Wouldn't It Be A Shame If Bean Became A Dentist When He Grows Up?

Wouldn't it be a shame if Bean became a dentist when he grows up?

I think Willy would be proud of him all the same because it meant Bean went to school and had opportunities he never did.

Masterlist

Just watched the Wonka movie.

I enjoyed it as a standalone film but especially enjoyed it as a prequel to the Gene Wilder Wonka. It retroactively made Wider’s Willy so much more tragic.

And that’s because Chalamet’s younger, earnest and kind Willy Wonka is CONSTANTLY having his kindness and compassion and belief in the good intentions of others thrown back at his face almost. Every. Single. Time.

What happens to him, in no particular order: People take advantage of him when he is at his lowest; they sabotage his chocolate; Hugh Grant steal his chocolate and beats him with a frying pan; he is nearly drowned by the chief of police; a boat he’s in is rigged to explode; they try to drown him AGAIN but now in melted chocolate under a church; he is tricked into debt and forced into indentured servitude; the chocolate mafia wants him dead; he has to crawl in the sewers just to sell his chocolate without the police beating the shit out of him at the chocolate mafia’s command, and a bunch of other moments either his earnest nature (or the fact he is illiterate, because by the way he is illiterate) is taken advantage of.

But he keeps believing in the good of others. He has friends, and a pseudo daughter that taught him how to read and his mother’s memory and so many dreams…

And then we arrive at Wilder Wonka. Who was betrayed one too many times. Who had his recipes stolen from him. Who shut himself from the world and trusts no one.

Who doesn’t care for these spoiled people walking around his factory, even if they were his last attempt at proving to himself that good people, good kids (Like Noodle) still exist.

Who is alone.

TL;DR: seeing a young Wonka who is so optimistic knowing how he is going to end up after being betrayed over and over and over again is a emotional experience that I was not quite ready for.

Is Lofty a member of the Wonka family or does he just like to keep things purely professional?

Lofty likes to *think* he keeps things purely professional, but he has a soft spot for Willy's kid(s). And by that, I mean he is less of a curmudgeon to them. He acts like he simply tolerates them but is secretly rather fond of them.

Now the gears are turning. Perhaps a Bean and Lofty story? I'm thinking Willy has to take a business call, so he asks Lofty to keep an eye on Bean. Chaos ensues. Y'all let me know if you want to see this!

Masterlist

The pain remains

The nightmares should have stopped. He thought they would have. He finally had all he wanted and needed in his life and yet.

He would wake up in a cold sweat and stomach aching so bad he’d vomit upon waking. And occasionally he’d wet the bed too. Only the worst ones would really make him so ill and he’d be up the rest of the night.

Of course he’d take care of himself then try to get back to sleep. It never worked.

He hoped taking time to stay with Noodle and her mother would calm whatever was causing all these weird night terrors.

The first few days he slept like a baby and seemingly had miraculously recovered from his sleep issues.

It wasn’t until the fourth day. The night terrors returned. The shop burning, him getting shoved into the cold fountain, getting hit on the head, almost drowning in chocolate with Noodle, momma dying, getting injured and being alone.

All of it was running in his head and he couldn’t lie still. He was screaming out and thrashing. He was tossing and turning.

Noodle and her mother could hear a horrific loud commotion coming from the bedroom that belonged to Willy when he visited.

Something had seemed off about him. He had seemed more tired than usual. They knew his immune system was out of wack. But it seemed more than that.

They rushed out to the hall.

“What’s going on Noodle?” Her mom asked.

“It must be Willy!” Noodle said worriedly.

Together mother and daughter rushed into Willy’s room and found his blankets in a pile on the floor. Willy was thrashing wildly in bed.

Dorothy turned on the light and Noodle tried to wake him.

Willy finally woke up and proceeded to vomit onto the bed.

“Woah my goodness Willy! Oh” Noodle said softly as she took in his sorry state. He was sweating profusely and it seemed like he had a accident in his sleep too. Willy was shaking and crying.

Noodle carefully helped Willy out of bed.

“Hey what’s going on?” She asked concerned.

