Allison Hargreeves (superfamous) wrote in valloic, @ 2020-06-21 12:14:00 |
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Entry tags: | !: action/thread/log, ₴ inactive: allison hargreeves, ₴ inactive: dan torrance |
WHO: Allison, Dan, & Claire
WHERE: On the way home from the Barns’ Father’s Day
WHEN: June 21
WHAT: So your daughter shows up, now what?
WARNINGS: Mooostly feels
STATUS: Complete
Allison had enjoyed the Father’s Day at the Barns experience. Especially with all the jokes about Dan being a dad now. She’d made sure to get him a couple things, part joke, part serious so she could casually make jokes with them. She thought Claire probably would have enjoyed the kid activities and there’d been a few kids there. It made her miss her daughter even more. It was a weird sort of sadness because she’d gone longer than this without seeing her daughter, but she’d at least been able to make phone calls. Here, she didn’t have that. But she tried not to let it seep out or become too obvious, even as she’d watched other parents with their kids. She glanced up at Dan on their way out. “So how was your first Father’s Day? Everything you ever wanted?” She couldn’t stop the smile that formed as she was talking. She’d been about to say something else when she heard someone call out for their dad. She looked around, getting closer to a group of kids that was walking by, when she heard a girl yell MOM! She paused, which was just long enough for a hand to grab hers. When she looked down, her brow knitted slightly. “Claire?” “Mom, where are we,” Claire whispered (well as whispered as a five year old could manage), shooting Dan a few very confused looks as she tugged at her mom’s hand, trying to pull her away. “Give mommy a second, okay?” She glanced over at Dan for a moment before turning her attention back to Claire and squatting down. “We’re in a place called Vallo. It’s not home. I know you’re scared, baby, but mom’s not gonna let anything happen to you, okay?” Claire nodded, moving closer to her. “This is mom’s...this is Dan. You don’t have to worry about him, okay? He’s…” She knew she had to explain eventually, but she knew there was already a lot of information going on. “He’s very nice. He’s got super powers like Mom and your uncles...and Auntie Vanya, too.” Claire’s eyes widened slightly and she said, “I thought you said Auntie Vanya wasn’t like you.” Allison nodded. “I know, but I didn’t know she was. Your grandfather kept it a secret for a long time, but now we know. So do you want to say hi?” Claire studied Dan for a moment as Allison stood up before grabbing hold of one of her mom’s hands and stepping closer. “I’m Claire. Did you also fight people when you were younger, too?” A simple walk from the farmer’s market to the waypoint that would take them back to the mortuary was suddenly - something else entirely. Dan was flabbergasted because one moment they’d been on their way out, heading home, in the forest that hummed with life (sun leaking through cracks in the tree canopy above, leaves crunching underfoot - and yes, he’d had a pretty good start to Father’s Day, he told Allison, even if he wasn’t technically a father) and the next Claire (the Claire) broke through the crowd and found her mom. How had she even gotten here? This was a lot different than a building appearing. Or a cat. Still, Dan wouldn’t panic - he knew Allison wanted this, she missed her daughter something fierce. He was happy for her - and they’d talked about Claire showing up anyway, what they would do. Now it was apparently coming to fruition. It just all needed to sink in first. So he knelt to be on her level, his expression warm. “Hi Claire,” he rumbled, a little emotional and sounding more like a spray of gravel than usual. “It’s nice to meet you. And no - not really, not when I was younger.” He wouldn’t go into how he’d backtracked in the snow to fool his father, who’d been swinging an ax with want to kill him in a hedge maze. “Not many people believed me about my powers. It was a lot different - “ He glanced at Allison fondly, “...than what your mother experienced.” Dan was no superhero - just a washed up middle aged alcoholic, with a second chance at life and a family he’d built from scratch. “So, um - are you hungry? Thirsty? We can answer questions too.” She had to be confused. Dan certainly was. Allison reached out, lightly squeezing Dan’s shoulder. She’d probably cry later, but for now, she was just stunned and trying to have her shit together. She could have all her emotions after the fact, once Claire was in bed and she didn’t have to think too much about whether or not she’d see her crying. She smiled a little as she watched Claire, glancing down at Dan when he looked at her. “So you didn’t fight bad guys and get big parties?” Claire looked up at her and she shook her head. “He didn’t get any fancy parties. He’s like Uncle Klaus.” There was a knowing look on her face that had more to do with Klaus’ powers than the rest of it. She hadn’t really wanted to explain to Claire about the drugs and everything else. She was five, but she didn’t need to know. “Oh. You see ghosts.” She looked up at Allison, asking if it was okay. “It’s okay. We can take you back to the house. Then we can talk through all your questions, okay?” Claire looked around and nodded. Allison leaned down, picking her up. She knew she didn’t need to, but going through the waypoints the first time was a bit off putting. It was also partly because she just wanted to hold her, to feel the weight of her and know that she was there. She pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “There’s a lot of magic here and so travel is a lot