Chapter Text
Scout padded into the living room the way she always had after being woken up – one hand holding Bear-Bear by the paw, the other one rubbing sleep out of her eyes, bare feet pattering on the hardwood floor with a set of paws skidding right next to her. She was woken up by Lucy, who told her she’ll be right there in the kitchen for breakfast, muttering something about having to call someone before she joined them. Scout was too sleepy to make out more of it, and she chose to go to the kitchen, where she knew she would find her dada.
Halfway to her goal, she realized today was Valentine’s day. She smiled at that – Tim and Lucy had a fundraiser to go to that night, yet another one of those fancy things that Scout wouldn’t find enjoyable, so she was spending the evening with her uncle Miles instead, who had already sent his donation through Nolan and chose to stay at home. He was supposed to come over and stay with Scout until Tim and Lucy got back home.
Surely enough, Scout found Tim in the kitchen, pulling out a waffle iron. He was still in his pajama bottoms and a t-shirt he wore to bed last night, and his hair was a little flat on one side from how he slept. He turned immediately at the soft patter of feet that had grown to become one of his favorite sounds,
“Hi dada,” she mumbled sleepily, going directly toward him. He reached down and lifted her up with ease, settling her against his side and letting her melt into him,
“Hi, sweet bug,” he cooed, pressing a kiss to her hair, “Happy Valentine’s day.”
“Happy Valentine’s day, dada,” she perked up a little, expecting to see his eyes full of joy and face radiating with excitement. Instead, she was met with a pair of worried eyes and a tight expression, and she immediately knew something was wrong,
“Dada. What’s wrong?”
Tim sighed, then leaned just enough to check if the area was clear – he saw the door of their bedroom closed, and was hoping Lucy was too busy getting ready,
“Okay, so, for Valentine’s day, I got Luce that whole Korean skincare line,” he began, voice barely above a whisper, “You know, all the stuff she likes, the whole thing.”
“That’s awesome!” Scout lit up, “Why are you looking nervous? Are you scared she won’t like it?”
“No, no,” he shook his head, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a second before he continued, “The package never arrived, and they’re not answering my emails. And I need to figure out an emergency gift real quick,” his face then lit up in a way it always did when he gets an idea, and Scout’s brows lifted,
“Dada. What did you think of?”
“Would you be interested in being my little decoy bug?” he asked, “Go sit with mama for a while, distract her until I come get you two for breakfast?”
“What are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna call Genny,” he said, “She’ll know what to do, or give me an idea or two.”
“Okay!” Scout said happily, pressing a smooch to her dada’s cheek, “You’re cute, dada.”
“Right back at you, decoy bug,” he smiled, pressing a smooch to her forehead before lowering her back down. She pattered away toward the bedroom and Tim watched her and Kojo push the door of it open and then disappear from his field of view before he pulled out his phone.
Scout carefully knocked on the door and asked if she was allowed before Lucy’s soft voice told her to come in. She walked in with Kojo, then closed the door behind her, hearing Lucy say something about pulling out the floorboards before she saw her. She was already dressed up and ready for the day, putting back one of the storage boxes back into their closet as she dropped her phone on the bed. She quickly made work of the box and then reached for Scout, lifting her up effortlessly,
“Hi mama,” Scout murmured, wrapping herself around Lucy, “Happy Valentine’s day.”
“Happy Valentine’s day, my sweet baby,” Lucy squeezed her close, pressing a kiss to her temple, “You wanted some mama cuddles, huh?”
“Mhmmm,” she whispered, a little yawn escaping her, “Dada’s making breakfast. But it’s not ready yet. Am I still going to be with uncle Miles this afternoon?” she asked, lifting her head up to meet Lucy’s gaze,
“Yeah,” Lucy nodded with a nervous smile, “Tim and I are going to that fundraiser event, but we’ll be home at a reasonable time! As far as I know, uncle Penn will come here and you guys can order some pizza and have some fun!”
“Hooray! And are we still doing the Galentine’s on Saturday with auntie Genny?”
“We are!” Lucy said, rocking Scout a little, “We’re gonna bake and have a tea party and have so much fun!”
“Okay!” she smiled, hearing the door creak open. She turned around and Tim walked in with a soft smile on his face,
“There are my girls,” he said softly, walking up to them, “Happy Valentine’s day, Luce.”
