#wore an outfit without pockets so I’m juggling my phone

[windowsandfeelings]

I never feel less like a person with their shit together than I do at an airport.

[sxveme-2]

blueberry pancakes // bucky barnes

MASTERLIST

Description: A single mother. Juggling being a mom, a full time pediatrician, and a difficult ex who believed now would be the best time to finally be a father. A soldier ripped out of time. Ex-assassin turned superhero. Learning how to balance a new domestic life with handling demons of his past, while facing the trials of the future. a love story began over something as simple as chocolate chip pancakes with hidden blueberries.

Disclaimer: I do not own any original Marvel characters! All canon plots and canon characters belong to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios. This is an original work. You may not publish it anywhere else

Status: Edited

Note: Takes place after endgame. I have elected to ignore Tony's death and Steve's leaving. Did not happen. Quick Reminder! My works are only published here, AO3 and on Wattpad, thank you.

Chapter Thirteen: The One With the Aftermath

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 1937

    "He did what!?" Gen and Rose's high-pitched squeals vibrated through the cellphone, resulting in Lily dropping it from her hands in surprise. Lily had broken the news to the two about the actions taken by Mr. James Buchanan Barnes just hours before in her kitchen. The way his calloused hand and cool prosthetic rested against her pale cheeks, holding her face as though it were a fine piece of china that would break if he applied too much pressure. Followed by the pressing of his petal-soft lips to her own, creating undeniable friction between the two not even Lily's deflective tendencies could deny. All over a cup of coffee.

"Okay woah, let's relax there," Lily sighed while finishing zipping up the flower-patterned muted coral skirt she had slid on above her white lace tank top. Her hand gripped onto a cropped red cardigan that hit just below the waist of the high-cut skirt. A cute and simple outfit that encompassed the true aesthetic of Lily Osborne. One that the girls on the phone disapproved of. Speaking of which, "It was just a kiss...it doesn't mean anything, right?"

Two conflicting parts of Lily seemed to have been raging war in her mind. On one hand, she prayed and hoped that the kiss meant nothing to him. That it was simply a heat of the moment sort of thing. The tension and adrenaline of the night had welled to a head in Bucky and he made an impulsive decision that didn't mean anything. It was just a kiss. Nothing more. Nothing less. But on the other hand, Lily secretly wished that the kiss was out of some sort of romantic feeling. That he had kissed her because the slight crush that Lily had on the man out of time was reciprocated. And that he felt the same way that she did. But honestly, she wouldn't believe that if someone wrote it in the sky out of the smoke from a plane. Mostly because she herself didn't believe it was even remotely possible. A guy like that liking a girl like her? It was a cliche trope but she never thought in her wildest dreams he would even look at her in a way like that.

"You should totally ask him," Rose chimed in, seemingly shooing someone away. Lily had figured the two were sitting in the kitchen at Gen's cafe, munching on pastries as they awaited even more juicy gossip from Lily. But they would be sadly disappointed because the kiss was really the only news that Lily had. But it wouldn't stop them from hoping, "He seems like an honest guy. He already kissed you and you kissed back, what's the worst that could happen?"

After a few more minutes of back and forth between the three girls, Lily hung up her phone to focus on fixing the mop of golden hair atop her head. It was only 9 o'clock in the morning, and after the events that had transpired the night before, Lily didn't expect to see Hunter come in to her room or down to the main floor for another while. Bucky, however, Lily didn't know if he was wandering around her home, or if he had taken off somehow. If the avengers sent someone to pick him up or something. But, after leaving the soft curls be and dancing across her shoulders, Lily would soon come to learn that answer to her confusion before.

Sitting at the birchwood dinner table sat Bucky Barnes and Lily's son plowing down on some frosted flakes while laughing over something. Lily stood on the landing of the stairs, heart growing even larger than it already was. It felt as though the beating organ inside of her may explode at the drop of a hat if she kept staring at the beautiful moment in front of her. A beaming smile on her son’s youthful face and a mirrored one on the stubble-covered and worn face of the Winter Soldier. Neither boy had spotted the blonde staring longingly at them from the staircase, and she prayed silently that they didn't. Instead, she slid her phone out of her skirt pocket and took a quick picture, wanting to relive the moment a million times over if she could.

"Mom!" Hunter exclaimed when Lily's feet hit the bottom of the stairs finally. He shot from his chair and curled his slim arms around the waist of his mother. Lily smiled gently as she bent down to rest a kiss on his forehead before turning to the older man who too seemed to watch in bliss at the interaction. A similar expression to the one Lily wore just moments ago.

"Morning buddy, didn't expect to see you awake right now." the blonde smiled after Hunter released her from his grip and returned to his seat. She bent down to pick up Joey's dish, the dog's ears perking up from the mat in front of the door to the backyard. After she filled up the dog’s food and gave him his morning kisses, Lily found herself sitting at the table across from the brunette man that had stayed in her guest bedroom the night before, "Frosted flakes this morning, hm? I thought these were only for Saturday breakfasts and your birthday?"

"I pulled them out, they were the first thing I saw when I opened the pantry, I hope that's okay." His timid voice radiated across the table towards Lily, causing her eyes to shift from her son over to the rugged man that sat across from her at the table. A faint grin spread along her slightly puffed features caused by her morning rise. For a second, their eyes met and the world melted away as it always seemed to do when they met iris's. Something that Lily was sure she wouldn't be able to get used to.

-----

Not too long after all three had completed their breakfast, Lily had to excuse herself. She had a duty to call her lawyer today and set up a review of her and Scott's custody agreement. There was no way in hell after that stunt occurred, Scott would be keeping partial custody of their son. He left Hunter home alone with a clearly lousy babysitter, as well as he had lied to mary about who her child was left in the hands of. Everything about the situation was already unnerving for Lily. One part in particular that just stuck in her mind like it had been superglued, was the fact Hunter had said that the person attempting to break into Scott's apartment, or at least get his attention, was there specifically for Scott. Not just to play a heinous joke or commit a petty crime. No, they were looking for Scott Harvey specifically. And that one part did not sit well with Lily.

But instead, she had a New York-level lawyer to handle.

"Lily! it's been ages since you've called. what can I do for you today love?" the man's raspy voice echoed through the phone she held to her ear.

Carter Evanson was the man that helped Lily through the roughest parts of her divorce. Kept her sane through the entire process alongside Rose and Gen. She had been so thankful for his kind words of encouragement as she would recount the numerous emotional trauma stories she had faced in her marriage to Scott. How he hadn't touched her in ages. How whenever he came home he was drunk and always smelled of another woman's perfume. But Lily never decided to look further into these things back then. He had made her believe that nothing she did would ever make her good enough. He was the best she would get. No other man would want a woman who already had a kid and a divorce under her belt. Scott Harvey had manipulated Lily into believing she was less worthy of just about anything in the world, and she continued to believe it to this day.

But Carter's kind voice created a sense of comfort throughout the whole divorce process. Always encouraging her and remind her how good of an idea this was. That everything would work out for her. How she was strong enough to get through it without chickening out like she always seemed to do. Whether it was his warm and energetic voice that would constantly play in the back of her mind when sitting down at Scott's lawyer’s table, writing out their custody agreement as well as their splitting of assets. And because of him, the divorce became final and the majority of assets and custody landed in the a-line skirt-covered lap of Lily Osborne.

"Hey Carter, I need to set up an appointment with Scott to redo the entire custody agreement. Something happened and Hunter cannot go back there- oh I'm getting another call," Lily continued, clearing her throat after placing the lawyer on hold and answering the call, "Doctor Lily Osborne."

"Ms. Osborne? This is sergeant Harrison, we just interviewed the man who attempted to break into your ex-husband's apartment last night and uh...we need you to come into the station. Right now if possible." the police officer explained, his voice reverberating through the front of her mind, setting off her heart into a mile a minute race.

-----

Arriving at the LAPD station, or more specifically, the 88th precinct, Lily rushed through and up the elevator and up towards where they had instructed Lily to go. She had to apparently see the culprit, so after convincing Bucky to watch the young boy that is Hunter Osborne, she arrived at the precinct in a rush. The moment she heard the elevator ding, she ran out in a rush and past the small gate that blocked off the desks from the public. She saw the Sergeant she spoke to on the phone and let her ballet flat-clad feet rush forward.

"Ms. Osborne, thank you for getting here so fast." the large man sighed, neck-craning down to look at the small blonde that had rushed through, "here, come with me." Sergeant Harrison sighed softly while leading the young doctor towards the interview room.

