A TOAST TO THE FUTURE — FOUR (II)
Summary: Aurora and Harry used to be friends, but life happened and they grew apart. Now, 6 years later, they meet again.
Rating: +18
WARNINGS: The story contains explicit language and mentions a past abusive relationship (mostly the consequences of psychological/emotional abuse). Some chapters also contain explicit sexual content.
PART FOUR: 21k words
(I) - 11,2k words
(II) - 9,8k words
PART ONE || PART TWO || PART THREE || PART FOUR (I)
"Okay, I'm good," Aurora says, standing next to Megan and behind the couch.
Ahead of them, all of their friends are already out there, near the water. Listening to music, drinking, and chit chatting while soaking under the Italian weather.
"And thank you, by the way," she adds. "I'll owe you for the rest of my life."
Megan laughs and shakes her head, then turns to look at her. "Don't be silly, it was nothing."
It wasn't, though.
Because when Aurora hesitated to leave the bedroom, Megan was quick to catch on her nervousness and stay behind with her. And she was also kind and sweet when asking if Aurora wanted to talk about it, or if there was anything she could do to help.
Then, when Aurora shared that she was self-conscious about how she'll look in her clothes, Megan was also empathetic of her situation. She seemed to understand it isn't just about her body, but also about what all those clothes represent to her. Because Aurora doesn't feel the same as when she was in her twenties and started dating Zack, so she doesn't want to wear clothes that will make her feel like that old version of her. She wants to move forwards, not backwards. She wants to be better, not go back to being the same.
So Megan stood behind and helped her feel more comfortable about herself, supporting her decision of wearing the colorful one-piece she'd bought instead of the bikini Maddie had packed for her, and then even offering her own linen shirt for Aurora to wear on top of it. Which, as it turns out, ended up being a great idea, and the last push she needed to feel that boost of confidence inside her.
"You look incredible, by the way," Megan says.
Aurora looks down at her feet — her bare feet — and smiles. "Thanks."
And she means it. Because, truth be told, right now Aurora feels good about herself. Her legs are out and her boobs are definitely about to get some sun — as they deserve — but that doesn't mean she's half-naked. Her stomach is still covered, and her bum isn't completely out in the open. Besides, that shirt's making everything way more comfortable.
"Shall we?" Megan asks.
"Yes." Aurora nods. "Let's go, c'mon."
Megan leads the way, then, while Aurora follows her closely.
Once they step outside, it's easy to say that it's the most breathtaking view Aurora's ever seen. Despite the coastline being at sight, it feels like they're completely by themselves, surrounded by nothing but water while facing the sun and the different shades of blue that blend in the horizon.
Lucy, Ava and Maddie are sitting by the pool, while the boys stand by the swim platform — Theo and Niall facing the yacht, while Jayden, Daniel and Harry face the horizon.
A shirtless Harry, though.
A shirtless Harry facing the horizon, with his bare back fully exposed to her.
And although Aurora tries her best to appear nonchalant and unaffected, it's hard not to feel her legs wobbling, or her mouth watering up. Because those black shorts he's wearing are really short, and there are so many muscles popping out that she wouldn't believe him if he said his body is built the same way as anyone else.
"Baby! Moonshine!" Niall cheers, raising his hands. "Finally!"
Everyone turns to look at them, and Aurora slows down slightly, almost hiding behind Megan.
"Took you long enough," he adds, opening his arms for his girlfriend.
Aurora watches as Megan smiles and rushes to him, hugging his waist while he holds her shoulders and kisses her temple.
It's cute.
They're cute.
So Aurora smiles, too.
And then she just stands there.
Awkwardly. Not really knowing what to do with her legs. Or with her hands. Or with herself.
She glances to one side, admiring the blue horizon, and to the other one, appreciating the coastline one more time. And then, she faces forward, and her eyes automatically land on Harry. Again.
He's turned half-way towards her, drinking beer while glancing at her feet, then running his eyes up her legs, drifting from her knees, to her thighs, and her hips. She doesn't know if it's intentional, like before, but it doesn't seem so, because when he gets past her chest and neck, then finally meets her stare, he widens his eyes and chokes.
He actually chokes — just like when they were in the car and she teased him about speaking Italian. Coughing and leaning forward while hitting his chest.
And yet… It's not just like when they were in the car, is it? Because now the boys are quick to tease him and laugh at him. And because now Aurora feels the heat spreading through her cheeks, and the nervousness taking over her belly. And because now it doesn't feel like just a friendly joke, because apparently Harry got flustered for getting caught. And because he got caught checking her out. Checking her body out.
So instead of acknowledging what happened, now Aurora pretends not to see it. And not to hear what's being said. And as she pretends everything is normal, she turns around and walks towards the girls. Knowing very damn well that, at the same time, there's a new feeling lingering inside her. Like a tingling. A feeling that's running through her veins, and that's making her anxious to see what could come next. Or where it could end.
That tingling is growing. And it's getting serious.
Aurora can't explain it, or put it in words, but she feels it in her bones.
She's sitting on one of the steps leading to the swim platform, where everyone is just hanging around.
Her lungs are full from ocean air, and the wind keeps whipping her hair, but it also makes the sun on her face feel less aggressive than it felt earlier in the afternoon.
Harry's sitting right in front of her, by the edge of the platform. Bending one leg at the knee and the other falling to the water while he hooks his arms around his thigh. His stunning smile seems to shine brighter than the sun, and once in a while she can see him slightly turning his head to look at her, or maybe just peeking through the corner of his eyes.
And as she talks to her friends by her side, or as she watches Lucy, Maddie, Ava, and Theo finally jump into the water, she knows she's been glancing at him non-stop, too. Because she can't help it. It's like someone casted a spell on her and she's now hypnotized.
The worst part is that Harry isn't even trying. He just keeps listening and nodding at whatever Daniel and Jayden are talking about, occasionally throwing his head back in laughter or being loud and goofy for apparently no reason. His dimples keep showing up as he speaks and smiles, and every time he laughs, his mouth falls open and his eyes wrinkle.
The image of him being that happy is breathtaking, but the sound of his laughter astonishes her. It makes her heart beat faster, and to hope for him to sit next to her and give her all of his undivided attention.
Earlier that day, Aurora fell asleep on his chest. Harry held her between his arms, and gently took care of her. She melted into him, more than once. She felt his fingers against her skin, and his lips on the top of her head. She remembered how tender and affectionate he could be, and she's still aware that everything she could think about when she woke up from her nap on the plane, was how cozy and warm she'd felt when cuddled by him.
However, hours later, Aurora finds herself watching him from a new perspective. One that doesn't take away what she already knows about him, but only adds more valuable information. It just makes him look even better in her eyes.
And she knows she's never paid this much attention to Harry's body. Not like this, anyway. In all the years they spent together, she never observed him too much to actually know what anything besides his face looked like. Not only because the opportunity never came up, but also because she never thought about looking at him like that. So she has no idea if this is how he's always looked or not, but right then and there, Aurora is convinced Harry is bloody fucking hot.
He is drinking beer, and everytime he takes the bottle to his mouth the muscles on his arm flex. He is also chewing gum, and the movements of his jaw are absorbing. The veins on his neck keep popping out, and his broad shoulders keep bringing up the memories of the many times she has hugged him and rested her chin on top of them.
