serendipity࣪ ִֶָ☾.
pairing: will lenney x fem!reader
summary: whilst at the park, you meet a little girl. who unbeknownst to you would lead to your blossoming love for her father. or the begininng of your love story with will lenney.
warning/contents: none. fluff!, single!dad willne, mostly cutesy, toothrotting fluff.
author's notes: of course my first fic back had to be my favorite man and i needed fluff in our lives. plus i kinda fell in love with the idea of a meddling kid helping the failure of a man find love. i dunno how it ended up being so long but i hope you enjoy ✿ ~divider by @cafekitsune
word count: 6k+
the late afternoon sun draped the park in a soft golden glow, the kind that softened every edge and made the world feel slower than it really was. the long shadows stretched lazily across the grass, swaying slightly with the breeze that slipped through the trees. somewhere nearby, the scent of freshly cut grass mixed with the faint sweetness of blooming flowers.
it was peaceful. a kind of quiet that only existed in places where life moved gently. where the loudest sounds were laughter, birdsong, and the distant hum of people simply existing. exactly the kind of quiet you had been hoping for.
you had chosen a spot a little off the main path, tucked beneath the wide canopy of an old oak tree whose branches stretched overhead. just in front of you, a carefully tended flowerbed burst with color. clusters of daisies, soft pink carnations, and a few bright marigolds swaying gently in the breeze. the shade it cast created a cool pocket away from the direct sun, and from here you had the perfect view of the flowerbeds planted just a few feet away.
the rows of daisies and wildflowers spilled color across the soil, their delicate petals shifting softly in the breeze. to say that they were beautiful was an understatement, and the urge to eternally encapsulate their beauty gnawed at you.
your sketchbook rested against your knees, one hand holding the page steady while the other moved slowly, thoughtfully. the tip of your pencil dragged across the paper in careful strokes as you traced the curve of a petal, then paused to look at the flower again. checking over your work in hopes that you had done it some justice.
sketching here had become a small ritual. a break from the noise of everything else happening in your life. a way to slow down. a way to breathe. the world felt simpler when it was just you, the paper, and whatever scene you happened to be capturing.
in the distance, children’s laughter carried across the park from the playground. the steady creak of swings drifted through the air, accompanied by the occasional excited shout when someone went higher than before. shoes scraped against the metal of climbing bars, and somewhere a toddler squealed with delight.
you didn’t mind the noise. if anything, it made the moment better. it was background life; soft and distant enough that it didn’t interrupt your focus. yet, it was lively enough to make the afternoon feel warm and full.
you tilted your head slightly as you studied the cluster of daisies in front of you. a few petals curved inward in a way that was slightly different from the others. you erased a small section on your page before adjusting the shape, shading carefully until the flower looked just right. the gentle scratch of graphite against paper was steady and calming.
a small exhale left your lips as you leaned back slightly, examining your progress before adding another line. maybe it’d be better with some colour? but sadly, you’d left all of that at home in your haste to leave before the clouds could think of darkening outside.
across the park, near the playground, will stood watching the scene with quiet amusement. one hand rested loosely in the pocket of his hoodie while the other held his phone absentmindedly at his side. his attention, however, was fully on the small whirlwind of energy currently dominating the playground.
a head of curly brown hair bobbing up and down as she disappeared down the slide again. his daughter.
she clambered up the play structure with the fierce determination of someone who had absolutely no fear of falling. which she absolutely didn’t. the girl had every faith that her father would be right there behind her no matter what she got herself into. her small sneakers scraped against the plastic steps as she climbed, curls bouncing around her face as she reached the top platform.
for a moment she stood there triumphantly like she had conquered a mountain. then her eyes drifted back to him.
“daddy!” she shouted proudly.
will laughed under his breath as she threw herself down the little plastic slide, sliding toward the ground with a soft squeal before hopping back to her feet like the ride had been far too short.
her cheeks were flushed pink from running around. a few stray curls sticking to her forehead from the warmth of the afternoon and the faint sheen of sweat coating her skin. grass stains were already beginning to form on the knees of her tiny leggings.
“can we get ice cream?” she asked, already bouncing on the balls of her feet.
will raised a brow, the corner of his mouth pulling into a small grin as he crouched down in front of her. giving her any more sugar was surely a bad idea…but, saying no to that face felt even worse than having to deal with the impending energy boost.
