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“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Connor asked suspiciously, watching your five year old daughter painting on the desk in the living room.
“You’ll be fine, Connor; what’s the worst that could happen? Besides, the two of you are practically besties! After me, she trusts and knows you the most.”
You packed your stethoscope in your bag as he crossed his arms. “I’ve never babysat before.”
“It’s easy.” Your scarf wrapped itself around your neck and you made a move to knot it. “Just do what I usually do. I’ll see you in a few.” You were desperate to get to the local stables where a brown mare was in labour.
Now Connor was alone with Y/D/N at 5:30 in the evening. A few hours; that’s all.
He leaned against the door frame as he watched Y/D/N painting. “You can sit down, you know,” she said. Connor huffed a chuckle at her perception.
“You sound just like your mother.” He did as he was told, and put a Disney film on.
“I wonder why…” she put her paintbrush down and went over to where Connor was sat. “Look at this!”
It was not a terrible painting of three figures; two on each side and one smaller one in the middle. They were all holding hands. “It’s you, mommy and me!”
Connor smiled at this. “This is amazing, darling. I’ll put it up on the fridge.” He placed it right in the centre. “Do you want to play a game or something?”
“Operation!”
“Go and get it and bring into the living room, then.”
Y/D/N agreed and practically flew up the stairs as Connor took a seat on the floor against the couch and waited. It didn’t take long for her to come back, and she giggled as she tucked herself against Connor’s chest. He supposed it was only natural to her.
“You go first, Y/D/N.” The game was quickly set up, and she was already set on getting the smallest one. She was definitely taking after her mother.
“Connor?”
“Yeah?” He took the tweezers out of Y/D/N’s hands.
“What do you do during the day?”
“I do the same as your mother. We went to the same school.” He reached for quite a big item.
“Do you work together?”
“Sometimes.”
“Do you like mommy?”
BUZZZ!
“Of course I do.”
Y/D/N giggled. “No! I mean, do you like like her?”
Connor’s lips twitched upwards. “Maybe.”
“YES!” She turned around and gave Connor the tightest hug she could give. “Does this mean you’ll stay over?”
“That all depends on what your mother says.”
After the game, it became clear that Y/D/N had clearly won. “You’re going to be the best surgeon there is one day!” Connor tickled her sides, where she exploded into a fit of laughter which consequently made him grin widely. He stopped when he heard her stomach rumble. “What do you want for dinner?”
She thought for a moment.
“Sausages and mash potatoes?”
“Of course.”
Y/D/N sits herself in front of the television and watches her favourite cartoons while Connor rolls his sleeves up to his elbows and turned on the stove.
“Y/D/N!” Connor set a plate of two sausages, mash potatoes, carrots, and peas on the table, accompanied with a glass of milk. He sat down next to her after picking up a nearby recipe book to skim through.
“Are you not eating?” She asked, not hesitating to dig in.
“I’m waiting for your mother to get home.” He did, however, make himself a cup of tea.
She nodded as he checked the time. 7:30.
She finished eating everything (including the vegetables) and yawned. “You should get ready for bed.” Connor reminded, rinsing Y/D/N’s plate to put in the dishwasher.
“I’ve already had a shower.” She grinned cheekily, and he squinted comically. “I have!” She burst then into a fit of giggles.
“I’m willing to believe you this time. Go change into your pajamas.”
“Can I come back down again?”
“… For five minutes.”
Y/D/N cheered in victory and hurried to her bedroom as Connor took a seat back on the couch. She came downstairs in what felt like thirty seconds. “That was quick!” She threw herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Five minutes only.”
“Okay, okay.”
Connor put on 101 Dalmations (Y/D/N’s personal favourite), and settled down (for five minutes).
You came in about an hour and a half later, relieved to be home. What you saw warmed your heart.
Y/D/N was comfortably wrapped around Connor, her head on his shoulder. He had an arm around her and it was honestly a sight that you could grow used to. They were both asleep, but Connor’s eyes opened at the sound of the door closing.
“Hey.” He rubbed his eyes tiredly. “How did it go?”
“He’s beautiful. Gave us a scare for a second but now he’s having the time of his life with his mom, so…”
Connor checked the time, extremely surprised. “It’s later than I thought.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“You shouldn’t have.” You smiled gratefully, taking your coat off. “I’ll take Y/D/N to bed, and you can serve yourself something to eat; you must be starving.”
“No, no, I’ll do it. You get something to eat first.” Connor cradled Y/D/N as he stood up, and you watched him slowly move up the stairs.
You made two cups of tea and equally split the remaining food onto two plates before warming them up in the microwave. As you placed everything on the table, you heard creaking on the stairs. Connor emerged with a small smile playing on his lips.
“Was she good?” You asked, taking a seat.
“She never stirred.” Connor joined you.
“This tastes amazing, by the way.”
“Thank you.” As you ate, you showed Connor pictures of the newborn foal. The conversation constantly changed, and you found yourself at ease quite quickly.
“It’s quite late.” You gathered the two plates up. “Would you like to stay over for the night?”
Connor checked the time. “If you don’t mind, I suppose.”
“Not at all! Your stuff is in the second drawer in my bedroom.”
Both of you have a set of emergency overnight gear at each other’s house; you live closer to a farm and Connor lives closer to a zoo. Having stuff at each other’s houses makes it easier for emergencies that require you drop everything right then.
“Thank you for taking care of Y/D/N tonight.”
“It’s not a problem.”
The two of you had changed into pajamas and were brushing your teeth. “D’you wanna come around more often?”
“Sure.” He smiled kindly. “Though, you should come to mine too.”
You agreed. “I also have a question.” You spat out your toothpaste. “I think I want to adopt a dog. For Y/D/N. Any ideas?”
Connor mimicked your actions.
“How about a Dalmatian?”