𝓥

Blink. He still looks confused, head cocked to the side.

"Of course."

His eyebrows furrowed, a look of pure confusion on his face.

"I don't mind."

"Didn't mean to what?"

He glanced down at her, head tilting.

"It's called Township."

His own voice was still soft and soothing, almost musical. It would be easy enough to fall asleep listening to it.

"It's easy to play with one hand."

His eyes glow unnaturally, the light from his iPad making them seem all the brighter. He rarely hides them around her.

There was no outward sign that he knew she was awake. He seemed totally engrossed in what he was doing.

He was playing a game on his iPad when she woke up. Some idle farming game.

He noticed her stirring, but didn't say anything. Just in case she wanted to go back to sleep.

With a smile, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her head. Then he turned the volume down on his iPad and settled in, content to let her rest for as long as she needs.

He started to hum softly, a lullaby from his youth. With his free hand, he grabbed his iPad.

Preparing to be still for as long as she'd need him to be.

"Good. You rest now."

His voice became soft and gentle, fingers running through her hair.

"Maybe once or twice."

He was clearly teasing, wrapping the blanket around her.

"Is this better? More comfortable?"

.... I'm not ....

I am also offering to help, if that wasn't clear. When *was* the last time you rested?

Mm.

Well, no time to delay. It has to be fixed.

. . . Oh, dear.

*Again?*

Hm.

The air feels... strange.

a close up of a man 's face with khar-mp4 written on the bottom right ALT: a close up of a man 's face with khar-mp4 written on the bottom right

━ ❤︎ for a starter, length may vary.

"Ah."

Reaching behind him, he grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch so he could tuck it around her.

"Well, you can rest here."

"Long day?"

He asked, casually.

Instinctively, he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Hello," he greeted softly.

"No. Well... I suppose it could be seen as one. Just not by me."

The smile on his face was so painfully fond. But not in the way it is when he looks at her.

A subtle difference.

"I'm sure once I left, they started voting on what the best one was."

Fishing his phone from his pocket, he quickly scrolled through his photos, eventually finding one of a long row of pumpkins.

He pointed to the one in the very center. Just a typical, smiling one.

"That one's mine."

"It was lovely."

A smile crept onto his own face. Debating how much he wanted to reveal.

"I genuinely do have a picture of a jack-o'lantern I carved. If you would like to see it."

He settled too. Relaxed.

He's never fully without tension, but he's pretty close right now. That's worth something.

He laughed, fishing around in the bag until he found a lollipop. Cherry.

"I should have brought you a bouquet. Alas, all I have is a picture of a jack-o'lantern"

"Perfect."

He climbed into bed with her, carefully placing the bag of candy in between them.

Full size candy bars, of course.

Kicking off his shoes and shedding his jacket, he gave a soft yawn.

It's been a long day for him. Halloween is a busy holiday.

"Pick the movies for us?"

He has a bag of Halloween candy. If she's amenable to his company.

He's been roped into trick-or-treating.

His children are all calling him at once about Halloween.

This is more hectic than his birthday and Mother's Day combined.