Never Not You

The real gift

A/N: another important question time... also Aurora does something for Leah here as requested

Aurora was a whirlwind of movement as she moved through the house, her heart racing with anticipation. Mateo was safe in his play area, babbling and entertaining himself with his toys, while she carefully scattered rose petals along the floor. Candles were arranged on the dining table, their soft glow casting a romantic light over the room. The dinner she had been preparing was simmering on the stove, filling the house with the comforting scent of home. Everything was in place, except for the most important piece—the papers.

They sat on the kitchen counter, neatly stacked, waiting. Waiting for the moment that would either solidify everything Aurora had been hoping for or confirm her worst fear.

Mateo was coming up on a year old. Aurora had been thinking about this day for months, wondering if Leah was truly ready to commit in every way. She believed in Leah; after all, she had been proving herself time and time again. She was there for both of them, making up for the mistakes of the past, being the partner Aurora had always known she could be. But part of Aurora still needed reassurance. Part of her needed to know if Leah was ready for the next step—if she was truly all in.

These papers, the ones that sat silently on the counter, would give her that answer. If Leah signed them, it wouldn't just be about love anymore—it would be about responsibility, permanence, family. There would be no halfway measures, no room for doubts. Aurora needed to know where Leah stood before Mateo's first birthday, before they took that next step as a family.

But she didn't want to overwhelm Leah. Aurora knew Leah had just finished a tough day of training and would be too exhausted for anything extravagant. So, instead of a night out, she'd planned something intimate, something that would let Leah unwind while also showing her how serious this night was. Just them. No distractions. No baby cries breaking through the quiet.

Aurora had thought about including Mateo in the evening, letting him be part of this big step. But the idea of Leah saying no, of her hesitating, scared Aurora more than she wanted to admit. She didn't want to risk that with Mateo there. So, when she'd told Amanda about her plans, Amanda had insisted on taking Mateo for the night, claiming the two of them needed some alone time, without the baby.

What Amanda didn't know was that Aurora and Leah had managed to find plenty of alone time already, sneaking moments together even with Mateo at home. But there was no way Aurora was going to tell Leah's mom that. Instead, she just agreed, grateful for the excuse to focus solely on Leah tonight.

With a final glance at the papers, Aurora breathed deeply and tried to calm her nerves. This was it. Tonight, she'd know for sure. And one way or another, their lives were about to change.

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It was just a few minutes before Leah was due back when the doorbell rang, cutting through the stillness of the house. Aurora took a deep breath, quickly gathering Mateo's things and making her way to the door. She was a mix of excitement and nerves, her heart racing at the thought of what the night could hold.

When she opened the door, Amanda stood there, a warm smile on her face, holding Mateo's overnight bag. Luckily, Mateo was fast asleep, so his slight clinginess over the past few days didn't cause any issues as he was passed from Aurora's arms to Amanda's. Aurora's heart fluttered slightly; Mateo was safe in Amanda's care, which meant she could focus entirely on Leah.

"Thanks for taking him, Amanda," Aurora said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts in her head. She didn't want to think about how important tonight was.