In all of those "many times", not even once it crossed through Aurora's mind the idea of hiding her face into his neck, breathing him in and kissing every inch of skin she could reach. But right then and there, it is all she can think about.
For the first time in too long, Aurora feels flushed.
Actually flushed.
And she has no idea what to do with that. Because it's becoming very clear to her that different parts of her body are suddenly awake, and that's all because of him.
All because of Harry.
Harry!
"Can I ask you something?" Megan asks, taking a seat next to her.
Aurora jolts slightly, blinking as she shifts her eyes to her friend and nods. "Yeah, sure."
Megan bends her legs and hugs her knees, turning her face towards Aurora and murmuring as she asks, "Is there something going on between you and Harry?"
Aurora widens her eyes. "What? I mean, why?"
"I don't know," Megan murmurs, making sure the conversation stays only between them. "I hear him and Niall on the phone sometimes, so I kinda figured something was up. But then today I saw the way you look at each other, and y'know, everyone's just been joking about it all day… So I thought… Y"know."
She shrugs.
Aurora bites the inside of her cheek and nods, taking the information in. She doesn't know how they look at each other, but she's aware that they've been doing it a lot. And she didn't actually hear what the boys said when they were teasing him, but she knows it happened. Just like she knows the girls were teasing her. So, yeah, she gets where she's coming from.
And yet, there's one piece from that weird and unexpected puzzle that Aurora can't make sense of, so she asks, "He talks to Niall about me?"
Megan smiles, and nods. "I mean, they're always talking about you… But… You didn't know that, right?"
Aurora shakes her head.
"Yeah, I should've figured… I mean, from what I heard and—Oh my God!" Megan widens her eyes and grabs Aurora's arm. "Rory, I don't usually go around telling people's secrets, ok? Especially Niall's. I'd never do that. I swear."
Aurora chuckles, stretching her legs and crossing one ankle over the other. She takes the opportunity to glance at Harry, who still seems pretty entertained with whatever Daniel is saying to him.
"Don't worry about it," she says, looking back at Megan. "What do they talk about, tho? I mean, what is there to talk about me?
Megan withdraws her hand and places it back on her lap, then peeks at Harry and curves her lips into a smile.
"I find it very sweet, actually," she says quietly and softly, then looks back at Aurora. "He always asks Niall if he heard anything from you, or how you are, and how's Noah… Those kinds of things. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, but… I don't know. I don't really know you guys that well, but Harry seems to really care about you, and from what I've heard today, you deserve to get over your ex, so… I don't know… I guess I thought you should know… Because… Yeah… I don't know why."
They both laugh, and Aurora nods at her.
"Thanks for letting me know. I'm really confused about the whole thing, but thanks anyway."
"Do you want something to happen? Like, have you ever thought about it?"
"What? Me and Harry?" Aurora practically mouths. And when Megan rolls her eyes, she laughs and shakes her head. "God, no… Never. I mean… I haven't thought about anyone since Zack, to be honest."
"Hmm." Megan nods. "But you're single now, and Zack isn't in the picture anymore, right?"
"Right."
"Wouldn't it be nice if something happened between you and Harry, then?"
Yes.
Aurora shrugs. "I… I don't know. I feel very weird about it."
"Why?"
Exactly, why?
Why would it be weird?
If everything around him feels so natural and effortless… Why would it be weird?
Aurora chuckles and groans, looking at her feet and shaking her head. When she speaks again, she lowers her voice as much as she can. "I just saw him again, Meg. Literally. Like, after years without seeing or even talking to each other, y'know? So it's just… Weird."
"Do you find him attractive?"
Fuck yes.
Aurora rolls her eyes, and shrugs.
"Oh my God, you totally do!" Megan claps her hands together, giggling before tapping her fingers on her knees. "You find him attractive and you're shy to admit it!"
"Shhhhh," Aurora whispers, clenching her teeth and widening her eyes.
"Sorry, sorry." Megan giggles. "I just love this!"
The way Megan radiates joyness at the whole thing makes Aurora chuckle, and she shakes her head, then scratches the tip of her nose.
"I think you should go for it," Megan adds.
Maybe…
But no.
Mostly because Aurora doesn't know how to do that anymore. There used to be a time when she had fun flirting with guys, and when she didn't doubt her instincts. Now, though? Now it's like she doesn't even have instincts anymore. It's like her mind isn't telling her what to do anymore. Or her body isn't reacting by itself anymore.
Besides, they've just seen each other. After six years.
Aurora reaches for her necklace, then. "Wouldn't it be too fast, tho?"
"I don't know…" Megan shrugs. "I'm hardly one to talk, tho. I met Niall at a bar on a Friday night, went back to his place and didn't leave until Sunday morning, so…" She shrugs again. "We clicked, and that was it. Was it fast with your ex-husband, too?"
Aurora snorts. "No, not at all. We were co-workers first, and we were friends for months before Zack asked me out on a date. It also took him months to officially ask me to be his girlfriend."
"Mhmm…" Megan nods, half-smiling while glancing at Harry, then back at her. "So… You took your time getting to know each other, and yet you still divorced him."
Aurora scoffs, then narrows her eyes. "Yeah, okay. I see where you're getting at."
Megan shrugs and beams at her. "Yep. I'm getting at the fact that maybe it's not about time, it's about the person."
She looks so proud of herself for coming up with that conclusion, that Aurora ends up laughing. And maybe her laughter is a little bit louder than it should be, because it seems to get Harry's attention. She notices it when he turns his head and looks at her, and when she really needs to hold herself from looking back at him.
"God," she breathes out, looking down at her thighs and grabbing her necklace between her fingers. "I feel like this is too much information… Like, my head can't get around this. We literally just saw each other. This morning. After six years."
Aurora laughs, and the incredulous tone gives away the nervousness behind her thoughts. And behind her feelings.
"Like I said, I think you should go for it. He's totally into you… I mean, there's absolutely no way he isn't."
That's the thing, though… Absolutely no way? Really? What if they're wrong?
"Right… Well… I don't know." Aurora sighs. "I need some time to process this."
"Okay, yeah. So let's stop talking about it. Let's just… Y'know… Enjoy the view… The sun, the water… Also," — Megan leans in, and hides her mouth from any potential pryers — "you should think about it while you stare at those tattoos. And those mind-blowing abs."
Aurora laughs loudly again, mostly at the fact that Megan is suddenly comfortable enough to joke like that around her.
"I mean," Megan adds. "If Niall asks, I find them ridiculous, ok? Not my type. Ew. But… Y'know… I truly, truly hope you get to enjoy… That."
"Y'know," Ava says, standing near the couch and placing her hands on her hips. "Those colors look really nice on you."
Aurora stops walking and looks down at her body, meanwhile taking a sip from her piña colada. Her breasts are right there, popping out at her, Megan's shirt long forgotten after she decided to spend a few minutes in the pool with Lucy. And she had missed showing them off. They used to be her favorite part of her body.
"You think so?" she asks.
"Totally!"
Aurora giggles. She walks down the steps to the outdoor lounge, smiling while getting closer to her friend.
"Where did you get it?" Ava asks.
