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reidslovely · 18 days ago

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That's Just When You Happened

Chapter One: Red in the Face, Shy All of the Sudden

Summary: After the death of his life partner and mother of his child Tobias finds himself lingering through life with just the intent of taking care of their daughter, and teaching her everything he knows. However, one shockingly sunny teacher, will change the course he has planned for himself.

Pairing: Tobias Durand x OC/Reader

Content Warnings: Reader has a name but is given a nickname at the end of the chapter that she'll be known as for the rest of the fic mostly. There are mentions of grief and parental loss. Other than that it is pretty digestible.

Only posting this because I cannot wait for the wide release, and it'll inspire me to write chapter three.

We Live in Time spoilers ahead

Please as always reblog and comment.

Parent teacher meetings were never easy.

He was very much used to doing this with his other half…his better half if you asked him. In the last year and a half this was not a thought that crossed his mind, what was he going to do with meetings that used to involve the both of them?

He never considered having to do this part alone.

Yes, he considered the implications of being a widow and a father. He discussed it in therapy as soon as he could fathom it, he even brought it up to the others in his grief group. No one had a right answer to his questions.

‘When do I stop buying food at the market for three and start focusing on just two?’

‘When do I stop laying out her clothes in the morning? Or bring myself to put up her toothbrush?’

This parent teacher stuff though? That was not a topic he thought about till the school year started.

Eleanor clung to Tobias as they walked down the tiled floors of the primary school. He’d put on his nicest white shirt and jeans, having been working from home in his sweats most of the day, he liked the occasional excuse to dress up. He’d dawned Ellie in her panda sweater that matched the bear she’d been so lovingly clinging to for the last year and a half. It was the last thing Almuthad bought her, and Tobias would never ask her why suddenly panda’s became her favorite animal.

“You aren’t in trouble are you Ella?” He taunted playfully, swinging his hand that was still enclosed in his daughters as they neared the end of the hall.

The little pigtailed girl shook her head with a laugh, whispering a small ‘no’ dragging out the last syllable. Tobias laughed nodding his head, he never knew with her, she was so much like her mother.

“I’m good in Ms. Poole’s class. She’s nice, and has a very nice story time voice.”

“Better than mine?”

There was no response as they neared the brightly decorated door. Tobias took the smile and silence from his daughter as a quiet yes. His face feigned fake offense as he knocked on the open door. “Hello?” He asked, pushing it open slightly, revealing a younger woman sitting on the floor organizing a bookshelf. She looked over her shoulder smiling at the two of them, the brightness of her smile contrasted the dark clothing she was wearing.

His eyes raked over her appearance against his own will. She was wearing a gray sweater tucked into a long black skirt and boots that complimented the weather outside.

“Hi Ella! How are you hun?”

“Goood.” Ellie smiled hugging the teacher, the panda hanging loose in her hand. It was the first time Tobias hadn’t seen her death grip on the plush, he thinks.

“That’s awesome.” Ms. Poole smiles, patting Ellie’s back. Her eyes find Tobias’ as she stands up, Ella still hanging on her skirt. “Hey honey, why don’t you help yourself to the toy box while your daddy and I talk, yeah?”

Ellie smiled and ran over the corner of the room, practically dumping out the box of toys. Tobias stood awkwardly at the door taking in the classroom, he could understand why his daughter loved this teacher so much.

The room was decorated in a mix of soft greens, with dusty blue accents. It was colorful and the stars hanging from the ceiling gave a sense of whimsy to the room. “You must be Mr. Durand, it’s nice to finally meet you.” The voice pulled him out of his admiration for the room. He smiled reaching his hand out, shaking her freshly manicured hand.

“You’re american.”

A brief silence fell between them, before he laughed it off awkwardly.

“Sorry, sorry. I just heard it and couldn’t..”

“You’re fine. I am yes.”

