#and got upset about blankie all over again

[thetarttfuldickhead]

Don’t know about you lot, but in my world, Coach Beard took the opportunity to covertly grab Blankie out the oil bin while they were bringing it outside. He gave it back to Roy after training the next day, looking at him like don’t be a idiot, man, you don’t burn the blankie your dead grandfather gave you! Roy (who’s had the whole night and day to regret being such a fucking moron) doesn’t say anything, not even thanks, but he holds the blanket close to his chest, for a moment imagining he can still smell his grandfather on it, and he brings it home and never, ever lets anyone convince him to part with it again. (Unless, one day, he wraps it tight around Phoebe’s child, to keep them warm and safe as they go off on their first big journey from home.)

(Beard might also have had words with Ted at some point, I can’t believe you were going to let him burn his blankie for a fake ghost exorcism!)

[their-little-writer]

“I’m here now, my deer”

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

hi, this was requested so I hope you all like it! Not proof read

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

This week was a rough week for you- there have been a lot of issues and chaos going on lately due to the extermination coming up lately. Auntie Charlie and vaggie have been running around and trying to figure out a plan. Uncle husk and big brother angel/ sir pentious have been making weapons and trying to build protection to help protect the hotel and you papa has been making sure things have been going ok and has been going to a lot of meetings with the overloads so you have been alone a lot this week. Heck you even got put in time out a few times because you were upset that no one was around and that your papa was missing.  

Like he was there for a few small moments at a time, and he always put you to bed but you still missed him and wanted to spend more time with him. This wasn’t fair to you; you were just a small little baby. You shouldn't be alone; you should be in papa's arms while he sings you soft songs as he feeds you a bottle. But no, you were in your tiny room all by yourself.  

It was in the late afternoon; the sun was beaming through the windows of your nursery, and you were in your crib. You had just woken up from your nap and you were not having it right now, 

you had a dream where people were saying icky things to you and your Carrers just watched and didn't say anything. You had tears in your eyes that were soon running down your face, and you were whining as you held your blanky close to you. Before you could roll over and see you heard the door open  “Sweet pea...?” you heard a familiar voice say as they walked over to you. When you looked up you saw your papa, he smiled softly but you could tell in his eyes he looked a little worried for you. “What is wrong my dear...?” He asked as he gently picked you up from your crib, with your blanket around you. You tried to use your words however you couldn't, there had been to much going on and you couldn't bear it anymore, you just felt your tiny self-get to overwhelmed and started to cry into your papas shoulder.   

“Now now my little deer what's the matter..?” he asked as he gently rubbed his hand over your back trying to calm down “Did you have a bad dream..?” he asked as he gently swayed with you. You nodded your tiny little head softly “Aw your poor thing.. Lets get you a bottle made..” he said as he gently carried you in his arms to the kitchen as he started to make you a bottle.  

He gently fed you as he carried you back to your room and sat in the nursery. It stayed quite for awhile however once you were done he sat the bottle on a side table as gently rubbed your back as you laid on his chest “Why did you have a bad dream my little fawn?” he asked softly. Words were  hard since you were small right now, so feeling bad you gently pointed at him. “Me..?” he asked softly as he tried to think about it. “Is it because ive been busy..?” he asked, and when you gave a small nod he felt horrible “I know ive been busy my little fawn... im so sorry i dont mean to be...it must be hard for you since its been so crazy..” You nodded again as a small sigh left your mouth.  

“I promise i will try to be here more my little deer..” He said softly. “What would you like to do today my little fawn.. We can do anything you want to...” alastor said as he gently looked over to you. You bable softly in respone, a soft smile on alastors face as you do “Hm, that sounded like music, am i right?” he asked. You cooed at his answer which basically meant yes so with a smile he gently got you up and carried you to your changing table “ok baby fawn but you gotta get changed first, and then we can ok?”. You nodded softly as he changed you and put you in a onesie, then he grabbed your blanky, paci, and stuffie as he made his way to his raido tower. He opend the window softly as he went and sat in his chair as he turned on his raido which turned on soft lullubys for you as he gently swayed with you and your stuffie. 

The night was peaceful as later made you dinner, read you books, and gave you a bubble bath, because no matter how busy he was, Alastor always made time for you, after all he was your papa, and you were his fawn.  

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧

[baby--charchar]

If Charlie is everyone's sunshine when she's big, then I imagine her being a very fussy and clingy baby. To her, regressing would be one of the few times she doesn't feel responsible for making sure everyone else is happy, and thus she doesn't have to FAKE being happy herself. As a baby, she can be completely honest about how terrible, awful, no good she feels occasionally. She can cry over how much she misses Vaggie when she's working on something in the hotel! She can stomp her little hooven feet every time daddy insists she needs a nap! She can even chuck her plate across the room if Vaggie insists she finishes her yucky veggies! (Okay that one is frowned upon but she is still safe to do so! Freedom of expression!).

Likewise, if a usually happy Charlie lets herself be upset in littlespace, then a super serious Vaggie can finally be silly and playful in hers.

I do see Vaggie as being autistic, so there would be a lot of unmasking she had to learn when she first started regressing. Baby Vaggie would do a lot of rocking and hand flapping when playtime starts. She just gets so excited to see Charlie or Lucifer bring out her chunky Lego sets! She has all sorts of colors and finishes for her Legos, like primary colors, pastels and jewel tones; plus shimmery, glittery, see-through, opaque. She got ALL THE LEGOS. She loves dumping them out of the massive bucket and sorting them all before she gets to building.

She also loves her movies. She's a Ghibli kid through and through. She has certain scenes that she loves playing over and over again, like when Chihiro is running down the old staircase in Spirited Away. She'll hold the remote in one hand and her favorite blankie in the other, then pace back and forth in her and Charlie's room, shaking from excitement, squealing, while rewinding the same clip every ten or so seconds. It's just...such a cool scene! The animation is so good! The voicing and sound effects are intense! She loves all the little details and can focus on one scene for an hour at a time. Charlie and Lucifer don't mind one bit, they love the happy baby!

Only 2 things can really get baby Vaggie in a sour mood: bad food and bad clothes. Vaggie has a very limited range of safe foods while in baby space, with pupusas, rice, chicken nuggets, and water being her usual fair. She makes plenty of pupusas when she's big and stores them in the freezer; that way Charlie always has something wholesome and filling to give her. But one time, Lucifer added sugar to her rice (something Charlie liked as a baby), and it did NOT go over well. Poor baby had a massive meltdown and wouldn't eat until she was big the next day.

Clothes can also be a challenge, but for the most part they have this figured out. A soft, ribbed tank top or long sleeve, super plush drawstring pajama pants, and a diaper (because the elastic on pull ups is just too tight!!!). She gets changes frequently because she hates being anything less than clean, but she's noticed Lucifer is better at closing her diaper just snug enough but not too tight.

She is completely nonverbal but is still a VERY noisy baby. All day long, Baby Vaggie is either squealing, shouting, chuffing, or cooing. Charlie made her a little communication board to help her ask for what she wants, like her favorite foods, toys, or when she just needs a cuddle.

And yeah, I do see the irony of giving them both personality switches when they're regressed...but I stand by it! Let Baby Charlie have a good cry when she needs, and see that no one's gonna be mad at her! Let Baby Vaggie relax and do everything that makes her happy, and see that she is still incredibly loved! And give Lucifer a second chance to try this whole 'dad' thing and be a proud papa of his sweet kiddos!

[starsurface]

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Regressor Lord Raiden w/ CG Liu Kang & Kung Lao

They spent the next little while mostly coloring and chatting, and of course cuddling. Raiden's picture was perfect!! Well, it was mostly just scribbles, coloring outside the lines too.

But it was the first time he had ever drawn outside the lines. And that itself was very important. Raiden usually fussy about his pictures needing to look nice. So he was probably very deep in his regression, an incident that has yet to ever happen.

Raiden seemed a bit sleepy. Not enough to get him to bed, but definitely somewhat tired. Most likely feeling almost exhausted after crying that hard. But Liu Kang and Kung lao knew toddlers. And while Raiden would go to bed if they asked, he'd probably get a bit fussy.

What was an activity that could tire him out? . . .

"What about a dance party?" Liu Kang suggested as Raiden finished.

Kung Lao pouted, "I am not done with my picture, mister."

"Dance?" Raiden asked, seeming interested.

"Yeah! We could turn on some funky music-"

"No one says funky anymore," Kung Lao butted it.

"And make a fun little dance!" Liu Kang continued, ignoring his friend.

Sometimes when Liu Kang was small, they'd have dance time!! So they had a small music player, mostly full of 80s-90s music. Raiden was incredibly good at dancing, so was Liu Kang. Little Raiden didn't dance much, but he enjoyed watching Liu kang dance.

"You wanna dance, kiddo?" Liu Kang asked.

"Blankie dance?" Raiden asked, he didn't wanna take off his blankie.

"I think blankie would love to dance!" Liu Kang agreed. Raiden let him go so Liu Kang could stand up, causing Kung Lao to fuss.

"You ruined my picture- I hope you're happy!" Kung Lao grumbled.

"Very much so," Liu Kang smirked, turning his music player on. "Okay, now we dance!"

Raiden was a very stiff dancer.

To try and help, Liu Kang danced his heart out. Some old 80s moves he liked doing sometimes that made others laugh. (It definitely got Kung Lao to laugh, mostly at him.)

But Raiden kind stood in place, his blankie wrapped around him. Smiling as he watched Liu Kang practically break it down. Kung Lao finished up his picture before joining Raiden's side.

"You know, your supposed to dance too," Kung Lao whispered to the God.

Raiden blinked at him before giving two small hops, looking at Kung Lao happily.

". . . I like that dance, that's a pretty nice dance," Kung Lao praised. "Better than Liu's over there."

"What?!" Liu Kang pouted, causing Raiden to giggle.

"Dance!" Raiden whispered, hopping again. It wasn't really a hop, he barely went onto his toes.

"Oh yeah, I like that dance way better!" Kung Lao nodded, bouncing himself. Although he actually bounced, compared to Raiden's tiny tippy-toe hops.

"You are being so mean tonight," Liu Kang crossed his arms, huffing, "So, so mean."

Raiden frowned, not liking Liu Kang's tone. Liu Kang had meant it in a teasing manner, but it made Raiden upset. He didn't want any conflict, he didn't want Liu to be angry, and he didn't want Lao to be mean.

"Lao, gotta say sorry," Raiden tugged on Kung Lao's shirt.

"What? I didn't do nothing!" Kung Lao pouted. Although he saw the tears that began to well in Raiden's eyes. "I mean . . I'm sorry for being mean tonight Liu."

Liu Kang smirked, sighing dramatically, "Well I guess I can accept this apology of yours, my friend."

". . . And I thought I've been spending too much time with Cage," Kung Lao nudged Raiden, earning a small giggle and a nod.

"Lao, getting sleepy," Raiden fussed, rubbing his puffy, tired eyes.

"You're getting sleepy?" Kung Lao asked, receiving a small nod. "Come on, we'll cuddle in my bed. It's much more comfy than Liu Kang's bed."

"Wha- I wanna join," Liu Kang frowned.

"Let Liu join, pease Lao?" Raiden asked quietly.

"Oh of course I will!" Kung Lao gently hushed him. "I'm not that mean. Of course Liu can come join our cuddle pile."

"I'll get my blanket!" Liu Kang smiled.

The bed was not at all big enough to fit all three of them, especially with Raiden's size. But, somehow, they made it work. Three blankets on top of them, limbs smushed together. Bad bad feelings gone away, and a tiny baby sound asleep in bed.

Fujin was thankful he found him like that. He had been there when Raiden first regressed, tucking him into bed afterward.

The baby must have gotten out to see his two friends. Fujin had been looking throughout the entire sky temple to find where on earth he was.

At least he was safe. A small lecture might be done tomorrow, but probably not.

. . . Especially if Raien was still small when he woke up.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Pt 1

[jocelynscrazyideas]

Do we have time? | Mackie Samoskevich x Reader

Summary: Mackie chose to leave Michigan for Florida. You wake up for a suprise.

Warnings: language, heartbreak?!

A:N- really short! Sorry, but a Quinn Hughes smut is coming soon!!

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

The Michigan hockey team had just lost in the third round of the frozen four games. It’s been a week since Mackie had left for Charlotte.

~the day of the game~

“Michigan shoots! And they miss! We have 10 seconds remaining, will Michigan beat quinnipiac?” The announcer had informed us. They have a live stream play by play on in the family seats.

“QUINNAPIAC WINS!” the buzzer triggered. I see Mark look up, and followed by Nolan, and Mackie. I know they feel guilt. They were the last few guys that were in the ice, we had two guys in the box and we had an open netter.

The players shake hands and the bobcats celebrate for one last time before they skate off, the wolverines sit on the ice for a good minute.

Mackie skates off, shaking his head, I see him from afar, he has tears steaming down his face. The camera zooms into his face, he’s all red. The Jumbotron centered Mackie and he looks up, he sees me and tears up more.

I wait for Mack for a while outside the let locker room. Guys start to pool out and of course Mackie is the last one to walk out. “We need to talk.” Mackie voices.

He stares at me with this sad expression, his eyes are slightly puffy, he seemed to cry about something, his mind was occupied. I know it wasn’t just the loss, it had to be something else making him cry.

“No. No!” I look at him. I see Mackie look around. He hugs me, he stuffs his head into my shoulder. The crook of my neck filling with warmth, and Mackie cries into me.

“I know. I don’t want to go, not yet.” Mackie insisted, which I know he’s lying. He really excited deep down, but he didn’t want to leave me here in Michigan.

“Say it. If you don’t say it, then it’s not real.” I told him, I might just be wrong. I’m looking for clarification in his eyes. I’m clearly just dramatic. He’s not leaving-

“I’m leaving for Charlotte.” He cuts me off. I’m not upset, I’m proud.

I smile, and I catch him inside my arms. He hugs me as he strats to walk with me. His bag on his shoulder and me in his arms.

~present day~

“Movie?” Mackie walks into my room with his computer and a blanket. “I brought your favorite blankie!” Mackie informs me. He holds onto my hamstrings while I lay on my stomach pretending to sleep.

“I know you’re faking.” He flips me over. Mackie set his stuff on my bed as he jumps onto my bed. “I love you.” Mackie looks into my eyes. He whispers something that I can’t hear.

“I miss you already.” I cry. Today is the last day with Mackie in Michigan. He’s leaving tonight.

~

We watched She’s the man. THE best movie ever!!

Mackie held me until I fell asleep, and he got up, and left. He took his bags, and left me with his blanket. He wrote me a note for me when I wake up. I felt so overwhelmed with everything.

I woke up to the sound of cars leaving. It’s about 8:36 AM, Mackie is probably in Florida by now.

I go onto my phone and see a sweet message.

To my love,

I will 4ever miss the way you smell, the way you look at me when I say something stupid. Most importantly I’ll miss the late night talks. I hope you don’t get really mad, but I took some of your perfumes- only to use when I miss your presence.

I’m exhausted with all of the moving and the constant “welcome to Charlotte!” and the “nice to meet yous.”

I’m glad you and I had figured things out.

Peace and love, hardcore lover-

Mack the man 💗

I hate him. Why does he have to be such a man. I love him.

~

The letter he left me on my night table read:

Sorry, I love you so much… but I think we need to break up. I still love you, but I just can’t stay with you when I’m across the country. I hope we connect again soon. I also have decided to make my debut, but move down to the AHL, and play for the Charlotte Checkers.

-love Mack.

~

My heart dropped. He seriously ddint give me any time to fight him on this. We can make it work. We can!!

I feel tears bawling up on my eyes. I feel the stress and pain leave my body. My heart smashed through the floor of my bedroom. I can’t.

I call Mackie. He doesn’t answer. I’m going to fly myslef down there. I can’t believe him! I call Ethan.

“ETHAN FUCKING EDWARDS!” I scream. I know Ethan drove Mackie down to the airport. I’m so upset. Not about him leaving. But the fact he though we wouldn’t make it. I get it. Maybe he wanted to get his own girlfriend down in Florida agin. I mean it’s home, he’s a Florida man at heart. I can’t handle it.

“you finally woke up?” Ethan mumbles in. Sleepy tone. I let my tear fall out of my burning eyes. “Yeah.” I trail off as I smell my hoodie. It still smells like him. “I miss him already.” I’m so proud of Mackie. I just can’t date other guys when he’s walking around the earth.

[aidensteddybear]

duncan regresses into little space watching a scary movie and cg alejandro calms him down

Regressor! Duncan w/ Caregiver! Alejandro

Horror movies never scared Duncan, whether he was regressed or not. Though there was something about this specific horror movie that made him feel uneasy.

It was really gory, which Duncan normally didn’t mind, but there was something about it in this movie where it just made him feel sick and a bit scared.

Duncan had started the movie in his normal, adult headspace, not feeling even the tiniest bit little. But by the end of the movie, he was almost completely regressed and terrified.

He wanted to cut the movie off once he was ten minutes into it, but he didn’t. Duncan wanted to prove to himself that it wasn’t scary, despite what others had said. Once he was done with the movie, he really regretted his decision.

Duncan sat on the couch while the credits played, tears streaming down his face as he sobbed. He wanted Alejandro, who was asleep in the bedroom.

Duncan normally would’ve gotten up and ran to the bedroom, but he was too scared to move. So, he just loudly sobbed, desperately hoping Alejandro would wake up and hear him.

It took about a minute, before Duncan could hear running footsteps. He looked over to see Alejandro quickly rushing over to him.

“Duncan? What happened? Are you alright?” Alejandro panicked. Duncan only reached out for Alejandro, still sobbing but not as loud. Alejandro picked him up from the couch and held him tightly.

“Shhh. Shhhh.” Alejandro shushed Duncan’s cries, gently bouncing him. “It’s alright, baby. Papa’s here.” He whispered softly.

Alejandro continued to bounce Duncan as he looked over at the tv. He knew Duncan had been watching a horror movie, so he figured that’s what had made him so upset, which was definitely unusual but it was the only thing that made sense.

Alejandro grabbed the remote and turned off the tv, before looking back at Duncan.

“Did the movie scare you, baby?” He questioned. Duncan answered his question with a loud whine, followed by more crying.

“Oh, love. It’s just a movie, I promise everything in it is all fake.” Alejandro told him. “Let’s get you to the bedroom. We can watch some cartoons together and cuddle, okay?” Duncan gave a tiny nod and sniffle, so Alejandro carried him to the bedroom.

“Do you want your blankie and paci?” Alejandro asked as he sat Duncan down on the bed. Duncan nodded again, wiping his tears away with his fist.

Alejandro went over where Duncan keeps his regression items and grabbed his baby blanket and pacifier, before returning over to the male.

“Here we go, Duncan. I got blankie.” Alejandro smiled as he showed Duncan his blanket. “And paci.” Alejandro spoke as he gave the items to Duncan, who immediately took them.

Once he had the items, Duncan made grabby hands towards Alejandro. The caregiver got into bed with him and held him close.

“I got you, baby. Don’t worry.” Alejandro rocked with Duncan a little as he put on some cartoons to help keep his mind off of the movie.

Alejandro figured he and Duncan would be up for a while, with how upset and scared the little seemed. Though, Alejandro didn’t mind. He just wanted his baby to feel better.

[jacksdinonuggets]

Meltdowns

Summary: Blake has a meltdown in the hotel but luckily has Charlie to help him. @big-brother-hez is mentioned in the fic

It was the weekend at the hazbin hotel. Blake was in the lobby, having been forced out of his room because Charlie told him he needed to stop isolating. He was reading a book on the couch while the other little’s were running around. Although there weren’t many, they were still very loud. It made Blake feel very frustrated. He just wanted to go back in his room and hide away from the world. But he knew that Charlie wouldn’t like that, and he’s been a burden to her a lot lately.

Of course, while everyone was running around, playing tag, Nifty needed to vacuum. The loud noise overwhelmed him and Nifty had told him he needed to move to another couch so she could clean through the cushions and clean underneath the couch. He didn’t want to seem like he was being bratty so he moved. It felt so wrong though. He was already very comfortable on that couch and it was so weird on this couch. 

One of the littles was also in the couch area. They were quietly playing with their toys until they took out some slime. Don’t judge, but Blake had very bad sensory issues with slime. It smelled really bad to him and the texture and look made him nauseous. His heart began to beat fast as the smell entered his nostrils. He didn’t want to tell them to put it away because then he would be mean.

As everything continued to go on, he got more and more overwhelmed. It was really starting to bother him. He wanted it to stop but didn’t want to move again. Moving too many times just made everything worse. He couldn’t handle it anymore and threw his book across the room and began tugging at his hair while whimpering. His lip quivered as he tried not to scream and wail. It was annoying.

Charlie was talking to another little while this was happening. She saw a book fly across the room and knew she needed to see what was going on. The book would have hurt someone.

“Hey, what’s going on-” She turned the corner of the couch and saw Blake, clearly in distress.

“Sweetie, hey, It’s okay, what’s wrong?” Charlie kneeled down next to him. He started to pull harder on his hair and started scratching at his horns, chipping off its material.

“Hey, no, we don’t hurt ourselves when we’re upset,” Charlie lightly grabbed his hands and held them. He tried to jerk his hands away but surprisingly, she had a good grip. The kid who was playing with the slime got worried and crawled over to him. When the smell of the slime got stronger, Blake let out an uncontrollable sob. 

“Why don’t you go clean up and go to the playroom with everyone else,” Charlie told the little.

They nodded and went to clean up their stuff. Charlie turned her attention back to Blake.

“Sweetie, I need you take a deep breath,” She instructed. She didn’t want him to start hyperventilating. Hez had seen what was going on from the corner of his eye and quickly went to grab his blankie and -earmuffs. He draped the glow-in-the dark space blanket on his shoulders and put the earmuffs on him

Blake was finally able to calm down. He was still sniffly and hiccuped every now and then, but he was doing better.

“Come on baby, lets head to the nursery.,” Charlie lifted him up and carried him with an arm under his bum and his head resting over her shoulder. 

Hez had left them because Vaggie needed a little bit of help in the pool area. He did care about Blake, but he also had another little that he and Vaggie had to take care of.

Because lots of little’s had problems with feeling overwhelmed, they had lots of nurseries and playrooms. Charlie took him to the dinosaur nursery, where no little or caregiver was in there. There was a rule on the rooms too. There had to be at least one caregiver at all times in the rooms. So a lot of them had locks that only the caregivers had keys for.

She put him down on the changing table and got out one of his big fluffy diapers. She unfolded it and slid it underneath him. She taped it up and blew a raspberry on his tummy.

“All done, sweetie!” She lifted him up and set him on the padded flooring before summoning a bottle with ice water. He suckled on his bottle, the H2O soothing his sore throat. 

She got out his tummy time mat and set it on the ground next to him. He immediately crawled on it and began playing around with the fun fidgets. Usually, after meltdowns, he had this extreme burst of extra energy before crashing.

Charlie wanted him to get at least some exercise and put on a GoNoodle for him (literally my childhood). Charlie did want to get a bouncer installed but there was more important hotel stuff at the moment. He had a lot of fun until he got a bit worn out and needed to stop doing the fun dances. 

He drank some more of his bottle before babbling around. Charlie would always answer back, even though he knew she didn’t know what he was saying. 

He started to get sleepy after a bit of playing. Charlie saw this and picked him up, setting him in one of the big cribs and pulling the railings up, locking them too, making sure he didn’t fall out and get hurt.

“Mama?” He mumbled.

“Yes, Blake?”

“T’ank you…” 

Charlie smiled.

“You’re welcome, sweetie. If you ever feel overwhelmed, just tell me, please,” She moved some hair out of his face and turned off the lights. His dinosaur night light glowed in the dark room. After that hectic day, he finally felt better.

[sparkedblaze]

[whispering so u won’t notice i’m continuing to bother you while you’re busy]

oscar’s always been casually aware that morris is pretty. he thinks it’s obvious, anyone with working eyes can see his brother’s got a nice face. but morris has never actually been Told that he’s attractive, aside from maybe being mocked by people like pa and snyder. he thinks he’s ugly, ‘cause he’s… him. he’s mean and rude, and all covered in scars. he’s always mottled with bruises and cuts, dirty and bloody.

the first time a guy calls morris pretty, he’s trying to use or manipulate him. oscar tells him exactly as much, inevitably overhearing or finding out after the fact when morris tells him.

the next time a guy calls morris pretty, he’s being entirely genuine, eyes sparkling as he takes in morris’ features.

morris scoffs. “gonna have to try harder’n that, ‘f’you wanna make fun a’ me.”

“what’re you talkin’ about? you ain’t got a mirror? you got a face right out of a movie.”

