Misunderstanding
Title: Misunderstanding
Rating: PG
Pairing: Carlos/Reiko
Disclaimer: RPF so if you don't like that, don't read.
AN: Continuation from Artistic Expression, Cry Me A River, What Now?, New York and No Longer Hidden.
This is for jimkeller24's birthday which was months ago so I'm a horrible friend. But hey, progress!
“So Nat, what should I get Reiko for Christmas?” Carlos made a right and pulled into line with the rest of the parents at the drop off area. He took a sip of his coffee and glanced around at all the activity. It was his pickup/dropoff week. It never failed to remind him of cattle being herded. Finally, he realized his daughter hadn’t answered his question. One quick look in the rearview told him why. “I knew I shouldn’t have bought that damn thing.”
Natalie Bernard was completely oblivious to the world outside her earphones. Head tilted back against the seat she stared outside the window, waiting for them to get close enough to the “safe zone” so she could jump out. A fluttering out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned back forward in time to see her dad waving frantically at her from his rearview. He gave her the international sign for “take out the earphones” so she pulled on her right one.
“Sorry Dad, what?”
“Oh nice, I only get half of your attention. Thanks for that.” He sounded sharp but Nat knew better and just smirked at him while pulling out the left one as well.
“Ok, you have my undivided. What were you flailing about?”
Carlos rolled his eyes and repeated his question. He glanced back again to make sure she was actually paying attention to him. The look of concentration on her face satisfied him so he put his eyes back on the line. It had moved up so he put the SUV back in drive.
“How long you guys been going out?”
“If by going out you mean dating, almost a year. When you say “going out” it makes me feel like a kid and when I feel like a kid thanks to my own kid it makes me feel old. So, let’s stick with “dating” please.”
He was just pressing the gas pedal when she answered him.
“Ask her to marry you.” Nat jerked back into the seat as her dad slammed on the gas and then the breaks.
“Excuse me, what?!” Carlos had barely escaped rear ending the car in front of him in line. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
“If you think I said to ask her to marry you, then yeah.” He squinted a little in anger and spoke to her through the rearview mirror. “Don’t be a smart ass.”
“Sorry.” She sighed and shoved her iPod into her backpack. The “safe zone” was close and she suddenly wanted out of the car.
They pulled up to the curb with the designated color and before he could even come to a complete stop she was out the door. “Nat, wait!”
She turned and walked up to the passenger window, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. “What made you think of that?”
The little girl just shrugged. “Isn’t that what happens after ‘dating?’” She made air quotes as she spoke and he gave her another annoyed look. Nat rolled her eyes. “She lives with you. What else is there?”
“Well I...I mean there’s...” Carlos was not used to being flustered. Especially by his nine year old.
“Dad, please. If this is the sex talk I already know all about it. Besides, your room is across the hall from mine.”
Natalie got a thrill from the look of horror on her father’s face. “Be ready to pack up after school and switch to the downstairs guest room.”
Reiko popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth as she heard the door open and close.
“Well guess who decided to show up.” She turned as he entered the living room and the smile on her face dropped a little. He looked...nervous.
“Yeah, sorry babe. I, uh, I got caught up at rehearsals and then the guys wanted to go over some script changes...” He was frantically babbling it all out as he put his stuff down and moved into the hall heading for their bedroom.
Reiko sat on the couch, staring at where he’d entered the hall, confusion written all over her face. He was fidgeting. Carlos never fidgeted. It was one of the things she loved about him. He was so sure of himself, sometimes to a fault. She heard the shower door shut and her eyes grew wide. He never did anything after work until he’d kissed her first.
She left the couch and quietly made her way into the bedroom. Steam was coming from the open bathroom door and she could see his silhouette. He’d just thrown his clothes off every which way so she started picking them up. As she lifted his shirt, she caught the faint hint of perfume. Perfume she most definitely did not wear. Before she had a chance to think about what that meant, she heard Natalie come out of her room with a large box in her hand. Reiko dropped the shirt and went to see what she was up to.
Carlos grabbed her from behind, startling her. “And where do you think you’re goin?” He nuzzled into the side of her neck. She had her hair up in a messy ponytail and already donned her sweatpants and tank top. She lightly giggled and made to push his face away. “That tickles.” She pushed further back into him and realized he was still only wearing a towel. The heat from his chest warming her back. He was always so warm.
Natalie had left at the first sign of affection. They hadn’t ate yet and she didn’t want to lose her appetite.
Reiko pushed away from him and told him to come down when he was dressed. He finally made it downstairs but they hadn’t waited for him. “Natalie was hungry.” He turned to his daughter and she just shrugged. “I’m sorry I’m so late. You guys shoulda just went ahead without me.”
“That’s what I said but Reiko made me wait.” She smirked at her kinda but not really stepmother. Carlos sat down at the table and took a drink of his water when his daughter decided to speak again. “Besides, I worked up an appetite moving my stuff to the downstairs guest room.”
Carlos nearly choked.
Reiko furrowed her brow at him and smacked him on the back. “Are you ok?” He coughed a few times but assured her he just swallowed wrong, giving Nat a covert glare.
