HOME | DD

Description

An assortment of drabbles

---

Raine-beau walked around the classroom, book clutched to his chest. Whimsy had watched him try to engage with the other students with his new book that he brought from home, but unfortunately, he was still the only kid with a such a deep passion for jellyfish. By now, everyone was engrossed in their own activities; building blocks, drawing pictures, or playing in the kitchen area. A certain redhead caught his attention; she was wearing a jellyfish shirt today.

Wasting no time, Raine-beau sat down besides Danni and immediately launched into his own little presentation about jellyfish, holding the book open for Danni to see. He couldn't read much; that much Whimsy knew. However, if there was a book he absolutely loved, he would commit the words to memory. It was hard to tell if Danni was listening to what Raine-beau was saying, or if she was more focused on the words in the book.

If she didn't want to listen to him, she would have gotten up and walked away by now. I guess they're alright... It concerned Whimsy that Danni didn't really engage with her peers during Station Time, but at least she wasn't actively avoiding anyone.

***

SMACK! Whimsy looked up from xeir paperwork, wondering where that sound had come from. That was the very distinct sound of a slap, and it was heard over the general chatter of students playing.

"Mx. Beehive! Danni hit my cheek!" Vanilla wailed, clutching her teacher's dress as if for dear life. Danni was standing a few paces away, clutching her Sweet-tooth plushie, with a look on her face that she did NOT regret her actions one bit.

"What happened?" Mx. Beehive asked calmly.

"I want to play with her doll, but she said 'no,' so I take it, and she hit me~!" Is her cheek already swelling? How hard did she get slapped?!

"Well, you should have listened to her. 'No' means 'no'," Mx. Beehive responded plainly. "And we explained to everybody in the class that Sweet-tooth was very special to Danni. She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to." The distinct lack of vengeance from the woman was enough to stun Vanilla into silence. "Come on, then. I'll take you to Nurse Snakefruit; she can fix you up." Wordlessly, Vanilla took Mx. Beehive's hand and allowed herself to be lead out of the room, shedding silent tears.

Should I... do something??? Though Whimsy would never say it out loud, Vanilla sort of had that coming. She was one of those kids who didn't take "no," for an answer because it "wasn't fair" (AKA: not what Vanilla wanted). But we're also not supposed to teach kids that it's okay to hit each other... Then again, diplomacy doesn't really work on five-year-olds.

Danni's face softened to her usual neutral expression before she made her way to the art station. When Mx. Beehive returned with a patched-up Vanilla, Danni handed over the drawing; a picture of a cat with a rainbow over it, and "sorry," written at the top. Doubtful Vanilla could read the word, but she did very hesitantly accept the apparent peace offering.

Note to self: Danni will 1000% smack the living snot out of you if you mess with her.

***

Nurse Snakefruit was leaning back in her office chair, enjoying a calm moment in the school clinic, a cup of yogurt mixed with granola and blueberries in her hand, with the radio playing a song from her younger days. Bright red hair in her peripheral vision made her straighten up and switch back into Work Mode. "Hey, sugar-booger~" she greeted Danni. Then she noticed the weeping boy holding hands with her, looking like he'd taken a beating. "Oh, what happened?" she asked sympathetically.

"I-I fell down the stairs..." the boy sniveled before taking a seat while Danni filled out a clinic referral slip.

Stairs? The kindergarten only had one floor to it. "On the playground?"

"Uh-huh... Missir Whimsy says not to, but-but I wanted to go on the stairs like the other kids do..."

Danni handed the woman the slip of paper. Walker Ferrel... Oh, yes! The one with dyspraxia. "You'll be able to climb stairs someday, my friend," Nurse Snakefruit assured him, bringing the first aid kit over to him. It seemed to be mostly scrapes and bumps; nothing serious (thankfully). "There will be plenty of stairs for you to climb as you get older. No point in giving yourself ouchies over it." Danni sat down beside her classmate, watching the nurse fix him up. It was a little strange for students to arrive to the clinic without a teacher, but far be it for the nurse to tell a teacher how to run their own classroom. Besides, if anyone could be trusted to carry out a task, it was certainly Danni.