“Happy Valentine’s day,” she smiled, leaning into the kiss, and Scout watched with a big smile on her face, “We are in a much better place compared to last year,” Lucy added, making Tim shake his head with a small chuckle,
“Tell me about it.”
“I remember,” Scout said then, “Dada was… sad. I thought I did something wrong. Cause people aren’t supposed to be sad after spending Valentine’s day with someone they love.”
“That was rough on me, alright?” he pressed a kiss to Scout’s cheek, one arm wrapping around her back, the other one pulling Lucy closer by the torso, “I didn’t want to mess things up.”
“Well, nothing about that night was messing it up,” Lucy smirked, “And we’re here now.”
“We are,” he nodded, pressing a kiss to Lucy’s forehead, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to Scout’s cheek then, “And I love you too, baby.”
“I love you both super big!” Scout said, throwing one arm around Lucy’s neck, the other one around Tim’s for a group hug. They stood like that for a moment before Lucy spoke up again,
“Okay, we’re doing the gift exchange after the fundraiser, right?”
“Yeah,” Tim nodded, “That works.”
“Am hungry,” Scout chimed in, making both of them chuckle,
“Oh, well, then you’ll love the heart-shaped waffles I’m making,” he said with a smirk and Scout perked up,
“Really!?” she squealed, “Best dada ever!”
“I try.”
Scout was a ball of joy and excitement as she ran toward Tim’s truck in the parking lot after school, quickly sliding into the backseat, her face falling from excitement to genuine worry as her eyes landed on Miles, who was in the backseat as well,
“Hey, champ,” he said with a small wince, reaching out his good hand to fist-bump her. She didn’t meet him halfway the way she usually did, and took her backpack off instead, buckling herself in and reaching for his other arm that was covered in spider bites, looking at his face, all red and tired,
“What happened, uncle Penn?” she asked, voice suddenly small in a way that made his stomach twist,
“Nothin’ big,” he tried to shake it off, “Just a little string of bad luck.”
“Juarez says he’s cursed,” Tim said from up front, and Lucy huffed a smile,
“If you believe Celina, why are you still letting him stay with Scout?”
“Because I don’t believe in that stuff,” Tim said, pulling out of his parking spot and driving toward their house, “He just had a bad day at work. And the fact that Nolan’s his TO isn’t giving him any advantages either. He’s gonna be fine, bug. How was school?”
“It was okay,” Scout said, though she still kept staring at Miles with a sad look in her eyes, “We had some chocolate for Valentine’s day. And we got to make stuff. I finished all my homework in the after-school program.”
“That’s great, baby,” Lucy smiled, turning to look at her, her face softening when she saw the way she looked at Miles, who had his eyes closed and head resting against the headboard,
“Uncle Penn?” she whispered and he hummed, forcing his eyes open to look at her, “You don’t gotta stay with me,” she said, “You’re tired and hurting. You can go home and sleep.”
“Nah, I’m good,” he said, “The meds are making me a little drowsy, but I’ll live. I want us to have some fun.”
“But… you’re tired,” Scout whispered, “Dada says you’re not supposed to push yourself when you’re tired.”
“Thanks for lookin’ out for me, champ,” he smiled, reaching to ruffle her hair, “But I think I’ll be okay.”
“But if you’re not, and you really need a nap, you’ll tell me, right?” she asked, then turned to look at Tim and Lucy, “Can uncle Penn sleep on the couch if he’s tired? I’ll make it for him.”
“Of course,” Lucy smiled, “Penn, she’s right. We appreciate you wanting to sit with Scout, but if you’re tired, you don’t have to push yourself. She’s more than fine lying in bed all afternoon next to you with a book while you sleep. Don’t hesitate.”
“Then I’ll maybe have to take y’all up on that offer,” he said quietly, “Maybe a quick nap will help me recharge my batteries. Oh, by the way, Celina said she’ll follow you two and pick me up when you guys decide to leave. So you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Sounds good,” Tim nodded, putting the truck into park as they pulled into the driveway, the four of them and Kojo, who they picked up on the way, stepping out of the truck and walking into the house.
Once Tim and Lucy left for the fundraiser, Scout and Penn ventured out into the backyard with Kojo on their tail. The dog was clearly excited to be able to run around, and Scout, holding Penn’s hand gently in her tiny one, tugged him softly down,
“Uncle Penn, sit,” she said, looking up at him, “I’m gonna set up the stuff for drills and you can help me. But nothing too hard, and you tell me if you get tired, okay?”
