Kyle "Gaz" Garrick x M!Reader

Twenty-Eight

"DAAAD!", as if struck by lightning, you startled out of your sleep as a sharp scream threatened to tear your eardrums apart.

You looked around in panic, your hand searching blindly for Kyle to grab his arm.

"Awake?", he asked with a grin and raised his eyebrows.

Anger and confusion mingled on your face. Your eyebrows furrowed, you glanced over your shoulder.

"Matti...", sighing, you stretched out your hand so that he could wrap his little fingers around it.

Grinning broadly, he kicked his feet in the air. He had lost a sock, however he had managed that. Sleepily, Elliot tilted his head, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He yawned.

"I'm hungry!", he complained loudly.

You sighed.

"Congratulations, our first stop.", you turned to Kyle.

He just grinned.

"Already waaay ahead of you.", he gestured through the windscreen towards a petrol station. "We have to refuel. And there's bound to be something to eat there."

"As long as it fills you up.", you snorted.

"Doesn't have to taste good, has to do its job. Good old army rule."

"Somehow I can't imagine that the military makes for a fulfilling life."

He laughed softly. Thoughts shimmered in the brown of his eyes as he steered the car onto the slip road.

"Sometimes it does.", he replied quietly after a while. "Sometimes it doesn't."

You looked thoughtfully at the expression on his face.

"Do you miss it?", you asked suddenly.

You didn't know why you asked. But you feared the answer.

Because what if it wouldn't involve you?

He didn't answer for a moment. Then he opened the door and got out to get Matti out of his seat. Not expecting an answer, you got out too and helped Elliot on the other side.

As soon as his little feet touched the ground, he took off like a whirlwind, heading straight for the petrol station door.

"Hey, not so fast!", you grabbed him by the collar, lifted him up and opened the boot to place him there. "Foot."

You raised a hand demanding that he help you put on your shoes. His lips puffed out, he shook his head.

"No!", he kicked his feet. "I don't want to!"

"Your feet will get wet.", Kyle placed Matti next to Elli and searched for his shoes.

"I like wet socks.", mumbled Matthias with a yawn.

Kyle pulled a face.

"You're raising a psychopath.", he muttered visibly concerned in your direction.

Playfully annoyed, you rolled your eyes.

"Yeah, you just want me to look like a bad guy.", you said back and shoved one of Elliot's feet into a small shoe that didn't even fit in your hand.

Sullenly, he tried to kick the shoe off again. You caught him and pushed the shoe straight back in.

"We want to go out for dinner, Elli.", you tried to explain to him gently. "No food without shoes."

Matti took off one of his shoes and held it in his small hands.

"Can I walk like this?", he asked innocently.

"No."

"But I have shoes."

"On your feet, my darling. You have to wear the shoes on your feet."

Disappointed, he looked at Kyle. With a shrug of his shoulders, he helped him back into his shoe.

"If you don't want to walk, I'll carry you.", he offered with open arms.

Matti shook his head, yawned and then let himself fall back into his arms.

"Your brother's already finished.", you said, tickling Elliot's tummy.

He laughed. Then his stomach growled and a look of tears appeared in his eyes.

"Dad...", he grumbled.

You sighed.

"Shoes.". you said, pointing to the second foot, which was still only wearing a sock.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"Pleaseeeeee. I don't want to."

"You have to."

He silently held out his foot to you with a pout and put up with it as you put the second shoe on.

"Do you want to go on my arm too?", you asked.

Shaking his head, he let himself slide to the floor and stalked towards the door. He stopped halfway, held out his small hand and silently demanded that you take it.

"Only talking people can be helped, my darling.", you said with a smile and stroked his curly hair.

"Hand.", he said with his cheeks puffed out.

"Full sentences, big boy.", Kyle said calmly as he walked past you.

Elliot looked him up and down. Then he snorted.

"You're not my dad!", he protested.

"But he's right.", you pinch Elliot's chubby cheek lightly.

Chuckling, he pushed your hand away.

"I want to hold your hand.", he said, opening his fingers.

"Sure.", like he wanted, you offered him two fingers so he could grab them and allowed him to lead you.

"What are we going to have big boy?", Kyle asked Matti when he was the first at the buffet.

"Something sweet.", he grabbed the polished disc with his little finger. "Pancakes!"

Kyle glanced over his shoulder to see if he could agree with you. Tiredly you shrugged, it was just after eight in the morning, you had hardly slept and your children were both in pyjamas. You didn't have the strength to argue.

"One time won't kill them.", you shrugged and grabbed a plate. "What do you want?"

"Take first for the kids. We can go twice."

He took four tickets for the all-you-can-eat breakfast at the till and then sat Matti down at a table by the window with a full plate.

"And you?", he asked as you sat down at the table with a steaming cup of coffee and Elliot in your arms.

"Coffee.", you replied and took a sip.

He smirked.

"Any other requests, Dad?", he asked teasingly.

You raised an eyebrow sceptically. A mischievous expression gleamed in the brown of his eyes. You both looked at each other for a long moment. Warm brown melted into the sparkle of your (E/C) eyes. Warmth spread through your chest and suddenly you found yourself wishing he would call you that more often.

Or not quite since something a little different would have been far more exciting.

"I...", you pressed your lips into a thin line. "I'll get us something."

"I'm coming with you.", he looked at Matti and Elli. "You two are already big. We'll be right back."