An adult running past caught Nurse Snakefruit's attention. Said adult turned right back around almost instantly, a mix of relief and irritation on xeir face as xey stood in the doorway. "Oh! There's Missir Whimsy."

The teacher took a breath before speaking. "Danni... I know you were helping Walker, but you cannot walk off like that, especially without telling anybody where you are going."

Danni began fiddling with Sweet-tooth in her lap. Are you being coy or passive-aggressive? Nurse Snakefruit heard that Danni has opened up enough to use sign language or write down her thoughts, so she wasn't sure what a lack of response meant. Whimsy looked like xe wanted to say something else, but thought better of it. Instead; xe switched xeir attention to Walker, explaining why he needed to be more careful on the playground and how there was a reason xe didn't want him climbing on the staircase.

***

"So, are you the jogging-early-in-the-morning types? Or maybe yoga?" Whimsy asked when the teachers had a calm moment to themselves on the playground.

"Hm? Oh, no. Shapewear." Mx. Beehive lifted her blouse, revealing cream-colored high-waisted shorts. "I had a student a few years back who had NO SENSE of personal space. He'd always grab my middle and give it a jiggle or a slap. When I brought it up with his parents, they suggested I 'get rid of the flab,' and then he wouldn't have anything to jiggle or slap. They were those gym-rat types," she admitted with an irritated eye-roll. "Over time, wearing the shorts just sort of became part of my morning routine when I'm working. I probably should try and exercise more, though," Mx. Beehive shrugged. "I'm all soft and saggy."

"I didn't mean anything by it," Whimsy quickly reassured xeir co-teacher. "I was mostly asking because you have nice legs. Like, you LOOK LIKE you exercise regularly."

"Oh, thank you."

"Please don't think I'm being a drama queen, but I've always been built like a popsicle stick. I want to try and get some meat on my bones."

"Come over to my mother's house for the Full Moon Feast and she'll get some meat on your bones," Mx. Beehive chuckled. "Speaking of; we need to demonstrate a coming-of-age ceremony for the kids soon. My cousin is a priestess, so I was going to borrow her clothes, and you can be the celebrant. Would you be alright with me putting a headwrap on you? It's okay if you're not. I know you said you have issues about the sybal look."

"Eh~ I can wear it for a day. Just make sure you don't tie it too tight."

"Will do... Hi, Danni," Mx. Beehive greeted the redhead. The lass handed over her journal before returning to Walker's side. (Ever since he had fallen down the staircase, Danni sort of appointed herself as his personal sentinel while on the playground.)

It is okay if your tummy is soft and saggy. It got big when you have a baby, and it holds all the food you eat. Your tummy is a good tummy.

She overheard me...

***

New challenge; getting Danni to let us be the adults and handle situations, Whimsy thought as xe walked down the hall and back to xeir classroom. It was moments like these where xe wished Danni's parents were still alive; to try and help explain the way she handles things. Most kids at this age who are self-sufficient also tend to be a bit bossy, but that wasn't the case with Danni. She never tried to make other kids do things her way; she just does her own thing. She can relax around us, so why won't she ask for help? The lack of response to being scolded about taking Walker to the nurse without permission stuck to Whimsy. It reminded xem of the way xe used to be dismissive of xeir foster parents when they scolded xem. Is it a power play?... If it were, she would be going out of her way to break the rules, like how Sesame would trash the room. Danni doesn't go out of her way to break rules. In fact, she's second-best to Naomi when it comes to following the rules and routines.