“you’ve been running around for… what, ten minutes?” he said, pretending to think it over as he brushed a stray curl away from her face. “you sure you’re not going to explode from excitement first?”
she gasped softly at the idea, then shook her head firmly. “yes, i won’t explode,” she insisted.. “ice cream helps. it makes everything better.” she declared with complete confidence in herself.
that made him laugh for real. a quiet, warm sound that wrapped around them both and made the day feel fuller.
“that’s some very strong medical advice you’ve got there.”
she grinned proudly like she’d just won the argument.
will snorted at that, shaking his head as he stood again.“alright, alright,” he said, glancing over his shoulder toward the small ice cream cart stationed near the path that ran through the park.
the cart wasn’t far at all. just across a stretch of grass, maybe a four minute walk away. the vendor stood beside it with a small cooler and a colorful umbrella overhead, occasionally serving passing families.
will looked back down at his daughter. “you stay right here on the playground, yeah?” he said, gesturing around them. “where i can see you. don’t even think about going anywhere.”
her eyes followed his gesture before she nodded eagerly.
“promise?”
“promise!” she replied immediately, holding up her pinky like that somehow made it official.
will smiled softly. he bent down and pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head, ruffling her curls lightly before straightening again.
“don’t move from right here. i’ll know if you think about it.” with that, he turned and began walking toward the cart, already pulling his wallet from his pocket as he approached.
the grass crunched softly beneath his shoes as he stepped onto the path, giving the vendor a polite nod. “two cones, please.”
as the vendor turned to scoop the ice cream, will instinctively glanced back over his shoulder. just to check. he knew how easily the child would get distracted by the easiest things, and he couldn’t really blame her because it might’ve been his fault genetically…or so he always heard.
his daughter was still on the playground platform, leaning over the railing as she watched a couple of older kids race each other across the monkey bars. satisfied, he turned back toward the cart.
behind him, however… something bright and yellow fluttered lazily through the air. a butterfly drifted past the playground like a tiny piece of sunshine, its wings catching the light as it floated gently over the grass. the creature floated farther away across the grass, dipping and gliding unpredictably like it had nowhere in particular to be. and sadly, the little girl’s attention snapped to it instantly. her eyes widened and her hand reached out to try to grasp at it.
“butterfly.”
without a second thought, she hopped down from the platform and ran after it, giggling as it fluttered just out of reach. the butterfly bobbed farther across the grass and hot on its tail the young lenney followed. each time she got close, it drifted a little further away, rising and dipping in the breeze like it was teasing her. coaxing her along, her promise to stay put disappeared from her mind entirely. now replaced with the need to hold the small creature close, to feel the colours beneath her fingertips and satisfy her childlike wonder.
the butterfly eventually drifted toward the flowerbeds… right where you were sitting beneath the oak tree. you didn’t notice her approach at first. your focus was still entirely on your page, pencil moving slowly as you shaded the delicate lines of a daisy. but suddenly; a small shadow appeared beside you.
“what are you doing?”
your pencil froze mid-stroke. you blinked and looked up to find a tiny girl standing next to you, wide-eyed and curious, staring directly at your sketchbook like she had just discovered something magical. before you could say anything, she crouched down beside you, peering closely at the page. her eyes grew even bigger (if that was even possible).
“woah,” she whispered in awe. she pointed at the drawing. “you made the flowers.”
a small smile tugged at your lips as you glanced back down at the sketch. “something like that.”
she looked from the sketchbook to the real flowers and back again, clearly comparing the two with intense concentration. “you’re really good,” she decided after a moment.
“thank you,” you said warmly.
she scooted a little closer without hesitation, resting her chin in her hands as she watched your pencil move. “what’s your name?” she asked.
you told her.
she nodded like this was very important information. “i’m ellie,” she said proudly. “my friends call me…um…ellie.”
you huffed out a soft laugh. “nice to meet you, ellie.”
her eyes drifted back to the sketch. “do you draw all the time?”
“sometimes,” you said. “when i want to relax.”
she watched your hand carefully as you added a few more lines to the petals.