They were talking over each other, their voices merging together. Ms. Poole dropped his hand, standing back. “Have a seat.” She grinned, motioning around them. Tobias looked around, squatting his six-foot frame down onto the chairs mean for the year one students. Matching his movements, the dark haired teacher sat across from him in the bright white chair crossing her legs. Tobias looked over her shoulder, making sure Ella was still good and content. She smiled at him, as she curled up on a bean bag chair reading a picture book.

“Your daughter is quite brilliant for her age.”

Tobias slowly pulls his eyes to her face again, she’s younger than him. Somewhere between twenty-five and thirty, but he doesn’t ask. It’s rude. Besides, why should he care?

“Thank you my..partner and I, we worked hard teaching her young. She lives to read, and art. She loves art.”

“I know.” Ms. Poole smiles, flipping through the stack of papers. “It’s part of the reason I wanted to talk to you.” She slides a picture over to Tobias, the blank white of the back could have never prepared him for what he saw.

“Eleanor drew this after, what I’m guessing was maybe a particularly bad day. We had a couple moms come into the class to help out with the art for the day. It seems she, maybe, felt sort of left out.”

The teacher's voice shook slightly as she talked, like she was nervous for a reaction. “I didn’t..I wasn’t aware of the situation, and had I been.” She was fighting for words, and Tobias’ hand shook as he held the paper in his. A small girl crying in what appeared to be a field of sorts. Nothing above average for what a small child of seven could do. But it broke his heart all together.

“She’s in therapy twice a week.” It came out blunt and forceful, almost that he was pushing it off.

“It’s good, art is a good vessel for grief. I just wanted to make you aware of that first.”

“Why do you care? Did you like, give her a failing grade for expressing how she fel-”

“No sir.” Ms. Poole “In fact I passed her, the assignment was to draw something about your mother, and she followed the assignment.” Her calm tone eased his passive aggressive one, he’d been to quick to jump to anger when the topic was brought up lately. One of those silly stages of grief he guessed. He let his shoulders fall, almost feeling Almunt’s hand on his shoulder easing him into the conversation telling him to hear her out.

“I lost both of my parents young, to an extent I know what Ella is going through, Mr. Durand.” She tapped her brown manicured nails on the table top. “If you guys need anything, I’m more than happy to help out. Ella is a brilliant girl, I’m sure not unlike her mother, you should be proud.”

A shaky breath left Tobias, he hadn’t been aware he was holding it. “I am.” His eye casted down to the folder that held what he could assume was more drawings.

“Oh yes, so the reason I wanted to bring you here is outside of making you aware of..” Her eyes casted down to the picture in his hand. “We are having a art showcase and I need to pick a student from my class to submit and I wanted to put some of Ella’s art in there.”

Tobias flipped through the drawings, some more well done than others but noticeably better than that of most kids her age. Tobias smiled, nodding his head. “Did you hear that Ellie!?”

Eleanor ran over, her stuffed animal in one arm and book tucked in the other. She stood on her tip-toes as she listened. Tobias smiled as his daughter stared at Ms. Poole in fascination as the teacher explained what the showcase would be, and how many pieces Ella could put into it. Ella picked out what he assumed were her top three favorites. One was of their dog, the little wolf-hound mutt he and Almuthad picked out towards the end of her last treatment. Birdie, as Ella had affectionately called him. Second was a drawing of Ella and him, at the ice skating rink, with writing above it that read “Saying hi to mommy.”. Tobias smiled as she proudly showed them to her, patting her back. Something in him told him to look up, catching Ms. Poole stared at him, seemingly admiration in her eyes. Tobias smiled back, nodding at her.

“Oh!” Ella “This one is when Ms. Lucy was pushing me on the swings!” Ella says, handing her last pick to the dark haired teacher.

“Whose Ms. Lucy?” Tobias laughed looking at his daughter. Ella pointed at Ms. Poole, who was laughing with a raised hand.

“That would be me.” She laughs “I go by either, sometimes the first name is easier to pronounce than the last.”

Lucy..everything about her was so bright and inviting, except her clothes and color pattern, he could see why kids loved her. Ella ran off back to the storytime rug. “You know for such dark clothes, you are an awfully bright person.”

