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deuxcherise · 4 months ago

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Collar Crimes: Self-Preservations

C/w: Unhealthy behavior, OCs, yandere male, tsundere male, kidnapping, violence against doors, slight fluff (?), slight comfort (?), reader insert, gender neutral reader, includes a picture of cutting board with fruits and a knife (you’ll see why~).

A/n: So! Back with another chapter for Collar Crimes. I had a plan originally to introduce another yandere in this chapter, but the build-up here is quite delicious in my opinion so I’ll save the introduction for whenever the time comes. Basically a tiny time-skip from the last chapter because I was thinking that the problem was that everything that was happening to you, the reader, takes too little time between each “event” so to speak, so yeah! Also exploring some of your personal life outside of Eris and friends. Enjoy~!

Masterlist | Part 5, Part 6 (you’re here!), Part 7

It has been about a month since the Family Portrait incident and life has returned to normal…

But what would be considered abnormal at this point?

Briiing! Briiing! Tch.

“Hello~ This is Lychee speaking~ How may I sweeten up your day today?” you sing into the phone.

“Sweetheart~ I’ve missed you sooooo much!” the caller answers.

Although no one besides your coworkers can see your face, you resist the urge to roll your eyes at yet another cringey lovey-dovey line of your newest client. That nickname is one of the many roles you’ve had to take on.

“Darling”, “honey”, “sweetie”, “sweet talker”, “beautiful”, “my special”, “youngster”, “lady”, “sir”, “ma’am”, “dad”-

Sometimes, you get called even more vulgar things you do not wish to recall at the moment. But whatever the customer wants, the customer gets— you play the role, they pay your bills. Can't really complain.

Of course, your mind echoes, no one could beat the way Eris calls you “lov-

You slam your head against your desk, producing a loud bang. Your client on the line worriedly exclaims, “S-sweetheart? What was that?”

You clear your throat, fingers tenderly pressed against the sore area on your forehead. “N-nothing at all, dear~ I just accidentally dropped a heavy stapler. It’s been a long day, ah…”

Speaking of that guy, ever since he dropped you off at home and went, you haven’t seen him around. Specifically, only physically, seeing as your fridge is still stocked with fresh meals. Still, the lack of his dopey smiling face for a whole month straight is… concerning.

“Aww~ My sweetheart is working so hard… I’ll tell you what. Tonight, I’ll take you to the fanciest restaurant in the city, okay? My treat.”

Wow. Such a grand gesture. This client really enjoys roleplaying some rich savior. Kind of like- “Ehhh? Don’t worry about it. And besides, I’m working pretty late tonight so… ”

“Noooo! You can’t refuse,” your client says. “I’ll march right up to your company and kidnap you away myself if I have to.”

“Pffft. Don’t make that kind of joke, Ren,” you fake laugh. Dear lord, if only the police were more reliable in this godforsaken city…

“Ah~ I really like it when you say my name. Do it again.”

“Ren?”

“Again. But more lovely.”

“Ren~” you repeat with a soft and breathy tone.

The caller on the phone giggles maniacally before they bid you goodbye with lots of kisses and other corny romantic lines, making you shiver. You hang up the phone with a little force and release a heavy sigh as you slouch back against your chair. One of your coworkers leans back far on her own chair to show her face past the divider between your desks.

“Long daaay?” she asks.

Eye closed, you nod. “Mmhm.”

…..

Sensing eyes on you, you open your own and turn towards your coworker, who looks like she’s a soda can about to burst. You almost laugh. “Yes?”

She puckers up her lip, humming, “Mmm… ya know~ The usual? Can I? Please?”

You mentally prepare yourself and shrug. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Yay!” She celebrates with both arms raised before she takes a deep breath. “So-”

-----

“-or not? Like how do I know if she really loves me? What do you think, (Y/n)?”

Truth be told, you might have zoned out after twenty minutes before zoning back in during the last few minutes of the hour-long rant. Shockingly, not a single call came in to interrupt the conversation. “Uh… so what’s the problem again?” you ask. “Didn’t she already agree to date you?”

“I know,” Cherry insists, throwing her hands up in defeat. “But I'm still so worried. Like what if she looks at someone else and finds them better than me? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COMPARE??? SHE IS A GODDESS, I TELL YOU. I AM NOTHING BUT A DISGUSTING BUG THAT NEEDS TO STEPPED ON OR SO HELP ME-”

You keep silent as she releases her passion out loud, much to the detriment of your other coworkers. Your other coworker, Azure, sat on your other side, leans back on his chair to join the conversation. “Hey, Cherry. If you’re this crazy about your girlfriend now, what’s gonna happen when you finally marry her?” he chuckles.