(I will never actually be mad at you for putting things here)

*

Jojo was beaming at Morris, though it was slowly falling as the other looked... almost hurt. "You got a face right out the films. I ain't makin' fun."

Morris scowled, curling up tighter on Miss Medda's couch. "You ain't gonna get me that easy. I ain't gonna let you."

Jojo's brows furrowed. "Wha'dya mean?"

"You ain't trickin' me," Morris mumbled, pulling his blankie tighter to his chest.

"I'm not," Jojo agreed, sitting on the floor by Morris's head. "I'm being absolutely serious."

He looked around for Oscar, not wanting to be trashed by the older Delancey for talking to his little brother. He seemed to be outside, with most everyone else, enjoying the nice weather after the winter freeze.

"You ain't... You jus' like Martin..." Morris shook his head. "I ain't gon' let you do tha'."

"Martin?" Jojo asked softly, brows furrowing further. "Who's Martin?"

Morris pressed his lips together, shaking his head. "Don' matt'a."

"If he did something to you, then it matters. We can help keep you safe."

He shook his head again, harder this time. "Nuh-uh."

"No?" Jojo asked him quietly. "Why not?"

"Not s'posed to talk 'bout it," Morris mumbled, looking around, probably for Oscar.

"It's okay, Morris. You don't have to talk about it. Just..." Jojo tried to figure out how to word it without Morris getting upset. "Just know that I'm here if you want to, okay?"

Morris stared at him, frowning. He couldn't be serious. He wasn't being kind. He was... he was trying to get to Morris. Trying to pick his brain and mess him up. Just like Marty.

Oscar would tell him as much.

He sat up, nearly tripping over himself trying to stand. "Os!"

Jojo stood as well, sighing softly, backing against the far wall.

Morris scrambled for the door, meeting Oscar at the door.

The older Delancey immediately started looking over Morris, checking him for any injuries. He glared over Morris's shoulder at Jojo, who was shrinking against the fireplace.

"What'sa matter Mo?" he asked his little brother, cupping his cheeks.

"Get'd lonely," Morris mumbled, looking around outside. "Wan'ed Os 'n mama."

"Come on out then, Momo. She's over there," Oscar pointed to the crowd around the unlit firepit.

Morris glanced back at Jojo one last time before taking Oscar by the hand and making his way over to Medda.

No one else would do that again. He wasn't gonna disappoint Os again.

Ever.

[nikkiruncks]

Can i ask for maybe jeia remembering their first kiss? or maybe cuddling time? idk whatever is good🥹 ty in advance (i'm trying my best to make my english understandably lol sorry if something is not understood)

Awwww I love this! And dw ur english is fine!

(Takes place post s1 (will happen in TAOTG fic soon))

Leia exhaled, hesitating to knock on his door. She came with her family to Point Place High School to see Betsy do her dance routine. The way she danced so gracefully amazed her. It was also great seeing Jay again. She missed him so much and couldn’t get him out of her head. Nate was sweet and kind despite not being the brightest person, but her heart never beat rapidly with him like with Jay.

Jay was so confident and kind. She remembered the first time she laid eyes on him as a kid. They were three years old and her parents came to see his. Jay's cheekbones were so cute and she loved the sparkle in his eye. Even after all these years, she'd still think of him. Before Leia could knock on the door, Jay opened it. He looked surprised to see her. Maybe it was because he didn't want her to see him without hair or eyebrows.

Jay grabbed a blonde wig, putting it on him immediately. He grinned, "Hey girl." Betsy nodded slowly, “Real smooth Jay.” She replied sarcastically. Jay stammered, “S-Shut up Betsy!” Betsy sighed, “Well, I’ll leave you two alone.” She got off his bed and kissed his cheek on the way out. Leia looked down for a moment. “Can I come in?” Jay nodded. He moved aside to let her come in. Leia walked in and Jay closed the door behind them.

“How are you? I saw the confrontation with you and Nate.” Leia was shocked when she saw him cut ties off with Nate, given how close they were for the past twelve years. Their friendship didn’t even end when Nate almost kissed her and Jay slept with Nikki. “Not great, but I glad it happened.” Leia furrowed a brow, “But he’s your best friend.” Jay sighed, “Not lately. I mean, before he found out about Gwen and Nikki, all he’d talk about is Nikki and how to ‘win’ her back. Even though he almost cheated on her and kept pushing her away.”

“Yeah, Gwen told me he barfed on Frankie the Blankie on purpose as ‘revenge’.” Leia chuckled. “You should’ve seen how pissed he was after he found out. Nate wasn’t even like this when he found out I slept with Nikki. He even thanked me for ‘keeping her warm’ for him.” Leia raised her eyebrows. To think I was confused over him at one point. Jay sighed, “I think that since Gwen and Nikki are actually serious, that made him more upset.” Leia nodded, “Yeah.” They both looked into each other’s eyes and then went in for a kiss. Jay was cradling her face while Leia’s arms were around his neck. She pushed him down and continued to kiss him.

Leia broke off the kiss and smiled at him, making Jay smiled back. She stroked his head, “You know you’re actually pretty hot without hair.” Jay chuckled and went to kissing her, going on top of her. Leia put her arms around his neck while Jay kept his on her waist. Oblivious to what was happening, Betsy opened the door. The pair immediately separated and Betsy put her hand over her eyes. “I was coming to say that mom was asking what you wanted for dinner.”

“I’ll take the veggie stir fry.” Jay gulped. Betsy nodded awkwardly, “Alright. I’ll…let her know.” She paused for a moment. “I’m gonna…head out now.” Betsy closed the door and headed downstairs. Jay and Leia chuckled, “I did not expect that.”

[spacesquidlings]

Immeasurably

Christmastime means baking and cookies and most importantly of all, gingerbread. But sometimes baking doesn't always go to plan when you have 4 little girls trying to help

Pairing: Gavin Bai x OC (Rowan)

Warnings: None

Notes: Hello!!! Another Gavin piece featuring his 4 little daughters. They’re not canon to the game, but my own original characters and I simply love them so much so I have to write about them as much as I can. Have a wonderful day and I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmastime!!!!!

******************************************************************

“Mommy, can I help?”

Rowan looked over her shoulder to see Aurora clutching her pink step stool, making her way over to the counter.

“You want to help me bake?”

Aurora nodded furiously, setting the stool down and climbing onto it, her head barely above the counter as she peered at the cookie dough Rowan was rolling out.

“I wanna make cookies with you!”

Rowan couldn’t help smiling at the eagerness in her daughter’s face as she tried reaching for the cookie cutters at the corner of the counter.

“Be careful with those, little princess,” Rowan said, reaching out to grasp Aurora’s hand gently. “They’re sharp, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I won’t get hurt, mommy,” she sang, gently picking up a heart-shaped cutter. “I’ve got you here to keep me safe!”

Warmth spilled from her heart, and she felt as though she would melt into a puddle at the sweetness of Aurora’s words. “I’ll do my best.”

“Your best is always good enough,” Gavin said, surprising Rowan as he leaned over her shoulder to press a kiss to her cheek.

She gasped, her heart stammering for a moment. She hadn’t even heard him come in, hadn’t noticed he was in the kitchen until he was right behind her, pressing kisses to her cheeks.

“I missed you,” he murmured, kissing her again, nuzzling his face against her neck.

Rowan bit the inside of her cheek as she grinned, trying to focus on making sure Aurora cut the cookie shapes properly and didn’t accidentally cut herself.

“You weren’t gone for that long.”

“But I missed you,” he whined, his words tickling her skin. “Any moments away from you always feels far too long.”

She sighed, turning her head to the side to kiss the top of his head, unable to stop herself from smiling. “I missed you, too.”

“You know who else missed you?”

She arched a brow as Gavin pulled away, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he looked at the chubby little toddlers in his arms. “Who?”

“Two little tater tots,” he murmured, brushing kisses to their downy hair.

Gardenia whimpered, holding her arms out to Rowan, her bottom lip quivering. Meanwhile Cordelia, her twin, was still struggling to wake  up, her eyes falling closed as she slumped against Gavin’s shoulder.

“Hold on, love,” Rowan cooed, wiping the flour from her hands before taking Gardenia into her arms.

Gardenia whined, burying her face against Rowan’s neck as she bounced her gently.

“What’s wrong?” Rowan murmured, rubbing Gardenia’s back.

“Missed you, mommy,” she whined, her little hands clutching Rowan’s shirt tighter. “I was cold.”

“You were cold?” She asked, trying to keep her voice low and soft, not wanting to upset Gardenia anymore than she already was. Her littlest daughter didn’t like loud noises or voices, and she was prone to crawling into Rowan’s arms when anything was too loud.

Gardenia nodded. “Blankie fell.”

“Oh no, not blankie,” she said, kissing the top of Gardenia’s head. “When did blankie fall?”

“I don’t know,” she whimpered, sniffling as she spoke.

“Did daddy help you get it?”

She nodded, trying to wiggle closer to Rowan.

“I’m sorry blankie fell,” she murmured. “But I’ll hold you now if you want.”

“Gardenia,” Aurora said, keeping her voice softer, too. “Do you want to make cookies with me and mommy?”

Gardenia sniffled again, before peeking out from Rowan’s shirt. “Cookies?”

Aurora nodded, holding up one of the cookie cutters. “Wanna help me pick out the shapes?”

Cordelia opened her eyes instantly at the mention of cookies, her amber eyes bleary as she struggled to peer around the kitchen. “Cookies?”

But of course it was right then that Wisteria walked into the room, planting herself in the doorway of the kitchen and shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Mommy!”

Rowan winced, Gardenia going back to huddling against Rowan’s chest, a tiny sob bubbling from her mouth.

“Wisteria,” Aurora scolded. “Gardenia doesn’t like loud noises.”

Wisteria ignored her, crossing her arms as she tipped her chin up. “I have a annoucement.”

“What kind of announcement?” Gavin asked, chuckling as Cordelia started trying to climb onto his shoulder.

“I made a mess.”

Rowan winced again, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what kind of mess Wisteria could have made.

She had just sat her down in the kitchen with a bowl of fruit for a snack, and then Wisteria had wandered off, saying she had something important to do. Rowan had assumed she was going to the bathroom, since she’d started announcing every time she went.

Oh god.

Did she have an accident in the bathroom? Had she fallen into the toilet? Had she missed?

“Hey,” Gavin murmured, rubbing Rowan’s back, gently drawing her from her spiralling thoughts. “Come back to me, pumpkin.”

Rowan nodded, her lungs constricting as she tried to draw air into them. She had cookies already in the oven, she still had a few more batches to make, she had to clean the kitchen up still, and clean the dishes, and wash the girls’ laundry. She did not want to have to clean up a bathroom accident.

Gavin brushed her hair back from her face. “Rowan, come back.”

She nodded, leaning into his touch. “Sorry.”

Gavin shook his head, pressing a kiss to her brow. “It’s okay, pumpkin. Whatever it is, we’ll take care of it together.”

“Okay,” she murmured.

Wisteria remained in the doorway, bouncing from foot to foot. “Will you come see?!”

Sighing, Rowan readjusted Gardenia in her arms before walking over to Wisteria. “Show me the mess you made, love.”

Beaming, Wisteria turned on her heel and began marching down the hall. Apprehension was coiled in Rowan’s stomach, radiating oily anxiety through her veins as she struggled not to let her mind wander, trying desperately not to let her panic grow.

At least Wisteria hadn’t been hurt. She hadn’t heard any loud thumps, there were no tears beading in the corners of her eyes, no bruises forming on her little arms.

As long as Wisteria was safe she could handle whatever mess her daughter wanted to show them.

Standing in the threshold of the playroom, though, Rowan couldn’t quite wrap her head around what kind of mess Wisteria had been referring to. There were toys scattered across the floor, and pillows thrown haphazardly around where a pillow fort had once stood before Cordelia had accidentally knocked it down. And there was the bowl of fruit Rowan had given Wisteria not more than ten minutes ago, the leafy tops of strawberries tumbling onto the blue carpet.

Rowan tipped her head to the side curiously, trying to figure out what Wisteria wanted to show her. Gardenia peeked out from her hiding place again, her amber eyes scanning the room cautiously.

“What did you want to show us, baked potato?” Gavin asked, prying Cordelia from handing from his neck and repositioning her in his arms.

Wisteria huffed, showing as much indignation as an almost-five-year-old could. “My mess!”

Rowan arched a brow, still not understanding what Wisteria wanted to show her. “Could you point to it, love?”

Wisteria threw her head back, wiggling her arms as she groaned. “In da kitchen!”

Rowan blinked, looking back up to focus on the play kitchen they had gotten for the girls. It usually sat entirely unused unless they were trying to make “soup” for Stella or pretending to make snacks for their tea parties.

The plastic bowls and pots and pans were scattered all over the little counter and fake stove. The colourful cabinets were opened and the plastic food had fallen to the floor. There were plastic slices of cheese tossed haphazardly in a bowl leaning on its side, and the fake sink was filled with more dishes.

It was, without a doubt, a huge mess.

Wisteria beamed up at them. “I made a mess!”

Gavin nodded, looking just as confused as Rowan felt. “It looks like a big mess.”

“Now I’m just like daddy!”

Gavin’s brows shot up, his mouth hanging open.

Gardenia twisted around in Rowan’s arms, pointing to the mess Wisteria had made. “Like daddy!”

Gavin’s eyes widened and he flicked his gaze to Rowan. “They’ve been spending too much time with Shaw.”

Rowan pressed her face against Gardenia’s back, trying to stifle her laughter. But all it did was make Gardenia squeal and wiggle.

“What’s so funny?” Gavin asked, his eyes bright with mischief.

Rowan snorted, squeezing her eyes shut as she clutched Gardenia close. “N-nothing!”

Gavin set Cordelia down before grabbing Rowan, tickling her sides.

“What’s so funny?!”

“Nothing!” She squealed, Gardenia laughing now too. “Nothing is funny!”

“Then why are you laughing?!”

Gavin was laughing now too, the sound like music as it reverberated through the room. She could feel his laughter against her neck, could feel his smile as he squished his cheek next to hers while he held her fast so she couldn’t escape.

She heard the ringing laughter of Wisteria and Aurora as they chased each other around, their cheeks rosy and their smiles wide as they ran up to Rowan and tried tickling her legs and behind her knees.

Her own gasping laughter bubbled out of her as she tried in vain to wiggle from his grip, but Gavin held her too tight. After another few moments he stopped, curling his arm around her waist as she slumped back against him, heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she pouted, her eyes falling closed as she breathed deeply.

Gavin chuckled, planting a kiss to her cheek. “You were making fun of me.”

“I did not.”

He poked her side and she gasped, elbowing his stomach. “I did not make fun of you.”

Gavin sighed, kissing her cheek again, one hand reaching up to brush the hair from her face. “Then why were you laughing?”

She shrugged, managing to pry herself free from his arms. But she was momentarily cut off from air as Gardenia wrapped her arms around Rowan’s neck, squeezing so tight she couldn’t breath.

“Princess,” she muttered, patting her back. “Mommy can’t breath.”

Gardenia loosened her grip, nestling comfortably back into Rowan’s arms, her eyes full of concern as she watched Rowan quietly.

“I’m alright, love,” she murmured, brushing her hair back. “Mommy is alright. She was just being attacked by daddy.” She cut Gavin a glare, wrinkling her nose. “He’s just upset Wisteria told him the truth.”

Aurora nodded, patting Gavin’s leg. “It’s true, daddy. You sometimes make a very big mess.”

He furrowed his brow. “Is that bad?”

“No!” Wisteria sang, making an even bigger mess in her plastic kitchen. “It’s more fun! You can make magic potions in the mess!”

Gavin narrowed his eyes. “Is that… a good thing?”

“Yes!” Aurora and Wisteria sang in unison.

“That’s how you make magic, daddy!” Aurora said, hugging his leg. “It’s how you make unicorns and fairies!”

Wisteria’s eyes widened. “Maybe daddy is a wizard.”

Gavin snorted. “I don’t know about that.”

Rowan watched Cordelia climb to her feet before toddling over to Wisteria, trying to take one of the bowls and plastic fruits. She looked back over at Gavin, a line between his brows.

“Hey,” she breathed, coming back over to stand next to him. “I’m sorry for teasing.”

He shook his head. “It’s alright, I know I’m a little messy.”

She reached up, gently pressing her thumb to the spot between his brows, wiping away that little line. “I love you. I love you messy or clean.”

He arched a brow, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. “What about after I come back from a run?”

“When you’re stinky and sweaty?”

He snorted, nodding.

“Of course I’ll still love you,” she said. “I always love you.” She poked his side. “I might ask you to shower, though.”

“I might ask you to come with me,” he murmured, his voice too low for the girl’s to hear.

She felt her face grow warm, and she pressed her face against his shoulder, breathing him in. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” he said, wrapping his arms around her, rubbing her back as she leaned into his warmth. “With all of me.”

She would have stayed like that forever had Aurora not tugged on her skirt, drawing her attention to her distress.

“Mommy, what about the cookies?” Aurora asked, playing with the hem of her pink puffy skirt. “Are we still gonna make them?”

“Cookies?” Gardenia asked, once more roused from her hiding place to peer at Rowan with hope.

“We can still make cookies,” she said. “We’ve got lots of cookies to make.”

In fact there were some in the oven and they were probably just about done.

“Why don’t we go back to the kitchen and take a look,” she said. “There might be some all done and waiting to be eaten.”

Wisteria’s eyes widened. “Cookies?”

“Do you want one?” Rowan asked as Wisteria took Cordelia’s hand and dragged her over.

“I do, mommy! I wants one!”

Gavin watched her quietly, his lips sticking out in the smallest of pouts.

“You can have one too, babey,” she said, patting his cheek.

He smiled, taking her hand. “Okay, let’s go take a look at the cookies.”

Thankfully, despite their slight distraction, nothing had burnt in the oven. Which meant that when Rowan removed the cookie sheet from the oven they were the perfect golden brown, the sweet smell of the sugary cookies suffusing the air until it was warm, like something out of a dream.

Wisteria gasped, waving her hands in the air. “Mommy, can I have one?!”

“Not yet,” she said, scraping them from the sheet and placing them on the little wire cookie rack. “They need to cool for a little bit.” Wisteria pouted, crossing her arms. “I want a cookie.”

“Soon, little love,” she said, brushing a hand over Wisteria’s messy brown hair. “While you wait, do you want to help me and Aurora cut more cookie shapes?”

Wisteria hummed, her brow furrowing at the cookie cutters.

“Or,” she continued, settling Gardenia into her highchair. “Do you want to make icing with daddy? You can pick whatever colour you want.”

Wisteria gasped, jumping up and down. “Yes! Yes!” She spun around to Gavin. “Can we make icing?!”

His answering smile was soft as he nodded. “Of course. What colours do you want?”

She tapped her cheek, humming. “How about pink?!”

“That’s a good colour.”

“And purple, and red, and blue! And yellow! And green!”

Gavin laughed, scooping her into his arms and walking over to the cabinet where all the mixing bowls were.

They didn’t last very long before the twins started whining, and Gavin and Rowan each took turns playing with them while they tried making the cookies. 

Gavin ended up sitting on the floor while he mixed the different icings, Cordelia propped on his lap while he held her hands and helped her to stir the mixture. Beside him, Wisteria furiously mixed her own icing, tossing edible glitter and sprinkles and food colouring into her bowl.

For her part, Rowan ended up moving the cookie dough she was rolling out to the table, so it was easier for Aurora to cut out the cookie shapes, and Gardenia could watch what they were doing. She would reach over the table to take one of the cookie cutters sometimes, and Rowan would very gently guide her hands so she didn’t cut herself on the cutter. She would squeal in delight with every shape she made, staring in awe at it before moving on to something else.

Once all the dough had been cut into shapes and lined up on the cookie sheets, they were slid into the oven and the table was cleared so they could decorate the first batch of cookies.

“What can we decorate?” Aurora asked, tapping her hands on the table as she watched Rowan and Gavin set the cookies and icing on the table.

“Whatever you want,” Rowan said, putting paper towels down on the table, certain they were about to make a huge mess.

“I’m gonna decorate a magic snowman,” Wisteria said, with such confidence she rivalled her uncle’s belief that he was cool.

“How is the snowman magic?” Aurora asked, pulling a little bowl of pink icing towards her.

“Because it has sparkles and magic and it’s made of wishes,” Wisteria said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Aurora seemed to agree because she didn’t ask anymore questions, instead taking a butter knife and scraping out some icing for her cookie.

Cordelia and Gardenia were a little less delicate than Aurora, who decorated her cookie with as meticulous;y as an almost-seven-year-old could. They tried scooping out the icing with their hands, splattering it all over the cookies set in front of them.

Rowan tried wiping icing from their cheeks, but it was no use as the toddlers wiped their faces with their sticky hands, or splashed more icing onto each other.

“Once we’re done here I think we’re going to need a bathtime,” Gavin said, smiling as Gardenia tried creating a flower on her cookie.

“I think you’re right,” Rowan said, peering down only to find a massive green icing stain on the hem of her skirt. “How did that get there?”

Rowan was too busy trying to figure out when she got icing on herself to notice Gavin scooping a spoonful of pink icing from one of the bowls and creeping up beside her.

“Pumpkin?”

She turned, only to be met with icing being smeared across her face.

She gaped at Gavin in disbelief as the girls giggled.

“There’s a little icing on your face,” he teased, looking far too proud of himself.

Rowan didn’t think as she sunk her fingers into the closest bowl of icing before wiping her hand across Gavin’s face, smearing light blue icing over his cheek and forehead.

“It looks like there’s a little on your face, too,” she said, grinning.

The girls snorted with laughter, falling over the table giggling.

“Careful,” Gavin said. “You all might be next.”

Aurora and Wisteria shrieked, collapsing against each other in a fit of giggles. Cordelia and Gardenia snorted, slowly pulling the green icing bowl closer to themselves.

“Just what do you two think you’re doing?”

Gardenia giggled as she wiped icing over Cordelia’s cheek. “Decorating!”

“Decorating, are you?!”

Cordelia snorted, wiping her face and smearing the icing back over Gardenia’s forehead. “Decorating!”

It was, without question, a mess that rivalled the fake one Wisteria had created. But everyone’s smiles were so bright she couldn’t help smiling, couldn’t stop the warmth that spilled into her heart.

They were so happy, all her girls, her Gavin, they were all so happy. Her heart ached, her chest tight as golden sunshine spilled through her veins. She wanted to kiss all their pink, rosy cheeks. She wanted to wrap her arms around Gavin and never let go. Wanted to gather her daughters into her arms and hug them until they squealed with laughter. Wanted to tell Gavin how much she loved him over and over again.

It was after Rowan had set the second batch of cookies before the girls and let them loose to decorate them however they wanted that Gavin peeked over his shoulder from where he was washing the dishes.

“You know what would be fun?” He asked, setting the mixing bowl into the dish rack.

Rowan tipped her head to the side, gently nudging Stella away from the table so she couldn’t eat the icing and crumbs that were spilling to the floor. “What?”

“If we tried making a gingerbread house.”

The girls’ heads snapped up instantly, Aurora’s eyes wide. “A gingerbread house?! With a gingerbread me and Wisteria and mommy and daddy?!”

“And a gingerbread Stella?!” Wisteria chimed in, covering her mouth with her icing covered hands as she gasped.

Rowan hadn’t even considered it. She’d made a gingerbread house or two when it was still just her and Gavin for Christmas, but they hadn’t made one with the girls yet.

“If we make a gingerbread house we won’t have time to make dinner,” Rowan said, worry twisting her stomach. She wasn’t even sure what to make tonight. Macaroni maybe, since it would be easy.

Gavin shrugged, wiping his hands on the dish towel. “We can order takeout.”

Again Wisteria gasped. “Can we get McDonalds?!”

“A burger! Ooo, and a milkshake! And a toy!” Aurora sang, standing up on her chair. “And fries!”

“Fries!” Cordelia chimed in.

Gardenia, for her part, didn’t look up at all, too focused on her cookies.

“Is that okay?” Rowan asked, even though the thought of a burger and fries was far too enticing right now. She would love a burger and a large size of fries, and maybe a chocolate shake.

“Of course it’s okay,” Gavin said, kissing her brow. “I think we’re allowed a treat.” He closed his eyes, bumping his nose against hers. “You deserve a treat.”

“It would be really nice,” she admitted. “And I do kind of want a burger really badly right now.”

“Burgers it is, then,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

“And,” he continued, softer now as the girls cheered. “Once we’re done with the cookies I can clean it all up and finish the laundry, okay?”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, even as exhaustion at the idea of doing all that cleaning and laundry weighed on her. “You work so hard, and you don’t have that much time off for the holidays.”