Another thought came to mind... children whose needs were not met by their caregivers won't ask for anything, because they eventually learn how futile it is. Maybe that's why she doesn't ask for help?... But she hasn't been living with her grandmother for long. Logically, if her parents met her needs but her grandmother didn't, wouldn't she learn not to rely on the grandmother?... Was Danni being neglected before her parents died? Whimsy could sort of relate. Xeir parents weren't exactly stellar in performing their duties. To be completely honest, the one thing they got right was making sure Whimsy didn't die. When one lives such a grim reality, it's hard to imagine that there are other adults who would take proper care of oneself.

"Morning," Mx. Lychee greeted Whimsy. She was one of the school's speech pathologists; a cheery woman who was double--maybe triple--Whimsy's weight, and she wasn't shy about it either. Even the children she wasn't working with loved to greet her with a warm, squishy hug.

"Morning," Whimsy replied offhandedly, continuing on xeir path.

"Just out of curiosity, did you know Danni will sing?"

"What?!" Whimsy whipped around in shock.

"Yeah. I was just with your class during their music lesson. She was singing along with everyone."

"Does that mean she's not in, like, verbal shutdown mode anymore?" That probably didn't sound very intelligent, but hey ho.

"Well, see... Verbal shutdown doesn't necessarily mean a person won't use their voice at all. For some people, they may still make sounds; not necessarily words. Others may say random words that have nothing to do with the situation. Others still, like Danni, can sing even if they are experiencing a verbal shutdown. It all has to do with the way their brain processes and carries out various functions. I think because it's something she's committed to memory, she doesn't have to think about it in order for her to use her voice. Or it could have to do with her emotional state. I can tell she loves to sing. Perhaps, when she's singing, she can put her troubles out of her mind for a few moments. She even told me that singing is easier than talking--through sign language, of course."

"Huh..." That sounds frustrating.

"We should still be patient with her. Poor girl has been through the wringer, and I'm sure it's a lot for her to process. But, if you're looking for ways to help her engage with her classmates, maybe you and Mellilla can brainstorm some singing games that you both can play in the classroom during Carpet Time?"

"Yeah... yeah. We could do something like that, yeah."

Description

An assortment of drabbles

---

Raine-beau walked around the classroom, book clutched to his chest. Whimsy had watched him try to engage with the other students with his new book that he brought from home, but unfortunately, he was still the only kid with a such a deep passion for jellyfish. By now, everyone was engrossed in their own activities; building blocks, drawing pictures, or playing in the kitchen area. A certain redhead caught his attention; she was wearing a jellyfish shirt today.

Wasting no time, Raine-beau sat down besides Danni and immediately launched into his own little presentation about jellyfish, holding the book open for Danni to see. He couldn't read much; that much Whimsy knew. However, if there was a book he absolutely loved, he would commit the words to memory. It was hard to tell if Danni was listening to what Raine-beau was saying, or if she was more focused on the words in the book.

If she didn't want to listen to him, she would have gotten up and walked away by now. I guess they're alright... It concerned Whimsy that Danni didn't really engage with her peers during Station Time, but at least she wasn't actively avoiding anyone.

***

SMACK! Whimsy looked up from xeir paperwork, wondering where that sound had come from. That was the very distinct sound of a slap, and it was heard over the general chatter of students playing.

"Mx. Beehive! Danni hit my cheek!" Vanilla wailed, clutching her teacher's dress as if for dear life. Danni was standing a few paces away, clutching her Sweet-tooth plushie, with a look on her face that she did NOT regret her actions one bit.

"What happened?" Mx. Beehive asked calmly.

"I want to play with her doll, but she said 'no,' so I take it, and she hit me~!" Is her cheek already swelling? How hard did she get slapped?!

"Well, you should have listened to her. 'No' means 'no'," Mx. Beehive responded plainly. "And we explained to everybody in the class that Sweet-tooth was very special to Danni. She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to." The distinct lack of vengeance from the woman was enough to stun Vanilla into silence. "Come on, then. I'll take you to Nurse Snakefruit; she can fix you up." Wordlessly, Vanilla took Mx. Beehive's hand and allowed herself to be lead out of the room, shedding silent tears.

