Holy. Crap. 30 chapters??? Where did I pull this from? Thin air. But, nerds, enjoy this gem—(Im-so sorry I didn't post this earlier—I meant to I've just been very very busy)
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Hattie's POV:
"If we do it after eating...cuz I'm hungry," I said, looking at him. He'd stopped me from just getting the timepiece without talking all that much. Very annoying, but I guess it's better than running around and doing people's laundry and taking the weirdo mafia boss to his lunch table.
I can't believe Mustache girl was actually able to turn him into a jar man. He looks very silly.
But, as I was thinking I noticed Madison was smiling and was giving a slight chuckle as he walked up to the counter, and set me down. I was going to try and peer over the counter, but he took my hand in his and held it standing up straight. My hand was raised a bit, but it wasn't uncomfortable...just rude! I can stay here on my own, I get it now >:[
I let out a small whine and moved around as much as his arms extent would let before he'd lightly tug me back. It wasn't that big of an area. After trying to figure out a way away, I gave up. With my free hand, I dug in my pocket and pulled out my mafia doll. I made him walk around in the air, before looking at my hand that was grasped in a 4 fingered claw.
I looked at the doll.
And lightly whacked it into the hands, letting out a small "whammo...!" As the mafia boss would. The toy squeaked, and the grip on my hand got a bit stronger. I looked up at Madison slowly, and he had the timepiece in his hand. He was in the middle of thanking the seal.
I looked at the doll and giggled as I got an idea. I started to walk it up Madison's arm. I didn't get very far when I was pulled as we started to walk away. I had to run to catch up, before walking in time with him. I put the mafia toy back in my pocket as we walked to a pair of doors on the main floor. I remembered coming this way when the ship was leaving the harbor. We haven't been down here much since, but I just let Madison lead the way.
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We finally made it to the host desk, and I was peering over it at the seal.
"Oh! Hewwo again mister! You fouwnd the captain?" The host...hostess? Seal asked.
Madison nodded, "yes, I'd like to make a reservation this time, actually..."
"How many?"
"Two."
"Oh! Wewl if youw don't wanna wait we couwld get youw a table, sir," the seal offered. Madison smiled and nodded again. The seal smiled back and hopped down off of its stool after they grabbed two menus. They lead the way to a table in the galleries.
As we sat down, Madison let out a bit of a sigh as he relaxed into the seat. It was only for a moment before he straightened his posture again, and looked over golden railings down to the main floor. I scooted my chair in a bit and leaned my head against the tabletop. I kinda scanned the menu, but it said chicken nuggets and that's all I needed to know.
After a few moments, Madison spoke up, "sit up, Hattie."
"Aw," I whined slightly, turning my head to look at him, "do I have to?"
"Yes, you do, it's proper etiquette."
...huh? "Ettie-wha?" I asked, trying to say whatever he just said.
"Et-iqu-ette," he annunciated, before explaining, "it's the proper way to act in certain places. Like at the lunch or dinner table."
My brow furrowed, "well your eddie-pet is very silly."
"Etiquette—and it is not," he retorted, "it's polite."
That made me sit up, and I raised an eyebrow. "Since when we're you polite, oh mister 'you walked right into my trap!-here sign this contract young child'."
He smiled a bit, "ok, I admit, maybe I was fully aware I was breaking a bunch of laws—but in my defense, I could have written them out of existence if I wanted to."
"The contracts?"
"No, laws, what the contracts have to follow."
Huh, weird. I was going to say something else when the waiter came waddling over.
"Do youw two know what youw would wlike...?" The waiter seal asked, I nodded and looked at Madison. He looked back and nodded slightly, motioning to the waiter.
Oh... "uhm..." my voice got small all of a sudden, "just the chicken nuggets please..."
The seal nodded and wrote it down with its little flipper on a notepad before it shifted to look at Madison.
"And youw, sir?"
"Just a cup of water for me, thanks though," he replied with a PoLiTe smile. The seal nodded again and started to waddle away.
I watched it go, but Madison's voice drew me back to him, "what were you going to say?"
"Oh-yeah, I'd write a rule to make no more rules," I decided, proud of my conclusion.
Madison laughed, "really?"
"Yup! Rules are dumb," I concluded. obviously, I'm completely right—
"So you'd get rid of a rule of no stealing?" He queried.
I thought about it. I guess I don't like stealing, but I steal too, so I guess it's just a matter of getting back what's yours. I nodded to answer his question, and not a second later my hat was swiped from my head!
"Hey!" I cried and tried to reach for it. but even as I stood on the chair my arms were too short. He put it on top of his ponytail and crossed his arms as he settled back in his chair.
"What? Stealing is ok, so I saw this neat hat and decided I wanted it to be mine," he smirked.
