HOME | DD

Description
The next chapter is here!

In this one Miss Nae-nae and Mr. Nico have a conversation after getting the kids to sleep.

I hope you enjoy~

You can read the written portion here:

Working at the Superstar Daycare CH 14Chapter 14: A Lullaby As Mr. Moon joyfully gazed at his gift I felt my lips curl up. It was strange. Everyone was so scared of him. It was such a huge problem that everyone worried I would quit because of it. Even Sun. And sure, those glitches were pretty unpredictable and quite concerning. But I had only known him for a day and I could already see a sweet character underneath it all. Moon couldn't help it. He just needed to be fixed up. But instead of helping Moon, they hired me... That was so sad. Poor guy... “I better get down there to help Mr. Nico,” I whispered. Moon had moved on to looking at Sun's gift as well. He straightened his posture and the lights of his eyes narrowed. I heard a low rumble from him. Like a growl mixed with a melancholy sigh. OH. I AM SORRY... “For what?” I examined the papers again. It appeared that Moon's fit of joy had done its damage. The picture of Moon made it out with a few wrinkles, but Sun's- well, it didn't fair as well... There was a large jagged tear across the page. It was nearly in pieces. Moon's eyes pointed down and his body crept closer to the ground. SUN'S GIFT. I BROKE IT. “It's okay,” I shuffled over to pat his nightcap. It was silky and smooth. “I can make another one. No big deal.” Moon tensed up at my touch. His head jerked down to avoid my hand. Down and around it to look at me again. The smile on his face plate made this look more playful than it actually was. There wasn't much his face could do to express how he felt about it. His head merely clicked from side to side. SUN WOULD LIKE THAT. “Okay,” My hand moved back to resting on my bag strap. I didn't want to push any buttons. I didn't know where they all were yet. “I'll make another one before I come in tomorrow... Do you-” I glanced back at the quiet corner, “Do you want to help with nap this time?” I CANNOT. “Oh... alright,” I shrugged, a little disappointed, “I'll be out in a bit then.” I moved the curtain aside and made my way down the ramp. I heard a gentle whirring noise behind me as Moon moved away from the quiet corner. Well, I have thirty minutes to get these children to sleep before I have to go home. Those kids were not acting as tired as they were earlier today, but I had Nico there to help. So it shouldn't be too bad. I hoped. Once I made it to the beds it was not a pretty site. The children were either still clinging to Nico or pushing for the chance to. All of them in tears, a couple of them full-on sobbing. My coworker was frantic. Patted the children's backs and made attempts to get them into their beds. However, none were successful. Once the group noticed I had returned they all stopped to look at me. “Now, children,” I whispered softly, “everything is okay. See? I'm fine.” The children didn't dare speak. I supposed that 'no talking' rule Mr. Moon had set was pretty effective. Their little faces did however relax just a bit. One of the smaller ones was still crying softly. And all of them were desperate for some comfort. But it seemed that they were open to more instructions. “You know what we do in this room,” I continued even quieter, “We sleep. In our beds. Not on teachers.” I stepped forward to motion to the cots. I snagged my sore spot and flinched a bit. “Now don't make Miss Nae-nae chase you around while she's hurt. Can you go to your beds, please? Mr. Nico and I will tuck you in.” It started with one of the older ones. She crawled to her cot very cautiously. I scooped up her blanket and covered her up. “Thank you, sweetheart. You are very helpful.” I hushed and gave her head and back a soft pat. I tried to make my voice as comforting as I could. Slowly the other children scuttled into their beds. I tucked them in until there was only the smallest one left in Mr. Nico's arms. Face buried in his apron, sniffling. Mr. Nico hadn't moved. His body was still glued to the spot I found him. I wanted to avoid confronting him because of how frightened he looked. Eyes wide and glued to the ramp entrance. Even in this dim lighting, I could tell he was pale. The poor man must have had some bad experiences with Moon in the past. That had to