Ducky and Daddy - Snippets

The one where they almost steal a penguin

Daddy heard her before he saw her.

He'd been passing by the living room on his way to put his phone on the charger when her voice reached him—quiet, clipped.

"...yeah. Okay... I understand... I don't know... okay... okay. Yeah."

The call ended, and the silence that followed was heavier than it should have been. Her shoulders slumped as she set her phone down beside her.

He stepped into the room. "Who was that, Ducky?"

She looked up, already tired before she even started explaining. "My mom."

"Something wrong?" he asked, crossing the room to sit beside her.

She nodded, fingers twisting in her lap. "She's upset about my sister's wedding planning. Says she's not going if things stay the way they are. She... feels left out, I think. But—" she shook her head. "My sister's happy. She's doing what she wants. And I love them both so much, I just... I don't know what to do. If I side with my sister, Mom will blow up. If I side with Mom, my sister will be crushed. I just want them to get along."

Daddy listened without interrupting, sliding one arm around her shoulders until her head rested under his chin.

"You've been the peacemaker for a long time, haven't you?" he murmured.

Her laugh was soft, humorless. "Yeah. Pretty much forever."

He kissed the top of her head. "That's not a weight you're meant to carry, little one. It's not your job to manage their relationship. You love them both—that's enough. Let them handle this themselves."

She sighed into his chest, but the tension lingered. His hand rubbed slow circles on her back. "It will work out. You're a good sister. You're a good daughter. None of that changes just because they can't agree right now."

Her shoulders finally began to loosen. He smiled against her hair. "And you know what I think?"

"What?" she mumbled into his chest.

"I think you could use a break. So this weekend, I'm taking you to the aquarium. No family drama. Just you, me, and some very confused penguins."

That earned him a small laugh—the sound he'd been waiting for. He squeezed her a little tighter. "Good girl," he whispered. "Let me carry you for a while."

————
The glass doors slid open, letting in the faint smell of saltwater and that hushed, echoing atmosphere only aquariums seem to have. Ducky's hand was already in his, warm and a little bouncy as she tugged him toward the first exhibit.

She didn't notice, but he was watching the change in her face. The crease between her brows was gone. Her steps had that half-skip again, the one she got when she was too caught up in something to coordinate her feet. The stress from her mom and sister had been building for months. His girl's need to make everyone else happy often led to her own unhappiness—and it was his job to shield that soft heart when he could.

The penguins were first. Behind the glass, they zipped through the water like tiny torpedoes, then waddled across the rocks with absurd little feet. Ducky pressed both hands to the glass, eyes wide.

"Look at the baby one! He's so fluffy!"

Daddy leaned against the railing, smiling as he watched her more than the birds. "You're smiling like that because you're imagining smuggling him home."

She grinned over her shoulder. "Maybe. You think we could sneak him home?"

"I bet we could stuff him somewhere—maybe see if he fits in my back pocket?"

Her horrified gasp made him chuckle. "That's just mean! He would get squished!"

"Well then, I guess we have to leave him here." He shrugged as though it didn't matter either way, but sent her a quick wink when she pouted.

They moved on, wandering through dim tunnels until they reached the tanks where the pufferfish drifted. The glass reflected her grin as she watched one float up, blinking its slow, unbothered eyes before puffing just slightly, as if deciding they were worth the effort.

Ducky gasped. "He's so round! Look at him, Daddy—he's like a little balloon."

"Mhm," he murmured, arm slipping around her waist. "Reminds me of your cheeks that time you stuffed half a bag of marshmallows in your mouth." He poked her cheek.

She gave him a mock glare, but her cheeks warmed exactly the way he liked.

The touch tanks were last. Ducky knelt at the edge, fingertips brushing the cool, moving water. Daddy knelt beside her, gently tugging her sweater sleeves up to avoid soggy cuffs on the ride home. She gave him a quick appreciative smile before turning back to the tank.

She hesitated, then laughed when a stingray's smooth body swept under her hand. "They're so soft! I didn't think they'd be this soft."

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "You like it?"

"I love it." She looked up at him, wet fingers curling in his shirt. "You always know how to make me feel lighter."

"That's my job," he said simply, leaning in to kiss her hair. Then, softer, right at her ear, "And Daddy loves taking care of his girl."