fluff ⌇ fratboy!matt spends the day at the beach with confident!reader and her two little sisters.
"be careful with that, jude," you warn, glancing over at her as she sits cross-legged near the coffee table in your living room, her small hands busy rummaging through your sewing kit—curiously looking at the colourful buttons and scraps of fabric as you pack the girls' bag for your day out, adding in extra snacks and a couple of drinks for the beach walk.
juno, as usual, is glued to your side—her little arms clinging tightly to your leg, and her soft cheek pressing against your thigh. she doesn't say a word, just watches with those big, doe-like eyes of hers, observant as always.
"i'm just looking." jude replies, her voice tinged with that familiar hint of sass. it's enough to make your lips twitch into a small smirk, her attitude never failing to amuse you—even if it does test your patience sometimes.
salem sprawls across the couch behind her, his tail occasionally flicking as he watches the scene with half-lidded eyes, purring softly.
once the bag is zipped and ready, you crouch down to help juno with her shoes, and her fingers grip your shoulder for balance as she obediently lifts one tiny foot at a time.
jude, on the other hand, has already abandoned your sewing kit and is now hopping around the living room, clearly impatient to get going as she asks every five seconds if it's time to leave yet.
just as you finish double knotting juno's laces, the familiar sound of matt's car horn beeping outside grabs everyone's attention, and you straighten up, grabbing the packed back and slinging it over your shoulder.
"alright, c'mon, let's go." you announce, quickly checking the cat bowls to make sure salem's set for a few hours, pausing to give him a quick but loving scratch behind the ears before ushering jude toward the door.
juno clings to your hand, sticking close as the three of you step out of your apartment, and by the time you reach the curb, matt's already out of the car—eyes softening the moment they meet yours, and an easy smile spreads across his face.
he walks around to the trunk and pops it open, pulling out the girls' car seats. you step forward to help, but he shakes his head, letting you know he's got it. within seconds, the seats are securely in place, and he turns his attention toward juno, whose tiny hand still grips yours.
matt crouches down, meet her at eye level, and he opens his arms out to her. juno hesitates for a moment before shyly stepping forward, allowing matt to scoop her up effortlessly, cradling her in his embrace as he carries her to the car.
"let's get you in 'n comfortable, hm?" he murmurs to her, his tone soft and steady as he lowers her into the car seat.
he buckles her in with ease, his fingers adjusting the straps to make sure they're snug but not too tight for her as he murmurs something to her in that same gentle tone he used earlier, and you see the faintest smile tugging at her lips as she nods along.
jude's already halfway climbing into her car seat, her legs swinging excitedly as she babbles nonstop about all the things she's going to do at the beach, and you smirk as you step closer, reaching out to playfully pinch her cheeks.
"okay, blabbermouth. give my ears a break. you talk too much." you joke, snorting as she swats your hand away but still grins from ear to ear.
once the girls are safely strapped in, you close the back doors, pushing your hair out of your face and letting out a deep exhale. matt's at your side before you move, and without a word, he opens the passenger door for you—his hand lightly brushing the small of your back as he guides you forward into your seat.
"thanks," you say as you settle in, and he shuts the door behind you, making his way around the car before he slips into the drivers seat. when he's in, he glances over at you briefly, giving you another warm smile as he starts the engine.
jude's excited chatter and juno's quiet words fill the car as matt pulls out onto the road, one hand on the wheel while the other rests on your thigh, his thumb tapping a soft rhythm against your skin as he drives.
when matt finally pulls into the beach parking lot, you glance out at the window to see the ocean stretching out ahead, hearing the distant crash of waves and feeling the salty breeze blowing the your rolled down window.
jude is already unbuckling herself—or at least trying to. "let me out! we're here!" she exclaims while kicking her legs out with excitement.
"relax, juds," you say, raising an eyebrow as you glance at her through the review mirror as matt parks up. "i'll get you out in like two seconds."
jude whines dramatically, throwing her head back against the seat. "but i wanna go now. pleeaaaaassse?"
you unbuckle your seatbelt and slide out of the passenger seat to swing open the back door to free her, and your eyebrows raise in slight amusement at the way she's practically vibrating in her seat with a wide grin stretched across her face. you lean in to undo the straps, and as soon as you release her, she bolts out of the car, her shoes hitting the sand dusted pavement with a squeal.