be the case since it was Moon's appearance that started this. “Is there anyone who needs more help? Who would you like me to sit next to?” I asked quietly. I didn't rush his response. He kept his eyes on the entrance and answered me by pointing. He motioned to a couple of children near the wall. It would have been obvious to me if I had taken the time to observe just a bit longer. Those two had already tossed and turned their blankets into a knot. One was attempting to hide under her sheet. I lowered myself between the two of them. Slowly and carefully. Despite that, my sore spot made it difficult to sit down, but once I got into position it was better. As long as I didn't move around too much it was manageable. I hoped that it was only this sensitive because it was fresh. If it continued for too long I'll have to get it checked. I first addressed the one under the sheet, “Okay, love bug, let's get on top of your sheet.” I whispered then turned to the other one, “Here, let me help you with that.” I untangled both blankets and placed them to the side for the moment. Once both children were looking at me I made a turning motion with my finger. They rolled over. One on his side and the other on her tummy. Both pairs of eyes were wide open and looking at me. Eyebrows turned up and concerned. “Everything is okay. Mr. Moon told me he won't come in here,” I hushed barely above hearing range as I covered them, “Would you like me to rub your back?” Both nodded. I put one hand on each child. Luckily their beds were close enough for me to do this comfortably. My hands traveled up and down their backs, as I gently rocked back and forth. I would breathe in as I reached their necks and breathe out when going past their shoulder blades. I made my breathing loud enough for the others to hear and follow along. Like white noise. It was at this point that I realized I never turned on any music. Oops. I was too deep into getting those two to sleep. If I stopped to do that it would make it harder for them at this point. It was dead silent. My breathing was the only thing that could be heard. Despite my calming efforts, there was still a thick tension in the air. I knew that the way I reacted would inform how the children reacted. So if I was calm then hopefully they would follow suit. However, there was another aura contending with mine. And it was from the adult the children knew better than me. I fixed my gaze on Mr. Nico once again. The child he was holding had stopped crying. Almost looked asleep. But the teacher holding them was trembling slightly. He was really terrified, wasn't he? I supposed that's fair. He could have seen far worse than I did. There had to be some way I could help him calm down... I may not have been able to get my phone out to play music, but I did have my own instrument. I began to hum a lullaby. Just the first song to come to mind. Which then was Hushabye Mountain. My humming was soft and low. Hopefully, it was just the distraction they needed to focus on something other than being scared. I knew it worked on at least one person. Nico's eyes finally tore away from the ramp to look at me. His face was still pale. I smiled at him. Both out of embarrassment and to cheer him up. It was a bit awkward to be 'singing' in front of my coworker. But it was my best option., I exaggerated a breath for him to follow. Thankfully, he understood and obliged me. Nico's eyes closed for a minute and his body sunk deeper into the soft flooring. My humming continued. At least he was loosening up now. That made me feel better. The children, too. A moment after I could see all the beds settle just a little bit more. After another few minutes, I could hear a few snores and the two next to me had fallen asleep. I scanned the room to see if anyone else needed help. I spotted one next to my coworker with her eyes open. My attempts to scoot over to them were interrupted by twinges of discomfort. But eventually, I made it. The little one had her eyes glued on Mr. Nico. When he breathed she did. When he closed his eyes she followed suit. “Mr. Nico...” I whispered, “Could you close your eyes for a bit longer?” My coworker glanced in my direction. His brows furrowed. I pointed at the little girl between us. Nico's face was exhausted and he shook his head with a knowing smile. He obliged my request and rested his eyes. I