“you make the flowers look happy.”
you blinked slightly. “happy?”
she nodded enthusiastically. “yeah! see?” she pointed. “these ones are smiling.”
you looked at the drawing, trying to see it from her perspective. “well… i guess they are a little.”
ellie giggled softly. “can you draw butterflies too?” she asked hopefully.
“sure,” you said. “i can try.”
her eyes sparkled. “can you draw the yellow one?”
“the one you were chasing?”
she nodded eagerly.
“yes! he’s my friend. i named him chris.”
you smiled, turning the page slightly before beginning a small butterfly sketch beside the flowers. ellie watched like it was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.
“you’re like magic,” she whispered in awe.
meanwhile, across the park, will turned back from the ice cream cart with two cones in his hands and immediately froze. the playground platform was empty. the slide sat quiet. the swings moved gently back and forth in the breeze. but his daughter wasn’t anywhere there. his stomach dropped instantly.
“…ellie?” he stepped forward slowly at first, scanning the playground. nothing.
his chest tightened. “ellie?” he called again, louder this time, walking faster as his eyes darted across the park. panic rose sharply in his chest.
“ellie!”
back by the flowerbeds, the little girl had now settled cross-legged beside you, chin resting in her hands as she watched you draw like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
“can you draw other butterflies too?” she asked.
but, before you could answer, a voice rang out across the park. frantic.
“ellie!”
the little girl’s head popped up instantly.
“oh,” she said casually as she she pointed across the park. “that’s my dad.”
ellie perked up instantly, her head turning toward the sound.
“oh!” she said brightly, springing to her feet.
she cupped her tiny hands around her mouth and shouted across the park with all the volume a six-year-old could muster.
“daddddyyyy!”
across the grass, will’s head snapped toward the sound.
relief hit him so hard it nearly made his knees buckle. there she was, standing by the flowerbeds. talking to… someone.
he exhaled sharply, one hand dragging through his hair as he hurried across the grass, the two ice cream cones still in his hands and now slightly melting down the sides.
“ellie,” he called, walking faster now. “ellie—”
“i’m here!” she shouted again helpfully, bouncing in place and waving both arms like he might somehow miss her.
will finally reached them, slightly out of breath. he crouched down immediately in front of her, looking her over quickly like he needed to confirm she was actually okay.
“ellie,” he said, his voice a mix of relief and mild panic. “what did i say about staying on the playground?”
she blinked up at him innocently. “i stayed… kinda.”
“not kinda,” he said gently, trying to keep his tone calm. “i turned around for two seconds and you vanished.”
“but i followed the butterfly,” she explained very seriously, pointing toward the flowers like that justified everything.
will pinched the bridge of his nose briefly before sighing. “right. the butterfly.” he softened immediately though, brushing a hand over her hair. “you scared me, kiddo.”
“sorry,” she said, not sounding very sorry at all.
then she brightened instantly again, grabbing his sleeve. “daddy look!!” pointed enthusiastically toward you. “she draws flowers!”
will finally looked up. and for the first time actually noticed you sitting there. there was a brief, very will moment where he just blinked.
“oh…uh— hi,” he said awkwardly, immediately straightening up a bit.
one of the ice cream cones tilted slightly in his hand and he quickly corrected it.
“sorry about that,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “she… uh— tends to wander when butterflies are involved apparently.”
ellie tugged his sleeve again. “show him the butterfly,” she insisted to you, pointing at the sketchbook.
will leaned slightly, curious despite himself. “oh— you drew that?” he asked, surprised.
ellie nodded aggressively for you. “she’s really good, like so good,” she informed him loudly.
will glanced between the drawing and the actual flowers in front of you.
“that’s… actually really impressive,” he admitted.
ellie beamed like she personally deserved credit. “she made the flowers happy. you made the flowers sad last time.”
will blinked. “the flowers… happy?"
“yeah!” ellie said confidently. “look they’re smiling.”
will looked back at the drawing again like he was genuinely trying to see it. “…i think i see it,” he said slowly.
ellie grabbed one of the ice cream cones from his hand like she’d just remembered their existence. “thank you,” she said dramatically.
will sighed. “you’re welcome.”
she took a very enthusiastic lick before turning back toward you again like she had something extremely important to say. “my dad likes flowers too.”
will froze. “…ellie.”
she ignored him completely. “he looks at them sometimes,” she continued, nodding seriously. “like this.” she squinted dramatically and leaned forward, pretending to inspect a flower.
you couldn’t help but laugh.
will turned slightly pink in the ears. “i…okay— that’s not—”
“and he smells them too,” ellie added helpfully.