faster because there’s magic. Okay?” Claire’s eyes lit up once more and she wrapped her arms around her mom’s neck. “Like in the books Dad read at night?” Allison nodded. “Yeah. Like that. Maybe tomorrow we can go and look for some books. Mom can just tell you your favorite story tonight. With Spaceboy.” Allison looked over to Dan. “Maybe text Sabrina and Hilda? Just to let them know.” She assumed he could reach out to Sabrina without the texts, though. Either way, she didn’t really want to surprise anyone. At least she could ask for a room when they got there. Dan smiled ruefully. “I see ghosts, yeah,” he confirmed. And a slew of other things, but right now wasn’t the best time to get into it. “I’ll, uh - right, I’ll text the others at the house.” Claire seemed okay with traveling via magic, which just solidified Dan’s belief that kids were more damn resilient and understanding than people gave them credit for sometimes. Regardless, he wanted to help her ease in and not overwhelm or frighten her, so going back to the house for maybe some PB&J or something seemed like a good plan. He fired off a few messages, quickly, before pocketing his phone once more. One of his hands reached out, rubbing gently at a tense spot behind Allison’s shoulder - he’d have laced their fingers, but hers were full; he just wanted to consistently show support was all. “Okay, let’s hit the waypoint,” he nodded. “And just hang onto your mom, she’s got you.” Allison was grateful for Dan and his ability to adjust. They could talk through everything later. I love you, she pushed the thought gently in Dan’s direction. She knew this was a lot for him as well as for her and she wanted him to know she appreciated him. And she’d say it again later, but she needed to talk with Claire about it. She wanted to do that on her own so she could answer all of Claire’s questions and make sure that she was okay with it. She knew Claire understood that her and Daddy were not together and they didn’t exactly get along very well recently, but she didn’t want her to think this changed the way she felt about her. She also didn’t want her to feel like this was a way of replacing her Dad either. Even if he wasn’t here. Even if she was terrified that he might show up and take Claire from her again. She didn’t want that. Claire nodded at Dan’s words, arms wrapping even more tightly. “I won’t let anything bad happen,” she promised. And she’d never make her daughter deal with the person she used to be again. She made her way to the waypoint, giving Dan a quick smile before she used the waypoint to travel to the Mortuary. Claire made a small noise of surprise as she saw the house. “You live here?” Allison laughed. “Yes. I live here. It’s sort of like where I grew up. A very big house, but it’s got magic, too, so be careful. I’ll tell you where to avoid, okay?” She set Claire back on the ground, taking hold of her hand then. “And be mindful of the cats. There are three of them and neither one likes to have their tails stepped on.” “It’s pretty big, right? Much bigger than where I grew up,” Dan chuckled a little. “You’ll have your own room, we just have to buy some furniture to put in it. And - right, there’s a wall of shoes? The shoes are cursed with magic, so that’s a place to avoid...” The last thing he wanted was for Claire to re-enact some fairytale where she couldn’t get specific shoes off her feet. That wasn’t exactly the best way to not traumatize a small child. “There’s also some jars to avoid. It’s kind of a weird house but everyone who lives here is really nice.” As for the jars, they merely had demons inside of them - he was still wary of a five-year-old’s curiosity, however; it was bright and naive, that childlike innocence not having been shattered like a brick through cathedral glass yet, so. Maybe he’d see if Sabrina or someone else could ward off the tricky spots. Just in case. “But alright, let’s see - what’s your favorite sandwich, Claire? I can make us all some if you and your mom want to talk?” he suggested, gaze shifted toward Allison. I love you he passed right back, and he wasn’t about to intrude on her reunion with her daughter if she wanted some time to just ingest the fact that she was here. Allison mostly avoided the parts of the house that were questionable. Sabrina and Dan had given her the run down and so she didn’t go there, but she hoped she wouldn’t have to worry about Claire touching things she wasn’t supposed to just because they’d told her not to. Having to worry about that on top of everything would definitely add to the stress that already existed. Claire seemed, from what Allison could see, to understand the word cursed, but it was the look in her eyes that concerned her slightly. “People have gotten seriously hurt. So please don’t play with anything if you don’t know where it came from.” She tilted Claire’s face up to look at her. “Do you understand?” Claire let out a sigh. “Yes, Mommy.” When Dan asked about Claire’s favorite sandwich, she said, “Tuna.” Allison smiled at him for a moment. She was going to need to figure out shopping soon, but they could get some food first and she’d need to explain about Dan all the same. “I’ll be in in a second, okay?” That way she could explain about Dan and take a moment to just talk to Claire and answer any questions she might want to ask if it was just the two of them. “Take your time,” Dan flashed a small smile in return, but it was genuine, and he briefly squeezed Allison’s shoulder as he passed by to head to the kitchen. Honestly, he had no idea how he would have explained himself - hi, I’m your mother’s boyfriend just sounded strange; his own mother didn’t date