She quiets and turns towards Azure slowly like one of those possessed dolls, tears beading at the bottom of her eyes and crooked grin on her lips. “Ohoho… Well… If I had it my way…” She looks up thoughtfully and wraps her arms around her body. “I’d lock her up with me in our house and we’d stay in bed all day. Just me and my honey~ Isn’t that a wonderful idea?”

Old memories of a familiar dynamic bleed into your head, sending a shiver up your spine. That’s a horrible idea, you want to comment, but your voice doesn’t leave your tightened throat. Instead, what comes out is: “Uh… uh…

“Doesn’t your girlfriend like being outside though?” Azure points out.

Cherry tilts her head, still smiling. “Um... Yeah?”

“So if you keep her inside all day, won’t she come to hate you?”

Cherry’s maniacal face shatters into terror. “I… I…” Her pupils begin to tremble. “Could that happen? Could that really, really happen?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Azure responds. “If you love someone, you have to let them have the freedom to come and go. If they love you, they’ll stay. If they don’t, then let them go.”

Wow�� that’s a really mature-

“Then again,” His voice then becomes more dark and gravelly, “You never know who’s just waiting to come in out of nowhere and sweep them off their feet. Relationships are… a delicate balance, of giving and taking. If your girlfriend wanders around too much, maybe you should keep her on a tight leash. I know I would…”

You stare at him and then your eyes move towards the solid, light blue top of your desk where your keyboard lies. Perhaps it may be because of your age or because of the recent chaos you’ve experienced, that you’ve started to notice these little things. Like how some of the keys on your keyboard that you use a lot are a little lower than the ones you typically don’t use. Or how there are tiny, tiny imperfections on the surface of your desk that you don’t feel at all when you pass your fingers across. Like how far back you and your coworkers have to lean back just to see each other past the deep dividers, just like how you’ve never noticed how… odd they were before despite working here for about five years now.

What exactly attracted Eris to you in the first place? Is it the same as what attracted your ex? What about you exactly causes the attraction, because you would really like to stop being a magnet for all of these weirdos, romantic or platonic!

…..

Well, one weirdo is okay. When he’s not annoyingly clingy, Eris’s… a decent person. Like when you’d come home after a long, hard day, he greets you at the door with that dopey smile of his. He’d draw a bath for you or massage your shoulders. Then he’d present and serve a dish he spent all day cooking. And then dessert. And then tuck you in for the night, making sure the AC is at the optimal temperature to sleep comfortably and cozy.

…..

You groan. Maybe it’s better this way. You’ll get used to being by yourself again, just like after you left… Besides, it was getting annoying having to endure his warm hugs and sweet whispers all the time…

“(Y/n)!?” Cherry shrieks after you bang your head on your desk again.

Azure snickers. “You must be thinking of lover boy, huh?”

You glare at him through your eyes and voice, your ever-present blank expression lending no assistance. “No. Say that again and I’ll stick my foot up your ass, Blueberry.”

You can visibly see his shoulders shake as he smirks, containing his laughter. “I really can’t take you seriously when you have such a straight face.” He settles down with an amused sigh, a look of concern replacing his smirk. “But seriously, you seem kind of… I dunno. Out of it lately.”

You wrinkle your eyebrows. “... Really?”

“Yeah! Azure’s right. Even your Lychee voice is lacking that… that sparkle-sparkle quality,” Cherry adds, mimicking fireworks with her hands. “Are you okay, (Y/n)? You’re even banging your head…” Her red eyes go wide. “You’re not trying to erase memories of those perverted callers, are you!? THERE ARE BETTER WAYS-”

“I’m sure that’s not what (Y/n)’s trying to do, right? ‘Cause if you need forgetting,” Azure says, patting your back before taking out a black bat with skulls and x’s patterned all over it from under his desk, “all you just need to do is ask. I’ll help you out for free, courtesy as a fellow Fruity Friend~”

“Yeah…” You ignore the happy-murderer look on Azure’s face, sit up straight, and place both of your hands on your desk with determination. “You know what? I think I need a vacation.”

Cherry and Azure gasp. “A vacation!?”

Indeed… You stand up from your desk with such vigor it elicits a second gasp from them and walk straight towards the manager’s office. A vacation is exactly what I need. Away from this job. Away from my apartment. Away from all of these crazy people!!!

-----

“YOU CAN’T, (Y/N)! PLEASE, YOU CAN’T GO ON VACATION. YOU’RE ONE OF OUR BEST CALLERS! Y-YOU KNOW WHAT?? HOW ABOUT I RAISE YOUR SALARY, HUH?”

