Tam

Post-Neverseen

"You've got to be kidding me."

Tam held up his sweatshirt towards Biana, the cloth covered in strange stains he wasn't entirely sure were safe to be within ten yards of. "This was my favorite one."

"You have no one to blame but you and your rebellious genetics," Biana told him, reaching across his lap to grab a pair of pants. "It's your fault she's the way she is."

"Mel's great," he protested. "She gives Mom and Dad a headache."

"I would certainly agree," Biana said with a smile, folding the clothing neatly and placing it on the stack beside her. "She gives me a headache as well."

Melody was the oldest of their three kids, and her name had come from Keefe, who thought it would be hilarious to have a child named Melody Song. Fortunately for him, Biana took a liking to it, although Tam made her promise not to add Keefe into any more name discussions.

"This is never coming out, is it?" Tam asked his wife, staring hopelessly at his sweater. Biana shook her head with a smile.

He leaned over and rested his head in her lap, a rare show of vulnerable affection. Biana looked down at him with her eyebrows raised. "Uh oh. Tired already?"

"I was chasing Elian and Luce all day yesterday," he grumbled. "Now my favorite sweater is ruined, and I'm wondering how long it's going to take before I see my kids and Keefe laughing in my room as a bucket of slime dumps on my head."

Biana smiled fondly and rolled her eyes. "So dramatic. You know, what everyone says is true--you really are like Keefe."

His mouth opened in mock offense. "How dare you say such a thing."

She laughed, and he grinned at her. "Besides, you are dramatic enough for the both of us. I don't need to help with that."

She made a noise of impressed surprise and swatted his arm, provoking a laugh from him as he sat up. He wrapped an arm around her and she snuggled close, laundry forgotten.

"ELIAN LOOK, MOM AND DAD ARE DOING IT AGAIN!"

"LUCIA, GROSS, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW THAT!"

"COME SEE COME SEE!"

The  two youngest of the children charged into the room, coming to a halt with fascinated disgust on their faces.

"MELODY, COME LOOK!" Elian screamed, his straight, dark brown hair starting to cover his forehead. "MOM AND DAD ARE CUDDLING!"

"MOM, STOP, I HAVE FRIENDS COMING OVER!" Melody came into the room, wearing the stylish black clothes that came from both her father's love of dark colors and her mother's fashion sense.

"You have chores to do, missy," Biana reminded her. "You're not having friends over until you get those done."

"But they're coming over any minute!" she protested, sweeping her wavy black hair out of her eyes and waving her hand towards the door.

"Then I suggest you get them done fast," Tam advised, giving her his most infuriating It's your choice smile. She rolled her eyes and took off towards the kitchen.

"Mom," Lucia asked, staring after Melody. She shared the same silver-teal eyes as her twin. "Why does Mel like black so much?"

"Ask your father," Biana said, giving her husband a smirk. "It's his fault."

"Black is a very dignified color," he protested. "It goes with everything. And, you can never tell if it gets dirty."

"Speaking of which," Biana said, giving her twins a pointed stare. "You two have chores as well, I believe. No more playing until those are done."

"Moooooooom," they groaned in unison.

"Please let us stay," Lucia begged. "We want to play with the trains Aunt Sophie gave us."

"Yeah, please?" Elian asked, giving his parents puppy-dog eyes he had definitely learned from Linh.

"Well, I suppose you can stay," Biana sighed, turning to her husband, who caught on immediately. "Now, where were we?"

"EEEEEWWWWW!" they screamed as Biana leaned in, her lips an inch from his when they finally ran. She grinned, giving the kitchen door a sidelong glance as it swung shut.

"Oh, are we stopping now?" Tam asked, grinning. "And here I thought you loved me."

Biana hummed affectionately. "Go brush your teeth. Then we'll see."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not the best, but whatever.