slowly smoothed out the little one's hair. I had to make the most of this time when she had her eyes closed. I continued my humming and moved my hand in the rhythm I wished for her to breathe in. I didn't keep track of how long I did this. It was enough time for me to hum the song a few more times. Once I confirmed she was asleep I scanned the room once again. Each child was given their time in my gaze. Once I confirmed they were sleeping I would move on to the next kid. “Looks like everyone is asleep...” I spoke quietly. Nico was still silent, but he opened his eyes. I looked at my phone to check the time. “I can stay for a while longer. Is there anything you need me to do?” I waited for Nico's reply. He gently tucked the little one he had been holding into bed. His eyes were magnetized to the room's entrance. Every time he looked away it was a struggle and they would inevitably snap back into place. “Y-you're” Nico's voice was so quiet it could barely be called a whisper, “You're sure it's not coming?” “Yeah,” I assumed he was talking about Moon, “I uh... asked if he wanted to help today and he said no. So...” Nico shifted in place. The noise was sharp in the silence. His shoulders were hugging his neck and his eyes were wide. His face just screamed, 'You did WHAT?!' A nervous chuckle was all I could muster as a response. Nico's mouth opened and closed a few times. “How-” was the only word I was able to hear. “Sorry, what?” I turned my head with a hand at my ear. “How are you so calm around it?” Nico repeated. His elbows now rested on his knees. His hands covered his mouth. “Mr. Moon?” I whispered, scanning the room again. Everyone was breathing, good. “Yes.” Nico's voice was shaky and still barely audible. “Uh- well,” I wasn't sure how to answer that, “I'm pretty good with spooky stuff. And well... Mr. Moon was nice to me.” Or at least he tried his best to be. I kept the scary parts to myself. Nico looked like he had enough of that already. “Like, when I was talking up there I gave him a gift. Because he was so helpful to me today.” Nico looked baffled. He uncurled his legs and straightened his back in shock. If there wasn't so much padding he would have hurt his head on the wall. “Moon listened to you?!” His voice gained a small bit of volume, “Whenever I try to give directions it just gets more and more... agitated... until-” Nico cut himself off. His eyes stared at the floor. I could see the hairs on his head stand on end. “I'm sorry...” I didn't like seeing anyone look so genuinely scared. What on Earth did Mr. Moon do to him? Why wasn't he the one who quit? I couldn't be sure. I wasn't about to ask Nico to elaborate right then. We had only just met. “I should be the sorry one...” Mr. Nico pounded his chest with his palm. The staff card around his neck jostled with a light jingle. “I just-- sat here. You had to do everything. I'm supposed to be helpful...” He jerked his head away in frustration. “You being here was enough to help me,” I leaned my back against the wall. It was soft and comfortable. I could fall asleep here, it was that nice. My eyes wandered away to dance from star to star. “I don't like being alone during nap time. So just being here... it helps me feel better.” I wasn't sure how I was having such an easy time talking right now. Maybe it was the dim lighting. Maybe I was being strong for the little ones. Or I was just trying to be calm for Mr. Nico's sake. Whatever it was, I saw it as a sign of progress. I could get better at talking with people after all. “I promise,” I heard Nico shift again. When I glanced back at my coworker, he was facing me head-on. Eyes looking straight into mine... My eyes tried so hard to run away. And succeeded... Okay, well, maybe my progress was smaller than I thought. Nico continued anyway, “I'll be more useful from now on.” “Y-yeah...” I continued looking at the stars. My eyes traced out constellations in them. It was hard to look at that intense stare of his. “Could you tell me what you did with Moon? If you don't mind me asking.” I could hear the determination despite how quietly Nico was speaking. “I uh-- just wrote him notes,” I whispered back. I heard Nico rustle a bit in response. I assumed he nodded or signaled for me to continue. I didn't think I would be considered the expert at something on my first day. It was a strange feeling.

