Doofus ( Tyler X Reader )

Two

We dash off the bus, shoving people to the side. Meilin drags me behind her as she runs through the crowded sidewalks, panicking while greeting and helping people on the way. We skid to a stop, looking down the street both ways to make sure no cars are coming before running across the street to the temple we live in. We greet and run the tummies of Bart and Lisa, the two stone red pandas outside the teal roofed shrine.

Meilin begins greeting the residents as I make a beeline towards the area we live in, ready to help Dad with after-lunch even if he's probably already started without me. We make a lot of food in this household. I enter the house, dropping my bag and heading for the kitchen, already smelling the food.

"Hey, Dad!" I grin and he grins back.

"Hi, sweetie. How was school?" He asks in a low voice. Dad has always been soft-spoken.

"Same-old, same-old." I shrug, picking up an olive and popping it in my mouth. "Need any help?"

"You know I do." He smiles gently at me and we get started.

Even though Dad isn't my biological father, cooking has been a passion of mine that I picked up from him. I was captivated by the art of culinary and he showed me a few things until it became a thing. I'd always help him cook and he'd share new recipes. I know hundreds of combinations by heart now! While Meilin helped Mom out with the temple, I helped Dad cook for ourselves and even for the guests.

Hours later when the temple finally closed its gates, Mom and Meilin come in for dinner. Dad and I have been preparing this new recipe to try for weeks. I'm super excited we actually get to try it out.

Mom and Meilin watch a dramatic TV show, while helping wrap the dumplings as they watch. I'm too busy to hear what they're talking about, probably something about the show. I snap back into reality when Meilin places the dumplings on the counter. Dad picks one up and inspects it.

"Hmm. Mmm! Perfect." He smiles gently.

"Yes!" Meilin cheers, offering me a fist bump. I don't leave her hanging. We get distracted by a sound from the TV to see that a commercial for 4-Town has come on. Meilin gasps and grabs the edge of the couch with an excited smile. "Oh, my gosh!"

"Who are these hip-hoppers?" Mom asks, looking at the screen in distaste. "And why are they called 4-Town if there are five of them?" Good question.

Meilin looks back at me for a moment before looking at the screen again sheepishly. "Uh... I don't know. Some of the kids at the school like them." She shrugs.

"You mean Miriam?" Mom asks. "That girl is... odd." I frown at that, finishing up the plates.

"Dinner's ready." Dad says.

We sit down at the table and eat dinner in silence save for a few exchanged words. I grin at Mom and Meilin.

"What do you think? It's a new recipe Dad and I have been cooking up." I snicker at my own pun.

"It's really good, Y/n. You're an awesome cook!" Meilin grins at me, face stuffed with extra dumplings. I smile at her in thanks before turning to Mom, a little anxious.

"Yes. It's good, darling." She smiles at me and I feel light at that before gravity comes crashing down on me again at her next question. "And your grades? Have you found a way to get them up? Working extra hard I presume?"

"Uh... yeah." My smile wavers and my excitement is gone in a blink of an eye as the tension around the table rises. "Workin' real hard. Heh." I tap the wooden surface of the table, keeping my eyes on my empty plate.

"Really? I got another call from the school today. You got another 70% on your test." She says, crossing her arms.

I gulp. "It... it was a hard test."