He walked her through the doors that kept them separate from the criminal that sat in front of the two-way mirror. The moment that Lily spotted the man in front of her, the young girl had to furrow her eyebrows together. The mop of blonde hair atop the man’s head screamed at Lily in a violent signal that there was something very wrong here. The way his shoulder slouched and the fact that she was unable to see his face because of his hunched posture. She figured he was too embarrassed or ashamed to even look at himself in the mirror that the police officer and Lily looked through. But his body type, his hair, the bracelet that sat on his hand looked so familiar to Lily.

"Alright sir please state your name quickly so we can get this show started." a woman's voice sighed as she entered the room that was blocked off from Lily's presence. She was a breathtaking beauty and it almost took Lily back before she reminded herself that was not exactly what she was here for. To be honest, she wasn't 100% sure why she was actually here.

A screeching behind her caught the blonde’s attention. The Sergeant that had brought her in had pushed a chair up behind her, gesturing her to sit. Saying a quick remark about how she may need to with what she was about to learn. It caused her heart to set off into such a quick beat that she was worried it may explode inside of her chest. Whatever was about to happen clearly wasn't good news for Lily. So she sat and waited. And almost threw up.

"My name is Cedar Osborne."

[peacefulwriter88]

Never Good Enough - Chapter 6

Sebastian Stan x PoC, Chris Evans x PoC

You randomly go on a blind date, set up by your friend Anthony, with Sebastian Stan. Due to the awkward interaction you are convinced that the date ends badly due to your cultural background.

When you run into him years later, can he re-win your heart?

Warnings: M for Mature (language, mild angst)

A/N: I swear if you keep up with this story things will look up for Sebastian. I swear it. But you know, you gotta have the angst. So there’s that, Anthony being an obnoxious big brother who gives the best advice and bubbly drunk Chris.

“Where are you headed?” Anthony’s voice shakes you as you look up from your phone, surprised to see your best friend earnestly standing in front of you versus being in his room. The was over with interviews for the first day, and Anthony typically coordinated a time to talk to his wife and children before he would escape in whatever city you were in, trying to find a few hours to explore the city in the form of dinner.

You didn’t want him to know what you were up to even though by the way he was smiling down at you, a knowing smirk on his face, you knew otherwise.

He knew exactly what you were up to.

“What do you mean? I’m just sitting here, catching up on some news via BuzzFeed…”

He rolls his eyes, taking the hotel lounge chair across from you as he watches you intentionally,

“Sebastian and I were thinking of grabbing dinner. He went to invite you but lo and behold you are down here. In the hotel lobby. He send you a text to meet you down here so you can both leave without me?”

You shrug nonchalantly, reverting your eyes back to your phone. Trying to ignore the smile that was fighting your way to your face. The idea of Sebastian trying to steal time that didn’t include Anthony thrilled you – you knew that Anthony had been an obnoxiously good job of interfering with interactions with the both of you for weeks now. You weren’t sure why and quite frankly had stopped trying to fight but it was complimenting that Sebastian wasn’t giving up.

Like you could deal with that right now. You were trying to figure out your other feelings. Your silent as you contemplate this, before you give into Anthony’s heavy gaze. Finally you huff out,

“What?!”

“You really not going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“We’ve been on this press tour for what, like a month now. The whole time we go out you are rocking sweats or leggings or whatever but you aren’t leaving your room outside of work hours looking like that.”

He was referring to the tight jeans you were wearing, taking advantage of your company’s black card to make some purchases that you normally would talk yourself out of. Your jeans fit you perfectly and were paired with the black leather jacket that helped disguise the flowy blue top you were donning, the heels teeing off your look. You had curled your hair and thrown it in a high ponytail, adding some clips ons to give it some real volume. This was the most make up you had put on outside of premiers so you knew exactly what he was referring to.

You looked damn good.

At least, that is what Alicia told you when you facetimed earlier to double check the look. She was the only friend that you knew would pick up at this hour, California being hours behind London at the time.

But you weren’t going to tell Anthony that. No, instead you were going to play dumb until you couldn’t anymore.

“Maybe I wanted to….” You falter as he gives you that look and you groan, falling back in your seat.

“I don’t want you to make fun of me.”

“I won’t.”

“I don’t want you to tell me I told you so.”

He snorts,

“I can’t. I’m just surprised that you gave into Sebastian? And that he got your number. First Evans, now him?”

“Wait, what? Sebastian?”

Anthony quirks an eyebrow up.

“You’re not going out to dinner with him?”

“……no.”

Silence, then Anthony is chuckling, falling back in his seat.

“Damn. Evan’s moves quick.”

“Shut – it’s not like that!” your flustered as Anthony watches you amused.

“Uh huh. Sure it isn’t….”

More silence.

“You really are juggling two men’s heart right now? Remember how you’ve been on a slow go for months now and look – now you got TWO dudes after you.”

“That’s not whats happening! Sebastian doesn’t like me like that, never will. And I don’t know about Chris – we just want to go out for dinner tonight.”

“That’s not true at all.” Anthony counters and you fall back in your seat in defeat, looking at him.

“What do you know?”

“Well – two things. Chris demanded that I have to give him your number because he wanted to ask you if you he could treat you to dinner, alone. He made sure to reiterate that. That he was taking you alone. And then after that, Sebastian asked if I’d join him for dinner, but only because he wanted to ask you and he wasn’t sure you’d want to go out him alone. I mean, despite that text that I got from Tom made creeping on you and Chris, I still had my money on Sebastian and you spending the night out together...”

You blink at Anthony for a minutes before you ask,

“What creeper photo of me and Chris? What did Tom do?”

Anthony shrugs, digging in his pocket for his phone.

“Tom took this photo of you and Chris in the hallway and boy is it steamy. Shared it with me asking if this was thing. Wanna see?”

You nod, desperately shaking your head. Tom Holland, adorable little gentleman and unwanted paparazzi. You’d find a way to get back at him.

Anthony isn’t able to show you the photo, his attention is distracted, temporary losing his train of thought as he looks at the elevator.

“Oooo, guess you have to find out another time. Looks like your suitors are on their way over.”

You turn, following his gaze as you watch Chris and Sebastian walk out of the elevator. Both of them are wearing dark blue shirts, the material hugging around their biceps. Chris had opted for dress pants and Sebastian was donning jeans – both were advertising scruff that peppered their defined jawlines. You couldn’t tell which you liked more – the clean, put together look of Chris or the simple causal outfit that Sebastian wore.

You groaned. You were so fucked.

“You are soooo fucked….” Anthony sings lowly, repeating your thought out loud watching your reaction and you turn to him, leaning over enough to punch him in the chest.

“Ow! What was that for?”  

“You are not helping the situation right now.” You mutter as you lean back and turn, smiling at both of them. Telling yourself what you always did when you went on a date with a hot attractive man that, as Chris neared with his eyes finding yours with ease, you were realizing may be way out of your league. Which was absolutely nothing because you never went on dates with hot, attractive men. Basic men sure but not fucking movie stars.  

“God you’re right.” You moan under your breath and this causes Anthony to laugh, clutching his still sore side as Sebastian diverts his attention away from his phone, a large smile on his face. He’s stopped in front of you all along with Chris who is also watching in mild amusement and you feel like this is one, awkward fuck show as he asks,

“Hey Y/N! I was just looking for you – was going to ask if you wanted to join Mackie and I for dinner,” his eyebrow furrows, looking from Anthony to yourself to Chris, taking in the situation before he asks, “What’s so funny?”

You shoot Anthony a look before he stands up, shaking his head.

“it’s just how Y/N treats me when she knows I’m right. Doesn’t happen often but when it does its painful. Which is probably why I choose to be wrong.”

You roll your eyes, following his suite and standing. Missing the way both men look you over as you straighten yourself quickly and Anthony rolls his eyes. Regretting instantly suggesting you to join him on the press tour, knowing what the next few hours – months –  are going to be filled with.

“Let’s head out Seb. Chris already beat us to it – he invited Y/N out earlier so maybe next time.”

You don’t even have a chance to read Sebastian as he looks from you and Chris, watching him trying to figure out what was going on between you and his counterpart. Anthony is quick to drag him away, leaving you with the tall, handsome Boston native who is towering over you, giving you a bashful smile.

“You look very beautiful.” It’s a simple comment but its sincere and you try to disguise your blush as you give him a playful push.

“You look pretty handsome. But I guess that’s why you’re Captain America.”

He chuckles, shaking his head as he offers his arm.

