•Trip Down The Memory Lane•

"It was a dark and stormy night-"

"I've heard that one before, Papa." The nine-year-old yawned knowingly and started at the man.

"No, kiddo. You haven't, trust me! Have patience!"

"You're telling her the same ol' story again, Adrian? Seriously?" Adrian groaned at his husband who stared at him across the kitchen. He grumpily leapt up to the kitchen island beside the kid and huffed.

"Oh, come on, Papa! You've been repeating this story for three years now! Do you really expect me to not know? You and your generation." She jumped down with a sigh and went back to the bedroom, closing the door with a loud thump. The other man roamed to the kitchen after comprehending the whole drama.

"Kayda- ...And there she goes. Just shove me off this island, would ya, Deeran?" And before Adrian could've realised, he felt a strong pair of arms pushing him off the height. "Whoa!" He fell, somehow balancing himself into a landing.

"There you go, shoved you off." This entire time, Deeran managed to keep up a poker face but his lips often curled up from the sides.

"You've got zero poker face, you know that?" Adrian rolled his eyes at his husband and Deeran couldn't help but laugh. Giving Adrian a hand, Deeran pulled him up and before Deeran could've walked away, Adrian pulled him in for a sweet hug.

"I'm... So happy with you guys around." Adrian smiled when he felt Deeran smiling on his chest. "Adopting Kayda was the best thing we ever did, Deeran."

"You think I don't know? I've known you all my life, Adrian. I know what you feel." Adrian cupped Deeran's face and tugged him close, erasing the distance between them.

"If you both are quite done with shamelessly kissing each other with a minor in the house, I would like to show you something I found in the closet." Kayda raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms together. The men flushed scarlet and jerked back.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Deeran swept Kayda into his arms in one swift motion and walked to the room. Adrian followed behind, a smile painting his face.

•••

"Look, I found this album! You two look so young!" Kayda clapped in excitement and turned the sheet. "Whoa..." She gaped. The parents laughed at her expression and made eye contact. A wave of nostalgia hit them as a giddy sense of euphoria ran through their veins.

"This picture was taken long ago, like, seven years ago. We were just eighteen at that time." Deeran smiled remembering the past.

"No wonder the camera quality looks bad."

"Hey!" Adrian tickled her as soft laughter echoed through the house, apologies, home.

"I want to know how you guys met!" Kayda smiled at her parents and fluttered to sit on Deeran's lap.

"You will stop me before I will even start. I know it."

"No, I wouldn't! God promise!" She squealed.

"So, it was a dark and stormy night." Adrian came to a halt and narrowed his eyes at Kayda who was quietly listening. "We were of your age, perhaps younger. Deeran was an only child and didn't really have much friends, either."

"That's sad... Why didn't you have friends?" She turned to Deeran who got caught off guard.

"Uhm, me? Well, uh, I was an introvert." He nodded, his mind turning sure and determined of the answer. "Yeah, I didn't have friends because I was an introvert. I still am, actually."

"What does introvert mean?" Her eyes enlarged with curiosity and wonder.

"Oh, good question! You are... A good question!" Deeran smiled nervously and chewed his lips. He looked at Adrian who had the same look on his face. "Give us a minute, Kayda." Deeran crawled over to Adrian as they both talked in hushed tones. Kayda was suspicious but gave them space.

"A person who doesn't like to talk?"

"Introverts talk, idiot."

"So person who doesn't like people?"

"Yeah, of course! A person who doesn't like people and spreads hate is an introvert! Best strategy!" Deeran huffed and turned around to face Kayda.

"A person who doesn't like crowded places, yeah! That's an introvert, little one." He grinned at his theoretical and deep knowledge.

"Took you long enough, Papa." The sarcastic tone of her voice made them laugh.

"So back to the story!" Adrian clapped. "So I was in the garden, playing with my friends in the rain. But then I saw this boy looking at us from his balcony. I called him down to play but he didn't come down!" Kayda zapped a stunned glance at Deeran who shrugged.

"I didn't trust him."

"So the next day, we were all playing again and Deeran was just looking at us with a face that said 'I wanna play too!'."

"Aw..."

"I called him again but he didn't come down and this happened everyday! I'd call him down but he would ignore me. This went on for a month straight! I was starting to think that he hated me."

"Oh, this man." Kayda slapped a hand to her forehead.

"I know, right? But the next day was strange! It was afternoon and Deeran was at the playground and it was raining heavily but some bad kids were troubling him!"

"Oh my! Did you get hurt?" Deeran chuckled, "No, of course not!"

"But I went to them and punched them on their face!" Adrian jabbed the air mindlessly. "And saved Deeran!"

"Wow! You should've trusted Papa, dad." Deeran yanked his hands up in surrender.

"Yes! He was ignoring me all this time but if only he knew that I was his saviour and there were people worse than me." Adrian winked at Deeran. "And you know what happened next, Kayda? Deeran took me to his house and gave me his clothes to change because, well, rain. We drank hot chocolate and spent a nice time together. Good times, gooood times!"

"That sounds so fun! Finally, you became friends! Yay!" Kayda clapped her hands together at the perfect ending. "This calls for an ice cream night!" Deeran checked the time on the wall clock. "9:40 PM."

"Just twenty minutes before sleeping time, Kayda! Let's rush!" Kayda hopped off from the bed with a squeal and ran to the bathroom to change. Deeran heaved out a sigh at the scene.

"Hey..." He felt Adrian slowly hugging him from the back. "You seem... Quiet."

"I'm happy too, Adrian." Deeran spun to face the latter. "Thank you so much for bringing this happiness to me." He leaned in closer.

Warmth blossomed over Adrian's chest as he felt Deeran's mouth on his, and his fingers tugging at his hairs playfully. Adrian pulled the latter closer to himself, his heart and captured his lips into a steamy yet sophisticated kiss. Deeran poured in all his gratefulness in the kiss, all his happiness and exhaustion and grief.

"I love you."

"Trust me, the feelings are mutual." Adrian said, softly running his thumb over Deeran's eyebrow.

"Dad, I'm done!"

"Coming, Kayda!"

Doesn't it always brings a smile to our faces? A trip down the memory lane.

|The End|