#some soff floof for this verse

[stingslikeabee]

Magnifico clicked his tongue thoughtfully and waved a hand. That dismissed the last of the staff members who were assisting him in the wine cellar, which was currently also serving as a sort of general storage of all of the hotel's spirits. The legendary party to ring in the New Year was only days away, and it was up to the self - named King to approve the drinks that would be offered.

After the scurrying footsteps were gone, Magnifico turned toward the last individual left with him. He smiled pleasantly for his wife. As always, she had exquisite taste ; the proposed menu, spread out before him in sparkling glasses, was exceptional. It would certainly live up to the memory of festivities past.

"You have a remarkable talent for this," Magnifico said, nodding smartly. "I'm sure our guests will very much enjoy indulging themselves on your selections."

After a moment, the manager reached out. He laid a hand gently on Melissa's rounded belly. Their first child moved beneath his palm. "I'm sorry you cannot do the same, mi vida. If only she had been a Christmas baby." Magnifico chuckled. His brilliant eyes flicked across the room, to his private stash that was never included in the official inventory.

" — but that is alright. Let her be safe in there, for a little longer. Besides, I have something special for our private celebration after she arrives. Did I ever tell you, Melissa ?? The champagne that we used to toast at our wedding . . . it was such a delicious small batch and so special afterwards that I couldn't resist. I tracked down every bottle left in the world and stashed them here, under our palace. " Magnifico drew his hand down, placed it on Melissa's hip, and sighed. Underneath the edge of his collar glittered the expensive chain that held his own mementos for their growing family.

"I'll open the next one the minute you ask."

unscripted asks . always accepting

It was remarkable how Melissa's reactions to the flattery offered in return for her job had changed over the years. As soon as the Continental traded hands, the concierge had been arrogant to the point of rudeness - of course she was splendid; the place would have burned down if she stepped away for five minutes considering the inexperienced management.

But now, after marrying the same man she once called 'impossible' and 'the bane of her existence'? The woman smiled pleasantly, and basked in the warm, soothing feeling of being appreciated. It was true that making the right selection of wine for such an important night and considering the menu to be offered was something Melissa took pride in, but even more so with Magnifico's approval.

At his following words and affectionate touch, the concierge smiled and joined him - palm over palm, both calmly experiencing the joy of new life in a world surrounded by so much death. A conscious choice to create a legacy and one that Melissa would fight like something feral to protect - but no longer alone. The manager's joke about the slightly delayed birth date was shared by his wife; but the revelation of just what type of bottles had filled his private storage area left the brunette speechless.

"Nicolás..." the true name of the man escaped under murmured breath, eyes scintillating under the subdued light of the cellar with a mixture of wonder and incredulity which eventually combined into fond resignation. But of course he had done it - it was just his style. Money meant nothing to someone in possession not only of a coin press but fortune like his; sourcing every bottle of that particular Dom Pérignon vintage should have been just another menial job for his exquisite tastes.

Melissa's right hand moved up, finding Magnifico's face and brushing a thumb over his cheek fondly; it dropped to the neck then, followed by the honeyed gaze of a content mother and wife, anxious and happy whenever she looked at his growing collection of pendants for his most precious treasures. Not gold in a vault, not this time - but the three of them and the future children they had talked about, if all went well.

A fitting legacy for a king and his queen.

"I cannot wait until the doctors clear me for that toast, my darling. Our wedding night was one of the best of my life - I would never refuse another sip of that champagne," the woman chuckled, moving in closer to press a kiss to his lips and enlace him around the neck. But, unlike their own special day when vows were exchanged, the embrace was much less intense in light of the daughter to-be-born in-between their bodies.

"You are impossible, my love," Melissa chuckled at long last, still reeling from his confession about the flamboyant gesture in selfishly keeping all that champagne for themselves. She would have thought him silly and insecure for it before - but now?

"And I adore you for it."

Melissa would kill (and die) for him.