Aurora takes another sip of her drink and closes her eyes. Tasting the pineapple, coconut, and rum inside her mouth.
"God, this is delicious…" She opens her eyes and glances back at Ava, then giggles. "Sorry… Hmm… It's actually Mara Hoffman, I got it on sale."
"Wow!" Ava smirks. "I love fancy Rory! It's perfect for the occasion."
"Shut up." Aurora laughs, waving her off. "It was the first thing I bought after I signed the divorce papers." She shrugs. "Felt kinda liberating."
"Ohhh, let's toast to that, then!" Ava runs closer to Aurora, raising the hand holding her drink.
They giggle while clicking their glasses together, each taking a one-long sip right after.
"Wait, no!" Ava cries. "We skipped the speech!"
"We don't need a speech."
"Yes, we do! Every toast needs a speech," Ava says, but proceeds to take another sip of her drink anyway.
"Okay, lemme hear it, then."
"Okay, so," Ava says, and rolls her shoulders.
Aurora takes another sip, enjoying her drink while she listens to the unnecessary speech.
"Here we go." Ava clears her throat, and raises her glass. "To our newly divorced, incredible, breathtaking, hot, sexy mama, who's—"
Aurora chokes, spitting half of her drink out of her mouth before she can even try to cover it up. Part of it goes down Aurora's chin, and the rest directly to Ava's chest and belly.
There is a short silent pause, then loud laughter takes over the two of them.
"Oh my God!" Aurora yells, whipping her chin with the back of her hand. She hunches down, laughing and putting one hand over her stomach.
"Moonshine!" Niall shouts from where he is sitting, next to the pool. "Are you drunk without me?!"
"'M not drunk!" Aurora shouts back, still laughing at the way the drink sneaked out between her lips. "Ava is just… Oh my God… She's just being stupid!"
Ava gasps, then shoves Aurora's shoulder. "Hey! I'm not stupid! What did I do?"
Aurora's still laughing, but she lowers her voice to make sure nobody listens when she explains, "You called me sexy mama."
"Ohhh! Well that's just 'cause I think you are a sexy mamma!" Ava finishes her drink, glancing over Aurora's shoulder before smirking and looking back at her. "Besides, I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who thinks that."
Aurora sips her drink, and narrows her eyes. "What?"
Ava puts her empty glass on the table, then turns her back to the water, forcing Aurora to turn around too, standing in front of her and facing the opposite side. "Harry won't stop looking at you."
Aurora rolls her eyes. "That's not true."
It is, though. She knows that.
"Yes, it is. C'mon, it's so obvious… He doesn't even try to hide it anymore."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Mhmm… Okay then." She wiggles her eyebrows and leans closer to her. "Auriiii."
Aurora purses her lips, doing her best to keep a straight face. It only lasts three seconds before laughter comes out of her chest, though, and she shakes her head. "Shut up…"
"Ah!" Ava squeals. "See?! You know!"
"Stop…" she practically cries, raising her arms and hiding behind her hand — and her drink. "I feel so silly about this!"
"No! Why? Rory, oh my God. It's so sweet. Really. I'd truly love that for you. He's such a great guy."
Aurora puts her hands down from her face, then shakes her head.
"I don't think it's the right time to be thinking about this."
Ava snaps her eyebrows together. "Why not?"
"I just got divorced and—"
"Na-na-na!" Ava shakes her head, waving her hands in front of Aurora's face. "Don't give me that bullshit again. It's been months now, Rory! C'monnn… How long since you've had sex? Huh?"
Aurora shrugs. "I don't know."
Ava rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, right," she snorts. "Of course you know. Just tell me, c'mon."
Aurora takes a sip of her drink, shuffling on her feet while gathering enough courage to speak.
"I mean… We ended things over a year ago, and before that it had already been a while, so…"
"So…" Ava smiles, wiggling her eyebrows again. "It's time to get laid."
Aurora snorts. "No it's not."
"Yes it is. You deserve to get laid."
"Stop."
"Roryyy…"
Aurora chuckles, shaking her head. "Why are you so excited about this, anyway?"
"Because you deserve to feel good, Rory," Ava says. "And because you deserve someone who'll care about making you feel good."
Aurora raises her left eyebrow. "And you think Harry's that person?"
Ava nods. "I know for a fact he is."
"How—"
"Look, don't think too much about this, okay? Just enjoy it."
Aurora sighs, rubbing her forehead and shaking her head.
"Don't you think it's nice?" Ava asks, then, placing one hand on her shoulder. "That excitement of meeting someone? That tension before something happens?"
Aurora looks over Ava's shoulder, seeing Harry climb back to the yacht.
He is soaked. His entire body is dripping water, his shorts are heavy and stuck against his skin, and there are no traces of his curls as his hair is pulled back.
She knows that the excitement Harry makes her feel is, in fact, "nice". He makes her feel safe, he makes her laugh, and he makes it seem easy. However, the problem right now isn't him, or what he's making her feel, but how she's reacting to all that.
So inexperienced and… Childish. Shy. Unsure of herself.
And she hates that. So much! Because it's not who she wants to be. It's not who she used to be.
Then once again, Harry turns his head to where she is, and locks eyes with her. He pulls his hair back and blinks, then tilts his head slightly and frowns. Almost as if he's asking if she's okay, or what's going on.
"Are you looking at him right now?" Ava asks.
Aurora doesn't stop staring at him, but she still nods, then takes the last sip of her piña colada. "Mhm."
"God." Ava snorts. "I swear to God Aurora, it's written all over your face. It's written all over both of your faces. So if you don't go for it… I don't know. I think I'll just kill you both."
Aurora snorts. Then laughs.
And Harry smiles.
And Aurora's belly buzzes. And her body tingles.
And then she shakes her head and looks down, eying the empty glass in her hand.
"Okay. I think I need another drink now."
Aurora puts her empty glass on the table and gets up from the couch, finally — finally — walking back to the swim platform.
Niall, Jayden and Megan are standing near each other, having a loud and enthusiastic conversation about something she doesn't understand. Nor cares about. But she stands close to them anyway, listening and waiting for Harry to come back from wherever he went to just minutes ago.
Megan's sharing a story about her job and softwares, or something along those lines, when Aurora hears the sound of feet against the wooden deck, and then some coughing.
Her heartbeat picks up inside her chest, and a fuzzy rush of anticipation takes over her body. Knowing exactly who it is. And knowing she's been waiting for that. That she's been thinking about that. About being around him again, about getting closer to him again. About talking to him again.
So she bites her lip, and waits. Waits for him to finally stand by her side, or maybe just walk past her and stop right across from where she is. Where he's going to be able to look at her face.
So she waits, and waits.
And yet she never sees him.
Instead, she feels him hunching behind her, and then the way he sneaks his hands under her elbows. "What—"
"Hey Auri," he murmurs, curling his arms around her waist and pushing her back against his bare chest.
"Wait—What are you—"
He tightens his hold around her belly, then lifts her feet from the ground.
"Oh my God…"
She puts her hands on top of his forearms, and Harry steps forward.
"Harry!" Aurora shouts, and laughs, kicking her legs as he walks towards the edge of the platform. "No, no, no… Stop! Harry! Stop! Oh my—"
Harry jumps, though, and Aurora gasps as he takes her along with him.
