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Ivy's First Day

Summary: Smoke and Annie's daughter is starting kindergarten and Smoke doesn't know what to do with himself.

Author's note: Pleaseee enjoy, this came to me and I had to share, a lot of this free writing is helping me with my series, let me know what you think and please forgive any errors of mine<3333

WC: 7.6K

6:20 am.

The Moore household had looked forward to this day for weeks, Ivy’s first day of kindergarten. The sweetest thing in their house after her mama was starting kindergarten and Smoke was trying his hardest to keep it together. He went to orientation, met her teacher, he toured the school with Annie, learning where her only baby would be spending her time, eating her lunch, making friends and learning social skills that would prepare her for growing up, growing up? Where had the time gone? It felt like she just entered the world and was wrapped in that pink baby blanket, that she just got her first two teeth, took her first steps and finally said ‘da-da’. God he was a mess at 6am, he had shed a few tears twice already before Annie even woke up.

He peeked in Ivy’s room as she slept snuggled under her hello kitty comforter.

Ivy was an adorable little girl with the kind of warm brown cherub cheeks that made people want to pinch them even when she gave them a look like Smoke's stare that said don't you dare. She was the spitting image of her mama, from her warm brown eyes and long lashes to the soft roundness of her face and the little smile that could melt anybody who saw it. Her curls were thick, full, and growing longer by the day, she had her mama's sweetness too, the gentle way she spoke to people, the empathy she showed even at five years old, and the little habit of tilting her head whenever she was listening closely. But there were pieces of Smoke in her that made Annie laugh, especially the stubborn streak, the way her face scrunched up when something didn't make sense and the way she could give a perfectly innocent look after doing something she knew she wasn't supposed to.

And Smoke? He worshipped the ground that little girl walked on.

The little fist bawled up by her pillows, mouth slightly open, lashes long and shut, yellow bonnet still on her head, she twitched in her sleep like Annie swore he did while he slept but when Ivy slept all he saw was himself in her reflection but when her sweet brown eyes opened all he saw was his wife. Her warmth, her love, her appreciation and empathy, he stepped back slowly to the door quietly shutting it, deciding to let her get a few more minutes of sleep before waking her, he could hear movement in the kitchen downstairs and saw the light illuminate that let him know his wife was awake.

Annie yawned and stretched in her purple house robe as she stood behind the stove aware of her new visitor in the kitchen doorway.

She continued setting up pans for breakfast “You want to take a picture?” She says before turning towards the fridge, he closed the distance between them letting his hands slip around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder as she looked for eggs.

“Mmmm, she still sleeping?” Annie mumbled half asleep herself, he was always a morning person compared to Annie but the next eighteen years she would have to adjust to a new routine

“Give her a few more minutes before I wake her,” He planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

She smiled sleepily, finally pulling the carton of eggs from the refrigerator before turning in his arms to see her husband.

“She’s probably gonna sleep until you wake her,” she murmured.

“You know she got your ability to sleep through anything.” She pinched his cheek with her free hand before escaping his hold to start breakfast.

Smoke huffed as his eyes followed her. “ She got that from you.”

“I wake up.” she responded

“You wake up when you want to.”

Annie looked over her shoulder at him, giving him the slowest, most unimpressed blink her tired eyes could manage. “Okay.”

For a few seconds neither of them said anything, the kitchen was quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator and the faint ticking of the clock above the stove.

She started with the pancake mix when she heard some sniffles behind her, she froze. “Smoke.”

“Hm?”

“...Are you crying?”

“No.” he said but a sniffle two seconds later gave up everything he tried to conceal.

“You are.” she teased.

“I got something in my eye.”

“At six in the morning?”

“..Yeah.”

“Both eyes?”

She turned around from the stove, trying not to laugh when she saw the glassiness in his eyes.

“Oh, baby.” she said as she left the pancake mix alone and went to embrace her husband.

“I’m fine.” he said in her arms.

“You've been crying all morning, haven't you?” she asked as she rubbed his back.

“No.”

“Elijah.”

He sighed. “Twice.”

Annie's face softened immediately, she reached up and rubbed her thumb beneath his eye. “You getting emotional over kindergarten.”

“I ain’t emotional.” He sniffled

“You been holding it in since orientation?” she asked.

“I have not.” he lied, but today was all becoming too much for him.

“You absolutely have. Mrs. Thomas was talking about schoolwork, and you looked like somebody had told you Ivy was leaving for college and not coming home.” Annie released him to continue making breakfast

“That woman was talking about my baby growing up.” he said as he leaned against the fridge and watched her

Annie smiled as she cracked eggs in the mixing bowl. “She’s five.”

“Exactly.”

“She has to grow up.”

“I know.” His voice came out quieter this time.

She turned around as she recognized the sadness in his voice.

“She’s still gonna need you.”

Smoke looked at her. “She better.”

“She will.” She reassured as she poured the egg mix in the hot stove

“And she better call me every day.” he continued.

“Smoke.”

“I'm serious.” He pushed himself off the fridge and closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder.

“She don’t have a phone.”