She blinked at him, almost in shock before laughing. “Well I work with little kids, I’m not that morbid, these are just the colors I feel most comfortable in Mr. Durand.”

Tobias nodded his head, all these years later he still couldn’t talk to people. He followed her over to her desk, he looked around noticing framed pictures of her and seemingly her friends. A gold framed wedding photo of who he could only assume was her parents. Tobias watched as she picked up one of those squishy fidget balls, turning it over in her hand as she printed off some consent forums.

“How’d you..get into teaching?” He asked, sitting in a more comfortable cushioned chair in front of her desk. “If you wa..want to tell me that is.”

She smiled at him, flashing her teeth giving him a real laugh. “I got my undergrad in psychology, I worked in child psych in my very early twenties and decided I didn’t want to experience anymore compassion burnout. But I loved working with kids, so I went back and got my masters in primary education. Moved out here with my friends about two years ago, and…” She shrugged, like that was the end of the story. She pulled the papers out of the printer, they were still hot. She signed her name verifying that she asked and gained consent before handing the warm paper over to Tobias.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

He wasn’t sure why he was trying to make such small talk, he should just sign these papers, get Ella and go home.

“It’s okay it was a long time ago, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for it.”

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

She nodded her head in agreement, smiling sweetly at him pressing her cherry colored lips together. He had to stop noticing these things.

“It does, sometimes it still feels fresh. I’m sure you understand that.” She hums, looking at Ella trading out books again. “Listen, I know what it’s like to be a little girl with no mom, if you ever need someone to talk to her..I’m fine doing that.”

Tobias looked at her, he was sure his big brown eyes were not hiding the tears well. He nodded his head quickly and pushed the paper back towards her after he had finished signing. “I appreciate that.”

“Ms. L!” Ella yells running over holding two books to her chest. “Can I have these this weekend”

“Ella those are he-”

“Of course you can honey!” Tobias looked over at Ms. L, who was smiling, made a note of it, putting it on the top of her planner. She passed a smile over at him, shaking her head letting him know it was okay. Tobias took Ella into his lap, holding her close as he slid the books into the bag. “Can Ms. L, go get ice cream with us?”

Tobias was taken back for a moment before looking at the teacher who sat in front of them. “You’re more than welcome to..come. If you’d like.”

The dark haired girl in front of them smiled and checked the computer in front of her. She took a minute and Tobias sat still, almost feeling any movement he’d take would change the outcome of her answer.

“As much as I would love to Ellie, I’m afraid I have to get some work done. But I’ll see you on Sunday at the showcase, and you can tell me how yummy it was.” She laughs patting her leg. Tobias felt his shoulders slump again, as he stood holding Ella on his hip.

“It was so nice to meet you, Ms. Poole.”

“Please call me Lucy.” She smiled, shaking his hand.

He nodded, but he’d already given her a nickname in his head. ‘Sunny.’ he just thought it fit her better. “Sure, Ms. L..” He laughs letting go of her head waving an awkward bye as he walks out, his daughter on his hip.

“You think Ms. L is pretty.” Ella said as Tobias wiped the ice cream off her face. He furrowed his brows, staring at his daughter.

“That is none of your business, little miss.”

He laughed, why was his six year old reading him like this. He took a bite of his ice cream sundae looking at the time on his watch. Ella was truly, too much like Almut for their own good. “But you stare at her..you only ever stared at mommy.”

“Well, yes she seems very nice. I was just shocked is all.”

Ella giggles and fists more ice cream into her mouth watching the kids in the play place play. “Ready to go?” He asks, starting to pack up their stuff as Ella finishes her last couple bites. She nods her head reaching her hand out, wrapping it in Tobias’ as they walk towards the car. He let out a soft sigh, loading her up into the car seat and walking towards the driver seat. A head of dark hair catching his eye, for a minute he looks up hoping to catch a glimpse of the sun.

#tasm!peter imagine #bambi recs #bambi talks #bambi writes #tobias durand x reader #tobias durand #we live in time fic #we live in time #tasm peter parker #andrew garfield x reader

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