fandomtownies | Turtle & Canary; Monday [04/17].

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Turtle & Canary; Monday [04/17].

Any relief Summer felt for finally being rid of her children as she headed into work was very short-lived. It was maintained, in fact, only for as long as it took her to get from the clinic to the store, because as soon as she opened the door, she remembered what happened when Apu got kids during these weekends.

"I still cannot believe," she murmured, shaking her head as she stepped over another tiny child underfoot, "you have octuplets in another dimension. I mean, seriously, shouldn't there be rules for that? For how many kids one person can have for these things?"

At least it definitely solidified her choice to leave Bix and Cass with Stark today, since she didn't need to be stepping over little toddler octuplets and dealing with the other two on top of that, when she did actually have work to do and also had to pick out a few good bags of chocolate to send off with Ziya, as well.

Today's Squishy Flavors
Cheeseball
Malbec
Red

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How did Summer feel about a blue psuedo-stepchild coming to visit?

"Hello, Summer," she said cheerfully as she walked in and tried to avoid the many, many tiny children.

At least someone had more kids than Stark this weekend!

Honestly, with all the Nahasapeemapetilons running around (and the tiny baby panda trying to somewhat aggressively push Babybels on unsuspecting customers, which was, admittedly, kind of adorable), another one was like a drop of water in the ocean, and there was still enough degrees of separation with Ziya that Summer didn't immediately feel like her well-earned freedom was being cut short.

"Heeeey, Ziya; what's up?"

The kid seemed pretty self-possessed, which was great, but that was a little twinge of concern in Summer that this might not just be a social call.

It was totally a social call and not even a little bit fishing for information like Aunt Chiana had taught her. Honest!

"I thought I could find some chocolate to bring back to Moya with me," Ziya said. "And this store seemed like it sells everything! And I saw you."

"We do sell almost everything," Summer confirmed with a nod. "Except duct tape. And, well, anything else we can just order, although that's not going to do you a lot of good, probably, but the chocolate, we definitely have. I was actually thinking of picking a few out for you, but this is way better, now I don't have to guess what you might light. Come on." She cocked her head toward the right aisle and started to head that way. "I'll show you."

"Uncle John talks about duct tape sometimes," Ziya told her.

"And chocolate. Everyone talks about chocolate! Do you have the kind with peanut butter?"

"It's a very useful thing to have, duct tape," Summer allowed. "I've tried to order it about a zillion times, but it never shows up, for some reason, and then I just stopped, because do not even get me started on what a pain in the butt outstanding invoices can be. But, yes, we definitely have the kind with peanut butter. We kind of have pretty much all the kinds."

"That's odd," Ziya said. "If it's so useful then why shouldn't you be able to have it?"

Because it was funny, kiddo.

"I would like some with peanut butter, please. I know Papa likes those. Here and at home."

Zhaan probably liked the real fancy single source dark stuff.

Summer shrugged a little. "It's probably for the same reason why my portal gun doesn't always work when I need to it," she offered.

You know. Plot reasons.

There was then a small frown, as Summer suddenly felt unsure whether or not she knew that Stark liked chocolate peanut butter stuff (had she been focusing too much on the pie? And non-chocolate related candy? And then she quickly shook her head and reprimanded herself, because, ugh, it's not like it even mattered, right?). "Then definitely the peanut butter ones," she agreed, taking a few bags off the shelf. "You know, I probably still have some of those leftover from Easter around here somethwere, too, where they do the really big peanut eggs? Those are really good, and I need to get rid of them, anyway, so we'll throw in some of those, too. What kind of chocolates does your Aunt Chiana like?"

"I think she likes all of it," Ziya said thoughtfully. "Not so much as Rygel does but Rygel just likes anything he can eat. Maybe with mint? Mint is nice. We have things that taste like mint even if they aren't quite the same."

Because mint plants were invasive AF, even space mint.

"Or something gooey and messy?"

