A Most *UN-Usual* Unexpectedly Pleasant Morning and Afternoon For Both Annie and Pinocchio (And Nuka)- The Beginning of It, Anyway
Pinocchio didn't really feel much better after his shower the next morning, despite the mirror saying he LOOKED much better. After *THAT mess* yesterday, he was going to be feeling halfway-to-depressed the next few days and nights, which Nuka well-knew... (The scrawny lanky wild-maned Lion teen had taken a [hah] cat-bath and run a damp soapy brush through his dark curls before rinsing and drying them.)
If he hadn't had the 'runaway' former Lion Prince and his *OTHER family*, he might have been seriously considering self-harm or suicide at this point- especially after ...THAT. (Thank you ever so much, Ms. Kovacevic, Ilaria Belmagio, and Geppetto Tommaso. *NOT*!!! And that goes for *you too*, Carlo, Signor Sebastian, and Professor Buonragazzo!!)
As it was, it was more than likely going to be like any ordinary day, summer or no. Breakfast was over, done with, and cleaned up (just some quick scrambled eggs, toast smothered in butter or jam, and a nice hot mug of tea), so guest or no, best get on with some other chores before trying to relax with a book or play a board game-
Someone politely knocked on the door just as Pinocchio was picking up a broom and Nuka a dust-rag, causing the latter's ears to swivel and prick up and the former's head to turn. Miss Hannigan had heard it too, and a little unsteadily stalked over to the front door before yelling "*Yeah*?!" through the intercom.
A courteous kind voice with a crisp British accent replied, "Is this Colleen Hannigan? I want to talk about a girl in your care- Annie. And my friend Harry here would also like to talk to you, but about *a BOY* instead. Ah- *Pinocchio*, I believe?"
Aforementioned boy instantly started nervously stimming. In the four years since he'd come to Miss Hannigan's home in Harlem, New York, the United States, North America, NO ONE had *EVER* wanted to foster or adopt him (though the Jacksons would have long done that if he hadn't *FALLEN FOR one of their sons*), much less *talk about the possibility*. This was *the ONLY* foster home or orphanage he'd ever been in!
*NOBODY* -not even *his own semi-biological parents*- wanted him; either for a while, or '*it's FOREVER*, dearie'. -Why would that change now, for all his yearnings, hopes, dreams, and wishes on stars or other hopeful objects??
Nuka smiled hopefully and lovingly at 'Nocchi while reaching out and gently rubbing his arm and caressing his leg with his tail. Pinocchio just barely mustered a smile back- but only through his eyes.
"*Uggghhh*..." Miss Hannigan groaned, but unlocked and pulled open the door. "Alright- you can take them today instead of Monday, but I want to get paid for the month! I already bought them food! ...*Well, SHUT MY MOUTH*."
"-Ah, ma'am? I think you've mistaken us for *someone else*." Another clearly British-accented voice- this one male, ...and somehow strangely familiar same with the 'carina' red-haired 'donna' from yesterday's accidental collision. Pinocchio couldn't yet see the newcomers in full since all three of them -Miss Hannigan and the two newcomers- were slender and lean in build, and Miss Hannigan had her arms tiredly outstretched. "Now, *I AM* a social worker, but Grace here works for Stacks Mobile."
Now Miss Hannigan looked slightly panicked as she lowered her voice a bit. "Listen- it's not *MY fault* I went over my Anytime visits last month! I didn't know the guy was in SRI LANKA! I *swear* I didn't...!"
"Oh?? Well- this isn't about your phone bill, Miss Hannigan," said 'Miss Grace'. "I'm here on behalf of Will Stacks as well as his personal secretary, and Harry is here on behalf of Ginerva 'Ginny' Wonka. They'd each like to invite Annie Bennett and Pinocchio Orfano out to lunch today."
"...Um, *WHAT*?? *Why*???" a dumbstruck Miss Hannigan wanted to know.
'That's what *I'd* really like to know!' a just-as-stunned-silly Nuka exclaimed to himself in his head as his reddish-brown eyes blew wide and his jaw dropped about the ground. 'Could you, um, INFORM US, please and thank you Miss "Grace"??'
