Matilda's Imagines

Overgrown puppy

Living with Mini meant mornings were a mix of comfort and chaos. The house was peaceful at sunrise—until Luca decided it was time to wake everyone up.

Y/n groaned as she felt the familiar weight of a paw on her stomach. She cracked an eye open to see Luca's eager face inches from hers.

"Luca, it's too early," she muttered, trying to roll over.

But Luca wasn't one for patience. He barked softly, then nuzzled her shoulder—specifically her injured one. Y/n winced, and Mini's voice rang out from the hallway.

"Luca! Leave her shoulder alone!"

The German Shepherd immediately leaped off the bed and trotted toward Mini, his tail wagging like he hadn't just caused chaos. Mini appeared in the doorway, her hair tied back and her arms crossed.

"You okay?" she asked, her sharp eyes scanning Y/n.

"Yeah," Y/n replied, sitting up slowly. "He's just excited."

Mini gave her a knowing look but didn't push it. "Come on, breakfast is ready. And if Luca tries to steal your toast again, I'm banning him from the kitchen."

Breakfast was rarely calm. Y/n sat at the table with a cup of coffee, trying to enjoy her toast when Luca decided to make his move.

"Don't even think about it," Y/n said as the dog's nose inched closer to her plate.

"Luca," Mini warned from the sink, turning around with a spatula in hand. "Back up."

Luca barked innocently, as if to say, Who, me?

Mini sighed, shaking her head. "This dog has no concept of boundaries."

"That makes two of us," Y/n joked, earning a smirk from Mini.

The German Shepherd eventually settled for lying under the table, his head resting on Y/n's feet as he wagged his tail lazily.

When Y/n first retired from the army K-9 unit, Mini was the one who encouraged her to get involved in the Matildas program. Now, she was easing into training with the team while juggling her media responsibilities.

"You sure your shoulder can handle this?" Mini asked as she drove them to the training grounds.

"It's fine," Y/n replied, though the slight grimace on her face told another story.

"L/n," Mini said firmly, "if you push yourself too hard, I'll bench you myself."

Y/n rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She knew Mini meant well, even if her motherly concern could be overbearing at times.

When they arrived, Luca immediately stole the show. The team greeted him with enthusiasm, though their excitement was tinged with apprehension.

"Please tell me he's not stealing the balls again," Caitlin said as Luca trotted onto the field.

"No promises," Y/n replied, clipping his leash to a nearby post.

The team was running passing drills when the inevitable happened. Luca, who had been watching intently from the sidelines, broke free from his leash and charged onto the field.

"Luca, no!" Y/n yelled, but it was too late.

He snatched the ball mid-pass, his tail wagging furiously as he dashed around the field. Kyra immediately gave chase, yelling, "You little thief!"

Tony sighed, rubbing his temples. "Why is it always him?"

The team dissolved into laughter as Luca dodged everyone with surprising agility. Even Macca couldn't catch him, and she was one of the fastest players on the team.

"Luca, drop it!" Mini shouted from the sidelines.

Luca froze, the ball in his mouth, before reluctantly dropping it at Y/n's feet.

"Traitor," Kyra muttered, earning another round of laughter.

During their water break, Mini sat beside Y/n, her eyes narrowing as she watched her rub her shoulder.

"How bad is it?" Mini asked quietly.

Y/n hesitated before admitting, "It's stiff. I overdid it with the drills."

Mini sighed, her motherly concern evident. "You need to tell me when it gets bad, Y/n. You're not doing yourself any favors by pushing through."

"I know," Y/n replied, looking down at Luca, who was sprawled across her feet, panting happily. "I'm just not used to slowing down."

Mini softened, reaching out to pat her knee. "You've been through a lot, kid. It's okay to take your time."

Back at Mini's house, the chaos didn't stop. Luca had somehow found a tennis ball and was now bouncing it off the walls, much to Mini's annoyance.

"Luca!" Mini yelled as the ball narrowly missed a vase.

The dog froze, his ears flattening, before trotting over to Y/n with the ball in his mouth.

"Don't look at me," Y/n said, laughing. "You're the one causing trouble."

Luca barked softly, dropping the ball in her lap before wagging his tail.

Mini shook her head, muttering, "That dog has more energy than the entire team combined."

By the time bedtime rolled around, Y/n was exhausted. She lay on the couch, her injured shoulder wrapped in an ice pack. Luca, ever the loyal companion, climbed onto the couch and settled beside her, resting his head on her stomach.

"You're not supposed to be up here," Y/n said, though she made no move to push him off.

Mini walked in, shaking her head with a small smile. "I give up. He's officially part of the furniture."

Y/n chuckled, running her fingers through Luca's fur. "Thanks for letting us stay, Mini. I know we're a handful."

Mini waved her off. "You're family, Y/n. You and that overgrown puppy of yours."

As Luca let out a contented sigh, Y/n felt a rare sense of peace. Life might be chaotic, but with Mini and the team by her side—and Luca keeping things interesting—she wouldn't have it any other way.