“I’ll buy one.”

Annie laughed softly against him. “You're gonna scare her teacher.”

“I don't care.”

“You're going to be that dad?”

“I already am that dad.” That made Annie laugh harder, and he finally smiled against her.

Annie leaned back and kissed his cheek. “Come on. Let's make breakfast before she wakes up.”

“One more thing.”

“What?”

She smiled. “Happy first day of kindergarten, papa.”

Smoke's expression immediately crumbled. “Annie…”

“Oh, Lord.” Annie said as she whipped up the pancake mix in another mixing bowl while Smoke watched.

Upstairs, Ivy slept peacefully in her room for another few precious minutes, completely unaware that her first day of kindergarten had already broken her daddy's heart.

___________________________________________________________

Waking her was difficult, but they had a schedule to stick to, and Smoke knew just how excited his little girl was for her first day of kindergarten. She had been talking about this day for weeks, telling everybody who would listen about her new backpack, her teacher, and all the friends she was going to make.

He sat carefully on the edge of her little bed, the mattress dipping beneath his weight.

“Peaches,” Smoke mumbled, reaching for the tiny fist resting against her cheek.

Ivy tugged her hand away and stirred, her face scrunching beneath the yellow bonnet.

“C’mon, angel. It’s time to get up.”

He reached for that little fist again, gently wrapping his fingers around hers.

“Nooo,” Ivy whimpered, barely awake.

Smoke smiled despite himself. “Yes.”

“Five more minutes.” she mumbled, sounding just like her mama.

He chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, well, kindergarten don't care about your five more minutes.”

Ivy slowly cracked one eye open. “Daddy?”

“Yeah, Peaches?”

“Is it time?”

His smile softened. “Yeah, baby. Today’s the day.”

Her sleepy expression changed instantly. “Kindergarten?”

“Mhm.”

She sat up so fast her bonnet nearly slipped off. “Today?!”

Smoke laughed, catching her before she could tumble forward. “Today.”

“I get to wear my new shoes?” she asked enthusiastically, sleep suddenly far from her mind.

“Yep.” he nodded.

“My backpack?” she asked.

“Uh huh.”

“And my lunchbox?” she continued.

“Everything.” he reassured.

Ivy's eyes lit up, suddenly wide awake. “Where's Mama?”

“Making breakfast.”

She scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the blanket before he caught her around the waist. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down.”

“But Daddy!” Ivy whined

“You ain't going nowhere until I get a hug.” Ivy giggled and threw her arms around his neck and Smoke closed his eyes, holding her tightly. For just a second, he let himself stay there: his little girl, his baby. Five years old and already getting ready to step into a world that didn't revolve around him and Annie anymore.

He swallowed hard before kissing the side of her bonnet. “I'm proud of you, Peaches.”

Ivy pulled back and smiled. “I'm proud of you too, Daddy.”

Smoke's eyes immediately watered. “Why you gotta say stuff like that this early?”

Ivy giggled. “Because I love you.”

He pulled her back into his chest. “I love you more than you know.”

From the hallway, Annie's voice called out.

“Y'all come eat!”

“Come on, Daddy. We don't wanna be late.” Smoke followed behind her, shaking his head and smiling.

______________________________________________________________

Ivy was showered and eating her pancakes still in her pajamas, her little legs swinging beneath the kitchen table as she shoveled another bite into her mouth.

“When you finish, we’ll do that hair,” Annie said, glancing at the kitchen clock. “We are still on time, so don’t eat so fast.”

Ivy nodded enthusiastically, cheeks already swollen with pancake pieces and Smoke couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face as he watched her eat.

“Slow down, Peaches,” he laughed. “Ain't nobody taking your pancakes.”

Ivy swallowed just enough to speak. “I’m excited.”

“I can tell.”

Ivy reached for her glass of milk “I get to see my classroom again.”

“Mhm.” Annie said.

“And Mrs. Thomas said we get to pick where we sit.”

“That's important,” Smoke said seriously. “You gotta pick a good spot.”

Annie glanced over at him from her plate. “A good spot?”

“Yeah, somewhere she can see everything.”

Ivy nodded like her father had just given her the most important advice of her life. “Exactly.”

“And you better be nice to your teacher,” Smoke continued.

Ivy nodded “I will.”

“Be nice to your classmates.”

“I will.” Ivy agreed stuffing more pieces of her mama's famous pancakes in her mouth.

“And if somebody bothers y-”

Annie interrupted him “Smoke.”

“What?”

“She is five.” she reminded her husband.

“I know how old she is.”

“Then why are you giving her a security briefing?”

“Because kindergarten is serious.” Annie shook her head, laughing as she reached over and wiped a little syrup from Ivy's chin.

“Daddy's just nervous.”

“I ain't nervous.” he reassured her.

Ivy looked at him and made an honest observation. “You look nervous.”

Smoke's mouth fell open and Annie immediately covered her laugh with her hand.

Smoke looked at Annie. “You see what you started?”

Annie grinned. “You're the one who cried this morning."

“I had something in my eye.”

