[ PRESS ] for the shorter muse to take hold of the taller one’s face to pull them down so they can press their foreheads together.
prompted by @2twinveggiesheadcanons
Louann has given up on trying to hold Zelda’s hand and watches as her daughter runs past the trees. Now and then turning back to look at Louann shouting, ‘Let’s go this way! No! That way!’ before running in an entirely different direction. Her clothes were covered in dirt and hair tangled with leaves as she swung from all the low-hanging branches.
Nature sings around them as they walk the rest of the afternoon into an early evening. Louann rests against a fallen tree, letting the rays of sun that peeked through the trees warm her face. Her eyes close, and she listens to the trill of hidden insects and songs of the birds flying above.
This was peace. The peace he always promised her.
It’s cut short by a shrill howl. Louann opens her eyes with a gasp and stills at the sight of Zelda standing on a stump proudly, hands cupped around her mouth, howling again.
“Since when did we have a baby wolf?” Comes a rumble of a voice. Louann barely turns before Zelda exclaims excitedly. Her red hair is a blur as she leaps in Bubby’s arm. Louann can’t help but laugh as he stumbles back from Zelda’s impact.
“Daddy!” Zelda says brightly, grinning widely, showing off a missing front tooth. “We went explorin’ today!” She swings her legs and points to Louann, “And mommy saw a snake and got scared!”
Louann’s smile falters. “I wasn’t scared,” She countered with a good-natured huff. Bubby tilts his head slightly, a brow raising slightly in question. “Not too much,” Louann clarifies quickly as Bubby and Zelda share a laugh. With a wiggle, Zelda frees herself and takes off. “I found a cool rock, wait, I wanna show ya!”
Bubby finally reaches Louann’s side. “Had a nice day?” He asks. Louann looks up to him, and stands on her toes and reaches up. Bubby feels her hands lightly brushing over his face before she pulls him down and he follows. Her head comes to rest on his and their eyes close together. Louann breathes in, and senses the nature that’s deeply etched into his skin as much as their daughter’s. “Better even now,” She whispers, nuzzling her nose to his.
They lay still under the vast sky of stars, and listen as the nightly chorus of crickets rings though the tall trees. By now, the fire that had roasted their dinner of hotdogs and marshmallows had dimmed, but still have enough flame to warm to the pot of moon milk that Zelda couldn’t wait to drink up.
Her small finger traces over the shape of a set of stars, “That’s Ursa Major, an’ right there is Ursa Minor,” she says, taking a peek to Bubby. Her father hums in interest and gives her a look to continue.
A shy smile crosses Zelda’s lips and she points to another shape of stars. “Draco. That means dragon,” She informs.
“Ya don’t say?” Bubby asks impressed, sitting up on his elbows, squinting at the stars. “You sure know your constellations, kiddo.” He says with a slight grin. “How do you know so much about them?”
Zelda’s arm drops. Her brown eyes hold a gaze to the twinkling lights above. “I got a space book from school. Momma n’ me read it every night,” she explains. “I’d sneak out and look for them at night. Especially when Duane would…” Zelda stops herself. She swallows hard.
Bubby sits up, and Zelda looks over in time to see him urging her over. Wordlessly, she crawls over and settles against his side. His strong arm settles over her, and any fear left within her, slowly fades.
“Momma told me the truth,” Zelda says, her voice so soft, it was almost lost in the crackling fire. “About you and her. She told me that she was scared. But…I always thought Duane was scarier than anythin’”
Bubby feels her tense slightly. “Kiddo,” he says gently. “You don’t have to worry about him,” he assures. Zelda smiles to herself. Ted and PJ absolutely saw to that. “An’ you ain’t gotta talk about it if you ain’t ready…”
Zelda rubs a hand over her cheek, where a fading bruise still colors her pale skin. “I…” she begins, but nods. There was too much to say, too much she didn’t want to relive right now. Because right now. She was safe. She had her father.
They fall into a comfortable silence, and Zelda lays her head against him. “Dad?” She says softly, her voice almost lost in the crackle of the fire.
Bubby feels his breath catch at the name, and looks to his daughter. Her wide brown eyes catch a spark that’s reminds him so much of Luann. “I think you’d look way cooler with a beard,”
Bunny’s laughter carries through the air and Zelda’s joins in.
