the book of fluff (that usually isn't)

rosemary

we just got home a few hours ago

this part sucks because my head hurts and i don't really feel like writing but i wanted to get something out for you dudes

enjoy i guess

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"Goodbye, Rosie. Don't forget to tell your father to come see me for our conference, okay?" Scott told the little kindergartener, handing her her backpack. "Okay, Mr. Hoying!" Rosemary chirped, grinning up at him. "And maybe after you could get dinner together!" Scott smiled and chuckled softly. "You mean like a date?"

"Yeah!"

"Don't you have a mommy?"

"No, Mr. Hoying," Rosemary said, her smile fading a bit. "My daddy said he left before I was adopted. Daddy got me so he wouldn't be sad anymore." Scott frowned slightly and knelt to hug her, rubbing her back. "I'm sorry, Rosie. I'm sure neither you or your father deserved that." Rosemary quickly grinned again and hugged him back, letting herself nuzzle her face in his neck. "It's okay. I like you, so you can be my new mommy!" Scott couldn't help but smile, but he gently separated himself from her. "I don't know, Rosie. Your father might not even be interested in me." Rosemary's eyes widened slightly, as though the idea was so preposterous she couldn't wrap her head around it. "I've told him all about you, Mr. Hoying. If he doesn't ask you to on a date tomorrow, I will be very surprised." Scott smiled again, but he fondly shook his head. "Alright, Rosie. You should get going."

"Okay, Mr. Hoying! Bye, bye!"

"Bye, Rosie."

Rosemary waved one last time and scampered from the classroom, hurrying out to the carpool line. Mitch jumped slightly when he felt his daughter tug on his sleeve, but he relaxed when he saw who it was and smiled tiredly. "Hi, baby girl. How was school?" he asked, taking her hand. "Good! Mr. Hoying wanted me to remind you that you have to come see him tomorrow," Rosemary told him, skipping along at his side. Mitch groaned and bit his lip worriedly. "That's tomorrow?" Rosemary grinned and nodded, peering up at her father. "Yes, Daddy! You get to meet Mr. Hoying! I think you should take him to dinner after."

"Baby, I don't know if I can do it tomorrow," Mitch said worriedly, chewing on his lip. "I have work." Rosemary's smile slowly faded, and she stopped skipping. "Can't you just skip it? This is important, Daddy..." Mitch sighed shakily and squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to keep the headache from forming. "I know, Rosie, but I can't miss work. We need the money. I can barely afford to feed you every night, if I miss a day I might get fired and then I'd-... I can't. Maybe we can reschedule?" he murmured, his voice cracking from exhaustion. Rosemary whimpered quietly, tears forming in her eyes. "Daddy, it's okay. I don't need food. Please, please go to it. Mr. Hoying can be my mommy."

"You need food, princess. You're a growing girl. I'm sorry this is your life, you deserve so much better..." Mitch trailed off, unable to keep going. He didn't want to cry in front of his daughter. Rosemary sniffled and held her arms up to Mitch, and he obediently picked her up, holding her small body close. "I don't want anyone else, Daddy," Rosemary whispered, and she buried her face in Mitch's neck.

+++

Scott sat at his desk after his kindergarteners left, grading their spelling tests. The occasional smile graced his lips when he spotted a mistake, as they were usually adorable. Mitch suddenly rushed inside the classroom, holding his sleeping daughter on his hip. "I'm so sorry, I had work and—"

He cut off when Scott looked up to see his visitor. His words left him, and all he could do was run his eyes over Scott's features. The kindergarten teacher was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Scott smiled slightly and blushed a bit, his gaze turning shy. Mitch blinked a few times to break out of his trance, a light blush forming on his own cheeks. "Y-Yeah. Sorry. I had to bring Rosie because I couldn't find a babysitter," he finished awkwardly, subconsciously holding his daughter tighter. In truth, he'd brought her because he couldn't afford a babysitter. Scott nodded slightly and stood to shake his hand. "It's not a problem, Mr. Grassi. I've heard a lot about you," he said kindly, smiling. Mitch smiled back uncertainly and reciprocated the handshake, even though it was a bit awkward due to Rosemary. "All good things, I hope." He really hoped Mr. Hoying didn't know about their financial situation, or about how he couldn't afford to feed both himself and his daughter every night, or about how he sometimes had to leave Rosemary alone while she slept to do the unthinkable to earn just a bit more money.

"Oh, yes. Don't worry. Rosemary talks very highly of her father," Scott reassured, releasing Mitch to sit back down at his desk. "Please, sit." Mitch nodded slightly and slowly sat down in the chair provided, holding his daughter protectively — after all, she was all he had. Scott went through his papers for a moment before he extracted Rosemary's file, and then he began.

"Rosemary is a very smart girl. She's always attentive in class, and she is very kind to all of her classmates. Really, I can't think of anything that you might need to work on with her at home. You've raised her well."

"Thank you," Mitch said quietly, peeking up at him. "Um, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but..." He paused and sighed shakily, gathering his courage. "My Rosie really wanted me to ask you out to dinner, but I'm afraid I c-can't tonight, so would you mind if we could get together at some point? I'm sorry, I don't want to let her down." Scott smiled slightly and suppressed a blush, nodding. "Of course. Do you want to exchange numbers and figure something out later?" he asked, his hand going to his phone in his pocket. Mitch bit his lip and shook his head slightly — he hadn't been able to pay his phone bill that month. "My phone is b-broken," he lied, holding Rosemary tighter. "Just... I usually pick Rosemary up from school, you could come out and we could schedule something then."

Scott frowned a bit, but he nodded. "Of course. Monday?"

"Yes, that works. Thank you so much."

"Of course. You seem nice," Scott said with a small smile. Mitch forced a smile back, standing from his chair and adjusting his daughter. "Thank you. I'll see you Monday, Mr. Hoying," he said, and then, he was gone.