“Papa!”
“Yes, love?”
“Papa, when’s Daddy coming home?”
“He’s coming tomorrow, sweetie, remember?”
“Is that why you had to make me pasta and it tastes funny?”
“Aw, it wasn’t that bad, was it? Don’t screw your nose up like that, honey, or it might get stuck like that!”
“…Papa, where did Daddy go?”
“Remember those pretty dresses he was drawing?”
“Mine were better.”
“Yeah, they were, darling, but don’t tell Daddy that or he might get upset! Anyway, he went to show them to a special man who might give Daddy lots of money to draw more.”
“I miss him.”
“That’s okay, baby, so do I. C’mere, give Papa a cuddle.”
“Look, you miss Daddy giving you kisses, and I miss him reading me stories, so if I give you a kiss, will you read me a story?”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’ll read you a story anytime you want! I won’t say no to a kiss though! It has to be a big, sloppy, wet one-”
“Mwah! Like that?”
“Yeah, just like that. Now I get to give you one – mwah!”
“Ew, now I’m all wet and gross – I don’t know why Daddy likes it when you do that … hey Papa, that tickles! … No more tickling! You have to read me a story now!”
“Okay, come on then, missy, you go pick one out.”
“Honestly, Papa, you don’t know how to do this, do you?”
“Um …”
“I have to go brush my teeth and you have to go pick one out, then it’s a surprise!”
“But what if I pick one you don’t like?”
“Then I’ll tell you and you’ll pick a different one.”
“Oh, right …”
“Papa, how come you don’t tuck me in and read me stories at bedtime like Daddy does?”
“Because … because, sweetie, the man I work for tells me what time I’m allowed to come home, and normally you’re already fast asleep when I do.”
“But Daddy does work too and he’s back in time to pick me up!”
“Yes, love, Daddy works all the time, but he’s looking for someone to pay him for his work – that’s why he’s gone now.”
“Oh. But I think your work man is mean.”
“So do I, darling, so do I.”

*~*~*~*

“Excuse me, Miss, I heard there was a little girl around here waiting for a bedtime story, but I can’t seem to find her – could you help me?”
“Me! Me! I’m the girl!”
“You? But you’re not just a little girl! You’re … a beautiful princess!”
“Princesses like stories too, you know! But what story is it, Papa?”
“… Tahdah!”
“The mermaid one! I love that one!”
“See? Papas always know which stories their babies like best.”
“But I’m not a baby – I’m a princess. But wait! Before you start you have to bring the tissues over here.”
“Why, love? Have you got a runny nose?”
“No, silly. Daddy and me always cry in this story, so we have to get the tissues so we don’t get water on the bed.”
“Y-you both cry? But, um, the Little Mermaid has a happy ending, doesn’t it?”
“No, but this isn’t the cartoon one – it doesn’t have the songs or Flounder or anything – this is the proper, real life story. And Daddy says that sometimes proper real life stories are sad, but that’s okay. Papa, are you crying already? We haven’t even started yet!”
“I know, I just … you’re wonderful.”
“Okay, Papa, but you need to read the story now.”
“Let me just, uh, grab the tissues first.”

*~*~*~*

“Kurt. You’re home.”
“Oh, Blaine, baby, I told you not to wait up! You’re going to be exhausted tomorrow!”
“Here, let me grab your bag. Well, you’re exhausted now, so let me take care of you. Do you want something to eat? I can heat up pasta, or-”
“Did you remember to stir the cheese into the sauce?”
“… Oh. So that’s why it tasted funny …”
“Come here, you. I missed you.”
“We missed you too, baby. So much.”
“And no, I don’t want food – I just want to check on my darling daughter then cuddle with my darling husband.”
“Sure, but check on her quietly. If she wakes up and sees you, we’ll never get her back to sleep.”
“Hey, isn’t that my line?”
“Yes, but I seem to have commandeered it. Go on, go see her – I’ll unpack your toothbrush and … actually I don’t think you’ll be needing pyjamas tonight …”
“I most certainly will! You have work in … six hours, and I’m shattered. So nothing but cuddling tonight. Fully clothed cuddling. And I want to be the little spoon!”

*~*~*~*

“Come on then, little spoon – in you get.”
“Oh, I feel so much better now that I’m all clean and moisturised and back in my own bed … with my own husband-”
“Hey, you! I’m stuck at home, slaving away, trying to juggle a job and a child, while you’re off jet setting, sleeping with other people’s husbands and-”
“About that.”
“What about that?”
“Well … aren’t you curious to know what the magazine said about my designs?”
“Of course, but you’re tired, and you didn’t volunteer the information immediately, so I thought I’d ask you in the morning …”
“Blaine?”
“Yes, love?”
“… They said yes! Oh my god, they want me!”
“Oh, babe, that’s fantastic! You’re fantastic! Have you any idea how hot you are when you’re determined to get something? Of course they said yes – they’d be stupid not to want you … anyone would be stupid not to want you … I want you-”
“Whoa, whoa, baby … no … tired-”
“Shh, just lie back and … enjoy it … love …”
“Mm, fine, yes, but wait … I want to … tell you …”
“Ugh. What?”
“They signed me.”
“Yes. Brilliant. And?”
“The contract lasts … five years.”
“Five … oh my god, Kurt! Five years!”
“Which means you can quite your stupid office job, and give your boss a kick in the balls from me, and you can sing, Blaine! I’ll be making enough so we can focus on getting you a record deal or something, and then- mmph!”
“Mmm, what did I do to deserve someone as amazing as you?”
“You were nice enough to help out the poor new kid.”
“Spy.”
“I prefer the term- guh!”
“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t quite hear you over the sound of your sexy …”
“Blaine!”
“Yes, dear?”
“Stop being such a damn tease and get on with it!”
“Anything for you, love.”
“But if … god … if you wake … you have to be quie- ahh!”
“Shh, Kurt, baby, we wouldn’t want to wake- oh!”
“Two can play at that game …”
“Ohh … okay, god, okay, you win, you win, just get in me already!”
“Anything for you, love.”