Should I... do something??? Though Whimsy would never say it out loud, Vanilla sort of had that coming. She was one of those kids who didn't take "no," for an answer because it "wasn't fair" (AKA: not what Vanilla wanted). But we're also not supposed to teach kids that it's okay to hit each other... Then again, diplomacy doesn't really work on five-year-olds.

Danni's face softened to her usual neutral expression before she made her way to the art station. When Mx. Beehive returned with a patched-up Vanilla, Danni handed over the drawing; a picture of a cat with a rainbow over it, and "sorry," written at the top. Doubtful Vanilla could read the word, but she did very hesitantly accept the apparent peace offering.

Note to self: Danni will 1000% smack the living snot out of you if you mess with her.

***

Nurse Snakefruit was leaning back in her office chair, enjoying a calm moment in the school clinic, a cup of yogurt mixed with granola and blueberries in her hand, with the radio playing a song from her younger days. Bright red hair in her peripheral vision made her straighten up and switch back into Work Mode. "Hey, sugar-booger~" she greeted Danni. Then she noticed the weeping boy holding hands with her, looking like he'd taken a beating. "Oh, what happened?" she asked sympathetically.

"I-I fell down the stairs..." the boy sniveled before taking a seat while Danni filled out a clinic referral slip.

Stairs? The kindergarten only had one floor to it. "On the playground?"

"Uh-huh... Missir Whimsy says not to, but-but I wanted to go on the stairs like the other kids do..."

Danni handed the woman the slip of paper. Walker Ferrel... Oh, yes! The one with dyspraxia. "You'll be able to climb stairs someday, my friend," Nurse Snakefruit assured him, bringing the first aid kit over to him. It seemed to be mostly scrapes and bumps; nothing serious (thankfully). "There will be plenty of stairs for you to climb as you get older. No point in giving yourself ouchies over it." Danni sat down beside her classmate, watching the nurse fix him up. It was a little strange for students to arrive to the clinic without a teacher, but far be it for the nurse to tell a teacher how to run their own classroom. Besides, if anyone could be trusted to carry out a task, it was certainly Danni.

An adult running past caught Nurse Snakefruit's attention. Said adult turned right back around almost instantly, a mix of relief and irritation on xeir face as xey stood in the doorway. "Oh! There's Missir Whimsy."

The teacher took a breath before speaking. "Danni... I know you were helping Walker, but you cannot walk off like that, especially without telling anybody where you are going."

Danni began fiddling with Sweet-tooth in her lap. Are you being coy or passive-aggressive? Nurse Snakefruit heard that Danni has opened up enough to use sign language or write down her thoughts, so she wasn't sure what a lack of response meant. Whimsy looked like xe wanted to say something else, but thought better of it. Instead; xe switched xeir attention to Walker, explaining why he needed to be more careful on the playground and how there was a reason xe didn't want him climbing on the staircase.

***

"So, are you the jogging-early-in-the-morning types? Or maybe yoga?" Whimsy asked when the teachers had a calm moment to themselves on the playground.

"Hm? Oh, no. Shapewear." Mx. Beehive lifted her blouse, revealing cream-colored high-waisted shorts. "I had a student a few years back who had NO SENSE of personal space. He'd always grab my middle and give it a jiggle or a slap. When I brought it up with his parents, they suggested I 'get rid of the flab,' and then he wouldn't have anything to jiggle or slap. They were those gym-rat types," she admitted with an irritated eye-roll. "Over time, wearing the shorts just sort of became part of my morning routine when I'm working. I probably should try and exercise more, though," Mx. Beehive shrugged. "I'm all soft and saggy."

"I didn't mean anything by it," Whimsy quickly reassured xeir co-teacher. "I was mostly asking because you have nice legs. Like, you LOOK LIKE you exercise regularly."

"Oh, thank you."

