“Ouch,” Austin drawled low, hissing out a breath as he reached up to clutch at his chest in feigned distress. “We’re not all bad,” he gently reminded her, meeting her gaze just long enough to wink at her. “Just the overwhelming majority.” It was a sad, unfortunate truth– one he hoped his daughter never found herself on the losing end of. Shaking his head with a soft sigh, Austin pushed the thought out of his mind, for now, and glanced over at Harley, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, “Yeah, everyone’s rushin’ to offer up support now ‘cause it’s new and exciting, but I’m still gonna need the help after the cupcake phase is over.” He knew his family would be there long after the dust settled, but who else would he be able to count on in the days ahead?
Glancing down at his hands as Harley spoke, Austin picked at a lone hangnail clinging to the edge of his thumb and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He’d never really known how to take a compliment, especially when stepping in and being the father Fallon needed had just felt like the right thing to do rather than something he deserved praise for. He hadn’t needed to think about it nor had he ever considered walking away from her, no matter how terrifying the prospect of becoming a father was. He’d just dug his heels in the mud and held on for dear life. But Austin was still grateful for the recognition– it never hurt to hear that he was doing right by his little girl, especially from a woman who didn’t just hand out compliments unless she really meant them. “Yeah, she’s my whole world,” he murmured, grinning crookedly as he eyed his daughter, snoozing comfortably against Harley. “All I want is to do right by her– I do that, and I can handle whatever else comes my way.” .
Lifting a brow at Harley, Austin straightened in his seat and swallowed hard, registering the playfulness in her tone. His mouth popped open slightly as his breath hitched in his throat– had he ever heard someone use the word ‘daddy’ with so much sin snuck in between the syllables? “Jesus Christ,” he muttered beneath his breath. “You’re right; it would be incredibly cruel,” he agreed, giving a little nod as he fought to keep from squirming in his seat the more the mental image she was painting bloomed to life inside his head. She should have been illegal. Huffing a breathless laugh, Austin reached up to scratch at his neck as a rush of heat leaked into his cheeks. “Well, I’m gonna hold you to it,” he promised her, sliding his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment, “y'know– when you’re not holdin’ my infant daughter and when I’m not on the clock."
“Oh don’t listen to him, Fallon. He’s a guy, of course he would defend his own.” She’s teasing, shown by the grin on her features as her eyes stayed focused and soft on her little button face. She’s not asleep, but she’s settled, just seemingly watching her and accepting her as probably the latest person in a long line to offer her some motherly type of comfort. “Cupcake phase,” Harley chuckled, brushing a soft fingertip down from Fallon’s head, to her nose, and repeated the motion until her little eyes started to flutter shut. “I think this one might always be as sweet as a cupcake. What you need is people who’ll stick around to help you out when the mass of teenage hormones try to date her.” Not to freak him out with the thought but-- mm, actually, totally to freak him out with the thought, if only to amuse herself with his reaction.
“Then what are you worrying about, Monroe?” She hummed softly, lifting her eyes back up to him with a smile so soft, so genuine it would melt steel. “You put her first, love her like nothing else on this whole earth and you work till your back breaks if it means giving her what she deserves... You’ll be just fine, the both of you against the world. I’d bet on you.” Giggling softly, somewhere between lulling Fallon into a sleepy state, she’d found a tranquil mind of her own. Perhaps it was just the feeling of holding something so tiny, so small and fragile, something worth so much more than anything you could ever buy. There’s a tiny part of her that envied him, but only in the purest sort of way
It wasn’t hard to notice the shift in his posture, nor was the way his mouth opened ignored. Her humble ego? It certainly enjoyed the reaction he gave her. But was that not the way it sometimes went between them? After so long, she chalked it down to him not being able to handle the way she said things in her accent, not that it wasn’t flattering every time he’d get a little stutter-y around her. “Uh huh,” she wiggled her brows, tipping her chin up towards him with a smirk. “And if I said... I want your body now... Would you hold it against me?” So the trap was worded. No? Yes? Either way the meaning of his answer was option to suggestion. Harley was giggling softly, greeny brown eyes that had actually decided to dance anywhere but directly into his just so she didn’t blush at all. Couldn’t risk letting him in on the fact that he was capable of making her rosy cheeked, not when she’d successfully hidden that fact for five years and to the point where it was second nature now. “Mm, Monroe, you could try me but you could never handle me.” She purred playfully, followed by poking her tongue out at him and biting back a laugh, just so she didn’t jiggle the now sleeping buba against her chest.
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