flicker // peter parker

memory #1 : youngblood

y'all, life is hitting me like a truck but I'm hoping to get the next real chapter out soon. have this cute series of flashbacks

BABY ELLIE AND CONNOR

BABY ELENORA WAS A TROUBLEMAKER.

Never in front of Beatrice, and never in the eyes of Charles.

But to everyone else? Elenora was a hell-raiser. She was just pretty good at hiding it. Sweetheart Connor was usually the victim of her attacks, but she strategically timed them so absolutely no one would know what made him cry.

Devon knew that the black-haired, blue-eyed child was the reason his brown-haired green-eyed son was upset, but he said nothing; just tried to intervene before Connor could get upset.

As much as she loved terrorizing Connor by taking his toys and knocking down his towers, Elenora absolutely adored him; she was always trying to help Devon feed him and when he cried she would give him hugs.

That's part of the reason no one believed that Elenora could be cruel - she was so sweet to him, and honestly, Connor loved being by her. Even if she pulled his hair and pushed him, Connor didn't stop trying to share his cars and blocks.

There was one time when Beatrice wasn't feeling well, and Charles had a meeting, and Devon was nowhere to be found, and Professor Logan was babysitting.

For a while, he just sat on the couch of the central living room of the Insitute - it after lights outs, so it was empty - and the two children were situated on a blanket in front of him, and as he dozed off, the two of them played with a puzzle or something.

He woke up to the sound of wailing.

Half scared for the children's life and a half for his own - Bea was scary when she was angry - Logan leaped up, and immediately gawked at the situation in front of him.

Elenora Charlotte Rogers had thrown a puzzle piece right at Connor's face. Like right at him. And as the little boy clutched his face and cried, Elenora sat there for a moment before rushing forward and hugging him.

"No cry," she said, drawing out the words and she patted his head, surprisingly calm. "Con, Con, no cry."

Logan literally stared at Elenora before reaching forward, picking up a puzzle piece and saying, "You can't throw things at people. That hurts them." He felt like an idiot talking to a child, but Beatrice told him that they had to speak to the babies so they'd learn to speak and listen.

Elenora, despite knowing exactly what he was saying, cocked her head and stared at him, confused.

Sighing, Logan tried again, shaking the piece in her face. "Elenora, you can't throw things," he told her again, motioning to a still crying Connor. Extending his arms, Logan reached forward to pick up Connor but instead was greeted with a puzzle piece thrown in his face.

He stared down at Elenora, irritated, and she hugged Connor tighter.

"No!" she exclaimed defiantly, her nose scrunching.

Logan was ready to start losing his cool, but before he could, Beatrice was strolling in the room.

"I thought I'd find you here," she said softly, her voice laced with fatigue, and the bags under her eyes emphasized by the glow of the fireplace.

When her mother came into view, Elenora started to wiggle around, holding arms up with a huge smile, and Connor watched her curiously, mimicking her actions.

Picking up Elenora in one arm, asking, "How was my baby girl?" as she learned to pick up Connor with the other. Logan could tell that the weight of two children was a burden for her, but she didn't let either of them know it, smiling to both of them.