“I’m tougher than I seem, champ,” Penn chuckled as he lowered his butt down on the top stair of the back patio,
“I know you’re tough,” Scout began, walking over to the corner where the little cones were put away, “But you had work all day. Sometimes mama and dada come home without anything hurting, but they’re still tired.”
“Yeah, sometimes the cases are tough,” Penn said, watching her walk around the backyard and place the cones down, “How’s school been goin’? You havin’ fun?”
“Yeah,” Scout smiled, “Oh! Can I show you something real quick?” she asked then, perking up a little. He nodded, watching her run off back into the house and dig for something in her backpack. Kojo, for his part, decided to put his zoomies aside and curled up at Penn’s feet, making the Texan smile,
“You know exactly where to park it, huh?” he said softly, reaching to scratch behind his ears with one hand. Scout’s steps caught his attention, and he looked up just in time for Scout to show up on his right side,
“We made Valentine’s day cards today,” she explained, “I made mama one, and dada one too. And…” she pulled out one of them, handing it to him, “One for you too. I dunno if it’s a Valentine’s day card, but maybe it can be a thank-you card.”
“Oh, champ…” Penn trailed off, taking it from her and admiring the drawing of her and him she’d drawn on the front, with UNCLE PENN written above them. He flipped it open and inside he found a simple message:
I love that you’re my uncle ‘cause hanging out with you doesn’t scare me. You listen when I talk, even when it’s not important stuff, you never make me hurry up, and never make me feel bad. You’re fun, but you’re not loud or scary. You always show up for me and I like how you cheer for me always. I feel safe when you’re here.
I love you, Uncle Penn.
Scout.
“I know it’s kinda sappy,” she admitted, “But I like it cause it’s true.”
“Oh…” his throat bobbed, a sniffle escaping him. He closed the little card and pulled her down to sit next to him before squeezing her to his side tightly, “This is awesome. I don’t know what to say.”
“Do you like it?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his torso,
“Like it? I love it,” he breathed, “It’s goin’ up right on the dresser in my room. So I always remember I have the best niece in the whole damn world. Thank you for choosing me.”
“Thank you for letting me choose you,” she murmured, “Think mama and dada will like theirs?”
“Course they would,” he said, looking at the drawings she’d done on the fronts of the cards when she showed them to him, “You’re very thoughtful, y’know that?”
“I just want people to know I love them big,” she whispered, “Even though it’s not the kind of love that counts on Valentine’s day.”
“Love always counts,” Penn pointed out, “Don’t ever forget that. Alright, how about I go put this in my book so it doesn’t get squishy, and then we can go do some drills?”
“Okay,” Scout nodded, standing up and following him in to put back Tim and Lucy’s cards, before they walked back out and Penn grabbed the soccer ball.
They got into the rhythm quickly, but not as intense as usual – Scout choosing easier drills on purpose to make sure uncle Penn wasn’t straining too hard. He gave her a pointer here and there, on what he actually can – to keep her head up, to shield the ball properly, and when she executed a clean set, his face lit up even though tiredness is written all over it. When she hit the ball just a little too strong and it whipped past his bad arm, Scout froze and apologized three times before Penn could even get his turn with words and tell her that he’s okay, that she didn’t hurt him, and that he feels very special and loved because of how careful she’s being.
By the time they were done with drills, they weren’t as sweaty and out of breath as they usually were when he’s helping her with soccer, but their smiles are no different. They picked up the cones and the buckets they use for practice shots, putting everything in its place and then went back into the house, as the Sun started to set. Penn went to change out into another shirt and freshen up, and then they slumped into the couch with content, Scout reaching for her phone on the coffee table and clicking away at it,
“What do you want for dinner, uncle Penn?” she asked, and he hummed, downing the contents of a glass of water she’d brought him over before she climbed in on the couch next to him,
“Hm, I could go for something warm,” he said and Scout giggled,
“Uncle Penn, everything we order comes warm.”
“Okay, valid,” he sighed, “Whatever you want, champ. Just don’t break Tim’s bank and we’re good,” he added, resting his head against the cushions and closing his eyes. Scout studied him for a minute, and then decided that when people are in pain, something warm does make the most sense, but not just any kind of warm. She clicked away a few times on a delivery app and confirmed the order before sliding off the couch, putting the phone back on the coffee table and walking over to the kitchen to get him another glass of water,
“Are you okay?” she asked softly and he lifted his head up, smiling at the gesture again,
“I’m great,” he said, sipping a little before lowering the glass down on the table, “Just a little tired.”