She closes her eyes and presses her lips together, holding her breath and scrunching up her face right before the cold water hits her feet and then her entire body.
Sounds die down as they sink into the Mediterranean Ocean, heaviness pushing them towards the distant bottom and causing Harry's arms to loosen up around her waist.
He never lets go of her, though. If anything, he reacts by squeezing her even tighter, pulling them back up with the same confidence and strength he just dropped them.
It only takes a second for Aurora's instincts to kick in as well, forcing her to move her arms and legs in an attempt to reach the surface.
The fresh air quickly hits her face, and Aurora gasps for air, deeply and loudly. And then she coughs. And coughs. And coughs again.
Harry's head comes up from under the water right behind her, and she turns around.
"Harry!" She laughs, and coughs, kicking her legs to keep her body floating and taking her hair out of her face.
"Hiii." Harry smiles, moving his arms and legs to stay afloat, too.
"Hi? Hi?!" The smile stays on her face while she splashes him with water, and he jerks away with laughter. "You're such an idiot!"
He laughs and shakes his head, curls following his movement and making it rain all around him.
"I know. Just look at the things I gotta do to get your attention, huh?"
Cold, saline water washes over her face and drops through her lashes, and Aurora takes one hand to wipe her eyes off.
"Or maybe you could've just talked to me."
He swims closer, as close as he can get while they're both kicking their legs to avoid submerging again.
"Guess I could… But what's the fun in that?"
She gasps, and splashes more water on him. "What's the fun in talking to me?!"
"Wha—No!" Harry laughs louder, jerking his face away and splashing her back. "Shit. That's not what I meant."
Aurora laughs, too.
"Mhmmmm, but it is what you said."
"Ohhh, c'mere jellybean." Harry reaches for her, pulling her arm first, then grabbing her waist and turning her around.
Aurora squeals, and laughs, and when he presses her back against his chest, she feels herself wavering in the blue ocean. Floating with unsteady movements. And just this close to sinking again. So she holds onto his forearm tightly, tilting her chin up to keep her mouth out of the water.
"Harry," she cries with laughter, automatically searching for his shoulder with the back of her head. "C'monnn."
"What?" he murmurs, holding half of her weight with one arm while moving the other and kicking his legs.
"My legs are getting tired," she murmurs as well. Feeling the way his body is moving behind her. Too fast for her to actually feel him, but too firm for her not to notice it.
"Mine aren't," he says, surely of himself. "I've got you, yeah? Just look at the—"
"Oi!" Niall shouts. "Lovebirds!"
Harry whirls towards the yacht, pulling Aurora along with him.
She gasps from the sudden movement, her legs getting tangled with his as they both keep working to stay afloat.
"This is for you!" Niall adds.
Aurora faces forward, only now aware that they've drifted to the side of the yacht and that their friends aren't on sight anymore. Niall is there, though, holding a beer while Theo throws something large and orange to the water.
It falls right under the swim platform, and Theo points at it.
"Take this!" He shouts. "Don't want anyone drowning at my engagement party."
"Thanks!" Harry shouts back, and both Theo and Niall give him a thumbs up before walking away.
Aurora blinks. Trying to process all the information.
"Can you swim there? Or want me to get it?"
"Uhm… I guess… I can swim?"
Harry chuckles. "You don't sound very sure."
"Sorry, I'm just… Confused, I think. Let's go tho, my thighs are burning."
"Ok, c'mon. I'm right behind ya if you need me."
He lets go of her waist, and Aurora takes a deep breath in, diving into the water and kicking her legs to swim towards whatever that orange thing is.
It's not far away, but it takes some effort from someone who doesn't frequently swim. When she finally reaches it, and realizes it seems to be a floating mat, Harry's hands are already on her waist, smoothly helping her climb on it before he does the same.
She crawls on the orange thick mat, exhaling what to others might sound like a heavy and annoyed grunt, but inside her it just feels like she's pushing all the exhaustion out of her body.
There's enough room to fit at least five people on that mat, so she pushes herself a little bit further, trying to reach a place that at least feels like the middle. Once she's there, she turns around and sits on her bum, then drops her weight back.
"Oh my God," Aurora drags out of her mouth, laying on her back and facing the darkening sky while her thighs prickle with soreness. She closes her eyes and places her hands on her belly, trying to catch up her breath. "That was just… Wow… Like a whole… Y'know… Like a whole workout for me..."
Harry chuckles, dropping his back right next to her. Close enough that Aurora can feel the hair on his arm brushing her own.
"It was good tho," he murmurs, turning his head to look at her. "Wasn't it?"
His gaze heats up her face, and Aurora blinks, then turns her head and looks at him, too.
Despite the steadiness of his stare, there's some insecurity on his face. Maybe it's the way he furrows his brows, or the way he seems to be biting the skin inside his cheek. Or maybe the way he so intensely waits for her to answer his simple question.
And yes, Aurora's arms are tired. And yes, Aurora didn't plan to get into the water today. And yes, her legs are sore. And yes she's still out of breath and her heart is thumping heavily.
But she can't deny how refreshing and invigorating the whole thing felt. Or how she would do it all over again if she could. Or how much she appreciates his spontaneity. And his boldness. Or how happy he makes her.
So she nods, and murmurs back to him, "Yeah… It was."
"Ok," he whispers, taking one hand to rub water out of his eye before settling into her stare again. "Good."
And just like that, it's like once again she's stuck inside a green spell, because she can't pull away from him.
Drops of water cover his face, his tanned skin glistens under what's left of the sun, and his hair is all over the place. He's breathing in and out heavily, just like her, and she can see through the corner of her eyes the way his chest moves up and down.
It's tempting, to be honest. And the idea to look down even crosses her mind, but there's one particular curl falling onto his forehead that truly gets her attention. That feels more important right now. So Aurora raises her hand, not even trying to resist the instant urge to touch him as she reaches for his face and pulls it away for him.
Harry curls his lips into a smile and closes his eyes, and Aurora's heart skips a beat.
She turns on her side, then, bending her other arm by the elbow and resting on it while she runs her fingers even further through his head. Gently combing his wet hair around his ear, moving up near his temple, and then to the top of his forehead. Curling her legs and making herself comfortable. Losing herself in time as seconds — and maybe even minutes — go by. As the sun sets around them and the sky changes its colors.
Everything's naturally quiet around them. The mat waves them softly, following the motion of the sea, and although the weather is keeping her warm, a soft breeze from the late hour runs through her body. Making her shiver, and spreading goosebumps all over her skin.
She pulls away, then, but Harry is quick to raise his own hand and grab her wrist, slowing her down. With his eyes still closed, he guides her touch and drives her to slide her palm across his cheek and towards his mouth. And she lets him, biting her lip and watching him in awe. Allowing him to move her as he pleases. Feeling the brush of his facial hair, and also the contrasting combination from the cold water and his blazing skin.
He only stops when the center of her palm meets his lips, and then he presses a long and wet kiss to it. And another one.
Aurora sighs, and drops the weight of her hand, spreading it open and placing her thumb on his nose while she strokes her other four fingers up and down his cheek.
It only lasts a moment, and then Harry finally turns on his side, too, mimicking her position and using one arm as a pillow as he keeps holding her wrist with his other hand.