“Shall we? I have a fun evening planned a head of us.”

You try to contain your shaking as you lace your arm in his and nod.

“We shall.”

You realize way too soon that you had taken Chris Evans for granted. You were sure that the night would have been filled with attending a stuffy restaurant, followed by a cheesy walk around the city and ending early at your hotel. For some reason, you were sure he was going to find out that you were really an insecure nerd who spent too much time reading up on historical facts, comics, failing on DIY projects while you read articles on the way to enhance your musical instruments. You could only put up the facade of sassy, strong and independent woman for so long – easy to slip behind the guise at work where you thrived the most – in a world where you put up barriers because it was the easiest way to protect yourself from disappointment.  

Instead he takes you to an English pub, deep in the heart of the city where he buys you the cheapest yet most delicious beer and bangers and mash, and you both end up chatting for far too long at the bar, teasing each other as you ingest the meal.

Its only when one of the regular’s hits on you, challenging you to a game of darts that you shift your scene.

“C’mon stranger. You want to tell me that you’re better than me and your cute guy friend at darts.”

“Yes!” you insist, standing up from your chair and grabbing your beer.  “And I bet you a round of beer that I am.”

Both men take the bait, following you to the dart board where, unsurprisingly, you lose. In fact, you get one bullseye and some tacky throws that don’t amount to anything that you immediately attest to the strong beer. However, both men find it amusing, your confidence spiraling with your bad throws and the strangers ends up buying you and Chris a round instead, telling stories about how the nworld was shifting for the worse so it was nice to make two nice friends and boy – didn’t Chris remind him of that Captain America fella?

The comment comes continually throughout the night and causes you to laugh and agree that he did look to familiar to the Captain America man much to Chris’ delight, who is becoming a slave to the alcohol and good company, getting louder with each story he retells as he throws a protective arm around your, ensuring to all the men in the place that you were accounted for.

It made you feel safe being tucked in his arms, his muscles swallowing you into safety. So you chid past you around 9:30, the part of you that set a alarm for 9:30 pm because you knew that you both had early mornings and wanted to be responsible. You didn’t want to leave the fun, the safety, the newness of being with someone like Chris in a foreign city but you can’t ignore the responsible adult in you, and you force Chris out of the bar, only after you give into his insistence that he would settle the tab.

“After all,” he says, smiling down at you with that adorable large grin on his face, “that is what gentleman do on first dates.”

The comments has you soaring, so much so that paired with alcohol, you almost eat shit the moment you leave the pub. Stilettos and old world cobblestone were not a solid combination, especially paired with two, strong beers.

You laugh as you almost fall, Chris easily catching you and drawing you to him, chuckling at your clumsiness and he shakes his head saying,

“You know if you just want to touch me, you can just ask. I’m not opposed at all.”

You give a mock gasp, smacking him before you giggle out,

“That’s not it at all! I may have just over-estimated my ability to walk in these heels tipsily but to be fair I didn’t think I’d be this tipsy tonight.”

You’re gripping him, giggling harder as you let the alcohol run loose in your veins. He smiles as he looks at you, helping you straighten out.

“You were doing a really good job up until you met cobblestone. So we can opt to do two things. We can choose to take a cab back to the hotel,” you nod somberly as he continues, “Or I can give you a piggy back ride and we can walk around a bit, being super touristy to help sober you up a bit. Fresh air might be nice.”

You’re sure he can feel your heart increase at the idea of getting a piggy back ride from him. It was every girls dream.

“I choose the piggy back ride for $400 Alex.”

He laughs as he stands in front of you, squatting before he says over his shoulder,

“Just jump on and I’ll take it from here.”

You know the small moan you make is heard by him, can tell by the way he chuckles as you easily climb onto his back as he says,

“Something you’d like to share?”

“Nope, not while I’m on you like this.”

He laughs, standing up and your surprised at how high your lifted, giving a playful glee as your arms tighten around him. His hand bites into the sides of your thighs, hands meeting flesh, muscle and fat and starts moving with ease.

“You’re really cute when you play the shy game.” He comments after a while.

“I’m not being shy.” You admonish, resting your chin on his shoulder and you could hear the low rumble of a laugh start. You give him a squeeze with your thighs and he laughs as you say,

“I’m not!”

“Ok you’re not. Shy’s usually my number when I’m around a really attractive woman. Except with you…with you it’s different.”

“Why is it different?” The beer has you feeling more bold, unafraid to respond as you ingest his compliment about you. You can feel his muscles flex as he shrugs,

“I don’t know. You make me feel comfortable. You have this energy about you that’s contagious. You act confident, strong, sure of yourself. Not afraid to be honest – to say what it is. It’s refreshing to be around…not a lot of people built that way anymore. Too afraid to listen and say what you think.”

“Ah,” you answer, finding comfort around him. “Anthony likes to call it my bubble of arrogance.”

Chris laughs, shaking his head.

“I think Anthony doesn’t like that you challenge him and are right when you are. You’re not arrogant. You don’t say things without thinking through your words I feel. At least, from what you’ve allowed me to see.”

You bite your lip, debating it.

“I’m pretty prideful, competitive, stubborn but you haven’t brought out that side of me yet but overall I just try to be….I don’t know…I try to be a good human.”

Another nod,

“All we can try to be is a good human at the end of the day. And hey I’m equally prideful and competitive and stubborn. You should see me around football season – I can be unbearable.”

You laugh as he continues,

“Also, I don’t think you realize how much shit you give me. You’ve got me all dazed out, especially after your earlier little tease.”

His voice is lower, and you can feel your cheek heating up as you groan.

“Oh, yea about that…” you instinctively try to hide yourself in his shoulder, shielding yourself from him like he could see you in your current position. He stops at a light, adjusting your weight before he squeezes your thighs.

“I liked it. Like it when you’re a tease.” He whispers back, and you can’t help but smile before he asks, his voice a tone lighter,

“What I really would like to see are those mad piano skills you were bragging about earlier. You can’t claim that you remixed Benny and the Jets and not think I was not going to forget that. That’s a karaoke classic.”

You laugh as you tighten your hold around him, your mouth inching closer to his ear,

“Find me a piano and I’ll prove you wrong.”

He opts to walk around with you for thirty more minutes, your weight an afterthought as you both continue your conversation. By the time you make it to the hotel, remembering that there was a piano in the hotel bar, he knows he’s in trouble.

In trouble because he was attracted to you.

It wasn’t the allurement of your body anymore. No, that was the generic layer that had intrigued him, drew him in. It was you.

You were different. Your honesty was alarming, your ability to express your opinion without reservation intrigued him. You provided a different perspective, a lens he knew he would never know because of the privilege of being a white male. But you challenged him on social topics, provided a different way to view the world with the perspective you hold. How that stemmed insecurity at times but also a sense of spontaneity – taking chances and being comfortable voicing yourself because you were inevitably always going to be judged being who you were. Might as well do it being honest to yourself and others.

He liked your kindness, how you were intentional to get to know the people at the bar. How you asked him questions to understand him better, questions that weren’t laced with fake sincerity. Your humbleness and humor that you hid behind laughter, pushing it away like it didn’t matter.

You were genuine with him, was aware of who he was – his celebratory – but was unphased by what that meant for his character.

He liked you. And the realization of that, the prospect, terrified him.

“You going to continue to stand there looking like a deer in headlights or are you going to join me over here?”

Your voice snaps him out of his thoughts and his eyes shift to you, smiling as he takes a seat next to you on the piano beach. He’s overwhelmed by your perfume; the vanilla scent overpowering the small space and can’t help but lean into you as your hands dance over the keys with ease.

“So not sure if this is the right crowd to impress with a Japanese pop remix of Benny and the Jets,” your eyes flicker over to the small crowd of older professionals and he chuckles as you look back at him, “but I think I can come up with a pretty good jazz rendition.”

He feigns like he’s thinking really hard on the prospect and you nudge him as he laughs, shaking his head.

“Sounds great – really, any version you come up with.”

You smile as you stop your idle playing, looking at the keys for a minute before you place your fingers on the keys, starting to play off the recognizable tune from the talented Brit and he nods his head along to it. And then the melodies switch, differing from what his ear had been trained to expect, shifting in a way that was earthier – lighter. He watches you with awe as your hands move quicker, getting lost in the music in your head as the melody continue to evolve, capturing the attention of the few occupants in the space. They watch in awe as you play, a slight smile on your face as you nod your head, forgetting about him – where you were at. He could see the shift in you, the ease as you get lost in this world, the music, and he can’t help the smile that forms on his face.