Pinocchio nervously swallowed hard as he BIT his lower lip and either clutched or rubbed his arm. If there was one thing that bugged Miss Hannigan more than *NOT getting famous*, it was seeing and hearing OTHER PEOPLE become famous- especially for sudden 'stupid' reasons! She. Was. Going. To. *HATE*. Him. As much as she already didn't get on great with Annie...!
(It was a *flipping wonder* he'd been allowed to take drama/Glee club and musical theatre in school- a *MIRACLE*! Well, at least often seeing a *MUSICAL 'shrink'* had done him nothing but good as opposed to having to keep his mouth shut save for very rare times...)
"They respectively ran into each other yesterday. -Neither of them told you??" said the man named 'Harry'.
"Awww- well, they never tell me *ANYTHING*. We didn't, y' know, get a chance to do our girl-talk or Kurt-and-girls talk jawbone last night," Miss Hannigan replied smooth and sweet as honey, trying to sound charming yet genuine as she now seemingly relaxed a bit. "*Ran into 'em*, huh?? You know, their necks DID seem a little whip-lashy... ANNIE! 'NOCCHI! Get your little ra- selves on over here! 'And your little dog too', 'Nocchi!"
"*Ha-ha-ha*," Nuka drawled with an eyeroll as he set down the dust-rag he'd been preparing to use. "Sooooo funny and witty, Margaret Hamilton. In fact, that's *SO funny* I forgot to LAUGH! -Oh. Wait. No, I didn't."
He *DEARLY* wanted to ask for DETAILS and INFO- but it would have to wait. Right now, what his stunned, startled, and confused boyfriend/mate would need was *support* with a capital 'S'. *ALL capital letters*, actually!
-*ESPECIALLY* when Mr. Nice British Guy turned to be none other than *Harry James Evans-Potter* real, live, and *IN THE FLESH* from his naturally-messy jet-black hair and bespectacled brilliant green almond-shaped eyes to that famous thin but now much less red and livid lightning bolt scar on his forehead who rather than Gryffindor red and gold was instead clad in a casual but sharp stylish suit in cool yet bright tones of blue-green and yellow, and his glasses now much less round, no longer barely held together with Sellotape, or mere wire or black plastic. (Neither of them recognized the lovely classy lady with warm brown eyes and lightish-brown hair dressed in shades of cream and white named 'Grace'.)
"We'd also like to make a donation to the charity of your choice."
"Gosh- *SO MANY to choose from*...! Let's see, now- 'Save the Whales', 'Clean Water'... You know what? Just make it out to 'Cash'. I'll divvy it up and figure it out later."
"-Okay, then. *Perfect*!"
Obviously, Mr. Harry *SO DID NOT like when someone was greedy*. Props to his polite game face, though! (Pinocchio semi-futilely hoped that Miss Hannigan would be *UN-selfish* for once and give that charity fund to an actual charity of some kind. -But even if he knocked on wood, he wasn't going to hold his breath.)
Pinocchio was *VERY glad* when Annie didn't have to be called for again, coming in a couple minutes later while pulling on a red hoodie just as he zipped his own black-and-yellow Hufflepuff one partially over his 'Heathers: The Musical' T-shirt and Nuka slipped on his black leather jacket.
"Oh! *THERE you all are*, honeys!" Miss Hannigan chirruped. "Morning, Nuka! *So nice* to have you over last night- you know, you and 'Nocchi make a really cute sweet couple: like Baron and Haru from 'The Cat Returns'! But really- they're all *such ANGELS*... We don't inherit the earth- we borrow it from our children, you know?"
Pinocchio just barely resisted a flinch as a result of Miss Hannigan's sudden held-close tight hug. Nuka had to *REALLY hold back* batting her hand away ruffling his mane with his claws out while hissing or snarling '*GET AWAY FROM ME, you soused faker skank-bitch*!! And get your *damn hands OFF OF* 'Nocchi like you suddenly care about and love him!' Annie was just plain confused.
"'Nocchi, Annie- you're going to go with this nice lady and gentleman. Is that okay, sweeties?"