You click your tongue. “You can’t buy me with mon-”

“I’ll raise your salary to XXXXXX.”

“.....”

-----

You close the office door behind you with a sigh. Looking next to you, you find Cherry and Azure waiting with bated breath, making the questioning gesture with their palms up to receive the verdict.

“So?” Cherry speaks, her pouty lips making an ‘o’.

You simply answer with a shrug, “I got a pay raise.”

The two of them drop their arms and groan. “I knew it,” Azure sighs, burying his face in his hands. “The money’s too good to quit!”

While you failed to acquire approval for vacation, you’re not feeling too bad considering your income has just upgraded from rent money and leftover takeout to rent money and luxurious restaurant dine-in and leftovers. Though, with your fridge stocked, you suppose you could apply the extra funds towards other things…

But what things? you wonder. Other than a place to live, something to eat, and the bathroom, there is not much you desire nowadays. Once upon a time, you would’ve slobbered over luxury brand items and all that stuff… You found out the hard way that all the sparkling opulence in the world couldn’t afford you any warmth and comfort in a cold, restrictive cage.

Out of an old habit you haven’t gotten rid of, you start to caress your left ring finger with your right index finger and thumb. “Riiight?” you agree, bitterly.

-----

With the end of the work day, employees of Fruity Friends bid their adieus to each other and either set foot home or to an outing. You, Azure, and Cherry head out of the doors of your company building and down the stairs onto the sidewalk.

“C’mooon! Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” Cherry whines, behind you with hands on your shoulders.

“Yeah, gonna go home,” you answer, shoulders wobbling from side-to-side with each step. “Wanna sleep.”

Azure snickers on the side. “What are you? A senior citizen?”

“Hardy har har,” you laugh unenthusiastically, gently brushing Cherry’s hands off your shoulder. “You guys go on ahead without me, okay? Have fun.”

At that moment, a black limousine with tinted black windows drives up the curb and stops into front of you three. The chauffeur comes out, a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair, dressed in a fancy chauffeur outfit, and gestures towards you before greeting, “Good afternoon, dear esteemed guest of the Ermine Family. We are here to escort you to your dinner reservation with our eldest son, Eris Ermine.”

You stare like a deer in headlights. “Huh?”

Azure and Cherry look between you and the chauffeur before teasing you with an, “Ooooooh!”

“Wow~ fancy, fancy~” Cherry nudges you with her elbow.

“Got a dinner date with lover boy, huh~?” Azure nudges you on your other side.

They said Eris, but… “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong person,” you say, jabbing your coworkers with your own elbows at their sides to make them stop.

The chauffeur shakes his head. “I do believe we have the right person. You are (Y/n) (M/n) (L/n), are you not?”

You almost click your tongue, but don’t out of manners. You haven’t seen that stupid guy in over a month and now he suddenly sends someone to pick you up? That’s so… unlike him.

“I’m not. I’ve been mistaken for that person before. Good day,” you say, grabbing your coworkers by the shoulders and dragging off. Your coworkers luckily get the memo and decide to go along without resistance.

“My deepest apologies, dear (L/n),” the chauffeur says, pulling the visor of his hat slightly downward. “I was informed by Mr. Ermine that if you do not come willingly, we are required to use force if needed.”

Goosebumps race along your skin upon his words, sending you into high gear as you grab your coworkers by arms and pull them into a run, managing only a few feet before to get pulled down by the weight of your coworkers. Looking at them in confusion, you find little fuzzy-ended darts embedded into the back of their necks. Before you can scream or make a move, gloved arms cover your mouth and wrap around your body, lifting you up into the air and towards the limousine. Struggle as you might, your restrained punches and kicks have no effect on the kidnappers.

After you get thrown into the backseat of the limousine, you immediately try to get up and out only for the door to slam shut. The push button is immediately locked, trapping you inside. You hear the chauffeur getting to the driver’s seat. Making a last ditch attempt, you throw yourself against the windows, the side windows and the tinted window separating you and the chauffeur, but your effort is vain and all you end up with are two bruised shoulders. Punching against the glass, you screaming, “LET ME OUT OR I SWEAR TO GOD I- I- I'LL-”

Tssshhhh…

“Apologies, dear guest” the chauffeur merely says, as you begin to lose consciousness from the gas leaking into the backseat. The last thing you hear from him is, “This is just business.”

-----🔔-----

For newcomers who would dare set foot in the city of Agobury, it is highly advised to pay close attention to where their foot lands. Any one spot could be the right step into the right places, or tossed into the water for the wild piranhas to eat.

