crescent [h.s]

40

8 months later.

Harry Styles

"Daddy!" Dove squeals as I chase her around the living room, trying my hardest to get her dressed and ready head out to Navy's 2nd birthday party.

I laugh behind her, my heart still speeding up at the sound of that word. It's surreal. "C'mon my baby, I'm just trying to get you dressed!"

She carries on running around the room, circling around the coffee table with a sweet giggling laughter following after her like a shadow, bouncing off the walls.

I suddenly stop running after her, and reaching the sofa I fall back dramatically, sighing and stretching all my limbs out. With Dove's dress in my hand, I lay like a starfish, exhaling heavily.

With her laughter coming to a stop when she realises I'm not longer chasing after her like a cat and mouse, she climbs up the sofa, crawling over to me on her knees. When reaching me, she sits sideways on my lap, cupping my face in her hands. She tries her hardest to pull my head back up, and when I lift my head, making her believe she did it, her blue eyes pout with her pink lips forming into a sad line, "Daddy, play."

I shake my head solemnly, "My Dove we've got to go to Navy's! He's 2 remember!"

Her brows crease and she heavily sighs, her back slumping, "Me don't wanna."

This is news to me.

My hand smoothes up and down her bare back, my heart lurching to comfort her. "Why baby? You were so excited last night."

She sighs as if something is physically weighing her down, "Navy and Rudy are..." she looks for the word, physically scrunching her lips up, ultimately falling short and looking at me to guess the end of her sentence.

I play into the pout that is stuck on her lips, copying her as I guess the word, "Silly?" She shakes her head, "Too loud?" She shakes her head again, letting me continue to guess. I inhale heavily, getting closer to her to jokingly whisper in her ear, "Annoying?"

She lets out a short giggle, curling herself into me when she shakes her head against my clavicle. I start to think more seriously, mentally rewatching the interactions the three of them share. When I feel as if I've found the phrase she was looking for, I quietly say, "Do they leave you out?"

Ever so slowly, she nods and sighs. "Said girls can't play with boys."

My brows crease as I know for fact none of the parents have set this thought alive within any of the kids. We encourage them all to hang out together, play together and be friendly.

I situate Dove in my lap, her head tucked away in my chest and her body leaning into mine completely. I continue smoothing my hand up and down her back, "Would you like me to talk to Navy and Rudy?"

She hums loudly, the sound vibrating through my chest, "Yes pwease."

I smile and kiss her temple, "Okay baby. Come and find me and mummy when you want to be with us, okay?"

She nods, the pout on her lips slowly lifting. She looks up at me through her naturally long lashes, "Cuddles?"

I kiss her head again, nodding to confirm for her, "Yes baby, you can come over for cuddles whenever you want."

This makes her smile. Wrapping her arms around my neck and standing on my thighs, my arms return the hug tightly around her back, "Thank you daddy."

I kiss her cheek and slowly lift the dress from the couch, taking this moment to bunch it up and place it over her head, covering her body, "Always Dove."