Gavin shrugged. “I don’t mind. And I’d much rather spend my time off helping to give you more of a break. You deserve to rest.” He brushed a kiss against each of her cheeks. “And watch some Christmas movies with the girls.”

She smiled, curling against his chest. “So do you.”

“I will,” he murmured, rubbing her back. “I want to spend as much time with my girls as I can.”

“Mommy?”

Rowan turned around at the sound of Gardenia’s voice, the first time she’d spoken in a while.

“What is it, tater tot?”

Gardenia held up a pink cookie with a messy icing flower. “For you.”

Rowan’s eyes burned as she plucked it from her daughter’s hands. “You made this for me?”

She nodded furiously. “Yes.”

“Thank you, love,” she said, kissing the top of her head. “I love it.”

Gardenia beamed, turning back to the next cookie she wanted to decorate.

“And I think the girls would rather spend time with you right now.”

“What about you?”

He hummed, squeezing her hand. “I’m happy if you are. And I know relaxing with the girls makes you happy.”

It did. Spending time with their girls, cuddling with them and helping them with their tea parties and braiding their hair and listening to their elaborate play adventures for their dolls and stuffies made her so happy. Falling asleep halfway through a movie with the girls all snuggled with her made her so happy.

But spending time with Gavin made her happy, too.

“Hush,” he said, seeming to read what she was thinking before she said a word. “I want you to be happy. Let me help.”

“Okay,” she murmured, letting him draw her back into another hug.

“Good,” he breathed. “Why don’t you get started on the gingerbread dough and I’ll order dinner.”

She nodded, holding him tight for another moment before he pulled away.

“I’ll be right back, pumpkin,” he said, brushing her hair back from her face before heading from the kitchen.

Gavin returned after about ten minutes, waving his phone in the air while Rowan mixed the cookie dough. “Everything is ordered! It’s going to take a bit to get here, though.”

“How long?!” Wisteria asked, her eyes wide and pleading.

“An hour,” Gavin said, tucking his phone back into his pocket.

Wisteria groaned, falling against her sister dramatically. “I’ll die!”

He chuckled, ruffling her hair as he walked past. “You won’t die.”

“Did you order milkshakes, daddy?” Aurora asked, clasping her hands together.

“Of course I did, sweet potato,” he said. “And fries.”

Cordelia and Gardenia frowned at him, wrinkling their noses.

He chuckled, patting the tops of their heads. “And chicken nuggets for you two.”

Gavin came over to kiss Rowan’s cheek. “How’s it going?”

“Pretty good,” she said, showing him the dough. “It just needs to be kneaded and then it needs to chill for about two hours.”

“Perfect,” he said. “That means we’ll have time to finish up icing the other cookies and have dinner while it chills.”

He kissed her again, nudging her out of the way. “Why don’t you go sit down? I can do this.”

“But I’m almost done!” She whined, elbowing his side.

Gavin pouted, pressing his face against her shoulder. Rowan reached up to run her fingers through his hair, giggling.

“Why don’t we finish it up together?”

He whined, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“I’ll give you a little kiss.”

That seemed to cheer him up, and he moved to stand beside her, holding his hands out for the dough.

She separated the dough into two portions, and together they both kneaded it until it grew stiff, then wrapped it up and tossed it in the fridge.

“Now we wait,” she sighed, leaning against him. She felt a wave of exhaustion roll over her then, as though she had been barely keeping it at bay until she had finished the dough. And now that she was done, the dam had burst, fatigue leaching through her veins until her body was heavy as lead.

She blinked, and she struggled to open her eyes again. Gavin was warm too, and it didn’t help her sudden drowsiness. He had wrapped his arm around her waist, had tugged her closer, and she could feel his heartbeat against her back, felt the warmth of his body seeping into her.

She yawned, turning her head to press her face against his cheek. “I’m sleepy, babey.”

“Why don’t you go take a nap,” he murmured. “I can handle things here. Go lay down.”

“Are you sure?”

Gavin took her hand, drawing her from the kitchen and into the living room. He scooped her into his arms, and she found she didn’t have the energy to fight against him, to whine and argue that she wasn’t that tired. Gavin took another few steps, gently laying her down on the couch.

“Rest,” he murmured. “You look like you can barely keep your eyes open.”

She pouted, hating the fact that he was kind of right. Her eyes felt heavy and she could hardly keep them open anymore. But still she didn’t want to waste any time, didn’t want to lose any time with her Gavin and her daughters.

“For me?” He pleaded, kissing the back of her hand. “So I know you’re rested?”

She groaned, rolling her eyes as she fought off a yawn. “Alright. You’re lucky you’re cute.”

He chuckled, taking one of the blankets from the back of the couch and draping it over her. “I’m lucky that I have you.”

She didn’t think she would actually sleep. She assumed one of the girls would come over and talk in her ear until she got up. Or the delivery would arrive and the driver would ring the doorbell incessantly like the kid that delivered pizza a week before, who leaned his entire hand on the doorbell until Gavin had swung the door open, his expression so hard the kid had sprinted away before they could tip him.

But the one thing she hadn’t expected was that she would actually fall asleep. Or that she would fall asleep so quickly. There was nothing she hated more than falling asleep when the day wasn’t over, wasting daylight hours that could be better spent working on her own projects, or spending time with her daughters, or sharing precious moments with Gavin.

But she did fall asleep, drifting into a misty, dawn-coloured dream moments after Gavin had tucked the blanket around her. She didn’t even wake up when Aurora crawled onto the couch with her, curling against her side. And she didn’t wake up when Gardenia crawled onto her chest and promptly fell asleep, too.

It wasn’t until Gavin knelt beside her, gently kissing her face that she awoke. The living room had grown darker, the Christmas lights glowing in the gloom. But she felt so much warmer too, like more blankets had been wrapped around her.

It took her a moment to realize two of her daughters were snuggled up against her, Gardenia snoozing peacefully on her chest while Aurora cuddled against her side, sighing in her sleep.

Her eyes were so heavy she struggled to open them, and she felt like it would be far too easy to fall back asleep. To let sleep drag her back under with its irresistible siren song. Her daughters were cuddling with her, Gavin’s fingers were tangled in her hair, she was warm and comfy.

But Gavin wasn’t having any of it, chuckling softly as he kissed her eyelids as they fluttered closed. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. The food’s here.”

She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. “Sleeby.”

He snorted, nuzzling his nose against her cheek. “Sleepy? Too sleepy to eat.”

She cracked her eyes open, groaning louder, her voice still thick with sleep. “Carry me?”

“Of course, whatever you want,” he murmured. “Although we’ll have to move these little potatoes, first.”

Aurora whined, wiggling closer against Rowan’s side. “Mommy’s warm!”

“Mommy has to eat,” Gavin chided, gently prying Aurora from her side. “And so do you.”

Wisteria popped up from nowhere, squeezing herself against Rowan’s side now that Aurora had vacated.

“Mommy,” she said, in the loudest whisper Rowan had ever heard. “Our food’s here!”

“So I heard,” she murmured, trying and failing to keep her eyes open.

“You gotta get up!” She sang, loud enough to make Rowan’s ears ring. “Gotta eat! Daddy says you gotta eat!”

Rowan wrapped her arms around Wisteria, drawing her against her chest and squeezing her tight. “First I need some cuddles, or else I won’t wake up.”

Aurora squealed in protest, and soon Rowan felt another little pair of arms trying to hug her. “No hugs without me!”

Gardenia, for her part, was miraculously still asleep while Wisteria giggled, chattering about the food and that Rowan simply had to get up! Get up so she can eat! Daddy said so.

Eventually Gavin pried the two little potatoes from Rowan’s arms, shooing them to the kitchen.

“Come on,” he murmured, sliding his arms beneath Rowan’s legs and against her back. “I ordered all your favourites.”

She nodded, cradling Gardenia against her chest as Gavin lifted her up. She let her head fall back against his shoulder, sighing as she felt the ghost of a kiss against her brow.

“I’m glad you got a little rest,” he murmured. “I think you needed it.”

She tried pouting, but he pressed his lips to hers, the pout dissolving before it had even formed.

“Don’t do that,” he breathed, cradling her closer. “Don’t pout.”

“Why not,” she whined, struggling to keep her eyes open and not let them fall closed and fall back into her dreams.

“Well first because you did need some rest,” he said, and she wrinkled her nose, glaring at him at the sound of laughter in his voice. “And I know you’re about to argue that you weren’t actually tired, but you fell asleep in less than a minute.”

“It wasn’t that fast,” she grumbled, cuddling Gardenia closer.

“Pumpkin, all four of the girls tried cuddling you and you didn’t wake up once.”

“I didn’t wake up to hug them?!” She whined, her eyes widening as she realized she’d completely ignored her poor, sweet little daughters.

“It’s okay mommy, you needed sleep!” Aurora sang, patting the table as Gavin gently lowered Rowan into a chair.

“Now you can make cookies!” Wisteria added, clapping her hands together.

Rowan couldn’t help smiling, leaning over to rustle Wisteria’s hair. “You’re right, now we can make lots of cookies.”

“Second,” Gavin breathed as Wisteria’s giggles quieted, brushing a kiss to the top of Rowan’s head. “I love your smile more than your pout.”

She was halfway to sticking her bottom lip out again when he kissed her gently, and the pout melted away into nothing.

“Nice try,” he muttered, pulling away.

She shrugged, smiling up at him. “But you think both are cute, right?”

“You’re always cute,” he said, chuckling as he sank into his seat. “You’re always the most beautiful.”

Wisteria gagged, wiggling her fingers as she reached for one of the burgers. “Daddy! We all know mommy is pretty. You don’t have to be yucky.”

“It’s not yucky!” Aurora protested, her eyes dreamy as she peered up at the ceiling. “He’s like a prince in a fairytale.”

“Does that make mommy the princess?” Wisteria asked, successfully grabbing one of the burgers and dragging it towards her.

“Gardenia’s a pwincess,” Cordelia sang, pointing to her sister.

“You’re right, she is,” Rowan said, booping Cordelia’s nose. “And so are you! And Aurora and Wisteria.”

“Well then mommy would be a queen,” Aurora said, sounding pensive.

“And daddy is a king,” Wisteria said, taking a massive bite out of her burger.

“Chew your food carefully, baked potato,” Rowan chided, wiping Wisteria’s cheek as lettuce spilled out of her mouth.

Gavin chuckled, setting fries on Aurora’s plate and handing her a milkshake. “Your mommy is a queen. She’s the most important person in my world.”

Rowan felt her cheeks flame and she stared down at her plate for a long moment, feeling silly and lightheaded, like the first time he’d ever held her hand, the first time he’d told her she was pretty, the first time he’d held her in his arms like she was the most precious thing in the world.

“Well that would make daddy a king,” Rowan said, her voice soft as she looked up, meeting his amber gaze, as warm and brilliant as the summer sun. “Because he’s my most important person, too.”

Gavin’s ears turned red as a sunset sky, but his gaze remained warm and soft as an embrace, as the arms that always held her so close.

Wisteria cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to her. She leaned forward, giving a gap-toothed grin at her family. “Do you know who else is a queen?”

Aurora groaned, rolling her eyes as she slumped back in her chair. “Is it Sailor M-”

“IT’S SAILOR MOON!” Wisteria screamed, waving her hands wildly as she jumped up on her seat. “SHE’S A QUEEN.”

Covering her mouth to stifle her laughter, Rowan leaned over to take Wisteria’s hand. Her shoulders were shaking as she struggled not to laugh as she squeezed her daughter’s hand and drew her back down.

“Inside voice please,” Gavin said, but his face was red, and he turned around quickly, disguising his own laughter with a handful of coughs while Wisteria wiggled back into her seat.

“Sailor Moon is a queen!” She said again, looking perfectly unperturbed while Aurora made a face. “She’s queen of the moon!”

“Technically,” Aurora said, dunking a chicken nugget into a puddle of sweet and sour sauce on her plate. “Neo Queen Serenity is a queen.”

“But Sailor Moon becomes her,” Wisteria whined, taking a pickle from her burger and tossing it onto Aurora’s plate. “They’re the same person!”

“I guess,” Aurora grumbled.

“I thought you liked Sailor Moon too,” Rowan said, confusion twisting in her mind. Hadn’t Aurora been just as excited as Wisteria when they’d bought the boxed set of the show?

“I do,” Aurora said, sighing dramatically. “But all Wisteria talks about is Neo Queen Serenity.”

“Cause she’s COOL!” Wisteria shouted, earning a chorus of giggles from the twins who parroted her shouts.

“Well what do you like about it?”

Aurora hummed, tapping her cheek. “I like the talking cats. And the pretty transformations. And that they’re all princesses!”

“Like us!” Wisteria sang, jumping up to stand on her chair again. “Crime fighting princesses! With sparkly crowns!”

“And handsome princes that help,” Aurora added, staring dreamily to the side.

“Yuck,” Wisteria said, wrinkling her nose. “No princes for me.”

“Wisteria Faye,” Rowan chided. “You don’t stand on your chair. You have to sit.”

“Sorry mommy,” Wisteria said, pouting as she sat back down. “I’m just excited about Sailor Moon.”

“I know you are, love,” she said, smoothing her hair back. “But you can’t stand on your chairs like that. You could get hurt.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding.

“We don’t want you hurt,” Rowan said, kissing the top of her head. “You’re far too precious.”

Wisteria nodded again, leaning into Rowan’s embrace. “Will you watch it with me?”

“Watch what?” She asked.

“Sailor Moon?”

“Of course I will,” Rowan said, pulling back. “But you have to eat all your dinner first so we can make the gingerbread, okay?”

Aurora peaked up from over her burger, looking a little shy as she asked “can I watch it too?”

“And me!” Gardenia cried, waving her hands much the same way as Wisteria had moments ago.

Snorting, Rowan nodded her head. “Of course we can. But everyone has to eat their dinner first, okay? Daddy ordered it special for us.”

“Thank you, daddy,” Aurora said, her voice soft as she took a fry directly from his plate.

Gavin chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Anything for my potatoes.”

Cordelia’s brow furrowed, her hand reaching past her highchair table, towards a bag of fries on the table. “Potatoes? Please?”

Rowan handed her a fry, watching as her expression shifted into pure delight. Cordelia lifted the fry up, showing it to Rowan as though she hadn’t just handed it to her.

“‘S a potato, mommy!”

“You’re right,” she said, bobbing her head. “It’s a potato!”

Cordelia nibbled at her fry, seeming perfectly content holding it between both her hands for a few moments.

“Rowan,” Gavin said, drawing her attention to where he sat, flanked by little girls trying to steal his food from his plate.

“Is everything okay?”

His eyes were soft as he reached across the table, taking her hand and squeezing it. “I just wanted to see your face for a moment.”

Her cheeks grew warm again, but she couldn’t look away, not as he held her gaze, his smile as soft as morning sunshine.

“Also,” he continued, speaking a bit slower, the corner of his lip twitching up. “You should eat before your food gets cold, or the girls steal it.”

Rowan looked down to see Wisteria fully leaned over her plate, her eyes wide as she stared up at Rowan, her little hand bunched around the fries on Rowan’s plate.

“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Rowan asked, arching a brow as Wisteria froze.

“Wanted some fries?” She asked, giving Rowan a tentative smile.

After a very long moment of silence Rowan waved at Wisteria, letting her rob her of her fries. “Go on and take them, but be careful if you fill up before the cookies are done.”

“You don’t have to worry about that mommy!” She sang, stuffing the fries into her mouth. “I’m never full!”

Gavin started to chuckle, but his eyes widened as Rowan reached across the table to steal his fries.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

Rowan pouted, drawing the fries onto her plate while Gavin watched with feigned shock. “I’m hungry.”

“I am too!”

“There’s more fries in the bag.”

Gavin closed his eyes, sighing. But there was still a smile on his lips, and she was sure he would get revenge for this later.

“Whatever you wish, pumpkin,” he said at last, his eyes glittering like stars as he opened them.

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him as he pulled another packet of fries from one of the takeout bags. But Gavin didn’t respond, merely giving her a knowing look that told her he would get his vengeance soon.

Fries fell to the floor, cups almost tipped over, Wisteria and Aurora traded tomatoes for pickles while Gardenia kept trying to take a sip from Rowan’s milkshake. It was a loud, messy dinnertime, and Rowan spent more time catching food before it fell into Stella’s waiting mouth and wiping cheeks and asking Wisteria to pretty please sit down on her butt she’s going to fall off her chair.

But she didn’t mind. She didn’t mind the little voices trying to drown each other out. She didn’t mind the way Stella whined as she tried to find scraps. Or how she had to wipe little mouths and remind the girls to chew their food before they started talking.

They were all smiling, all happy and loud, all made of sunshine and light and the sweetest joy. Even though her ears were ringing a little when Cordelia mentioned a rock she had found in the backyard and Gardenia started sobbing.

She looked up at Gavin as she finished her food, catching the warmth of his gaze as it swept across the table.

“What are you thinking?” She asked, her voice soft, barely heard above the cacophony around them.

But Gavin still smiled, tipping his head to the side as he considered her question. He hummed, the sound soft and warm, reverberating beneath the noise like the bass line of a song.

“I was just thinking about how happy I am,” he said, his words carried on the evening wind as it rustled her hair and her clothes. “To be here with all my favourite people.”

She chuckled. “What about your friends? Or your brother?”

Gavin snorted, gently shoving Stella back to the floor as her front paws landed on the table next to him. “They would probably make a bigger mess than the girls.”

Rowan bit back a laugh, remembering the last time the girls had been left in the care of their uncle, or the day Minor had insisted on helping out to give Gavin and Rowan some time alone.

Both occasions had ended up with paint drenched across the back of the house, and all the girls racing around on a sugar high while they’d struggled to chase them down to bathe.

If she’d had a nickel for every time that had happened, she’d only have two nickels. But it was still weird that it had happened twice.

“And anyways, you’re my favourite people,” he continued, drawing her from her paint-splattered memories. “And so are our girls.”

His voice was so soft, so earnest, and it made her feel like she was melting a little. Like he was the golden morning sun, or perhaps like he was made of starlight and stardust and she had stepped close enough to feel the warmth of all that light.

“I don’t want to spend my time with anyone else.”

She wanted to get up and wrap her arms around him. She wanted to curl up in his lap and rain kisses over his face until his cheeks were pink and he was laughing. She wanted to be closer, to hold him, to be held in his arms.

But she couldn’t do any of that as Wisteria toppled over from her chair and into Rowan’s lap, peering up at her with the widest, fakest look of innocence she had ever seen.

“Mommy,” she said slowly, fluttering her lashes as if that might get her out of trouble for truly tumbling from her chair. “Can we make the gingerbread now?”

“Yes yes!” Aurora squealed, jumping down from her seat to dance in excitement. “Can we please? We finished our whole dinner!”

Wisteria twisted in Rowan’s lap to snuggle against her, a trick Rowan sometimes used on Gavin when she wanted to watch a specific movie, or visit a store, or order something for dinner instead of have the leftovers in the freezer.

“Please mommy?”

She sighed, wrapping her arms around Wisteria and drawing her closer. “Of course we can. But no more standing on chairs.”

“Okay mommy,” Wisteria said, having the good sense to look away in remorse even as Aurora whooped.

“Will you two help me pick up the plates?” She asked, even as she cradled Wisteria in her arms, pressing a small kiss to her soft, messy hair.

But before either girl could respond Gavin was already standing and clearing the table, crumpling the empty takeout containers and bags and piling the plates and utensils up and carrying them to the dishwasher.

“Let me handle the cleanup,” he said, kissing Rowan’s head as he passed. “Why don’t you start taking out the cookie dough? And the girls can cut up some cookies.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, trying to stand, Wisteria clutching at her shirt as she moved.

“Of course I am, sweetheart,” Gavin said, turning the sink on to rinse the plates. “I’ll help with the cookies in a minute.”

She nodded, shifting Wisteria in her arms as she made her way to the fridge.

“Do you want to make some cookies now?” She asked, booping Wisteria’s nose with hers. “Make some gingerbread Wisteria’s and Stella’s and Aurora’s?”

“And Cordelia’s and Gardenia’s!” Aurora sang, carrying the cookie cutters over to the counter.

“Oh of course,” Rowan said, nodding.

Wisteria nodded, covering her mouth so she didn’t scream. “I am, mommy.”

“Good! Will you help me roll the dough?”

Rowan carted Wisteria and the cookie dough over to the counter before setting her down on one of the stools Aurora had dragged over. She started by rolling the dough out, blowing on her hands every few moments to warm them up from the chilly dough.

Wisteria made grabby hands at her, wanting to try her hand at the rolling pin. And she had only just handed Wisteria the rolling pin, telling her to be careful because it was heavy, when she felt fingertips ghosting against her neck, brushing her hair back. She gasped as Gavin grazed his lips against her skin, sending warmth spilling through her, reaching deep into the marrow of her bones.

“I’m finished with the dishes,” he said, his arms wrapping around her waist. “And I’ve cleaned up the table. Do you want to move the dough to the table? It’ll be easier for the tater tots to make cookies there.”

She nodded, smiling as he trailed kisses along the line of her jaw. “Will you help me carry it over? Wisteria’s already done such a good job of rolling out the dough.”

Wisteria beamed up at the two of them as Gavin murmured a quiet “as you wish.”

He lifted the dough up and carried it over to the table, where both the twins and Aurora were already waiting. Cordelia and Gardenia had been released from their high chairs, and now stood on their chubby toddler legs, bouncing as Gavin settled the dough in front of them.

“Do you want me to show you how to cut a cookie?” He asked, grinning as they both bobbed their heads furiously.

Rowan couldn’t help smiling as she helped Wisteria up onto a chair, listening as Aurora babbled about how she was going to make fairy princess cookies for the gingerbread house and family. Wisteria asked if they could make Sailor Moon, and Aurora groaned, rolling her eyes so hard Rowan thought they would pop out of her head.

But then Aurora scooted closer to her sister, tearing pieces of dough and rolling them between her hands until they looked like Sailor Moon’s pigtails.

“Do you want a cat too?” Aurora asked, her nose wrinkling as Wisteria whooped loudly.

“Sorry,” Wisteria said, clapping a hand over her mouth as she realized how she’d shouted in her sister’s ear. “Yes please, ‘rora.”

Rowan smiled, watching as the little gingerbread people piled up on their cookie sheets. Gardenia stretched out her hands towards a star shaped cookie cutter and Rowan handed it to her.

“Mommy, help?” She asked, her eyes wide.

“Of course, love,” she breathed, guiding Gardenia’s hands over the last of the dough and pressing the cutter against it.

“Now pull back like this,” she said, her heart aching as Gardenia squealed with delight when the cookie came out perfect.

“Look at that! Look at how well you did!”

“Another please?” She asked as Rowan set the star down onto a cookie sheet.

“Of course!”

While the four of them worked on the cookies themselves, Gavin and Cordelia had started on making the walls and roof of the gingerbread house. Gavin had already split the dough so there was already enough, and his brow was furrowed as he checked his phone for the reference he had pulled up.

Cordelia, for her part, kept patting at the dough and pulling at the corners. She would squeal everytime Gavin took her hands, kissing them gently before guiding them through cutting the pieces into the perfect shapes.

Once they were done, Rowan and Gavin slid the cookie sheets into the oven. Heat blasted their faces, washing away the evening chill that had started to creep into the house.

“Do we need to make any icing?” Gavin asked, arching a brow as Rowan shut the oven and set a timer.

“I think we’ll just need some to stick the pieces of the house together.”

He nodded, grabbing the mixing bowl from the dishrack and toting it towards the blender. “I can do that if you’d like.”

“That’s okay,” she said, grabbing icing sugar from the pantry and carting it to where he stood. “You’ve already helped so much.”

He kissed her brow, taking the icing sugar from her hands before she could object. “Let me do this, pumpkin. Why don’t you sit down?”

She pouted, crossing her arms as Gavin started measuring out the icing sugar and pouring it into the mixing bowl. “I’m not a delicate porcelain doll, babey. I can make a little icing.”

“I know,” he said, turning back towards her. “But I want to help, too. And I want you to relax with the girls.”

He cupped her face with one hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb. His smile was bright, almost teasing as he leaned close, his lips practically brushing against hers. “Or maybe do you just not trust me to make the icing?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but she never got the chance before Gavin was pressing his lips to hers, catching her in a slow, gentle kiss.

She felt her breath rush from her lungs, felt her eyes fall closed as she melted against his chest. She felt his chuckle rumbling through him, reverberating through her bones. Her hands fell to his chest, gripping his shirt between her hands as his other arm encircled her waist. Her thoughts turned to mist, and she tipped her head back, sighing as Gavin kissed her deeper.

Her legs felt like jelly, her entire body like it was made of spun sugar and sunshine and fluffy clouds. She felt so insubstantial she thought she might dissolve into nothing the moment he let her go.

