2p!Austria x Mom!Reader- Foster parent

Twenty-Eight

That night, you prepared your things for the morning: comfortable clothes, boots, your whistle. You couldn't forget your whistle. You knew it would get a lot of wear tomorrow.

Drew sat on your bed, watching you. You could feel her eyes, but you tried not to pay it much mind.

"When was the last time you talked to Al?" she asked.

You paused for a second but went back about your business soon after. "Why?"

"You should go see him tonight."

You shook your head. "I have to be up early tomorrow."

"You don't have to spend the night, but I think you should see him."

You turned to her and painted a smile across your face. "What's with you all of a sudden?"

"He sounds nice. I just think you should have someone around to keep you level at times."

You walked to the foot of the bed and placed your hands down on the covers. "Isn't that what you're here for?"

"I'm not always going to be here. You know that. I want you to be with someone who can."

You averted your eyes.

"At least call him," she urged.

"I'm busy," you said and went back to your dresser. "It wasn't ever serious."

"You sounded serious, talking about him."

"I wasn't," you said. "And I'm fine on my own. I don't have time to be messing around. I have kids to focus on."

"They're not kids. The boys are basically grown."

"Bullshit. They're self-destructive teenagers. I take my eyes off of them for one second, and they don't know what to do with themselves."

"That doesn't mean you can't be happy."

You looked to Drew again. "I am happy."

"(name)..."

"What? I am!" you claimed but rolled your eyes at her distrusting expression. "Drew, why can't you just trust me? I know what I'm doing, alright? Just let me handle it. Okay? Please."

Her eyes traveled over you then stopped at your face, studying it for a few seconds. "...I won't say anything else about it."

"Thank you."

#

Five AM. You leaned against the dining room table and licked your lips as you brought your whistle up. With a deep inhale, you blew into the whistle.

"Up and at 'em, ladies!" you shouted and blew again. "Whichever one of y'all ain't here in the next sixty seconds gets an extra lap for the next two weeks! Let's go!"

Roderich grunted and grumbled curses as he stumbled into the dining room, wiping his eyes. Lutz followed.

"Good morning, soldiers!" you began and paced back and forth in front of the boys. You glanced to Lutz. "I trust you know how this is going to go, but for our new recruit, let me introduce myself." Your eyes went to Roderich. "From now til three, I am no longer (name)." You continued to pace. "You will address me as First Sergeant, and for the next two weeks, it will be my job and great pleasure to yank your would-be balls from your stomachs and bust those fuckers like sour grapes! During that time, your body will ache, muscles will scream, and you pansies may even cry, but through your blood, sweat, and tears, you will emerge from this stronger! Are there any questions?"

"Why in the—"

"Rhetorical fucking question, Private!" You cut Roderich off. "Hit the showers, ladies. We have a long day ahead of us."