Description
The next chapter is here!

In this one Miss Nae-nae and Mr. Nico have a conversation after getting the kids to sleep.

I hope you enjoy~

You can read the written portion here:

Working at the Superstar Daycare CH 14Chapter 14: A Lullaby As Mr. Moon joyfully gazed at his gift I felt my lips curl up. It was strange. Everyone was so scared of him. It was such a huge problem that everyone worried I would quit because of it. Even Sun. And sure, those glitches were pretty unpredictable and quite concerning. But I had only known him for a day and I could already see a sweet character underneath it all. Moon couldn't help it. He just needed to be fixed up. But instead of helping Moon, they hired me... That was so sad. Poor guy... “I better get down there to help Mr. Nico,” I whispered. Moon had moved on to looking at Sun's gift as well. He straightened his posture and the lights of his eyes narrowed. I heard a low rumble from him. Like a growl mixed with a melancholy sigh. OH. I AM SORRY... “For what?” I examined the papers again. It appeared that Moon's fit of joy had done its damage. The picture of Moon made it out with a few wrinkles, but Sun's- well, it didn't fair as well... There was a large jagged tear across the page. It was nearly in pieces. Moon's eyes pointed down and his body crept closer to the ground. SUN'S GIFT. I BROKE IT. “It's okay,” I shuffled over to pat his nightcap. It was silky and smooth. “I can make another one. No big deal.” Moon tensed up at my touch. His head jerked down to avoid my hand. Down and around it to look at me again. The smile on his face plate made this look more playful than it actually was. There wasn't much his face could do to express how he felt about it. His head merely clicked from side to side. SUN WOULD LIKE THAT. “Okay,” My hand moved back to resting on my bag strap. I didn't want to push any buttons. I didn't know where they all were yet. “I'll make another one before I come in tomorrow... Do you-” I glanced back at the quiet corner, “Do you want to help with nap this time?” I CANNOT. “Oh... alright,” I shrugged, a little disappointed, “I'll be out in a bit then.” I moved the curtain aside and made my way down the ramp. I heard a gentle whirring noise behind me as Moon moved away from the quiet corner. Well, I have thirty minutes to get these children to sleep before I have to go home. Those kids were not acting as tired as they were earlier today, but I had Nico there to help. So it shouldn't be too bad. I hoped. Once I made it to the beds it was not a pretty site. The children were either still clinging to Nico or pushing for the chance to. All of them in tears, a couple of them full-on sobbing. My coworker was frantic. Patted the children's backs and made attempts to get them into their beds. However, none were successful. Once the group noticed I had returned they all stopped to look at me. “Now, children,” I whispered softly, “everything is okay. See? I'm fine.” The children didn't dare speak. I supposed that 'no talking' rule Mr. Moon had set was pretty effective. Their little faces did however relax just a bit. One of the smaller ones was still crying softly. And all of them were desperate for some comfort. But it seemed that they were open to more instructions. “You know what we do in this room,” I continued even quieter, “We sleep. In our beds. Not on teachers.” I stepped forward to motion to the cots. I snagged my sore spot and flinched a bit. “Now don't make Miss Nae-nae chase you around while she's hurt. Can you go to your beds, please? Mr. Nico and I will tuck you in.” It started with one of the older ones. She crawled to her cot very cautiously. I scooped up her blanket and covered her up. “Thank you, sweetheart. You are very helpful.” I hushed and gave her head and back a soft pat. I tried to make my voice as comforting as I could. Slowly the other children scuttled into their beds. I tucked them in until there was only the smallest one left in Mr. Nico's arms. Face buried in his apron, sniffling. Mr. Nico hadn't moved. His body was still glued to the spot I found him. I wanted to avoid confronting him because of how frightened he looked. Eyes wide and glued to the ramp entrance. Even in this dim lighting, I could tell he was pale. The poor man must have had some bad experiences with Moon in the past. That had to be the case since it was Moon's appearance that started this. “Is there anyone who needs more help? Who would you like me to sit next to?” I asked quietly. I didn't rush his response. He kept his eyes on the entrance and answered me by pointing. He motioned to a couple of children near the wall. It would have been obvious to me if I had taken the time to observe just a bit longer. Those two had already tossed and turned their blankets into a knot. One was attempting to hide under her sheet. I lowered myself between the two of them. Slowly and carefully. Despite that, my sore spot made it difficult to sit down, but once I got into position it was better. As long as I didn't move around too much it was manageable. I hoped that it was only this sensitive because it was fresh. If it continued for too long I'll have to get it checked. I first addressed the one under the sheet, “Okay, love bug, let's get on top of your sheet.” I whispered then turned to the other one, “Here, let me help you with that.” I untangled both blankets and placed them to the side for the moment. Once both children were looking at me I made a turning motion with my finger. They rolled over. One on his side and the other on her tummy. Both pairs of eyes were wide open and looking at me. Eyebrows turned up and concerned. “Everything is okay. Mr. Moon told me he won't come in here,” I hushed barely above hearing range as I covered them, “Would you like me to rub your back?” Both nodded. I put one hand on each child. Luckily their beds were close enough for me to do this comfortably. My hands traveled up and down their backs, as I gently rocked back and forth. I would breathe in as I reached their necks and breathe out when going past their shoulder blades. I made my breathing loud enough for the others to hear and follow along. Like white noise. It was at this point that I realized I never turned on any music. Oops. I was too deep into getting those two to sleep. If I stopped to do that it would make it harder for them at this point. It was dead silent. My breathing was the only thing that could be heard. Despite my calming efforts, there was still a thick tension in the air. I knew that