“alright,” will said quickly.
“but only sometimes, he's not weird. i promise," she clarified.
will looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him.
ellie leaned closer to you conspiratorially. “he’s also alone.”
will choked slightly. “ellie.”
she looked up at him, confused. “what?”
“that’s, you can’t just…you don’t—”
she turned back to you. “my daddy doesn’t have a girlfriend. all the other daddies have mommies to kiss but he doesn’t have one. i think it makes him sad.”
“okay,” will said quickly, rubbing his face now.
“ellie we are not discussing my– my relationship status with strangers in the park.”
“but she’s nice, and look at her hair,” ellie said matter-of-factly, then she grabbed your hand suddenly, sticky ice-cream fingers and all. “and she draws flowers. you like flowers.”
will looked like he had absolutely no idea how to recover from this situation. “i— yeah— i mean— flowers are… fine,” he muttered awkwardly.
ellie nodded like she had just solved the world’s greatest mystery. “see?”
will sighed, looking slightly defeated before glancing back at you with an apologetic half-smile. “…i promise she’s usually only about half this embarrassing.”
ellie seemed very pleased with herself. she took another very serious lick of her ice cream before suddenly gasping like she had just remembered something incredibly important.
“daddy.”
will sighed lightly. “…yes, ellie?”
she pointed dramatically toward the flowerbed in front of you. “can i go see the flowers up close?”
will immediately looked at the patch of grass between the two of you and the flowerbed, mentally calculating the distance like a man who had just experienced a small heart attack five minutes ago.
“…you mean the ones right there?” he asked cautiously.
ellie nodded enthusiastically, curls bouncing. “yeah! the happy ones!”
will glanced at you briefly before looking back at the flowers. they were maybe six feet away. he exhaled, shoulders drooping slightly.
“alright,” he said slowly. “but you stay where i can see you, yeah?”
“the flowers!” she scrambled to her feet so quickly that will instinctively reached out to steady her.
“easy,” he said.
“i will!” she was already halfway there before he even finished the sentence.
will turned slightly so his body faced the flowerbed, keeping ellie firmly in his line of sight as she crouched down next to the daisies like they were the most fascinating thing in the world.
“she’s very into flowers today apparently,” he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
she grabbed his sleeve immediately. “daddy, come see them! up close! they’re happy flowers!”
will looked down at her, then toward the flowerbed beside you. “well…” he said slowly, glancing at you as if silently asking whether this was alright.
ellie answered for you. “come on!” she insisted, already tugging him forward.
will let himself be dragged the two steps closer before stopping beside the edge of the flowerbed. he shifted slightly so he was standing just a little in front of ellie, turning his body so he could keep her fully in his line of sight. there was that protective instinct in the movement, automatic and practiced.
ellie crouched down near the flowers immediately, holding her ice cream carefully in one hand while inspecting the daisies like they were rare museum artifacts. “look,” she whispered dramatically to no one in particular.
will watched her for a moment, the tension from earlier finally settling out of his shoulders now that she was safely within arm’s reach. then he glanced back at you. properly noticing you for the first time..and immediately forgot how to exist like a normal person for about half a second. you were… very pretty. like, distractingly so. you were… very pretty. like really pretty. the kind of pretty that made his brain momentarily forget how words worked.
he cleared his throat awkwardly. “she uh—” he gestured vaguely. “she normally goes for bugs. or mud. today it’s… flowers.” his hand rubbed against the back of his neck awkwardly. “also, i guess… uh… thanks for not letting her wander into traffic or something,” he said, gesturing vaguely toward ellie.
ellie, meanwhile, had leaned down to sniff a daisy with intense focus.
you glanced up from your sketchbook with a small amused smile. “happy to assist in butterfly-related emergencies.”
will let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck with more force now. “yeah… she’s got a bit of a habit of chasing anything that’s colourful or flies. i guess this one was just a double whammy.”
ellie turned around suddenly. “i found a big one!”
will immediately leaned slightly to look. “don’t pick it!” he called gently.