Summer had to laugh a little at that. "Gooey and messy could be fun," she decided. "Maybe something with gooey nougat or caramel. Like some chocolate turtles. Which are not like actual turtles, but I don't know, you guys have turtles out there in your neck of space? If not, we have one of the mascots back at the counter. I'll introduce you to him, they're pretty cool."

"We have things that look like turtles but we don't have chocolate turtles!"

What with that whole pesky lack of chocolate.

"Chiana likes messy, sometimes." Chiana was, herself, a hot mess.

"Yeah," Summer grinned, thinning back on meeting Chiana fondly, "that sounds about right. So, definitely some chocolate turtles, and lots of peanut butter ones. Anything else, you think?"

"Something no one else will like for Rygel," Ziya said. "Something for Uncle John too since he used to live on Earth and he misses chocolate. And maybe something fancy for Mama? Do you have fancy chocolate? I think she'd like that and Papa would like that she likes it. He likes her to be happy, you know. And me."

A pause, and then a very considering look at Summer. "Does he try and make you happy?"

That considering look was being met with a speculative look of Summer's own.

"We do have fancy chocolate," she confirmed. "And we can get this Rygel guy some Mounds, because no one likes Mounds."

Except for you, Annie Hargreeves, you absolute beautiful lunatic.

"And M&Ms for your Uncle John, if he's from Earth, they're classic."

She thought about just leaving it at that and ignoring that other part (Cass came by her selective hearing honestly), but, whatever, not like she'd probably ever see this kid again except maybe once a year or whatever. Still...

"And your papa," she said, "tries to make everyone he cares about happy. It's just what he does. Textbook people-pleaser. Sometimes not very well, and usually to his own detriment. But I don't doubt that he does right by you and your mama. You two are definitely the most important thing in the whole universe to him."

Ziya nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer.

"He almost lost Mama once but he found her again. And here he doesn't have her anymore and that's part of why he's sad. He seems not so sad right now though. Mama will be happy about that. So will the other Papa, at home. They worry. But Papa always worries."

That was a consistent Stark trait.

So consistent that Summer could only just snort. "You're not wrong about that," she murmured.

Was it more or less reassuring that even when things did work out better for Stark, he still worried?

"Mama says he worries less than he used to," Ziya continued. "And this Papa seems not so worried as the last time I came."

Good thing Ziya hadn't made it here last year.

"Maybe he's getting better at not worrying?"

Any reason why that might be?

"God, I hope so," said Summer, because, goddammit, she'd been working too hard on that for it to all just end up being a moot goddamn point. "He really does worry way too much."

But it had gotten a lot better, she had to give him credit there.

"Sometimes he needs help remembering he doesn't always need to worry about everything," Ziya said. "It's good when someone helps him."

"Yeah," said Summer, with a sigh, and a shake of her head, "but it would be much better if he could help himself with that one, too."

"Mama tells him that sometimes," Ziya said, nodding.

"Do you think I should bring back anything besides chocolates?"

And was that more or less comforting, too?

Summer shook her head a little and focused on the question.

"You think jello would survive the trip through the portal?"

"I don't know. I could try!"

Or she could take some boxes of jello back with her and boil some water on Moya.

Oh, come on, that wasn't the <>same.

"I'll make you some," Summer decided, with a nod. "Before you leave. And if it doesn't keep, then oh, well. At least we tried, right?"

Of course it wasn't the same. Summer jello was superior to all other jellos!

"Thank you, Summer," Ziya said. "You've been very kind. I'm glad I met you."

"Well, I'm not about to let you go back to space without chocolate and jello," Summer said, "if I can help it."

She grinned down at Ziya. "But you're welcome. I'm glad I got to meet you, too, Ziya. You're a good kid."

Ziya grinned back.

"Everyone will be very excited about the treats. Mama will have to help me hide some of it for later."

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Turtle & Canary; Monday [04/17].

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