I drew my hand back. Ok, so I really don't like stealing. I sat back down and slumped in the chair slightly. He chuckled, took the hat off, and put it on the table.
"That," he emphasized, "is what rules are for."
I looked at the hat. Huh...guess I didn't think of it like that. They are to help you and other people. Weird. My nuggets got to the table, and I started to chew on one as I thought.
Rules were still dumb. They were the reason I had to be quiet most of the time. And stay in my room to do nothing but sit or read. And once I finished the books, I never got new ones. They were the reason mom was scared of me...why my...father hated me. I never made friends, or even knew how to make ones.
"Rules never helped me," I mumbled. I glanced up at him, and he didn't look shocked as I expected, he just had an expression of...sympathy.
"I suppose they didn't..." he had lowered his tone and was leaning his forearms on the table. His hands were clasped together in a nearly nervous sort of way.
I tilted my head, and he let out a small sigh, "I read those notes you did...I also read a lot more in the piles in the mail room."
Oh...
"I see..." I muttered. I picked up another nugget and ate it, but I'd pretty much lost my appetite and pushed the rest away.
I didn't want to keep thinking about it. It felt like so long ago with having to get them first and then get them back from this planet...I guess it had been a while...
I hadn't noticed Madison had fallen quiet until he spoke up again, "you...wanted to know why I care so much about you, right?"
I nodded. No one had ever cared as he does, I just don't understand why.
"Well, a long time ago-when I was alive...there were 3 things I wanted out of life," he began, "I wanted to be a good person, I wanted to be with the love of my life, and...I...wanted a family."
"I was doing the best I could, and for the first half of my marriage, I was happy. But...Vanessa and I weren't having too much luck in the family department," he had grown quieter. He avoided eye contact, until he took in a breath and his eyes landed back on mine, "and then, when I nearly thought hope was lost, there it was. We were finally going to have that family. We got everything ready, a nursery, toys, and a nanny to take care of them if we were both busy once they were there. Everything was supposed to be perfect."
He stopped again. He looked away and didn't look back this time. I could barely hear him, but I didn't miss a single word...
"Vanessa was having such a hard time with it all...I was worried about her-I was worried about them...and one day she couldn't get out of bed and...Then we lost them...we don't know how but...in a second we were told that they were gone...Vanessa was so upset-I was too..."
His clasped hands were shaking. He took in a breath again, and his hands let go of each other and he wiped something away from his face.
"We never really got over that... she got obsessed with making sure everything went her way, and I started to distract myself with my work. I should have done more for her, for myself...I guess..."
He looked back to me, "I guess it's that you remind me what it could have been like...what we-I could have had...and since then I have been nothing but a horrible person-and lost Vanessa—and...since I first was on your ship, and you were just being a kid...I remember what I wanted, and it was right there in front of me."
...I couldn't find something good to say...I got up out of my seat, walked around the table to him, and hugged his side. He flinched slightly, but his arms moved to me and he lifted me to his lap and hugged me back. I moved my arms around his shoulders and turned my head up to him.
"I wish I could have been there instead of it being so bad for both of us..." I muttered, and he smiled a bit at that, and his grip tightened around me.
"Yeah, me too, kid...me too."
We stayed like this for a while. Enough time till his grip loosened and I pulled back to look at him.
He put on a bigger smile, and pushed some of my hair behind my ear, "you would have been-and are a darling little girl..."
His smile grew, and I was going to say something nice when he ruffled my hair!-"But would have taught you proper etiquette!"
What a meanie...! I mean-I did laugh a LITTLE bit, and he laughed too. I guess it's not that bad.
I pushed his hand away as my small giggles subsided. This was nice, it's been nice. Even if I hated when he wiped the mess off me or chases me down, even him pestering me... no one was there for me before.
Maybe that's what family is, being there for each other...
I think I like being a part of a family.
"M..." I hesitated...before I made up my mind and smiled. I lifted my hand and booped him on the nose, before going to hop down, "gotcha, dad...!"
Weird. But felt right.
I was nearly out of his lap when I was pulled into a tight hug. I squirmed about, it was a bit too tight, "hey...!"
He just squeezed me before he let go. I stumbled forward and huffed, turning to look at him. He had a huge smile on his face, and he let out a slight laugh as he pushed some of his hair back, wiping at his face in the process.
"Just wanted one more squeeze," he smiled, and got up from his seat, "but are you done eating...?"
I nodded and was about to walk away.
"Hold up..!-"
"Huh?" I turned around- and got a hat in the face. Oh yeah. I giggled and put it up on my head as Madis-wait-Nono-Dad walked past, and I caught up and grabbed his hand. "Thanks."
"No problem, kiddo."
Trauma with a healthy dose of I'm sorry here's fluff. This one was not nearly as painful to write as I thought it would be.
Anyway, I'm tired, later nerds...!