Utterly in trouble.

You finish the song after a few minutes, being rewarded with a few claps from both the bartender and the occupants and you shake your head, taking a deep breath as you look over at him.

“What was that shit talker? Something about not believing I could put a beautiful twist on a classic?”

He chuckles, laughing as he turns toward you,

“You were right – I was wrong I will give you that. But you can’t blame me; its Elton John!”

“Which is why I will forgive you. Just this once.” You kid, leaning into him and you both stop, staring at each other. He takes in the way your eyes drink him in, large pools watching carefully as your mouth twitches into a soft smile. You lick your lips and he can’t help but watch the moment, infatuated by the idea of tasting you, wondering if you felt the same.

Fuck it. He’d never know unless he tried.

His hand comes up to cup your face, brushing your cheek as he leans forward. You don’t move, and he can feel your pulse quickening against the skin on your neck as he draws you closer, his lips brushing against yours, testing to see if its okay. Its enough as you lean into him, your lips brushing against his own like cashmere, warm and sweet and he gives a relieved sigh as you place a hand on his shoulder. He wants it to be sweet, wants to pull away to tease you – its what he’d normally do – but he’s addicted, drawn into your spell. Instead his tongue flicks against your skin, questioning and you oblige, opening your mouth to let him kiss you deeper and he’s gone. Dizzy from the way your tongue easily glides with his, slowly, patiently, teasingly and he groans as his hand wraps around your neck while his other one grabs your wrist, pulling you closer to him.

It was addicting being kissed like this – a first kiss that was fueled by lust and alcohol but something else and you moan into his mouth when his thumb brushes against your exposed skin on your waist, causing you to shudder and he fights his cock from twitching in his pants because you deserved far better than sex on a first date even though he would happily take you here if you’d let him.

He didn’t want you to think you were just sex for him.

He wanted you to know that you meant more.

It’s when you both hear someone clearing their throat do you pull away, the motion happening so quickly you almost fall backwards, and he catches you easily as the bartender awkwardly places two drinks on the piano.

“Wanted to say I love that version of Benny & the Jets and these are on the house…. I’ll ugh….leave you both to it.”

You can tell he feels awkward for interrupting the intimate moment and you watch him, your lips flush and puffy before your eyes return back to Chris and you smile shaking your head.

“Smooth Evans, real smooth.”

“I didn’t know he was going to give us free drinks! I totally would have planned this better if I did….” He draws off and you laugh, snuggling closer to him, resting your head on his chest. Your hesitant at first and he easily wraps his arms around you, drawing you closer to him.

“I know.” You whisper, wrapping an arm around his waist as you go for a drink. He takes his cue, grabbing the left over before he rises it, placing a kiss on your forehead before saying,

“To a great night. And many more to come.”

You smile up at him, your eyes glistening with contentment and nod.

“To many more great nights.” You agree, and he bends down to press a quick kiss on your lips. When he pulls away he asks,

“Would it be too soon to ask you out to breakfast?”

You laugh and shake your head.

“Give it a few hours and I’ll let you know.”

You’re both too far gone, to enraptured with one another to notice Anthony and Sebastian walking in to the hotel lobby, obviously tipsy from meeting up with old friends. Can’t realize that as the two wait for an elevator, tipsy eyes roaming the hotel lobby, they fall upon you both at the piano.

“Think she’s trying to teach him how to play. Lost cause that one.” Anthony jokes but Sebastian’s eyebrows are furrowed because he knows differently. Knows differently when you stop playing, staring at him before Chris leans into the kiss.

And the way you lean back into it.

“Hey man, the elevator is here.” Anthony says, his voice is more silent as he nudges the tall Romanian in. Cursing the shitty timing of them rolling in, no longer able to joke about how pissed off you were going to be when they were hungover tomorrow. He had been able to temper some of Sebastian’s curious questions about Chris and yourself but he couldn’t deny what had just unfolded in front of them. And for once in a long time, he feels bad for him. Because Sebastian was really different, changed, maturing and still growing and he knew how much he really liked you.

Sebastian follows in blindly, trying to think through what he was feeling. Silent. A silent Sebastian was dangerous – he got lost in his head and started overthinking things – creating anxiety in the space he was in.  Anthony knows it – can sense it, knows that the earlier events was running through his head and is hesitant before he says,

“Listen I wasn’t going to get involved but damn you can’t have those puppy blue eyes and expect me to not say anything,” He sighs as Sebastian turns to him, his face confused and forlorn tearing at Anthony.

“Fuck! Listen – I know that you like Y/N. Don’t try to deny it anymore I see it dude. It’s so obvious. And no small wonder but Y/N is into you too but…. Sebastian you gotta step up more dude. Chris made it known how he feels about her. Made it known what he was willing to do to win her over. That he is willing to go the extra mile for her you know.  You’ve been nice but I’m nice and we’re friends. You gotta work thirty times as hard if you want a chance with her…. because you still have one I think. She may never admit it to me – but I know that she likes you. She was actually pretty happy that you were going to ask her for a date. But damn, you gotta man the fuck up Sebastian. You’re fucking Sebastian Stan, blue steel wonder and pecks for days. Show her that.”

The elevator dings on his floor and he heads out, shaking his head. Then he stops, turning around.

“I’ll even stop cock blocking and allow you to take her to lunch alone from now on. But put some damn effort in man because you can’t blame her for wanting Chris over you right now. She doesn’t even know that you’re into her. In her mind, she’s just this unattractive woman of color that you’re stuck working with. And that’s the shit you’re going to have to combat.”

He leaves Sebastian on the elevator, even deeper in his thoughts.

Why the hell would you think that your race had anything to do with I’m finding you unattractive? Or that he wasn’t into you at all?

How bad did he damage you all those years back?

Tag List:  @xgminigypsy @zohoffman @ssweet-empowerment@capsofwinchesters @tacohead13 @harleycativy@pietrotheavenger @francezka10 @papichulosebastian@obsessionsofmynerdheart @melaninmarvel @avengedqueen26 @nasteaxluvgal @winterbuttmunch

[ginnyweatherby]

Anything Your Heart Desires Will Come to You

This story is somewhat of a sequel to this one I wrote awhile ago, but it can stand on it’s own.  I just wanted to write about Charlotte going to Disney World, since she wasn’t able to go on Lefou and Stanley’s last trip with her brother and sister... This time Gaston tags along too!

I struggled with this story more than anything I’ve ever written, but after days weeks months of fighting with it, and I even seriously considered scrapping it a few times, I think I can finally say it is finished.  100% family fluff because that is my jam and I hope it is yours as well.

Being born in the middle of first semester meant Charlotte’s birthdays often went by without much of a fuss.  Quiet dinners, a small (or as small as a family such as hers could accomplish) party if it fell over a weekend.

But last November, Charlotte Mae Durand-Lefou had turned twenty-one years old.

No one wanted to admit it out loud, but not many people thought she would make it this far.  Between her endless hospital stays, and more surgeries than anyone her age should have to endure, twenty-one seemed like an even bigger milestone than it was to everyone else.

Still.  She had college degree to obtain.  So, once again, her birthday went by with a nice dinner (featuring her first - doctor-approved - adult beverage) with both sides of her family, complete with Michelle singing an endless chorus of “Happy Birthday”, while Barney tipped off the waitresses to join her.

Now, it was early May, the weather was warm and Charlotte didn’t have a care in the world.  She’d completed the school year with good grades, didn’t have to think about exams or reports for a few months, and still had two weeks of freedom before her summer internship began.

In honor of her twenty-first half birthday, her father agreed to take her and the family on any trip she wanted… within reason.  Michelle was still only six, after all.

Despite her love for princess movies and countless Mickey Mouse t-shirts, Charlotte had never been to Disney World.

Which is why today Charlotte was checking her reflection one final time as she placed her Minnie Mouse headband over her unruly hair.  She may have accomplished reaching adulthood, but that didn’t mean she couldn't spend a week with her family (and her favorite Uncle Gaston) embracing her inner child.