…..

Most of the inhabitants of the city live on paved streets like the classy folk they are, and no one has the time to dig six feet down at the edge of the city for some nobody's corpse to rot in. Make sense?

Of course, as humor goes, there is no clear distinction or indication for which streets belong to who. To an outside, that is. It is often said that only those born and raised in Agobury can survive in Agobury. And those who used to live in Agobury… Well, nobody talks about them, get the gist?

However, if an outsider does somehow manage to succeed in assimilating into the city, then it is often said that they have made a deal with the Devil. The May Devils, to be exact, who are rumored to own more than half of the city. The other half is supposedly scattered between smaller organizations, but they too warrant respect or fear by their own right.

“Or so they say,” Ollie murmurs, arms crossed as he leans against the wall.

He stands up straight and looks at his best friend, who’s humming a tune while placing a tin full of batter into the oven. This scene of Eris dressed up in a pink apron decorated with red hearts and matching oven mitts goes against Eris’s typical image, prompting him to demand, “What the hell are you doing? Training to be a malewife or something?”

Eris snaps out of his daydreams and looks over. “Hm? Oh! Nah, I suggested that to my lover already and they refused. And this, I'm just baking a cake for my six-month relationship milestone~”

“Oh.” Ollie deadpans. “That's a thing?”

“Uh, yeah?” Eris answers as if Ollie just asked if the sky was blue. He takes off his oven mitts and tosses them on the counter before prepping the washed fruits on a cutting board. “So make sure your men take extra care in delivering this one, mkay? I'll kill them if my lover gets a mess.”

Ollie tosses a glance behind himself, taking note of the stone walls and surprisingly mahogany-plated bolted steel door separating this room from the rest of the world. Of course, there is a guard waiting outside to help him get in and out, and several cameras to serve as extras eyes in case of an emergency, but he knows better than anyone that even with the room being several hundred feet underground and locked behind several dozens of thick, reinforced steel gateways, it all wouldn’t be enough to keep Eris cooped up here.

In fact, for the last four weeks, Eris has turned what used to be an empty stone-covered haunted looking basement into a cozy home for himself, and having Ollie’s men deliver the goods. To be fair, the May Devils probably gave the weasel some furniture and a usable kitchen just to keep the violent man occupied and placated with the lack of windows and any access to the outside world. So million dollar question is-

“Why haven’t you broken out yet?” Ollie asks. “I thought you'd put up more of a fight.”

Eris pops a blueberry into his mouth to test out if it's sweet or not. Finding it at the right level of sweetness, he hums in delight as he imagines you happily enjoying this same sweetness.

“Oh, that. Well… y’know your parents visited me a few days ago and gave me some advice. They said that distance makes the heart grow fonder. I don't exactly agree with that since I feel like I'm dying every day I don’t see my lover,” Eris says with a smile on his face though his eyes are dark and his chopping of the apples is audibly sharp as if to emphasize the point. “But your parents have been married for so long and have many children together and they still clearly love each other, so I trust them.”

The same parents who have been urging me to make a move on (Y/n) ever since you’ve been locked up, Ollie almost wants to add out of spite. Almost. Trust is truly a fragile commodity around these parts.

“Besides, I gotta stay away for a while,” Eris continues. “I didn’t realize the flies around my lover were devils.”

“Huh… How kind of you.” And out-of-character! The Eris he knew didn't care about consequences. What kind of sorcery have you casted on that beast of a weasel? Not that Ollie himself hasn't been bewitched somewhat, if he had to be honest…

Eris’s expression turns wicked with a condescending smirk. “Oh, right. You probably don’t understand ‘cause you haven’t fallen in love yet. My bad~ ” he teases.

One of Ollie’s eyes twitches. “I'll have you know-”

“That our Ollie has fallen in love~”

Eris turns and Ollie twists around to find Ollie's mother, who has appeared out of nowhere along with Ollie's father in tow.

“Mother!? Father!? What are you doing here?” Ollie exclaims.

Ollie's mother pouts and places her hands on her hips. “We can't visit our son and his best friend?”

“Well, that's-”

“But anyway~” Ollie's mother waves her hand, cutting Ollie off. “Our dear Ollie has fallen in love, dear Eris. Unfortunately, it is…” She places a hand over heart and the other over her forehead in a dramatic pose with fluttering eyes. “A forbidden love,” she finishes. Ollie's father nods, placing a hand over his heart and looking forlorn to emphasize the drama.

“Again!? You two, stop it!” Ollie pleads.

Eris crooks an eyebrow in disbelief. “Forbidden love? Ollie?”

