wrapped-in-shadows:

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

“He annoying Dadda!” she screamed from where she was, covering her ears with her tiny hands while Stella tried licking her. “Hate him! Stupid baby!” She wanted to run and throw some tan bark at his face but knew that would result in a severe punishment. He was sucking up her father’s attention.

“Dadda don’t love Gail anymore,” she whimpered, wishing he would hold her as her bottom lip trembled.

It took a little while, but Jack managed to calm the fussy baby (who was mostly just upset by Gail’s shouting). He set Ulric back into the stroller, and looked over at his daughter on the far side of the field.

“Gail?” He spoke gently, and patted his lap. “Would you like to come and sit?”

Unable to deny him, Gail made her slow trek over to him until she was standing directly in front of him, head bent forward to avoid his eyes. She sniffled a bit, wishing to appear as pitiful as possible. Raising her arms, she waited for him to pick her up and baby her just like he had done to Ulric.

And, unable to resist, Jack scooped her up and settled her onto his skinny lap. He held her close, letting her tuck her head under his chin protectively. “Are you okay now, sweetie?”

wrapped-in-shadows:

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

“No!” she squealed, running off with Stella to avoid having to be taken home. “No go home!” Since he had Ulric she figured he wouldn’t chase her but she was still upset he wouldn’t leave Ulric. “Icky bad baby.” She stuck her tongue out at them.

As if he could understand what his sister was saying, Ulric started to cry. With a groan, Jack sat down on the park bench near the stroller and began cuddling his son, trying to calm him down. “Shhh, l-little guy, it’s o-okay!” Damn, he hated it when he stammered in front of his children. As he tried to comfort the wailing Ulric, he watched Gail and Stella, but made no move to chase them.

“He annoying Dadda!” she screamed from where she was, covering her ears with her tiny hands while Stella tried licking her. “Hate him! Stupid baby!” She wanted to run and throw some tan bark at his face but knew that would result in a severe punishment. He was sucking up her father’s attention.

“Dadda don’t love Gail anymore,” she whimpered, wishing he would hold her as her bottom lip trembled.

It took a little while, but Jack managed to calm the fussy baby (who was mostly just upset by Gail’s shouting). He set Ulric back into the stroller, and looked over at his daughter on the far side of the field.

“Gail?” He spoke gently, and patted his lap. “Would you like to come and sit?”

Talking

ulric-on-the-strings:

wrapped-in-shadows:

ulric-on-the-strings:

Uh. Maybe? [Laughs nervously] I mean, it’s… I don’t know what it is yet, but… [Wry grin]

[Bites his lip for a moment, hesitating. If things were different, he’d be happy for his son, but time travel makes things so much more complicated.] … I won’t tell you not to see her, Ulric [even though he thinks it’s a bad idea] but for god’s sake, be careful. Remember, there’s still a lot we don’t know about how this works. [Nervous chuckle] You don’t want to accidentally change history, do you?

… Thanks Dad. really. [Talking like this is somehow harder than in person; hearing that makes him wish he could actually see Jack, and not just through a computer screen.] I will be. I mean, Gail keeps saying the same thing.

[Ulric’s not the only one who wishes they were speaking in person. Granted, Jack isn’t the most experienced man when it comes to matters of the heart, but he’d still try to give his son whatever advice he could.] Well, I’d listen to her. For once it sounds like she really does have your best interest in mind. [Weak chuckle, even though he’s always hated how much his children fight.]

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

wrapped-in-shadows:

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

“Icky baby icky baby!” she chanted and stomped her feet, hating to see someone else in her father’s arms. Especially someone blue like she wanted to be. “I dun wanna peat wig him! Leave in da park, Dadda!” She gave him her bigger pout.

Jack looked down at her, giving his best “disapproving daddy” frown (which, it must be said, wasn’t very good – he loved his daughter too much to be very firm with her). “I’m not going to leave him in the park. And if you don’t calm down, Gail, we’re going to go straight home.”

“No!” she squealed, running off with Stella to avoid having to be taken home. “No go home!” Since he had Ulric she figured he wouldn’t chase her but she was still upset he wouldn’t leave Ulric. “Icky bad baby.” She stuck her tongue out at them.

As if he could understand what his sister was saying, Ulric started to cry. With a groan, Jack sat down on the park bench near the stroller and began cuddling his son, trying to calm him down. “Shhh, l-little guy, it’s o-okay!” Damn, he hated it when he stammered in front of his children. As he tried to comfort the wailing Ulric, he watched Gail and Stella, but made no move to chase them.

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

wrapped-in-shadows:

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

Somehow she couldn’t help glaring at the little blue thing in his father’s arms, jealousy in her mind and heart. “No!” she cried, trying to give her father the leash. “I push icky baby.”