She was so consumed by the embrace that she didn’t even notice as Gavin gently led her back to the table. Didn’t notice even as the back of her legs hit a chair. And even as he broke away, pressing his lips to her brow, she was far too dizzy to realize he was gently pressing her into the chair.

It wasn’t until Gavin’s warmth was gone and the mixer was screaming did she realize he had duped her.

“Hey!” She cried, irked by his trickery.

Gavin turned to look at her over his shoulder, his grin filled with impish delight. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“You tricked me!”

He shrugged. “I did want to kiss you, though.”

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him.

“And you always look adorable when your face turns red like that.”

Rowan wrinkled her nose, turning away so he couldn’t see her face at all.

“You tricked me into sitting down!”

He snorted. “Well now you can relax with the girls. I’ll be done in a minute, anyways.”

Rowan would have played with the girls, except they had all dispersed by then, leaving the mess of flour and used cookie cutters scattered across the table. She could hear Wisteria and Aurora giggling together, and Stella was chatting while Cordelia rambled on about what sounded like rocks.

Gardenia poked her head around the doorway, smiling when she saw Rowan at the table.

“Mommy,” she whined, toddling towards her. “Up?”

“You want up?” Rowan asked, scooping her into her arms. “Are you okay?”

Gardenia didn’t answer, instead burrowing against Rowan’s chest.

She snorted, rubbing her daughter’s back as she huffed a very big sigh for such a tiny person. “Let me guess. Cordelia is carrying her rock around again.”

Gardenia huffed again, confirming Rowan’s suspicions.

“It’s okay,” she said, rubbing Gardenia’s back. “You’re still Cordelia’s best friend.”

She could practically hear Gardenia’s pout as she tried pressing herself closer to Rowan, her little hands balling in her shirt.

“Do you want to watch a movie while we wait for the cookies?” Rowan asked.

Gardenia nodded her head, and Rowan stood, carrying her into the living room.

“What movie should we watch? A Christmas one?”

A tiny gasp burst from down the hall and suddenly Aurora was standing in front of them, her eyes wide. “Can we - Can we watch Barbie Nutcracker?!”

A dull thud sounded from somewhere in the house and then Wisteria barrelled into the room, her cheek bright red as she clasped her hands together. “Mommy, no! I wanna watch the Miraculous Ladybug Christmas!”

Aurora wrinkled her nose. “That ones yucky.”

“But we watched Barbie yesterday!”

“That was Rapunzel.”

Wisteria furrowed her brow, thinking hard for a moment. “Oh, okay!” She shrugged her shoulders, her expression clearing. “We can watch Nutcracker then.”

Gardenia wiggled in Rowan’s arms, glowering at her sisters.

Rowan arched a brow, plopping down on the couch and reaching for the remote. “Well, if we all can’t agree, why don’t we watch Rudolph? That’s a good one.”

Wisteria gasped. “Yes, a very good one!”

Gardenia nodded, snuggling against the crook of Rowan’s arm as she scrolled through their movies before finally finding Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Aurora and Wisteria both snuggled up next to Rowan, pulling blankets around them so they were all extra cozy. She sighed, doing her best to wrap her arms around her girls, contentment wrapping around her like the fluffy pink blanket Aurora had dragged out from her room.

Not long after the movie had started Gavin strolled into the room, carrying a wiggling Cordelia over his shoulder like a tiny sack of potatoes.

“Look at the troublemaker I found,” he said, tickling her side as she giggled. “She was having a tea party with her new rock friend.”

Gardenia glowered, looking away from her sister.

“But I told her that her friend had to go to sleep early,” he said, grunting as he dumped her onto a pile of pillows, Cordelia shrieking with laughter. “Since the rock is so little.”

Gardenia still wouldn’t look at Cordelia, glaring at the floor.

“And anyways, it’s not a very good tea party if none of her sisters are there,” he said, nestling against Rowan’s other side. “Right girls?”

Aurora bobbed her head furiously, but Wisteria didn’t make note of Gavin at all, her eyes already drooping with sleep.

He kissed Rowan’s cheek, ruffling Gardenia’s hair as she continued to pout. “I took the cookies out of the oven. They’re just cooling now.”

She nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. “Thank you, babey.”

“And,” he continued. “I finished the icing and cleaned up the table and put all the icings and some spare candies I found on the table.”

She tipped her head back, planting a kiss against his jaw. “You’re amazing, babey. Thank you.”

His ears burned red and he smiled. “Anything for you.”

They made it over halfway through the movie before the girls started to grow antsy. Wisteria, for her part, had fallen asleep not long after the movie had started, the warmth from the cuddles and the blanket that had been draped over her making her drowsy almost instantly. But Aurora was bright eyed and wiggling in place, flicking her eyes from the movie to Rowan and Gavin then back.

Cordelia had already gotten up and was wandering around on her chubby toddler legs. She would fall over on the carpet and squeal with laughter before looking up at her twin, trying to get Gardenia to play with her.

Gardenia however, was not paying attention to her sister, still upset by being ignored in favour of Cordelia’s new best rock friend. Instead, she was still nestled in Rowan’s lap, but she kept pulling at her shirt, asking about what colour the icing would be, how big the gingerbread house would be, how much longer until they could decorate the cookies.

Rowan leaned over, her head falling against Gavin’s shoulder as she peeked up at him. “Maybe it’s time to decorate the cookies?”

He hummed, peering down at their girls, either sprawled out on the couch or stacking a handful of dolls on top of each other on the floor.

“What do you think, sweet potato?” He asked Aurora, drawing her attention. “Should we make our gingerbread house?”

“And our gingerbread family?!” She asked, bouncing in place.

“And Stewwa?!” Gardenia asked, pointing to Stella, who had curled up near where Cordelia was stacking her dolls and toppling them over.

“I think there’s a Stella-shaped cookie in there,” Gavin said, leaning over to press a kiss to Gardenia’s head. “Should we go and see?”

There was a cacophony of noise as three of the girls leapt up at the same time, amber eyes wide and sparkling as they raced off towards the kitchen.

“I’ll take that as a yes?” He asked, chuckling as he pressed a kiss to Rowan’s brow.

She snorted, cuddling closer to him for one stolen moment. “It’s almost like they’re excited to make a gingerbread house or something.”

“I can’t promise it’ll be as nice as our house, but I’ll try my best,” he said, kissing her again, wrapping his arms around her as he closed his eyes.

“I’m sure it’s going to be fantastic,” she said, sighing as his warmth enveloped her, as the simple smell of his soap and the smell of the wind and pine filled her senses. “And no matter what, it’ll be tasty.”

Gavin opened his mouth to say more, but it was then that shouts rose up from the kitchen.

“Mommy! Daddy! Come on!”

Gavin snorted, rolling his eyes as he gently untangled himself. “Why don’t I go get started with them while you wake up this little baked potato.”

Wisteria snored softly in response, the blanket twisted around her mouth as she slept.

He pressed one last kiss to her cheek before heading towards the kitchen, calling out to the girls that they’d better get ready.

Rowan gently drew Wisteria into her lap, rubbing her back slowly to rouse her.

“Wake up, my love,” she murmured, smiling as Wisteria cracked two sleepy eyes open. “You fell asleep.”

She yawned, rubbing at her eyes. “Is it cookie time, mommy?”

Rowan kissed the top of Wisteria’s head, nuzzling her messy, fluffy hair. “It is, love. Do you want to decorate the cookies with us?”

She yawned again, squeezing her eyes shut. “Yes please.”

“Do you want me to carry you?”

She whined in response, holding her arms out to Rowan.

Gathering Wisteria up, Rowan made her way back to the kitchen, telling Wisteria all about how they were going to make the gingerbread house and decorate the cookies, and that there would be a special Wisteria cookie and cookies of all her sisters.

When they got into the kitchen the scene before Rowan was nothing short of an absolute mess. In the few moments since Gavin had gone into the kitchen and Rowan had woken up Wisteria, the girls had managed to get icing all over their faces and in their hair. There sprinkles and candies littered haphazardly across the table, spilling from bowls and containers that she was sure Gavin had worked hard to set up while the cookies had been cooling.

Cordelia and Gardenia were giggling as they decorated a dog-shaped cookie together, all rock-related grievances forgiven for the moment. Aurora was leaning over Gavin’s shoulder, watching as he painstakingly lined icing over the ends of the gingerbread house walls and stuck them together.

“Looks like we’re having a fun time,” Rowan sang, depositing Wisteria into a chair before settling next to Gavin. “How’s it going so far?”

“Well,” Aurora said. “Cordelia and Gardenia are trying to decorate a Stella, and I started decorating a mommy and daddy!” She pointed to two half-finished cookies with pink smiles and icing for clothes. “And daddy is building the house!”

Wisteria wiggled in her seat, reaching for a star shaped cookie. “I’ll make stars! I love stars!”

Gavin paused his work, looking up to watch Wisteria start messily scoop icing onto a cookie, his expression soft. “I love stars too.”

Wisteria giggled. “I know! That’s why we watch Star Wars together!”

“And why we go to that cabin and look at the stars in the summer,” Aurora added, her attention back on the two cookies in front of her.

“‘Rora, can I help with the cookies too?” Wisteria asked, reaching over to the cookies in front of her sister. “I wanna decorate mommy and daddy too.”

“You said you were making the stars though,” Aurora whined, pulling the cookies close to her. “I wanna make mommy and daddy.”

“I wanna help!” Wisteria cried, sniffling as crocodile tears sprung into the corners of her eyes.

Rowan leaned forward, ready to intervene, but Gavin wrapped an arm around her, crushing her against his chest and tucking her beneath his chin.

“Wait,” he breathed, so quiet only she could hear. “Maybe they’ll figure it out.”

Aurora pouted for a while, twisting her head back and forth as she looked at the cookies and then Wisteria.

After what felt like ages, Wisteria’s eyes turning blurry from her false tears, Aurora finally sighed, her shoulders slumping.

“Okay, Wisteria,” she said at last, conceding as she wiggled closer to her sister. “We can share the mommy and daddy. But!” She pointed to the star cookies scattered in front of Wisteria. “I get to decorate stars, too.”

“Okay, ‘Rora!” Wisteria sang, wiggling in her seat. “We can share!”

Rowan felt her chest grow tight, her heart aching as she watched them lean over the cookies they were sharing, chattering amongst themselves as they decided on the colours of icing they would use on the cookies. They looked so happy, so content as they worked together.

Gavin hummed, pressing a kiss to the top of Rowan’s head. “Look at them.”

Rowan’s eyes burned, and she swallowed a lump that was forming in her throat. She loved them so much. Couldn’t believe how lucky she was, waking up every morning to her girls trying to crawl between her and Gavin for cuddles. Spending every day with them, listening to them and playing with them and cuddling them as they fell asleep before she’d even set them down for their naps. How lucky she was to share them with Gavin. To see their smiles every day. To listen to their laughs and share these little moments.

“They’re so sweet,” she breathed, wanting to reach out and wrap all four of them in her arms. “I love them so much.”

He kissed her again, his voice low, reverberating through her and sending warmth spilling through her, reaching to her toes. “They’re sweet just like you.”

She snorted, ready to counter with a ‘no they’re sweet like you.’ But Gavin pulled away before she could open her mouth, tipping her head back with one hand before pressing his lips to hers, cutting off her rebuttal.

She felt breathless when he broke the kiss, the world spinning and whirling around her as he smiled at her gently, one hand tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

“No argument,” he said, leaning forward until his nose bumped against hers, his breath ghosting across her lips. “You’re the sweetest person I know.”

She felt her face grow warm, and she closed her eyes, sighing. “If you insist.”

“I do insist,” he breathed, stroking her cheek. “And you have to believe me, okay? I would never lie to you.”

“Okay.”

She could hear the smile in his voice as he brushed his lips against hers one more time. “Okay, good.”

He pulled away, and the evening air felt cold as it washed against her flushed face. She had the urge to bury her face against his chest, to let herself be wrapped in his warmth, to breathe in the smell of him, to feel his heartbeat against her skin.

Gavin’s smile grew wider as he took in her face. “Don’t worry. There will be more of that later.”

Her cheeks burned hotter and she turned away, focusing her attention on the remaining cookies on the table. Wisteria made a gagging sound next to Aurora, muttering about how kisses were yucky, followed by a shriek as Aurora smudged icing on her cheek.

“It’s not yucky!” Aurora sang, wrinkling her nose. “It’s how mommys and daddys say they love each other.”

“Well I think it’s gross,” Wisteria said, sounding utterly perturbed.

“Mommy gives us kisses all the time.”

“It’s different!” Wisteria whined.

Gardenia and Cordelia looked up from their shared cookies, icing smeared over their faces and all over their little hands.

“Mommy?” Gardenia asked, her brows rising.

“What is it, love?” She asked, leaning towards the twins.

Gardenia grinned broadly, standing up on her chair and clapping her hands over Rowan’s face before giving her a big, slobbery kiss on her cheek.

“Kisses!” She exclaimed, looking very proud of herself. “Kisses for mommy!”

Snorting, Rowan scooped Gardenia up, covering her cheeks with kisses. “Now kisses for Gardenia!”

“Mommy,” Cordelia whined, holding her arms up. “Me too!”

Depositing Gardenia into Gavin’s lap, Rowan scooped Cordelia up to rain kisses all over her face too, until her cheeks were pink as a sunset sky and she was squealing with laughter.

She spun around then, plunking Cordelia into Gavin’s lap too, grinning as the girls started climbing over his shoulders.

She sat down, leaning over to whisper to them conspiratorially. “Don’t you think daddy needs some kisses too?”

Gavin’s eyes widened, but he didn’t have time to shake the twins off before they were trying to give him their biggest kisses. He snorted with laughter, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hold the girls steady so neither of them fell, even as they both tried crawling onto his shoulders. 

He laughed, his face red as one of them kissed his ear, the other squealing as she tried hoisting herself over his shoulder to climb onto his head.

Cordelia got one big kiss on his forehead before Gavin was finally able to pry them off, clutching them both against his chest as they wiggled, shrieking with laughter as he tickled them.

Wisteria and Aurora’s eyes widened, and they both giggled as the twins laughed, slowly inching away from Gavin before he could grab them, too.

Which did not work, not as he set the twins into Rowan’s lap and reached out to scoop the other two into his arms.

“And where do you two think you’re going?”

Rowan pressed her face against the top of Cordelia’s head, stifling her own laughter as Wisteria and Aurora shrieked. The twins breathed deeply, gasping for air before whining to get back to their cookies.

Aurora snorted so loud that Gavin laughed, and he hoisted her up and over his shoulder as she squirmed.

“What do you think, potatoes?!” He asked, snorting as Wisteria squealed in his ear as he tossed her over his other shoulder. “Should I tickle mommy next?”

Rowan jumped to her feet, backing away as quickly as she could while the twins giggled in her arms.

“Yes!” Wisteria squealed, kicking out her legs, barely missing Gavin’s face with her feet.

Aurora at the very least, looked concerned as she shook her head, her loose waves bouncing against Gavin’s shoulder. “But you love mommy.”

“I love her smile,” Gavin said, tickling their sides until they both shrieked. “I could see her smile then!”

“I have done nothing to earn this threat,” Rowan cried, biting the inside of her cheek to hold back her nervous laughter.

“It’s not a threat!” Gavin chuckled, but he did stand, taking an awfully threatening step towards her. “I love your laugh and your smile.”

“You can see them without attacking me!” She whined, clutching the twins tighter, as if they would do a thing to help her when they snorted with laughter whenever anyone fell into one of Gavin’s little tickling traps.

He bounced Aurora and Wisteria, earning a string of raucous laughter. “I wouldn’t be attacking you, pumpkin!”

Rowan arched a brow in disbelief, shocked he could even say that with a straight face.

Especially since it was very akin to an attack, with how fast he moved and how easily he grabbed her and held her until she was wheezing, utterly out of breath, her own legs unable to support her weight.

“What if we tickled you, daddy?!” Aurora shrieked, trying to twist in his arms. “Then you won’t attack mommy!”

Wisteria gasped, but quickly followed Aurora’s lead, trying to wiggle in Gavin’s grip and tickle his neck.

“Protect mommy!”

The twins squealed, clapping their hands together, delighted by this change in events. Gavin snorted, clearly not overpowered by the 4 and 6 year old tossed over his shoulders, but letting them climb all over him anyways. Wisteria slumped against his head, wiggling her fingers against his forehead as she giggled and snorted. Aurora tried reaching for his arms and the spots there and on his sides that were ticklish, but every time she got close Gavin just hoisted her up higher, earning a shriek of laughter as she was thwarted again.

Wisteria poked Gavin’s cheek, furrowing her brow as she licked her finger and stuck it in his ear.

“What did you just do, Wisteria Faye?!” Rowan asked, a little astonished by what she just saw.

Gavin’s mouth was open in a small O, his eyes wide as they slowly slid to the side, where Wisteria was snickering as she removed her finger and wiped it on his shirt.

“What did she do, mommy?” Aurora asked, leaning back, having momentarily forgotten about their attack on Gavin.

“She licked her finger and stuck it in his ear,” Rowan said, pressing her lips together to stop herself from smiling as Wisteria looked between them proudly.

“And I can do it again!” She announced, wiggling her finger in the air like it was the scariest, most dangerous weapon in the world.

Gavin continued to blink, looking utterly astounded as he slowly turned his wide-eyed stare fully on his daughter.

Wisteria giggled, patting Gavin’s cheek. “I win, daddy!”

A line formed between his brows as he turned back to look at Rowan. He looked lost, confused, like he’d just been woken up from a very vivid dream and didn’t recognize where he was.

“I think she won, Gavin,” Rowan said, her voice soft. “Why don’t you go and sit down again, babey?”

He nodded, gently setting the girls down before heading back to the table, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“I think you broke daddy,” Aurora whispered to Wisteria.

Wisteria only shrugged, skipping back to the table. “He’ll be okay! Won’t you, daddy?!” Rowan settled the twins back into their seats before walking back over to Gavin and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I think he’ll be okay. Right, babey?”

Gavin’s brow furrowed further, but his expression cleared when Rowan pressed a kiss to his brow. And he sighed when she kissed his nose and his cheeks.

“I’ll be okay,” he murmured, twisting around to wrap his arms around her waist and draw her into his lap. “Although I might need my favourite person for a while.”

Wisteria made a gagging sound while Aurora cooed softly.

“That’s yucky.”

“That’s sweet.”

The girls went back to chattering amongst each other, flicking coloured icing all over the table while Gavin returned to pouring over constructing the gingerbread house itself.

“What would you like me to do?” She asked, leaning her head against his.

Gavin hummed, pressing a kiss to her throat before returning to his work. “Hold me for a little longer?”

She tugged at his ear, earning a small grin. “I meant with the gingerbread. Is there any part of the house you need help with?”

He shook his head. “I think I’m alright. I just like when you’re close.”

“Well maybe I can help the girls decorate the cookies th-”

Wisteria and Aurora both looked up, shaking their heads furiously.

“No! We wanna decorate them!” Aurora cried. “We wanna decorate the cookies for you mommy.”

“We’re making a surprise!” Wisteria sang, wiggling in her seat.

“Don’t tell her!” Aurora hissed, covering the cookies in front of them with her hands. “No helping, mommy!”

Rowan pouted, but turned to the twins, figuring at the very least the littlest ones would want her help.

But they were already ahead of her, trying to hide their cookies too as they shook their heads in tandem.

“No help!” Cordelia cried, matching Rowan’s pout.

“Surprise!” Gardenia announced. “For a surprise!”

Rowan heaved a sigh. “What am I supposed to do then? Nothing?”

Gavin hummed again, pressing a kiss beneath her ear. “Once I put the house together can you help me decorate? As long as the girls didn’t eat all the candy there should be some to decorate with.”

“I can do that,” she murmured, slumping against him. She felt crestfallen, no one really needing or wanting her help. Not even the twins wanted her to help them, even as they dipped their fingers into the bowls of icing closest to them and smeared it over the cookies in hearts and star shapes.

Maybe it was from the dredges of sleep that still clung to her, but she felt a little useless, a little unwanted. She wasn’t as fun as Gavin, wasn’t as strong or silly or exciting. He would heave the girls over his shoulders and toss them around and play with them. He would take them out and race around and tickle them and let them pile over him. He let them sit on his motorcycle, he raced with their little wagon down the street while they all shrieked in joy.

What did she do? Tell them to eat vegetables and help them bathe and tell them to go to bed? Clean up their toys and put their favourite movies on and tuck them into bed. Brush their hair and pick out their outfits. But nothing fun, nothing that would make them really happy.

No wonder they didn’t want her to help.

Rowan squeezed her eyes shut, certain it was just the remnants of her earlier nap making her grouchy. Making her feel unwanted. But still she did, she still felt unwanted and unfun.

She sighed, pressing her face against Gavin’s hair, breathing in the smell of him, trying to distract herself with her favourite person.

“What’s wrong, pumpkin?” He asked, one hand reaching up to cover hers, his fingers twining with hers. “What’s going on?”

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. “Nothing is wrong. I’m just a little tired.”

Gavin clicked his tongue, clearly not believing her. “You’re lying.”

“No I’m not,” she whined, trying to wiggle closer, trying to press herself closer against him.

“Yes you are,” he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper.

“Am not.”

He chuckled, prying himself away from her to meet her gaze. “Princess, I can tell.”

She pouted, glaring up at the ceiling as she wrinkled her nose.

His voice was gentle as he spoke again, his hand reaching up to cup her cheek. “Tell me what’s bothering you, sweetheart. Are you hungry? Do you want to lie down again?”

She sighed, letting him draw her attention back to him. His eyes were soft, the kitchen lights making their deep amber a few shades lighter, reminding her of buttery morning sunshine.

“I just feel a little useless,” she murmured, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt. “There’s not much for me to do.”

He arched his brow, but his gaze remained steady as he listened quietly.

“No one really wants my help,” she said, fidgeting beneath his stare. “And I feel like, well, why would they? I’m not very fun so it makes sense no one wants my help.”

Gavin tsked softly, drawing her close again, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “That’s not true.”

“But I do all the boring, unfun things. Telling them to go to bed and eat their vegetables and pick up their toys. Get them dressed and put them to bed. I’m no fun, they don’t want me to help with the fun things.”

Gavin hummed, seeming to think for a moment. “Pumpkin, that doesn’t mean the girls don’t want your help. Or that you’re not fun.”

She pouted, looking away from him.

“Hey,” he breathed, turning her face back towards him. “It means that you take care of them. You make sure they eat, and that they have toys to play with, and that they’re clean and warm, and that they get plenty of sleep. That doesn’t mean you’re not fun. It doesn’t mean they don’t want you, or that they don’t love you.”

She sighed, slumping against him. “But I feel like I am.”

He abandoned the gingerbread house for a moment, rubbing gentle circles against her back. “You’re not, pumpkin. I promise.”

She pressed her face back against his hair, wishing her eyes didn’t burn. Wishing her body didn’t feel so heavy. Wishing her chest didn’t feel hollow and cold.

“What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?” Gavin murmured, pressing his thumbs on either side of her spine and sliding them down slowly, relieving some of the pressure she had been carrying there. “I’ll order your favourites. And you can snuggle with the girls for as long as you want. And we’ll watch all your favourite movies tomorrow.”

“What about things that you want to do?” She asked, her voice cracking.

He hushed her gently, brushing a gentle kiss to her cheek. “I want to make you happy. I want to do whatever will make you happiest.”

She sighed, nuzzling her face into his hair, breathing in the warm, clean smell of her most precious person.

“And,” he added. “I want to sleep in a little later with you tomorrow.”

Rowan pulled away, peering at him with bemusement. “You want to sleep in?”

He smiled up at her, nodding. “I do.”

“Babey, you wake up at 5 every morning to go for a run.”

He shrugged, pulling her close again. “Well I’m tired, and I think you are too. And I think the extra sleep will both do us good.”

He nipped at her throat, and Rowan giggled, butterflies flitting through her. “And it means a little extra time I get to spend with you.”

Aurora wailed, drawing their attention, distracting Rowan from the misery that had been slowly bearing down on her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, standing from Gavin’s lap and kneeling next to Aurora’s chair. “What happened, little sweet potato?”

Aurora sniffled. “If daddy stays in bed to cuddle you, there won’t be any room for me!”

Rowan blinked, momentarily taken aback. She brushed Aurora’s tears from her cheeks, cooing softly. “What do you mean, love?”

She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Daddy is so big, there won’t be any room for me.”

Rowan bit back a snort as the image of Gavin’s appalled face flashed in her mind. “That’s not true. There’s plenty of room for you.”

“Not with all of us,” she cried, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. “Not with Wisteria and Cordelia and Gardenia and Stella and daddy.”

