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Ian had just got back from walking the dogs. He leaned down to unclip the leash off of Pistole’s collar when he looked back up, Autumn was standing in front of him, his arms crossed over her chest.
“Shit where did you come from?” He laughed, the girl had given him a little bit of a heart attack not expecting to see a person standing in front of him. Ian tossed the leash across the dining table, eyes expectedly on Autumn.
She didn’t entertain his light-hearted question, her posture switching off from one leg to answer as she bounced on her heels. “Can I talk to you about something dadda?” Autumn’s voice was meek, quieter than usual which was to say something because she was usually pretty soft-spoken as it was. Her body language suggested she had been clambering about even asking for a while.
Ian immediately raised a brow at how sheepish she seemed to be. He took a deep breath preparing himself for the worse. He tried his hardest to keep a level tone, nodding encouragingly. ”Course baby, what's up?”
She looked around the room for a second, avoiding Ian’s eyes. “Um, do you think that maybe I could start softball?”
Ian let go of the breath he was holding. “Oh, thank fuck” He let his cheeks fully go hollow since it was nothing of dire importance. “But yeah Auts sure, why softball?”
Her question was a little peculiar as the kid that never showed any interest in sports literally ever. Ruby had been dancing since she could walk and she tried practically everything before she eventually settled on track and field.
Her eyes were dodgy. She ultimately decided to respond with a draw-out shrug. “Think it could be fun, that’s all”
That was fair Ian guessed. “Ok, sure sweetheart, you gonna do it at school?”
“Uh no, my school doesn’t have softball, only baseball”
“Then why don’t you play baseball?”
“Because I don’t want to” The look of blatant sarcasm she was giving him was making her a dead ringer to Mickey. Ian couldn’t help but chuckle at her expression. “And they only have baseball for boys, the field that's right next to the old Burger King is co-ed”
“Ok fine” He swallowed down his humour. “I’ll sign you up”
Her expression relaxed. “Ok, thanks dadda!” Autumn just gave him a less-than-enthusiastic thumbs up before leaning down to grab Pistole, taking the little dog with her to her room.
Ian however, did not sign her up for softball. He had completely forgotten about it until that same night when he was getting ready to go to sleep.
“Hey,” Ian nodded up at Mickey as he made his way into the bathroom. He placed his hands on his husband’s hips, sidestepping him so he could get to the toilet.
Mickey nodded his own hello as if they hadn’t seen one another less than ten minutes ago, not caring to break his nightly routine. He spit into the sink. Ian, midstream, remembered he had totally forgotten to sign the kid up.
“Oh fuck” Ian sighed when it finally dawned on him.
“Hm?” Mickey hummed, he didn’t bother to turn towards his husband.
“I forgot to do something” he muttered, “Speaking of which, Auts wants to do softball by the way”
Mickey’s face was in the sink bowl, offering a thumbs-up as he swished the water around in his mouth before spitting again. Once the words actually hit him his brows furrowed. “She wants to do that on top of running?” His hand reached outward, grabbing the roll of floss from the drawer. “Must be nice to have that type of energy. Fuck man, we’re getting old” He pushed the drawer close, cutting a piece of floss.
“Huh?” Ian bumped him out of the way to wash his hands.
“ Huh ?”
“What’s Bee got to do with anything?”
Mickey blinked at him, hands shooting up confused. “Ain’t we talking about her?”
Ian turned the faucet off. “Baby I said Autumn” A slight smirk. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were getting old?”
Mickey offered the finger as his lips curled inward. “Wait, Auts? Our Autumn?” Mickey stopped flossing to look up at his husband.
“Do you know any more Autumns?” Ian tilted his head. Mickey rolled his eyes. “What? Just a little confused that Auttie, as in the girl who would sit on the dirt and do nothing for her entire childhood wants to do a sport why?” He rose an eyebrow.
Ian thought about it for a second. He realised she really didn’t give him an actual answer as to why she wanted to. Ian just shrugged, meeting Mickey’s eyes in the reflection.
“Dunno didn’t question it. Should I have?”
They stared at one another for a second before Mickey broke their concentration, leaning over to throw his floss away. “Nah,” He quickly dismissed “I mean I don’t care if she wants to let ‘er, just kinda out of character don’t ya think?”
“Eh” Ian shrugged, he thought about it for a second. He did actually kinda agree with Mickey. She really wasn’t the outgoing type. “Maybe she’s bored of just sitting in the bleachers all of the time”
That was definitely the explanation in Ian’s mind. Ruby had been doing dance since before Autumn was born. She was always doing some kind of sport. As she grew up it became apparent she was the type of person who always needed to be doing something . It was dance for the first decade of her life, then a brief stint in swimming before she settled on track and field. A hobby of hers that consumed most of her time.
Most of Autumn’s too as she was always at her sister’s games, even most of her practises. Her dads had told her multiple times that she didn’t have to attend everything, even Ruby didn’t mind. She always protested that though. She liked being there for her big sister and really didn’t mind just sitting and watching. Ian was happy that she was finally going to be on the flip side of that, he thought it was good she did things too.