But Jack didn’t take the leash, keeping both his arms around his son. “I’ve told you, his name is Ulric. And I’m afraid he’s too little for you to push him. When he’s grown a bit bigger and stronger, then you can play with him.” He knew his daughter was jealous, but unfortunately, having been an only child himself, he wasn’t good at dealing with it.

“Icky baby icky baby!” she chanted and stomped her feet, hating to see someone else in her father’s arms. Especially someone blue like she wanted to be. “I dun wanna peat wig him! Leave in da park, Dadda!” She gave him her bigger pout.

Jack looked down at her, giving his best “disapproving daddy” frown (which, it must be said, wasn’t very good – he loved his daughter too much to be very firm with her). “I’m not going to leave him in the park. And if you don’t calm down, Gail, we’re going to go straight home.”

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

wrapped-in-shadows:

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

Ponders for a moment as she stares at Stella. “Okay! I put her on the big swing and icky baby on da baby swing!” Moving over to Stella, she tugs the dog free.

[Jack watches her do so, figuring that Stella’s pretty sturdy and if she really doesn’t like it, she can get free of the big swing more easily.] All right, but be gentle! [He goes to retrieve the infant Ulric from his stroller] Tell you what. I’ll push the baby, and you push Stella, okay? Gently [he reminds her]

Somehow she couldn’t help glaring at the little blue thing in his father’s arms, jealousy in her mind and heart. “No!” she cried, trying to give her father the leash. “I push icky baby.”

But Jack didn’t take the leash, keeping both his arms around his son. “I’ve told you, his name is Ulric. And I’m afraid he’s too little for you to push him. When he’s grown a bit bigger and stronger, then you can play with him.” He knew his daughter was jealous, but unfortunately, having been an only child himself, he wasn’t good at dealing with it.

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

wrapped-in-shadows:

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

“Dadda! Look look! I put Stella der! She’s a baby!”

[Blinks at the sight for a moment] … So I see. [At least the dog seems okay with it. And it’s better than Gail trying to heft her actual baby brother into the swing. Smiles as he gets an idea.] But Stella’s not a baby, sweetie. She’s a big-girl dog. I don’t think she wants to ride in the baby swing.

Ponders for a moment as she stares at Stella. “Okay! I put her on the big swing and icky baby on da baby swing!” Moving over to Stella, she tugs the dog free.

[Jack watches her do so, figuring that Stella’s pretty sturdy and if she really doesn’t like it, she can get free of the big swing more easily.] All right, but be gentle! [He goes to retrieve the infant Ulric from his stroller] Tell you what. I’ll push the baby, and you push Stella, okay? Gently [he reminds her]

Pictor

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

wrapped-in-shadows:

sincerest-flattery:

You, you would? [Glances down at the card in surprise, but reaches out a hand to take it.] Oh, thank you, I… [She gives him a small smile.] I would like that, if you are willing.

[Smiles back at her] Of course. [The card has his phone number on it, as he said, but also his email and website, with a little blurb about how he’s an artist.] I hope we’ll hear from you soon?

[Looking over the card quickly, she reads over the information before carefully pocketing it and looking back up.] Yes, I will be sure to. [Someday soon, time willing.]

Wonderful. [He smiles again, and gives her a little nod.] And p-please be careful. This city isn’t a safe place. [With that, he departs]

[Watching as the man walks away, she smiles faintly before nodding and turning in the direction of home. Yes. I know.]

wishing-to-be-blue-like-daddy:

“Dadda! Look look! I put Stella der! She’s a baby!”

[Blinks at the sight for a moment] … So I see. [At least the dog seems okay with it. And it’s better than Gail trying to heft her actual baby brother into the swing. Smiles as he gets an idea.] But Stella’s not a baby, sweetie. She’s a big-girl dog. I don’t think she wants to ride in the baby swing.

Talking

ulric-on-the-strings:

wrapped-in-shadows:

ulric-on-the-strings:

I, uh. [Toying with his piercing, he looks just as nervous as he feels.] I might have met someone.

… Met someone? [In his unease, he keeps repeating things] Does that mean what I think it does? [And am seriously hoping it doesn’t]

Uh. Maybe? [Laughs nervously] I mean, it’s… I don’t know what it is yet, but… [Wry grin]

[Bites his lip for a moment, hesitating. If things were different, he’d be happy for his son, but time travel makes things so much more complicated.] … I won’t tell you not to see her, Ulric [even though he thinks it’s a bad idea] but for god’s sake, be careful. Remember, there’s still a lot we don’t know about how this works. [Nervous chuckle] You don’t want to accidentally change history, do you?