cora: [laughs] Oh really?

Stiles: I put a lot of effort into this, at least on the back end.

Cora: Ahh, so I'm not easy enough to count as a trophy wife?

Stiles: Oh hell no. And you're a lot more intelligent too.

Cora: [she smiles at that] Good to know.

Thomas: Boy's got good survival skills.

Stiles: I would have been dead by 12 if I didn't.

Talia: [ laughs a bit at that] Apparently.

Cora: [sighs a bit, before starting to get up] As much as I would love to stay, I should go home and see Lydia.

Stiles: I'll walk you out. [getting up as well]

Cora: [nods and says goodbye to her parents before making her way to her car with Stiles] Tell Dina I'll see her later?

Stiles: I will. Tell Lydia I said hello as well.

Cora: [she nods before leaning in for a kiss goodbye] I'll see you later.

Stiles: [keeps that kiss going a bit longer] See you later.

Cora: [mmm good kiss. And after that, she'll get in her car and drive away]

Stiles: [and he will go to put his and Dina's stuff away inside]