"JoJo," Lauren called out, unable to mask the disapproval in her voice, although she was also suppressing a smile.
He appeared from the kitchen, looking worried, and Lauren held up his advent calendar, all of the doors open and the chocolates gone. He gave her a guilty look. When no explanation came, she just shook her head at him, laughing. It was like living with a child sometimes, she thought.
"I hope it was worth it, you're not getting another one."
"Oh, it was definitely worth it," Joey said, patting his stomach.
But his tune had changed an hour later, when he was lying on the couch groaning. Lauren stood over him, her hands on her hips.
"My stomach hurts," he informed her, looking up at her sadly.
"Tough."
"Laurennn!"
She bit her lip to hide a smile, although she did feel a little bit sorry for him even if it was entirely his own fault.
"What did you think was going to happen when you ate 19 chocolates at once?" she said exasperatedly.
He mumbled something that she couldn't make out. She turned away, but he reached out and grabbed her hand, almost rolling off the couch in the process but managing to pull her back.
"What?" she asked.
"Cuddle with me," he whined.
She rolled her eyes at his neediness, but she couldn't resist him. She lay down next to him as he shuffled backwards to make room for her. He wrapped his arms around her back to keep her from falling off, or maybe just to pull her closer to him. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead and kissed it, and he tilted his head up to kiss her lips.
She felt relaxed in his arms, and she took a moment to be grateful for the security and comfort that Joey's constant presence brought into her life. After a while she shifted, trying to sit up, but Joey clung onto her, his eyes widening in betrayal at her trying to leave him.
"I have to make lunch JoJo," she said, patting his cheek and still trying to disentangle herself from his arms.
"Can't we just order pizza?" he said, batting his eyes at her.
"Oh, so you feel better now do you?" she said with a grin, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I always feel better when you're here," he said emphatically, pressing a quick kiss to her lips, and Lauren decided lunch could wait as she kissed him again.
