Work Text:
Sitting on the couch in Chimney and Maddie’s apartment with Chimney and Jee standing before them, it was hard for Buck and Taylor not to feel apprehensive and a little like they were naughty kids being sent to the principal’s office. Chimney surveyed them and crossed his arms, Jee noticing and quickly copying him.
“Oh god, there’s two of them,” Buck whispered to Taylor who stifled a laugh.
Chimney ignored them both and began his familiar spiel. “Our numbers on the fridge,” he began.
“And in both our phones,” Buck pointed out, but Chimney barrelled on.
“There’s also the number of Mr and Mrs Lee, and our doctor if you can’t get through to us. Jee likes to eat right on six-”
“Right on six,” Jee repeated, planting her little hands on her hips.
“You tell us this every time-”
“-and her bed-time is seven thirty.”
“Hey,” Jee squawked as she realised what her father had said. She turned to him with big, pleading eyes. “Can’t I stay up just a little bit longer.”
“No,” Chimney said patiently. “You have a big day at preschool tomorrow.”
Jee looked on the verge of protesting but Taylor took the opportunity to swoop in and stand, placing her hands on Chimney’s shoulder and guiding him to the doorway where Maddie was patiently waiting.
“Everything will be fine,” she told him soothingly. “Now you guys go enjoy your date.”
It was the last chance they were likely going to get to enjoy a night out before the baby arrived and they would be juggling a newborn and a four year old. Chimney looked like there was more he wanted to say but Maddie smiled, looped her arm through his and steered him out the door, calling goodbye to them as they went.
“Now,” Taylor said with a devilish smile as she closed the door and turned to the other two. “I happen to know there’s some cake mix in the cupboard, who’s in the mood to make cupcakes?”
Neither Buck nor Taylor thought it was the best idea to chock Jee full of sugar on the night they were babysitting her, but they couldn’t deny that the cupcake making was a rousing success, even if it did leave the kitchen a tad messy. But it was hard to be mad when they were treated to the adorable sight of Jee’s tongue poking out as she carefully spooned the mixture into the tins, completely unaware of the dusting of flour on her nose. They couldn’t even be mad as she squatted in front of the oven, watching the cupcakes slowly rise, while they took care of cleaning up the kitchen.
“You only get to have one today though,” Taylor warned her, ruffling her soft hair as she stepped past.
“Two,” Jee instantly countered. “One when they’re still warm, and one after dinner.”
Taylor narrowed her eyes. “One while they’re warm, then you can share one with Uncle Buck after dinner. And we’ll see if Mommy and Daddy will let you take one to preschool tomorrow.”
Jee considered for a moment then decided that this compromise was acceptable and relented with a nod. What she wasn’t so accepting of, was how long the cupcakes were taking to bake.
“How much longer?” she asked, a hint of a whine creeping into her voice.
“Still a little bit,” Buck said, scooping her up and depositing her on one of the island stools. “What’s happening at preschool tomorrow? Your Dad said you have a big day.”
Instantly distracted, as only young children can be, Jee brightened as she told them, “I have show and tell tomorrow.”
Buck and Taylor let out the appropriate oohs and ahhs at this news. “Are you ready?” Taylor asked her. “Have you practised?”
The questions worked like a treat, and the cupcakes were completely forgotten as Jee scrambled down from the stools and led Buck and Taylor back into the living room. “Here, I’ll show you,” she chirped, gesturing impatiently for them to sit. Chuckling a little, they did as they were told while Jee raced to her room, returning in a matter of moments with a photograph in one hand, and in the other the plastic microphone Taylor had gifted her the Christmas before.
“Hang on,” Buck interrupted with a frown when Jee opened her mouth to start. “What’s with the microphone?”
Jee heaved a heavy, dramatic sigh that had Taylor hiding her smile in Buck’s shoulder. “Auntie Taylor always has a microphone when she does her show and tell on the television, Uncle Buck,” she explained, in a tone of voice that suggested that Buck really should know this already.
“Yeah, Uncle Buck,” Taylor whispered to him, and he elbowed her in retaliation even as he chuckled.
“Can I start now?” Jee demanded, arching an eyebrow with entirely too much swagger for a four year old. Taylor and Buck ceased laughing immediately and nodded seriously. “Okay.” Jee lifted her microphone to her mouth and took a deep breath. “This is Jee-Yun Buckley-Han and I’m reporting to you live from my living room! Today I’ve brought something very exciting to show you all…” she paused dramatically, and Buck and Taylor adopted appropriately curious expressions before Jee flipped the photograph in her hand around to reveal that it was a black and white sonogram “... a photograph of the baby in my Mommy’s tummy!”
Taylor and Buck applauded and Jee came closer to pass the photo to them to see. The pair pretended they hadn’t seen the sonogram before, even though they had one stuck to their fridge at home.
“That’s a very rare picture,” she told them conspiratorially, still speaking into her microphone. “Because it’s proof that I’m going to be a big sister! No one knows exactly when the baby will arrive, but my sources tell me that it’s going to be very soon! So stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen!” Jee finished her ‘broadcast’ with a bow, before bounding over to climb onto the lounge between Taylor and Buck who were applauding her once again.
“That was very good,” Taylor told her, and Jee practically glowed with pride.
“I watch you on the tv nearly every day, Auntie Taylor,” she boasted.
“Maybe you’ll be on there with me one day.”
Jee was practically vibrating with excitement at that, and leapt back off the lounge, snatching up her microphone that had been discarded on the carpet. “Then I’d better keep practising,” she said, before launching into her ‘broadcast’ all over again.
“You’ve created a monster,” Buck groaned, pulling Taylor into his arms, but both his voice and expression were fond as he beheld his niece. “She really loves you.”
Taylor almost seemed surprised like that, as if it weren’t clear that she was Jee’s hero. “You think?” she asked, twisting in his arms to get a glance at his face.
“Of course. Almost as much as I do.”
Buck dipped his head to Taylor’s and she smiled into the kiss.
That is until Jee interrupted them with an indignant, “Hey! You’re supposed to be paying attention to me over here!”