Rating: PG
Pairing: Carlos/Reiko
Disclaimer: RPF so if you don't like that, don't read.
AN: Continuation from Artistic Expression, Cry Me A River, What Now?, New York and No Longer Hidden.
This is for jimkeller24's birthday which was months ago so I'm a horrible friend. But hey, progress!
“So Nat, what should I get Reiko for Christmas?” Carlos made a right and pulled into line with the rest of the parents at the drop off area. He took a sip of his coffee and glanced around at all the activity. It was his pickup/dropoff week. It never failed to remind him of cattle being herded. Finally, he realized his daughter hadn’t answered his question. One quick look in the rearview told him why. “I knew I shouldn’t have bought that damn thing.”
Natalie Bernard was completely oblivious to the world outside her earphones. Head tilted back against the seat she stared outside the window, waiting for them to get close enough to the “safe zone” so she could jump out. A fluttering out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned back forward in time to see her dad waving frantically at her from his rearview. He gave her the international sign for “take out the earphones” so she pulled on her right one.
“Sorry Dad, what?”
“Oh nice, I only get half of your attention. Thanks for that.” He sounded sharp but Nat knew better and just smirked at him while pulling out the left one as well.
“Ok, you have my undivided. What were you flailing about?”
Carlos rolled his eyes and repeated his question. He glanced back again to make sure she was actually paying attention to him. The look of concentration on her face satisfied him so he put his eyes back on the line. It had moved up so he put the SUV back in drive.
“How long you guys been going out?”
“If by going out you mean dating, almost a year. When you say “going out” it makes me feel like a kid and when I feel like a kid thanks to my own kid it makes me feel old. So, let’s stick with “dating” please.”
He was just pressing the gas pedal when she answered him.
“Ask her to marry you.” Nat jerked back into the seat as her dad slammed on the gas and then the breaks.
“Excuse me, what?!” Carlos had barely escaped rear ending the car in front of him in line. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
“If you think I said to ask her to marry you, then yeah.” He squinted a little in anger and spoke to her through the rearview mirror. “Don’t be a smart ass.”
“Sorry.” She sighed and shoved her iPod into her backpack. The “safe zone” was close and she suddenly wanted out of the car.
They pulled up to the curb with the designated color and before he could even come to a complete stop she was out the door. “Nat, wait!”
She turned and walked up to the passenger window, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. “What made you think of that?”
The little girl just shrugged. “Isn’t that what happens after ‘dating?’” She made air quotes as she spoke and he gave her another annoyed look. Nat rolled her eyes. “She lives with you. What else is there?”
“Well I...I mean there’s...” Carlos was not used to being flustered. Especially by his nine year old.
“Dad, please. If this is the sex talk I already know all about it. Besides, your room is across the hall from mine.”
Natalie got a thrill from the look of horror on her father’s face. “Be ready to pack up after school and switch to the downstairs guest room.”
Reiko popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth as she heard the door open and close.
“Well guess who decided to show up.” She turned as he entered the living room and the smile on her face dropped a little. He looked...nervous.
“Yeah, sorry babe. I, uh, I got caught up at rehearsals and then the guys wanted to go over some script changes...” He was frantically babbling it all out as he put his stuff down and moved into the hall heading for their bedroom.
Reiko sat on the couch, staring at where he’d entered the hall, confusion written all over her face. He was fidgeting. Carlos never fidgeted. It was one of the things she loved about him. He was so sure of himself, sometimes to a fault. She heard the shower door shut and her eyes grew wide. He never did anything after work until he’d kissed her first.
She left the couch and quietly made her way into the bedroom. Steam was coming from the open bathroom door and she could see his silhouette. He’d just thrown his clothes off every which way so she started picking them up. As she lifted his shirt, she caught the faint hint of perfume. Perfume she most definitely did not wear. Before she had a chance to think about what that meant, she heard Natalie come out of her room with a large box in her hand. Reiko dropped the shirt and went to see what she was up to.
Carlos grabbed her from behind, startling her. “And where do you think you’re goin?” He nuzzled into the side of her neck. She had her hair up in a messy ponytail and already donned her sweatpants and tank top. She lightly giggled and made to push his face away. “That tickles.” She pushed further back into him and realized he was still only wearing a towel. The heat from his chest warming her back. He was always so warm.
Natalie had left at the first sign of affection. They hadn’t ate yet and she didn’t want to lose her appetite.
Reiko pushed away from him and told him to come down when he was dressed. He finally made it downstairs but they hadn’t waited for him. “Natalie was hungry.” He turned to his daughter and she just shrugged. “I’m sorry I’m so late. You guys shoulda just went ahead without me.”
“That’s what I said but Reiko made me wait.” She smirked at her kinda but not really stepmother. Carlos sat down at the table and took a drink of his water when his daughter decided to speak again. “Besides, I worked up an appetite moving my stuff to the downstairs guest room.”
Carlos nearly choked.
Reiko furrowed her brow at him and smacked him on the back. “Are you ok?” He coughed a few times but assured her he just swallowed wrong, giving Nat a covert glare.