Ollie turns back to Eris, fear in his wide eyes. He wouldn't call what he felt for you… “love” as his parents keep telling him, but… it might be… something close to it. Maybe. Despite having the back of his head slammed against the wooden floor of your apartment, he still hasn't forgotten how your heavenly happy face made his heart skip a beat-

Ollie would be hard-pressed to call that “love”. It’s not! He barely knows you. It's like, uh, like admiring a beautiful piece of art, okay?? Art prompts feelings. That's what it's supposed to do!

But there's no possible way he could share and work out these feelings with Eris or anyone else without getting beat up or made fun of. Damn it… “It's not love!” Ollie insists.

Eris snorts. “Okay.”

Ding!

“Oh! My cake!” Eris chirps, forgetting about the other people in the room in favor of bringing out the cake and prepping the frosting and icing for when it cools down.

Ollie's mother wraps an arm around Ollie’s shoulder to keep him in place as she leans towards Ollie's ear and whispers behind a hand, “I see you've already made a move on our dear (Y/n). How devious~”

“What??” Ollie shouts in shock.

Eris looks over curiously. Blocking his view is Ollie’s father, who flops a hand up and down as if to say, “Don't mind them.” The unsuspecting weasel nods in understanding before Ollie’s father points to the bowl of cream in Eris’s hands, which prompts Eris to explain the whole six month relationship milestone thing while the mother-and-son duo are scheming in the background.

Ollie's cheeks are being squished almost to the point of painful by his mother’s fingers. “Since when have you decided to raise your voice at your mother?” she jokes menacingly before she releases his cheeks and drags him out of the room and through one gateway. Once that gateway shut, his mother crosses her arms with a pout. “What's with that reaction earlier, hm?”

Ollie only looks at her incredulously. “Mother! One, I'm not interested in-” He whispers, trying to avoid his voice from being picked up by the cameras in the hallway. “(Y/n) like that. Two, they’re Eris's lover and I like living, thank you very much. And three, I haven't made any kind of moves.”

“Eh?” She looks at him with confusion. “Well, first of all, there’s no ring so you still have a chance. Secondly, everyone knows, besides Eris, that you’re interested in them so might as well make your move-”

Ollie chokes on his tongue. “Huh-”

“And three, how come you made the reservation for Eris and his lover if you’re not attending?” his mother asks.

Ollie's eyebrows furrowed. “I didn't make any reservations for them. Did you?”

“No…?”

The two go back inside the basement and interrogate Eris, who is in the middle of deciding what color to make the frosting. Ollie’s father, on the other hand, is assisting with coming up with potential designs for the cake, utilizing parchment paper and colored frosting.

“Huh? I didn't make any dinner reservations?” Eris says, confused before his eyes begin to light up. “Wait, are those devils letting me go?”

“No. But if you didn't make any reservations, then who is your lover going with?”

“You weren't joking?” Eris's voice goes shrill. His eyes panically jolt all over the place until a particular thought enters his mind. He slaps the palm of his hand against his forehead and groans.

Without needing a word, Ollie’s own eyes widen in horror. “It's not who I think it is, right?”

“Ah, could it be?” Ollie's mother wonders aloud, a person on her mind. Ollie's father tilts his head before his own eyes widen.

“DAMN IT!” Eris roars, slamming a fist on the counter before grabbing the knife and storming towards the door.

Ollie tries to stop him. “Eris, you can't-”

Eris sends the steel door flying with one kick. The impact against the parallel wall shatters the beautiful mahogany-plating instantly, leaving only a bent door collapsed on the wall, much to Ollie’s horror.

This particular door was only as thick as probably two doors. The rest of the reinforced doors standing in Eris’s way, well…

WOOOO! WOOOO! WOOOO!

The alarm goes off, signaling to the May Devil's security team to come take down their most dangerous prisoner who's on his way to you.

Ollie pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why is it always the mahogany…”

#comfort #fluff #broken door #imprisonment #yandere oc #yandere male #cute yandere #soft yandere #yandere x reader #tsundere #tsundere x reader #reader insert #gender neutral reader #gn reader #deuxcherise collar crimes #deuxcherise writes

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bratshaws · 1 year ago

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through the hourglass 278.brb x oc

a/n: i hate you so much S I R (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none uwu

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

/253/254/255/256/257/258/259/260/261/262/263/264/265/266

/267/268/269/270/271/272/273/274/275/276/277

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

@emilybradshaw @louisahale @leobabbyyy @booklover2sblog @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes @taytaylala12

@caitsymichelle13 @becks-things @caatheeriinee07 @fanboyswhore9 @jesfreedark @katiemcrae @lilmonstrjedi @hobiismyhopeu @teacupsandtopgun @insominac23 @gh0stsgoodgirl @mygyn @chavivaelisheva @kmc1989 @enchantingharmonyalpaca

“It’s going to be, a happy happy daaay.” she sings while placing the balloons on the wall, ‘A happy,happy day, because why?” she turns around and points at Nikki, who just looks up at her from her spot on the floor, Jack opening one of his eyes when the toddler leans against him, ‘Because it’s your birthday! Yay!”

