AVA, A different Radioapple fanfiction

Morning, Adam!

The first rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains, casting warm light across the room. Ava stirred in her sleep, dreaming of magical places and fantastical creatures. But as the light grew brighter, her excitement bubbled to the surface, pulling her from the realm of dreams.

She sat up in bed, glancing around the room. Adam, who had crashed on the couch the night before, lay sprawled out, his rugged frame covered by a blanket that had slipped down to his waist. He looked different in the morning light—his features sharp, shadowed, and rough, like a man who had spent too long fighting the world.

Ava hopped out of bed, her tiny feet padding quietly across the floor. She approached Adam, unable to contain her eagerness. "Adam! Wake up!"

She leaned down, shaking his shoulder gently. "Adam! It's morning! You have to wake up!"

Adam groaned, rolling over to face the back of the couch, his irritation palpable. "Ugh, what do you want, kid? It's too early for this."

Ava giggled, undeterred by his grumpy demeanor. "But it's a new day! Come on!"

"Yeah, well, some of us need sleep," he muttered, pulling the blanket over his head as if to block out her enthusiasm.

"Please!" she pleaded, poking him in the side. "I want to show you my toys! You said you'd play with me!"

Adam peeked out from under the blanket, one eye narrowed in annoyance. "Toys? Seriously? Can't you just play by yourself for a little while?"

Ava frowned, her excitement dimming. "But I wanted to play with you! Daddy and Daddy said you're here to help us! That means you can help me, too!"

He sighed, pushing himself up to a sitting position, the blanket falling away to reveal his tousled hair and the stubble along his jaw. "Fine. Just give me a minute to wake up without you bouncing off the walls, okay?"

"Okay!" Ava exclaimed, her spirits lifting again as she jumped back a step, clapping her hands. "I'll go get my toys! You'll love them!"

As she dashed off, Adam rubbed his face with a groan, the remnants of sleep still clinging to him. He had never been one for early mornings, and now, the cheerful chaos of family life felt foreign to him. But he had agreed to this—he wanted to try to make things right, even if the thought of it sometimes grated on him.

Ava returned moments later, a pile of brightly colored toys in her arms. She dropped them at his feet with a thud. "Look! I have a dragon, and a knight, and a princess! We can have a battle!"

Adam glanced down at the toys, then back at her, his expression a mix of annoyance and curiosity. "A battle? With a dragon and a princess?" he scoffed. "Sounds more like a fairytale than anything worth my time."

Ava pouted, her excitement faltering. "But it'll be fun!"

"Fun? Kid, you've got a wild imagination," he said, a smirk creeping onto his lips. "But alright, fine. I'll humor you for a bit. Just don't expect me to go easy on you."

Her face lit up again, and Adam couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth at her joy. "Yay! You're going to be the knight!"

"Great," he muttered, sarcasm lacing his words. "Guess I'm stuck being the hero in your little fairytale."

Ava laughed, completely ignoring his tone. "And I'll be the dragon! Roar!"

"Yeah, yeah," Adam said, shaking his head as he pushed himself off the couch. "Just don't expect me to play along with all that nonsense."

He straightened his back, the remnants of sleep still lingering in his eyes. "I'm not some soft-hearted prince. I don't do fairy tales."

"Okay, but you can still be a good knight!" Ava insisted, her smile unwavering.

Adam sighed, a small smile breaking through his otherwise rugged exterior. "Fine. Let's get this over with before I change my mind."

As they began to play, he felt a strange mix of annoyance and affection for the little girl whose energy seemed boundless. Perhaps there was something to this whole family thing after all, even if he would never admit it.