Willy couldn’t answer his whole body ached and he felt so sick.

“Noodle bring him to the bathroom and get him into a bath. He’s had a bad night terror. I’ll deal with his bed.” Said her mother.

“Ok.” Noodle said

Willy coughed and gagged

Noodle helped him to the bathroom where he threw up again.

“Oh Willy.” Noodke said

she got the water ready in the tub for him.

Willy groaned in pain.

He looked so tired and Noodle was worried. Her normally happy go lucky friend was now crying and shaking like a leaf.

She set up a bath for him and grabbed him a change of clothes before leaving him alone to take care of himself. She stood outside the bathroom door waiting for him. While her mother changed the bedding on Willys bed.

Once Willy was in a fresh pair of pajamas and the bed was remade Noodle and Dorothy helped Willy back to bed.

Willy groaned and coughed as he was helped into bed.

“Whatever is the matter Willy?” Noodle asked worriedly.

“Noodle the poor man is exhausted and clearly unwell do not speak to him that way!” Scolded her mother.

Willy sighed heavily

“It’s quite alright Dorothy I haven’t been sleeping well and now it’s making me feel terrible.” He said.

“I can see that Willy. Now what’s been going on?” Dorothy asked concerned.

Willy shrugged “I’m not quite sure. All I know is I fall asleep and when I sleep. My brain is making up awful stories and reminding me of what I’ve been through.” Willy said tiredly. He rubbed his face and sighed. “Sleeping has become nearly impossible. I get so sick in the night and then I’m up until morning.” He yawned and got comfortable.

“I’m sorry for waking you both. I thought visiting would calm my mind and fix whatever this is.” He said weakly. He blinked back tears and Noodle and Dorothy embraced him and held him as he began to cry.

Dorothy frowned worriedly

“I’m sorry you’ve been so sick Willy. It’s a good thing you came to stay for a little.” She told him.

Noodle pulled away and crawled into bed beside him. Dorothy held on just for a moment longer as Willy cried. Dorothy then pulled away and grabbed a tissue to wipe away his tears and snot on his face.

“Noodle can stay with you tonight. We can try to figure out what’s going on tomorrow yeah Dorothy asked.

Willy nodded and Noodle snuggled close.

“I’m sorry you’re so upset Willy.” Noodle said

Willy hugged her and sighed. “It’s ok Noodle it’s not your fault.”

“I know but you should have felt better here.” She said

“We’ll figure it out Noodle don’t worry. I’m sure of it.” Dorothy promised she kissed Noodle’s head and ruffled Willy’s hair.

“Sleep well dears.” She said

“Goodnight Mom.” Noodle said as she got comfortable next to Willy and Willy nodded in Dorothy’s direction before laying down snuggling with Noodle and finally falling asleep.

Little Sister

"My Little Cocoa Bean" Series

Summary: The Wonka family gets a little bigger. This time, Ben/Bean picks the new baby's nickname.

C/W: Late period, morning sickness, pregnancy, labor (nothing graphic)

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You knew it was going to be a long day when you woke up exhausted. You were usually up and out of bed before Willy and Ben on the weekends in order to savor a few moments of alone time. Today, though, you kept dozing back off even after you felt Willy stir and get up.

Since you were typically the first to wake, Willy decided to take the opportunity to surprise you with breakfast. The clanging of plates and pans eventually brought you to the kitchen, though one whiff of scrambled eggs sent you running for the washroom. It hadn't even registered with Willy that you were even in the kitchen until he caught sight of the flurry of your robe out of the corner of his eye.

Willy winced as he heard you wretching. He made up a plate for Ben and set him down at the table to eat. "Stay here and eat your breakfast, Bean, while I go check on Mamma." He fetched a glass of water and ruffled the boy's hair as he walked past.

You were slumped in front of the toilet, whimpering with every dry heave of your empty stomach. Willy knelt down and handed you the glass of water, which you accepted gratefully with shaky hands.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be okay," you croaked and hiccupped, leaning over the toilet as you felt more saliva pool in your mouth. Willy pulled stray hairs back from your face and drew soothing circles up and down your back.

