Chapter Text
The sweet lemonade sat untouched in front of Powder, who poked the straw with her index finger, albeit disinterested. Her usual vigour was far from present, and you observed her from across the room, the book in your hands remaining unread.
Vander appeared at the bar, whistling a tune through his teeth whilst grabbing a rag to rub clean some cups before the pub would open up tonight, giving you a smirk upon noticing your eyes on him. You smiled back, a bit wryly, and nodded towards Powder.
Vander followed your gesture and saw your adoptive daughter moping against the bar, the stool way too high for her feet to reach the ground, her chin resting on her palm.
“Hey, Powder, are you alright?” Vander asked her.
She looked up at him and shrugged. “Nobody wants to have fun with me.” she muttered, “Mylo and Claggor say I’m boring and Vi says that I’m too young to participate in whatever she is doing.”
“You’re not boring at all,” you quipped at once, putting down your book and standing up to walk over to her, putting a hand on her bright blue hair, tucking some behind her ear. “You are one of the least boring people to ever exist.Where are the others, anyway?”
“Vi is writing in her journal. Claggor and Mylo are using the shooting range but they say I’m no good.”
“They are just jealous that you keep kickin’ their arses.” Vander told her with a grin. “They know that they don’t stand a chance once you grab that paintball gun.”
Powder hummed and poked the straw a few more times before shoving away the cup. “They say I’m too tiny to be any fun.”
“Nonsense.” Vander responded, “We can have fun by ourselves, we don’t need them to have a good time!”
He strode over to the jukebox that stood against the wall and pressed a few buttons. “It’s not yet time to open up the bar, so we can be as loud as we want!”
Powder blinked a bit confusedly at her father figure as the first line of Our Love began to play through the bar, and an immediate smile spread over your face at the sound of it. Your husband approached with a certain spring in his step and halted next to you and Powder.
“M’ladies, if I may have this dance?”
You bit your lip, smiling, looking at your daughter. “Powder can go first,” you said, “I’ll watch, okay?”
Powder was puzzled, but took Vander’s hand nevertheless, her fingers appearing so tiny in his large palm. He helped her off the stool and brought her to an open space in the bar, swinging his hips already, causing her to giggle.
“Vander, I didn’t know you could dance so well!”
“Yet another one of my many talents, Pow.” he told her, grinning before looking up at you, winking. “Tell you a secret. This song played during the wedding of (Y/n) and I.”
Powder laughed. “That’s hardly a secret! You’ve told us so many times!”
Vander chuckled and took her other hand, starting to dance with her in a playful manner. “Well, I just have some fond memories of that day… And the night that followed.”
A flush spread over your cheeks, the comment luckily going over Powder’s head, and she began to mirror Vander’s movements, humming along with the melody even though she did not know the words. You watched them with a smile spreading over your features, happiness swelling in your chest. The girl that had been sulking a mere minute ago was now dancing with her father like nothing had happened.
The music had attracted Vi, who legged towards you to ask if you could turn down the music a bit for she had to concentrate on her writing, but upon noticing Powder and Vander dancing together in the middle of the room, her face softened.
“Hey, Vi,” you said, “Joining us?”
“I uh…” She wasn’t sure what to say for a moment before she cleared her throat. “What is going on?”
“A little birdie told me that no one wanted to entertain Powder,” you murmured, “And here we are.”
Guilt flashed behind Vi’s eyes for a split second. A kind smile tugged at her lip right after and she tilted her head a little, watching them. “Oh, well… I suppose that I could take a break.”
“Would you like a drink, honey?” you asked her, moving to stand behind the bar.
“Ah, yes.” she said, hopping onto the stool Powder had been sitting on earlier. Vander lifted up Powder in his large arms, causing the little girl to burst out in giggles.
“Vander, put me down!”
“Never, this is the fun part!”
You laughed, shaking your head slightly whilst pouring two glasses of drink, and placed one in front of Vi, who thanked you.
The noise had also caused Claggor and Mylo to pop in, and figuring they must be parched from their shooting practice, you prepared some lemonade for them as well.
“Hey, (Y/n),” said Claggor, a grateful look on his face when you handed him his cup, “What’s going on?”
“Neither of you listened to poor Powder,” you said softly, albeit with an edge of seriousness to it, “She was bored out of her mind and wanted to join you, but you said that she couldn’t. Remember what we said about playing together and looking after her?”
Mylo slumped his shoulders and sighed. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologise to me,” you stated, “Apologise to her.” You nodded towards Powder, who was now sitting on Vanders shoulders, grasping in his greying hair rather painfully as he still danced to the music, the song entering its final notes.
As it ended, all four of you applauded the pair, and with a swift movement, Vander placed Powder down onto the floor. She hugged him tightly, resting her head against his stomach, and he patted her azure hair.
“Now you’ll have to dance with Vander, (Y/n)!” You blushed at Claggor and Mylo already ushering you towards your husband, who was already selecting the same song again on the jukebox.
Powder let out a squeal when Vander took you into his arms, one of his hands catching yours whilst the other came to rest on your hip. “If I may have this dance, my love?”
Your eyes sparkled at him and you put your free hand on his shoulder, momentarily cupping his cheek and stroking his beard, entranced by the warmth of his kind eyes under a dark brow. “You may,” you murmured, allowing him to lead you, just like he had done all those years ago, when you married him.
The children let out noises of endearment, ooh’s and aah’s mixing with the music that echoed through the room, and you felt like the same young girl you were on your wedding day, but this time around loving Vander even more than you already had.
The dance felt like you were floating and his palms were warm through your clothes, and you gave him a gentle peck on his plush lips. Vander rubbed the tip of his nose against yours and swallowed thickly, eyes glittering with enjoyment.
“You are even more beautiful than you were on our wedding day, my love.” he mused, “You’ve always been gorgeous to me, and every day, your beauty increases.”
“Even with the wrinkles?” you said with humour in your voice. Your husband laughed, nodding.
“Absolutely.” he murmured, “I love every inch about you.”
“Likewise, Vander,” you told him, “My handsome silverfox.”
He chuckled and brought you down into a dip, and when he pulled you up, enveloped your lips into a gentle kiss, chaste enough to share in front of the children. “The things I’d do to you right now if the kids hadn’t been here,” he breathed into your ear during the concluding line of the song, causing you to become flustered and heat to pool between your legs.
“Don’t tease me, Vander.”
“You know me, eh? Always lovin’ that delicious blush of yours.”
You playfully hit his chest, and he caught your hand to press a peck against the back of it, the children cheering and applauding your dance.
Vander grinned, putting an arm around your waist to pull you against him. With a content sigh, you rested into his chest, watching the children begin to chat amongst one another, Powder finally reaching for her lemonade.
Happiness filled your body and left your mind feeling fuzzy.
Oh, you loved this family, and you wouldn’t change it for the world.