“You can nap after dinner,” Scout offered, “I’m not sure when mama and dada are gonna come home.”
“I’m pretty sure my watch commander is gonna murder me if he finds me snoozing on his couch,” Penn giggled and Scout shook her head,
“Mama said it’s fine. Plus, I made dada promise to never do that. So, you’re safe,” Scout said seriously, making Penn smile and shake his head,
“You’re amazing,” he breathed, “I’m sorry I’m not that good of a company today.”
“Don’t be sorry,” she frowned, climbing up next to him, “It’s not your fault you had a bad day.”
“I know. I just wish it wasn’t today of all days. I was looking forward to doing something fun with you today and I was barely able to move back there.”
“I don’t need fun,” she murmured, “I just like that you’re here.”
Penn smiled softly at that, reaching out to wrap his arm around her and bring her ccloser into his side. They stayed in complete silence until the food arrived – Scout opting to keep quiet and let him rest his eyes, which he’d appreciated more than he’d like to admit. When they got the food and ventured to the kitchen, Penn’s heart warmed at the choice at hand,
“You got me chicken noodle soup,” he said and she nodded, grabbing a spoon for him,
“You deserve something warm and soup-y to make you feel warm on the inside too. It helps.”
“It sure does,” he smiled, the two sitting down at the dining table and eating away. They talked about funny cooking moments, Miles full of anecdotes and funny stories now that he finally has access to a kitchen, and Celina hadn’t always been perfect herself. Scout recalled the way Austin, Tyler and her always make a mess in the kitchen whenever they’re helping Genny. They kept the conversation going, recalling funny stuff, giggles filling the house. Scout tried her best not to be too loud or too much, but it seemed like Penn had relaxed a little, as if the food and good company helped get his mind off the pain and discomfort.
Once they were done and did a teamwork on the dishes, they wound back up at the couch. Scout asked if she could pull it out, sneakily pretending she wanted to stretch her legs without hurting Penn, to which he didn’t protest. She did as she wanted, and let Penn get comfortable while she went to grab her pillow and blanket from her room, Kojo on her tail. When she returned, he was already dozing off, diagonally spread against the couch, head uncomfortably resting between the pillows at the back of the couch and the armrest. Scout grabbed a spare pillow from the closet, quickly slid a clean pillowcase on it, and carefully climbed up on the bed, touching Miles’ shoulder,
“Uncle Penn,” she whispered, “I got you a pillow so you’re more comfy.”
Miels blinked, humming, a little disoriented, halfway gone. He smiled in quiet thanks, took the pillow from her and tucked it behind his head, humming in approval. Scout watched him for a moment, the way his face twisted and he had to physically hold himself back from touching the painful blisters that stood on his arms. She frowned, quietly sliding off the couch and grabbing her phone. She typed away something for a minute, then scrolled for five, and then put it down. Quietly, she made her way over to the freezer and pulled out the top drawer, where they kept ice packs for all purposes, injuries included. She reached for one of the spare towels they used to wrap the ice packs up before applying them to the sore spot, and did so with gentlest care, in the way she’d seen Tim and Lucy do it. Then, she quietly padded over to the couch, climbed up on it, grabbed her pillow and blanket with the other hand and plopped down next to Penn,
“Uncle Penn,” she whispered again, “I have an ice-pack for you.”
“Mmm, I feel like I might need a nap,” he admitted, “It’s gonna get ruined by the time I’m supposed to take it off.”
“I’ll keep watch,” she promised, “I brought my blanket and I’ll grab a book and read and wait. How long until you’re supposed to take it off? Fifteen minutes?”
“Somethin’ like that, he slurred, peeking one eye open, “You’re taking real good care of me.”
“I just wanna help,” she whispered, handing him the ice pack. He took it with his good hand, and gently rested it on top of the reddened area, hissing,
“Does it hurt?” Scout asked, eyes widening,
“Jus’ a little uncomfy,” he said, “Nothin’ I can’t deal with. I’m okay.”
“Okay,” she nodded, and reached for her book,
“What are you reading?”