Miss Grace knelt down to Annie's eye-level and smiled kindly at her. "Hi, Annie! I'm Grace. I work for Mr. Will Stacks, the gentleman that you ran into yesterday. He'd like to invite you out to lunch. I promise we won't keep you or your friends long."
Harry did the same, minus the bending. "*Wotcher*, Signorino Pinocchio- how do you do? Wotcher, Nuka! How are you?? Good to see you healthy, happy, and well! Getting away from horrible awful no-good blood relatives does the trick, doesn't it? Whether they're your mum or aunt, uncle, and cousin...
"I am *NOT married to* or in a romantic relationship with Miss Ginny Wonka 'nee Prewett-Weasley, but we're still fairly good friends despite her former family's gold-digger tendencies, since she made a run for it when she was seven years old after hearing about *certain plans* and ended up with the WONKA family (yeah! Really truly honestly- *WONKA*), and therefore went to school *elsewhere besides* Hogwarts. Ah- she's the lady you accidentally bumped into yesterday, and SHE'D like to invite you out to lunch. Your- boyfriend, best mate, or foster brother is more than welcome to join, if he'd like."
Annie to Miss Grace- "You can keep me *as long as you want*!"
"R-Really?? M-*Me*, Signor Harry? Well... o-okay, then. M-Miss Hannigan said it was okay, so.... *Oh*! Um- a-awful sorry! H-Hello."
"Um... h-*hey*! Hi! Hello, Mr. Evans-Potter. ...Fair; can't complain. Y-Yeah, it sure does... N-Name's now 'Nuka Sallie Anders Jackson'. Uh- heh! You- You probably recognize the last name, and why..."
Harry just nodded gently and continued to smile warmly while inwardly wondering *why the heck* Pinocchio was in *a FOSTER-HOME/ORPHANAGE* and looking like he'd been CRYING HARD yesterday instead of happily at home with his beloved woodcarver father. -But then again, as he *WELL knew*, the true story wasn't always what it seemed... Maybe, like his own parents, one way or another Geppetto had died either recently or a while back, and since nobody else was able to take his 'little woodenhead' in, foster care had been his only option ...or maybe *something WORSE* had happened.
(He was holding out for the lesser of two evils- but for some reason, he strongly suspected the other.)
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It was *COMPLETELY* unorthodox, but still awful sweet for Annie to share handfuls of goodies like bottled water, sodas, candy, gum, magazines, and snacks both savory and sweet with their foster-sisters, Pinocchio thought with a not-so-small smile. Though that reminded him-
"Um, Signor Harry? W-Would it be alright if I g-gave a couple of treats to Miss Hannigan? I just- I don't want her feelin' left out, that's all..."
He was both relieved and warmed by Harry's sunshine smile and non-manipulatively-twinkling eyes, plus his inviting open arm-sweep. "Go right ahead, Signorino Pinocchio! That's 'awful' thoughtful of you- I'm sure she'll appreciate it. -And Nuka? When we drop you off back at your folks' house, you're more than welcome to gather up a goody-bag each for your dad, mum, brother, and little sister, if you'd like."
Okay- it was official. Boy-Who-Lived/Chosen One or no, Harry James Evans-Potter was one of *THE nicest* men in the world! Spoiled, selfish, arrogant, vain, cruel, and greedy he *was NOT*, Professor Severus Snape!
"W-*Wow*- really??! *THANKS, Mr. Evans-Potter*! Thanks a lot!" Nuka grinned and barely kept from whooping, coming to the same conclusion as his young boyfriend *S-O-L-I-D-I-F-I-E-D*.
"Maybe I should come with you guys?? Make sure that everything's *USDA Grade-A Awesome*??!"
"I'm- *WE'RE good*! Thanks!"
"Wh-What Annie said! But, um- h-here, Signorina Hannigan: some 'f your favorite snacks 'n drinks, a-and a magazine I know you've been lookin' for."