She curled her legs up against her chest, glaring at the floor. “Besides, daddy always takes all your cuddles when he’s home.”

“Your mommy is my favourite person,” Gavin said, coming to kneel next to Rowan as they both tried to console Aurora. “Of course I want to cuddle her.”

“Wait!” Wisteria squealed, standing up on her chair. “Daddy you can’t cuddle her in the mornings. Aurora and Gardenia get one side, and me and Cordelia get the other! There’s no room for you!”

Gavin pouted. “You’re all so small, there’s plenty of room for me.”

“No!” Cordelia screamed, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

Aurora sniffled, looking up to glare at her sister. “No shouting! You’ll make Gardenia sad.”

Gardenia, in response, had curled into a ball on her chair, pressing her hands over her ears.

“Oh, little tater tot,” Rowan murmured, standing to scoop Gardenia into her arms.

Gardenia whimpered, nestling against her chest.

“You’re okay, love,” she breathed, bouncing her. “You’re safe.”

“Look what you did, daddy,” Wisteria whined. “You made Gardenia upset!”

Gavin scoffed, swivelling his head between his exasperated daughters and Rowan as she helped Gardenia to settle. “How is it my fault?”

“For trying to take all mommy’s attention!”

“Yeah!” Wisteria chimed in. “You get lots of it already when we’re at school!”

Gavin sat back on the floor, crossing his legs as he stuck out his bottom lip more. “Why don’t I get to cuddle her?”

“You can cuddle Stella!” Wisteria sang.

“No!” Aurora cried. “I need to cuddle Stella too!”

“Well what am I supposed to do?” Gavin asked, slumping his shoulders.

Aurora tapped her cheek for a moment, humming. She slid from her chair, padding out of the kitchen, the tuneless melody she was humming trailing after her as she vanished. She returned a few moments later with a stuffed unicorn, delicately placing it in Gavin’s lap before crawling back onto her chair.

“There you go, daddy. You can cuddle Princess Sparkles.”

Rowan bit back a laugh as she knelt next to Gavin, poking his bottom lip.

He raised his brows, looking at her hopefully.

“Tell you what,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ll cuddle you extra when they go to bed.”

Gavin’s pout melted away, replaced by a warm look of contentment as his eyes fell closed. “I would like that.”

“Mommy,” Aurora whined, throwing her hands out towards Rowan. “I want cuddles.”

Her heart felt warm, like she was made of sunshine and starlight and all the wishes she had breathed in furtive moments when she had been alone. She balanced Gardenia in one arm, scooping Aurora up in the other before taking a seat on the floor next to Gavin to cuddle them both in her lap.

“How’s that?” She asked, pressing a kiss to the top of Aurora’s head. “Do you feel better?”

Aurora nodded, pressing her face against Rowan’s shoulder.

“Mommy?”

“What is it, little princess?” Rowan asked, brushing Aurora’s hair back from her brow.

“Do I have to go to school tomorrow?”

“Of course not,” Rowan cooed, rubbing her back, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing as Gavin glared down at Princess Sparkles.

Aurora sniffled, clutching Rowan tighter. “You’re sure?”

“Of course. We’re all on vacation now, love. You don’t have to go to school.”

“I wanna stay home with you,” Aurora whined, snuggling closer.

Rowan’s eyes burned again, although for an entirely different reason this time. Her heart ached even as warmth bloomed in her chest.

“You want to stay home with me?” She asked, skeptical even as Aurora nestled closer.

“Yeah,” Aurora pouted, peeking up from her hiding place against Rowan’s shoulder. “I wanna stay home with you, mommy.”

Rowan opened her mouth, closed it again, her words stolen on a winter’s wind.

“I miss you,” Aurora continued. “It’s cold at school, and they don’t let me make crafts, or draw, or anything. And no one gives me hugs.”

Wisteria crawled down from her chair, flopping onto Rowan’s lap between Gardenia and Aurora. “Yeah, and everyone is stinky at school.”

Rowan snorted. “I’m sure not everyone is stinky.”

“No, everyone.”

Cordelia looked up from her cookies, her bottom lip trembling. “Mommy?”

Rowan’s eyes widened, realizing she was very much stuck on the floor with three little girls piled on top of her, and no way to get to Cordelia to comfort her for whatever had upset her.

But before she could say anything Gavin was already up, setting aside Princess Sparkles to scoop Cordelia up and set her down in Rowan’s lap, too.

“What’s the matter, little tater tot?” She asked, struggling to wrap her arms around one of her littlest girls.

“Was lonely,” Cordelia whined, even as her distressed expression melted away.

She leaned down to press a kiss to Cordelia’s downy hair. “You’re not alone anymore, my love.”

She couldn’t help smiling against her daughter’s hair, feeling very warm and loved. Did they really want her? Did they really love her so much, even if she wasn’t very fun or cool?

Aurora gasped, jerking away, her amber eyes wide as they flitted across the room. “Mommy! You didn’t see our cookies did you?”

Rowan furrowed her brow. “No. Why? Is something wrong with them?”

Aurora shook her head furiously, crawling from Rowan’s lap. “You can’t look at them, mommy. No looking!” She pointed to Gavin, who was watching this little scene with great amusement. “Stay with daddy!”

Gavin grinned. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

Aurora frowned. “Daddy, don’t let mommy see the cookies!”

Gavin nodded, dragging Rowan into his lap as the other girls vacated, quickly returning to their seats.

“Why can’t I see the cookies?” Rowan asked, pouting.

“‘S a Surprise!” Wisteria sang, letting Aurora drag her back to the table.

“Why are you pouting, pumpkin?” Gavin asked, pressing a kiss to her throat.

She crossed her arms, frowning. “Why won’t they share?”

Gavin tapped her lips with his index finger, grinning wider. “It’s a secret.”

She stuck her bottom lip out more, hunching over. “A secret from their mama?”

Chuckling, Gavin pulled her close, until her cheek bumped against his head. “It’s probably for a very good reason.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but he tapped her lips again, before running his thumb over her bottom lip.

“And if a distraction is what you need right now,” he murmured, his ears flushing a rosy pink. “I’m happy to offer one.”

Rowan tugged at his ear, smiling as his rosy blush deepened into a burning crimson. “I might take you up on that.”

Gavin reached up to cup her face, stroking her cheek. “That would make me very happy.”

“Mommy, you’re not looking, right?!” Aurora called.

“I’m not looking, love, I have no idea what you’re doing!” She answered, wrinkling her nose as she muttered quietly to Gavin. “But I wish I did.”

He chuckled, drawing her face close, his nose bumping against hers. “It’s a surprise. When they’re ready they’ll tell you.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but Gavin cut her off before she could.

“Just pay attention to me right now, princess.”

She felt her face growing warm, her stomach dipping as his quiet words brushed against her lips. Her arguments dried up on her tongue, and she was left nodding silently as a grin spread across Gavin’s lips.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek, to the corner of her mouth, to the tip of her nose.

“I love you so much,” he breathed, his hand trailed down her side, twisting into the fabric of her skirt. “I’m glad I get to spend this time with you.”

“I do too,” she murmured, sighing when his lips brushed against her jaw.

He hummed, sounding like he was on the verge of laughter. “Did you like that?”

He pressed his lips to the same spot, a little harder this time. Rowan’s eyes fluttered closed, letting herself sink into his embrace. But then his teeth were scraping against her skin, and she could feel a wicked smile curling at the corners of his lips.

“Gavin!” She gasped, her eyes snapping open.

But Gavin didn’t move away, his tongue swiping over the bite before he moved a little lower, his other hand flattening against her back. He hummed a melody she couldn’t quite place, and she could feel his smile growing wider as her back arched against her will.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying to stop her little gasps from spilling from her lips. Her hands pressed against Gavin’s chest, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt as she balled them into fists.

“You know you’re being awfully mean, teasing me like this,” she managed to grind out, starting to feel a little light-headed.

Gavin didn’t respond, instead sinking his teeth just a little harder than before into the skin above where her pulse was thrumming in a haphazard rhythm.

Her stomach dipped and twisted, like she had been shoved from a cliff, and her toes curled unconsciously. Her vision blurred for a moment, her mind clearing of everything she had been worried about earlier.

Perhaps the only thing she needed to think about was how warm Gavin was, how nice his lips felt against her skin, how the sharp pain that radiated from his bites sent shivers down her spine.

She hadn’t realized she’d made any noise at all until Gavin was pulling away, bumping his nose against hers again.

“That’s a really pretty sound you made,” he teased, his words ghosting against her lips. “I think I want to hear it again.”

She furrowed her brow, confusion swarming her mind as she tried to remember what she had done.

He brushed his lips against hers in a delicate, chaste kiss, her thoughts washing away like sand beneath foaming ocean waves once more. He sighed, smiling against her lips.

“There will be more where that came from,” he murmured, his hands falling to her waist.

Rowan stuck out her bottom lip, hoping she looked at least a little cute, as messy and tired as she was.

Chuckling, Gavin pulled away, running his thumb over her bottom lip. “You know I think you’re adorable, pumpkin,” he said. “But I love your smile more.”

Undeterred, Rowan merely pushed her bottom lip out more, whining softly. But Gavin only smiled wider, shaking his head.

“Later, princess,” he murmured, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. “Once the potatoes are asleep.”

“I’m not going to sleep!” Aurora shouted, sounding incredibly indignant. “I have too much to do!”

Gavin snorted, peering over Rowan’s shoulder. “Oh? And what kind of things do you have to do?”

“I have to make my cookies! And plan a tea party! And plan out the movies I’m watching with mommy tomorrow!” Aurora sang, the sound of her feet stomping chasing after her words.

“Hey! I wanna watch movies tomorrow,” Wisteria cried.

Rowan laughed, turning around to see how the girls were doing.

Or trying to turn around, anyways. Because before she could even  turn fully the girls were shrieking about their surprise and Gavin was grabbing her by the shoulders and yanking her against his chest.

Blinking, Rowan tried to wrap her head around what had just happened. But the girls were still shouting, demanding to know whether she had seen their surprise, crying about not wanting it to be ruined.

She couldn’t even defend herself, or tell the girls that she had not in fact seen their surprise, that she had hardly seen more than the messy kitchen counter that would have to be cleaned later. She could hardly speak at all, squished as she was against Gavin’s chest. She couldn’t even see past the fabric of his sweater, the dark material blocking out everything except a few stray wisps of light.

“Did she see anything?” Aurora cried, sounding incredibly distraught.

Gavin only chuckled, the warm sound reverberating from his chest and reaching deep into Rowan’s bones. “Not at all, sweet potato. I don’t think she saw anything at all.”

“Mommy, did you see anything?!”

She tried to say that she did not, but the words came out muffled, caught as they were in Gavin’s sweater.

Snorting, Gavin loosened his tight grip on her, letting her peel away enough to shake her head. “I promise I didn’t see anything, my love.”

“Promise?”

She nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on Gavin’s shoulder and not on her daughters behind her. “I promise.”

After a few tense moments where she wondered if she would be grilled by her tiny interrogators, Aurora made a satisfied huff before returning to her earlier chattering.

She felt Gavin’s arms tightening around her again, drawing her back against his chest, and she frowned, quirking a brow as she struggled to tilt her head up.

“I think you’re having more fun than they are,” she said, her suspicion lacing her tone.

Gavin shrugged his shoulders, tucking his head over hers. “I just don’t want to ruin the girls’ surprise.”

“Mhmm,” she hummed, pursing her lips. “And you’re definitely not having a good time distracting me.”

“Definitely not.”

She tried wiggling from his grasp, tried meeting his gaze so he would see how little she believed him.

“Okay,” he admitted, his ears turning red. “Maybe I am.”

She reached up to smooth out his bangs, her fingers twisting in his messy hair. “You act like I never give you enough attention.”

He gave her a rueful smile, reaching up to cover her hand with his. “It’s because I’m never satisfied,” he murmured, drawing her hand to his lips, gently kissing her palm. “I will always want more of your attention. I want all of it.”

Her heart fluttered like gossamer butterfly wings, her stomach dipping like she was in a freefall, her body feeling weightless. He kissed her palm again, the amber of his eyes turning gold, glowing brighter than the stars. His lips curved up into a smile as her breath caught, his eyes falling closed for a long moment.

“And,” he added, his voice so low she almost didn’t hear it as his eyes slowly opened, fixing on hers with their brilliant, golden light. “It’s not like you act any different.”

Rowan blanked, her mind reeling as the spell cast around her was broken. Gavin’s smile turned mischievous, the light in his eyes sharper, and her face flamed as she realized he was teasing her.

“Well what do you expect,” she muttered, scowling as she tried yanking her hand from his grasp. “You’re my favourite person.”

He held fast to her hand, pressing his lips to her palm once more before pressing it against his chest. His expression was impish, his words lilting with mischief as he leaned closer. “I’m your favourite?”

She turned her face away, realizing too late she had fallen into his trap. “Maybe.”

“Don’t be like that,” he whined, brushing his lips against her cheek. “I want you to look at me.”

She rolled her eyes, trying not to give in.

Although Gavin didn’t give her much of a choice, not as he gently took her chin and drew her face back to his, his eyes glittering with amusement.

“I said I wanted you to look at me,” he said, leaning close again. “I missed your face.”

“You saw it two seconds ago,” she countered, fighting against her smile as he held her gaze.

“And I wanted to keep looking at it,” he breathed, his words tickling her lips.

“You see it every day,” she protested.

“I could never get tired of it.”

She flicked her gaze towards the floor, where Stella had curled up under their chair, heat crawling across her body.

“Hey.”

She lifted her gaze to meet Gavin’s again, his eyes alight with mischief, a smile tugging at his lips. “You’re my favourite person, too.”

She bit down on the inside of her cheek to stop the giggles bubbling in her throat. Gavin looked far too pleased with himself, and far too delighted as he bumped his nose against hers.

“It’s okay to want attention,” he murmured, squeezing her hand tight. “I’ll always give it to you.”

She flicked her eyes away again, her brow twitching. “I don’t-”

He snorted, his chest shaking with silent laughter. “Then what do you call whining in the morning when I go for my run?”

She pouted. “It gets lonely in bed.”

“And what about when you ask me to shower with you?”

She thought her cheeks might catch fire as she glared at the floor next to Stella’s tail. “I get cold.”

He hummed, playing with a lock of her hair. “And when you ask me to go to the bookstore with you? When we get someone to watch the girls?”

She puffed out her cheeks, pouting more.

“And when you ask to hold my hand when I’m working from home?”

She heaved a sigh, admitting defeat as she slumped against his chest. “Fine, you win.”

He chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “I’m still always happy to give you all the attention you need, princess.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, wrapping her free arm around his waist. “You better. I deserve it.”

“Mommy?”

Rowan hummed, the sound muffled by Gavin’s shirt. Aurora sounded sleepy, her voice whiny and soft. “Yes?”

“Mommy, the surprise is ready now!”

“I can turn around?”

A tiny hand patted Rowan’s side furiously, as though annoyed that they weren’t being given much attention, as if the girls hadn’t shrieked at Rowan furiously for daring to turn around.

“Look, mommy!” Aurora cried, grabbing at Rowan’s hand and trying to peel it from Gavin’s side.

“Daddy, let her go!” Wisteria whined, sounding petulant as she stomped her feet. The sound of nails clicking against the tiled kitchen floors rang out as Stella stood, stretching before ambling over to investigate why the girls were on the verge of a fit.

“Okay, okay,” Rowan said, hoping to pacify them as she disentangled herself from Gavin’s arms. “I’m turning around, see? Now what did you want to show me?”

Aurora pouted as she yanked on Rowan’s hand, and Wisteria continued to stomp her feet even as Stella tried licking some of the frosting from her cheeks.

“You have to look at the table, mommy,” Aurora said, sounding more than a little exasperated. “Come and look at the table!”

“Okay! I’m looking, I’m looking!”

The twins were both curled up on the same chair, surveying their work as proudly as a toddlers could. Cordelia’s eyes fell shut for a long moment, and Rowan could tell she was beginning to doze off, even as the other girls chattered.

“It might be time for bed soon,” she said, wrinkling her brow as she moved to scoop Cordelia into her arms before she tumbled from the chair.

“No sleep, mommy!” Wisteria cried. “No sleep yet!”

“Okay, okay,” she assented. “No sleep yet. But soon.”

“Look at our surprise first, mommy!”

Nodding, Rowan let herself be dragged and pushed towards the table until she could easily survey the “surprise” the girls were talking about.

She couldn’t help smiling, reaching down to ruffle Aurora’s hair as she swept her gaze across the table.

The girls had taken the remaining cookies and iced them themselves, creating an absolute cacophony of colours for Rowan to take in as she tried understanding what they had done. There were snowflakes and flowers and snowmen with fat frosting chunks smeared across them. Bright pink smiles and golden eyes dotted the snowmen, swirls of green melted into blue on the snowflakes, bright red and pink hearts were painted on the stars, and what looked like purple flowers had been sketched onto the candy canes.

And right in the very centre were six little gingerbread people surrounded by cookies dripping in pink and red icing. They each had matching icing smiles and the girl-shaped cookies wore identical red sweaters and green skirts. The lone boy-shaped cookie, which Rowan assumed was meant to be Gavin, was decked in a white shirt with a messy black stripe down the centre and red pants. There was even a gingerbread dog she was certain was meant to be Stella.

“Oh these are beautiful,” Rowan cooed, looking down to find Aurora beaming up at her. “You all made cookies of our family?”

Aurora bobbed her head, bouncing on her toes, her excitement bubbly and effervescent. “And did you see the cookies around them?”

Completely at odds with Aurora’s energy, Cordelia yawned in Rowan’s arms, rubbing at her eyes with two tiny fists. Rowan pressed a kiss to her forehead, nuzzling her downy hair as she took another look at the cookies, this time trying to focus on the ones surrounding the gingerbread family.

They were all the different shapes they had cut and baked, each one smothered in pink icing and pink sprinkles.

“They’re all pink!” Rowan sang, smiling back at Aurora. “They’re all very pretty.”

“They’re for you, mommy!” She announced, wiggling her shoulders as she beamed up at Rowan. “We made them special with your favourite colour!”

Rowan blinked, her eyes burning a little as Aurora continued to grin, as Wisteria came over and clung to her leg.

Wisteria sighed dramatically, waving a hand at Gardenia, who sat wide awake licking yellow icing from a spoon. “It was hard to get Gardenia to do it. She wanted to use yellow.”

Gardenia looked up from her spoon, her amber eyes wide as she looked up at Rowan.

“Mama?”

“Yes, love?” Rowan asked, perching on the chair next to Gardenia as she waved her hands in the air.

Gardenia crawled into Rowan’s lap, levelling the most severe glare a toddler could manage.

“What is it?” Rowan asked, struggling to hold back the laughter bubbling in her chest.

“Yellow,” Gardenia murmured, clutching Rowan’s shirt. “Yellow next.”

“You wanna make something with yellow?” Rowan asked, wiping a splotch of icing from Gardenia’s cheek.

Gardenia nodded furiously. “Yes. Can we paint?”

Rowan leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Gardenia’s head, smiling against her downy hair. “It’s a little late now, tater tot. How about tomorrow?”

Gardenia whined, squirming in place. “Wanna paint.”

“Tomorrow,” Rowan promised. “We can tomorrow.”

“Pwomise?” Gardenia muttered, pressing her face against Rowan’s arm.

“I promise,” she said, kissing the top of her head again.

“Mommy,” Aurora whined, patting Rowan’s leg. “Do you like the cookies? The cookies we made you?”

“I love them,” Rowan sang, smiling at Aurora. “They’re so pretty, I don’t even want to eat them.”

“But you have to!”

“I can eat them,” Wisteria offered, reaching up to grab one of the cookies. Although she didn’t make it very far before Aurora was smacking her arm and dragging her away from the table.

“Those are for mommy!” Aurora scolded, handing Wisteria a snowman shaped cookie. “You can have one of these.”

Wisteria pouted, crocodile tears pooling in the corners of her eyes as she turned to Rowan, her bottom lip trembling.

“Aurora Rose, we don’t hit,” Rowan scolded, struggling to stand as she balanced the twins in her arms.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, gently pressing her back into the chair. “I’ve got this,” Gavin murmured, squeezing Rowan’s shoulder once before crouching in front of Wisteria and Aurora, both glowering at each other now.

“We don’t hit,” Gavin said, taking Aurora’s hand gently. His brow was furrowed, but his voice was even. Firm, but not unkind. “You use your hands for making things, right?”

Aurora nodded, looking like she was also on the verge of crocodile tears, her usually rosy cheeks bright crimson.

“Like decorating those cookies, and painting with your sisters, right?”

She nodded again, sniffling.

“And you use them to hold your favourite toys and to hold mommy’s hands, right?”

She pulled at the hem of her skirt, her bottom lip sticking out. Beside her, Wisteria whimpered, sniffling louder despite no tears falling down her cheeks.

“Then your hands are for good things. Not for hurting your sister. You need to ask her, gently, not to touch something you don’t want her to.”

Aurora nodded again, ducking her head. “I’m sorry, daddy.”

He tipped his head to the side. “You need to apologize to your sister, not me.”

Aurora furrowed her brow, peeking up from her lashes at Wisteria. “I’m sorry, Wisteria. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Wisteria sniffled again before wiping her eyes, her previous pout replaced by a brilliant smile. “S’okay, ‘Rora! I’m sorry for trying to grab the cookies we worked on!”

Gavin let go of Aurora’s hand and stood, the corners of his lips twitching as he turned back to Rowan.

Wisteria and Aurora went back to chatting amongst themselves, splitting the star cookie in Wisteria’s hand between them as they curled up on the floor. Stella tried wiggling between them, but they managed to shoo her away. Although this did mean they sent her straight for Rowan, headbutting her legs in a desperate attempt to earn herself some ear scritches.

“And what do we have here?” Gavin mused, crouching again to scratch between Stella’s ears. “A puppy in need of some pets, and two very sleepy girls.” He tipped his head up, his smile pure bliss as he caught Rowan’s gaze. “And my beautiful wife.”

Rowan smiled, her cheeks growing warm as Gavin reached up to squeeze her arm.

“Not sleepy,” Gardenia protested, drawing Gavin’s attention towards her as she twisted in Rowan’s arms. “Not bedtime.”

Gavin chuckled as he scooped her into his arms. “It’s actually way past your bedtime, tater tot.”

“No!”

He snorted, bobbing his head. “Yes. And you need a bath to get all this icing off of you.”

Gardenia wailed, wriggling in Gavin’s arms until he threw her over his shoulder. “No bath!”

“You’ll be stinky and sticky if you don’t!” He said, seeming far too high-spirited as he stood, turning towards the older girls, still chattering together. “You’ll all be stinky if you don’t take a bath.”

Wisteria gasped, scrambling to her feet and trying to dash towards the living room. “You’ll never catch me!”

Rowan narrowed her eyes, listening to the sound of a wooden lid opening and shutting dully.

“She’s hiding in the toy box,” Rowan said, giggling as Aurora gaped at her, realizing their “secret” hiding spot had been found.

Gavin hummed, scooping Cordelia up into his arms next, cradling her against his chest as she yawned. “Do you want me to bathe them and you can handle the other two?”

Rowan nodded, smoothing out her skirt right before Stella put her front paws on Rowan’s legs, staring at her intently, waiting for pets.

“They’ll need clean pajamas,” Rowan said, scratching Stella’s head. “They spilled all over them this morning.”

Gavin nodded, bouncing the twins gently. “Hear that? I get to pick out your pajamas tonight.”

“They have to be the flower ones,” Gardenia grumbled.

Chuckling, Gavin nodded. “As you wish, tater tot.”

Rowan had to suppress her grin as Gardenia stared at her with the biggest pout and the fakest tears rolling down her cheeks as Gavin carted her away. She’d stopped whining, but Rowan was sure it would start up again the moment he tried putting either twin in the bath.

“Do I have to take a bath too, mommy?” Aurora asked, curling her legs under her.

Rowan nodded, gently shoving Stella to the side when she tried jumping up into her lap. “You’ve got icing in your hair, love. You’ll need to wash that out.”

“Can we use the pretty bubble bath you bought?”

“Of course we can,” she said. “The one that smells like cotton candy?”

“Yes,” Aurora sang, clapping her hands together. “And can I wear my sleeping beauty nightgown?”

“Of course you can,” Rowan said. “But first why don’t we find your sister, and then we can pick out both your pajamas and soaps.”

Aurora turned her gaze towards the floor, her nose wrinkled. “I don’t know where she’s hiding.”

“Oh? You don’t?”

She shook her head furiously, her hair flying around her face. “No, I definitely don’t.”

“So you don’t think she’s in the stuffed animal toy box?”