“Both eyes?” Annie asked

Ivy giggled and Smoke pointed at her. “Don't encourage your mama.”

Annie watched them, her smile lingering there was something about watching Smoke watch their daughter that still caught her off guard. The pride in his face was almost impossible to hide. She could already see it, the man he was going to become as Ivy got older. Kindergarten was apparently enough to have him emotional but she could only imagine Ivy starting middle school. High school? Lord. Sweet sixteen? She'd probably need to schedule a therapy appointment for him. Prom? He might personally interview every boy who comes near the house and graduation? Annie already knew she would be the one holding him upright while he cried through the entire ceremony.

She smiled to herself; it reminded her of the day she'd told him she was pregnant:

She'd known something was different before she ever took the test, her eating habits had changed first. Lemon pepper wings and fried rice from Andy’s Deli on 44th street had always been her favorite combo, actually one of her favorite meals, but one afternoon the smell of lemon pepper alone had sent her stomach turning. At first, she blamed it on anything else… then she bought the test, and when she finally looked down and saw those two lines, everything seemed to stop, she remembered walking into the room and telling him.

She remembers the look on his face. Shock, fear, then joy. Pure, overwhelming joy and for the next nine months, she barely had to lift a finger. If she asked him for something, he was already getting it. If she stood too long, he was telling her to sit down and if she mentioned being hungry, food appeared. When her doctor mentioned during one appointment that they were keeping a close eye on her blood pressure, he went into an entirely different mode.

After that, he watched everything she ate.

“What's in that?” He asked as he came across the scene of Annie eating at the kitchen table, a crumbled sandwich bag, a water bottle, a messy italian sub in one hand and a bag of Lays in front of her.

“It's a sandwich.” Annie responded after swallowing her bite

“What kind?” he eyed the sandwich suspiciously in caution but curious for a bite.

“Smoke.”

“How much sodium?” She would roll her eyes, but secretly she loved every second of it.

He had always been sweet and attentive, but that wasn't new. He had loved her loudly since the beginning of them dating, taken care of her without being asked, and somehow always noticed the smallest things.

At eight months pregnant, the parents to be still hadn't agreed on a name.They had gone through lists, baby-name books, names suggested by family and names they had heard somewhere and liked for five minutes before one of them inevitably ruined it.

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why would you name our daughter that?”

“What’s wrong with that name?”

They had been doing it for months and he had eventually started offering his own suggestions just to annoy her.

“Elijah Jr.”

Annie had stared at him like he had two heads. “She is a girl.”

“So?”

“Why would I name our daughter Elijah Jr.?”

Smoke shrugs “Tradition.”

“There is no tradition.”

“We could start one.” She'd rolled her eyes.

“Fine, how bout Annette Jr?” Smoke had laughed so hard at the look she gave him he'd nearly fallen off the couch. “You don't like it?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because that's stupid.”

And somehow, eight months into the pregnancy, their daughter was still simply, the baby. At 2:16 in the morning, Annie slipped quietly back into bed after another nighttime bathroom trip, the room was dark except for the faint glow of the clock on the nightstand. Smoke was sprawled across his side of the bed, face buried into his pillow, snoring softly. Annie carefully lifted the covers and eased herself back onto the mattress, the bed shifted and Smoke stirred immediately but his eyes never opened.

“C’mere,” he mumbled.

She smiled. “I’m here papa.”

His arm reached across the mattress almost instinctively, finding her waist and pulling her against him, he tucked her back into his chest like he'd been waiting for her to return.

“There you go,” he murmured sleepily.

She settled against him. “Thank you.”

He kissed her shoulder without opening his eyes. “Get some sleep.”

A few seconds later, his breathing evened out again but Annie stared into the darkness, she couldn't sleep. Her mind was still working, names and she thought about all of them but none of them felt right.

She rested a hand over her stomach as the baby shifted beneath her palm.

“Girl,” she whispered, “what are we gonna call you?”

Another little kick answered her and she smiled.

Then, suddenly, “Ivy.” She blinked.

The name sat in her mind so naturally that she almost wondered why she'd never thought of it before.

Ivy - soft, pretty, unique, she whispered it again. “Ivy.”

She looked over at her husband, he was completely knocked out.

Annie nudged his shoulder. “Smoke.”

Nothing. “Baby.”

He groaned into his pillow. “What?”

“I have a name.”

A long pause. “For what?”

“Our baby.”

Smoke barely moved. “Let’s talk about it in the morning.”

Annie frowned. “Smoke.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I think Ivy.” Silence and she waited.

Smoke's breathing remained heavy. Then, just when Annie thought he'd fallen asleep again, his voice came low and raspy.

“I like that one.”

Annie's eyes widened. “You do?”

“Mhm.” Another pause. “Ivy Mae Moore.”

Annie smiled in the darkness. “You really like it?”

“Yeah.” He pulled her a little closer. “Pretty name.”

Annie's heart fluttered. “I think so too.”

He gave one sleepy hum of agreement and immediately knocked back out, his snoring started again.

Right beside her ear while she stared into the darkness. “Of course.”