“i’m not!” she said defensively.
then she turned back to the flower and whispered something to it.
will blinked at her but chose not to intrude. “…i don’t even want to know.” he glanced back at you with a sheepish smile. “she’s six going on… i don’t know ? sixty.”
ellie looked up again. “they’re talking to me!”
will looked concerned for half a second. “…the flowers?”
“yes.”
“right.” he nodded slowly like that was completely normal. “well… tell them i said hello. wonderful weather we’re having.”
ellie looked up suddenly. “they’re my friends. they think the weather is boring.”
will nodded solemnly. “of course they do..”
you tilted your head slightly, watching the way ellie leaned closer to the flowers like she was inspecting them for secrets. “she’s very curious,” you added between a soft laugh.
“that’s one word for it,” will replied.
ellie gasped again. “daddy look!”
both of you looked down immediately.
she pointed at a daisy with deep concentration. “this one is smiling extra.”
will crouched slightly beside her. “ah,” he said thoughtfully. “yes. i see the… extra smile.”
you snorted softly.
will glanced up at you again, catching the small smirk on your face. “oh come on,” he said defensively. “i’m just supporting her flower analysis.”
“of course,” you said. “very rigorous scientific process.”
he pointed at your sketchbook. “you’re the one drawing emotional daisies.”
“artistic interpretation.”
“suspicious,” he muttered.
ellie looked between the two of you like she was watching a tennis match. “you’re funny,” she announced to you. “my daddy makes jokes but they’re bad. i try to laugh to help but it hurts.”
will scoffed slightly. “she just met you.”
“she knows quality humor when she sees it. can't argue with that."
will opened his mouth to respond but immediately fumbled his ice cream instead. the cone tilted dangerously. he caught it at the last second. “…i meant to do that,” he said.
you raised an eyebrow. “very smooth.”
“thanks,” he said dryly.
ellie wandered a step closer to you again, peering into your sketchbook like she had earlier.
“can you draw my daddy?” she asked suddenly.
will nearly dropped the cone again, his nose now turning a rosy shade of pink to match his ears. “…what?”
ellie pointed at him proudly. “so she remembers you.”
“i don’t think that’s how that works.”
you looked between them, clearly amused. “well,” you said, “i might need him to stand still for more than three seconds.”
ellie nodded seriously. “daddy can do that. right?”
will looked skeptical. “i absolutely cannot.”
ellie ignored him. she leaned closer to you again, whispering loudly. “he gets shy. like when uncle james makes him look like a dummy.”
will made a noise of protest. “i do not—”
“you do,” she insisted.
you laughed quietly, shaking your head before glancing back up at him. “you seem like you’ve got your hands full.”
he looked down at ellie, who was now attempting to balance her ice cream on a rock while examining a flower.
“…that’s putting it mildly.” despite the mild exasperation in his tone, there was a warmth in his expression as he watched her. like his entire world was placed into one being. then his gaze drifted back at you.
“do you come here often?” he asked, immediately realizing how that sounded. he winced. “that sounded like a terrible pickup line.”
you breathed out a laugh.“it did. but i'll allow it."
“great.”
“but yes,” you said. “i sketch here sometimes.”
he nodded. “that’s cool. i mean…not cool like— you know what i mean.”
you tilted your head, enjoying his awkward spiral far too much. “i’m starting to. i think, i’m remembering that you’re shy.”
he gave you a sarcastic smile. “it’s really good, by the way. like— properly good. i can barely draw a stick figure without it looking… demonic.” he mimed a terribly crooked line in the air with his finger. “last time i tried drawing something ellie said it looked like a potato from mars.”
from the flowerbed ellie shouted. “it did!”
will groaned softly. “thank you, ellie.”
“you’re welcome!”
he glanced back at you with a helpless smile. “she’s very supportive of my endeavours.”
ellie walked over again and grabbed your hand. “you should come again tomorrow,” she declared.
will blinked. “ellie—”
“so you can draw more happy flowers.”
will rubbed his neck awkwardly again. “well… i mean… if you ever did happen to be here again,” he said cautiously, “ellie would probably… like that.”
you pretended to think about it. “hmm.”
ellie looked up at you with wide hopeful eyes.
“…i suppose i could.”
she gasped happily. “yay!”
will chuckled, then he hesitated for a moment before reaching into his pocket.