He was silent for a few more moments before asking, "Do you think you could be pregnant? We haven't exactly been careful since our chat on the beach," he smirked with a playful gleam in his eye. "You couldn't stand the smell of eggs when you were pregnant with Bean, either."

Leaning back and wiping your mouth with a towel, you paused as you made eye contact with him. It certainly wasn't outside the realm of possibility. "I'll see if the midwife can check me over tomorrow."

☆☆☆☆☆

Sure enough, you were carrying Baby Wonka #2. He or she would make their debut in about 6-7 months. You had been so busy with Ben and going back to work part time that you hadn't even noticed your period was late by a number of weeks.

Willy, of course, was over the moon. Ben didn't quite understand but picked up on his parents' excitement. Noodle brought over some books for you to read to him about becoming a big brother, and you bought him a baby doll to practice gentle holding.

Months went by and your belly grew. Ben loved to "hug" the baby and feel them kick and move around. It was quite common for both your boys to spend the evening flanking you on the sofa with their hands on your belly as you read to them.

In the days leading up to the little one's arrival, you were overcome with the urge to clean and organize. Recognizing the same behavior that led up to Ben's arrival, Willy made arrangements to stay home from the shop and factory. You were grateful because while you wanted to make the most of these last moments with Ben as your only baby, it was becoming increasingly difficult for you to get into the floor with him to play.

However, when the big day finally arrived, it was annoying to have Willy around for early labor. At the slightest sign of discomfort, he would drop everything to hover and ask what you need. You appreciated the sentiment and knew it came from a place of love and adoration, but after two hours...

"Willy, I'm fine!" you snapped and shocked yourself with your own response. He froze and looked at you with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, I...I just want to help. I'm just not sure how at the moment," he replied softly.

"I know. I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean to be short with you. It's just...these pains are not regular yet, so we are in for hours more of this. Why don't you take Ben to the park for a little bit so you can both burn off some energy and I can rest."

You could tell that Willy was conflicted, but he relented and got Ben ready for the outing. You kissed them both on their way out the door and then awkwardly lowered yourself to the sofa for a nap. Their failed attempts at being quiet alerted you to their return.

"Alright, Bean, we need to stay quiet because Mamma is still asleep," you heard Willy whisper.

"Bedtime? I don't wanna go to bed," the boy whined.

"No, no, it's not bedtime. She is just tired and needed a nap."

"It takes a lot of energy to grow a baby," whispered a third voice that you recognized as Noodle's. They must have swung by the library on their outing.

"Is baby here yet?"

"No, not yet. But soon, very soon." You could hear the smile in Willy's voice.

"Not soon enough," you said as three sets of eyes turned to look at you standing in the doorway.

After you greeted Noodle and Ben with hugs, Willy came up to you and cradled your cheek with one hand and your belly with the other. "Has it been long enough now to ask how you are feeling?" he asked playfully.

You leaned into his touch. "The nap did me some good. I am feeling less grouchy if that is what you are asking," you teased.

Willy scoffed sarcastically. "Darling, I would never in my wildest dreams call you grouchy." He booped the tip of your nose then whirled around to head to the kitchen, plucking Ben up from the floor along the way. "Come on Bean, let's get lunch started."

You and Noodle remained in the study and settled on the sofa. She eyed you for a moment as you winced and repositioned yourself before saying, "I'm feeling some deja vu. Seems like just yesterday that we were in this same room playing cards and waiting for Benny's debut. Willy asked if I could come keep him preoccupied while...well, you know."

"Thank you, Noodle. I really appreciate it. It'll make things easier knowing he's in good hands. Ben loves his time with you."

"I'm glad to be of some help. And to be among the first to meet my new niece or nephew," she grinned as she laid a hand on your belly. Her smile fell when she felt your abdomen become rigid under her palm. "Does it hurt?"