She smiled anyway and her hand returned to her stomach. “Ivy Mae Moore,” she whispered.

The baby kicked and Annie laughed quietly.

“I think she likes it too.” And beside her, completely unaware that he'd just helped name his daughter, Smoke continued snoring peacefully into her ear.

_______________________________________________________________

Something had changed when Ivy entered the world, the first time Smoke held their daughter, Annie had watched his entire face soften. He'd stared down at that tiny pink bundle like somebody had handed him the most precious thing on earth and from that moment forward, Ivy had him wrapped around her little pinky toe.

Five years later, apparently nothing had changed, if anything, he was worse. Smoke reached over and wiped another new crumb from Ivy's cheek.

“You ready, Peaches?”

Ivy nodded, still chewing. “Mhm.”

“Good.”

Annie watched him lean over and kiss the top of Ivy's head and her heart squeezed. Their baby was going to kindergarten and judging by the way Smoke was looking at her, she had a feeling he was going to need a whole lot more than five minutes after drop off to recover from it.

Annie sat Ivy between her knees on the edge of the bathtub in the hallway bathroom, a small water spray bottle, gel, brush comb, hair ties, and a handful of colorful bows spread out beside her and across the bathroom counter.

“Okay, Peaches, what are we doing today?”

Ivy looked at herself in the mirror, studying the fro framing her face.

“Puffs!”

“Puffs?”

Ivy added “With the white bows.”

Annie smiled. “The mini ones?”

Ivy nodded eagerly. “The tiny ones.”

“Alright, tiny white bows and puffs it is.”

Annie dampened Ivy's hair and began working through the curls with her fingers, gently separating each section before running the comb through it. Every morning it seemed like Ivy's hair was getting longer. Annie could have sworn she was just looking at her baby fro yesterday, and now those curls stretched farther down her little head every time she washed them.

“Your hair is getting so long,” Annie said.

Ivy smiled at herself in the mirror. “I know.”

“You know?” Annie asked.

“Daddy said.”

Annie laughed softly as she gathered the first section. “Of course he did.”

Ivy loved her curls. Never once did she ask for them to be straightened or hidden. She loved seeing them big, fluffy, and springing in every direction, and Annie loved that about her.

“Hold still, baby.” Annie said as she brushed the right side of her part into the exact spot she needed it to be.

“I am holding still.” but she wasn't, Ivy kept fidgeting as her mother would brush her hair back into another direction.

“You're moving your head.”

“Because you're pulling.” Ivy whined.

“I have to pull a little.” Annie reassured her as she finally got the puff's part correct

“But it hurts.”

Annie immediately loosened her grip. “Okay, okay. Mama's sorry.”

Ivy smiled at her reflection. “It's okay.”

Annie kissed the side of her head before continuing.

“So,” she said, gathering the second section, “how excited are you about school?”

“Very!”

“How very?”

Ivy thought about it. “Like...a lot.”

“A lot?”

“Yes!"

Annie laughed. “That excited?”

“Mhm. I get to see Mrs. Thomas again.”

“You like her?”

“I love her.” Ivy giggled as she thought of how nice her new teacher was at orientation.

“Already?”

Ivy nodded. “She showed us the bookshelves!"

“Oh, you're going to love the books she has.”

Ivy continued “And we get to color.”

“Uh-huh.”

Her espresso eyes got bigger as she remembered all she heard on orientation “And we get to have recess.”

Annie smiled as she secured the first puff. “And what are you most excited about?”

Ivy thought for a moment, then her little face brightened. “Making friends.”

Annie's heart warmed. “That's a good answer.”

“Mrs. Thomas said we have to be nice.”

“She did.”

“So I'm gonna be nice.”

“I know you will.” Annie finished the second puff and stepped back to admire her work. Two little puffs sat perfectly on either side of Ivy's head, her curls springing outward like soft little clouds.

“Now the bows.”

Ivy's eyes lit up. “The white ones!”

“The white ones.” She repeated, she carefully clipped one bow in front of each puff.

Ivy immediately turned toward the mirror. “Pretty!”

“Very pretty.”

Annie leaned down and kissed Ivy's cheek. “Alright, princess. Let's go show Daddy.”

Ivy smiled at herself one more time before grabbing her mama's hand.b“Now I'm ready for kindergarten.”

Annie looked down at her little girl and smiled, “Yeah, baby.” She squeezed her hand. “You sure are.”

______________________________________________________________

Smoke had gone through every school supply they had bought for Ivy at least twice. Really, he just needed something to do with his hands. He had checked her backpack, opened every zipper and made sure her notebooks were where they belonged. Checked that her pencils were inside the pink glittery pencil box instead of rolling around loose at the bottom of the bag. Her name was written neatly on everything that could possibly need a name, he had even checked the little AirTag he'd bought the day after they went school shopping was still zipped safely inside the backpack's back pocket.