the way I reacted would inform how the children reacted. So if I was calm then hopefully they would follow suit. However, there was another aura contending with mine. And it was from the adult the children knew better than me. I fixed my gaze on Mr. Nico once again. The child he was holding had stopped crying. Almost looked asleep. But the teacher holding them was trembling slightly. He was really terrified, wasn't he? I supposed that's fair. He could have seen far worse than I did. There had to be some way I could help him calm down... I may not have been able to get my phone out to play music, but I did have my own instrument. I began to hum a lullaby. Just the first song to come to mind. Which then was Hushabye Mountain. My humming was soft and low. Hopefully, it was just the distraction they needed to focus on something other than being scared. I knew it worked on at least one person. Nico's eyes finally tore away from the ramp to look at me. His face was still pale. I smiled at him. Both out of embarrassment and to cheer him up. It was a bit awkward to be 'singing' in front of my coworker. But it was my best option., I exaggerated a breath for him to follow. Thankfully, he understood and obliged me. Nico's eyes closed for a minute and his body sunk deeper into the soft flooring. My humming continued. At least he was loosening up now. That made me feel better. The children, too. A moment after I could see all the beds settle just a little bit more. After another few minutes, I could hear a few snores and the two next to me had fallen asleep. I scanned the room to see if anyone else needed help. I spotted one next to my coworker with her eyes open. My attempts to scoot over to them were interrupted by twinges of discomfort. But eventually, I made it. The little one had her eyes glued on Mr. Nico. When he breathed she did. When he closed his eyes she followed suit. “Mr. Nico...” I whispered, “Could you close your eyes for a bit longer?” My coworker glanced in my direction. His brows furrowed. I pointed at the little girl between us. Nico's face was exhausted and he shook his head with a knowing smile. He obliged my request and rested his eyes. I slowly smoothed out the little one's hair. I had to make the most of this time when she had her eyes closed. I continued my humming and moved my hand in the rhythm I wished for her to breathe in. I didn't keep track of how long I did this. It was enough time for me to hum the song a few more times. Once I confirmed she was asleep I scanned the room once again. Each child was given their time in my gaze. Once I confirmed they were sleeping I would move on to the next kid. “Looks like everyone is asleep...” I spoke quietly. Nico was still silent, but he opened his eyes. I looked at my phone to check the time. “I can stay for a while longer. Is there anything you need me to do?” I waited for Nico's reply. He gently tucked the little one he had been holding into bed. His eyes were magnetized to the room's entrance. Every time he looked away it was a struggle and they would inevitably snap back into place. “Y-you're” Nico's voice was so quiet it could barely be called a whisper, “You're sure it's not coming?” “Yeah,” I assumed he was talking about Moon, “I uh... asked if he wanted to help today and he said no. So...” Nico shifted in place. The noise was sharp in the silence. His shoulders were hugging his neck and his eyes were wide. His face just screamed, 'You did WHAT?!' A nervous chuckle was all I could muster as a response. Nico's mouth opened and closed a few times. “How-” was the only word I was able to hear. “Sorry, what?” I turned my head with a hand at my ear. “How are you so calm around it?” Nico repeated. His elbows now rested on his knees. His hands covered his mouth. “Mr. Moon?” I whispered, scanning the room again. Everyone was breathing, good. “Yes.” Nico's voice was shaky and still barely audible. “Uh- well,” I wasn't sure how to answer that, “I'm pretty good with spooky stuff. And well... Mr. Moon was nice to me.” Or at least he tried his best to be. I kept the scary parts to myself. Nico looked like he had enough of that already. “Like, when I was talking up there I gave him a gift. Because he was so helpful to me today.” Nico looked baffled. He uncurled his legs and straightened his back in shock. If there wasn't so much padding he would have hurt his head on the wall. “Moon listened to you?!” His voice gained a small bit of volume, “Whenever I try to give directions it just gets more and more... agitated... until-” Nico cut himself off. His eyes stared at the floor. I could see the hairs on his head stand on end. “I'm sorry...” I didn't like seeing anyone look so genuinely scared. What on Earth did Mr. Moon do to him? Why wasn't he the one who quit? I couldn't be sure. I wasn't about to ask Nico to elaborate right then. We had only just met. “I should be the sorry one...” Mr. Nico pounded his chest with his palm. The staff card around his neck jostled with a light jingle. “I just-- sat here. You had to do everything. I'm supposed to be helpful...” He jerked his head away in frustration. “You being here was enough to help me,” I leaned my back against the wall. It was soft and comfortable. I could fall asleep here, it was that nice. My eyes wandered away to dance from star to star. “I don't like being alone during nap time. So just being here... it helps me feel better.” I wasn't sure how I was having such an easy time talking right now. Maybe it was the dim lighting. Maybe I was being strong for the little ones. Or I was just trying to be calm for Mr. Nico's sake. Whatever it was, I saw it as a sign of progress. I could get better at talking with people after all. “I promise,” I heard Nico shift again. When I glanced back at my coworker, he was facing me head-on. Eyes looking straight into mine... My eyes tried so hard to run away. And succeeded... Okay, well, maybe my progress was smaller than I thought. Nico continued anyway, “I'll be more useful from now on.” “Y-yeah...” I continued looking at the stars. My eyes traced out constellations in them. It was hard to look at that intense stare of his. “Could you tell me what you did with Moon? If you don't mind me asking.” I could hear the determination despite how quietly Nico was speaking. “I uh-- just wrote him notes,” I whispered back. I heard Nico rustle a bit in response. I assumed he nodded or signaled for me to continue. I didn't think I would be considered the expert at something on my first day. It was a strange feeling.