Enter the Uncle

[mitochondriaaya]

It was a day like most others; sunny and bright with the sound of children screaming on the school playground. Recess always had screaming, usually it was the playful kind. Today the only anomaly was the principal standing outside next to a strange man whose gaze was weighing each of the running children in turn. The principal was trying to be helpful of course, pointing in the direct of one of the mobs.

Said mob was currently devolving into a medieval war on the monkey bars. The self-proclaimed King Braig was holding the top of the span with his loyal Knights holding either side for the moment. The barbarians were numerous though...and seemingly impervious to pain given the scraped knees and elbows they were gaining.

The man nodded gratefully to the principal so that the man could head back indoors...and waited. He wanted to see how this little war played out. And how the kid interacted with the two friends he'd been told about.

Comments

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan certainly approved when he got back. He hung the towels and said, "Two caps full into running water. Aya, do you want the ducky or the boat?"

[mitochondriaaya]

He had figured out that much from the faded instructions! He turned to get the water running, letting the children banter. A little hotter than lukewarm for a child yes? Hot enough to clean, not too hot to burn...these were important things to think about!

"Hmmm, I'll take the duck and you can have the boat and he can be Duckzilla against the Japanese navy!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Okay." Dilan agreed, "But I don't need a bath so I'll sit on the edge while you get scrubbed down."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Okay, that's the shore then!" Where Duckzilla could rise to rampage at him! RAAaarrrrrr-squeakum!

Nevada was getting the six year old dunked into the bath then getting her hair soaped while she wiggled around and had her ducky rising from the suds.

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan did his best to keep Aya entertained while Nevada washed her, fussing only a little when his hakama got splashed.

His jeans-hate was a life-long thing.

[mitochondriaaya]

Nevada tried to keep the splashing to a minimum! It was rude to slop all over strange bathrooms! For the most part he managed! One more dunk and...shortest bubblebath ever? "Towels." Bring them on!

Duckzilla died an inglorious death, floating upside down in bubbles.

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan offered the big towel to wrap Aya in, and started scrubbing up the puddles, "Thanks, Uncle Nevada! It's a lot easier to get things done fast with help."

[mitochondriaaya]

"I did want to ask about the 'Uncle' thing. You do realize I"m not actually related to anyone here?" Just curious, not freaked! Just...a little wierded out. A bit. Time to towel ruffle the six year old!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Oh." Dilan blinked up at Nevada and smiled, "Yes, I know. But you're a pseudo-parental figure who is not actually a parent. Braig calls my momma Aunt Lenna, and we call Aya's dad Uncle Jerrig. I call Braig's parents mom and dad 'cause I don't have a father of my own and it'd be weird to call dad dad and mom Aunt Elcy. It's just local short-hand for adult male who is authorised to take us places and do things with us without having to check in with our assorted parental figures every time."

[mitochondriaaya]

Blink.

"Dilan," he sighed. "A simple 'this is easier on everyone.' would suffice. You're eight? Nine? A paragraph of explanation is not necessary." He patted the boy on the head anyway? He wasn't saying it was a bad thing just...yeah.

"Don't worry," Aya chirped. "Dilan likes explaining things!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Eight." Dilan said, blinking, "But that would be imprecise, and momma says that when I'm imprecise people get confused 'cause I don't usually remember to use little words when I'm trying to condense information."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Sometimes, Dilan, with adults that have a larger vocabulary, a little imprecision is alright." Nevada was just trying to make him understand that!

"And he likes it." Aya was very firm that people understand that Dilan and Braig both loved being smart!

[sliceitwithwind]

"I'll try to remember that." Dilan said politely, "C'mon, Aya, it's time to get dressed."

[mitochondriaaya]

"It's alright if you don't." Nevada allowed, turning to scoop up Aya's dirty clothes so he could cart them to the washer machine he'd passed on the way up. Then back to scrub the sink!

Aya nodded happily and towel-shuffled after Dilan.

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan bit his tongue as Nevada went to the washer, trying not to tell an adult how to do things. He'd just Do It Right later.

He couldn't resist saying, "Scrub counter-clockwise." as he hustled Aya out to get dressed again.

[mitochondriaaya]

He had not started the washer, after all one set of six year old clothing wasn't enough for a load and he didn't know the particular settings for them. He just figured muddy water was best kept contained. The sink scrubbing though...

...he stopped his normal scrubbing routine and started going the other direction. Not hard, just...not normal. Huh.

He'd be waiting in the hall when the children returned?

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan manfully didn't check the sink, instead just dragging Aya by the strap...as always.

"Okay! We're ready for supper now!"

[mitochondriaaya]

Well, that would explain the popularity of osh koshes in children's stores? He arched an eyebrow but fell in behind the pair neatly. "Yes, I'm sure the food is done by now."

"ElsssssyyyyyY!" Aya called as she was dragged past "Foooood!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Coming, dear." She called out, "Just give me a moment..."

"You take Uncle Nevada ahead, Aya." Dilan said, "I'll get mom out of there."

"I heard that, Dilan."

[mitochondriaaya]

Nevada turned to look at the door she'd called through, then reached down to take Aya's hand. "Yes, please, I may get lost."

Aya blinked then nodded! "No, it's easy! It's a big house yeah but..." Babble babble babble?

Time to wave cheerfully at Braig and his dad?

[sliceitwithwind]

Yinsi and Braig were setting the table, Nevada being motioned to take place of pride at the end. Aya's place setting (slightly smaller silverware) is set to one side of that.

Several minutes later Dilan appears tugging yet another adult who looks frighteningly like Braig. Yet, somehow, while the two both look like Braig could be a clone of them, Elcy and Yinsi do not look related beyond black hair and gold eyes. Their son is simply a perfect harmony of their features.

[mitochondriaaya]

Nevada stiffened, slightly, as Elcy came out but managed a smile just the same. "Hello, I am Nevada, Aya's godparent." Polite introductions helped cover a good deal of awkwardness in his life! He held the chair out for Aya and then sat, since, well, barbeque wasn't formal?

"He came!" Aya said proudly. "And he's going to take us to the park because he doesn't like us playing King of the Monkey Bars."

[sliceitwithwind]

Elcy took a kiss from Yinsi, but being a bright woman didn't offer Nevada her hand, "A pleasure, Mr. Nevada. It's good to have you here. Having someone help the kids out at recess is probably a good idea. My son doesn't socialize well."

"I do too! With people like Dilan and Aya! You know, smart people."

[mitochondriaaya]

He appreciated not having that hand offered! He did! He also appreciated being able to reach the serving spoons before Aya so he could dish things out properly. It meant the kids nearest him got decent portions of veggies, though Dilan he...didn't give many veggies. He remembered the meat requirement discussion.

"I'll see what I can do to provide engaging activities," Nevada offered simply. "Elitism or no."

Aya poked her corn on the cob until it rocked. "Butter? Do we have butter on the table?"

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan took a bit more veggies than he was given, but mostly concentrated on his meat. His...raw, bloody meat in it's uncooked sauce. Yes.

"Butter's here." Braig said, passing it along. Elcy and Yinsi allowed Nevada to finish serving the kids before taking their own food, in pretty much a free-for-all.

However Yinsi, before people started eating, said; "Okay, moment of thanks to the farmers who grew our food, everyone." because keeping the geniuses in touch with such things? A good idea.