He pulled it out, looked at it, put it back, zipped the pocket…. then opened it again. Annie watched him from the living room sofa, trying desperately not to laugh and he had moved on to the lunch bag. Again, he unzipped it and inside was exactly what he'd packed less than an hour ago. A juice box, her favorite animal crackers, a banana and a ham and cheese sandwich sliced in a triangle half, how she liked it. Everything is perfectly in place. He stared inside like he expected somebody to have snuck in overnight and switched something around.

Annie finally spoke. “Baby.”

He looked up. “Yeah?”

“Nothing has disappeared.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you checking it?” she asked.

“I'm making sure.”

“.....You've checked that lunch bag three times.”

Smoke shrugged. “Maybe I missed something.”

Annie smiled. “You didn't.”

He closed the lunch bag and set it down….then picked up the backpack again.

Annie laughed. “Smoke.”

“What?”

“Come sit down.”

“I am sitting down.”

“You're standing.”

“I'm about to sit down.”

“You've been ‘about to sit down’ for twenty minutes.” He looked at her and Annie could see right through him, she always could. He wasn't worried about the supplies, wasn’t worried about the lunch or about the AirTag. He just didn't know what to do with himself, his baby was going to be somewhere without him, without both of them soon.

Somewhere he couldn't walk behind her, couldn't check on her every five minutes and couldn't make sure she had everything she needed. He'd spent five years being the person who made sure she was okay and now kindergarten was asking him to trust that somebody else would do it.

Annie walked over and gently took the backpack from his hands. “Come here.”

He sighed but let her pull him toward her.

“She has everything,” Annie said softly.

“I know.” He admitted

“She's ready.” Annie continued, “She knows where her classroom is, knows her teacher and she knows how to ask for help.”

“I know.”

Annie smiled. “And she knows her daddy loves her.”

Smoke finally looked at her. “That ain't changing.”

“No.” Annie wrapped her arms around him. “Nothing about that is changing.”

He rested his chin on the top of her head, holding her close, after a moment, he sighed.

“I just feel like I should be doing something.”

Annie rubbed his back. “You are.”

“What?”

“You're being her dad.”

Smoke was quiet, then he looked toward the backpack sitting on the counter.

“.....Think her sandwich gonna get squished?”

Annie laughed. “Smoke.”

“I'm serious.” he said

“She'll survive a squished sandwich.”

He mumbled “I should've put it in a container.”

“You did.”

He paused. “Oh.”

She laughed harder. “You see? This is exactly what I'm talking about.”

Smoke smiled despite himself and kissed her forehead. “I'm just trying to make sure my baby has everything.”

“She does.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “And so does her daddy.”

He nodded, finally letting himself sit down….for approximately thirty seconds, then he stood back up.

Annie stared at him. “Where are you going?”

He grabbed the lunch bag. “I'm checking the juice box.”

“Smoke!” Annie shrieked.

He grinned. “I'm playing.”

She shook her head, laughing as he finally came back to her. “Come here, nervous daddy.”

He wrapped his arms around her again. “I'm not nervous.”

“Sure.” she said dryly.

“I'm prepared.”

“Whatever you say.”

Smoke kissed her temple. “I just love that little girl.”

“I know.” And Annie knew that was really all of it, the supplies could be checked a hundred times and the lunch could be inspected until the sandwich fell apart. None of it was really about school, smoke just wasn't ready for the first time his baby would walk away from him carrying a backpack that was almost as big as she was and Annie wasn't sure either of them ever would be.

“I'm ready!” Ivy's voice rang through the house before her little feet came thundering down the stairs.

Annie turned around and immediately froze. “Oh, my goodness.”

Ivy stood at the bottom of the staircase in her kindergarten uniform, looking entirely too cute, her white polo was tucked neatly into her plaid skirt, and ruffled socks peeking over the tops of her new shoes. Her curls had been parted carefully down the middle and pulled into two perfect puffs, each one decorated with her favorite white bows. Her face was clean, her teeth freshly brushed,

Smoke stared at her for a long second. “Look at my baby.”

Annie immediately reached for her phone. “Don't move.”

Ivy grinned. “Mommy!”

“Wait, wait. Let me get a picture.” Annie crouched down, snapping picture after picture as Ivy posed proudly.

“Okay, smile!” Ivy smiled.

“Big smile!” She smiled bigger.

“Now give me a serious face.” Ivy scrunched up her face looking exactly like Elijah Jr.

Smoke laughed. “Why she look so mad?”

“Because I told her to be serious, like her daddy.”

“Hey!” Ivy giggled as Smoke helped her with her backpack that was almost as big as she was. Annie stood, looking at the picture she'd just taken, and there it was. Her baby. Standing there in a little uniform with her daddy helping her get her backpack on, ready to walk into kindergarten.

Her eyes immediately started watering as the emotions of today overcame her. “Oh, no.”

Smoke noticed. “Annie.”

“What?”

“You crying now?” he asked, shocked.

“No.”

“You're crying.” he repeated.

“I'm not.” She wiped away tears that threatened to fall.

He grinned. “You just took pictures and now you're crying.”

“I'm emotional.” she countered as she tried to compose herself.

“You're dramatic.”