At that last, Pinocchio's caretaker/boss looked a little *teary-eyed*. GENUINELY non-drunkenly teary-eyed... (It was like watching and hearing Mangiafuoco sneeze three or five times as his heart melted and he resigned himself to eat his mutton half-raw that night.) She sniffed and smiled at the freckled blue-eyed raven while taking hold of her bag of unexpected treats. "-Thanks, 'Nocchi hon. Really sweet of you to think of little ol' me, -but then, you're *ALWAYS sweet*. Why d' ya think I and others call you 'Nutcracker' or 'Edward Scissorhands'?"
Pinocchio was not a little non-plussed- but just managed to muster a sweet genuine smile back and utter, "Y-You're welcome, M-Miss Hannigan. It- It was only fair 'f YOU got somethin', too..."
He squeaked, jerked, and turned a bit red at the sudden slightly sticky and wine-smelling kiss pressed into his hair before it was also ruffled, then smoothed. Nuka FOUGHT to bite back a growl, snarl, hiss, or curse in Swahili while Harry barely resisted raising an eyebrow and the driver muttered "*Oh, PLEASE*" and *DIDN'T hold back* from rolling his eyes in disgust and disbelief.
"Have a good time, doll! Just don't come back so late you'll turn into pumpkins, pumpkin! 'Bye now!"
"Good- Goodbye, Miss Hannigan! W-We will 'n won't!"
'Faida', Miss H!"
Even safe inside the car, Pinocchio flinched and worried his lower lip when he heard Mr. Lou call out to Miss Hannigan as everyone ran back inside with their treats, "*Hey, gorgeous*! How does it feel to have a couple of famous kids??" and saw him show her a copy of that day's paper with a photo of Mr. Will Stacks saving Annie from getting hit by a car AND *Pinocchio and Miss Ginny Wonka 'nee Prewett-Weasley bumping smack into each other* on the cover. He braced himself for the angry frustrated jealous scream soon to follow once she'd gotten a good long look at both pictures...
-And almost passed out from the sheer relief and disbelief when he heard her *bite it back and swallow it down* before saying sweetly with a sunshine grin, "-Well! Huh- whaddya know?? THAT was what Miss Grace and Mr. Harry Potter were talking about when it came to those two little rascals! Well, all that REALLY matters is that Annie's safe and sound, and 'Nocchi didn't get bumped into the road either, y' know?"
True... But did she honestly mean it?? And why had she *NOT screamed*??? Pinocchio KNEW what she was like-!
Well, so long as neither he nor Annie or their foster-sisters by default would be yelled at/verbally beaten and grounded for possibly the whole summer, he would take this sudden good fortune and run with it like a kid...
He had *NEVER* been in such a cool state-of-the-art car- even rarely King Posedien's tricked-out fisher truck or Mrs. Sally's SUV stocked with all kinds of blue snacks both savory and sweet, homemade and store-bought. (Nuka owned a motor-bike, and Percy didn't have a car yet; though would get one for his sixteenth birthday.) In addition to awesome delicious free snacks and sodas plus magazines if you wanted to read in the car, there was a TOUCH-SCREEN that controlled the in-car *entertainment system* where one could swipe through the 'buttons' and click on whatever radio program they wanted to listen to, or select from many different CDs of singers, musical groups, (Off)Broadway tunes, or movie soundtracks! *WOW*...
"Go ahead- whichever you like."
"Yeah- you choose first, 'Nocchi sweetheart! 'S fine by me. I'll make my own selection on the way home."
So after buckling himself in, Pinocchio swiped through and typed until he'd found the 'Edward Scissorhands' soundtrack, selecting that and tapping on 'Prologue'. The uneasy nervous butterflies not only fluttering and flapping but *tap-dancing and doing the fandango* in his stomach soothed and settled a bit from the first sweet familiar if slightly eerie chords and then heard the choir harmonizing.
"Ahh- Tim Burton's 'Edward Scissorhands'? Danny Elfman? Good choice, lad- if rather ironic," the green-haired orange-skinned for-now-grown-tall Oompa-Loompa approved with a small nod as he put the car into 'DRIVE'.
Pinocchio shrugged with another small blush- though this time much less uncomfortably. At the back of his mind, he wondered which radio station Annie had chosen in Mr. Will Stacks' car to calm and soothe her own stomach-butterflies...