Nicole blinked, but her mother was being funny, so she giggled in response.

Beatrice continued to decorate the living room, singing the cheerful tune about a happy day for her baby girl's first birthday. She was so excited, not only because it was Nicole’s birthday, but because it was Rooster’s.

Nicole watched her mother with wide, curious eyes, her tiny fingers gripping a soft plush toy. She had always been fascinated by her mother's actions and the world around her. Today, the lively colors seemed to captivate her even more.

Beatrice knelt beside Nicole and handed her a small balloon. "Here you go, sweetie. You can play with this while Mama finishes decorating. It's your special day, after all."

Nicole accepted the balloon with a gentle gasp, and held it up in her tiny hand, examining it with childlike wonder with her eyes wide. The colorful balloon seemed like the most fascinating thing in the world at that moment. She even showed it to Jack, but the brown dog only gave it a gentle sniff before going back to sleep.

Beatrice's heart swelled with love as she watched Nicole play with the balloon. She could hardly believe it. Nicole was no longer a newborn but a lively one-year-old, and her personality was shining through more and more each day.

She has a lot of,what Beatrice called, Rooster-isms. From the way they slept the same, the way her daughter’s eyes crinkled when she smiled and how much…hair she had. Nicole had a lot of hair, in fact, so did her siblings. While Aurora and Gavin had a few weeks left at the NICU to be sure they’d be alright, it was obvious that all the kids had an immense amount of strands.

Even the nurses commented on it when they visited the twins there.

The decorations for Nicole's and Rooster's joint birthday celebration were well underway. Beatrice had chosen vibrant, joyful colors to adorn the living room – balloons of red, blue, and gold floated gently near the ceiling, while streamers of matching colors crisscrossed the walls. Eleanor was currently staring at a streamer like it called her a bad name, but she didn’t try to bite it or anything.

Beatrice returned to hanging more balloons, her singing gradually transitioning into humming as she worked. Not being able to contain her own joy because of this.

It was a huge milestone.

Nicole watched her mother's movements with rapt attention, her little fingers gently caressing the balloon in her hand, blinking when she heard the rubber squeak loudly. The sound snapped Jack out of his slumber and made Eleanor look back at the sitting toddler.

Beatrice blinked, looking back as well and half expecting her daughter to cry,because well, it was a loud unknown noise. But she could only see as Nicole took it as ‘oh? a new way to make sound? nice.’ and she repeated the movement.

Her daughter's curiosity was boundless, and even unfamiliar sounds were seen as an opportunity for exploration and discovery. I

But unfortunately, that sound was unbelievably annoying, “Nikki.” she sets everything back, the noise was enough to bring Jolene back inside from her morning nap, “Nikki, honey, no no.” she has to be careful when picking the balloon, “No, you hold it here.”

“Aaa?”

“Yes, here,” and she pokes it, making it move back and forth, hoping it’d be enough for Nicole to stop this weird one instrument symphony.

Nicole watched her mother's movements closely, her eyes fixed on the balloon. Her little fingers stretched out to touch it, her attempts to mimic Beatrice's actions were her main focus right now.

Beatrice smiled warmly at her daughter's attempts. "That's right, Nikki. See? We can have fun without the loud sounds, too."

The room was now filled with a sense of calm as Nicole focused on the task at hand. Jack and Eleanor had also settled down, with Jolene sitting close to Beatrice as she watched the scene.

She made a few more slow and controlled movements with the balloon to emphasize the point, her soft-spoken encouragement filling the air. "That's perfect, birdie. You're doing such a great job."

Nicole's attention remained fixed on the balloon, her tiny fingers carefully manipulating it. Focused, so very focused.

Beatrice observed Nicole's concentration, she had no doubt that Nicole was going to grow up to be a bright, inquisitive child with a penchant for exploring and learning…and considering how she liked climbing on people…well, yeah, the adventurous part was almost certain.

“There,see? Now,’ Beatrice places her hands on her knees and pushes herself up with a gentle groan, letting out an ‘ow’ when something in her spine popped,”Now mama is going to finish decorating, daddy will be home soon enough, he doesn’t have work today,remember?”

