MISTLETOE
@delphine-st-clair
AU
"Why aren't you at Lara's?" "I asked for a day off." "Do you have a date?" "Something like that."
Henry kept a lot of things from his daughter when she was younger. From her mother's problems to what he did for a living, he did his best to protect her from the hard truths she shouldn't trouble herself with. As Valentina got older however, she became smarter, and secrets became harder to hide until she would confront him about them eventually. However, Henry intended to keep this one a little longer.
"Is it someone I know?" "No." "Is it someone Lara knows?" "...No." "Then who is she?"
A surprise. A fucking tornado that upended his life, and he hadn't been the same since. What started as a heated argument turned into a heated hook-up, then another. Whatever struck him to ask her out on an actual date was probably whatever convinced her to say yes. By the time they had realized who the other was, it had been too late -- both of them had been too stubborn to let the other go, even if common sense would dictate otherwise.
"Don't wait up."
By the time Henry managed to get pass his daughter's line of questioning, he was cutting it close. The cabin they agreed to meet at had been two hours away from London, but with the holiday traffic, it had almost taken three. From the soft light on the window, Henry knew Delphine was already there. Quietly, he unlocked the door with his key and entered their hideaway for the evening. Will they always have to hide like this? Before she could notice his presence, Henry took a second to watch her against the light of the fireplace. She deserved better than to be a secret.
"Merry Christmas," Henry made himself known eventually. It wasn't the 25th, but they wouldn't get to spend it together because of his work. This was all they had. "I brought you something."