“It’s an encyclopedia,” Scout explained, showing him the cover, angling it so he could see it too, “Mama got me this for my birthday. Every big thing in history has its own one.”
“That sounds pretty smart and cool,” he said, eyes drifting closed. Scout rambled on, voice soft, until she realized she hadn’t gotten any feedback or clever comebacks, and when she looked back, she saw Penn was asleep – head tilted a little to the side, ice-pack still resting on his arm. She didn’t say a word then, just quietly reached for the throw blanket they kept on the backrest of the couch, and opened it up, tucking it around Miles the best she could before carefully cuddling up to his side, encyclopedia open and propped up on her legs as she read.
Penn woke up at the sound of barks.
He peeked one eye open, then the other. The ice-pack was gone, but he’d gotten a new addition to his side – Scout had fallen asleep, her encyclopedia still open on her lap, but her little head lolled to the side, eyes closed. He smiled, hearing the front door click open and his TO, now watch commander, and Sergeant walked in. Tim had a book in hand, and Lucy was wearing the shirt Tim had put on – he’d probably given it to her when they got out of the house, not wanting her to get cold,
“Hey, you two,” Lucy smiled, “You’re all cozied up.”
That’s when Penn noticed the blanket around him, and he smiled, shaking his head,
“Courtesy of Scout,” he whispered and Tim smiled, sitting down on the edge of the couch,
“Of course it is. You two have a good time?”
“Yeah,” Penn nodded, still not moving a muscle on his left side, letting Scout snooze as much as possible, “We did some drills in the backyard. I also got a Valentine’s day card from her. We ordered some food, did the dishes. She kind of duped me into a nap,” he admitted, lifting his right arm up, “She iced it. And she didn’t mind keepin’ quiet and readin’ next to me, it seems. I remember she was tellin’ me something about pyramids before I fell asleep.”
Tim and Lucy exchanged a glance with a smile,
“Celina’s outside, waiting,” Lucy said and Penn sighed, nodding,
“Alright,” he whispered, then reached his arm to gently tap Scout’s shoulder, the way she’d done it to him, “Hey, champ.”
Scout grumbled, then peeked one eye open,
“Your mama and dada are home.”
She turned her head and looked around, seeing Tim seated on the edge of the couch, his hand resting on Scout’s foot, and Lucy was close by too – standing behind the backrest of the couch,
“Hi mama and dada,” she whispered, then turned to look at Penn, “You sleep okay, uncle Penn?”
“It was the best nap I’ve had in a while,” he said, “But Celina’s waitin’ for me. I gotta go home.”
Scout pouted a little at that, burrowing back into Penn’s side. He chuckled, easily maneuvering her to rest on top of him before he sat up, and then stood, supporting her with his good arm,
“Alright, looks like we’re saying byebyes in the driveway,” he said. He reached for the door and heard Lucy tell Tim something about getting the thing for Scout before she quickly joined him by his side, heart melting at how Scout seemed to melt in Penn’s hold. When they walked out to the driveway, Celina was already out of the car, leaning against the hood, waiting,
“Oh, someone’s sleepy,” she said softly, walking up to the two, “Hi, Scout.”
“Hi, auntie Celine,” Scout mumbled, lifting her head up and rubbing sleep out of her eyes,
“Did you have a good time with Miles?”
“The best,” Scout nodded, looking at Penn, “Thanks for staying with me, uncle Penn.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, champ,” he smiled, pressing a smooch to her cheek, “I’m gonna let your mama have a turn now, alright? I think I’ve hogged you the entire day.”
Scout giggled at that, pressing a careful smooch back to his cheek, avoiding the reddened areas, and then let go of Penn, reaching toward Lucy who took her with ease, settling her on his hip,
“Thanks for sticking around for her,” Lucy said and Penn nodded,
“Always a pleasure,” he said, winking at Scout, “I’ll see y’all tomorrow at the station. Night, ma’am.”
“Night, you two,” Lucy waved, Scout following, “Let me know when you get home!”
“Will do!” Celina called, “Night, Scout!”
“Night night, auntie Celina! Night night, uncle Penn!”
They watched them pull backwards out onto the road and then the car left their field of vision, leaving them alone. Scout looked at Lucy with a soft, sleepy smile,
“Hi mama,” she said again, “I missed you.”
“Awww, I missed you too sweetheart,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek, “Come on, let’s go back inside and see what’s Tim up to.”