“i mean… uh…” he said, suddenly nervous again. “if you wanted… we could— i don’t know, coordinate butterfly patrol shifts or something.”
you raised an eyebrow. “that sounds very official.”
“very serious job. i mean have you seen the girl run? i've thought about getting the football training in early.” he jokes, pulling out his phone awkwardly. "we can exchange numbers?”
you smiled slightly and gave it to him.
ellie watched the exchange like she had just witnessed the most successful matchmaking operation in human history.
“told you,” she whispered proudly to you.
the weeks after that afternoon at the park seemed to unfold naturally, like something that had been waiting to happen all along. at first, it was small things. you ran into them at the park again a few days later. and although will insisted it wasn’t planned. even if he had suspiciously brought ellie to the exact same playground at the exact same time. ellie had spotted you first, unsurprisingly.
“she’s here!” she had shouted across the grass like she’d just found buried treasure, immediately abandoning the swing to sprint toward you.
from that point on, the park quietly became your place. some afternoons you’d bring your sketchbook and ellie would sit beside you, offering extremely serious artistic feedback alongside some help when you got stuck. bringing her own brand new drawing book and some crayons so that you two could draw together. and although hers were never as precise as yours, you were sure that they were always a thousand times better.
“that flower looks lonely,” she once said, frowning deeply. “it needs a friend.” so she drew another flower, red crayon adding in some squiggles in the faint shape of a flower.
will would sit nearby pretending to scroll through his phone. though half the time he was watching the two of you instead.
other times ellie insisted the three of you play together. she forced will down the slide once and he claimed it was against his dignity as an adult. ellie strongly disagreed. you laughed so hard he ended up doing it twice just to make you laugh again. on his last attempt he almost got stuck half way through and you had to help him pull himself out.
then came the ice cream trips...they were not dates. will made that very clear the first time.
“this isn’t a date,” he had said quickly while paying for the cones.
“of course not,” you replied.
ellie looked between both of you suspiciously. “then why are you smiling at each other?”
will nearly dropped his wallet.
after that, the ice cream outings became routine. sometimes you’d walk around the park afterward, ellie holding both of your hands as she told wildly exaggerated stories about kindergarten. sometimes will would offer to take you home if it was getting dark. those walks were quieter. just the two of you talking while ellie rode his shoulders, half asleep and clutching a stuffed bunny.
over time, something warm and steady began growing between the three of you. ellie adored you almost immediately. if you missed a day at the park, or a meeting or even a phone call she’d ask will where you were.
“maybe she’s busy,” he’d say.
“but she likes us,” ellie insisted.
he never knew how to answer that without smiling. and somewhere along the way, will fell completely and hopelessly for you. not in a dramatic, sweeping way. but in quiet moments you shared. the way you crouched down to ellie’s height when talking to her. the way you teased him without hesitation. the way ellie looked happier when you were around. he never said anything, partly because he didn’t want to ruin what the three of you had. and partly because every time he thought about asking you out properly, his brain short-circuited.
ellie, unfortunately, noticed everything.
“daddy likes you,” she told you once while will was twenty feet away buying her a hotdog.
you nearly choked on your drink, quickly shifting the conversation to something less volatile. though you had to admit that comment made the small blossom of hope in your chest bloom a bit brighter.
“ellie,” he said later, horrified when she told him what she had done, hoping he would appreciate her hard work.
“what?” she asked innocently.
“you can’t just say things like that.”
“but it’s true.”
she also took great joy in teasing him whenever possible. and will, he turned red every time.
“daddy gets nervous when you come over,” she told you proudly.
“i do not.”
“you do.”
meanwhile, you had fallen for both of them too. ellie had a way of making everything brighter. her attitude, that carefree spirit towards life and everything that came with it; that hadn’t yet been dimmed by the world’s pain. or, the curiosity she had for any and every new experience that came across her life. maybe it was the sparkle in her eyes and the hair that never truly seemed tamed. and will… well. the more time you spent with him, the easier it became to see how kind he was. how careful he was with ellie. how quietly thoughtful he could be even when he was tripping over every word he tried and failed to speak. it made your chest warm in ways you tried not to overthink.
which was how you ended up standing outside their apartment building one evening with a small bouquet of yellow tulips in your hands. earlier that week ellie had made a very, very, very important announcement.
“you have to come to dinner,” she told you firmly.