Michelle was running up and down the halls of their hotel, her Little Mermaid backpack bouncing on her shoulders as her family dragged the bulk of their luggage into their rooms.  At six years old, she didn’t fully understand the responsibility of “carry your own bag, Michelle!” Lefou shook his head as he watched his daughter practically float in excitement before swiping the room key to his and Stanley’s room.  “Michelle, honey, over here.” Michelle skipped back to the rest of her family and leaped past them to bounce on the bed. “Papa, this bed is huge!” “That’s because they knew there’d be a little girl trying to destroy it,”  Lefou teased, finally releasing his grip on his suitcase, Michelle’s suitcase, and his backpack.  He let out a sigh of relief as the weight was lifted from his aching body.  It had been a long day of travel and he couldn’t wait to put his feet up and rel- “WHEN ARE WE GONNA GO TO DISNEY WORLD, PAPA?” Lefou let out a breath.  He should have known better. “We just got here, Michelle,”  Stanley appeared behind them, relieving himself of his own luggage.  “Take a breather.” “I wanna see Ariel,”  Michelle whined.  The mere thought of visiting a theme park after spending so long in transit exhausted Lefou.  He didn’t know where children got their energy, but he envied their apparent never-ending supply.  He had to get his in the form of caffeine... he thought he saw a coffee shop downstairs... “We will, just relax,”  Stanley laughed, pushing open the door to the adjoining room, where Charlotte and Michelle would be staying.  Barney had managed to convince Gaston to allow him to stay in his room across the hall to not have to share with his sisters. Michelle – who was usually found attached to Charlotte’s hip whenever the latter was around – caught sight of her sister unpacking some of her things and jumped off her parents’ bed with an impressive thud on the carpet to run through the doorway. “Is this my bed, Charlotte?”  Michelle asked, and Lefou saw her climb onto one of the beds, before hopping across to the other.  The girl had boundless energy and it wore him out just to watch her sometimes. “Pick whichever you want,”  Charlotte said. Michelle flopped onto her back on the bed closest to the window, seeming to test out the mattress.  “I think I want this one...” “Alright then I’ll take the other o-”  Charlotte turned around to see Michelle, flat on her back, arms sprawled on either side of her, eyes shut and sleeping soundly. “How did she fall asleep so fast?”  Charlotte peered through the doorway to look at Lefou in disbelief. Lefou shrugged, as he heard Stanley chuckle behind him.  “She’s like a battery... she just keeps going and going...” “Until she stops.”

Lefou was simultaneously juggling a handful of tickets (as no one else could be trusted with such responsibility) and doing a head count as he led his small parade of family members through the front gate of the theme park. Stanley stood next to him, his nose deep in a map.  He had spent most of their last trip in a similar position, and soon enough he would probably be pulling a bottle of sunscreen from his backpack insisting everyone lather up. Gaston had Michelle balanced on his shoulders to keep her from running off in her excitement; Barney was hovering behind them from a distance, pretending that fifteen was far too old to be on a Disney vacation with his family.  Lefou knew he’d warm up to the idea soon enough. … and then there was Charlotte. She may have been legally an adult – as difficult as her father found it to believe – but she was looking around the park with a look of awe and wonder usually reserved for small children seeing snow or fireworks for the first time. Lefou stayed away from theme parks during her childhood.  He didn’t want to disappoint her when she discovered most of the rides were forbidden for those with heart conditions such as hers, but this was her choice... and he soon realized he may have made a mistake keeping her from it.  There were still plenty of things she could enjoy this week. “It’s even more amazing in person,”  She muttered under her breath as she looked to Cinderella’s castle.

Lefou smiled as he watched his daughter take everything in.  If he was honest, he never got tired of seeing the castle, himself. “It’s pretty great, isn’t it?”  Stanley asked, as he finally tore his eyes away from the map to follow her gaze. “It’s unbelievable,”  Charlotte said, with a small nod of her head.

Normally, Lefou would have taken a photo of such a precious sight, such a beautiful expression on her face… but not only were his hands too full to root through his pockets to find his phone, but he soon realized part of the magic that Disney so often promised was being present in the moment.

To his parents, a trip to Disney meant a week with the family, a few dorky kiddie rides, matching family outfits… Their choice today was a Finding Nemo theme, with Lefou and Charlotte sporting orange and white to be Marlin and Nemo, respectively, Stanley wore blue to be Dory, Michelle was wearing a pink dress and cheering “aww, you guys made me ink!” every few minutes, even Gaston had been talked into wearing green and brown to be Crush, and finally, Barney wore a yellow shirt that Charlotte had insisted on emblazoning “I’M OBNOXIOUS” across the front in permanent marker.

Stanley said it was a rather fitting quote.

… but to Barney, a trip to Disney meant more than matching costumes.  It meant thrill rides (the Haunted Mansion was his favorite) and most importantly, the snacks.  There was something about food in the shape of cartoon mice that just tasted better.

They’d hardly walked through the front entrance before he was begging Stanley for a few dollars to buy popcorn.  His dad was something of a pushover when it came to the kids, and easily relented.  Now, while they were headed towards the Finding Nemo show that Michelle insisted on seeing, Barney spotted a Mickey pretzel cart and he wanted nothing more than to partake in one.

He rummaged through his pockets for the spare change he’d accumulated from all his earlier snacking, and managed to come up with enough for two pretzels.  He figured he would treat his Papa since he was the only one willing to wait behind as the others charged ahead toward the theater.

“If you keep eating like this, you might actually have to start buying shirts in a size medium,”  Lefou teased, poking Barney’s skinny arm, before taking one of the pretzels from him.

Barney rolled his eyes, as he bit into an ear.  “I’m a growing man, Papa.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,”  Lefou said.  “I still see that tiny little thing hardly more than six pounds in the nursery when I see you.”

“Papa.”

“A little taller now, I'll give you that.”

Barney opened his mouth to reply when they reached the theater.  “Ooh, can we get some popcorn?  It's not a show without popcorn!”

“Bartholomew, you still have a massive pretzel in your hand.”

“What if I promise to share with Michelle?”

Lefou sighed, before handing Barney his wallet.

Charlotte and Michelle were on a mission. They were determined that over the course of their visit, they would meet every princess they possibly could.  Michelle met Ariel on their last trip, and in the two years since, had spoken of little else. Barney had dragged Gaston to ride one of the bigger rides that his sisters couldn’t, so they began their quest, with Lefou and Stanley hovering behind, making sure Michelle stayed within eyesight… They trusted Charlotte, but Michelle could be a handful. “Keep an eye out, Michelle,”  Charlotte was holding the younger girl’s hand.  “Poofy dresses and dainty voices are a dead giveaway for princesses.” “What does ‘dainty’ mean?”  Michelle asked, taking her role of "lookout” very seriously. “Watch ‘Snow White,”  Charlotte said.  “You’ll understand.” Only a moment later, Michelle’s voice rang out in the busy crowd,  “IT’S AURORA!” “We found one!”  Charlotte said, laughing at Michelle’s enthusiasm. There wasn’t much of a line to see their princess, and in no time Michelle was falling into the arms of Aurora. “Oh, my, hello there, Princess!”  Aurora greeted with a chuckle, trying not to topple over from the force of Michelle’s hug.  “How are you today?” “I’m good,”  Michelle said, politely, as she pulled away.  “Charlotte and me are gonna meet all of the princesses today!” Aurora flashed her a smile.  “Is that so?” “Yep!  You’re our first stop.” “Well, I’m honored,”  Aurora said, looking past Michelle’s head to her family.  “Then this must be Charlotte?” “It is!”  Michelle said, excitedly, as Charlotte walked up to the princess and gave her a hug of her own.  Lefou managed to snap a picture of the sweet exchange, pleased to see both of his daughters involved in the magic together. “Are you friends with Ariel?”  Michelle asked. “You know what?”  Aurora said,  “I am.  I think I saw her swimming around somewhere today.  I bet you could still catch her if you look really hard.” Michelle’s excitement was contagious as she squealed at the thought of meeting Ariel again.  She liked Sleeping Beauty well enough, but nothing would ever hold a candle to The Little Mermaid in her mind. “What about you, Princess?”  Aurora turned to Charlotte, who turned slightly pink at the nickname.  “Do you have anyone you would like to meet?” “Oh, I’m just happy to meet you,”  Charlotte said, honestly.  Lefou knew that Mulan was her favorite princess movie, but she was a fan of them all. “I’m flattered,”  Aurora said, putting a hand to her chest.  “You’re both so sweet.  I can’t wait to tell Phillip about you two!  Now tell me, is there a prince in your life?” She glanced over Charlotte’s shoulder to see Lefou and Stanley.  “... or perhaps a princess?” If Charlotte was pink before, she was magenta now.  “There might be... uh, a prince, that is.” Stanley, who’d just taken a swig from his water bottle began to cough.  “... Excuse me?” Aurora giggled a delicate laugh behind her hand as Lefou pounded his husband on the back while he spluttered to get him to breathe properly again. “Did you know that?”  Stanley hissed into Lefou’s ear as the girls continued to talk to Aurora. “Not exactly,”  Lefou admitted.  “But she’s twenty-one, so I can’t say I’m surprised.” “She’s too young.”  Stanley insisted.  He didn’t even know Charlotte until she was twelve, but he had fully accepted her as his daughter to the point where he was apparently scandalized by the thought of her having a boyfriend.  Lefou decided not to tell him of all the times Charlotte had mentioned her dates in the past. “She’s an adult,”  Lefou corrected.  “By the time I was her age... she was already born.” “That isn’t exactly easing my state of mind,”  Stanley grumbled as they watched the girls give Aurora one last hug before waving goodbye. “Sorry, Dad,”  Charlotte said, as they began to walk away.  “I didn’t mean to give you a heart attack back there.” Lefou snorted.  “He’ll get over it if we buy him a churro.”