"Don't stop," he murmurs.
And Aurora doesn't. She brushes his cheek, gently and steadily.
Harry breathes out, hotly and heavily into her palm, then draws gentle circles on her wrist with his thumb. Lastly, he folds his legs, and his knees bump into her. And before she knows it, he's tangling their feet together and covering her coldness with his warmth.
That's when he finally opens his eyes, going straight to her gaze.
"Is this ok?" he murmurs.
Aurora's heart thuds densely, her chest moves up and down heavily, and her stomach feels like twisting and swirling.
"Yes," she answers, not giving herself any time to overthink it as she pulls her wrist out of his hold and moves her hand along his jaw.
Harry smiles, then drops his hand between them. "Promise? Because I can pull away if you want. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
She bites the insides of her bottom lip, watching him carefully before she finds the words to speak. Focusing on how she's pretty sure she's never been so close to him. Not like this, at least. Being able to point out the smallest details on his face. Or to catch the different shades in his irises. Or even to count the hairs across his jaw.
She doesn't really know what's happening. She doesn't really know how they got there. She doesn't really know how they went from accidentally bumping into each other at the airport, to floating in the middle of the sea and being so focused on each other that they completely ignore the beautiful sight of the sun setting right in front of them.
But she knows she doesn't want him to pull away. And she knows he's the furthest from making her feel uncomfortable. And she knows she wants to see where that whole interaction is going to take them.
Saying that to him doesn't feel enough, though. Like it doesn't represent how much he's meaning to her right now and there.
So instead, she offers, "You made today a lot easier for me. Y'know that, right?"
There's a flicker of shock in his eyes, she sees it when he widens them slightly and then blinks rapidly. And she feels it when his voice falters. "I did?"
"Mhm." She nods, then drops her hand on the mat. Right next to his. "I'm just… I'm really happy we met at the airport. And that you're here now. It wouldn't've been the same without you."
Harry stares blankly at her, and then he swallows. It's clear that he doesn't know what to say, and that he wasn't expecting to hear that.
And to be honest Aurora doesn't know what to say, either. Not beyond what she's already shared, anyway.
So she waits, and waits.
Until Harry closes his eyes and sighs, and then he tilts his face to hide in his own arm and chuckles.
"Jesus," he groans, unable to hide the grin from his face. And when he looks at her, there's nothing but joy, softness and affection surrounding him. "Can't believe how good that felt."
Aurora's belly flutters, and even though she's still out of words, she feels her lips curving into a smile, too.
Harry clears his throat, then, and whilst he doesn't lift his arm from the mat, he spreads his hand open and shifts it even closer. Enough for him to stretch his pinky finger and softly brush it against hers.
Aurora holds her breath, and drifts her eyes over his face.
"I think about this a lot, y'know?" he says, changing his tone into a lower and softer one. "About you."
Oh God.
"And these past years weren't the same without you, either," he adds, never pausing the touching path of his finger. "So yeah… I'm really happy we bumped into each other today. I'm happy that we're here now."
Her heartbeat echoes from her chest to her head, and then vibrates to all over her body. Making it impossible for her to find something — anything — inside her brain to say back to him.
So she shuffles a little, lifting her head and taking her hand to her face just to scratch her nose and bring herself back down to earth. And then she lays on top of her arm again, dropping her other hand next to his and moving back into his eyes.
Once she's settled, she admits, "I don't know what to say."
He smiles and shrugs, opening and closing his hand into a fist. "It's ok… Will you let me know if I ever cross a line with you, tho? Or if I make you uncomfortable?"
"I don't think you need to worry about that."
His fingers seem to twitch next to her hand, as if he can't keep them still, and yet he keeps forcing himself to.
"I do, tho," he says, and the way he smiles doesn't reach his eyes anymore. "Will you let me know?"
"Of course."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Ok."
Aurora furrows her brows. She doesn't like that. She doesn't want him to be afraid of making her uncomfortable, because she doesn't want him holding himself back. So whatever made him suddenly doubt himself, she wants to change it. She wants to take it back.
And yet, she doesn't know how to, because she doesn't know what it was. And she doesn't really know how to ask him. Or how to bring it up.
To be fair, she doesn't even want to talk about it. She's done talking. What she wants and needs right now, it's different.
It's inevitable, then, to fully glance at him. At the few droplets still covering his tanned and inked skin. His body hair. His necklaces hanging from his chest into the mat. His defined muscles, and also the rolls on his tummy resulting from the position he's in. His still wet swimming shorts. His thighs. His knees, still touching hers. His feet, still tangled with hers.
He feels like a magnet, pulling her in even though she doesn't intend to move. Even if she knows she shouldn't move. It's like he ignites something inside her. Similarly to when he bought her that caramel coffee and memories from the past crashed against her. Making her stumble, and lose her feet, and fall apart in front of him.
However, this time she doesn't feel like breaking down. She doesn't feel like she's about to cry or embarrass herself. Because the emotions he's bringing out on her aren't bad, nor something to be ashamed of. He's taking her back to a time when, given the exact same circumstance, she wouldn't have thought twice before making a move on him.
That's probably why she ends up moving her hand to his chest and drawing his collarbone with her fingertips. Or why she picks the tag from his chest and fidgets with it, waiting for something else to happen. Waiting for him to do something next. Waiting for a sign. Something. Anything.
"It's getting dark," Harry murmurs, then clears his throat. "Wanna go back inside?"
Fuck no. If after everything that happened during the day she just goes back inside with even more questions and less answers than before, she's pretty sure she's going to combust. She'd rather know she's been wrong and misinterpreting things all along, then to go to bed wondering about it.
"Do we have to go?"
"Only if you want to."
"I don't."
Harry curls one side of his mouth up, offering her half a smile, and nods.
"Ok then."
She fidgets with the tag between her fingertips, conscious of how darkness is quickly engulfing them. And that they're still laying on a floating mat, by the yacht, in the middle of Italian seawater.
That being said, it only takes another second for tiny white lights to turn on right above them and all around the yacht. Brightening up not only their faces, but also all the water surrounding them.
Aurora narrows her eyes and blinks, then glances up at the empty swim platform. "How long do you think it'll take for them to come looking for us?"
"They won't."
She furrows her brows, then purses her lips to hold back a smile and looks at him. "You sound really sure of yourself."
He smiles wider, then. "'Cause I am. Unless something bad happens up there or we have to anchor somewhere else, they won't come here."
"Hm. And how do you know that?"
"'Cause I do."
"Harry." She rolls her eyes and chuckles. Desperate for him to give her something — anything — that will give her the confirmation she needs to move forward. "C'mon."
He chuckles softly, too, then shrugs. "Because they don't want to interrupt, that's all."
"Interrupt what?"
"Us."
"Us?"
"Mhm."
Aurora's heart comes back to life, then.
She holds her breath, and drags her eyes down to his lips, then to his chin. And then back to his eyes.
She shuffles closer, but it's so discreet and barely that she isn't even sure he'll notice. And she wants him to notice. So she moves her foot up and down. Stroking his ankle, and his shin. Up and down. Again. And again.
Harry closes his eyes and breathes out heavily, and the hot air that comes through his nose hits her face warmly and impatiently.
