Imprinted Hearts

Chapter 11: Once Upon a December

"Hey," Ethan said, handing Lucien a cup of hot coffee.

"Hey," Lucien replied, gently taking it from him. "...Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem," Ethan replied with a nod. 

Neither were certain how to continue the conversation, and there was an awkward silence until Rune made his way over to them. They both brightened.

"How is she?" they asked simultaneously, then looked at each other.

"She's no longer incubated and will get out of the hospital tomorrow," Rune replied rather proudly. "She's strong."

"Congratulations," Lucien said with a relieved smile.

"Hey guys!" came a fourth voice. They turned to see Hope coming out of the bathroom and back down the hall to where they were standing. "How we looking?"

"They're releasing her tomorrow," Rune said.

Hope squealed excitedly. "How's Sal? Was he able to get off work yet?"

"They said if he finishes this job Saturday, they'll give him the full paid six months off so that someone can be with Lily while she grows into a healthy young baby," Rune replied.

"Wow!" Hope said, rocking back on her heels. "Go Alaska! I didn't think they had laws that allowed for that."

"It's his boss," Rune said, moved nearly to tears. "We couldn't have done all this without his support and yours."

"Aw," Hope said, hugging him around the middle. "I'm glad my uterus was useful for something."

Rune laughed, sniffing to hide his emotions. "Whatever, you nuisance." He grabbed her around the neck with one arm and used his free hand to rub his fist into her hair to mess it up.

"AH! Nooooo! You're the nuisance! Gah!" Hope struggled to get free, and Ethan laughed at their antics.

Lucien laughed too, seeming to enjoying the camaraderie, but in a more muted way. When she finally slipped free of Rune's grasp, Hope made her way back to the other two, pulling them both in for a hug.

"Couldn't have done it without you two supporting me in the last leg of the race," she said, squeezing them. They both had to bend down to reach her, and Rune looked at them with a comical gaze. There was a smirk playing on his lips and it was the first actual smile Ethan thought he'd ever seen on the man. Ethan looked over past Hope's shoulder at Lucien, who was grinning back at him and wasn't sure if he could frown at him when Hope was this close and well.

"Alright, alright, break it up!" Rune called. "You're going to make those two wet their pants from pure joy."

"Rune!" Hope complained. "You be nice! They're my friends!"

Rune winced. "I feel sorry for them already."

Hope rolled her eyes and released them both. "Oh whatever. You're just jealous because I make friends wherever I go and you just make enemies because you're a great big grumpy pants." She put her hands on her hips as if that was delivering a heavy blow of a line.

Ethan looked at Lucien and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at her. Lucien had no qualms, apparently just flat out snorting. Hope looked at them, the frowny face in her forehead appearing as she made a face at them.

"What?" she demanded.

Ethan poked her in the frowny forehead. "It's hard to take you seriously when your forehead frowns with you."

"What do you mean?" Hope asked.

"When you look upset or serious, a frowy face appears on your forehead, and it makes this face," Lucien said, imitating it.