Their stand-offs are always short. The flames erupt quickly, but they burn too hot to last, soon snuffed out into apologetic wisps of smoke as pretty lips twist into a pout and her little dove predictably requests the forgiveness that is always offered with a moment of hesitation.

Lena is patient, at least with those she cares about, and she waits for the inevitable with a gentle sigh.

“I don’t wanna,” Dallas whines, her foot lightly stomping on the floor. “You’d like it, too, Mommy. You know you would and we both deserve a day off.” The little one switches tactics, angelically batting her eyelashes as she pushes her bottom lip out as far as it can possibly go. “Wouldn’t you just like to ditch today, Mommy? We can watch movies and order takeout and ignore annoying board members.”

“No, I’d prefer for you to do as I ask, little dove.” Mommy stands firm, her hands on her hips and her dark eyes ever so slightly narrowed behind her glasses. “You were such a good girl last night and I would hate for us to start our day on a sour note, wouldn’t you?”

Dallas sighs, the pout tugging on her lower lip sucked inwards as she curls her toes into the plush rug.

“I don’t particularly want to go to work, either,” Mommy continues, calmly closing the gap between them in order to gently cup Dallas’s chin in her hand. “But, the quicker we begin our day, the quicker it shall end and we will be together again.”

Lena leans forward to kiss the tip of Dallas’s nose, chuckling softly at the way it adorably wrinkles, “perhaps we can try and schedule an off day next week?”

Emerald eyes shyly peer upwards, Dallas soothed by the thought of seeing her Mommy in the middle of her hectic work day. It would be a nice break, a moment for them both to decompress and step out of their CEO shoes and merely exist for an hour or so. “I mean, I know I would very much appreciate seeing your smiling face today,” Mommy says. “You’re a lot nicer to deal with than the stuffy board members.”

It’s enough to draw a soft giggle from Dallas, her pout disappearing as she is mollified by the positive attention—secretly thrilled that Mommy didn’t accept her goading for even a second.

“Maybe with some ice-cream, too?” Dallas bats her eyelashes, “or cake?”

“Hmmm,” Lena exaggeratedly taps her chin in faux thought. “Maybe if you’re a really good girl, yes, but you have to promise that you’ll get dressed and come out for breakfast so we can leave for work,” Lena says with a firm nod. “That’s non negotiable, little dove.”

“Fine.”

Dallas sighs as though she has been asked to run a country mile, her eyes shining with mischief.

“Maybe cake for breakfast?”

“I think you are perhaps pushing your luck now, little one,” Lena chuckles. She gestures towards the closet, “go pick out something to wear so you can eat your pancakes and I will prepare more coffee than I even approve of you drinking.” She taps the tip of Dallas’s nose, “quickly now, little dove.”

Lena wrinkles her nose as she heads towards the kitchen, wondering just when she became the type of Mommy who bribes her little one with caffeine and treats instead of just putting her foot down, Lena thinks to herself, chuckling softly as she sets up the coffee machine to prepare a fresh batch.