She wiped underneath her eye as quickly as she could. “You were crying this morning!”

“That was different.” he responded as he grabbed his truck keys out of the key bowl.

“How?”

“I'm the daddy.”

Annie rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

She slipped on her coat, still fighting the lump in her throat and tears forming.

“Come on, baby, let's go.” The sudden Mississippi chill had settled over the morning, making Annie pull her coat tighter around herself as they stepped outside.

Ivy practically bounced toward her dads truck next to her. “I'm going to kindergarten!”

“Yes you are, baby,” Annie laughed.

He opened the back door for her and helped with the oversized backpack before making sure she was buckled in. “Ready?”

“Ready!”

The drive to Hillside was filled with Ivy's excited chatter, she talked about her teacher, the classroom, the friends she hoped she'd make, the snack she had packed last night with her dad’s help..Everything. Smoke listened, occasionally answering her questions, but every now and then his eyes flicked up toward the rearview mirror, and there she was, his little girl.

Small yet mighty in the backseat, her red Hello Kitty backpack beside her as she stared out the window, watching the world pass by. Smoke's jaw tightened and she noticed but didn't say anything. Instead, she reached across the center console and took his hand, resting it gently in her lap, he looked down at their joined hands for a second, then back at the road. He squeezed her fingers, being here was different. It was one thing to imagine Ivy starting kindergarten and it was another thing entirely to pull into Hillside Elementary and see dozens of little kindergartners and elementary school kids walking around with backpacks nearly swallowing them whole. Parents hovered, teachers called out names, children cried. Some clung desperately to their mothers while others bounced around excitedly. One little boy was already shouting about somebody taking his dinosaur backpack and it was barely eight in the morning.

“This is chaos,” Smoke muttered.

Annie laughed. “You knew it was going to be busy.”

“I didn't know it was gonna be like this.” Smoke opened the back door and helped Ivy out.

“Stay close.”

“I know, daddy.” He picked her up anyway and Ivy giggled as he settled her against his side. Annie stayed tucked against him as they made their way inside, Smoke keeping one arm securely around Ivy while his other hand stayed at his wife’s back. They moved through the crowded hallway, searching for the classroom number.

“Where is this room?”

“Down here, I think.”

“I don't see it.” Annie looked over the crowd, then her face brightened.

“There she is!”

She pointed toward a lean woman standing outside one of the classroom doors, greeting children and parents as they arrived.

“I see her.”

Ivy's head snapped around and her entire face lit up. “MRS. THOMAS!”

The teacher looked up and her eyes immediately widened.

“IVY!” The excitement in her voice matched Ivy's perfectly.

“Hi, baby!”

Ivy started squirming in Smoke’s arms. “Daddy!”

“What?”

“Put me down!”

Smoke laughed. “Hold on.”

“Daddy!”

“You were just comfortable two seconds ago.”

“I gotta see Mrs. Thomas!”

“Okay, okay.” He lowered her carefully and the second her feet touched the floor, Ivy took off. She ran straight toward her teacher, her puffs bouncing with every step.

Mrs. Thomas opened her arms and Ivy practically flew into them.

“There she is!”

Mrs. Thomas was the kind of kindergarten teacher who immediately made children feel safe. She was a warm, soft-spoken Black woman in her late thirties, with a bright smile, kind eyes, and shoulder-length twists she usually wore pulled back with a colorful headband. She had a gentle but confident presence, sweet enough to get down on a five-year-old's level and listen to their very serious stories, but firm enough that the classroom never got completely out of hand.

Ivy liked her immediately and there was something about Mrs. Thomas that reminded Annie of the teachers she had loved growing up. She spoke to the children with patience, never making them feel silly for asking questions, and she had a way of turning even the simplest lesson into something exciting. Smoke, however, had already decided he was keeping an eye on her: not because he didn't like her, quite the opposite, she seemed wonderful. But she was the woman who would be spending several hours a day with his baby girl and Smoke needed everybody to understand that he took that responsibility very seriously.

“I missed you!”

“And how was your summer?”

“It was great! We went swimming in the lake and Uncle Stack taught me how to fish! And my daddy taught me how to make smores!”

Annie stood beside Smoke, smiling as they watched their daughter share her summer stories with the woman who would be spending so much of her time with her now. Smoke's hand found Annie's again and he squeezed it and looked up at him, his eyes were already glossy.

She smiled. “Don't.”

“I ain't doing nothing.” he mumbled as he looked down at his work boots.

“You're about to cry.”

“No, I'm not.”

She leaned closer and whispered. “You are.”

Smoke swallowed and looked back at Ivy interacting with her teacher. “I'm just happy.”

She rested her head briefly against his shoulder, their baby was exactly where she was supposed to be and somehow, that made letting go feel just a little harder. Mrs. Thomas finally managed to calm Ivy down enough to get her to turn around and properly greet her parents.

“Okay, Miss Ivy,” she said, smiling as she gently guided her back toward them. “Now you can show Mommy and Daddy where your things go.”

Ivy immediately grabbed both of their hands. “Come on!”