“No! She can’t be!”

Rowan hummed as she stood. “Sure, okay. Then where do you think she’s hiding?”

Aurora tapped her cheek. “Maybe behind the couch?”

Nodding, Rowan ruffled Aurora’s hair. “Okay, well while I check behind the couch why don’t you run upstairs and get out your pajamas.”

Bobbing her head, Aurora took off, Stella at her heels, their footsteps ringing out as they raced up the stairs.

Rowan did not find Wisteria behind the couch as Aurora had suggested. She’d known Wisteria wouldn’t be hiding there, but figured she would give both girls the benefit of the doubt.

Wrinkling her nose, Rowan headed towards the playroom, muttering to herself as she narrowly avoided stepping on a doll. “Never trust a 6 year old.”

Wisteria was exactly where Rowan thought she would be, curled up in a nest of stuffed animals inside the toy box. And she sobbed as Rowan dug her out, going limp as Rowan tried lifting her up.

“No bath!”

“You need a bath, love. You didn’t take one last night!”

“Daddy doesn’t take baths!” She cried, clutching the edge of the toy box.

“Daddy showers in the morning after his run!”

Wisteria glared at the ground, squealing as Rowan finally managed to drag her from the toy box. “I don’t wanna go to bed!”

“But the sooner you go to bed, the sooner we can paint and watch movies tomorrow, my love,” Rowan promised, sighing as she struggled to keep her squirming daughter in her arms. “And we’ll use the nice new bubble bath you picked out, okay? Aurora is using her cotton candy one, and you can use the sunshine one. And I’ll make sure you have your duckie.”

Wisteria continued to pout, but at the very least she had stopped trying to wriggle out of Rowan’s arms. And her little scowl practically melted away when Rowan tossed her onto the little pillow-covered bean-bag in the room she shared with Aurora. All her favourite blankets had been piled onto it, and it was practically submerged the frilly pillows and oversized plushies dumped onto it.

Wisteria quickly burrowed beneath the blankets and plushies and pillows, curling up into a little ball until only the top of her head was visible from where Rowan stood.

Wisteria sighed, long and loud, squeaking as she nestled deeper into her nest.

“You know you can’t stay in there for long,” Rowan said, snorting as Wisteria whined, yanking a blanket over her head so she was entirely hidden from view.

“We’ve lost her, mommy,” Aurora said, her voice soft as a feather as she padded over to the castle-shaped bookshelf next to her bed. It had been painted when Aurora had been barely a year old, one half a warm ocean blue, complete with white trim that was reminiscent of the frothing ocean waves. The other half had been painted a bright bubblegum pink, with simple white flowers trailing up the sides.

They’d stocked it full of all the books they’d read Aurora before she’d been born, and with all the books she had gotten her little hands on afterwards.

She pulled out a picture book, the cover illustration nearly drowning in pink glitter and different shades of pink. She fell back on her bed, sighing wistfully as she held the book above her head.

Wrinkling her nose to stop herself from giggling, Rowan quickly turned around to search for the girls’ pajamas in their dresser. “What are you reading there?”

Aurora sighed again. “My favourite book.”

Rowan peeked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the book clutched in Aurora’s hands. It looked completely different from the book she had said was her favourite the week before.

“I thought your favourite was the space princess one.”

“Mommy, that was last week,” she whined. “Now it’s this week.”

“I see, I see,” Rowan said, humming as she draped two nightgowns over her arm. “And is that the story you want to read before bed?”

“Yes please!”

“Wait!”

Stuffed animals and pillows went flying as Wisteria sat up, roused from her nest by the mention of a bedtime story. “I wanna pick the story!”

“I wanna read my book!” Aurora cried, clutching her book to her chest and wiggling her legs.

“‘Rora you always pick princess stories!”

Aurora sighed. “I love princesses.”

“Well I wanna read the moon book.”

Rowan furrowed her brow, trying to figure out which book Wisteria was talking about. “You mean the one with the moon princess? That one?”

Wisteria puffed out her cheeks, looking away. “Maybe.”

Rowan was setting out the girls’ pajamas and gathering the books they wanted to read before bed when the sound of squealing laughter echoed from down the hall as the bathroom door swung open. Twin voices bounced through the air, hiccuping with laughter at whatever Gavin was doing.

Rowan poked her head into the hall, catching sight of Gavin bouncing the twins in his arms as they squealed. His shirt was glued to his chest, his hair dripping water onto the hardwood floors. He’d clearly tried wrapping them in the little matching towels with the hoods for their hair and the snaps on the towel corners to keep it wrapped around them until they got to their room. But Cordelia had managed to yank the towel off and now Gavin was struggling to keep her wrapped up while she was busy trying to crawl onto his head.

Gardenia hadn’t managed to get her towel off yet, but Rowan could see the focus in her tiny furrowed brow as she picked at the snap. Gavin would yank her hood over her head and she would laugh before trying to pull it back off.

“Cordelia you’re going to get cold,” he wrapped his arm around her middle, tugging her from his shoulder while she shrieked with laughter, trying and failing to keep her from trying to crawl back up to her earlier perch.

Rowan couldn’t manage to stifle her own laughter as Gavin sighed loudly as Cordelia yanked on his ear. His amber eyes flicked to her, noticing her for the first time since she’d peeked out from Aurora and Wisteria’s room. The lines in his brow smoothed, his smile turning soft as he met her gaze.

“You look like you’re going to need a towel too, babey,” Rowan said, grinning as water snaked in shining rivulets down his throat.

“He does!” Cordelia cried, again trying to yank her towel away. “Daddy, take my towel!”

“I don’t need your towel, tater tot,” he said, wincing as she slipped in his arm. “I need you to stay still for a minute.”

Both girls laughed louder in response, squirming more furiously than before.

Gavin shook his head, pausing long enough to press a kiss to Rowan’s cheek right before Gardenia’s foot smacked against Rowan’s stomach in her effort to wiggle as much as possible.

“Your turn now,” he said, sucking in a deep breath as he bounced both twins again, their laughter peeling through the hallway like bells.

A long, drawn out groan came from behind Rowan and she turned to find Wisteria flopping back against her pillow and plushie nest. “Don’t wanna!”

“Come on, baked potato,” Rowan said, scooping Wisteria up into her arms before she could burrow back beneath the plushies. “Let’s go! I’ve got your pajamas ready to go, and we can use your new bubble bath!”

Wisteria flopped back in Rowan’s arms, going limp, as if that would somehow change her immediate future.

“Mommy, can’t I go first?” Aurora whined, clasping her hands together. “Wisteria takes so long.”

“Yes! ‘Rora should go first!”

Rowan narrowed her eyes at Wisteria, who peered up at her with wide, innocent eyes. As if Rowan didn’t know this little scam, as if Wisteria wouldn’t run away while Aurora was in the bath and hide somewhere new and convoluted she’d have to be dug out of.

“I’ll make sure we’re quick, okay?” Rowan said, hauling Wisteria over her shoulder. “It’s already late and you girls need to go to bed.”

Wisteria continued to whine while Rowan grabbed her bath towel and the bottle of bubble bath perched on the girls’ shared dresser before carting her into the bathroom.

“You won’t melt, love, I promise,” Rowan said, shutting the door before she set Wisteria down.

Wisteria continued to pout, looking skeptical as she stared at the bathtub.

Rowan went to get the water running, to warm it up before she set the stopper into the drain, but paused when she stepped in the largest puddle she was sure she had ever seen.

She furrowed her brow, peeking down into the tub to see the remnants of bubblegum pink bubble bath and messy, squiggly lines from the bath-safe crayons the twins loved to use.

It looked a little like a warzone.

Rowan snorted, splashing water around the tub to finish rinsing it properly of all the earlier suds. “It looks like your sisters had quite a good time in here.”

Wisteria huffed, and Rowan heard as she collapsed onto the floor in a little ball.

“Why don’t I get duckie for you,” Rowan offered, heading towards the cabinet where they kept their bath toys. “She’s probably very excited to see you.”

Wisteria sat up, the lines in her brow smoothing out. “Duckie missed me?”

“Of course duckie missed you,” Rowan said, plucking Wisteria’s purple rubber duck from the cabinet. She squeezed it a few times in quick succession, the duck letting out a string of short little quacks.

“See? Duckie is saying how much she missed you!”

Wisteria held her hands out for her duckie, and Rowan placed it into her little hands, relief flooding through her as Wisteria relaxed. She talked in a soft, hushed voice to duckie, updating her on all the gossip a four year old could be involved in.

Once Wisteria was placated it was relatively easy to get her through her bath. Rowan filled the tub with bubbles before dunking both Wisteria and duckie into the foamy water. She was able to wash her hair and rinse it with relative ease, and even managed to get the washcloth between Wisteria’s toes without getting kicked in the face.

Her relief only grew when Wisteria didn’t put up a fight as she drained the bath, gently settling duckie onto a soft, dry cloth and wrapping Wisteria in her fluffiest towel before carrying her back to her room. She got Wisteria changed and snuggled back into her little nest with her favourite books, draping an extra blanket over her, knowing the warmth would make Wisteria extra drowsy.

Aurora was much easier to bathe, and she chattered at Rowan as she prepped the bath and the bubbles and the few bath toys Aurora loved the most. Aurora loved her baths, and used to dance every time Gavin or Rowan got her ready for one when she was smaller. Now she just wiggled aimlessly until the tub was filled, squealing when she was dunked into the rosy pink bubbles.

She did whine a little when the bath was over, but she didn’t put up a fight as Rowan helped her from the tub after and wrapped her in her towel. She only clutched at the plastic doll with the bright pink bathing suit painted on, asking about the crafts she wanted to do over the week, and what presents did Rowan think she would get, and did she think there would be snow for Christmas?

Rowan answered Aurora’s questions as best she could as she scooped her up and carried her back to her room. She couldn’t give much away about the presents, but she did know they would be heading up to a little cottage Gavin had found years and years ago, and there was almost always snow for Christmas there.

The tricky part was how they were going to sneak all the presents there without the girls noticing.

Aurora started singing a medley of her favourite songs, all from different princess movies, as she got ready for bed. Wisteria shot her a withering glare from beneath her nest, but Aurora only ignored her, purposefully singing louder.

“Hey,” Rowan murmured, tucking the blankets up around Aurora’s chin. “Time to stop singing now, love. Your littlest sisters are probably already asleep.”

In fact, now that the room had grown silent, she could just make out the warm cadence of Gavin’s voice as he sang softly to the twins. She could hear the creak of the floor, could hear Cordelia’s little snores, and knew he was probably creeping across the room now, settling them into the cribs.

Aurora pouted, but Rowan quickly picked up one of her favourite plushies and wiggled it in her face. “Hey! You can’t pout, you’ll make Lady Sparkles sad.”

“No,” Aurora squealed, clutching the plushie to her chest. “She needs to be happy!”

Rowan pressed a kiss to Aurora’s brow. “Then you can’t pout, love. You’ll make her sad. She’ll think going to sleep is bad.”

“But I don’t get to play with you and daddy,” Aurora muttered, flicking her eyes to the top of her canopy bed. “It’s lonely.”

Rowan tilted her head to the side, to where Wisteria was still glaring out from her nest. “How can it be lonely when you have your sister?”

Aurora arched a brow, her expression reminiscent of some of Gavin’s incredulous looks. “But she’s in her nest mommy, she’s not here with me.”

“I’m right here!” Wisteria announced, standing up very suddenly and immediately squeezing her eyes shut as she readjusted to the light. “I’m right here ‘Rora!”

Aurora’s expression melted into a soft smile and she sighed, turning her face back towards Rowan. “Okay, mommy. I have my Wisteria back.”

Smoothing back Aurora’s hair, Rowan pressed a kiss to her brow. “I’ll be right back. Let me tuck your sister in.”

Wisteria squealed as Rowan gathered her up before tucking her blankets tight around her.

“Do I have to sleep?” Wisteria whined, wrestling her arms out from beneath the blankets as Rowan piled plushies around her, hoping they would give Wisteria a good enough reason to stay put.

“You do,” Rowan said, settling the weighted turtle plushie Wisteria loved most on her chest. “So you can have lots of energy for tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Wisteria asked, yawning as she wrapped her arms around her turtle.

“We’re going to watch lots of movies tomorrow,” Rowan murmured, kissing Wisteria’s little cheek. “And do some crafts. And maybe it’ll snow and we can go and make snow angels.”

Wisteria gasped. “You think it’ll snow?”

“It might,” she said, pulling the blankets up around Wisteria’s chin. “It’s almost Christmas after all, love.”

“Stella loves the snow!” Wisteria sang, seeming to forget about her earlier resistance as her eyes began to droop closed.

“She does! She loves to eat snowflakes!” Aurora added, squealing as the sound of tails clicked on the floors. “Stella!”

Rowan turned just in time to see Stella hopping up into Aurora’s bed, curling up at her feet. Aurora sat up, scratching between Stella’s ears, smiling wide.

“Stella wants to hear a story too, mommy.”

“Well I would never want to disappoint Stella.”

Stella wagged her tail in response, giving one soft woof as she nestled her head against the side of Aurora’s legs.

“The question is though, what story should I read first?”

Wisteria whimpered, her eyes falling closed, her brow wrinkling as she tried and failed to open them again. “Mine… Please, mommy.”

And how could Rowan say no to that?

Perching on the edge of Wisteria’s bed, she read Wisteria’s latest favourite book. About a moon princess who had to save her friends. The pictures were drowning in glitter and vibrant gemstone shades. When she was more awake Wisteria enjoyed running her fingers over the illustrations, gasping at the way the different textures felt beneath her hands.

“They feel like stars,” she would say, speaking in an awed whisper, utterly enchanted by her book.

By the time the story had reached its conclusion, promising a happily ever after for all its characters, Wisteria had fallen soundly asleep, her cheek smushed against her pillow and her turtle clutched safely in her arms.

Rowan brushed Wisteria’s hair back, whispering a quiet I love you, before moving to Aurora’s bed, who’s amber eyes were still bright as the stars hanging in the velvet darkness of the sky. Stella snored soundly on the bed at Aurora’s feet, but Aurora herself remained wide awake, her mouth pulled up into a crescent moon smile as Rowan plucked her book up from the nightstand next to her bed.

“You have to go to sleep too,” Rowan said, arching a brow when Aurora sat up again to run her hands through Stella’s fur.

“I just wanna hear my story,” she whined, keeping her voice low as she flicked her gaze towards Wisteria.

Although there wasn’t really much of a need. Once Wisteria was surrounded by her blankets and plushies, nestled comfortably in a makeshift nest, it was usually only a matter of time until she fell into oblivion. Only the darkest of nightmares or someone scooping her out of her den would wake her.

Rowan kissed the top of Aurora’s head. “You’ll hear your story. But you have to lay back down.”

Sighing, Aurora curled up on her side, tugging her blanket up over her nose. She fluttered her lashes as she peeked up at Rowan, her brows raised expectantly.

Snorting, Rowan took that as her cue to begin reading. Aurora’s chosen book was a bit longer, the illustrations painted in powder pink and baby blue and soft ivory. The colours melted into each other, the edges of each character softened so they seemed to glow. It was a simple princess story, quite similar to Sleeping Beauty, although there was no dragon and the princess and the prince went on an adventure together instead of getting married.

Aurora sighed again, sounding almost dreamy as Rowan reached the last page, her chubby cheeks rosy as she smiled up at Rowan. “That’s a good story.”

“It is, my love,” she said, letting Aurora take the book and tuck it under her pillow. “Are you ready for sleep now?”

Aurora nodded. “I hope I dream of nice fairies tonight.”

“I’m sure you will,” she murmured, kissing Aurora’s brow once more. “Sleep well, my love.”

The girls’ night-lights glowed softly in the shadows of the room as Rowan flicked the lights off and crept quietly from the room. She left the door slightly ajar, for when Stella inevitably got up to go to the bathroom before Rowan and Gavin went to bed, too.

But Rowan had only just turned the hall lights off, not wanting the warm golden light to bother the girls when she felt arms wrapping around her, sweeping her from her feet.

She gasped, wanting to cry out at the surprise, but catching herself at the last minute. She could feel the rumble of laughter in Gavin’s chest, felt his breath tangling in her hair as he pressed his face against the top of her head, trying and failing to keep his laughter quiet.

“Gavin Bai,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes as she tried to wiggle in his arms to glare up at him. Although it was of no use, as he was holding her so tightly against him and his face was completely buried in her hair. All she managed to do was jab her nose into his neck as he walked towards the stairs, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

He carried her all the way to the kitchen before setting her down on top of the counter, loosening his grip on her enough for her to pry herself free and smack his arm.

“What was that?!” She asked, struggling to keep the smile from her face. “You scared me!”

His brow creased for a moment, concern flashing in his starry eyes, but it soon vanished as he caught the smile spreading across her lips. “I don’t think you were scared.”

“Well I was surprised at the very least,” she said, tipping her chin up as she crossed her arms. “I could have woken the girls.”

He arched a brow. “As if Wisteria would ever wake up after being tucked into bed. And the twins wouldn’t be able to hear you from down the hall and over their white noise machine.”

“I mean they could have,” she retorted, pouting.

His brow rose higher. “And was Aurora still awake?”

She flicked her eyes to the floor, where a splotch of icing was congealing on the tiles. “Yes.”

“Then I don’t think you would have disturbed anyone.”

Rowan wrinkled her nose, glaring harder at the icing. But Gavin didn’t rise to her bait, instead pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I just couldn’t wait to hold you now that they’re asleep.”

She felt her pout slipping away as she slowly slid her gaze back to his, finding his golden eyes alight with joy. “Now we can have time just the two of us.”

Rowan started to smile, right as a yawn caught in her throat, forcing her eyes to squeeze shut as a wave of fatigue washed over her.

Gavin hummed softly, tugging her back against his chest, her head falling against his shoulder. “Although maybe you’re tired, too.”

“I’m not tired,” she whined, even as she melted against him, her eyes falling closed as he rubbed her back.

“Now where have I heard that before?”

She rolled her eyes, her gaze bouncing around the kitchen. “We still have to clean up in here. It’s a mess.”

“I can handle that if you want,” he offered, his words brushing against her ear. “And you can go and shower and get into bed if you’d like. I can bring you something to eat and we can watch anything you’d like.”

She whined again, squeezing her eyes shut. “You want me to shower alone?”

Gavin grew still, his breath catching. His voice was lower when he spoke again, sending gauzy-winged butterflies scattering in her belly. “I can go with you, if you’d like.”

She pulled away, just enough to catch sight of the rosy blush crawling over his cheeks and blooming on the tips of his ears. But her eyes shifted to a splatter of green icing peeking out from beneath his still-wet bangs. She brushed his hair back, delight bubbling in her chest as she swiped her thumb over the stain, smearing it across his brow.

Any headiness that may have suffused the air for a moment dissipated as she giggled, showing him the icing clinging to her thumb. “I think you might need the shower more than me.”

He blinked, bemusement flashing in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced with an impish light as he reached behind her for something, the sound of plastic bowls clattering together. Before she could think, he had swiped his own thumb across her cheek, grinning.

Now it was Rowan’s turn to blink in confusion until he unveiled his thumb and the red icing still staining his skin.

“Now we match,” he teased, swiping it again over her brow. “Although I think you’ll be the one needing that shower most.”

She giggled, trying to turn around to find the bowls of icing he must have moved to the counter when she’d been putting Aurora and Wisteria to bed. But Gavin caught her wrists, stopping her from searching for any more ammunition. He drew her back towards him, his face and ears flushed crimson now.

Which was a shame. Because she had already imagined what he would look like with canary yellow icing over his face.

“Why don’t we head upstairs,” he murmured, still smiling as his eyes flicked to the icing on her face. “And get cleaned up.”

“What about the kitchen?” She asked, shooting another worried look around the room.

It really did need to be cleaned up. And the sooner they did it the better.

“I’ll handle that later,” he said, taking her chin and drawing her attention back to him. “But right now I just want to spend some time with my wife.”

She opened her mouth to argue, the messiness of the kitchen making her stomach churn with anxiousness, but Gavin cut her off before she could.

“Let me help. Let me take care of you.”

She wilted, not having much energy left to argue as she let her head fall against his shoulder once again. “Okay, you win.”

She could hear the smile in his voice as he lifted her up again. “Good. And I believe I remember saying I would take care of the cleanup anyways. And the laundry.”

She sighed, closing her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.” He paused, kissing the top of her head. “Except when I knew I wanted to marry you. And when I did marry you.”

She giggled, pressing her face against his neck as happiness danced through her veins like warm summer sunshine.

“And when we decided to have each of our girls.”

She tried pressing closer, smiling against his skin. “You’re sounding awfully romantic right now.”

He coughed, and she felt his heartbeat tripping over itself in his chest. “I’m just telling you the truth.”

She peeled away to peek up at him, catching his warm, bright eyes. “That you really want to clean up the kitchen and finish the laundry?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “No. That I love you. And when it comes to you, to making you happy, I’m always sure.”

She nestled back against him, feeling a little like she was made of sunshine and spun sugar and glitter stars. Like she was all the vibrant colours and sparkles in Wisteria’s book, and all the soft colours melting together in Aurora’s.

“You do make me happy,” she murmured, holding his gaze. “You always make me happy. Whenever you’re close.”

“Then I’ll stay right by your side,” he breathed. “I’ll stay at your side forever.”

“And that includes in the shower?”

He laughed, the sound bright and cheerful, the seed from which all her happiness could bloom. It reminded her of the wind in the trees, of the melody of her favourite songs, of the light of the first stars filling the midnight sky.

“Especially in the shower,” he said at last, still grinning.

“Just in case I trip,” she said, feigning seriousness. “Showers are dangerous, you know.”

“I’ll keep you safe, then,” he said, voice soft as feather down.

“I’ll keep you safe, too,” she whispered, her body starting to grow heavy as the last of her energy began to drain away. “I’ll stay by your side forever, too.”

“That’s all I want,” he said, shouldering their bedroom door open before setting her on the bed for a moment. He paused, leaning down to peer at her. “Although there is one more thing I want.”

She furrowed her brow. “What is it?”

He cupped her face in both hands, his bangs tickling the skin of her brow, his breath tangling with hers as he leaned close.

“I want this.”

And when he pressed his lips to hers, she felt nothing but the warmth of his love, of his happiness, of the embrace he wrapped her in. She was swathed in his unwavering love, and her heart felt as though it were overflowing with her own. The world melted into pinks and reds and blues and brightest golds.

And as he embraced her, as one of his hands slipped into her hair, as her lips parted for him, as her hands twisted into the material of his shirt, she knew that this was everything she could ever want. She was not a moon princess like in Wisteria’s book, or a magical princess like in Aurora’s. She wasn’t a hero or a powerful fairy like in the girl’s cartoons, or a noble lady or sorceress like in her own shows.

But she doubted very much that she needed anything particularly special, because surely none of that could create the happiness that she felt with Gavin. None of that could compare to him and to the life they had made together.

She didn’t need to dream of fairies when she fell asleep at night to feel content. She just needed to know she would wake up and he would be there beside her. And she didn’t need to live in a storybook to know that, even when she was tired or grumpy or sad, today was her happily ever after. And tomorrow would be too, and the next day and the next, and every day after.

She was tired, and her face felt itchy from the icing as it dried, and the messy kitchen still worried her. But she had her beautiful daughters. And Gavin was here beside her. And that made every moment utterly, immeasurably special.

[lovehealsandlovehurts]

Mommys Doll

warnings: 18+, mommy kink, somnophilia, nipple play, dumbification, edging, dacryphilia, corruption, shushing, spitting on body parts, finger sucking, pet names & praise, aftercare 

Summary: You wait for Wanda to come home and end up falling asleep, only to wake up to her wanting to take care of you. 

the following material is something not everyone may be comfortable with and is meant for mature audiences

Word count: 3.6k

notes: I imagined a brunette multiverse of madness Wanda while writing this, however stayed away from detailed descriptions in case the reader wants to imagine her otherwise 

gif mine

The room you were laying in started to get a bit cold, so you pulled a blanket over your body and stared at the cracked open window. You were too lazy to get up and close it, already feeling cozy in your bed. You missed Wanda, she was away working and you waited impatiently in her house, hoping she’d come back any minute. You didn’t like her being away for so long, and the more you didn’t see her the more you thought about the woman. You thought about her soothing voice, smile, and the way she kissed your lips, softly and passionately, always pulling you close.  You missed how she whispered in your ear and showered you with praise and affection. You missed staring into her big green eyes, unable to process how beautiful she was. You wanted to text her again, tease her about being alone in bed but you didn’t want to make her upset, or be punished for being a brat. It was starting to get late, the sky went dark and your eyelids began to feel heavy. You felt your body drifting away to sleep. You sighed grumpily, letting your head rest on the pillow as you curled up on your side, realizing Wanda might not come back soon, definitely not before you fall asleep.