"Please don't think I'm being a drama queen, but I've always been built like a popsicle stick. I want to try and get some meat on my bones."

"Come over to my mother's house for the Full Moon Feast and she'll get some meat on your bones," Mx. Beehive chuckled. "Speaking of; we need to demonstrate a coming-of-age ceremony for the kids soon. My cousin is a priestess, so I was going to borrow her clothes, and you can be the celebrant. Would you be alright with me putting a headwrap on you? It's okay if you're not. I know you said you have issues about the sybal look."

"Eh~ I can wear it for a day. Just make sure you don't tie it too tight."

"Will do... Hi, Danni," Mx. Beehive greeted the redhead. The lass handed over her journal before returning to Walker's side. (Ever since he had fallen down the staircase, Danni sort of appointed herself as his personal sentinel while on the playground.)

It is okay if your tummy is soft and saggy. It got big when you have a baby, and it holds all the food you eat. Your tummy is a good tummy.

She overheard me...

***

New challenge; getting Danni to let us be the adults and handle situations, Whimsy thought as xe walked down the hall and back to xeir classroom. It was moments like these where xe wished Danni's parents were still alive; to try and help explain the way she handles things. Most kids at this age who are self-sufficient also tend to be a bit bossy, but that wasn't the case with Danni. She never tried to make other kids do things her way; she just does her own thing. She can relax around us, so why won't she ask for help? The lack of response to being scolded about taking Walker to the nurse without permission stuck to Whimsy. It reminded xem of the way xe used to be dismissive of xeir foster parents when they scolded xem. Is it a power play?... If it were, she would be going out of her way to break the rules, like how Sesame would trash the room. Danni doesn't go out of her way to break rules. In fact, she's second-best to Naomi when it comes to following the rules and routines.

Another thought came to mind... children whose needs were not met by their caregivers won't ask for anything, because they eventually learn how futile it is. Maybe that's why she doesn't ask for help?... But she hasn't been living with her grandmother for long. Logically, if her parents met her needs but her grandmother didn't, wouldn't she learn not to rely on the grandmother?... Was Danni being neglected before her parents died? Whimsy could sort of relate. Xeir parents weren't exactly stellar in performing their duties. To be completely honest, the one thing they got right was making sure Whimsy didn't die. When one lives such a grim reality, it's hard to imagine that there are other adults who would take proper care of oneself.

"Morning," Mx. Lychee greeted Whimsy. She was one of the school's speech pathologists; a cheery woman who was double--maybe triple--Whimsy's weight, and she wasn't shy about it either. Even the children she wasn't working with loved to greet her with a warm, squishy hug.

"Morning," Whimsy replied offhandedly, continuing on xeir path.

"Just out of curiosity, did you know Danni will sing?"

"What?!" Whimsy whipped around in shock.

"Yeah. I was just with your class during their music lesson. She was singing along with everyone."

"Does that mean she's not in, like, verbal shutdown mode anymore?" That probably didn't sound very intelligent, but hey ho.

"Well, see... Verbal shutdown doesn't necessarily mean a person won't use their voice at all. For some people, they may still make sounds; not necessarily words. Others may say random words that have nothing to do with the situation. Others still, like Danni, can sing even if they are experiencing a verbal shutdown. It all has to do with the way their brain processes and carries out various functions. I think because it's something she's committed to memory, she doesn't have to think about it in order for her to use her voice. Or it could have to do with her emotional state. I can tell she loves to sing. Perhaps, when she's singing, she can put her troubles out of her mind for a few moments. She even told me that singing is easier than talking--through sign language, of course."

"Huh..." That sounds frustrating.

"We should still be patient with her. Poor girl has been through the wringer, and I'm sure it's a lot for her to process. But, if you're looking for ways to help her engage with her classmates, maybe you and Mellilla can brainstorm some singing games that you both can play in the classroom during Carpet Time?"

"Yeah... yeah. We could do something like that, yeah."