"They are starting to pack more of a punch," you admitted. "But we still probably have a while to go." The two of you chatted a while longer between your contractions before Willy walked in, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"Hope you're hungry! Food is ready." Noodle stood and both of them helped you off the sofa. You took a couple of steps and stopped suddenly, gripping Willy's arm tightly as a more intense contraction in your lower back took you by surprise.

"Nnnngh," you groaned through gnashed teeth. Willy took your other arm in his to support more of your weight. You leaned your forehead against his chest as you breathed through the pain.

Noodle looked at Willy knowingly. "About 5 minutes since the last one, but it was nowhere near that intense."

"I'm going to call the midwife," he stated. You nodded against his chest. He transferred your hands one by one to the back of the sofa for support so he could go make the call.

Noodle rubbed a hand up and down your back. "I'll go make a plate for Benny." All you could do is nod and shoot her a grateful glance before another wave of pain washed over your body.

Well, this is progressing much faster than last time, you thought.

You felt a large set of hands press into your lower back in just the right spot to ease some of the pain. "She'll be on her way shortly," Willy supplied.

"You should go eat, too, while you have a chance."

"I'm fine. I'm not hungry right now anyway."

"Anxious?" you asked.

"A bit. As much as I love our babies, I don't enjoy seeing the pain you have to endure to bring them earthside."

"I'm beginning to question why I agreed to do this again," you laughed. "But it's worth it."

He helped you to the bedroom, though you had no desire to lay down even after the midwife arrived. You were restless and paced the room, only stopping to lean against the bed or Willy during contractions. After an hour or so, he was supporting your weight in a hug-like stance, your arms around his neck, and head on his chest when you were overcome by the urge to push. Willy looked over at the midwife for reassurance. This labor was different from Ben's in almost every way.

As if reading his thoughts, she said, "It's alright. She can stay standing if she's more comfortable as long as you have a good hold of her."

Willy adjusted his grip under your arms, kissed your hair, and whispered, "I've got you, [y/n]. I've got you. Lean on me as much as you need. You're doing so well. Not long now. You can do this." Reinvigorated by his words, you delivered a squalling newborn less than 10 minutes later.

"It's a girl!" declared the midwife.

You looked up at Willy to see him crying and smiling. "A girl, [y/n]. Just like you hoped for."

With the last of your strength and Willy's support, you made your way over to the bed to rest. The midwife cleaned the little one up and brought her to you. Willy sat on the edge of the bed next to you to look over your shoulder at your tiny daughter and press kisses to your head.

"She looks like you," he said in awe. "Absolutely beautiful. What should we name her?"

"I was thinking Charlotte."

"I love it. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"Can you take her to meet Ben while we finish up here? I'm sure he heard the commotion and is eager for an update," you said as you gently transferred the baby into Willy's arms. He took a moment to simply hold and stare at his baby girl before exiting.

"She already has him wrapped around her little finger," the midwife noted cheerfully.

"Indeed," you replied with a smile before laying back against the pillow and closing your eyes.

☆☆☆☆☆

Willy walked into the study with a blanketed bundle in his arms. Ben approached him excitedly with Noodle not far behind. Willy knelt down so the boy could see.

"Bean, meet your baby sister, Charlotte."

Ben peered over Willy's arms at the squirming, pink girl. "Char...Charlie?" He twisted his mouth and furrowed his brow, trying to say it.

Willy chuckled. "Well, I suppose we could call her Charlie for short."

Ben nodded eagerly. "Hi, Charlie. I'm your big brudder. I waited a looooong time to meet you. Mamma said you can't play like I play for a while, but I wait longer."

Willy looked up at Noodle with watery eyes. Her hand was in front of her mouth to stop herself from cooing at the sweet scene. She knelt down beside Ben to give him a hug and get a closer look at her new niece. "You are going to be a great big brother, Benny."

☆☆☆☆☆

More "My Little Cocoa Bean" series shorts are available on my masterlist.

THIS. THIS SCENE RIGHT HERE IS WHAT BREAKS ME

Willy watches as he reunites one of his closest friends with her mother. He’s finally shared chocolate to the world, able to say farewell to his own mother. But he’s still not magically over his own grief, all he wants still to have what he managed to give to noodle