Wanda got back home shortly after you closed your eyes. She made her way to the bedroom, happily rushing up the stairs. She opened the door, hoping to see you wrap your arms around her as soon as she entered the bedroom. She loved the way you hugged her after being away from her, tight and not wanting to let go. Wanda moved closer to your bed and noticed you sleeping. She smiled, seeing your head rest against the pillow, covered with your blankie. She turned her head to see the open window and went ahead to close it. She didn’t want the wind to bother you at night, or for you to catch a cold. Wanda went around the room, opening the drawers and looking for pajamas to change into. She decided to wear an oversized blouse instead, she didn’t like to sleep in thick clothes, the material bothered her, and she wanted to feel closer to you. 

Wanda made her way into the bed, laying next to you and making you her little spoon. She missed you so much, she wrapped her arm around you, feeling the heat of your body warm her up. She laid a gentle kiss on your cheek, hoping it would wake you up, but it didn’t.

“My sleepy girl” she murmured, pulling you closer, realizing your mind is far away. Wanda thought about all the texts you sent her that night, telling her to come home and cuddle you, saying you were getting tingly between your legs thinking about her and needed her to take care of you. You looked so pretty laying there, she couldn’t help herself, she allowed her thoughts to overcome her head. She gently slid the blanket off your body, letting it uncover you. She stared at you for a while, admiring every inch of your skin.

You were sleeping in a t-shirt and underwear, she giggled, wanting to tell you wearing something thicker would’ve been better, considering you looked cold before she uncovered you.  Wanda stoked your arm, feeling your skin on the palm of her hand. She ran her fingers from above your kneecaps to your upper thighs, wondering if that wouldn’t wake you up either. She missed touching you so much, she moved closer, whispering sweet things in your ear. 

 “You’re my prettiest girl,” Wanda said, wrapping her hand around your hips, she moved it up to touch your boobs, seeing your nipples poke out through your shirt. She felt one of them after the other, rolling them back and forth with her fingers. You moved your hips closer to her in your sleep and she smirked, knowing even with your mind not fully conscious, you wanted to be hers. You felt so good in her arms, she couldn’t stop herself from touching you. She slid her hand to your panties, feeling the soft material of the fabric. “I missed you so much,” she mumbled, letting her hand circle on your clit.  You were hers, and only hers, she wanted no one but you. She felt you shift in your sleep, moving your hand to wrap around her wrist. “Always so needy… even like this,” she said, placing a delicate kiss on your shoulder. “Wanda?” you mumbled, hearing a familiar voice. You slowly opened your eyes, breaking away from whatever space your brain had entered, you weren’t sure if you were still dreaming. You slightly jerked up, realizing your hand was wrapped around Wanda's wrist. You didn’t have to turn away to know it was her, you knew how she smelled and how her hands felt on your body. Everything about her was familiar and you allowed yourself to calm down, feeling your heartbeat slow down.

“Let mommy play with her baby” she whispered, knowing you were too tired to protest. She knew you liked being her obedient doll,  letting her touch you whenever and wherever she wanted. You felt your body grow hot, the temperature inside the room didn’t matter anymore as you felt yourself burning up. You grinned your hips against her touch, closing your eyes and focusing on the way her finger felt brushing against your underwear. Your brain always felt so foggy whenever she touched you, the whole world didn’t exist, just her, nothing mattered at the moment, just making her happy.

“Mommy?” you whispered, you wanted to tell her to touch you more, but nothing seemed to come out of your mouth. You lost yourself in the way her body felt, pressed against yours, her hips touching your butt, gently brushing onto you, and her strong arm wrapped around your hips. 

“Is something wrong baby?” her voice sounded so sweet, you wanted to turn back and look at her, tell her that you missed her, that you wished she didn’t come home late again. You felt so good laying there, her hand movements only made you want to stay in place, “I need-” you whined as you felt your clit twitch under her touch. You gripped her wrist tighter, hoping she’d press harder against your spot. 

“Poor baby, is mommy making you forget how to speak?” she cooed, you felt guilty for how fluttery the words made you feel. You loved the way she talked down to you; like you were wrapped around her finger, couldn’t think without her, like only she knew which decisions to make. 

“It’s okay baby, you don’t have to say anything, mommy knows what you need, your cunt is practically leaking on my fingers,” her tone was calm and soothing. You whined, not knowing how to answer. She was right, you felt a wet spot that formed on your panties, and you didn’t even notice it till she mentioned it. You wondered if this happened quickly or if she had been touching you for a while. You wanted her to rip your underwear off, and feel you, set her tongue in you, you wanted it so bad you almost started crying. You let soft whimpers escape your mouth as she kept playing with you. “Shh, don’t cry baby, mommy will take care of you,” she said as she watched you bury your face in your hands. 

Wanda moved away from spooning you and sat on the bed.  “No-” you mumbled, grabbing her hand and trying to pull her close. “I need you” you managed to say, looking up at her with puppy eyes. She smiled, her face lighting up, seeing how desperately you look at her.

She cupped your face into her hands, looking into your eyes, “Sweet baby, I’m not going anywhere,” she said, laying a gentle kiss on your lips. You wrapped your arms around her neck and pulled her close, you couldn’t help it. You tasted chapstick off her lips and a scent of coffee she must've had on the way here. Her lips felt so soft, you felt comforted by them, losing yourself in her touch. You started kissing her passionately, every kiss showing how much you’ve missed her. She kissed you back just as lustfully, nubbing on your lower lip. Wanda smiled against your face and pulled away. You whined, wanting to tell her to kiss you again, but you were hypnotized by her, and every move she did. Her hand wandered to your chest, it pushed you down and forced you to lay on the mattress. She opened your legs, seeing them shiver at her touch. “I-” you managed to whisper, pulling on her wrist once again. You hoped your gestures would explain what you needed as you weren’t able to use your words. “Hush baby, mommy knows what you want,”  she said, tilting your panties to the side. Your every thought was lost every time her hands ran through your body. She slipped a finger inside of you, and you felt your walls clench around it, letting out a loud moan. She teased you, moving it in and out of your hole. Your brain was slipping away, focusing on her touch.

She ran her fingers through your folds, coming up to your clit and letting it slide back down into your pussy. You whined at the sensation, feeling your knees snap together, you weren’t sure why that happened, you felt so sensitive under her touch you were losing control over your body. “Open up for mommy,” she said, seeing your thighs shake. You grabbed onto the bed sheets, watching her pull your legs apart, as you struggled to do so yourself. She quickly slid your underwear off your body, staring at your soaked parts. She placed her finger back on your wet spot, teasing you with it, occasionally looking up to look at your face, searching for desperation. You wondered if she could see you get all red, as you certainly felt your head burning up, losing yourself in the way her fingers traced your body. She lowered down and spit on your pussy, rubbing in her saliva against your clit. Your parts felt all sticky, wet from your own juices, and now her. Nothing felt as good as her, her touch was liberating, it made you feel things in a way you haven’t before. 

“Such a pretty girl” she praised you, watching you grow more impatient with every minute. “And all mommys right?” she asked, her finger teasing your swollen clit. She slid it down into your hole again, pushing it hard into you. “Yes…” you whispered so softly, you wondered if she could hear. She moved it out of you again, coming back to your swollen nub. She was insane, you thought, playing with you like with a toy. “Only mommy can touch you here,” she said, making sure that you know who you belong to. She was jealous of you, constantly wanting to keep you all to herself, but there was nothing to be jealous of, she completely owned you.

"Only you" you managed to let out a soft sigh, trying to collect your words with her fingers on you.

“No one can touch you as good as mommy does, not even yourself” she whispered, looking up at your face. You nodded, knowing she was right, there were many times you’ve tried to help yourself without her, and you just couldn’t.

You let soft moans escape your mouth as she touched you, and you couldn't stand the teasing, you needed her now, you needed to cum, you needed to release all the pressure built within you. “Please,” you managed to whisper. You were surprised at how only one word was able to leave your mouth. “I wanna cum” you finally managed to speak, feeling proud for doing so. Her movements were never-ending, she never increased her pace, just kept it nice and steady, driving your body insane.

“Not yet,” she said, scratching your inner thighs with her nails, the movement made your body shiver. She ran them up and down your skin, only making you more deprived. “Why? please…” you cried, grabbing onto her wrist, you needed her so badly. “Because you’re mommys doll sweetheart, and you take everything mommy gives you right?” she asked, you needed a second to take everything in, she sounded so caring yet was so cruel at the same time. You knew she felt satisfaction from your whining and cries, her pupils only got wider every time you begged her to make it stop. You shook your head up and down, agreeing with her. 

She finally pushed two fingers into you, without a warning. You felt them curl inside of you as she moved them in and out of your hole. You gasped quietly, feeling your brain melt away with her every move. “Look at you taking mommy so well” she praised you, climbing on top of your body. She grabbed your chin with her other hand, forcing you to look up at her, as your eyes were closed. She added another finger in and you were surprised at how easily it slipped into you, realizing you always considered her hands to be big. “Your pussy feels so good on mommys fingers baby, so tight,” she said, putting her thumb into your mouth. You sucked on it, looking up at her as you do so, seeing a smile form on her face as you swirled your tongue around her finger. “My good girl” she whispered, increasing her place, you let her thumb out of your mouth, needing to moan as you grabbed tightly onto her arm. “Tell mommy how good it feels,” she said, watching you roll your eyes to the back of your head. “Feels so-” you couldn’t finish your sentence, your thoughts blended together as her fingers rammed into your soaked parts. She pushed into you hard and fast, making your brain all dizzy. Her fingers bent inside you, and you held onto her arm, grinding your hips against her touch. “Dumb little baby, I shouldn’t have asked, I know you can’t think right now,” she said in a condescending tone. You felt yourself getting close to the edge and you wanted to ask for permission, knowing she wouldn’t have it any other way. Luckily she noticed the change in your eyes, and the clenching around her fingers, realizing you were coming close. “Just a bit more, mommy hasn’t had enough of you yet” she sounded so sweet, you couldn’t say no. You did everything you could to hold your orgasm. She increased her pace, hitting the back of your inner wall. You tried to stop moving your hips, hoping that would help control your body but it did nothing as she kept going, holding you still. 

“Mommy-“ you whined, feeling your muscles tense up, your tummy felt like it needed to release. “Shh, you’re almost there. Don’t cum without mommys permission okay?” she said, kissing your lips. You moaned into her mouth, unable to answer. You felt tears form in your eyes, you so desperately needed to let go. 

“Please” you cried against her face, her moves were hard and steady, and you felt your thighs shake, coming closer and closer. “Oh baby” she whispered, a spark lit up in her eyes. You could tell she enjoyed seeing you like this but loved you too much to torture you forever. “Okay, let go for mommy. Let it all out,” she said, kissing your forehead and speeding up her pace even more. You yelled, feeling her fingers thrust into you. 

You pulled her close and buried your face in her neck, closing your legs together. You felt your whole body shake, feeling your muscles release all the tension that’s built up. You wrapped your legs around Wanda, yanking her close, there were still shaking but you didn’t want to let her go, you couldn’t, you needed to hold her close. 

“I’m so proud of you angel,” she said, kissing your cheeks. You wanted to thank her but you needed to catch your breath first, your chest moved up and down rapidly, recovering from her touch. “Oh” is all you managed to let out, your voice sounded shaky. cutting through the air. “Let mommy clean you up, okay?“ she asked, lowering herself down on you. “I need- a minute” you protested, knowing you’re still sensitive. She didn’t listen, she made it clear she always takes what she wants from her baby. You knew if you used the safe word she’d stop but you couldn’t differentiate what your body wanted anymore.

She went down on you, kissing your tummy and inner thighs, her lips brushing against your skin, it made you forget everything you were going to say. You felt her tongue press against your clit, and she sucked it in, wrapping her lips around it. You felt it twitch into her mouth and you tried to pull away, feeling your body needs a break.

“No, mommy” you whined, and you felt her mouth break away from your core. “You want me to stop?” she asked in a whisper. You nodded your head, grabbing onto her stretched-out arm. “You sure? why is your clit throbbing in my mouth then?” she murmured, her hot breath hovering over your body. You didn’t know what to say, you groaned, trying to come up with an answer. 

“I think mommy knows better, doesn’t she?” she asked, setting her mouth back on your clit. You gasped, feeling her tongue sit on it. You cried out, letting her take control over you. It felt so right, to be owned by her, to have her tell you what to do. You were so ridiculously wet, you made it easy for her to work her tongue around your spot. She occasionally switched to her hand, stroking your swollen bud side to side. You let out soft whines as she did so, feeling your brain become a mush. You were completely hers when she fucked you, you felt so fragile in her arms. She sucked your clit in while moving her head side to side, and you felt yourself come close once again. You felt ashamed of how fast it took her to take you over the edge, especially after protesting it. You grinned your hips against her face, feeling her speed up her pace.  You wished you could keep going but you felt your thighs shake, and you let them drop to the mattress and she pressed her head harder against your core. You whined, shifting your body as she kept going, making you dig your nails into the mattress. You felt your muscles tense up and you came with her mouth still glued onto your clit. 

You buried your face in your hands, breathing in heavily. “Let mommy see you, baby,” she said, moving closer and pulling your hands apart. “You did so good,” she said, placing a gentle kiss on your lips, you tasted yourself off of it, moaning against her mouth. “See, mommy knows what’s best for my little girl," she said, pushing your hair behind your ear. “You were so good for me, so good” she praised you, laying gentle kisses on your lips. 

Your face still felt hot, recovering from all the tingles that raced through your body. Wanda laid down next to you, kissing your cheeks, her touch warm and comforting. “Please never leave” you managed to say, staring into her face and admiring her beauty. She frowned her eyebrows, letting worry overflow her face. “Why would you say that angel? I’d never leave you” she assured you, kissing your face. “No… I mean” you took a deep breath in, trying to collect your thoughts. You felt her stare at you as you closed your eyes, trying to think. “Like today, you were gone for so long, I missed you,” you said, finally taking control of your breath.

“Oh baby, come here,” she said, pulling you closer to her. She flipped your body so that you could lay on top of her. You curled into her arms, resting your head on her chest. "I won’t come home that late again, I promise” she assured you, kissing your head. You felt so safe in her arms, like she was the answer to all your problems, a knight in armor protecting you from all evil. “I missed you too bunny,” she said, every pet name coming out of her mouth made your head spin. You were sure one day she’d call you something completely silly and it’d still make you tingle between your legs. “You want to sleep now?” she said, stroking your hair. She realized you must be tired, being pulled away from your sleep. My poor sleepy girl, she thought, only wanted to rest and had to be taken away by Mommy. You were glad you were, your body felt even more relaxed now, after being taken care of by her. “Yes,” you murmured, setting your hands on her boobs. You looked up at her to see if she would allow it, as you were too tired to ask nicely. She took your hand and pressed it to her chest, giving you her permission. You didn’t try to tease her, just needed something to hold onto, you grabbed them into your hand, squeezing gently. You closed your eyes, the material of her shirt felt soft on your cheek, and you snuggled into it, letting your thoughts drift away.

"You can go back to sleep, I’ll be right here," she said before you shifted your body and moved on top of her, giving her a starved-out kiss. You couldn’t help but take a look at her face again before falling asleep. “I love you” you mumbled shyly, even though you knew she did too. Even if she didn’t constantly say it back you’d still know, realizing how she always took care of you. “I love you too, my baby,” she said, kissing the tip of your nose. You groaned softly and put your head back in her chest, closing your eyes. 

taglist: @alssye @gkfsktf @kaiparson @mik3swife @marvelwomen-simp @demiismylord @sandyche3ks @nikkinss @alwaysgoodnight @ageofolsen @jlslvr @simpform1lfs @ripofflizzie @boobiluvr @littlegaypersonsstuff @bananineno @lissaaaa145 @luciiana @lijo-8 @naslt @rogueismymilf @dilfsandtherapy @salvatwh0r3 @riveramorylunar

tags: @ilovehotactresses @bangtanmel @rosie8519 @sweet-q-tea @simp4haiz @nicoledragon @tothisfeeling @natashaandwandasgirlfriend @super-lena @moonlightkiara37 @frescadaydreams @marvell-love @robinsreal-gf @wandasdolly @its-wednesday-my-dudes-ahhh @dykerosies

rest has to have tags off bc I couldn't tag you!

[secret-treasury]

Dad!Sirius

little blurbs about sirius being the best dad ever. Also includes some sirius X reader, Marauders.

Babysitters

Atlas loves when Lily babysits them. He is just smitten with her and he especially likes her hair. She’ll hold him and he would just stare at her with awe. He would pull a little on her hair and would get pouty when told off for it, especially from James. He isn’t a fan of James' because he always takes Lily away from him at the end of the day and he doesn't like that, but eventually he’d grow to like him... a little.

Neo on the other hand enjoys hanging out with James. She follows him everywhere and wants to be with him when he does random things, she is like his little shadow. She gets pouty if she doesn’t get to play with his glasses and he always tells her to be careful with them so as to not break them. She has an attitude, she rolls her eyes at him. “Well… she's a pads kid alright!” he’d joke. To which she responds with an excited “Padtoot!” and laugh while running away with James' glasses to get her dog plushy.

Remus is however Neo's favorite babysitter and for one reason only. He has a beard and she loves beards and just wants to grab at them. Luckily both Sirius and Remus keep their beards trimmed short so there isn’t much for her to grab. Sirius did the prank on her where he hid the lower part of his face behind a towel, then when he revealed his clean shaven face, Neo was SO upset she wouldn’t stop crying. Whenever she saw him until his beard grew back she’d cry at the sight of him. When he finally had his beard back she had missed him so much. She’d have a similar reaction to remus shaving but milder. Neo loves hanging out with her uncles but daddy is still the best. Remus and Atlas get along great, atlas loves to sit in uncle Remy's lap while he reads, and most of the time he falls asleep, Atlas is a very cuddly and sleepy boy so it works out well.

Regulus is a decent babysitter but confuses the twins slightly when they are very young for the simple reason that he looks similar to their dad. Before they eventually learn the difference, he would be kind of an ‘imposter Sirius’ because they are aware that isn’t dad…. But he really looks like dad….

Bath time!

Both Neo and Atlas LOVE bath time, especially with their dad. They both just can’t stop laughing when Sirius makes himself a bubble beard and causes bubbles to fly everywhere when he talks. He’d create fun narratives with pirates and priateship and sea monsters.

The only thing Atlas doesn’t like about bath time is washing his hair, he cries so much because he doesn’t like getting shampoo in his eyes or when water runs down his face. Luckily Sirius is super gentle with him and makes sure he feels safe the whole time.

“Close your eyes” the little boy does as his father says and shuts his eyes really hard. Sirius puts some shampoo in his palm and rubs his hands together before massaging it into the boy’s hair. Atlas starts whining a little bit. “It’s alright buddy” sirius comforts. When it’s time to wash the shampoo out he gets pouty again. Sirius tells Atlas to lean his head back while he supports the little boy’s back with his hand.

“Are you keeping ‘em closed?”. Atlas nods and again focuses on keeping his eyes shut as hard as he can. “Here comes the water,” Sirius warns. He would never do anything to break his son’s trust, especially not for a laugh. All three of them sing a song together, usually some type of nursery rhyme, to help distract the little scared boy from the water.

Neo was easier to handle albeit a bit wild. She loved singing the song whilst water was running down her face and it sounded like she was underwater. She’d laugh a lot and then accidentally breath in some water. She’d be upset for a moment and cough a bit but in no time she’s singing happily again. Sirius often found himself singing nursery rhymes in the shower when he would wash his own hair, just a weird habit he had when the kids were little.

After bath time he would help them into their cute little bathrobes and then the two kids would run to their mama looking like little jawas. Sirius would join them moments later, clothes splashed with bathwater and bubbles still in his beard. He didn’t mind though.

Bedtime

Sirius would teach them to brush their teeth by themself as soon as possible. He would seat them on the bathroom counter, give them their little toothbrushes and portion out the tooth paste. Neo was the most troublesome in this area, she didn’t like brushing her teeth so he’d tell her an elaborate story of why she needs to brush her teeth. Unfortunately she didn’t believe him. Atlas did though and always pointed out that they need to brush their teeth every morning and evening like the sweet boy he is. Because of Neo's brother pestering her with the importance of brushing her teeth she’d do it. So it worked out for Sirius eventually… in a roundabout way.

After all the teeth had been brushed, including Sirius’, he set them back down on the floor and the twins rushed as fast as their little legs could carry them to their shared bedroom. Atlas would get his blankie and his deer plush that he got from auntie Lils when he was born. Neo would get a book and her very loved dog plushy also called padfoot or as she ‘padtoot’. They would wait for Sirius to join them and he would take a seat in the armchair they had in their little room, he would place the twins in his lap and they would get comfortable. Atlas would share his blankie and they would place their plushies in their laps getting ready for the bedtime story.

Sirius would read to them and also educate them on different topics, making the twins question what happened in the story and why. While also keeping it lighthearted and fun. He’d give the characters different voices, some were funny and some were silly. After they finished the story they would beg him to read another one and it would break his heart telling them no, but he knew they were exhausted and needed their sleep. “There will be another story tomorrow”

Puting Atlas to sleep was the easiest thing in the world. As soon as his head hit the pillow he would be asleep, holding onto his blankie and his plush. Sirius would pull the covers up and lovingly caress the boy’s cheek and place a kiss on his forehead wishing him goodnight.

Neo was more troublesome, she wanted Sirius to stay with her until she fell asleep. He’d tuck her in, kiss her forehead and also give ‘padtoot’ a goodnight kiss. Then he’d sit on the floor by her bed and caress her cheek til she fell asleep. Sometimes he’d fall asleep on the floor leaning onto the side of her bed.

Food habits

Atlas is a picky eater, veggies are his number one enemy and he’ll do anything to not eat them. Sirius understands this because he himself hated veggies when he was little although his punishments for not eating them was very uncalled for. It takes a lot of coaxing to get atlas to eat them and he is always the last one at the table. Sirius has tried everything but it's still a struggle.

“Just eat 3 more broccolis and a cauliflower, then you can go play” Sirius tried to convince the boy but he just shook his head and scrunched up his face in disgust. He couldn’t help but sigh at the cute but stubborn little boy. “Eat two and then we’ll go play afterwards, okay buddy?” Sirius tried to bargain. He saw a glimmer in the boy's eyes.

“You play too?” he asked hopefully and Sirius nodded. Atlas unwillingly picked up the fork and poked at the veggies. After a while he picked out the two smallest veggies and ate them one at a time. “Done!” he declared after forcing them down. Atlas slipped off the chair and rushed to join his siblings.

“Daddy will play with us” he cheered happily, veggies long forgotten. They spent most of the afternoon playing hide and seek. Atlas was the first to get tired and decided to hide under the covers in his parents bed. As he crawled under the covers Neo and Zagreus noticed his genius hiding spot and went to join him.

“Here I come!” Sirius called out as he began looking around the house. Not finding them in the usual hiding spots he began to feel worried even though they couldn’t possibly have left the house. When he passed the master bedroom he noticed 3 child sized lumps in his and his wife's bed. As he got closer he could hear some giggling. He carefully peeled up the covers to peek inside to see his pups. “I found you” he chuckled as he began scooping them up in his arms as they laughed and giggled happily.

When Y/N came home later that afternoon the house was quiet. The plates and cutlery, long forgotten on the kitchen table much to her annoyance. However, the sight she was greeted with in her bedroom of her husband and three little children sleeping together in a pile on the bed, tangled up in the covers and blankets. It was enough for her heart to swell with love.

Neo generally isn't a picky eater, she eats well and healthy meals. She does however love ice cream though. the strawberry, vanilla and chocolate mix also known as neapolitan ice cream. Neo is a tough girl to bargain with as she’s not as easily fooled as other children, but ice cream is her weakness and Sirius does occasionally use that to his advantage.

“Neo, sweetie. Please it’s time to sleep,” Sirius would almost beg as he was seated beside her bed on the floor, being as tired as he wished his daughter was.

“No.” Neo said stubbornly and crossed her arms over the covers. Sirius had tucked the children into bed almost half an hour ago and both boys were fast asleep and sailing off to dreamland. “I don’t want you to leave me daddy” she sniffled and her eyes were glossy with tears. Overwhelmed by emotions she suddenly sat up and threw her little arms around her fathers neck, holding him tight. His arm wrapped around her little body and he caressed the back of her little head with his free hand. He remembered feeling a similar feeling when he was very little. When his mother seemed to love him.

“Of course I won't leave you, puppy.” he said comfortingly as his heart ached in his chest. Neo pulled back to look at him, tears running down her chubby little cheeks. her hands still on his shoulders and her fingers played with his long dark hair.

