Archive of Our Own ^beta

4:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 16th, at the Boonchuy residence in Los Angeles, California.

"Okay, let's see..." Anne began tapping profusely on her laptop.

Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap

The laptop keys clanked noticeably as Anne pressed them. The girl didn't look well, and she wasn't. How could she be? She was finally in her own world, she was finally home with her parents and domino, she was home... But not in the way she expected.

So many, SO many things had happened that she still couldn't even process them. It's been almost a month since she arrived with the Plantar's in her world, and even then she couldn't think clearly about what had happened before. The fact that she didn't talk to anyone about it and kept it to herself didn't help either. The constant nightmares that tormented her, her poor sleep, and this feeling of guilt definitely didn't help.

She shook her head quickly, momentarily pushing those thoughts away. There was no time to feel miserable. She had a world to save...

Anne typed some more on her laptop and finally hit enter to search. Her search was: "How to create a portal to a world of talking amphibians to save my friends and the earth from a deranged king?"

The truth is, she felt just as, if not more, deranged searching for something so specific, but she ignored it, as well as her unstable mental and emotional health, and then proceeded to browse the results.

"Mhhhh... Garbage... Garbage... More garbage... Much more garbage... More garbage... Wait, Akihito Tsukushi was arrested?! For some reason, I'm not surprised. If Marcy were here, she'd probably be devastated because the manga will be unfinished... Oh my frog, what am I saying?" Anne leaned back with an annoyed sigh, rubbing her face in irritation at being unable to make any progress in finding a way to return to amphibia and save her friends. This had to be a damn joke, she thought.

Anne sat back in bed and swallowed. Her mouth and throat were completely dry. If she was going to find a way to return to amphibia, she'd have to take care of some of her body's needs first so they wouldn't bother her later. So she was going to go to the kitchen to get something to hydrate, and she'd probably end up eating something in the fridge, and then maybe go to the bathroom... But sleep obviously wasn't on the agenda. (Help, I'm writing this without having slept in 27 hours; the author has sleep issues and is identifying with Anne right now.)

Anne shifted until she was sitting on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes with a tired sigh. Then she got up and walked sleepily toward the kitchen.

Anne's parents' bedroom.

Our beloved and sleepy protagonist's father, Bee Boonchuy, woke up from his peaceful sleep, in which he was definitely not a Super Saiyan with the ability to launch powerful Kamehameha attacks capable of disintegrating everything in his path.

He opened his eyes tiredly as he moved in bed, then stretched his arms and legs while tensing to regain energy. He yawned deeply as he sat up in bed and looked to the side. There was his wife, Oum Boonchuy, resting in deep peace. Since Anne returned, he had finally been able to see that charming smile and tranquility of the woman he loves again. He had also been able to allow himself to smile and be happy again after a few bitter and horrible months, but that was all in the past.

He moved and sat on the edge of the bed, then let out a tired sigh and got up, heading towards the kitchen. It was time for a little nighttime snack and bedtime.

Bee walked slowly toward the kitchen, but stopped when he noticed a light coming from the stove and heard some shuffling noises coming from there. He walked a little further until he could peek through the kitchen entrance.

"Anne? What-" The man couldn't finish his sentence when he saw what was happening in front of him.

Anne was leaning against the open refrigerator door, her face looking haggard. She had very noticeable bags under her eyes and dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well in weeks. He and I had already seen Anne's dark circles under her eyes and how sleepy she seemed to be throughout the day, but they had decided not to ask her anything about it. Now that they had her with them, the last thing they wanted was to upset her. But it was obvious that what was happening was wearing Anne down.

The girl had not noticed her father's presence, she was focused on not falling asleep at that very moment and on grabbing the orange juice from the fridge, she had one eye closed and the other half-closed, although she forced it to open at times, her eyes were trembling and her body was shaking, she reached for the orange juice and began to unscrew the cap of the bottle. When she did, she brought it to her mouth and began to drink, while a little of the juice trickled down her chin and onto her shirt. After a few moments, Anne put the bottle down as she exhaled and let out a brrreeeaaahh burp.

The fluffy-haired girl turned around and finally noticed her father standing in the doorway, "Oh... Hi, Dad...." Anne felt heat rise to her cheeks and blushed. She hadn't expected to run into anyone, much less be seen in such a deplorable state.

"Anne, are you okay?" Her father asked with concern as he slowly approached her. The girl looked away and began to scratch her arm. "Y-yes, of course I am, Dad. I just came to get something to drink..." Anne said as she walked beside her father, "Goodnight." She said as she left the kitchen, but Bee followed her instead. "Gosh, I can't just leave her like that this time. I have to help her, at least tonight." The girl's father thought as he gently took her arm.