“Did someone say ‘churro?”  A familiar voice asked from behind them.  They turned around to see Barney, now sporting a smile and Gaston who looked a little green in the face. “Those rides were a lot more fun before I turned forty,”  Gaston muttered, steadying himself on the handle of the wheelchair Charlotte used if she tired from walking too much. “You aren't suggesting we're getting old, are you?”  Lefou asked, steering them in the direction of the churro line.  Between this, the Mickey-shaped ice cream Barney insisted on, and the bucket of popcorn Stanley had refilled three times already, he was sure he was gaining a few extra pounds this week. “Never,”  Gaston said, before turning to Charlotte.  “Well, bud, what’s next?”

“Michelle and I are still on the hunt for more princesses,”  Charlotte said, as Stanley handed her a churro.  “Maybe there’s one out here for you, Uncle Gaston.” “If he hasn’t found one yet, I think it may be a lost cause,”  Barney snorted. “Oh, really?”  Charlotte said with a smirk.  “... maybe for you, then?” Barney’s freckles appeared even more prominent on his face as he blushed… or maybe that was just the sunburn. “There’s Tiana, Daddy!”  Michelle said, pulling on Stanley’s hand and pointing across the way. “You’re right,”  Stanley agreed.  “Barney, maybe this is your shot!”

Barney grumbled under his breath, his pale face now just as red as his hair.

Lefou couldn't help but laugh at his son’s disgruntled face.  He wrapped an arm around Barney’s shoulder as they watched Michelle give Tiana one of her signature bear hugs.

“Oh, Bartholomew,”  He sighed, as Tiana complimented Michelle on her dress, before greeting Charlotte.  “I must say, you could do worse than a princess.”

Barney shrugged his father’s arm off his shoulder, but Lefou could see the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Charlotte?”  Tiana gasped, once Charlotte had introduced herself.  “Why, that’s my best friend’s name!  Are you sure that's not you, Lottie?”

Charlotte laughed, as she shook her head.  “I’m not interested in kissing any frogs, I’m afraid.”

“Well, that's a relief,”  Stanley muttered from beside Lefou.  “At least she's not kissing him.”

“Maybe he's already turned into a prince,”  Lefou teased, reaching over to squeeze his husband’s hand.

“Lefou!”

Tiana offered to take a picture with the group, and while Lefou was usually behind the camera, Gaston offered to hold it to make a family photo of it.

“Say… uh, ‘frog’, I guess?”  Gaston said, as the family crowded around the princess and flashed their smiles.

“Uh, frog, I guess!”

Gaston only groaned as he snapped the picture.

As they walked away, Charlotte leaned into Barney’s side.  “So, what did you think of her?  I bet I could get you her number.  My name is Charlotte, after all.  I have connections.”

Barney retorted with something Lefou was glad Michelle didn’t overhear.

Late afternoon was setting in and Michelle was getting cranky.

To counter her mood, Charlotte plopped her in the wheelchair and was pushing her towards the “It’s a Small World” ride for the third time that day.  Charlotte was able to ride that one, and even though Lefou would have rather done anything but listen to that song for another fifteen minutes, he would never refuse her. “And here we thought she outgrew strollers,”  Stanley commented as Michelle giggled when Charlotte hit a bump. “It can be fun to be pushed around,”  Charlotte admitted, as they approached the line.  Charlotte didn’t often use her chair, and it was mostly used to carry their bags, but Lefou could tell she was getting a little winded and may need to trade with her sister soon. “Do you want to sit down?”  Lefou asked. Charlotte sighed, seeming to admit defeat.  As much as she didn’t like to use it, insisting she was well enough to go without, it had been a long day, and they would be in this line for awhile. “Michelle, sweetie, can you stand up?”  Stanley asked, reaching down to lift her out. “No, no, she’s fine,”  Charlotte scooped her sister out of the chair, before falling into it, Michelle settled on her lap.  The younger girl looked close to a nap. “Are you sure she’s okay there?”  Stanley asked.  “She gets heavy after awhile.” “She’s alright,”  Charlotte said, letting out a breath.  Lefou took over pushing the wheelchair as the line moved forward. “Do we really have to go on this one again?”  Barney asked.  “I think I’ll have this song stuck in my head for the rest of the day.” “The week,”  Gaston corrected. “The month.” “The year.” “My life.” “I like the song,”  Michelle chimed in, sleepily. “Do you now?”  Stanley asked, throwing a mischievous glance in Barney and Gaston’s direction.  “... Can you remind me how it goes again?” Michelle perked up a bit as she began a chorus of “it’s a small world after all...” “Dad,”  Barney whined as Gaston let out a groan. “Just trying to keep a kid entertained for the next half an hour,”  Stanley said, a little too innocently. “... it’s a small world after all!”

Their day ended a little earlier than they’d anticipated.  Lefou always loved to watch the fireworks show at Disney, but they had another few days for that.  Michelle had fallen into a heavy sleep, trapping Charlotte (who was also getting a little worn out) in her chair, and Barney’s combination of roller coasters and absurd amount junk food made him sick, putting him in a sour mood for the rest of the day.  The sun hadn’t even begun to set yet, but they decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel. “I’d say that was a pretty successful first day,”  Stanley said.  He was sprawled out on the bed in their hotel room, scrolling through the pictures he’d taken on his phone that day.  Michelle was curled up next to him, her pigtails in disarray, bangs plastered to her forehead.  She had sticky ice cream residue on her dress, and Lefou saw a hint of sunburn on her cheeks. She was cuter than ever. Charlotte was resting in the room next door, while Gaston and Barney went downstairs to check out the hotel pool.  Lefou couldn’t imagine swimming after a day like today, but he’d never been nearly as athletic as they were.  He’d swim later. He fell onto the bed, taking care not to wake his daughter, before flipping on the TV. “Successful indeed,”  Lefou agreed, flipping through the channels.  “We wore Michelle out, at the very least.” “She’s not the only one,”  Stanley said, hiding a yawn behind his hand. Lefou checked his watch.  “There’s still an hour and a half before the dinner reservation.” With that, Stanley scooted down on the bed, fluffing the pillow a bit before closing his eyes. Unsatisfied with the choices on TV, Lefou shrugged and laid down on his own pillow, and in no time they were both asleep, Michelle snuggled up between them.

The next day was somehow even muggier than the previous afternoon, and it was still early.

Lefou was already drenched in a layer of sweat, and could feel himself growing more irritable by the minute.  He didn't want to spend his vacation in such a foul mood, but if they didn't find air conditioning quickly, he might just melt into a puddle like that talking snowman in Frozen.

Stanley took the girls off to meet a few more characters, while Lefou and Gaston took Barney to ride the Haunted Mansion for what was sure to be the first of many times.   Since it was his favorite ride in the park, they always made a point of hitting it at least once, and the line had been too long the day before.

Barney walked ahead of the adults, impatient to reach the line as soon as possible.  Lefou and Gaston trailed behind, talking among themselves.

“He acts so high and mighty sometimes,”  Lefou chuckled, as he watched Barney try and keep from racing too far ahead,  “but look how sweet he is when he cuts the act.”

“Don’t you remember being a fifteen year old boy?”  Gaston asked.  “Between puberty, parties and wooing girls, you’re lucky he wants to spend a week with his old man at all.”

Lefou let out a dry laugh.  “Our teen years were vastly different, my friend… and as much as I appreciate you, I hope my son doesn't go quite as crazy as you did.”

“I have to agree with you there,”  Gaston said, honestly.

“Come on, you guys!”  Barney called back to them.  “We’re almost there!”

