Mullet Man

A Home is Made of Love and Dreams

AN: So me and my mom are living with her friend, and she's got two kids. One's two and a half (Bohdi) and the other turned one a month ago (Kaden). So I based a lot of Tate's speech off of Bohdi's, since he's about the same age.

Bella looked up from her book at the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"It's Fidds!" She grinned, struggling to stand up from the pile of blankets. Stan helped her up before answering the door. Sure enough, Fiddleford was standing outside with Tate in his arms.

"Howdy Stan," he greeted with a smile.

"Fidds!" Bella cheered, doing her best to hug her best friend.

"Bella!" Fiddleford chuckled and hugged her with one arm. "Tate sweetie, this here's yer Aunt Bella."

"Oh my gosh, ya've gotten so big!" Bella cooed. Tate grinned and hid his face in Fiddleford's shirt.

"Quit actin' shy," Fiddleford chuckled, setting the toddler on the apartment floor. "Wow Bella, yer gettin' pretty big, too. Ya sure ya don' got twins in there? Elizabeth wasn' that big at four months."

Stan frowned slightly.

"That's actually pretty likely," he spoke. "Twins kinda... run in my family."

"Oh. I-I was just jokin'-"

"Oh," Bella mumbled, biting at the skin around her fingernails. She shook her head. "We'll deal with that when we come ta it. Fer now, how abou' we get all the furniture moved in?"

"Good idea," Stan agreed. "I'm getting tired of sleeping on the floor."

"Alright," Fiddleford nodded. "Tate, why don' ya play with Aunt Bella while Pa an' Uncle Stan get some work done? Bella, ya don' mind, do ya?"

"A'course not," Bella grinned. "It'll be good practice."

"Great," Fiddleford pulled off the small backpack he was carrying. "Here's some'a his toys."

"Kk," Bella took the backpack. "Come on Tate, let's go sit out- out'a the way."

Tate nodded and followed Bella over to the kitchen area. She sat down on the floor and Tate sat in front of her, smiling.

"Alright Bella, we're gonna need yer input on where stuff goes," Fiddleford said. "Ah've labeled all the boxes, an' we'll bring in the furniture last."

"Kk," Bella repeated.

As Stan and Fiddleford carried boxes in, Fiddleford read out the labels and Bella said which room to set them in. Most of the boxes were put in the living room.

"I don' think we'll be able ta fit everything in th- in the apartment," Bella said.

"Ah could hold on ta the rest'a what ya don' necessarily need," Fiddleford offered. "Ah'm sure y'all ain't gonna stay here ferever."

"Yeah, definitely not," Stan nodded.

"Thanks, Fidds," Bella smiled.

"Vroom vroom!" Tate giggled, running a toy car up Bella's arm.

"Ah, sweetie, not the arm," Bella said, moving Tate's hand so he had the car on the floor. "Ah've got some bad mosquito bites there an' I'm tryin' ta ignore them."

"Ok," Tate said. He rolled the toy car along the floor, and Stan just avoided stepping on it.

"Woah! Careful, kiddo," Stan warned.

"'orry!" Tate spoke, waddling over and grabbing the toy.

"Tate, come here," Bella said. "Lemme see the car."

"Ok!" Tate hurried back over and dropped the car into Bella's hand before sitting down. She ran it along the floor, blowing a raspberry and making a car noise. Tate giggled when she pushed it along his leg.

"Bella, Ah'm assumin' the stuffed animals all go in the bedroom?" Fiddleford asked, him and Stan each holding a box labeled 'stuffed animals'.

"Yeah," Bella nodded. "Oh wai- wai- wait! Let me see the smaller box."

Fiddleford set the box he was carrying down next to Bella, who started digging through it. Tate stood up to peer into the box.

"Wow!" He exclaimed.

"Wow indeed," Bella chuckled. "Let's see, which one?"

Tate gasped suddenly and grabbed a stuffed raccoon that was about the size of his head.

"'Coon!" He giggled, showing it off.

"Yeah, raccoon!" Bella nodded. "Yer pa gave me this one. When we were... little."

"'Coon 'coon 'coon!" Tate repeated, running around.

"Alright, ya want that one?" Bella laughed. "'T's all yers."

"Yay!" Tate cheered. "Achoo!"

"Yer welcome," Bella responded. She ruffled the toddler's hair and he giggled.

Stan watched the two of them (mostly Bella) and Fiddleford had to shake his shoulder to get his attention.

"Huh?"

"Ah said, 'let's start bringin' in the furniture'," Fiddleford repeated.

"Oh. Right," Stan nodded, following the other out of the apartment.

"...Ya really like Bella, huh?" Fiddleford asked once they reached the moving van.

"Well yeah. Of course," Stan answered.

"Good," Fiddleford nodded and smiled casually. "Cuz, ya know, if ya ever hurt her... let's just say that Ah have a sort'a history with robots. An' not a good one."

"What're you-"

"Stanley, she's mah best friend," Fiddleford deadpanned. "Practically my sister. An' Ah don' care if yer her boyfriend. Ah don' even care if yer Stanferd's twin. Ya better not hurt her. Or else."

"Yeesh, don't worry! I'm not gonna hurt her," Stan assured. "I wouldn't. I won't."

"Good," Fiddleford smiled. "Now help me carry the couch in."

-----

By the end of the day, all the furniture was set up. The loveseat couch was in the corner of the living room, with a side table sat next to it. Across the room was a TV set on a short bookshelf. Another taller bookshelf stood next to it, empty for now. There was a wooden table filled with scratches and chips in the middle of the room by the kitchen area. Two benches sat with it, with Tate currently sitting on one and eating crackers.

"This looks good," Bella smiled and nodded. "A bit cramped with all the boxes, but those won' be there ferever."

"It is pretty awesome that we have a bed to sleep on now," Stan chuckled.

"An' there'll be enough room in there ta fit a crib," Fiddleford added.

"Hey, do you an' Tate wanna stay the night?" Bella asked. "Or do you want to- Or do you wanna stay the night? It's a long drive back up ta... Palo Alto."

"That would be great," Fiddleford nodded. "Ah packed Tate some pajamas just in case."

"Awesome," Bella grinned and hugged her friend. "Ooh, Ah've missed ya so much! I don' get ta hug ya that much anymore."

"Ah know, it's awful," Fiddleford laughed.