Daddy Duties
Smoke x Annie x Stack Modern AU!
Annie is a holistic counselor getting ready to go on a mandatory team bonding retreat and leaves Smoke — along with his brother Stack — to watch their 2 year old daughter Amalia.
TW/CW - use of the N word, cursing, fluff | See note at the end!
This fic is longer/ took longer than I thought, but I wanted to write something more fluffy and lighthearted to make up for my last fic being so heavy. Hope you enjoy :)
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Even though Annie trusted Elijah with her life, this was the first time she was leaving him to watch their daughter Amalia for longer than a few hours. While he was responsible, protective, and overall a great father and husband, he was still a man — which made Annie more nervous than she cared to admit.
It also didn't help that Elias aka Stack — who was damn near the opposite of his brother in every way but looks — offered to stay over and help until Annie returned. She feared her impressionable daughter would pick up some new lingo or tricks messing around with them for too long…
“Alright, let’s go through the checklist one more time.” Annie said to the two identical men sitting on the couch in front of her.
“Non scented body wash?” She started rapid fire, as she moved to finish packing her purse.
“Check.” The twins responded in unison.
“Pull ups and wipes?”
“Check.”
“Medicine?”
“Check.”
“Morning and night?” Annie questioned with an eyebrow raised; the assumption that they'd forgotten this important detail weighing heavy in the back of her mind.
“Check and check.” Smoke said with a smugness. He rose from his seat to meet his wife where she stood and gently rubbed his hands up and down the back of her arms.
“Baby, everything is taken care of, now will you go?! You gon be late.” He added, poking fun at his wife’s over attentiveness.
“Yea, don’t worry Annie. Lia’s in good hands.” Stack smiled slyly, leaning back on the couch and looking over at the toddler in her playpen in the corner of the room. The look on his face did nothing to ease her nerves, but she knew she didn’t have time to argue.
“Alright, alright.” Annie sighed. Throwing her purse over her shoulder and picking up her duffle bag, she turned to face her husband and placed a quick peck on his lips. She then crossed over to Amalia’s playpen and placed a gentle kiss on the baby girl's head.
“I’ll be back in 3 days.” Annie started, moving toward the front door. “Don’t have my daughter out here looking crazy; And DON'T burn my house down.” She warned.
Smoke met his lover at the door, opening it for her, and placed one more kiss to her cheek. Stack picked up the bouncing toddler from her playpen and met the couple where they stood.
“We won’ttt.” The brother’s said again in unison, this time sounding like goofy children talking back to their mother.
Annie shook her head at the two men in slight amusement, before turning toward her daughter.
“ I love you so much sweet pea! Take care of daddy and uncle Stack for me, okay.”
“Okay! Luv you mommy!” Amalia giggled as Annie placed a bunch of tiny kisses on her chocolate face.
With one last look to her husband, Annie turned to walk toward the car. “I love you Elijah!” she yelled over her shoulder — refusing to turn around in fear that she'd want to stay.
“I love you too Mamas!” Smoke yelled back to his wife. “Try not to worry too much.” He reassured.
“Hey! What about me?” Stack shouted — fake hurt.
“Boy bye.” Annie shouted back at him with a playful, sarcastic grin. Stack sucked his teeth as Smoke pointed to laugh in his face playfully.
It wasn't long before Annie was in the car and out of their sight, leaving Smoke and Stack with the toddler in hand.
***
“So little mama, what should we do first?” Smoke asked, looking over at his baby girl as they made their way back to the living room.
“Mmm… BARBIES!” Amalia yelled excitedly, almost jumping out of Stack’s arms.
“Easy playa.” He said laughing at her excitement. “How about you let uncle Stack teach you how to count 5 g’s instead? A pimp like me can’t be seen playing with no Barbie’s.”
Smoke and Lia stared at Stack in silence; their matching glares made it clear that she was her daddy’s daughter. Determined to get her way, Lia repeated her demand.
“NO! I want Barbies!” She said crossing her little arms.