“Plus, she’s getting older maybe she is trying to branch out a little, she’s a teenager now after all”
The tip of Mickey’s brow raised slightly as he considered that. He snorted. “Christ think we’re gonna have to handle more fucking teenage rebellion?”
To Ruby rebelling was the typical shit that Ian and Mickey honestly couldn’t get mad at considering they had been doing much worse when they were her age. Rebelling to Autumn seemed to be playing her music a little too loud and staying out past the curfew she didn’t have. They figured she still had time to become a terror, she was only thirteen after all.
“With Autumn?” Ian scanned over the bathroom counter trying to find the mouthwash, it was over on Mickey’s side, he grabbed it. “I don’t think we gotta worry”
Mickey considered that once again, eyes watching over Ian spit unto the sink. “Dunno though, remembering Debbie begin kinda normal before she got awful”
Ian couldn’t help but snort at the ‘awful’, he knew his husband was telling the truth, Debbie was beyond horrible in her teenage years. “Debbie was always” Ian looked around trying to find the word “ Debbie-ish ”
‘Yeah,” Mickey had to agree. “M’sure Autumn is fine” He ran a hand through his hair bringing up what he didn’t really want to. “Might have to take her to the doctor though”
“Why for birth control?”
“Why the fuck is that where your mind went to” Mickey scowled, wiping his hands on the towel beside him.
Ian’s voice came slow, “Debbie... as a sister”
Mickey couldn’t really fault Ian for that mindset. “No dumbass, to make sure her heart can handle all that movement”
Ian often forgot about Autumn’s weak heart, a sentiment that he knew his past self would never believe. Somedays it felt like it was just yesterday that Autumn was born, eleven weeks too early, a hole in her heart the size of a nickel. She was in the NICU for months before they brought her home. Ever since she had been a relatively healthy little girl. Other than when she caught pneumonia when she was four, she ended up in the hospital for how sick she got. Ian shuttered at the memory. He prayed his girl was never in that position again.
He was going to tell Mickey that he was right when he heard Ruby’s voice booming through the hallway. “Where are you guys?”
“Bathroom” Mickey was just as quick to shout back.
There was a second of hesitation. “You decent?!”
“Yes, you little shit” Mickey fondlingly rolled his eyes at his daughter. There was a second delay before she was barrelling in.
They were both expecting Ruby to walk in as she did everynight. Even though she was in the midst of her horrible teen years she was still very codependent. She marched into their room every night demanding a hug and kiss before she went to bed. Instead of her usual, pyjamas and messy hair, she was fully dressed. Autumn was behind her, wearing something that Mickey and Ian had never seen before.
“Auttie and I are going out” Ruby paused in front of their bathroom mirror. She took a lipstick from her pocket, applying it before looking back at them.
“Okay?” Mickey looked between the two girls and Ian. He didn’t put up that much of a protest because Ruby taking Autumn with her meant she wasn’t planning on doing anything wild.
“Okay,” Ruby mocked him back.
“You gonna tell us what you're doing or…” Mickey trailed off.
“Do we wanna know?” Ian interjected.
Ruby got that same mischievous glint in her eyes that filled her childhood. “Nope,” she popped the ‘p’.
“We’re going to her friend's house” Autumn finally spoke up with an eye roll. “Christ Bee why do you always have to make it seem like we’re doing a crack deal or something”
“So they won’t question it when we actually do a crack deal, obviously Auttie” Ruby’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Mhm” Mickey didn’t really subscribe to Ruby’s plan anymore but he didn’t fight it. While she was there Mickey squared in on Autumn.
“Aye sweetcheeks, why do you wanna play softball?”
Autumn’s eyes were going shifty again as she bit her cheek. “I just wanna try it. Why? Can I not do it?”
Mickey’s hand waved to dismiss that. “You can do whatever the fuck you wanna kid”
Autumn just smiled slightly at that. Mickey also seemed to be satisfied with her answer. “K, well have fun out I guess” he didn’t seem particularly thrilled. “Call us if you need us” he dismissed leaving the now-crowded bathroom back into the bedroom.
They had gotten significantly less strict in those last few years. Not that they ever were considerably strict, especially compared to the girl’s friends. Ruby and Autumn proved themselves to be two young ladies with a good head on their shoulders. Plus, the knowledge that their dads were willing to do whatever for them, and wouldn’t hesitate to beat the shit out of whoever necessary at just a phone call no questions asked also helped. They trusted their daughters.
Ian’s eyes followed Mickey before snapping back on Autumn and Ruby in front of him. “Good night, see you tomorrow” He kissed both of their heads.
They were both halfway through the door when Ian added, a little sterner “Don’t do anything stupid”
“I won’t, can’t guarantee she won’t though” Autumn called back, disappearing into the hallway.
Through a muttered voice, he could hear Ruby’s snapback. “Yeah says the one that’s had a several-week scheme to get near a boy” Then the silence that followed made Ian know he wasn’t supposed to hear that.