Ever since Anne returned, he and especially his wife had been all over her, wanting to spend time with her and find out what happened. They had also, in fact, lived with those otherworldly frogs. As chaotic as they were, they had taken in their daughter when she had nothing else. And they were very grateful for that. But they weren't stupid either. They knew something had happened and that Anne wasn't telling them everything, but they decided not to pressure her. She had already been through a lot. But if there was anything they could do to relieve the girl's pain, even momentarily, they would. (This obviously takes place before Anne reveals the whole truth about what happened in Amphibia.)

"Daughter, can we talk?" Surprisingly, the girl nodded without adding anything else or making up an excuse. Bee smiled and walked into the living room with Anne. Her hand had moved down his arm to gently take hers. They then sat down on a nearby sofa, her father still gently holding her hand.

"Look, honey, your mom and I know something's been going on with you, and we also notice you don't want to talk about it, but we want you to know that we're here for you if you need anything. You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to, but whenever you need anything, a hug, comfort, someone to listen, or anything at all, we're here for you." He said, looking directly at the girl. Anne looked at him as her lips slowly curved into a smile while her sleepy eyes began to water. She couldn't explain why, but those words had positively touched a nerve in her. Instead of responding with words, the girl threw herself into her father's arms, wrapping her arms around her father as she buried her head in his chest.

Mr. Boonchuy couldn't help but smile as he placed a hand on his beautiful daughter's head, running his fingers through the wild mane of hair that reminded him of the girl's mother. He gently stroked her head and back in circles, letting the girl rest against his chest. Lately, since Anne arrived, her mother had always been with her, attentive to her every need, and he, in turn, couldn't spend the time he would have liked with his daughter, at least not time as intimate and deep as this. And now that he could, he was going to make sure Anne could rest tonight.

"Shhh... Shhh... Daddy's here..." He said softly as he stroked the head of the little girl he loved most in the world. She might be thirteen now and a budding teenager, but to him, she would always be the princess he had to rescue from the evil dragon, and then tuck her into bed and read her a story so she could have sweet dreams. The little girl who could play with dolls pretending World War III and then climb the highest playground equipment in the park with her friends. That would never change.

"I love you, Anne. Rest as much as you need..." Anne only shifted even further against him and hugged him tighter, thinking to herself, "How long has it been since I hugged my parents?, How long has it been since I was deprived of their affection?, I still don't know how I lasted so long in amphibia without one like this..."

After a few good minutes of cuddles and caresses, Anne lifted her face slightly from her father's chest and raised her gaze to her father's eyes. "Daddy... Can you tuck me in?" At that moment, Bee thought she might slip into a diabetic coma.

"Of course, my princess." Bee stood up and prepared to pick Anne up. She had planned to pick her up like a princess, like she had done so many times before when she was younger, but Anne got there first, wrapping her hands around his neck and her legs around his torso, almost like a koala. The Thai man laughed softly. It was obvious that spending six months in a world full of frogs, toads, and newts, and other beasts, were going to have an effect on the girl.

Bee placed her hands behind her daughter's knees and headed toward her room, while she buried her head in her shoulder.

She entered the room gently and dodged the pink frog that was sleeping and snoring on a random spot on the floor. he snorted with a hint of amusement in her eyes; he liked that frog boy.

She walked over to Anne's bed and gently placed her on it. Then she took the covers and covered Anne with them, successfully tucking the wild-haired girl in.

"Have a good night, Anne, Daddy's princess," she said as she leaned over the girl and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Anne laughed and replied, "Likewise, Dad, thank you so much for everything. Have a good night, rest..." The girl then yawned tiredly and stretched as she settled into bed.

"I'll do that..." He said with a smile, about to leave the room until he saw Anne's half-open laptop on the nightstand. He walked over and reached for it.

Anne opened one eye and looked in surprise and fear at her father's hand moving toward the laptop. She had forgotten to close it properly. "Wait, Dad!" But it was too late. Bee opened the laptop and saw what was there. Her eyes widened and she let out a surprised gasp.

"It can't be..." Anne trembled a little at her father's words. She was mentally preparing herself for all the explanations she would have to give him and her mother.

"...Akihito Tsukushi was arrested... He was supposed to finish Made in Abyss first before that happened..." The thirty-something anime and manga lover wailed, but then closed the laptop, not having noticed what Anne had searched for.

"Oh... Yes, yes, that's it... I know Marcy got you really hooked on the play, and me too, actually, which is why I didn't want you to see it yet." Anne laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her neck in relief.

"Well, these things happen, it's not big deal." Bee turned to her daughter and placed another kiss on her forehead. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart." Then she left the room, dodging a sprig that had appeared from another random spot on the floor.

Anne sighed and settled into bed. "See you tomorrow..." She whispered as she closed her eyes, and finally, after several weeks, the girl was able to sleep peacefully.

The End.