the first morning of winter break, daisy hardy woke to the smell of warm, golden toast and piping hot tea. she had only gotten home from college very late last night, and due to numerous hellish delays, she hadn't had the chance to grab a bite. she could do with a breakfast now.

a nice breakfast, especially one made by her clumsy dad, somehow sounded weird. initially, she brushed it off as her dad finally paid proper attention to his food, but then she heard voices from the kitchen. alec was talking about some pickpocket he arrested yesterday, ellie adding details when he stopped, and then there was a soft, tender voice congratulating them on a job well done. a male voice, no doubt, baritone and all. she chalked it up to her dad having invited a colleague over.

she sprang from her bed, however, when the nameless man started calling her dad alec.

now, such a simple way of addressing shouldn't be that concerning. it was the fact that her dad let this man, whoever he was, use it that made it suspicious. before this man, her mum was the first and last person she'd seen calling her dad by his first name. ellie addressed him by his title, sir, or just hardy when they got off work. his colleagues, to her disdain, got away with shitface. so to have a man she didn't know, calling her dad the most intimate thing ever, was just... ethereal. scary. unacceptable.

wrestling a sweater on, she rushed out into the kitchen. mind you, she was the daughter of a fairly hot-headed detective inspector; if she had to know, then she would do anything in her power to know. stomping indignantly, she strode down the hallway, bracing herself for whatever she was going to see.

apparently, she didn't prepare herself well enough. daisy hardy, bless her, was met with the sight of her own father kissing a complete stranger, while his subordinate ellie miller looked on with soft eyes, loving and supportive.

"dad?" she croaked out, her voice tiny. "what are you doing?"

alec jumped. the man smiled, though sheepishly, his hands still hovering around alec's thin waist. ellie just watched. dazed, daisy walked over to them. alec eyed her warily, as if she was going to do something to his new boyfriend.

well, she'd love to. just... not yet, she supposed.

"explain, dad."

***

"so you mean you managed to snatch a partner - a boyfriend - over three months ago and didn't even think to tell me?"

the boyfriend in question, an american named bill masters, piped up, "we weren't so sure about us, and alec was... well, let's say he didn't want you to worry. so it's just me, alec and ellie who know of this."

"i'm eighteen, dad, i can handle you dating!" she half-screamed, hands flying in frustration. "it's honestly more worrying like this, with me knowing nothing and waking one random morning to see you guys making out in our kitchen!"

"not makin' out," alec grumbled. "juist kissin'."

daisy huffed out an incredulous laugh. her dad was so unbearably... unbearable, in moments like this. she bet her breakfast he wasn't going to change anytime soon.

"fine," she gritted, mimicking his tone, "i'll let it slide this time. but next time you have a relationship, i wanna know everything about it. if you try to hide, and i know you will, then not even ellie can save you."

ellie full-on cackled, "oh, trust me, i'll kill him too if he doesn't tell me about it, daisy. tell you what, i almost strangled him when he said he'd been dating bill for a month!"

"i didnae, ye forced it out o' me!"

"admit it, hardy, you'd never tell us if i hadn't asked!"

alec glared at her. ellie stared back, although she was smiling so motherly at him and bill. daisy knew that any moment now, her dad would relent and let his favourite detective sergeant say anything she pleased. ellie had that effect on people.

"breakfast, then?" bill asked. daisy noticed he still averted his eyes from hers when their gazes met. probably a bit shy, given he only saw her - his boyfriend's daughter - this morning.

she nodded, "i'd kill for anything edible right now, really."

breakfast in their household, for the first time in forever, didn't consist of only burnt buttered toast and bitter microwaved tea. bill made terrific poached eggs, an enormous loaf of bread - sourdough! - and brewed the nicest pot of earl grey tea. her dad didn't fuss or leave any crumbs on his plate. ellie drained two full mugs of tea. daisy wouldn't admit it, but she had willingly gotten herself a second serving. bill looked positively smug about that.

at the end of the meal, when all of them had gotten their fill, daisy satisfactorily concluded: if this was the consequence of her dad getting into a relationship, then so be it.