"hey, wait," you call after her with a slight stern tone, grabbing their bags to sling it over your shoulder. jude skids to a stop, turning back to you with a sheepish look, murmuring an apology which you chuckle at. "stay close, okay? you need to wait. patience."
"patience!" she nods quickly, bouncing in place as she waits for you.
meanwhile, matt is on the other side of the car, crouched down as he helps juno out of her seat. she remains quiet, leaning into matt when he lifts her out. he brushes a stray curl out of her face with one hand while his other arm securely wraps around her legs.
"y'good, nono?" he asks softly, and she nods, her own little arms wrapping around his neck as he carries her toward you. by the time he reaches your side, jude is already tugging at your hand, trying to pull your toward the sandy path that leads to the beach.
you and jude lead the way, swinging your hands back and forth as she rambles about all the things she wants to do, and you nod along, throwing in the occasional hums. the sand crunches under your shoes as you near closer to the beach, the waves rolling steadily onto the shore. a handful of people linger nearby—some lounging on colourful towels, others dipping their toes into the water.
behind you, matt sets juno down just as you spread out your makeshift blanket further from the small cluster of people, the spot quiet and giving you all plenty of room to relax. matt crouches down to undo the tiny knots in juno's shoes, his fingers working carefully against the laces.
he glances up at her, his expression softening. "your sister did these up pretty tight, huh? givin' me a hard time over her." that earns him the faintest of shy smiles, and once her shoes are finally off, he sets them neatly beside the blanket and brushes the little sand from her toes. "there we go. all better, hm?"
on the other hand, jude is practically shaking with anticipation. she's already kicked off her shoes and tossed them aside, tugging at your hand like her life depends on it. she's insisting you to come down to the water with a whine, her voice rising with every tug.
you glance over at matt who is now sitting back on his heels, his palm resting protectively on juno's back as she watches the waves. he looks up at you with a soft smile, "i'll stay here 'n keep juno company. you go handle jud before she explodes."
your lips twitch into a smirk as you lean down to steal a quick kiss earning a dramatic fake gag from jude. she scrunches her nose and sticks out her tongue, squeezing her eyes shut like it'll protect her from the sight.
when you finally take her hand, you're already reciting the rules as she pulls you toward the water with a little stomp in her step, the grip of her fingers tight on your own.
"i knoooow," jude replies with a small, exaggerated huff. "i'm not a baby."
"yeah? could've fooled me. you look like one."
"i'm six!" jude fires back, her sass sharp and immediate. you snort, letting her lead you down the beach, the sand growing cooler and wetter beneath you feet the closer you get. and when the icy water laps touches your toes, jude lets out a shriek, though she's grinning stretches wide. "it's so cold!"
"well yeah, that's the ocean for you," you reply dryly as you tease, but you can't help but smile as she stomps into the shallow water, splashing as she goes. "nothing gets past you, sherlock holmes."
"i don't even know who that is!"
back on the blanket, matt leans back on his hands with his long legs stretched out in front of him. he tilts his head downward, his gaze shifting to juno who's sitting beside him quietly, watching the waves from a safe distance with quiet fascination.
"do you want to go in the water too?" he asks softly, his voice low and encouraging. she glances up at him, blinking like she's considering the offer, before shaking her head and leaning into his side. "that's okay. there's no rush, yeah?"
he smiles down at her gently, brushing a hand over her soft baby curls in a gesture so natural it comes like second nature. juno eases at his touch as if his presence alone is enough to make her feel safe, which, it does.
matt settles back again, his hands propping him up as the two of them sit together quietly, watching the waves roll in and out. he doesn't mind it—waiting and letting her take as much time as she needs, knowing she'll move whenever she's ready to do so.
for now, he's happy to just be there, giving her the space and comfort she needs while keeping a close and protective eye on you and jude in the water a few feet ahead.
he's more content that he's ever been in a long while.
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