Nicole was too busy making the balloon bounce to say anything.

“...well! I’ll be here,Nikki.”

Returning to an upright position, Beatrice glanced at her surroundings, taking stock of the decorations she had yet to complete. Her task was far from over, and there was still work to be done to ensure that their home was perfect for the upcoming joint birthday celebration.

The sounds of balloons being tied and decorations being hung filled the house. Jack, who had managed to nod off again in a more comfortable spot, remained peacefully asleep. Jolene, content to sit and observe her surroundings, watched Beatrice's every move.

And Eleanor was glaring through the door, as always.

When Beatrice heard the white dog’s tail thwap repeatedly on the wall, she knew exactly what was happening, “Oh,is Rooster back,Ellie?” Eleanor barks once, standing on her hind legs to have a better vision of the Bronco rolling into a park by the sidewalk, “Remember,it’s his birthday today, give him some extra loving, yeah?”

Eleanor barked again, jumping from left to right with her eyes locked on the outside, whining happily when she heard Rooster’s footsteps approaching. The noise was enough to make Nikki stop playing with the balloon as well, “Dada?” she drops it aside, standing to her feet - Jolene immediately walked up to her and let her hold herself against her ribs - gurgling a laugh.

Rooster's footsteps echoed in the hallway as he approached the front door, stopping to pull out his keys - the jingle jangle only making the dogs and Nicole more excited.

As he entered the house, the sight that greeted him was nothing short of heartwarming. Nicole stood with the help of Jolene, and the little one was trying to reach for her daddy,”Dadaaaaa!!” her face radiant with joy. Eleanor was doing her best to jump up and give him a proper welcome, her white tail wagging vigorously.

Rooster did give Ellie some affectionate pats. "Hey, Ellie. Thank you-thank-” she jumps higher, “Ellie, calm down, it’s okay.” He couldn't help but chuckle at her boundless enthusiasm.

He then turned his attention to Nicole, who was giggling with excitement. "My baby girl!! Hi sweetie!” Nicole babbled in response, her tiny hands reaching out for him, her bright eyes locked onto his. ‘My sweet baby!Hi!”

Beatrice observed the heartwarming scene with a smile as she continued her work with the decorations. She tried to be as blasé as she could, but she couldn’t hide the smile on her face as she watched them.

"Hi baby girl, where’s mama?" Rooster chuckled, giving Nicole a playful kiss on her cheek when she points to where she last saw her mom. "You are so smart- excuse me Ellie.” he steps over the white dog, whose excitement went back to normal and she was back to glaring at the outside.

Beatrice paused in her decorating to look back at him when he entered the living room, his free hand propping on his hip as he took over the decorations she had set up already, “So?” she gestures with her hands, wringing them together out of habit, “What do you think so far?”

Rooster glanced around the room, taking in the colorful decorations that adorned their home, lips pursed. His eyes danced over the balloons, banners, and streamers, each element carefully chosen to bring life to the room. The effort and love Beatrice had put into preparing for their birthdays were evident in every corner.

Rooster approached the wall where Beatrice put the pictures of him when he was one year old next to Nicole’s. And he couldn’t help but look at it for a long while, “Look Nikki.” he points, “Look it’s daddy when he was your age.”

Nicole's eyes followed her daddy's finger as he pointed to the framed picture of a one-year-old Rooster. The image captured a chubby-cheeked, baby version of him, his eyes wide with curiosity while he smiled at the camera.

Beatrice watched the heartwarming moment unfold, and couldn't help but comment on it. "I thought it’d be nice…and-and when the twins come home, we can do that for them too. By the way, how are they?”

Rooster steps back from the wall to turn towards Bea, “Not so different from when we went there before gorgeous.” he smirks, “They are fine, they are very healthy and ready to come back home.” he lifts Nicole and puts her on his shoulders, her tiny hands hold on his golden brown tresses while he holds her feet, “Nothing out of the ordinary, the nurses said that you shouldn’t worry…I also got myself a birthday cookie there.”

“Oh?”

“Well, it’s usually done to kids who have birthdays but since the twins are almost out and…well, it is my birthday.” he puls something out of his back pocket, “I saved it up to share with Nicole.”

She didn’t know why, but her eyes immediately filled with tears. Her lower lip juts out and her hand lands on top of her heart as she looks down at the clear packaging with the bright multicolored ribbon keeping it closed. A smiling bear card is wrapped on it, ‘Happy Birthday!’ in big red cursive letters, “Aw…oh that’s so sweet…oh Roos, you are so sweet.”

