Where Iris Bloom

Special Chapter

A/N: hallooooo nuggetssss. Soooooo, this special chapter of WIB is actually a commissioned work and before publishing this right here on watty, I asked permission from the one who commissioned it so here it goes. 😉😉😉

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Arriving home later than usual due to a demanding workload, Kim sensed an unusual tension in the air. It was just past 7 when she got out of the car, and from the parking garage, the sound of her wife's voice caught her attention. It seemed like her wife was engaged in a heated argument with someone. Did they have a visitor?

As curiosity got the best of Kim, she hurried to the front door. Opening it, she discovered Iris and Levin in the kitchen, locked in an intense staring battle. Iris wore a frustrated expression while Levin sat on the floor, equally upset. It was clear that neither was ready to back down. Their housemaid stood in the corner, watching awkwardly.

This scene was unusual for their household. Kim often comes home and find them watching reruns of Levin's favorite shows in their pajamas. Tonight was different; Levin was still wearing his outdoor clothes, and so was Iris.

Kim didn't quite know if she would find the scene funny or not. It seemed like two kids fighting over candy. "What is happening here?" Kim asked quietly, putting down her bag and taking off her coat.Neither of the two answered and just kept their angry facade. The only noise was Mallows' whimpering. "Nanay Rita, what happened?" Kim resorted to asking their housemaid who looked genuinely worried.

"Ma'am Kim, Levin was caught by Ma'am Iris having a mukbang of chocolates and snacks together with Mallows. That's it." Nanay Rita went over to the cause of tantrums of the two Alviejos.

Once she caught wind of it, Kim had to bite her lips to fight back her laughter. The way their helper said it made it way funnier than it should be. Kim knew from the very beginning that Levin would soon get in trouble because of Mallows, and that day had come tonight.

"Levin, go to your room for a while with Nanay Rita, yeah? Mommy will follow you there." Kim gently cooed the kid who looked at her with furrowed eyebrows and arms crossed on his chest. Chocolate smeared over his face, no chance of hiding and denying that he had one of many.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kim embraced her wife as soon as Levin and Nanay Rita were out of earshot. Iris seemed visibly upset and frustrated from the recent exchange, and tears welled up as she struggled with her emotions.

Kim could tell there was much more to what happened earlier. She just needed to probe a little, to pry it out without making her wife even more upset. Kim embraced her wife, feeling her heart break as Iris sobbed, seeking solace on Kim's shoulder. It was the first time she had witnessed Iris cry since they had Levin, and Kim sensed that this meltdown ran deeper than Levin's behavior. There was a more profound reason, and Kim was determined to be there for Iris.

"Let it all out. I've got you, my love," Kim whispered, gently swaying Iris as she sought to bring comfort and solace in the midst of whatever emotions Iris was experiencing.

After a while, Iris finally calmed down enough to speak with her wife. Kim noticed a distinct loneliness and pensive aura in her eyes, indicating something was wrong. The familiar glow from her eyes had been hiding behind clouds for the past few days. Despite her curiosity, Kim chose not to force the issue, deciding to give Iris the space to open up when she felt ready.

"You can tell me things, you know that, right, my love?" Kim hugged her wife's waist, pressing her close to her body.

Iris sighed with a pout. "I feel like I am always the bad guy here. I feel like whatever I say, it drives Levin away from me. It's like everything I do is wrong, like I am the bad mommy between us two. I feel stuck." Iris frustratingly pointed out. The way her chest heaved, this feeling has been weighing on her chest for the past months and it started to bother her.