Then it hit Ian, all at once. He cursed himself for being so dumb before as this enlighted realisation was so obvious in hindsight. Why she was so sheepish about all the questions about her wanting to start softball. Autumn didn’t want to do it out of genuine interest, there was a boy involved. That’s why she was so gun-ho on the sport being co-ed.
Ian was practically chuckling to himself as he found his spot in bed, pulling the covers up.
“What are you giggling about?” Mickey twisted his head back to look at Ian.
“ Oh , I’ll tell you later”
Mickey seemed to accept that. He leaned forward for a kiss before rolling over to grab his phone from the nightstand.
He followed his husband’s lead, eyes settling on his phone screen. He signed Autumn up for softball. He did have to admit her attempt was cute to him. He wasn’t going to stand in her way, even if Ruby was right and this was all just for some boy. It reminded him a little of when he was in little leagues all those years ago. He had joined because Fiona needed the kids out of the house during the summer so she could work and not need to watch them. Thinking back on it though, even then as a young kid, he had always watched Mickey with some attentiveness.
It was the next morning when he went strolling into Autumn’s room.
“Hey, sweet girl” Ian sat on the edge of his daughter's bed. She looked up at him with a small smile, clearly still amused by the show she was watching. “Wanna watch SVU with me?” She turned the computer screen to him. Olivia on the screen was in a comparable position. Ian’s face lit up slightly, so glad that his daughter was a fan of his favourite show. “Dad’s not home so we can watch it in the living room” He wiggled his eyebrows at the girl.
In theory, Mickey had nothing wrong with Law and order. He didn’t mind the show, though it was a little repetitive and boring at times. What he did have an issue with was his husband’s obsession with the show. It started off small. It usually played on the cable so it was on as white noise while they cooked or fucked or whatever they were doing. He eventually got more into it and saved it on their Netflix account. Watched it almost daily to unwind or just relax. He had gotten the girls into his same habit to Mickey’s dismay. He didn’t think there was a day in the last fifteen years where it wasn’t a least in the background.
“Hell yeah,” Autumn nodded in agreement. She pushed her laptop closed, tossing it aside on her mattress. Before she had the chance to get up, Ian stopped her. Ian piqued up. “Hold on, can we just talk for a second?”
Autumn sunk down into the mattress a little, her legs drawn up to her chest. “Am I in trouble?”
Ian raised an eyebrow at her “Why would you be in trouble?”
“Because Bee and I were out really late last night and I stole her lipstick”
In all honestly, he hadn’t even realised when the two got up. They were both fast asleep when he got up for his 6 am run. He was quick to dismiss her admit to guilt.
Ian snorted at how fast she was willing to throw herself under the bus. Good kid. “Uh no, not in trouble. Not with me at least, probably should put it back before your sister has a hissyfit though.” They both let out a little chuckle.
“So “ Ian tried his hardest to be nonchalant. Nuance was never something he was good at. Mickey had joked that Ian was the most obvious person in the world, terrible at hiding his true intention, his face always had a tell. His eyes would get all shifty, his face lit up with a soft pink hue. His lips would curl very faintly at the ends like he was trying to push back a smile.
As Ian grew older he became more aware of his little tells and tried his hardest to suppress them. He pushed his slips in together to stop the smile. His eyes were so dead focused on Autumn that the intensity of his stare made her skin crawl a little.
“Yeah?” She tried meekly, a little uneasy. As much as Ian tried his hardest ot remain calm, Autumn saw straight through the act. She knew something was up, didn’t really want to join what it was exactly but knew that there was no way out of this. She huffed. “What's up Dadda?”
“You still wanna do the softball thing right sweetface?”
Autumn’s eyes were shifty, her eyes scanning over his features again. “Uh yeah… haven’t changed my mind since… Yesterday” her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“Yeah cool,” Ian gave her an extremely awkward thumbs up. Immediately grimacing at how lame the gesture was. “I was just thinking of why you wanted to”
Autumn’s posture immediately deflated, eyes avoiding his as she instantly grew red. She knew that he knew.
Ian tried his hardest to force away from his smile, but he was mostly unsuccessful, lips curling up. “Is it because you... Like someone?”
Autumn’s face instantly dropped. His skin was hot glowing red. She immediately dove to hide her head in her mound of pillows.
“Hey, no, don’t be embarrassed” Ian’s hand reached out, grabbing her upper arm, pulling her back up. “Not trying to make fun of you or anything” He couldn't help his smile.
She finally sat back up, eyes glued on her sweatpant-covered legs.
“So the boy.. . Or girl” he quickly added, eyeing Autumn to see her response.
Her eyes darted up for half a second, “Boy” Autumn nodded along. “I like boys”
“Okay, yeah” Ian immediately accepted, hand once again reaching to poke her side. Finally, her eyes were on him again. “He a good guy?”
Autumn was still blushing, obviously flustered by thinking about her crush. “I think so”
Ian smiled at her response. Her entire nervous energy was hard not to find adorable. He threw his arm around her drawing her close enough to place a kiss atop her blonde hair. “Yeah well he better be or Dad and I will kill him”