Smoke laughed as she dragged them into the classroom. “Girl, you ain't gotta pull us.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?”

“Because you don't know where you're going.” She covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

He looked offended. “I was gonna figure it out.”

“Sure, dad.” Her humor was getting more and more like her mother’s everyday.

The classroom looked even better than it had during orientation, colorful posters covered the walls, each one filled with letters, numbers, shapes, and encouraging little messages. A reading corner sat tucked into one side of the room with a small rug and shelves overflowing with picture books. Students' artwork from over the years decorated the bulletin boards, and tiny name tags had been placed carefully around the room.

He slowed down, taking everything in. “Wow.”

Annie glanced at him. “Pretty cool, huh?”

“Yeah.”

There was something about the room that made everything feel real, this wasn't orientation anymore, this was where his daughter would spend her days, reading, making friends, learning how to solve problems without mommy and daddy standing right beside her.

Smoke watched Ivy with a quiet pride as she looked around the room.

“Look!” She pointed toward a row of little blue cubbies with nametags until she spotted hers.

“There's mine!” She ran over, dragging her backpack behind her and Smoke followed.

Ivy struggled to get the oversized backpack off her shoulders, so he helped her slide it down.

“Here.”

She opened her cubby and proudly stuffed her backpack inside after pulling out her pencil box. “Perfect.”

She turned around to look at her parents “Where should I sit?”

Annie crouched beside her. “You pick, baby. Make sure it's a good one.”

Ivy looked around the room carefully, there were desks pushed into groups of four near the front of the classroom, positioned close to Mrs. Thomas desk. To the right were several tables closer to the cubbies and windows, where sunlight streamed through the glass.

Ivy studied both options like she was making an important business decision, then she noticed her. A little Black girl sitting alone at one of the tables near the window with a pink bow clipped to the side of her bun. She had her hands folded neatly on the table and was quietly looking around the classroom, Ivy looked at her for a moment, then she looked back at her parents, and Annie gave her a small nod and with their encouragement she walked over.

“Hi.”

The little girl looked up. “Hi.”

“I'm Ivy.”

The girl smiled shyly. “I'm Maya.”

Ivy pointed toward the empty chair beside her. “Can I sit here?”

Maya nodded. “Okay.”

Ivy climbed into the chair and pulled out her pencil box, placing it on her desk. “I have Hello Kitty pencils.”

Maya's eyes immediately brightened as she pulled out her Hello Kitty stickers. “I like Hello Kitty too!”

Ivy grinned. “Me too!"

Within seconds, the two girls were already whispering to each other like they'd known one another for years.

Annie smiled and Smoke stood beside her, watching the interaction.

“Well,” he murmured.

Annie looked up at him. “What?”

“She’s making a friend.”

“Looks like it.” He smiled. Their little girl had walked into a room full of strangers and found someone to sit beside, taking a page out of her mama’s book, he slipped his hand into Annie's and for the first time that morning, he felt himself relax.

Maybe she was ready and maybe they were the ones who weren't. Parents continued filing into the classroom until the room that had felt so spacious only minutes ago was suddenly packed. Ivy's little table for two had become a table for six, with children settling into the empty chairs around her. Some were talking excitedly, others were hiding behind their parents, and a few looked just as overwhelmed as Ivy had been moments before. Mrs. Thomas eventually stepped toward the front of the classroom and clapped her hands gently.

“Alright, everyone, can I have your attention?” The room gradually quieted.

She introduced herself properly, went over the basics of the school day, explained classroom expectations, and let everyone know what time pickup would be.

“Dismissal is at two o'clock. Parents, please make sure you're here on time.”

Smoke nodded along, two o'clock…he'd never forget that.

Then Mrs. Thomas smiled warmly at the parents.

“And now, it's time for our kindergarteners to begin their first day. Parents, this is where we say goodbye.”

The room shifted instantly, some parents hugged their children, some children cried while others waved excitedly as their parents walked toward the door. Ivy had been smiling all morning, until now - her little face fell, she looked around the classroom, suddenly realizing that mommy and daddy weren't staying. Then her eyes found Smoke and he knew that look, fear and his heart cracked.

“Baby,” Annie said softly as she crouched down next to her daughter's chair and kissed her cheek.

“You're gonna be fine, okay? You're gonna have such a good day.”

She continued, “You’re going to forget all about us until two o’clock, I promise you”

Ivy didn't answer, her eyes stayed locked on her father, Smoke swallowed hard before walking over and crouching beside her chair. “Hey, hey.”

Ivy's bottom lip trembled and he was trying to keep it together himself.

“You're gonna be fine.” His voice was gentle, but his own eyes were beginning to water.

“You're gonna have so much fun today.” She stared at him with those big brown eyes, trying to be brave.

Smoke reached out and held her little hand. “The day is gonna fly by.”

Ivy sniffled. “And Daddy's gonna be right back here to get you at two o'clock, okay?”

She nodded faintly. “And when I come back, you're gonna tell me all about your day.”

“Okay.” Her puppy-eyed expression nearly destroyed him.

He smiled through the lump in his throat. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Daddy.”

