𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 || ( modern family )

007 || the tree-house

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s3 ep7
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"shouldn't we get like a professional to do that?" effy asked sitting on the trampoline in the dunphy's backyard, next to her was charlie, laying and staring up at luke and phil, who had decided to build a tree—house for his youngest kids

"don't worry, honey" phil laughed "my dad and i used to built these things all the time, i'm an expert"

charlie raised his eyebrows while he looked between phil, one of the clumsiest people ever and the bruise on effy's thigh.

just last week, claire had decided to candidate for the town council, which left phil taking care of the kids and resulted in haley losing 900 dollars, alex getting drugged with sleep medication, luke gaining a black eye as his father accidentally hit him and effy getting a bruise, because phil pushed her down the stool at the kitchen counter.

charlie's hand was resting softly on the bruise, like he could heal it by rubbing soft circles onto it.

effy's eyes wandered to the boys hand and smiled at his sweet action.

"shouldn't we be using screws instead of nails?" asked luke as he watched phil hammer together a stool

"america was built with nails, son"

"so was the gazebo you built four our fourth of july party"

effy and charlie send each other a long gaze, remembering clearly how bad that had ended

"i'm telling you, you are both gonna love this bad boy, even if your sister doesn't believe in me" phil assured

"i never said i didn't.. you just have a tendency with these things" effy shrugged

"whatever" phil exclaimed frustrated "you know what can't climb trees?"

"raccoons?"

"worries" phil corrected "raccoons can and will get up here, so don't leave any food or they'll get territorial and attack"

"are you speaking from experience, phil?" asked charlie joking

"no" replied phil, a bit too defensively

"are you sure this is a good idea?"

"are you kidding me? you're gonna have so much fun. and effy will be a bit less tempted to sneak over and climb into charlie's tree—house, where i can't keep an eye on them"

"very funny dad" effy replied sarcastically

"why?" luke asked, completely ignoring his sister

"well, life gets in the way. did I just say "wife gets in the way"? 'cause sometimes i do that." phil looked between his children questionably

"nope, you're good. and you have lots of friends."

"he's right dad" effy nodded and charlie grinned, noticing her ulterior motive to get her dad off her back

"yeah, i have work friends, and your mom and I have couples friends, and there are my college friends, but they're scattered all over the country. it's not the same as just shouting out to your neighbourhood buddies, "hey, fellas! i'm up here in the tree house!" uhh! i got to fix that... board."

"no one even says that anymore dad" effy shook her head

charlie nodded "she's right, that's what we got phones for"

"but couldn't there be a time, where people would start saying it again?" phil grinned at the children, awaiting their agreement to his proposition

"no" luke said bluntly, phil made a disappointed sound, before returning back to his work

"oh son of a-- brisket!" phil cursed when he hurt himself once again "why does that keep happening? maybe I need a nail gun"

"okay that's it, I'm out!" luke exclaimed loudly, which made both charlie and effy look up in surprise

"what do you mean, you're out? where are you going?"

luke had already began to climb down the ladder of the unfinished tree house "dad, no offence, but I've seen you with a glue gun. i think a nail is gonna be harder to get out of my hair"

"he's kinda right dad" effy muttered "i don't think he can take another concussion" she said more quietly, so luke wouldn't hear

"no, don't go!" phil pleaded "i'm doing this for you guys!"

"are you, dad? are you?" luke asked rhetorically, before he walked away.

"we're leaving as well" effy explained as her and charlie climbed down the trampoline. "charlie has a finished tree--house in his garden"

"oh my god! come back here, effy" phil called desperately "please, charlie don't take my youngest child away" he screamed dramatically

"sorry, phil" charlie laughed and took effy's hand, following her out of the garden

"I'll be back for dinner"

"alright, sweetie" phil sighed, before he turned to look at his unfinished work

phil ended up finishing the tree house together with the neighbor. effy stuck through spending her time at charlie's though...

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charlie and effy are my babiesss!!

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