AU where the eel god and tree god split custody of simon like divorced parents that are only being civil for their kids sake. Constantly arguing over if simons on the right diet, is he healthy? Bored? Oh so now its my weekend? Were going fishing!
Simon has to deal with both voices giving him instructions and his mutations shift to reflect whichever has "visitation" at that time.
If bloodymary, neither are sure about grace. On one hand, no one is good enough for their weird kid, but on the other god so we actually think simon has the social skills to get litterally anyone else?
Bonus. Both the eel and tree think rocky and the eridians are abomination. Not plant. not meat. Weird creature. Like a mushroom?
Summary: Willis gets a new job on one condition: he works the night shift for his first three months. With Catherine in rehab, Willis is forced to contact his ex-wife to take their five-year-old son into her custody for the summer. But there's a catch. Willis promised her every summer after in return for her help.
Chapters: 5/?
Characters: Willis Todd, Jason Todd, Catherine Todd, Sheila Haywood
Additional Tags: Split Custody AU, Canon Divergent AU, Fluff, Angst, Kid Jason Todd, Jason Todd Has Three Parents
Chapter Five: Letters and Envelopes
Willis met Catherine in the common room with a stack of envelopes. “I haven’t slept a wink since I got ‘em because I wanted to wait until I saw you. I wanna read mine when you read yours. Here, Sheila and Jason sent half of these to you. The other half are mine. Here you go,” Willis smiled. Catherine looked at the envelopes with Jason’s handwriting in heavy pencil, and she covered her mouth.
“He’s still calling me his mommy,” Catherine whispered. Willis chuckled as he opened one of Jason’s letters.
“Dear Daddy—. His spelling’s pretty good,” Willis whispered, “Open yours.”
Catherine carefully opened the envelope and started reading Jason’s letter. “Dear Mommy,” Catherine read, “I went camping in a lodge with Mommy Sheila. We saw baboons. They were not real baboons. They are called geladas. There were so many. And we got to eat with our hands. We did not climb the mountains. It was too tall. Maybe when I am a bigger boy. I love you Mommy. I miss you. I will write more letters. Please write me a letter too.” Tears streamed down Catherine’s cheeks. “Oh, Willis. What did he say to you?”
“Let’s see,” Willis smiled. “Dear Daddy… I went to the mall. It is not the same as home. I had spris. It is like a smoothie with avocado and mango. I had to eat it with a spoon. I am being good. Mommy Sheila says so. I miss you. There is not another Daddy here. I wonder if that makes Mommy feel lonely. She says no. She laughs. I still don’t know. I love you Daddy. Write me a letter too and take pictures.”
Catherine laughed. “It sounds like Jason’s having fun… I’m glad he misses us,” Catherine whispered, “Is that terrible?”
“No. I’m glad, too. Did we get the same pictures?” Willis asked. Catherine opened the thicker envelope, and she smiled when she saw Jason in a denim bucket hat pointing at geladas. Willis saw a picture of Jason in front of a museum. Pictures of Jason laughing and eating and hiking with Sheila. Catherine had pictures of Jason in the same places, but the pictures weren’t the same.
“Jason looks so cute in these little pictures. I can’t wait until the next three weeks are over. I feel like I’m holding my breath for him. I’m more excited to see Jason than I am to go home,” Catherine replied.
“You feel good about coming home?” Willis asked. Catherine smiled at him and nodded.
“I am, actually. I’m so excited. And two weeks before Jason gets home,” Catherine smiled. Willis’ eyes widened.
“Saying you got something in mind?” Willis asked. He raised an eyebrow.
Catherine smiled. “I’ve been away from you for one-hundred-and-twenty days. What do you think?” Catherine replied in a whisper.
“Oh, baby,” Willis whispered. Willis pushed his hair back and sighed heavily.
**
Willis and Catherine sat in Jason’s room when Catherine got home, wrapping presents. “I miss him,” Catherine frowned.
“Me too. How about I pop one of those kid meal thingies in the oven, and we have a romantic candlelight dinner over pizza, corn, gluey chocolate pudding, and… Chocolate milk?” Willis asked.
Catherine chuckled. “What do I get if I eat all my corn?” Catherine teased.
Willis laughed as he leaned close, touching foreheads with Catherine. Their hearts were heavy with the weight of Jason’s absence, but they tried to make the most of it. They tried to make the two weeks before Jason into a second chance at a honeymoon. It was fun at first, but they were so used to being three… Not two. It was the most time they’d ever spent alone together. They didn’t know what to do. Willis kissed her forehead and rushed to the kitchen to make dinner.
They sat at the table together waiting for dinner to be ready while they searched for something to talk about. “I love you,” Willis announced with a certain innocence in his voice. Catherine smiled.
“I love you too,” Catherine smiled. “How’s your new job? Do you like it?”
“It’s great. I thought I’d hate being an overnight prep cook, but it’s good. And you know what, they’re teaching me a lot about food and cooking,” Willis answered, “I didn’t know jack shit about cooking. You know me… But I’ve been chopping and dicing and rubbing and marinating… At the end of this month, they’re gonna start letting me take leftovers from the closing shift home.”
“You sound happy,” Catherine smiled. She touched Willis’ face.
“I am… I’ve got my wife back. Our kid is coming home in three days… So, yeah. I’m pretty happy,” Willis replied.
**
Catherine woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and shaking in the dark. Willis crept in from work, thinking she was asleep before they locked eyes. “What’s wrong?” Willis asked. He stood frozen in the dark doorway.
Catherine burst into tears and reached for him. He sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her. She held a hand over her mouth to quiet her sobs and stave off any nausea that happened to arise. “Listen, whatever it is… We—.”
“I have to get to a payphone,” Catherine whispered. Willis rubbed her back.
“What’s wrong?” Willis asked.
“I had a dream that something happened to Jason—.”
“Nothing happened to Jason. He’s with his—. Whatever the hell Jane Eyre was in that movie you forced me to watch,” Willis replied.
“A governess?” Catherine asked.
“Mhm. That… That is what she is. And it’s noon. He’s probably taking a nap or learning how to ask for a cookie in the language. Besides, Sheila is a doctor,” Willis reassured her. His eyes widened as he nodded. She nodded along with him. “You know what? You’re probably just nervous because he’s coming home soon. Go back to bed. I’ll be here in a minute to kiss you good morning. I need to shower. I smell like dirt and gruyére.”
“Turmeric?” Catherine asked. Willis squinted at her.
“How did you—? That’s a cool little thing you picked up. Wanna smell my armpit and tell me what I ate for lunch?” Willis teased. Catherine laughed.
“I’m going to bed,” Catherine replied. Willis brushed her chin with his knuckle. “Be quick… I want my good morning kiss.”
Willis backed out of the room with a smile on his face as he clicked his tongue. “You and me both, sweetheart,” Willis chuckled. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Willis took his shower and took his place by her side.
“Hey, Catherine? You wanna know something?” Willis whispered.
“Hm?” Catherine replied, pretending to be half-asleep.
“We’re lost without him… Aren’t we? I mean, we haven’t said much… But, it’s like he’s been on the tip of our tongues this whole time. I think we’re both afraid to be the first one to bring him up. So much for a first chance at a real honeymoon. I feel a little empty without him,” Willis rambled.
“Two more days now… And—. Maybe he’ll ask to sleep in our room the first night,” Catherine whispered.
Willis chuckled. “And we’ll pretend to hesitate… But, we’ll let him sleep between us, and we’ll show him the photo album you put together. We’re gonna be a real family again,” Willis whispered, “I’ve wanted that my whole life.”
