Mr. Mom

62

He ends up having a lot of spare time during his work day and spends his spare time learning how to braid using a spare shoelace.

Hermione walks in, carrying a takeout bag. "Hey, Fred's running a little late on a job, he'll be back soon. Make yourself comfortable." He gestures to the seat across from him.

"Are you being nice or do you just want whatever's in this takeout bag?" She gestures to the Pop's takeout bag in her hands and he smirks. 

"Maybe a little bit of both."

She shakes her head but sits down across from him nonetheless.

"Hey, do know how to braid?"

"Yeah, I do. Why do you ask?"

"Well Alice left and Ellie wanted me to braid her hair like Alice always did but I don't know how. Could you teach me?"

"Of course, it's actually pretty simple." She looks at the shoelace on his desk and laughs. "I take it you were practicing with these?"

His cheeks flush slightly. "Yeah."

"Well for starters you need three strands, not two, at least for a basic braid." She roots around in a few drawers before coming back with another shoelace. "All you have to do is cross the right piece over the middle and cross the left piece over the right piece which is now the middle. And you just keep alternating." His eyes are wide and she laughs. "I'll show you and then you can try." She does it slowly to show him and he watches intently. "See? Easy. Now you try."

He takes the laces from her and starts crossing them. She takes his hand and directs him in crossing them correctly when he messes up and by the time Fred shows up he thinks he's sort of got the hang of it.

"Hi, honey." Hermione greets Fred with a kiss. "I brought food."

"Thank you, I'm starving." He sits down and digs in to the takeout bag. "What have you two been up to?"

"Taught FP how to braid." Hermione answers, stealing a fry from Fred.

"Why do you want to learn how to braid? You growing your hair out or something?"

"No it's for Ellie. Alice is gone and took her braiding skills with her."

"Where'd she go?"

"We got in a fight and I told her to leave. El's real sad about it."

"Well no doubt, the few times Alice came by with her Ellie seemed really attached." Hermione says and FP sighs.

"I know, I feel horrible. Ellie adores her. I know Alice feels the same."

"What were you fighting about?"

"I ran into Gladys the other day at Pop's and she was pissed that Alice was living with El and I. She kept saying how Ellie would be the one getting hurt if things between Alice and I went south and how it'd be better if I didn't constantly have her around Ellie to save her getting even more attached. Not that that's really possible, she literally told Alice she loves her." He sighs. "I thought she was right so I ended thing with Alice that way if things did go south and Alice left it wouldn't hurt as much. I guess I underestimated just how attached Ellie was to her and it turns out I'm the one who crushed her."

"God, FP are you really that blind?" Fred shouts at him.

"Huh?"

"Alice is crazy about you. Have you not seen the way she looks at you? I know you two were officially in a relationship but don't you think that over the time she was staying with you there were feelings there even before you became boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"I guess so-"

"No, don't guess. Know! Gladys was a real bitch, I never liked her from the beginning but she was your wife and the mother of your child so I tolerated her. I always had a bad feeling she'd flake on you, I've never had that feeling with Alice. That woman is in love with Jones. And it's about time you realize it."

___

"Guess what?" FP starts as he gets Ellie changed into her pyjamas.

"What?"

"Aunt Hermie taught me how braid today!"

She grins. "She did?" He nods. "Can you braid my hair right now?"

"Sure baby, I can't promise I'm any good, I was practicing with shoelaces, I'll do my best though."

He walks into the bathroom to retrieve her hairbrush and finds her waiting for him in the living room. He combs through her hair and separates it into three strands, doing exactly what Hermione taught him. He smiles proudly as it actually starts to look like a braid, he's pretty impressed with himself. It's not best looking braid, not as sleek as the ones Alice would do but he's proud of himself nonetheless.

"Alright, finished." She reaches her hand back to run across the braid and smiles wide. "What do you think?"

"I bet it looks so pretty, daddy. I'm gonna go look!" She runs to the bathroom and he hears her squeal of excitement before she runs back out into the living room, jumping onto the couch to give him a hug. "It looks so pretty, daddy, you're the best."

"I'm glad you approve, honey."

"Start practicing piggy tails, you can borrow my shoelaces if you want."