When they walked back into the house, Tim was hovering over something at the dining table, making Scout’s eyebrow lift in suspicion,
“Dada?” she asked and Tim jumped, movement exaggerated, as if he was caught red-handed,
“Hi, baby bug,” he smiled, and Lucy had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from giggling at how silly he was. Scout’s eyes narrowed, sleepy but suspicious, little head trying to move to take a peek at what was hiding behind Tim,
“Why are you acting weird?” she said flatly. Tim glanced at Lucy, and their silent language was enough for Lucy to start talking as she rocked Scout on her arm a little, grabbing her attention,
“Okay, so you know how Valentine’s Day is usually about romantic love, right?” Scout nodded, “And you know that also, love isn’t just one kind. There’s lots of kinds, right? Like, family love, sibling love, friendship love. Valentine’s day celebrates just one type of love, but we didn’t want you to feel like you were left out.”
“And, we didn’t go trying to make this be flashy and feel like something you wouldn’t like,” Tim continued, “But we still wanted to get you something you like, because we love you.”
Scout’s expression changed from confusion to something softer, her fingers curling into the collar of Tim’s shirt Lucy had on, like she wasn’t sure what to do with the information at hand, and then Tim moved aside. Lucy lowered Scout down to sit on the table, next to the gift bag. She looked up at them, a little unsure, and then reached toward it with tiny hands.
She picked out a box first – a flower set, but Lego kind. She lit up, looking up at them with the biggest smile on her face as she hugged the box to her chest,
“More Legos!” she squealed, “And it’s flowers too! So cool!”
“There are some parts that light up too,” Tim said, “So you can make them light up however you like.”
“I got flowers for Valentine’s day,” she said with a giggle, feet swinging excitedly. She lowered the box next to her and reached into the bag again, pulling out a few pieces of candy she always picked, a small bar of chocolatt, each one thought out and chosen with love and care she’d dreamt of,
“Wait!” she exclaimed before the gratitude even managed to find its way through, “I got something for you too!”
They watched her jump off the table and bolt to where her backpack was, pulling out a folder and two cards out of it. She came back just as quickly as she left, holding the items to her chest. She stopped in front of them, hesitated, then peeked down and handed them their respective cards. Her eyes kept flicking back and forth between them, watching the way Tim’s eyes softened as he read the careful handwriting, and the way Lucy’s hand flew to her mouth before she laughed softly,
“You made these for us?” Lucy asked,
“Yea,” Scout nodded, “I know Valentine’s day is supposed to be for you to give gifts to each other. But I wanted to give you something too.”
Tim didn’t hesitate to pick her up at that, settling her on his side, and Lucy quickly moved to wrap her arms around them both, as they pressed kisses to Scout’s cheeks,
“Thank you, baby,” she whispered, “This is beautiful.”
The next morning, Tim had woken Scout up with a soft kiss to her temple, murmuring something about breakfast being ready soon and that she can choose which candy from her present she can bring with her to school today. She slid out of the bed and padded out to the living room, catching Tim sitting in one of the chairs at the dining table. She walked up to him and blinked at the laptop screen he had in front of him, brows furrowing in confusion as she threw her arms around his neck,
“Dada?” she asked,
“Yes, baby?”
“What’s that?”
“I’m trying to see if I can book us a flight to Paris,” he said, making Scout’s head tilt,
“Why?”
“Well, last night, at the fundraiser, Lucy gave me my gift,” he began, “And it was the most thoughtful gift in the world, but I had to be a smartass and listen to my sister and I only got her earrings.”
“Did she like ‘em?” Scout asked and Tim groaned, throwing his arms up in the air like a fussy toddler,
“I chickened out after she gave me the gift and I didn’t even give them to her!” he said, “So now I’m trying to see if I can take us to Paris.”
“Well, dada, this isn’t a competition,” Scout pointed out, “But a baseball is kinda cool.”
Tim stopped mid-scroll then, slowly turning his head to look at Scout, brows furrowed in confusion,
“I’m sorry, baseball?”
