Dec 30, 2016
End of Series.
seen from Türkiye
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End of Series.
“So just tell me what I have to do to make you my wife.”
“Better?” A shadow of concern dropped over her face as she looked down upon him, “But you’re wonderful hon, you take amazing care of us. I don’t know why you’re always so hard on yourself. I mean yeah you got me pregnant again but we’ll be okay, what’s one more in our happy house?”
“You’re having twins baby but we’ll deal with that shit later.” Bastian replied flatly trying not to get off track before he lost his confidence in what he was doing, “Honestly right now I’m really not being self-depreciative so you don’t have to try to make me feel better. It’s amazing you do that so instinctively but seriously I’m okay.”
“Okay but whenever you get like this...”
“I know but I promise this is from my fucking core love. I don’t know what kinds of shit is in store for the rest of my days or really what I’m fully capable of but I know I love you. I know I need you. And with all the bad luck in my life, all the abuse, the fuck ups, the failures, this is one thing I’m not going to mess up. I just can’t, you mean too much to me.”
"Daph, love. I know you said this stuff doesn’t matter to you. That you’re happy with our life but I think I can do better if you’re okay with me trying.”
“So gettin’ the kid to do your flirting for you now?” Daph teased playfully as the little ones left them to go play in the family room together, “That’s not really your style baby. You pickin’ up Ti’s bad habits?”
"Absolutely not,” He quickly replied, he loved the man but he and his friend had very different ways of handling their relationships, “I guess I just wanted to do something different. Change can be nice.”
“Yeah but there’s comfort in the familiar.” She smiled as she locked her green eyes to his, “I’m really glad you’re back, I miss you even if it’s for just a couple days.”
“I missed you too love. It really wasn’t the same without you there.” He admitted, as much as he adored his crew, as much as they had grown as a trio over a lifetime of memories he had found something different in this woman neither of his old friends would ever be able to offer him. They did their best to keep him in check but there was something about being around her that just made him better. In the last five years she had become his partner, his greatest ally, and without question one of the most wonderful things to ever happen to him. Audriel was fucking right, he could never show enough appreciation.
“Hey Daph? We’re home...” After recovering from Audri’s onslaught the rest of the camping trip had been mostly as uneventful as Bastian had expected. The night had turned out be a bit chilly though and the little girls weren’t keen on staying another day after that so everyone agreed it may be wise to head home early. It was just as well he did have some things on his mind that kept him from really relaxing like he was meant to.
It was mostly silent in the house, which was no surprise as his older kids were with their mothers and it was quite likely Daph would be enjoying a nap with their current youngest child. That thought quickly dissipated though as he heard the soft scamper of tiny feet on the hardwood. “Pahpah!”
“Hey Feyfey!” Thea called happily to her little brother as the toddler awkwardly stumbled toward them.
“Oh hey you’re home early.” Daphne smiled meekly as she wandered out from the kitchen, “Sorry I just had laid my head down on the table and must have just drifted off for a second.”
“You alright? You look fucking great.”
“Really? Cause I threw up like an hour ago and I don’t feel all that attractive.” She replied with a bit of an unbelieving eye-roll Bash had to smile at. It didn’t matter her mood or how she dressed herself, she’d be stunning in his mind.
“Daddy says mommy is always pretty.” Thea cleverly added.
Good timing kid. Bash laughed to himself as Daphne gave him a suspicious look.
“Does he now? I bet he told you to say that before you got here cause he knows how crummy mommy is feeling.”
“Mayyyyybe.” Thea admitted readily, clearly it would be a while before she’d be good at keeping secrets.
"Damn already sold me out.” Bash laughed in feigned disappointment, “Guess that’s what I get for plotting with a four year old right?”
“You were just too much of a compulsive romantic when you were younger. I mean obviously...” Audriel sighed as she countered his conflict, “And asking every girl that spreads her legs for you is probably not going to give you the best track record. You were a fuckin’ teenager when you were with Stacia and Vex was always trying to hard to fix everything that wasn’t wrong. Honestly Iris would have been the most practical of your baby mama’s but since she was Stacia’s friend you both got all fuckin’ weird about it. Anyway, my point is you’re nearly forty man and rampant fertility problems aside, you seem like you actually have your shit together for once. I just don’t see why you need to be nervous about this. I mean clearly you fuckin’ love the girl right?”
“Yeah of course.”
“Then don’t be like your dumbass uncle and string the her along. You know how much I hate that wishy washy bullshit.” She growled in her business tone, “I just love you man and don’t wanna see you end up all depressive and alone like our friend Mr. Independence over there.”
“Thanks Audri really.” Ti mumbled under his breath in disdain.
“Hey I’m not the one sending my friends drunk texts about how my ex never calls back anymore. Let it go Ti, she ain’t right for you, she never was right for you. That pussy is rife with crazy.” Audriel snapped, she never was a fan of Luna but Bastian didn’t know she had felt that strongly. “You know you all really should move closer so I can smack the sense into the both of you more often. Once a year is clearly not nearly sufficient”
"So Daph’s just feeling a bit under the weather then?” Bastian swallowed down hard as he waited for Aurdi’s gavel to drop. It wasn’t that he was trying to hide anything but he knew if he had said more than that over the phone she’d make a deal out of it. “Yeah that’s what I thought. By the fucking Matron Bash how many is this now? Seven? And I didn’t think you followed your mama’s religion but you’re doing a damn good job adding to the population just like your Nani would want you to.”
“You know I don’t, that mother goddess fertility stuff is bullshit” Bastian grumbled as he mentally prepared for the usual lecture, ”and it’s eight actually, pretty sure it’s twins this time cause fuck my luck right?”
“And how old is your youngest?”
“Frey is about a year old now.”
“Seriously man, you really need to go to one of those big box stores and buy the largest fuckin’ container of condoms they have.” Tidus added with a tease. Bastian could tell by his tone he was relishing in his misery a bit. Not that he could blame him, Tidus’ own love life was essentially non-existent these days.
“Yeah and then after that go to a fuckin’ jewelry store and get ring to put on it cause you fuckin’ owe that girl after all this shit.” Audriel continued her mothering, “Can’t live near her daddy cause you hate Palmas while you pump her full of babies. I know she says she don’t care but you gotta feel like you’re slackin’ off here man.”
“I know. I just don’t have the best of luck when it comes to engagements.”