Through Me

You're crying.

Crying.

Standing in the kitchen with a broken bag of flour at your feet and a spilled cup of milk dripping over the edge of the counter, a mixing bowl askew, eggs cracked across your toes.

The house is chaos.

Orion and Phoenix are at your feet, bickering, while Pyx is crawling around, slapping her palms in the mess on the floor.

No one notices him in the doorway. Only once he drops his bag do the kids turn, all immediately on their feet sprinting towards him, slamming their full weight into his knee caps. They seem to be fine.

"Mama!" Pyx shrieks, and you bend, scoop her up as you give him an apologetic smile, all wrong on your tear stained face.

"Okay, give dad some space please." Orion and Phoenix are peppering him with questions, wondering about souvenirs. It's rare he travels for work now, but when he does, he always brings something back. He manages to pull you in over the tops of their heads, landing a kiss to your temple. "We were going to bake you a cake," you sniffle, Pyx's fist swinging into your neck, tiny fingers looking to grab onto your skin like claws as you wipe her down, "but it got out of control and then-"

"Pyxie knocked the bowls over and Orion dropped the eggs!" Phoenix shouts proudly. Her brother groans.

"Did not!" He protests, looking up with big eyes, and Simon pats his head.

"Alright, alright. Let's all go sit down huh? Go watch a movie while I help mama clean up, how's that?" You wave your hand.

"You go, I got it." He ignores you.

"Orion, take your sisters." His son leads the other two out, cake war already forgotten in the face of some screen time, and he pulls you in close.

"Sweetheart-"

"I'm not crying, I swear. It was just a stressful moment. I'm fine."

"I know." He kisses your forehead, your cheek, dotting every single inch of your face until he finds your lips.

"I missed you." You murmur into his mouth, and he gives it right back.

"Missed you too. So much. I hate these ops." Every one, he says it's the last. Somehow John always gets the better of him though. You sigh.

"You should go get some cuddle time. I'll clean up." He shakes his head.

"No. You go get some you time, and I'll clean up." Like hell he's just going to disappear down the hallway and leave you to this mess. You need a break. It's been just you and the kids for two weeks now.

"No, I'm fine. Really, it's-"

"Mama." He forcibly turns you, and then snakes a hand down your spine to the curve of your ass, sending you on your way with a swat. "Go." You giggle.

"Alright. If you insist."