"What's there to interrupt, tho?" Aurora murmurs, letting go of his necklace and dropping her hand next to his.
He blinks, staring back at her before he murmurs back, "I don't know."
Aurora mimics his previous move, stretching her pinky and brushing it against his.
Harry responds by lifting his own finger and hooking it around hers. Holding her tightly and stopping her movements.
"Whatever you want," he adds.
"What about what you want?"
Harry smirks. Or smiles. Or maybe it's just a mix between both. "What about it?"
"I don't know."
Harry chuckles.
Fuck that's getting so confusing.
"Do you know what I want?" he asks.
Aurora shakes her head, then brushes her foot up and down again.
"Do you know what you want?" he tries again, albeit differently.
And this time, Aurora nods.
"And what's that?"
"That you stop confusing me and leading me on."
Harry widens his eyes, then blinks once. And twice.
"And… I also want you to finally make a move," she adds. "Like, an actual move. Something. Anything. I don't know."
There's a beat of silence.
And another one.
And another one.
And then, Harry cackles.
He just turns around and bursts out laughing. Loudly and openly. Laying on his back and covering his face with both hands while laughter and more laughter breaks out from his chest.
Aurora frowns, and suddenly there are just so many things happening inside her. And they are all just happening at the same time. And it's just so much and so intense, that she isn't even sure what she's feeling anymore. What she knows, though, it's that she doesn't like that. And that it isn't fun or amusing anymore.
"Okay," Aurora says, sitting and then kneeling on the mat. Trying to balance herself while clenching her teeth. "Forget what I said."
She shuffles and turns around carefully, feeling the water under the mat but also desperate to see the yacht. Desperate to get out of there.
Harry is still laughing, beaming, when he pulls his hands from his face and looks at her.
"Oh for fucks sake just c'mere," he says, grabbing her arm and yanking her on top of him.
Aurora yelps, but doesn't fight him. And as she falls down, Harry takes his free hand to her face and cradles her cheek, then hunches forward and smashes their mouths together. Aurora whines from pure shock, feeling herself flopping into his chest until Harry spins them around and he's halfway on top of her.
He pulls away, then, slotting one leg between hers while holding his upper body on one arm.
"You're so impatient," he murmurs, looking into her eyes while he brings his free hand back to cradle her face. "Couldn't even give me a minute to react."
She frowns, aware of how her arms are squeezed in between their chests and closing her hands into fist just so she won't touch him. "Your reaction was to laugh at what I said, so yeah. I'm sorry if I didn't enjoy that."
"Wasn't laughing at what you said," he says, brushing his thumb up and down her cheek. "'M sorry. I just laugh when I'm happy, that's all."
Aurora sighs, unable to stay mad or annoyed at him, then rolls her eyes and shifts on her back, pulling her arms up and freeing them out from their chests.
"That was a shitty first kiss," she murmurs, hugging his neck and pulling him closer.
Harry snorts, then eases more of his weight into her. His bare body finally crushing her covered breasts.
"I know." Smiling, he brushes the tip of his nose up and down her other cheek, where his hand isn't already touching her. "Was afraid you'd change your mind and leave."
She takes one hand to the back of his head, twisting and twirling his curls while trying to stare at him despite them being so close to each other. "Well… Didn't leave. And didn't change my mind, so…"
He kisses her cheek, then a little bit to the side, closer to her nose. "So… Still want me to make a move?"
She nods and lifts her leg, hooking it around his thigh and moving her foot up and down. "This time do it properly, though."
Harry smirks, kissing a little bit further down, and again near the corner of her mouth.
"'Mkay," he murmurs, and moves to the other corner of her mouth, slightly brushing their lips on his way there. "I'll try my best."
He slides his hand down, from her cheek to her jaw, then brushes his thumb from side to side at the same time he presses another kiss to her skin. Aurora sighs and closes her eyes, making her hands comfortable in between his curls while she waits for him to finally fully kiss her mouth. Except when he does, he does it softly and barely. A feather-touch that has her puckering her lips and waiting for more.
"God you're so pretty," he whispers, almost like a secret, then pecks her lips again with the same lightness. Caressing her mouth way more than kissing it. "Can't believe this is happening."
He slides his hand down from her face to her shoulder, then through her side. Squeezing her waist while pressing another feathery kiss, and another one. Making her body tingle and shiver. Just like the Italian summer breeze did to her earlier that day.
"Do you have any idea how long I waited for this?" he asks, keeping his mouth close enough that their lips brush against hers as he speaks. Pressing their mouths together just for a gentle second, then pulling away and leaving her longing for more. "How many times I thought about it?"
Aurora is kind of dizzy, kind of woozy, but his revelation feels too important to ignore. So she opens her eyes, and slides her hands from the back of his head to his cheeks. Guiding him to look at her. Demanding his full attention. "What?"
Harry blinks, the green of his eyes burying into her soul even in the darkness.
"I just…" He squeezes her side, a little bit tighter this time. As if his words were coming out of his fingertips, instead of his mouth. "Fuck I can't believe 'm about to do this."
He squeezes her again and leans in, then finally fully kisses her. Capturing her lips and not waiting any other second before sneaking his tongue into her mouth. Dragging his hand down to her thigh, then back to her hips, then around her back. Going from gentle to desperate in a blink of an eye. As if he suddenly opened the gates to a lot of piled up needs.
Yes. Fucking finally.
Aurora shuts her eyes closed and whines, or maybe it's just a moan. She doesn't know. It just melts out of her throat while she goes numb and dizzy into the kiss. Instinctively throwing her arms back around his neck and tasting his tongue with her own and then pulling him closer, and closer, and closer. Every inch of him. From his head, to his chest, to his leg locked inside her own.
She never knew she would be so relieved to kiss him. Or that her body would just restore to life as soon as she tasted her lips. Or that everything inside her would just buzz and itch for him.
And they're both just so, so desperate. Squeezing here, pulling there. Tilting heads to one side, and to the other. Licking tongues. Sucking lips. Sighing into each other's mouths. Trying to grab more, and more, and more.
Always more.
"Fucking hell," he mumbles, then tilts his head to the other side and leans in for another wet, sloppy, and delicious kiss.
Aurora moans, sweetly and weakly. Almost like she's about to beg for him. And then she drags her hands up through the back of his head and threads her fingers around his curls, holding tightly onto him while Harry kisses the hell out of her. While he drifts his short nails from her back to her ass, then stops where the swimsuit doesn't cover her skin and strokes her up and down. While he squeezes her. And then while he sneaks his hand under the fabric and fills his hand with her cheek, then squeezes her again. Harshly — so harshly and so wildly that his own fingers burn in pain.
Aurora gasps and jolts closer, and Harry deepens even more to kiss her even more. And more. And more.
Always so much fucking more. And it's just so, so good.
Harry moves from her ass to her thigh, then grips her flesh tightly before encouraging her to properly hook her leg around him. And she does it. Happily. Eagerly. Pressing her heel on his back and pushing him closer at the same time she tugs his curls and sighs into the kiss.
He lays on top of her, settling between her legs while holding his weight on one elbow and gripping the back of her thigh. Digging his fingertips into her as he breaks the kiss and pulls away, opening his eyes to look at her.