“Yeah, the baseball she…” Scout trailed off then, little brain suddenly awake and trying so hard to connect the pieces,
“Lucy gave me a book,” Tim said, head tilting, brow lifting, “Bug…”
“No-you know-I meant uhm, I dreamt she gave you a baseball!” she tried, stumbling a little over her words, letting go of him, “I-I know she gave you the book! I just-I dreamt she gave you a-“
“Heyyy,” Lucy announced herself, carrying a little velvet box in her hand, “These are beautiful,” she said, wearing a huge smile on her face that seemed to have lit up the whole living room,
“I-I’m gonna go get ready for school-“ Scout tried, but Tim didn’t let her scramble off, quickly catching her with one hand, the other closing the laptop, and then picking her up with ease, settling her on his hip and walking over to Lucy,
“You opened them.”
“Well… yeah. I-I mean, we kinda got lost in all the excitement from last night and I happened to find myself… digging through… your pockets, and… I-I love them.”
“Okay, good,” Tim nodded, “But just know this is a second choice gift. I mean-I bought you every item of that overpriced South Korean face stuff you love, but it didn’t ship in time. And then… you got me the most thoughtful present in recorded history and I’m so sorry that it’s not a better gift.”
Lucy frowned at that,
“Are you kidding? They match my necklace!” she said, all giddy, pointing to the necklace that hung around her neck, the necklace, making Tim melt and Scout smile, “These are incredible! Alright? Thank you,” she said, immediately going in for a soft kiss,
“You know, I actually bought you a different gift first too, but I hid it so well I don’t remember where it is!” she admitted after the kiss was broken apart,
“What do you mean you don’t remember where it is?” Scout frowned, Lucy’s mouth hanging open as realization hit her,
“Wait-did I-did I tell you?”
“Yeah,” Scout nodded,
“You-You knew all this time???” Lucy exclaimed,
“Yea! It’s behind the washing machine!”
“You hid my Valentine’s day present behind a washing machine?” Tim repeated, “It’s a good thing I wasn’t lookin’ back there, I would’ve found it in five seconds!”
“Well, you didn’t, and oh my God, behind the washing machine? Really?” Lucy groaned, forehead butting into Tim’s chest,
“Clearly you need brushing up on the DEAR method,” Tim teased, making her look up and send him a glare,
“Do not even think about it,” she warned and he folded with a smile, about to meet her halfway with another sassy comment, but the knock at the door interrupted them. They exchanged a look and Tim lowered Scout down, he and Lucy walking up to the door first and Scout standing behind them. Tim leaned to look through the glass, trying to recognize the face, but when he couldn’t pinpoint it, he and Lucy quickly flipped the switch into cop mode, as Tim opened the door,
“Hi. I have a delivery for Tim Bradford?” the man on the other side of the door spoke, an unlabeled box right next to his feet,
“What delivery?” he asked,
“Something from South Korea, it seems,” the guy said and Tim’s shoulders slumped, whilst Lucy and Scout exchanged a look and dissolved into giggles. He signed off what was needed and then picked up the box, moving it on the dining table whilst Lucy closed the door, still giggling,
“Wow,” he breathed, “What impeccable timing.”
“This might be the funniest thing that’s ever happened to us,” Lucy said, still unable to stop laughing. Scout hopped up on the table, feet swinging excitedly as she waited for Lucy to open the package. True to his word, Tim had gotten her everything in the line – and they sent some extras as well,
“Oh, you’re trying this out with me!” Lucy said with excitement, “Oooh, baby, there’s these fun little headbands for when your hair gets all wild so you can keep it out of your eyes and it’s all fun designs too!” she turned to look at Tim, “You went shopping for more than just the products, didn’t you.”
“I may have sprinkled in some other stuff I know you use,” he said shyly, putting his hands in his pockets, “Did I get the good stuff?”
“Yeah,” Lucy nodded, lowering the bottle in hand down and turning around to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him in for a kiss, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he smiled, the oven dinging, “That’s our breakfast ready,” he said, pressing another quick peck before letting Lucy go and going for the kitchen. Scout slid off the table and helped Lucy move everything away to the bathroom while Tim set everything up,
“Looks like you and dada both got two presents for Valentine’s day this year,” Scout said, reaching behind the washing machine and pulling out the framed baseball with a giggle. She blew on it to get the dust off and handed it to Lucy who made a full-body pout,
“I can’t believe I didn’t think of asking you,” she shook her head, “But it turned out for the best, didn’t it.”
“Ladies, breakfast is served!” Tim’s voice called from the kitchen, and they walked out of the bathroom hand in hand. Lucy handed Tim the framed baseball and he admired it with awe, immediately going to find a spot for it on one of the shelves in the living room before joining them for breakfast.