[AHIT AU] Snatcher Dates Hat Kid's Mom - Short Stories

Never Miss Cake Day

Too bright...Hard to close her eyes to sleep. She lay there on her bed waiting.

For what, she doesn't know.

A few seconds ago, she was awoken from her dreamless sleep by an alarm. So, she had to wait for her task of the day; but no one arrived in her room yet.

Does she need to freshen up now? She wondered and stared at the sink with a small toothbrush and tiny toothpaste. She slid off her steel table of a bed, climbed a stool, and began to brush her teeth. The stool provided the height she needed to reach the basin but not the mirror, so she relied on muscle memory. The toothpaste was bland and it made her want to gag, but she didn't.

What will they make her do today...?

–-------------------------------------------------------–--------------------------------------

Snatcher grunted when the gentle nudging wouldn't stop, he opened his eyes to see the silver-haired lady who looked excitedly at him while trying to wake him up. He was sleeping on her circular bed and Luci had to sleep on his soft chest because he took all of her bed. But it didn't bother both of them.

"What is it, Twinkle-Toes...? Why disturb my slumber?" He yawned and stretched, Luci practically bounced on his lap as he sat up.

"Today's free cake day!" She said with a sweet smile, her upbeat aura synced with her soul.

"Huh?"

"Come on! I'll explain when we get to the main hub with Hana!" She gently held and pulled on Snatcher's arm to follow her, it made the ghost roll his eyes before he brought her down into a hug and teleported them both to the hall. Luci coughed a bit from the smoke but she sprinted to the kitchen, leaving him and Hana, who had freshened with a cookie for breakfast.

"Morning, BFF!" The hatted kid said with her mouth full.

"Heard of a balanced breakfast, kid? You're running on sugar when you eat chocolate in the morning..." He grumbled while he rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"Never heard of them." Hana grinned jokingly.

Luci arrived back with a calendar in her arms, scanning for the date she was looking for. Her smile widened when she seemingly found it before she pointed it to Snatcher and Hana.

"Free Cake Day! One day I will get a free cake!" Luci looked happy when she said that.

"...That's it? There has to be some explanation." Snatcher scratched his chin as he looked at the calendar. He only saw a colorful birthday cake sticker with the date 'July 20th'.

Hana chimed in, "I didn't get it either but she did say it has something to do with tradition."

Luci, who was too eager to explain, closed the calendar. "I did say it was a tradition that happens once a year, and it started a long time ago!"

Snatcher held his hands together in a relaxed manner, he knew too well that Luci was about to explain a storm and he gave a soft approving smile, knowing Luci will talk anyways. "You got me in 'tradition'. I'm listening."

"Okay!" Luci began, "Every year on this day, I would either get a cake for myself from a bakery or make one myself because homemade is always free."

Snatcher nodded while Hana just listened.

"It all started when I was young, I'd wake up, get ready, and wait. Usually, I'd do tasks that range from carrying heavy items, pressing random buttons according to order and time, or some test that included writing about what I did today.