He presses himself between her legs, then, and Aurora loses what's left of her mind. Because although he isn't fully hard yet, it's clear he's getting there. Firm and heavy between her legs. Pressing into her. Forcing into her.
"Oh my God," Aurora breathes out, widening her eyes as she opens them and stares at him.
Harry pants.
Aurora pants.
And they both just look at each other. They look, and they look. Meanwhile trying to catch up with their breaths. Meanwhile trying to slow down. Meanwhile trying to control themselves.
And then Harry moves up and down, and she gasps. Then he rolls again, and again, and again.
She squeezes her eyes shut while arching her back and hooking both legs around his waist. And she's painfully conscious of how wet and thirsty her body is between her legs.
"Holy fuck," Harry murmurs, then places both elbows on each side of her face. "Auri?"
"Hm?"
Fuck he feels so fucking good.
"You need… You need to stop me."
She shakes her head and opens her eyes, then brings her hands to cradle his cheeks. "No. Why?"
He kisses her, and he kisses her. And he kisses her. And he fucking kisses her. So, so well.
"Because I'm about to get to a point where I won't be able to stop anymore."
"Then don't."
Harry chuckles, and she feels his pain in his voice, and also his reluctance when he closes his eyes and has to force himself to stop rolling up and down against her desperate center.
"Not here," he breathes out, squeezing his eyes shut so tightly that it makes her uncomfortable for him. "Not like this."
She hates it, but she knows he's right. So she licks her lips, and brushes her thumbs up and down his cheeks, then unhooks her legs from around his waist. "We'll stop, then."
"It's not that I don't want to," he murmurs, dropping his weight on top of her and pressing their foreheads together.
"I know. I can feel that."
Harry chuckles, then kisses her cheek, and the corner of her mouth. And then, as desperately and urgently as he started, he finds a way to subtly and delicately kiss her again. Slowing them down. Tasting her mouth with more affection, with more time, with more intention. Actually savoring her lips, and actually caressing her skin. Dropping his hand back down to her ass and covering her properly again, then sliding it all up through her side.
Aurora finds herself happily following his new pace. Threading her fingers through his curls and stroking his scalp, then giving little nibbles to his lips, and cute, sweet licks to his tongue.
He hums, and cools off. Losing his strength and dropping his weight to the side. More and more. Until he's fully turning on his back, and pulling her along with him.
And Aurora moves, turning and holding herself on one elbow while she keeps her other hand on his face. Holding, brushing, caring for him. And when she pulls away, the loud mwah of their lips breaking apart seems to reverberate through both of them, and also through the ocean.
They both blink, and whilst Aurora rests her hand on his bare chest, Harry takes his own to her face, pulling her hair behind her ear before brushing his thumb up and down her cheek.
"Hi," he whispers, tilting his head slightly to the side just to stare straight into her eyes.
"Hi," she whispers back, finding the string of his necklace and grabbing it between her fingertips.
The bright lights from the yacht reflect on the beautiful green of his eyes. Besides that, though, everything about Harry looks like a complete mess.
But a hot mess, still. Because he looks like a mess that was made by her. He looks like she kissed him so hard that she left his lips swollen. Like she tugged his hair so harshly that she left him completely disheveled. And like she grabbed him so tightly that she left tiny spots all over his cheeks.
Does she look like that, too?
Like he just kissed the soul out of her?
And then brought her back to life?
"How was that for a move, huh?"
Aurora rolls her eyes, but then drops her forehead to his shoulder and laughs.
Harry smiles, sliding his hand to the back of her head and kissing her temple. Once, and twice. "Is it ok that I'm already thinking about doing this again?"
She takes a moment, but ends up holding herself up and looking at him. "Is it okay that I wish we didn't have to stop and go back to our friends right now?"
He slides his hand back to her face, then brushes his thumb up and down her cheek. "Thank God 's not just me."
He leans in, then, pecking her lips just once. Softly and shortly. Puffy lips sweetly puckering against hers and leaving her craving for more.
Aurora smiles, and fidgets with the string between her fingers.
Even the mat underneath them seems to wake up, because it's suddenly waving their bodies again.
(Although Aurora it's pretty sure it never stopped moving, she just stopped paying attention to it.)
"Can we go somewhere more comfortable next time, tho?" she asks, and Harry laughs.
"Yeah… We can go wherever you want, Auri. Whenever you want. I don't care, as long as I get to be there, too. As long as I get to be there with you."
Hi! If you've made it here, thank you for reading. You have absolutely no idea how much it means to me.
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Doctor Papa
dni: k!nk, anti-agere, agepl4y, or ddlg-esque blogs 🍄 this blog is a safe space for age regressors and age dreamers 🍄
pairing: caregiver!papa!bruce banner x regressor!little!reader
characters: uncle thor, bruce banner, reader, mentions of: steve, bucky, sam, and tony stark.
summary: you have to get MRIs done but you're nervous. thank goodness, papa knows how to cheer you up.
word count: 1,751
content warnings: MRIs, hospital gown, reader is written like they're a child's height, no mention of a particular chronic illness, please tell me if i'm missing anything
author's note: tadaa!! all done! this is the most i've written for a one shot! very proud of myself. also, this is inspired by me having to get MRIs done recently ajfhs
♡
Sometimes stuff we've done lots of times can still seem scary; which is annoying because who wants to feel anxious about the same exact thing over and over again?
You have to get these scans done by tomorrow. With every heart of your being, you wished that wasn't true but your previous scans were too old.
UGH!
Luckily, your papa had a trick up his sleeve.
He told you to stay here, in this gigantic, empty, white walled room. It was utterly boring, there were no paintings or statues or anything. Not even toys! Well, okay, you had your Mr. Rainy Day Bear but still! At least there were floor to ceiling windows- OH, and a skylight, too. Those are always nice.
While you waited for Bruce to come back, you watched what went on outside. There was Tony using his latest invention to attempt to lift Uncle Thor’s hammer. Tony still had no idea that it couldn't possibly work! How silly of him.
Bucky, Sam, and Steve stood in a far apart triangle. They were tossing around the Captain America shield like a Frisbee, guffawing, and yelling things that were joyously incomprehensible. It looked like lots of fun! Definitely more fun than MRIs. Maybe, they would let you join in later.
The double doors of the empty room swung open and papa’s humongous green form entered.
“Okayyy, love bug, I've grabbed all the cardboard pieces from recycling that weren't gross.” He grimaced thinking about the black, moldy gunk that spoiled some previously useful parts. He shrunk back down to Bruce Banner size after dumping the cardboard into a large pile. “We should have enough for our little art project.”
“Art project?” You looked at him expectantly. Your eyes were actually lit up with stars of joy this time, instead of meteor shower anxiety.
The idea was to make a cardboard MRI machine. Having an art project to focus on would comfort and reassure you about the process you would go through tomorrow. If he could make it fun, your anxiety wouldn't be so bad.
“I’ve seen the machine before, papa, I can make the bestest one yet!” You hopped on your toes, giddy with tight, flapping fists.
“I grabbed your sticker books and some paint, too-”
“OH YAY, THANK YOU PAPA, THIS IS SO EXCITING!!”
Mission accomplished. Anxiety gone, replaced with magical cure Art Project™. Bruce smirked to himself.