“Promise me daddy” she demanded with another sniffle. Her words tore him apart within.

“I won’t leave you, ever.” he promised. He knew it was a lie, that one day he would have to leave her alone on this earth, even though it seemed far til then. He dried the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead. “Now go to sleep sweetie”

“Only if I get ice cream for breakfast” she argued back with a little giggle as he crawled back under the covers. Sirius tucked her into bed once again.

“Not for breakfast, but sometime tomorrow we can have ice cream, okay?” he said and poked her nose gently and giggled along with her. She lifted her little hand and held out her pinky.

“And strawberries” she said as Sirius wrapped his larger pinky around her little one. It wasn’t strawberry season, Neo knew that but she cleverly made him promise her to get her favourite fruit too. He couldn’t simply go back on a pinky swear.

“And strawberries,” Sirius sighed with a smile on his lips. His little girl was so clever, he knew he got it from her mother but the way she used it, that was all him.

Zagreus eats pretty much anything even if he doesn't like it. He accidentally took a bite of a bar of soap once. It was shaped as a cinnamon bun and the poor boy thought it was real.

“Dad?” he said as he pulled on his fathers sleeve. The potters were over for dinner and Sirius was out on the porch chatting with James over a cold beer.

“What is it boy?” he said and crouched down to the little boy's level. The boy looked puzzled and showed his father the cinnamon bun soap with a child sized bit in it.

“This bun tastes weird, dad.” James couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“Ah, oh it’s not a cinnamon bun, boy” sirius tried to explain but the boy looked at the bun soap and up at his father again convinced that his father was indeed mad. Sirius couldn’t hold back a chuckle “It’s soap.. In the shape of a bun”

“Oh…” Zagreus said finally trying to make sense of his odd food experience. Sirius ruffled the boy's hair. “Here” the boy said and gave Sirius the bun and then wandered off back into the house.

On Sundays it's always pancake or waffle Sunday at the Black’s house and the pups demand having their favorite fruit as a side. Atlas does a lot better with fruits and Sirius takes whatever wins he can get with the boy honestly. Blueberries are Atlas’ favourite fruit or well berry. However he doesn’t like fake fruit flavours in fact he hates them almost as much as he hates his sworn enemy... veggies.

Neo of course enjoys the sweet strawberries and often gets her way which means ice cream instead of whipped cream.

Zagreus loves pomegranates which doesn’t really go well with either pancakes or waffles but he is determined to have it anyway.

[littletxt]

hello! cn i be 🌙 anon ?

and i would like to request a caregiver fem reader with little beomgyu (age 3-4) , prompt: “Shh, you're safe. I won't let you go." and “use your words sweetheart” whereby beomgyu woke up from a nightmare and realised that his caregiver isn’t by his side which makes him go all panic mode.

Of course you can!! Hello 🌙 anonie!

🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸

🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸

Wc:542

On a warm Saturday, just after noon, Beomie is down for his nap. You tucked him in safely under his fluffy pink blankie with his ryan plushie after reading him a story (three times because "one more time?"). Beomie would sleep for about an hour and a half as per usual, so you busied yourself with making a snack for your baby to eat once he woke up. Mangoes and strawberries cut into hearts, his favorites. You couldn't help but smile imagining him doing a little dance as he happily ate his snack. 

Beomie did not share this emotion as he whined and rolled around in his slumber, tears pricking his eyes as they fluttered open. His heart pounded as the nightmare was still fresh and he looked around for you but you were nowhere to be found. His sobs could be heard all the way in the kitchen where you were cleaning up. You knew that sound anywhere and it broke your heart, sending you into fight or flight. Your feet moved before your mind did and you found the poor thing hyperventilating, sat up in bed, squeezing the edge of his blanket so tightly his knuckles were white. His mommy was gone and he was scared and alone, tears flowing steadily down his cheeks.

"m-mommy's gone. *hic* W-want my mommyy.", he sobbed, not noticing your presence until your arms were wrapped tightly around him.

"Baby...Shh, you're safe. I won't let you go.", you cooed and he sobbed harder against your shoulder, soaking your shirt. But you couldn't possibly care about your shirt at a time like this.

"Hey, baby. Look at me, baby boy. Take a big breath with mommy.", You cupped his cheeks to hold his face steady so he would look at you and he nodded unsteadily through his sobbing.

"On three. One, two, and big breath... Good boy. Now one more for mommy? Big breath...That's it.", You smiled as he worked so hard to listen and steady his breathing.

"Now, you wanna tell mommy what's got my baby so upset?", you pick up the ryan plush that sat on the bed next to his pillow and placed it in his arms, slightly distracting him. But he remembered his dream and started breaking down all over again. He never wanted to feel that way again. What if his mommy was gone forever? 

"I know, baby. You're okay. Use your words, sweetheart.", you cooed and rubbed his back to ease him. He took a big breath, just like mommy taught him.

"m-mommy didn't love me anymore because Beomie's not a g-good boy.", he breathed heavily, sobbing again before he made it even halfway through his sentence.

"Shhh, little one. That's impossible. Wanna know why?", you smiled softly and pulled him into your arms to rock your crying baby gently back and forth.

"w-why?", he sniffled and nuzzled into the crook of your neck.

"Because my little Beomie is such a good boy! And mommy loves you...always.", you kissed the top of his head.

"a-always?", he sniffled once more, nuzzling into your chest this time, squeezing his plushie to his own chest as he let his shoulders relax into you.

"Always."

🧸End note: I hope you like it💕

🧸Masterlist🧸

[lullabytaeyong]

R!Jaehyun - Nightmares

Jaehyun didn't like mornings very much. Yes, the sunshine was nice and the birds sang pretty songs, but that didn't mean he wanted to sacrifice his precious sleep. Especially after a rough nights sleep, filled with nightmares. He had plummeted into his headspace after the second bad dream and crawled into Yuta's bed to camp with him for the rest of the night. Now it was morning, and like a little angel Jaehyun was bundled underneath his friends blankets, eyes closed and slightly puffy from crying.

The sun had risen many hours ago, giving Yuta's room a refreshing glow, but Jaehyun continued to sleep away. He was just a worn out little guy. Yuta watched affectionately from the doorway before stepping in to wake him up. Jaehyun needed to eat and Johnny was going to show up soon to spend the rest of the day with him. There's no way he would willingly miss out on that opportunity.

Yuta sat beside Jaehyun on the edge of the mattress. There was something so precious about the way he slept that made all of the boys melt. His bed head was a main part of it, along with the fact he always had his baby blanket with him. Even if he wasn't regressed, the worn quilted square would be tucked snugly against his head. He tried to hide it when they all first shared a living space, but it was a lost cause with so many people. That and they were often in pairs to share rooms at hotels. None of the boys judged him for it, though. They understood his strong emotional attachment to the blanket.

"Jaehyun-ah..." Yuta dragged out, pulling the blanket part way off the other boy.

"Hmp-" Jaehyun grunted. He was on the thin line between sleep and consciousness.

"It's time to get up, baby. Your Johnny hyung is coming to see you, soon"

"My Johnny?" He grumbled, rubbing his eyes and forcing himself to sit up.

"Yup." Yuta nodded. He let Jaehyun get his bearings now that he was awake, and lifted him out of his bed.

"Dreamed about scary things." Jaehyun said anxiously. The frightening images flashed through his memory, as he was lead out to the kitchen.

"I know, sweetheart. None of them were real, though, and you were so brave for coming to my room for help." Yuta said gently. He was about to round the corner, but felt Jaehyun stop in his tracks.

"Don' like em..." The upset little whimpered. His eyes glistened with tears, as he broke off into small cries. He looked so vulnerable, holding his blankie to his face to hide himself.

Yuta was caught off guard, to say the least. Jaehyun hardly ever cried over minor things like that. Before he could comfort him, Mark popped right out of his bedroom and into the scene.

"What's the matter?" He asked worriedly, putting his hand on Jaehyun's back.

"Nightmares. I found him in my bed at like 3 am." Yuta stated.

"Again? Aw, I'm sorry buddy. It's okay." Mark said caringly, enveloping Jaehyun in a hug.

"I wan' a-appa!" Jaehyun cried.

Yuta and Mark looked at one another over Jaehyun's shoulder with concern. It was rare for him to use nicknames like that and if he did then it meant he felt very little and vulnerable. Mark could count on one hand the few instances he had heard his friend use a caregiver nickname. One that jumped out at him was when they were on tour, finishing up in america.

Jaehyun was holding himself together with a thread and snapped in a hotel hallway, bursting into tears when Haechan claimed Johnny as his roommate. He had slumped against the wall, sliding to the ground and sobbing for 'appa'. The memory honestly made Mark shudder a little. It was a nerve wracking scene to witness.

"We've got you, little guy. Let's go get cozy on the couch and you can have the cereal you like." Mark soothed, squishing his cheek on Jaehyun's head.

Yuta waited for them to start making their way to the living room and ducked away to the kitchen to grab breakfast for Jaehyun. He heard the familiar tune of the pokémon theme song playing in the other room and smiled to himself. Jaehyun loved watching that show with Johnny and Mark to watch them sing the opening.

After getting a dry bowl of the slightly sugary cereal Jaehyun liked, Yuta made his way to the couch and sat next to the little. He gave the bowl to Jaehyun and watched him balance it meticulously on his his knees that were pulled up to his chest. Thank god for plastic or they'd have no dishes left with the rate he dropped them. Jaehyun was still teary, as he picked at the cereal shapes, but he had settled down comfortably against Mark.

After an episode and a half of pokémon, Mark alerted Yuta that Johnny was on his way up. Jaehyun perked up at the words and started craning his neck to try and see if he was at the door yet. It may have lead to some cereal toppling out of the bowl and onto the floor, but he didn't care.

When he saw the door knob jostle he sprung up from the couch and scampered to the door. It opened to reveal Johnny, who Jaehyun ran straight into and wrapped his arms around. Johnny dropped the bag he had in his hand and lifted Jaehyun up into a big hug.

"Hey, you cute little monster. How's it going?" He asked, placing him back on the floor. Jaehyun kept his arms around Johnny and hid his face in his chest.

"He had a rough night." Yuta peeped, appearing around the corner. Johnny gave him a quizzical stare and then looked down at Jaehyun.

"You didn't sleep well? Nightmares?" He asked. Jaehyun nodded against his body.

"He came to my room all worked up after the first one and then had a couple more. It's probably just from stress." Yuta continued. "I let him sleep in."

"Ah, I see." Johnny said, turning Jaehyun around and leading him to the living room.

He encouraged him to sit on the couch again and plopped down next to him. Jaehyun climbed onto Johnny's lap and wrapped himself around him in a big bear hug, rubbing his cheek on his shoulder. Johnny simply held him and conversed quietly with Mark. The weight of Jaehyun sitting on him was rather familiar and always brought out the parental side of himself.

"Were you watching pokémon?" Johnny asked, running his hand up and down Jaehyun's back.

"Yeah...I wanna get a piplup plushie." Jaehyun mumbled, thinking about the cute character and how nice it would be to have his own.

"Don't you have one?"

"No~ I have Oshawott! Pip-Piplup is a penguin an' Oshawott is like a otter." Jaehyun explained, stumbling over his words a little bit.

"Ohh, you see, there's just so many that look similar, I can't keep track of them all." Johnny smiled when Jaehyun lifted his head up to look at him.

"I'll teach you! Look, that one's Togepi and Misty is holding him. He's cute like a egg." He beamed, pointing to the paused tv screen. He glanced back at Johnny to make sure he was paying attention.

"He kinda looks like Renjun." The taller chuckled. Jaehyun shook his head while smiling and brought his quilted baby blanket up to his nose.

He snuggled up closer to Johnny and sighed cutely, requesting to resume his show. It blinked to life when Yuta grabbed the abandoned tv remote. He joined the others on the couch and pet Jaehyun's hair. Moments like these made them really feel like a family. One big huge platonic family that took care of the little ones together. Someone was always around the corner, ready to give advice, hugs, reassurance, or whatever was in need to someone else. Their uniquely special bond was something Johnny would fight a war to keep.

[marvelous-harry]

Heyyyyy <3 Can we get a Mommy kink Oneshot with Harry?

Harry's bad day Harry/Fem!Reader Words: 556 Summary: Harry is having a bad day, he doesn't know why. He just is.

Looking up as I heard the front door slam, I frowned and got off the chair I’d been sitting on to go investigate. Harry wasn’t due to be home just yet but he was the only one with a key.

“Harry, is that you babe?” I called out as I headed down the stairs. I could hear movement in the kitchen but there was no reply. Spotting Harry’s shoes scattered in the halfway next to his dropped coat and bag, I sighed before heading into the kitchen.

“Harry,” I said gently as I walked over to him.

He was standing by the sink, empty water glass by his hand.

“Babe?” I asked again while touched his shoulders gently. “What’s the matter?” I asked while turning him around. There still wasn’t a reply from Harry, who just kept his head down and looked upset.

“Nothin,” Harry whispered after a little while.

I hummed at that. “Then why you slamming doors and leaving a mess, baby?” I looked at him curiously. I could see how hard Harry was thinking but in the end, he just ended up shrugging as he shifted his focus onto a different spot on the floor rather than answering me.

“Well,” I started as I leaned forward, pressing a little kiss to Harry’s forehead. “Go clean up your mess, please,” I instructed.

Harry closed his eyes and did a little nod but didn’t move until I stepped away and looked at him expectantly. Harry moved slowly and didn’t put much effort into what he was doing but he was doing it. Once he’d hung his coat up on one of the hooks, he took a shaky breath and pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes.

“Oh, baby,” I said softly as she walked over and wrapped him up in a tight hug. “Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

Harry hugged me back tightly as he buried his face into my neck. “I don’t know,” he replied choked up, grasping onto my jumper tightly.

“Come on, let’s go sit down,” I suggested as I rubbed his back and kept an arm around him as I led him over to the sofa where Harry immediately hugged me tightly again.

“Why you so upset, baby?” I asked as I stroked his hair. Harry’s face scrunched up as he whined and let out a little sob.

“I don’t know, just wanted to home to you all day. Missed you, mommy,” Harry cried.

“Oh, lovely. Mommy’s missed you too but we’re together now, so we don’t have to be sad anymore,” I told him softly wiping away some of the tears rolling down his cheeks. I glanced over at the clock on the wall to check the time.

“How about we go upstairs, find your teddy and your blankie and we can have a little nap together? Doesn’t that sound nice?” I smiled.

Harry sniffled and gave a little nod as he started getting off me. Taking his hand, I held it tightly as I led him up the stairs. He headed straight for the bed and wrapped himself around his teddy and blankie while I closed the curtains before joining him.

“Love you, mommy,” Harry mumbled as he took the corner of his blankie in his mouth and sucked on it gently. “Love you too, baby,”

[sparkedblaze]

now, consider. jack taking morris’ blankie as revenge for oscar stealing and destroying medda’s book.

it takes him a long time, but he figures it out eventually, that it had to have been oscar that took it. they’d been the only ones outside of the family that had seen it that day.

the next time medda visits the brothers, trying to work through everything and maybe see if oscar’s willing to confess to taking the book, jack goes with her. he calls it a “surprise”, and they both know it won’t go over well - least of all because neither of the brothers deal well with surprises - but medda’s too wrought to really fight it. she knows her boys fighting is inevitable at this point, and she’d rather they at least do it where she can try and mediate.

needless to say, it doesn’t go over well. oscar is furious when he sees medda and jack at his and morris’ hotel suite door, but medda manages to bargain them in to sitting down and talking for a minute or two. morris is as eager as he always is, joining medda on the couch when she invites him over, rocking and chewing his fingers and talking quietly with her. oscar’s occupied with his brother, making sure medda doesn’t say anything to upset him, so jack pretends he needs the bathroom and goes off. and, once again, he sneaks into the brothers’ room and swipes morris’ blankie from the edge of his bed - even more worn now than it had been then.

he doesn’t have a plan. he’s not thinking particularly clearly. he doesn’t even fully understand how much it means to morris or why, to him it’s still just an object, he doesn’t understand HOW significant it is to morris - he assumes morris must’ve grown out of it, at least mostly. he just wants to hurt oscar, desperately. he wants to get revenge for his mama and every awful tear she’d cried over her lost book - revenge for how oscar had shrugged and averted his gaze when medda’d asked about it a minute ago, said he didn’t know anything in that cold tone jack hates so damn much - and he knows the best way, maybe the only way, to hurt oscar is to hurt morris.

when the “conversation” immediately, inevitable, all goes to shit when jack returns, he leaves quickly with medda, not putting up any sort of fight for once. oscar’s shouting and morris is making noises as they’re kicked out, but jack feels some cold, hollow bit of satisfaction, as he leaves with morris’ precious ugly blanket stuffed under his jacket.

WHAT IN THE ACTUAL F-

Ohohohhoho T/w: Cursing, violence, angy Os, fighting, did I mention violence?

This one got so fucked up, y'all. I'm (kind of) sorry.

‼Warning this is my most graphic one yet‼

‼I am begging you to proceed with caution‼

‼Super graphic stuff has red text warnings before and after‼

Nox I hope you're proud

~

Oscar raises seven kinds of hell. He knows it was Jack. He knows he did it on purpose. And he knows Medda is gonna defend him with all her might.

He doesn't care.

There's nothing stopping him now. Morris is a wreck. He's wailing and screaming and physically sick with not having his blanket. There's nothing Oscar can do to console him. There's nothing more for him to do.

He leads Morris out to the car, has to practically drag him out there. Morris is clinging to a massive bag of sour skittles, he's chewing on the soft flesh in the palm of his hand, he's whimpering and howling and shrieking.

And Oscar's done with it. He's done with Jack Kelly thinking he can do anything he wants and get away with it. "C'mon Mo, we're goin' to see Medda."

That, at least, has an effect on Morris. He's quieted from full blown screeching to loudly sobbing into one of the pillows they kept in the car. Oscar makes sure he's buckled in before he starts driving, knuckles white as he holds tightly to the steering wheel.

He makes the trip in record time. He swerved into a parking spot, throws the door open, and slams it shut. He moves to the other side, helping Morris out before he storms up to the front door, pounding on it.

He's going to drop Morris off here. He wants Medda to see exactly what her precious little Jackie did to his baby brother.

What he doesn't expect is blue-eyed Davey to open the door.

His brows furrow as he recognizes the brothers. "What-"

"Out of the way," Oscar demands, trying to shove past him, eyes searching behind him for Medda.

The boy doesn't budge, frowning at him. "No. Why are you here? What do you want? Jack's-"

"Don't." Oscar snaps at him, and Davey's mouth snaps closed. "Where's Medda?"

Morris's hand finds the back of Oscar's shirt, tangling in it as he tries-and fails- to control his sobbing.

Davey turns to call for Medda over his shoulder, though he still doesn't step out of the way.

Medda emerges from the kitchen, smile on her face as she starts talking without looking up.

The smile falls as soon as she takes in the scene.

She hustles over, waving Davey out of the way, and ushering her boys in. She looks them over, checking for any physical damage. She tries to reach out for Morris, but he cries out, and Oscar moves in seconds, hand gripping her wrist to stop her. "Don't."

"Don't talk to her like that!" Davey scoffs from his spot across the room, indignant that they're treating her this way when she's just let them into her home.

Oscar turns a searing stare on him. The kind of look that-if looks could kill- would've had Davey gone six times over.

"You'd better shut your trap. Lucky I ain't already broke your nose and busted your teeth," Oscar snarls at him. "It's your boy's fault this is happening in the first place."

"My boy- you mean Jack?" Davey asks, almost a laugh in his voice.

"Think somethin's funny?!" Oscar jumps to his feet, lunging for Davey, but Medda takes him by the arm, holding him just out of reach.

He turns to her with an incredulous look on his face, but she just shakes her head. "Oscar, you know you can't stay if you're going to fight."

He swallows hard around the heat rising in his throat. He has to stay complacent. He has to take every hit to his pride so Morris can be safe.

He chokes on it.

Oscar shakes his head, yanking his arm away from her. "Take care o' Mo."

(It's about to get hella graphic plz be careful. I'm gonna put more red text at the end of the graphic stuff)

He storms out, going to the car, trying to ignore the wailing and weeping he can hear, even from outside.

Davey's suddenly beside him, hand on his arm, saying... something. Oscar can't hear it past the roaring in his ears. He can't find it in himself to care enough to listen.

He slams his head against Davey's, watching with dim satisfaction as he crumples to the ground. Oscar digs through his pockets, pulling out his wallet, finding his license. He punches the address into his gps, tossing the card back down as Davey stirs.

He climbs back into his car, and heads off.

He finds their house with relative ease. He marches up to the door, banging wildly on it, demanding to be let in.

The door swings open, revealing the man of the hour.

Jack Kelly

Oscar doesn't even wait for him to say anything before he pounces, both of the men crashing to the ground. Oscar has him pinned before Jack can do much of anything, and just starts whaling on him.

He doesn't think. He can't think. There's too much in him. Too many emotions. Too much anger that he's always just pushed down for Morris's sake. But, Morris isn't here.

Jack finds an opening enough to shove him off, and he tries to pin Oscar, but he isn't as practiced.

Oscar stands, chest heaving with his breaths as he kicks Jack down again. "Where is it?"

Jack is struggling to breathe, and Oscar can see it in the way he's moving and wheezing and struggling to stand. "Where's Mo's blanket?"

Jack staggers to his feet, breaths still coming out in wheezes. He glares at Oscar, trying to comprehend just what was being asked of him. He's seriously doing this over that fucking blanket? Nothing's changed. It's been almost two decades since they lived under the same roof, and Oscar Delancey hasn't changed one bit.

(This is the end of the super graphic stuff. There's mention of it further down, but nothing like what's between the red)

Still, he knows first hand that Oscar won't stop until he gets what he's looking for. Jack nods, holding tightly to his aching ribs, and disappears into the hall, leaving Oscar standing in the foyer alone.

Jack gets back quickly, throwing the blanket at Oscar-stupid ratty thing was worthless anyhow. "There. Now, get out."

Oscar holds tightly to the blanket, checking it over for damage. At least, more damage than it had had before. "You got a lotta nerve comin' to our house and takin' Mo's stuff. Him ain' done nothin' to you."

Jack has the audacity to laugh. Face beaten and bloodied, and he laughs?!

Oscar steps forward again, taking a sick sort of satisfaction in the way Jack cowers away from him.

"It's just a stupid blanket!" Jack huffs out, leaning against the wall. "What the hell does it matter if I have it or not?!"

"It ain't yours. That's what matters 'bout it. You don't get to do whatever you want," Oscar sneers, clutching the blanket tighter to his chest as he starts for the door. "Oh, and Kelly?"

Jack raises a brow, a soft "Hm?" escaping him.

"If you ever even think of hurting my little brother again, you gonna lose everyone you care about." He slammed the door closed behind him, going back for the car.

The drive back to Medda's, Oscar thinks over everything that had happened. His stomach sinks at the thought of what he might find when he gets back. Morris clawing and hitting and trying to find him. He isn't sure what he'll be like when he gets there. They've never been apart longer than a few minutes. And here he is, storming off. He's no better than the adults they grew up with, letting his anger take over and control him.

He's such an idiot.

He pulls back into his parking spot, Davey long gone from the sidewalk. He takes the blanket in his arms and makes his way to the door once more. He knocks, much softer than before, eyes welling with tears that he tries to hide when the door swings open again.

Medda pulls him in, wrapping her arms around him, one hand patting his back, the other curled securely around the back of his head. He gives a half-hearted attempt to push her away, though he ends up just sobbing against her chest for a moment. When he realizes Davey is sitting just across the room, he does pull away, wiping at his eyes.

"Where's Mo?" he croaks, and Medda gives him a small smile, patting his cheek.

"He's in your room, dear."

Oscar frowns at her. "He's... what?"

She leads him down the hall, to the very last door on the left, and opens it for him.

To say that Oscar is floored would be an understatement.

It's exactly like he remembers. Right down to the blue walls with the little daisies painted on them.

But

"Why?"

"I told you before you left, hun." Medda ruffles his hair, a show of affection she knows she may never get to do again. One she knows she's only getting to do now because both brothers are too vulnerable to deny. That Oscar doesn't have the energy left for a fit about being touched or doted on or pitied. "My kids always have a home here."

Oscar almost can't move. He's too overwhelmed by the thought that she'd kept it exactly how he'd left it.

And then, his eyes land on the sleeping form on the bed, and he crosses the threshold.

Medda closes the door behind him, and Morris whines as Oscar climbs into bed next to him. He tucks the blanket under Morris's arm, and kisses his head.

"Sorry, Mo... I had to get your blanket."