“Barbies it is then.” Smoke said, going to grab the toys from her bin.
Stack sat his niece down on the couch and took a seat on the floor beside her. Smoke returned shortly with a handful of dolls and dropped them in front of the beaming child, meeting his brother on the floor. The two men watched as the little girl intentionally picked out dolls to pass to them.
“This one’s for daddy. “ Amalia said, handing Smoke a limited addition Christmas Barbie. “Anddd this one's for Uncle Stack.” She said, handing him a Skipper doll with a homemade bob.
“Can daddy have this one?” Smoke asked, pointing to a black Ken doll with a white t-shirt and blue jeans —It was as if the doll was modeled after him.
“No, that’s mine!” Amalia whined, snatching the doll out of her father’s vicinity. Stack shook his head, chuckling at the little girl’s feistiness.
“Man If she ain’t Annie reincarnated. Just stubborn.”
“Ain’t that right.” Smoke laughed in response, watching as his daughter began to play out the imagined scenarios in her head.
Just like with her mother, Smoke loved seeing his baby girl in her element. The love he had for her was evident— so much so that Stack watched his older brother with a small smile on his lips.
“Family life done got you whipped nigga!” Stack said, nudging his brother out of his trance.
Smoke let out a small chuckle. His twin was right. Everything changed after Annie and him got married and had their baby girl. He started enjoying the simple things more — trading in the clubs and hoes, for family dinners and play time. It was like nothing else in the world mattered to him outside of his little family’s happiness and well being.
“It need to whip you too, so you can stop messing around in these streets and grow up.” Smoke teased his brother, hitting him with his doll.
“No hitting, daddy!” Lia ordered, her little voice taking a break from her games to scold her father.
“Sorry baby girl.” Smoke responded immediately, putting down his doll.
“Ooo you got in troubleee.” Stack teased back, shaking his doll in Smoke’s face.
“Don’t change the subject nigga.” Smoke said, causing his brother's childish grin to fade. “When are you actually going to settle down and start a family of your own?”
The tension in the air began to grow as Stack pondered on Smoke’s question, forced to face the reality of his situation.
“Man I tried that shit already, remember— Mary? l proposed to ol girl and she up and ran away with that stuck up trust fund nigga from up North...”
Smoke could see the hurt peeking through his brother’s hard eyes. He placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“That was almost two years ago man... It’s time to try again. I know Mrs. Right is out there somewhere waiting for you.”
“Yea well until she makes herself known, imma have as many “Mrs. Rights” as I please.” Stack finished, standing to go get himself a drink.
“You hungry princess? Uncle Stack’s headed to the kitchen.” He questioned, looking toward the little girl who was enthralled in her land of make believe.
“Hm? Oh, ya! A sammich pwease.”
“Turkey and cheese, no crusts?”
“Mhmm!”
“You got it kiddo.” Stack said, disappearing into the kitchen, leaving Smoke alone with his darling daughter.
“Daddy, play with your Barbie.” Lia instructed placing the Christmas doll back in her father’s hands.
“I’m a little rusty baby girl. You gon have to show me how to play.”
“Ok!” Lia responded excitedly. “Go like this…”
Smoke watched as his little girl demonstrated the “proper” way to play Barbie’s — voices and all. As he began to mimic the imperious 2 year olds instructions, he heard Stack call out from the kitchen.
“Ayo, Smoke! Y’all ain't got no beer or nothin in here.” Stack said raiding the fridge and cabinets.
“Nah! You know Annie don’t like to keep none of that in the house.” Smoke yelled. “We got kombucha though.”
“Kombucha?! Mannn nobody want none of that.” Stack sucked his teeth in disappointment. “No vision, I swear!” He exclaimed to himself, closing the refrigerator door.
Smoke rolled his eyes at his younger brother’s dramatics and refocused his attention on the task at hand. It wasn’t long before Stack returned to the room with Lia’s sandwich and a tall glass of kombucha.