You laid down on a tall, square cardboard piece. Bruce traced your form with a sharpie as you giggled. Once you had the correct length, you both began cutting a rectangular piece and put that piece on a metal cart with wheels.
Then, you cut out half circle pieces and hot glued them all together until it made one large 4D sphere with a hole in the middle like a donut.
At one point, the glue burned you but Papa Bruce fixed it right up and stopped the booboo pain with a cure-all kiss.
Your cardboard MRI machine may look done to outsiders but it wasn't even close. It was missing the most important part of all: the stickers! There were heart stickers, stickers with dolphins, rainbow stickers, puppy stickers, stickers that had Mr. Hulk and Papa on them, too! There were even stickers of Stevey, Bucky, Iron Man, and Uncle Thor! Papa said for your birthday he'd make stickers with you on them, too.
You also painted squiggles, polka dots, lines, circles, triangles, kitty cats, and zig zags. All of them in your most favoritest color.
“There!” You stood proudly, hands on your hips. “Now, it's very, very pretty, papa.”
Papa gave you a minute and then asked, “Are you ready to practice?”
You blinked and sighed. Defeat warping your mood. “Yeah...”
Papa spun away, put a doctor's coat on, and then turned back, holding a clipboard. “Alright, are you the caregiver for Mr. Rainy Day Bear?”
“Yeah, papa.” You lightened up a little bit.
“Papa? No, I'm Doctor Doctor. Who's papa?”
“You're papaaa!” You pointed at him.
“Okay, okay I'm Doctor Papa.” He repeated, “Are you the caregiver of Mr. Rainy Day Bear?”
You tilted your chin up and did a faux British accent. “Why, yes, sir. He's feeling very, very bad and needs a scan.”
“Ah, yes, I see that on his chart, Caregiver.” He flipped through the scribbled pages on the clipboard. “Let's have. Mr. Bear lay down on the table with his head on the pillow.” Bruce gestured with his hand.
You laid your stuffie down on the pretend bed, placing Mr. Bear’s head gently on the pillow. You patted his hand for good measure.
Doctor Papa put ear plugs into the bear's ears and placed cushy pink headphones on him. The headphones had cat ears on them. Papa raised his voice a little, “Mr. Rainy Day Bear, what kind of music do you like to listen to?”
“Doctor Papa, Mr. Bear is nonverbal.” you said matter of factly. You raised your pointer finger to the sky. “I’ll answer for him. He likes The Wiggles, Papa- I mean Doctor Papa.”
“Alrighty then, The Wiggles album coming right up.” Bruce pulled out his phone, scrolling until he found the right music. “Wiggles rave?”
You nodded, then kissed the tippity top of Rainy Day’s head. “You'll be okay, Mr. Bear.”
Bruce began to push the cardboard bed into the donut sphere. You took a big, big deep breath in.
“BRRRR BEEEP AGHHHH RRRRR DNNNN-”
That breath was immediately released back into the atmosphere. “PAPAAA!” You clutched your chest, laughing so hard your legs felt weak.
Doctor Papa continued, “DRRRRR EEEEEE EHHHHHH MRRRRRR!”
You were rolling on the floor, tears leaving your eyes. How silly of your papa!
“BRRRRRrrrrrr….” Papa rolled the cardboard bed out of the donut. “How are you feeling Mr. Bear?”
“Papa, he can't hear you!”
Bruce laughed. “Oh, yeah, right.” He removed the headphones and then the earplugs. “How is the fantastic Mr. Bear?”
You lifted Mr. Bear’s paws and had him sign to Bruce, ‘I am okay.’
“Perfect! Let's take a look at your scans here…” Papa turned around and scribbled quickly on the paper. When he faced you again, he showed you the scan. It was a poorly constructed scribble of Mr. Rainy Day Bear with a big, biiiiiiiig, heart right in the middle. “I knew it, Lots-Of-Love-itis.”
You unburied the British accent. “Quite good, sir. Well done, Mr. Bear.” You placed a hulk sticker on his paw and hugged him tightly.
Papa kneeled down and asked, “Do you want to practice with you this time?”
You gave it a thought, looking this way and that. “Hmmm, will you make the funny noises again?”
“BEEEEP BRRR-”
“Not right now, Papa!” You shouted with a smile.
“Oh, during the practice?” He waited for you to finish rolling your eyes. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“Okay…” You breathed in, out, in, and out slowly. “Let's practice, Doctor Papa.”
♡
“Big day, lille venn.” Uncle Thor said as he helped tie the back of your hospital gown. He double knotted the strings behind your neck and then the ones by your hip. “There you are. All set.”
You frowned at that, looking at Thor with big, watery eyes. “Not all set.”
“It'll be okay.” His hands (placed on your shoulders) turned you to face him. “Remember your breathing?”
“Mhm.”
“Let's do it together.” He raised his left hand as you did the same. “Climb Yggdrasil, breathe in.”
You traced up your pointer finger.
“Let's sit at the very top, hold your breath.”
You paused at the tip of your finger.
“Slide down the Yggdrasil branches, breathe out.”
You traced down your pointer finger.
Uncle Thor had you repeat that four more times, until the tears dried and the anxiety flowed further away.
“Very good, great job. Let's go see Papa.” He held your hand as he walked you towards the scary room. Worse than the boring room from yesterday.
You turned the corner and there was Papa at the computer. “Hey there! The computer’s prepped and waiting for you, little one.”
You looked at Papa, then Uncle Thor, and then Papa again. “Okay… I'm ready.”
Papa led you to the metal bed. It was rectangular and thin. A sheet was laid out on it so you wouldn't get super cold. There was a thick pillow on the end that had your favorite kitty cat pillowcase on it, which made the corners of your lips turn upwards.
Papa pressed an arrow down bottom next to the donut sphere that brought the bed down to your level. He held your hand as you hopped on and then helped position you onto the center. He guided you through a big, deep breath so that your body was as comfortable on the table as can be instead of tense.
Next came pink headphones with cutesy kitty ears on them and plain boring ear plugs so that your hearing wasn't hurt from the loud noises. Papa already set up your favorite kind of music so when the headphones were placed on you, it was already playing. Bruce furrowed his brow in question, moving his thumb up and down. You replied with a thumbs up. You were ready.
Bruce handed you a panic button to hold just in case and laid a blanket over you to keep you warm. Papa kissed the top of your head and left the room.
You closed your eyes and took a deep breath in and out.
BBRRRRRRR
‘It's okay. I'm okay.’
BEEEEEEPPP
‘Woohoo, I'm doing awesome!’
REEEEHHHHHH
‘This is boring, it's got to have been a bajillion minutes by now.’
After ten years (minutes), the machine stopped and Papa walked back into the room. He gave you a high five and bunches of praises that you only heard some of because of all the ear protectors. But you could tell by his facial expressions that he was so very proud of you.
He pressed the arrow down button again and the bed began moving to an easier height. You removed the headphones and earplugs yourself, you felt like such a big kid (in the best way)!
You stretched this way and that while making funny noises which made you abrupt into hearty giggles.
Bruce held your hand as you jumped down. Next thing you knew, he was hugging you tightly, picking you up, and spinning you around and around!
“I'm so very, very proud of you, bumble bee!”
You kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Papa!”
♡
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