They were now at the entrance, and Lefou watched as Barney allowed a mother and her young child to cut in front of him before they entered the line.

“That was awfully nice of you,”  Lefou commented.

Barney shrugged.  “She was really little.  I guess I could wait a little longer.”

No, Lefou didn't have anything to worry about.

“Okay, who’s thirsty?”  Lefou and Charlotte were balancing handfuls of souvenir mugs in their hands, before carefully placing one in front of each family member.

“Do I want to know what you spent on the specialty drinks, love?”  Stanley asked, taking a sip.

“Probably not,”  Lefou admitted, falling into the seat next to his husband.  He pulled his own cup close to his face, inspecting it.  It was brown, with a rustic feel to it, but he couldn't identify the characters on the side.  A handsome, rather muscular fellow in a red coat, and a squat little man with a large, pink nose.

“I don’t know who they are, but this guy is ugly,”  Barney said, pointing at the smaller character on the side of his mug.

“Just think,”  Stanley said, rolling his eyes.  “Since Papa undoubtedly spent a fortune on these, we get to keep them forever.”

“I hope they stay in the back of the cupboard.”

“Actually, Papa,”  Charlotte said.  “I'm not sure why, but this guy has always reminded me a bit of you…”

“Should I be offended?”  Lefou asked, taking a sip.  Maybe it was a little expensive for a glorified cup of apple juice…

“I don't think so,”  Charlotte said.  “The other guy reminds me of Uncle Gaston.”

Gaston looked pleased at this fact.

“Do you know what movie he’s from, Char?”  Barney asked.  “I’ve seen his picture around, but I can't figure out who it is.”

“You mean you’ve never seen-”

Before Charlotte could finish her answer, Michelle let out a shriek, her pricey apple juice now spilled all over her dress.

Stanley sighed, before reaching into his backpack for his pack of trusty wet wipes.

Even though she wasn't his daughter, Charlotte had been a big part of Gaston’s life ever since she was born.  He had spent many of his college days at Lefou’s apartment, holding that tiny little girl against his shoulder, wondering how he ever got to the point where his friends were having babies, and wondering if someday he’d have one or seven of his own to coddle.

Now his favorite Little Buddy wasn't so little anymore.  Twenty-one years older, and was tall and smart and everything Gaston had hoped she would turn into, plus some.

He watched Charlotte fall into her wheelchair, pulling Michelle into her lap as Barney pushed them around.  He loved each of his little “nieces and nephew”.

“Disney magic making you emotional?”  Lefou asked, handing Gaston a bottle of water.  “You look lost in thought… which is strange for you.”

Gaston chuckled.  “A dangerous pastime indeed.  No, I was just thinking about-”

Before he could finish his answer, Charlotte let out a gasp and then a snort.

“Oh, I am so getting a picture with him,”  She said, pushing herself out of her chair, and taking Michelle���s hand.

She led their group a little farther down until they met her destination.  Gaston never saw the thrill in meeting the characters at Disney World.  They were just people in costumes, what was so exciting?

Upon closer inspection, he noticed this must be the man who was on their drinks earlier that afternoon.

A large man with padded muscles and a long black ponytail gave a charming smile as they approached.

“Well, hello there,”  He greeted.  “What brings you here to see me today?”

Charlotte was the only one who was familiar with this character, so the rest of the family hovered behind as she spoke to him.

“I just had to meet everyone's favorite guy,”  Charlotte said, her smile growing wide.  “Rumor has it there's no man in town half as manly.”

Even though Gaston didn’t know who he was, Charlotte was obviously smitten.

“Perfect, a pure paragon.”  The man said with a wink.

“Now, who do you have with you today?”  The man took in the crowd of people behind Charlotte.

“My dad, my other dad, my brother, Barney, my sister, Michelle, and my…,”  Charlotte snorted again before continuing, “Uncle Gaston.”

The man’s eyes darkened as he looked Gaston up and down.

“Uncle Gaston, you say?”  He crossed his arms as Gaston took a step closer.

“That's what they call me,”  Gaston said, furrowing his brow.  Just because he didn't know who this guy was, didn’t mean he was about to feel threatened by a children's character.

The man took another step closer.  “You look like a strong guy, Monsieur.”

Gaston flexed his muscles (he could practically feel Lefou rolling his eyes behind him), and a smirk of his own crept over his features.

“Not nearly as much as me, of course.”

Gaston felt his face fall.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The other man flexed his arm, that annoyingly handsome smirk still tugging on the corner of his mouth.  “I just mean I'm the strongest guy here.”

“Sounds like a challenge, doesn't it, Gaston?”  Stanley taunted from behind them.

Gaston turned back to see him and Barney trying not to laugh at the interaction with this mystery character.

“A challenge?”  The man let out a hoot of laughter.  “This guy would hardly be a challenge… but I'm always ready for some healthy competition.  How are you at push-ups?”

Gaston threw his head to either side, resulting in a series of crackling noises, before falling on all fours.  “Oh, you're on!”

It was late, and Charlotte was sitting on Lefou and Stanley’s bed, snuggled up to her father’s side with the TV turned low, the light casting shadows across their faces in the dark room.

Stanley was asleep in the chair near the window, Barney passed out on the floor, and Michelle curled up like a cat at the foot of the bed.  Their day had ended after watching the parade, Gaston heading to bed as soon as they arrived back at the hotel - still a little huffy about losing his little competition against the buff character.

Charlotte and Lefou were the only ones still awake to finish their movie, despite their own exhaustion.  Charlotte yawned as she laid her head against Lefou’s shoulder.  Michelle may have watched this movie hundreds of times due to her love for all things underwater, but Finding Nemo was really Charlotte’s movie with her papa.

When she was younger, she didn't understand why her father cried so much when watching a movie about animated fish in a dentist’s office, but as she got older, she began to realize.

It couldn't have been easy on him (or her mother, of course) when Charlotte was born.  He became a single dad so quickly, only for his child to come out with some serious health issues.  Charlotte absentmindedly ran her fingers over the large scar across her chest.  It had been a source of insecurity for a long time, but she’d learned to embrace it, and it didn't bother her anymore.  She didn’t even mind when Michelle asked questions if she wore a lower neckline.

She watched as Nemo swam with his lucky fin and she knew this is why her father loved the movie so much.  It was just her and her papa against the world for so long, much like Marlin and Nemo… and like Nemo, she could have gotten lost.

Lefou stroked her hair - a mess after spending a long day out in the humidity - gently as they continued to watch.  It was nearly over now.

Michelle rolled over, jostling the bed a bit.

It wasn’t only her and her father anymore.  Now she had a full life with a big, loving family.

Barney let out a snort in his sleep, as Nemo and Marlin were reunited again.

Charlotte nestled even closer under Lefou’s arm and closed her eyes as the credits began to roll.  She thought she heard him sniffle, but chose not to bring attention to it for once.

Despite the dozens of times she had seen the movie, for the first time, she felt herself get a little choked up as well.

It could have been so much worse.  She could have been lost.

Thankfully - like Marlin - she knew her papa would always be there to find her.

Another reason Gaston tagged along for the trip, was because Stanley and Lefou’s wedding anniversary happened to fall in the middle of their vacation.  They didn't make extravagant plans for the occasion, but they did want a little alone time to celebrate their nine years of marriage together.

Stanley pressed a kiss against his husband’s sleeping forehead to rouse him.  It was early, but Stanley always struggled to sleep in past six, even on vacation.  He was already showered, and his breath tasted of mint toothpaste.

“Morning, love!”  Stanley greeted, cheerily.

His husband - who much less of a morning person - mumbled something, his face smashed into the pillow.

“Happy anniversary,”  Stanley tried again, poking Lefou’s cheek, his coarse facial hair scratching at his hand.  “Can you believe it?”

Lefou rolled over, his face no longer in the pillow, but it was now marked with pink wrinkle indents.  “Believe what?”

Stanley situated himself against the headboard as Lefou groped the nightstand for his glasses.  “Nine years, Lefou… that’s a long time.”

“You're making us sound old,”  Lefou teased.

Stanley chuckled, pressing another kiss into Lefou’s hair.  “Do you think Gaston will be able to handle the kids today?”

“He said he’ll take them to Disney Springs,”  Lefou said, snuggling up to Stanley's side.  “I’m sure they'll be too busy looking at souvenirs to act up.”

“That will keep them busy for awhile, then,”  Stanley said.  “Which is good because I have plans for us this evening.”