“Here you go princess.” Stack said, placing the sandwich in front of Lia.
“Thank you!” She exclaimed, throwing her dolls to the side and grabbing a piece of the divided bread.
“Nothing for me?” Smoke questioned, half joking, half serious.
“You can drink some of this nasty ass kombucha.” Stack replied, taking a sip and wincing as if he just drank straight rubbing alcohol.
“Ass.” Amalia giggled quietly before taking another bite of her sandwich.
Smoke and Stack looked at each other with wide eyes before turning to the little girl.
“What’d you just say little mama?” Smoke said stunned. He needed to make sure his ears were working correctly.
“ASS!” She said again loudly, a ferocious fit of innocent giggles following.
“Shit.” Stack said to himself, half amused and half guilty. He watched as his older brother dragged a heavy hand down his face, stressed.
“Don’t say that word little mamas. It’s bad…” Smoke said softly trying to coax the easily influenced child.
“But uncle Stack said it.” Lia replied, her smile fading.
“I know baby, but uncle Stack says a lot of bad words we shouldn’t repeat.” Smoke said tenderly while shooting his doppelganger the meanest glare.
“No fair. I wanna be like uncle Stack and say the word. Ass, Ass, Ass!” Lia whined, almost in a fit of tears.
“Stack you better fix this shit.” Smoke warned, standing up to meet his brother.
“Alright princess…” Stack started, crouching down to his niece's height. “How about this: if you promise not to repeat anything I say, I’ll take you to get a matching tooth gem when you finish your sandwich. How’s that sound?” Stack suggested, trying to ease the situation.
“Okay!!” Lia exclaimed excitedly, wiping away her tears and going back to devouring her sandwich. Truth is she had no idea what a tooth gem was, but if her uncle Stack had one, she was game.
“Nigga what?! She’s 2!” Smoke whispered to his brother in disbelief.
“Chill Smoke. It’ll be temporary.” Stack reassured.
“It better be.” Smoke warned. “If Annie finds out about it, it’ll be both our asses.”
***
“Say cheese princess!” Stack said to Lia as the two took a selfie of their matching pink tooth gems — courtesy of Lia.
“You like it daddy?” Amalia turned to her father, flashing a big toothy grin.
“You look gorgeous little mamas. Brightest smile I’ve ever seen!” Smoke said, picking up his little girl.
“Stack, you sure this thing gon come off before Annie gets home?” Smoke questioned, as they walked back to the car.
“Yea man. All you gotta do is brush her teeth with some warm water and we’re good.”
***
“Alright baby girl, time to get ready for bed!” Smoke called to his daughter from the bathroom. Almost immediately he could hear her little footsteps — followed by Stack’s big ones —- making their way towards him.
Without warning Amalia ran into the bathroom, immediately looking for solace behind Smoke’s legs in hopes of getting away from her uncle Stack’s tickle attack.
“I’m gonna getcha, I’m gonna getcha.” Stack said in his fake monster voice, hunched over. He’d never admit it, but he liked doing goofy things like this with his niece.
“Daddy help!” Amalia squealed, her little giggles filling the once silent bathroom.
“I gotcha little mamas.” Smoke said, swiftly snatching her up and placing her on his shoulder.
“Ah you're lucky your papa got to you before the tickle monster did.” Stack said, standing upright and letting out a chuckle of his own. “Now let’s brush those pretty teeth of yours.”
Smoke placed Amalia down on her stool, as Stack prepped her toothbrush for use and handed it to Smoke. Smoke gently placed the toddler sized toothbrush in his daughter’s hand and guided it toward her mouth so that they could brush together.
After two rounds of brushing and rinsing, Smoke noticed that there was still something sparkling in Amalia’s mouth.
“Yo Stack, why’s this gem still in her mouth?”
“Lemme see.” Stack said, moving over to look at the little girl. “I don’t know man. My guy told me it would come off with a little pressure and some warm water.” He defended, taking Lia’s toothbrush and scrubbing the tooth once more.
