The Way the Cookie Crumbles

A/N: Basically, my take on the Pixar Popcorn short "Cookie Num Num", with a little headcanon sprinkled in ;)

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     Bob stirred, turning atop his bed for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was another restless night, his sleeping schedule having been thrown off for the past few days after several late crime-stopping ventures. He couldn't complain much - a couple hours of sleep lost here and there was well worth the lives he and his family saved in the end. Still, after the third night in a row, the pattern was starting to take a toll on him. With a grunt, he rolled out of bed, making his way down to the kitchen. Perhaps a midnight snack would set him back straight.

     Bob trudged down the stairs, half-stumbling through the massive hallways of the house. He crossed the threshold into the living room, only to stop dead in his tracks when he spotted his wife Helen asleep on the couch. Her head had fallen back against the armrest, eyes closed and face mostly obscured from his view. Jack-Jack was cuddled next to her atop some pillows, a half-empty bottle of milk balanced precariously between his tiny fingers.

     He then took notice of the kitchen counter where a silver platter sat, a lone cookie on its surface. A smile spread across his face. Perfect. It was just what he needed... so long as he kept as quiet as possible. If either of them woke now, it'd be game over.

     Helen had a strong craving for the treat during her pregnancy with Jack-Jack – chocolate chip to be exact. She'd endlessly gorged on package after package, emptying out jars within a day, even getting testy around him and the kids should they attempt to take them from her. It never quite went away even after Jack-Jack's birth, and he'd often come across her sneakily swiping several from the jar when she believed no-one was looking. As it turned out, the baby's appetite was no different from his mother's. Bob chuckled quietly at the memory, opening the fridge to reach in for the milk carton. A quick pour of the beverage into a glass, and he'd soon be able to fully enjoy the delectable snack – even the thought of the crisp chocolatey perfection made his mouth water. He eagerly turned back around, expecting it to still be in its spot, only to find the platter empty. A small gasp escaped him – had she or Jack-Jack woken after all and swiped the confection from right under his nose? The question was immediately answered when Bob's gaze landed on his older son, Dash, sitting across from him at the kitchen island, disheveled bed-hair and sleepy eyes twinkling with triumph as he held the said treat in hand.

     A frown fell upon Bob's face - there was no way he'd dragged himself out of bed at just the right time, only to not end up consuming it after all. Dash held a finger up to his lips - a signal to remain hushed and accept defeat. Bob scoffed. Two could play at this game. He pressed his weight down against his end of the counter, the jolt of the rising table knocking the cookie out of his son's hands and sending it sailing into his own.

     As it turned out, Dash wouldn't go down without a fight. The boy immediately sprung into action, zooming to his side in less than a second and attempting to snatch the prize from his hand. To his disadvantage, his father outdid him in both size and strength, and with one firm grip Dash was hoisted up and away from the delicacy. A smile of triumph graced Bob's face as the boy remained helplessly flailing a safe distance away from the snack. Bingo. With no other potential distractions, Bob opened his mouth, prepared to once more be met with the savory sensation of the crummy confection. However, his ventures were halted once more, the impenetrable shield of a lavender-tinted force field obstructing him from the cookie. There was indeed no question to where this next obstacle had come from, for the eldest Parr child had found her way to the commotion. There was a victorious look on Violet's face for catching both her younger brother and bumbling father off guard. Dash naturally recovered faster from the brief moment of surprise, seizing the opportunity to leap out of his father's grasp and lunge at the treat. With success he was able to grab the orb, landing upon the kitchen floor with a rather loud THUMP. Dash cringed at the noise and stole a quick glance toward the living room couch. To his relief, neither his mother nor brother had yet awoken - though he knew time was running out should they not remain quiet.

     Bob picked up the force field containing the cookie, attempting to shake it free from its containment using his strength. He nearly bit back a yelp when teeth sunk into him, the boy having suddenly latched a death grip on his leg. No sooner had he done this than did his daughter leap upon his shoulders, roughly tugging his entire head backward. Bob inevitably lost his balance, toppling backwards and slamming back-first against the sleek marble flooring of the kitchen.

     The three continued tussling about, no longer caring how loud they were making a ruckus. It was now clear that this had become war, and there would only be one victor. Bob arose from the clatter a moment later with the spherical orb gripped tightly in his hands. Violet and Dash clambered up to either side of him, each attempting to forcefully claw it out from his clutches. The pressure he bore down on the force field eventually caused it to slip, bouncing up high and low all around the kitchen walls. The trio raptly observed it as it flew from corner to corner, skittering over the countertops and hovering high in the air for an instant before plummeting straight down. Violet quickly disabled her shields, allowing the cookie to tumble down from its height. The heroes leapt into action – Violet, Dash, and Bob each straining upward in an attempt to reach it first. Yes! This was it! Their chances for victory would finally come! Just as it was about to become apparent who would win, a foreign hand suddenly shot into view, catching the treat as it fell and then swiftly withdrawing. They stood blinking for a moment, observing as the long limb stretched back to its owner still laying sleepily on the couch. The group watched the last of the cookie disappear inside Helen's mouth. She then turned her head to face her family, giving a lazy smile.

     It was devastating to Violet, who had only been seconds away fromobtaining it. It was devastating to Dash, who had assumed that his speed wouldallow him to catch it. And mostly, it was devastating to Bob, who had onlywanted to quell his hunger with something tasty. But, as the three could onlyconclude in the end, that was just the way the cookie crumbled.