“oh?”
“i’m cooking.”
will nearly inhaled his drink. “you’re… what?”
“cooking dinner for everybody,” she repeated.
“right,” will said slowly. “with supervision.”
“daddy’s helping, but he’s not a good cook” she admitted kind of sad.
“good, but i’m an amazing cook. stop lying to her,” he muttered.
and now here you were, a bouquet of yellow tulip in hand. you knocked on the apartment door and there was immediate chaotic movement inside, the sound of a loud thud. a loud clatter. then ellie’s voice.
“wait wait wait—”
the door swung open. ellie stood there wearing a child-sized apron that was far too big for her, hair slightly messy, and what looked suspiciously like flour on her cheek. her face lit up the moment she saw you.
“you came!”
“of course i did,” you said warmly. you held out the flowers to her. “these are for the chef. i wanted to thank her graciously for inviting me.”
ellie gasped like you had handed her treasure. “flowers!”
she grabbed them carefully and held them to her chest.
“they’re tulips,” you explained, not that she particularly cared what type they were.
“i love them.”
behind her, will appeared in the kitchen doorway holding a wooden spoon and looking like he had just survived a small disaster. “…hi,” he sighed.
his hair was slightly messy, sleeves rolled up, and there was a faint splash of tomato sauce on his shirt.
you raised an eyebrow. "should i be concerned about the kitchen?”
will glanced over his shoulder. “…define concerned.”
from inside the apartment something made a suspicious plopping sound.
ellie beamed proudly. “i’m making spaghetti!”
will winced slightly. “we are making spaghetti,” he corrected gently.
ellie nodded. “but mostly me. he forgot to put the spaghetti in the water.”
he looked back at you. “it’s… a work in progress.”
ellie grabbed your hand excitedly. “come see! i picked out the sauce and everything!”
will followed behind you both like a man preparing to explain a crime scene. the kitchen looked… questionable. that seemed like a fitting descriptor. there was flour on the counter, tomato sauce on the stovetop. a bowl of noodles that appeared slightly overenthusiastic in quantity.
ellie pointed proudly to the pot. “spagetthi.”
will leaned closer to you slightly, lowering his voice. “…i’m monitoring the situation.”
you glanced at him. “brave man. but i think we may need more guests…that’s a lot of pasta.”
he sighed. “please stay,” he said quietly. “if i’m going down i need witnesses.”
ellie turned around suddenly. “dinner will be ready soon!”
you smiled. “take your time, chef. i trust you...”
will leaned against the counter beside you. “…this is either going to be amazing,” he said.
“or?”
“or we’re ordering pizza.”
ellie gasped. “no pizza.”
will raised his hands immediately. “right. no pizza. we trust the chef.”
about twenty minutes later ellie insisted dinner be served properly. which meant she fought with her father on how the table should be set. on what make shift vase should be used to hold her new flowers and in the end you were not allowed to sit just yet.
“wait!” she said, holding both hands out like a tiny traffic officer as you and will hovered near the dining table.
will blinked down at her. “what are we waiting for?”
ellie looked at him like he had personally disappointed her. “daddy.”
“what?”
she pointed dramatically at one of the chairs. “you have to do the thing.”
will frowned. “what thing?”
“the nice thing!”
he looked even more confused.
you leaned slightly against the table, clearly entertained. “don’t look at me, i'm just a guest." you said.
ellie huffed and stomped her little foot. “the chair thing!”
will stared at her for another two seconds before it finally clicked. “oh— oh.” his ears turned slightly pink.
“you mean—”
“yes,” ellie said impatiently.
will cleared his throat awkwardly before stepping around you. he pulled the chair out carefully.
“there,” he muttered.
ellie nodded approvingly. “good job.”
you raised an eyebrow as you sat. “well done.”
will rubbed the back of his neck. “i feel judged by a six-year-old.”
“you should,” you said.
ellie climbed into her own chair proudly. “i’m the boss.”
“that has become very clear,” will muttered.
a few minutes later, dinner was finally served. ellie carried a bowl of spaghetti with the careful determination of someone transporting priceless cargo. while will hovered nervously behind her in case gravity betrayed them and the maybe edible food took a nose dive to the floor.
she placed it down in the middle of the table triumphantly. “ta-da!”
will set down the plates beside it.