Smoke briskly exited the bathroom to try and find the care label from the flashy purchase Stack made earlier that day. In less than a minute he returned, an irritated look on his face.
“Yea nigga, it says that only works after FOUR DAYS!” Smoke emphasized, trying to keep his composure. Stack snatched the paper out his brother's hand and rubbed his beard in distress as he read back the instructions.
“Hey… at least it’s still temporary man. Maybe if we—-“ Stack started, but was interrupted but the ringing of Smoke’s phone.
Smoke pulled the phone out of his back pocket, silently praying it wasn’t who he thought it was.
“It’s Annie.” He said much to his dismay after reading the caller ID.
“Of course.” Stack muttered. “Come here princess.” He said, motioning for Lia to sit on his lap at the toilet. “Let’s play the quiet game while your pa answers the phone.”
Smoke moved to the other side of the bathroom, prepping to face his wife on the other end of the line.
“Heyyy beautiful!” He answered, a little too cheery for it to be the middle of the night. Luckily Annie wasn’t skeptical of anything — yet.
“Hi my love! Just calling to say goodnight — where’s my sweet pea at?” Annie replied sweetly.
“She’s sleep already. We had a pretty busy day today.”
“Oh really? She’s usually not sleep this early. What did y’all d—“
“Hi Mommy!” Amalia yelled from behind the camera instantly recognizing her mother’s voice.
“ … I thought you said she was sleeping Elijah…” Annie said, her tone growing firm.
“Uh she was… ya voice must’ve woken her up.” Smoke said, his nerves starting to rise to the tip of his tongue.
“Mmhmm. Elijah, let me see my baby.” Annie demanded, not wanting to play any games.
Reluctantly, Smoke turned the camera to show his hyperactive girl sitting with a guilty looking Stack.
“Hi mama’s pretty girl! How was your day love? Did you have fun?”
“ Yesss — look! I got a toof gem like uncle Stack!” Lia said, showing her mother her wide smile. Annie gushed at her daughter’s enthusiasm.
“ I know baby girl, check you out! I saw a picture of you earlier, but it looks even better in real time!”
“Whatchu mean you saw a picture?” Smoke asked, turning the camera back around so his wife could see him.
“Stack forgot to take me out of his close friends on Instagram before he posted that picture of them earlier…”
Smoke looked at his brother in annoyance for what felt like the 11th time today.
“My bad g.” Stack whispered sheepishly. Shaking his head, Smoke turned his attention back to his wife.
“I know it looks crazy babe, but I promise it’s temporary.”
“You know it’s actually kind of cute…” Annie complimented, causing both the men to perk up a bit — Smoke with shock and Stack with pride. “But we can talk more about my thoughts on it when I get home.” Annie finished.
“Wait, so you ain’t mad?” Smoke questioned, expecting to hear some kind lecture from the type A woman he married.
“No, I’m not mad. Like I said, we can talk more about it later.” Annie said calmly. “I gotta go though babe. I love you. Goodnight — goodnight sweet pea; night Stack!” Annie called.
“Night mommy! Luv you!” Amalia yelled, as the phone hung up.
“See man, that wasn’t too bad.” Stack said with a sigh of relief, looking over at his brother and then down at the little girl in his lap.
“Yea…” Smoke said, still in a bit of shock. “ I still think, she gon chew our asses when she get back.” He chuckled lightly. Shaking off his anxious thoughts, Smoke picked up Lia and headed toward her bedroom with Stack trailing behind.
“Come on baby girl. Time to say goodnight to daddy and uncle Stack. We got two more days of fun to get through before Mama gets home.”
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I think we deserve to see Smoke and Annie enjoy their baby girl for once. I also love the idea of “Uncle Stack” being the one to get his nieces/nephews in trouble lol.
As always let me know your thoughts and if you want to be added to the tag list (might experiment with 1st person POV in the next one)!
@bigjh , @sarcastic-sunshines
