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I just wanted a cup of caf, is all!
It’s never easy, having kids, taking care of them all by one’s lonesome.
Something of a hard life for a single parent for sure. Something which the former military leader had found out the hard way too. The former Sergeant Hunter having become the adoptive father for five small war orphans. Each of them a handful on their own that much was true. But, when the five of them were unleashed together, usually chaos and mayhem ensued.
Alas Hunter loved his kids, having become their father at a later age in life was a Force sent for the solemn soldier. Having done his bid for Emperor and Galaxy, Hunter had planned on retiring on an island far, far away from civilisation with only a handful of people living there. Most of them ex military like he himself was. So the lot keeping their distance from each other.
Then there had been one of the last missions Hunter had taken part of, the one in particular where things had gone really badly. A mistake having happened leaving a school full of young children homeless and parentless. Well they had mostly been orphans to begin with but the adult caretakers at the school had unfortunately died and so leaving the kids without much except each other.
All of them were adopted though mostly by the retiring soldiers. Some from Hunter’s own platoon even. And Hunter? Well he had never been able to say no to a cute face. Having always had animals around him he had found in the streets only ending adopting them in the process as well.
And so when the young kid. Omega had come to Hunter, kind of chosen him when the soldiers had visited the camp the kids had been held at after the war, the tears she had shed… well, needless to say that Hunter had immediately known he would adopt her. Alas there was a twist the Kid had not told him about straight up. Omega having put her foot down so to speak after having Hunter totally sold, hook, line and sinker.
“Will you be my father?” Omega had asked her trembling voice spewing the words between the falling tears flashing her eyelashes timidly.
“Of course I will.” Hunter had taken the crying girl into his arms. “You will come home with me sweetheart.”
When Omega had finally settled, clinging onto Hunter for dear life, Hunter getting ready to leave with her, Omega had out of the blue squirmed away and looking rather defensive at Hunter suddenly while standing there with her arms crossed. Gone were also the apparent crocodile tears?
“What of my brothers?”
Hunter was surprised to the change in tone of the girl for sure. Something he had certainly not anticipated, the Kid having seen so vulnerable. Besides, he had not known there were any relatives the girl had in the camp.
“Brothers?”
“Yes. Those ones over there.”
Omega pointed at a group of roughhousing boys close by. They were… well either playing some kind of a game or then…they were totally out of control!
“Echo, Crosshair, Tech and Wrecker.”
Hunter looked totally shocked and slacked jawed. Not having thought of getting more than the one child. And the boys, well… they seemed to be a handful.
Omega stood there, glaring at Hunter. Her short arms crossed protectively but also defiantly having the most adamant albeit cute pout-scowl on her tiny tear stricken face.
“I um…”
“I’m not leaving without them.”
Yeah, Hunter could easily relate to that. Never the one to leave his own behind either. His troopers in the war that is. As he didn’t have too many friends.
“Omega…”
And then came the tears… again. It was a waterfall for sure, the sobs, the whines…
Oh no!!!
And so, several months later, Hunter was on his blessed island. His new home with his five adopted kids. And despite it all, he was living his best life. Looking after the younglings and being the best father possible to them. Feeling lucky and totally happy with his found family.
The noises they were making though when up and playing… Hunter catering to them at every turn…every given whim. Yeah, it was still worth it all. Hunter loved his kids. And they loved him.
Returning to his long since turned cold cup of caf… If only he could have his caf in peace and preferably hot! As sometimes not often, but sometimes he wished he could enjoy it in perfect silence and while it still was drinkable. But Hunter would not want to lose his family either, feeling blessed having them. And so, most days, for now, cold caf it was for the former Sergeant!