“Is that so?”  Lefou asked, a smirk crossing his face.

Stanley nodded, a grin of his own spreading across his lips.  “I’m taking my man out for a nice, perhaps overpriced dinner, have a drink or two, and then we can, um, come back here for awhile.”

Lefou snorted, and opened his mouth to make what was sure to be a witty retort, when they heard a (rather violent) knock originate from the door between their bedroom and the girls’ room.

“Sounds like Michelle is awake,”  Lefou chuckled, as Stanley untangled himself from his spouse to unlock the door.

He cracked it open to reveal their youngest daughter, waving a folded piece of purple construction paper in the air.

“Happy anniversary, Daddy!”

“Good morning… Let’s see what you have there,”  Stanley plucked the card from her hand, and brought it over to the bed for Lefou to see, Michelle close on his heels.

Lefou took the card and read it aloud, squinting as he tried to decipher the spelling of a six-year-old.  It was a sweet note with a cute little drawing of their family, Lefou and Stanley holding hands in the middle.  At the bottom of the card, Michelle had even convinced Charlotte and Barney to sign it.

“Thank you, darling, I’ll be sure to put it in my book when we get home.”  Lefou said, kissing Michelle’s head.  He kept all the cards and drawings his children made for him in a scrapbook he often liked to page through.  He still had the first wobbly drawing of flowers Charlotte made for him when she was hardly more than two.

“What do we do on anniversaries?”  Michelle asked, wedging herself between her parents in the bed.

Lefou laughed.  “Daddy and I are going to dinner tonight, no kids allowed.”

“No kids allowed” were three of Michelle’s least favorite words, and she made her opinion known with a disgruntled noise.

“But you get to spend the day with Uncle Gaston, and your brother and sister,”  Stanley pointed out.

Michelle's response was a much cheerier noise.

Before long, there was another knock at the door, this time it was Barney, asking if Michelle wanted to go downstairs for some breakfast.

Michelle's noise was the happiest of all for the promise of sugary cereal was better than anything else Stanley or Lefou could have said.

“Are you coming too?”  Michelle asked, once she had reached the door and opened it, revealing her brother, still in his Superman pajama pants, and sporting an impressive case of bed-head.

“We’ll be down in a bit,”  Lefou said.  “Go on ahead.”

Michelle slammed the door behind her, and Lefou let out a laugh.  “I love that girl more than anything, but she has far too much energy for seven o'clock in the morning.”

“Shopping, shopping, shopping,”  Michelle sang as Gaston hoisted her onto his shoulders.  Disney Springs was crowded tonight, and he knew her well enough to know she had a habit of running off when something interesting caught her eye.

Barney and Charlotte were beside him, debating on which restaurant was the best one to stop at for dinner, while Michelle was insistent to find something to add to her ever growing Little Mermaid collection.  Gaston was just hoping to keep them out of their parents’ hair long enough for them to finish whatever they had planned for the evening… Perhaps he didn't want to know what they had planned, exactly.

“Ooh, let's stop here!”  Michelle said, pointing her finger in the direction of one of the shops.

Gaston was starving, and was really hoping Charlotte and Barney would make up their minds soon so they could get something to eat, but he supposed they could make a detour while they decided.

He led them into the store, and placed Michelle on the floor.  “Stay close to us, you.”

Michelle nodded, before taking Barney’s hand and leading him toward the back of the building.

“I guess she saw something she liked,”  Charlotte snorted, before wandering off to browse the shelves herself.

Gaston headed to the opposite end of the shop, wondering if there was anything with antlers to add to his own house.  The Bambi stuffed animal Michelle brought home for him after her last trip still sat proudly in his room.

“UNCLE GASTON!”  Michelle’s voice rang throughout the store, causing a few people to look in her direction.

Gaston sighed.

Michelle weaved her way through the shelves (and customers) until she reached him, holding something red in her arms.

“It’s Sebastian,”  She explained, offering Gaston the large stuffed toy.  “He goes with my Flounder!  Can I get him?  Pleeeease?”

Gaston never was able to refuse the kids what they wanted, at least not when they gave him those big doe-eyes.

“You’re sure this is what you want?”  Gaston asked, peering at the price tag… Well, at least Lefou had paid for his plane ticket.

“I do, I do, I do!”  Michelle bounced on the balls of her feet, hugging Sebastian tightly.

“Alright, then,”  Gaston chuckled, as Charlotte found her way back to them.

“I think I found an anniversary present for Papa and Stan,”  She said, displaying a little snowglobe with Donald and Daisy Duck on the inside.  Lefou collected snowglobes, and Stanley did love Ducktales.

“It’s perfect,”  Michelle declared, giving her nod of approval.

“I like it too,”  Barney agreed.

“Anything catching your eye, Barney?”  Gaston asked, pulling his wallet from his pocket as they made their way to the cashier.

“Yeah,”  Barney said.  “The restaurant across the street… wait, is that a Mad Hatter hat?”

Splash

Barney pulled his head above water, shaking droplets out of his hair like a dog when he resurfaced.

“Hey,”  Charlotte wiped her face dry with the back of her hand, where Barney had apparently splashed her with the force of his cannonball into the hotel pool.

“It’s a pool, Charlotte,”  Barney laughed, using his hand to splash her intentionally this time.  “You’re supposed to get wet!”

“I know, but my hair takes forever to dry,”  Charlotte said, as Michelle floated by them, her goggles falling down her face.

Before Barney could retort, an even bigger splash soaked all three of them, this time Gaston was the culprit.

Charlotte sighed, wiping her face again.

“When’re Daddy and Papa gonna come in?”  Michelle giggled, as Gaston pulled her from the water, before throwing her back in, her arm floaties causing her to bob like a buoy.

“Right about now,”  Stanley said, walking into the pool room, and placing his towel on a table, Lefou close behind.

Michelle cheered as her parents walked tentatively into the cool water.

Michelle doggy-paddled over to Stanley, while Lefou - clad in a pair of heinously neon swim trunks - made his way to where Barney and Charlotte were wading.

“It’s humid in here,”  He commented, already beginning to sweat.

“That's because you still have a shirt on, Papa,”  Barney said.  “Are you afraid of getting sunburned inside?”

If Barney didn't know any better, he would say Lefou was turning a little pink in the face.  “Maybe if your father hadn't…”

Lefou cleared his throat, muttering something about his anniversary, and Barney tried not to imagine why he kept pulling his neckline a little higher, and why Stanley kept throwing mischievous glances in their direction.

Charlotte snorted, her laugh echoing through the high ceiling.

It was late on their final day of vacation, and Charlotte was sitting in her wheelchair, Michelle asleep in her lap.  While she didn't want the week to end, she was exhausted, and couldn't wait to tell her mother all about her trip - and to sleep in her own bed again.

Barney was revoked of his wheelchair-pushing rights after he rammed into Gaston’s ankles three consecutive times, and Lefou had taken over, while his son followed sleepily behind.

The parade was enchanting as ever, and now they were all gathered around a garbage can in their matching Mickey ears, while they waited for the fireworks to start.

“You wanna see the fireworks, Michelle?”  Charlotte asked, adjusting the girl in her lap.

Michelle mumbled something unintelligible and nuzzled her face further against Charlotte’s shoulder.  Charlotte supposed they had already seen them a few times.

… and yet, they never seemed to get old.

Her father always told her the fireworks were his favorite part of the day, and Charlotte now understood why.  She watched in awe as bright colors exploded over the sky and reflected on that beautiful castle, all while her favorite Disney songs played behind them.  The first night they’d seen them, she cried… and she thought she might again tonight as a final farewell.

The song faded into “You’ll Be in My Heart”, and she was certain she heard Lefou sniffle behind her.  That song always seemed to make him emotional for some reason.

Charlotte hugged Michelle a little tighter as the finale blasted, and she heard the ooh’s and ahh’s of the people around them, and thought she might have let one out herself.  She couldn't help it.

The crowd erupted into applause, and Charlotte contributed the best she could with her sister constricting her arm movement.

“I’ll never get tired of that,”  Lefou commented, as they followed the funnel of people out of the park one last time.

“It’s really beautiful,”  Charlotte agreed, while Barney only yawned impressively.  Their trip had apparently worn him out just as much as it did herself.

“But,”  Stanley leaned down and lifted Michelle out of Charlotte’s chair, and onto his shoulder.  “I still wish I could figure out who that princess in the yellow dress was!”

Charlotte smiled to herself, choosing not to say a word.  She supposed he would figure it out on his own eventually.