“…behold,” he said dryly. “spagetthi?"
ellie giggled. “daddy helped a little.”
“thank you for the credit,” he said.
you twirled some noodles around your fork.
“well chef,” you said to ellie. “this looks amazing.”
her whole face lit up. “really?!”
“really.”
will took a bite too.
he chewed thoughtfully. “…okay wait,” he said. “that’s actually really good.”
ellie beamed. “i told you!”
dinner quickly turned lively. ellie talked nonstop about everything from butterflies to preschool drama to the time her dad burned toast.
“that happened one time,” will said defensively.
“three times,” ellie corrected.
you covered your mouth to hide a laugh. then ellie suddenly leaned her chin in her hands and looked between the two of you with suspicious interest.
“so.”
will narrowed his eyes. “that tone worries me.”
ellie ignored him. “you should ask her.”
will froze mid-bite. “…ask her what.”
ellie shrugged like it was obvious. “to be your girlfriend.”
you nearly choked on your spaghetti.
“ellie,” will said slowly.
“yes?”
“we do not discuss that at the dinner table.”
“but you like her.”
will turned red. “i— that’s—”
ellie turned to you. “he does. sarah said her daddy turns red when her mommy says nice things about him. and when she said your shirt was nice you looked like rudolf!”
will groaned.
“i’m being sabotaged.”
you smirked slightly. “i’m enjoying the show. so it seems fine to me.”
ellie nodded proudly. “i’m helping.”
“helping what?” will asked.
“love.”
he stared at her.
“…you’re six.”
“i’m smart. mama said so.”
you laughed quietly, shaking your head.
eventually dinner ended with a surprisingly empty bowl of spaghetti.
ellie hopped down from her chair immediately, onto the next thing she could meddle her way into. “dessert time!”
will stood too. “i’ll help—”
“no.” she pointed at him sternly. “you stay.”
he blinked. “…why?”
“because.” she leaned toward him and made a very exaggerated “secret” gesture with her hand pointing between him and you. it was the least subtle thing imaginable.
will stared at her. “ellie.”
she whispered…rather loudly. “ask her.” then she scampered into the kitchen.
you and will sat there in silence for a second. from the kitchen came the sound of freezer drawers opening. and very quiet giggling. very very quiet, no one could hear her cackling not even herself.
will rubbed his face. “…i’m never going to recover from this.”
you leaned back in your chair. “she’s efficient, i'll give her that.definitely got that one from her mom.”
he laughed nervously. “yeah.”
another quiet pause settled between you. will fiddled with his hands on the table for a moment before finally looking up.
“…so,” he said.
you waited.
he immediately looked like he regretted starting the sentence. “i— uh—” he laughed awkwardly, tapping his fingers against the table. “this is going terribly already.”
you smiled slightly. “take your time. i know you’re shy sweetie.”
he took a breath. “right. okay.” he ran a hand through his hair. “i was wondering—” he stopped. then tried again. “i mean we already hang out a lot but—” another pause, sharper this time. “…i’m really bad at this.”
you rested your chin in your hand. “really? i hadn’t noticed.”
he huffed a laugh. “thanks.”
from the kitchen came a faint thump followed by barley suppressed giggling.
will closed his eyes briefly. “she’s listening.”
“obviously.”
he looked back at you. “…would you maybe want to go on a real date with me?” he added quickly. “like— an official one. not ice cream that isn’t a date.”
you tilted your head slightly. “hmm.”
will braced himself. “that sounds… suspiciously like you’re considering saying no.”
you smiled.
“i was considering making you suffer a little longer.”
he groaned. “please don’t. she already thinks i’m a wimp.”
“but,” you added gently, “yes.”
he blinked. “…yes?”
“yes will.”
his whole expression softened instantly with relief and quiet happiness. “okay,” he said, smiling now. “good.”
from the kitchen came the unmistakable sound of delighted giggling, bordering on delighted cackling sounded. ellie burst out laughing like someone who had just witnessed the best moment of her life.
will sighed. “she’s going to hold this over me forever.”
you laughed. “i think she already is.”
a moment later ellie reappeared carryimg the tub of ice cream and three spoons, grinning like a mastermind whose plan had succeeded perfectly. because it did. and that was the beginning of your perfectly imperfect little family.