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Have fun, okay?”

Ivy nodded and he stayed there for another second, squeezing her hand before finally letting go.

“Be good for Mrs. Thomas.”

“I will daddy”

He stood slowly, his eyes were wet now, and he quickly wiped them with the back of his hand before turning away. Annie was waiting near the door and she reached for him as soon as he got close, sliding her hand into his. Smoke glanced back and Ivy was still watching them, he smiled at her and gave a little wave and she waved back. Then Mrs. Thomas gently stepped beside Ivy, giving her something to focus on as the parents began filing out.

He forced himself to turn around and Annie squeezed his hand. “You okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

She looked at him. “You're lying.”

He sniffed and looked toward the doorway one last time. “I'm fine.”

Annie leaned into him. “She's going to be okay.”

He took one more breath. “I just didn't know leaving her was gonna feel like that.”

Annie rested her head against his shoulder. “Me neither.”

Together, they walked out of the classroom and behind them, their little girl took her first brave steps into a world that belonged to her.

They walked to the car hand in hand, neither of them saying much as their first morning drop-off finally came to an end. Parents passed them in the parking lot with the same sad, watery eyes they had worn walking away from their children. Some looked too happy for the first day of school and others were talking quietly, trying to convince themselves that their babies were going to be just fine.

Smoke didn't say a word, he just held Annie's hand a little tighter. When they reached his truck, he opened the passenger door for her.

“Thank you.” Annie slid into her seat, and he closed the door before walking around to the driver's side.

He climbed in, started the car and then just sat there. For a whole minute, neither of them moved as the radio went on and on, the silence felt strange. Everything that had happened that morning seemed to hit them at once: the pancakes, Ivy's little uniform, the oversized Hello Kitty backpack, the classroom, Mrs. Thomas, that tiny hand in Smoke's, and finally the moment he'd had to walk away.

Smoke stared straight through the windshield, his lips pressed together as his chest rose with a shaky breath.

Annie turned toward him. “Baby…”

He shook his head and then he broke, a silent sob escaped before he could stop it. He covered his face with both hands and Annie didn't look surprised, didn't laugh or tease him.

She simply reached across the console and rubbed his back.

“They better be nice to my baby!” His voice cracked as he cried harder.

“Smo-”

“They better be nice to her!” he repeated.

“They will.” she encouraged

“Because she don't bother nobody!”

“I know baby, she doesn’t.”

“And she is so sweet!”

“She is.”

“And if someb-” He had to stop because another sob caught in his throat.

Annie pulled him closer, rubbing his shoulder. “She’s gonna have a great day.”

He wiped his face, shaking his head. “I just left her there.”

“She’s not alone.”

“I know, b-”

“She has Mrs. Thomas and you know our baby loves to talk.”

Smoke sniffled. “She got that little girl sitting beside her.”

“Maya.”

“Yeah. Maya.”

Annie smiled. “See, she already has somebody to talk to.”

He took a shaky breath and leaned back against the seat. “She looked scared.”

“She was.”

“I hated seeing that.”

She stroked the back of his neck “I know.”

He looked at Annie. “What if she needs us?”

“She'll tell Mrs. Thomas.”

“What if she wants me?”

“She'll be okay.”

“What i-”

“Elijah.” He stopped.

She took his hand. “She is going to be okay.”

He stared down at their joined hands, slowly calming and she smiled softly.

“She's growing up.”

Smoke groaned. “Don't say that.”

She laughed quietly. “Sorry.”

He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. “I can't believe kindergarten got me crying before nine in the morning.”

Annie smiled as she watched. “You're a good daddy.”

Smoke opened his eyes. “I just love that little girl.”

“I know.” Annie squeezed his hand, she loved that about him. Loved how deeply he loved their daughter, loved how deeply he loved her, loved how fiercely protective he was of their family and she loved that the man sitting beside her could be reduced to tears simply because his little girl had looked scared and started kindergarten.

…..What he didn't know was that there was something else she hadn't told him yet, something that was already changing their family all over again. She glanced down briefly at her stomach, then back at her husband and she smiled to herself.

I'll tell him eventually.

She imagined his face, then imagined Ivy finding out, then imagined the chaos of another baby in the Moore household. Annie bit back a laugh. Actually… ahe looked over at Smoke, who was still sniffling and staring toward the school like he might turn around and march right back inside and pull Ivy out of class.

I'll save it for Ivy's high school graduation, she smiled.

“What's funny?” Smoke asked, noticing how quiet she had gotten in the passenger seat.

“Nothing.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You laughing at me?”

“No, baby.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Drive.”

He sighed and started pulling out of the parking lot, neither of them noticed the way Annie's hand instinctively settled protectively over her stomach, not yet. For now, they were still just the parents of one kindergartener, and he was still trying to recover from the fact that his baby had made it through her first morning without him.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I HOPE YOU ENJOYED <33333 TYSM FOR READING!

#annie and smoke #smoke x annie #annie sinners #fanfic #fluffy #family #elijah smoke moore #cutesy #annie and elijah