much after Jack bought the farm, freezing to death in a pile of snow, so Dan never experienced anything like watching a parent date someone else. Well. He knew Allison would want him to be a part of her daughter’s life, and she knew he’d do his best to be there for Claire, so - they’d figure it out as they went. It might even be easier, in some aspects, than trying to wrangle teenagers and set some boundaries so they didn’t end up dead in a ditch. Some days that was like herding cats. Speaking of those cats, they all seemed to mysteriously appear when he opened cans of tuna - little beggars, as if they were starving. But he made those sandwiches because tuna was for the humans, adding some mayo, salt and pepper, a little onion and lemon juice. And toasting the bread. Because of course. Allison watched as he left before moving to sit on the stairs. She patted the spot next to her, taking a moment to think things through. “Where’s Dad?” It was one of the questions that was hard to answer. She gave Claire a sympathetic look. “He’s...not here. He’s back home. But, from what I understand, you’re back home with him. You’re just also here, too.” Claire frowned at that, leaning against her Mom. “Why do we have to live here?” Another question that was complicated. “I moved in here because Dan asked me to,” she said quietly after a moment. “And I care a lot for the people that live here.” She could almost guess the next question before Claire asked it. “Why did he ask you?” Allison let out a small breath. “Well, that’s kind of one of the big things I need to talk to you about. When I showed up here, Dan was very kind to me and he helped me get settled and eventually we started dating.” She paused, to gauge Claire’s thoughts on the matter. She wasn’t sure if she was taking it well or poorly. “It’s okay if you don’t know how to feel about it or to feel however you feel. I understand it’s new information and a lot.” “I don’t have to call him Dad, do I?” Allison smiled a little, shaking her head. “No. You don’t. Not if you don’t want to. We aren’t married yet anyway. You can just call him Dan.” There was a little sigh after that and Claire looked up at her Mom. “Okay. But can I have a pink room?” This time Allison had to laugh. “Yes. Your room can be pink.” She was quiet for a moment before she said, “And tomorrow we can see Uncle Klaus and Uncle Diego. We’ll see how Auntie Vanya feels about it, okay?” Claire’s eyes widened. “They’re here?” Alliso nodded. “Yeah. They’re here. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you. Maybe you can ask Uncle Diego about his knives in case he doesn’t know what to talk about.” Claire smiled at that, seemingly less disappointed at being here now. “Come on. Let’s go see Dan.” She stood up, walking to the kitchen. I think we’re okay, she thought in Dan’s general direction. I just have to let her have a pink room. The highest of prices. From the kitchen, Dan had been busy making sandwiches and cutting up strawberries and bananas and other things for an impromptu fruit salad. He didn’t pry, though he could have easily listened to the conversation in the other room - but he kept it to a dull roar, only doing a sweep of surface thoughts when Allison came back in; thus, he caught her mental message, the thought aimed at him. A pink room, huh? He projected, and his laugh was warm - and relieved, since Claire didn’t seem to be screaming or crying about her unfortunate predicament, or the fact that she had to live in a house with weird shit in it. He found a pitcher of lemonade in the fridge, pulling it free so they could have drinks with their sandwiches. I think that’s doable. They could go shopping whenever the house actually created the room - Dan wasn’t sure how it worked, exactly, but it had been a relatively quick process once Abra arrived. “Alright, tuna sandwich - your favorite,” he said, setting plates on the table. “Hopefully I made it okay.” Claire was still a little pouty, but it was nothing Allison wasn’t prepared to deal with. At least she could manage that small thing. Pink room and a lot of encouragement. Perhaps seeing her uncles and aunt would take her mind off things for a little while. I think so. I still remember her room from home well enough, so I think we can do a bit of work to model it. Allison lightly nudged Claire towards a seat, sitting next to her once she’d climbed up on it. “Thank you.” Claire took the sandwich, studying it a little before she started poking at it with her fingers. “Claire,” Allison made her voice more like a warning. “Sorry, Mom.” She picked it up and started eating. After a moment, Claire sighed, propping her head on her hand. “It’s okay.” A beat. “Next time can it have fun shapes like Dad makes?” “Oh, right, shapes - I didn’t even think of that,” Dan admitted - probably because the main recipient of his cooking tended to be teenagers, and he had a hard enough time getting them to eat real food without worrying about aesthetics. Though maybe shapes would look more appealing and they’d be less likely to complain about the notorious hidden vegetables, fuck if he knew. “I can do that next time, sure.” He glanced at Allison, amused, wondering how her talk with Claire had gone - but they could discuss it later, along with a slew of other things related to the discovery of the five-year-old currently at the kitchen table. “We’re glad to have you here, Claire. Your mom really missed you.” Dan knew it was hard on Allison when Claire’s father wouldn’t let her see her own daughter - but here, maybe they had a fresh start. Vallo was a place rife with opportunities, after all, and this was one they really shouldn’t squander. |