Claiming Them

Wildfire

Wednesday December 11, 2019

It had been about a week since Luna joined them, and already she had become a near permanent fixture in the house, only really going home to sleep, and coming by early in the day to help KiRin with Andrew and the house, which was especially helpful when KiRin had appointments. Andrew still insisted on calling Luna Mama, despite Jude's attempts at convincing him otherwise, and she continued to assure him that it was fine. In that short time, Luna had become the picture of domestic. Going from expensive, designer ensembles with full makeup and elaborate hairstyles, to a simple cotton t-shirt and jeans with her hair pulled into a ponytail and her makeup simple. She already adored Andrew, and if it hadn't been for the very obvious racial difference, you would never guess that he wasn't her son.

That day, for the first time, Luna was alone. Jude, Jay, and the rest of the men were at the office, recording a demo to show to Mr. Kim of the song that Han had written, which he called Wildfire. KiRin was booked solid for the day with end of year staff psych evaluations, and Estelle, who had moved in earlier that week, was at the office as well. Which left Luna alone with the little toddler.

"Mama!" came a little voice from the nursery, followed by the appearance of a curly mop of hair. Luna turned to the little boy, who was now running across the room toward her with a shovel and bucket in his hands.

"What is it, baby?" Luna asked, amused at the excited smile on the boys face.

"Part?" he asked, holding out the bucket and shovel.

"You want to go to the park?" Luna asked. Andrew nodded, vigorously, his father's toothy grin and dimples on his round cheeks. "Let me make sure that's okay with Daddy, okay?" Andrew agreed, and Luna called Jude.

"Hey, baby." Jude almost yelled over the drums banging in the background. "Hang on just a second."

"Chio, Bello." Luna giggled. The drums began to get quieter in the background, and Luna heard a door shut.

"What's up?" he asked, once he could be heard. "Everything okay?"

"Si. Everything is fine." Luna picked up Andrew, who was patting her leg expectantly, and sat him on her lap. "I just wanted to make sure it was okay to take Andrew to the park. He wants to play in the sandbox."

"Yeah, that's fine." Jude laughed, and she could almost see him shaking his head as he continued, "You don't have to ask, Bella. I trust you with him. Just take him to the community park for today, and I'll try to remember to buy some sand for the playground out back so you don't have to go all the way over there if you don't want to."

"Alright, Bello," she said with a smile. "What time will you all be home?"

"I'm about finished, Jay is going to be a while longer, and I think Rin said her last appointment is at four so she should be done at fiveish. The base line for the song is pretty simple, but Han really went to town on the drumbeats and it's kicking Jay's ass," Jude said with a chuckle. "How about I leave him here with Rin, meet you two at the park, and then we can head home when they get done?" Luna agreed, and they said goodbye, then she stood with Andrew in her arms and went to find his coat and hers.

"Alright, little man." Luna said, once she'd bundled up the excitedly vibrating two-year-old, "Let's get going, shall we?" Andrew squealed in delight, and they were off, accompanied by Cesar, to the park at the center of the community.

As soon as the phone hung up, Jude turned around and walked back into the studio. The banging had stopped, and Han sat at the mixing desk, slumped in the chair, and looking worn, while a shirtless Jay threw his drumsticks at the padded wall of the live room. Han groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face, before looking back at Jude, imploringly. "Fix it," he mouthed, and Jude nodded. Han flicked off the sound for the live room, and Jude went in.