He showed the colorful birthday cookie to Nicole, who was sitting atop his shoulders, her little hands reaching out eagerly. "Here you go, baby girl. Daddy and Mama are going to share this with you."

“Ah,ah,ah.” Beatrice grabs the little box before either of them decided to open it, “Not yet, Nikki still has to have her lunch and we need to finish decorating so everyone can come by.” she says, “Then you can have a bite.”

Amazingly, or not, both of them pout.

“Oh, you two, stop it.”

The pouting expressions on both Rooster and Nicole's faces were absolutely adorable. They shared a silent exchange, mimicking each other's mock expressions of disappointment. Beatrice couldn't help but laugh ,swatting her hand on her husband’s chest, “Stop it, you two are way too cute.I swear.”

“Mama,” Nicole opens her hand, “Ookie!”

Rooster gasps in surprise, eyes wide and a clear wave of satisfaction hit him, “You heard her.”

“Rooster,no, she can’t have it.”

“Gorgeous, it’s her first birthday.”

“Exactly.”she says, marching to the kitchen, “That’s why we should keep this safe for later.” she smiles when he mutters ‘it’s my birthday too…’

Rooster playfully stuck out his bottom lip again, "Guess I have to wait for my own birthday cookie, huh?"

Beatrice giggled as she put the colorful birthday cookie out of Nicole's reach. She knew her husband's sweet tooth and she could see the chunks of chocolate in the cookie. "Yes, Roos, you'll have to wait, just like the rest of us. It'll taste even better later."

He sighed dramatically, shrugging - the movement making Nicole move on his shoulders and giggle a bit. "Alright, I'll be patient. I can do this. I'm a strong Navy pilot, after all." his eyes flit to the fridge, where she put the cookie, “I can do this.”

“You managed through worse,right?”

“....yessss….”

Beatrice chuckled, her fingers gently tracing his cheek. "You have to relax, honey. Your chocolate sweet tooth will be dealt with, but first-" she points to their garden, “We need to set up the tables and everything out there…and set the grill ready- you sure you want to do it? I can ask Michael to grill stuff for you.’

He scoffs in surprise, “That’s the peak dad activity,babe. Hell yeah I wanna do it. Bonus that it’s mine and Nikki’s birthday to do so.”

Beatrice nodded with a smile, waiting for him outside with her hand on her cocked hip. "Alright, Roos, you're the birthday grill master today. We'll set everything up in the garden, and you can work your magic on the grill. I'm sure everyone is going to love the food."

“Hell yeah.”

“Also,I tried telling my mom there was no need to bring anything else…but…” she shrugs, “You are my husband and Nikki is our daughter. You know what that means?”

“...extra food?”

“So much.” she smirks, “See why I told you to not eat the cookie yet?”

"I get it….I mean extra food for the win." he says, walking up with her to the center of their backyard with Nicole still holding onto his head, “Now what do you have in mind?”

Brightly colored balloons and streamers adorned the perimeter of the garden. The balloons swayed gently in the breeze, some of them shaped like fighter jets. Their large, wooden picnic tables were set up in the center of the garden, each covered with colorful tablecloths that matched the theme of the day.

“Okay,so!”She turned to Rooster, her eyes sparkling with excitement. " I'm thinking we should add some sparkles to the setup.”

“Yeah?”

Beatrice grinned and headed to a small storage area they had in the corner of the garden. She returned with several strings of fairy lights in her arms. The lights were tiny, delicate, and emitted a soft, warm glow. "These fairy lights are going to be our secret weapon. I'll string them up around the tables and in the trees. They'll twinkle like stars, and with the sun starting to set, it'll create a magical atmosphere."

“When did you get that?”

“Yesterday, I felt like we needed more.” she bites her lower lip, “But,well, you are taller than me…so…”

“Say no more.” he picks Nicole from his shoulders and exchanges her with Beatrice, grabbing the lights and looking down at the strings, “Where do you want them?”

She guided him to one of the trees on the far side of the garden, where she wanted to start. "Let's begin here, and we can work our way around the tables. I'll need your height advantage for this part."

Rooster nodded, his attention fully focused on the task at hand. He carefully untangled one of the strings of lights and looked at the target in question, “Easy peasy.” he smirks, ‘Meanwhile, don’t you worry, you and Nikki can stay there, giving the moral support I need to finish this.”

She was honestly just so excited to see him excited. She, ever since they started dating, wanted to make his birthdays or holidays so special. He denied himself from so much happiness when he was younger, he refused to see how much he deserved it…and now,well,now she was glad she had kept that thought in mind.

And she hoped he’d like the extra special gift.

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