Godfather

11

Daisy looked up at the house in awe, while Luke looked down at her with a little smile.  Of course being back in Los Angeles was a little bittersweet for the man, but it was now his home.  And Daisy's home, too.

"Come on," he spoke up, breaking her intense focus. "Let's go inside, yeah?"

Nodding, Daisy allowed her godfather to take her little hand in his ginormous one, leading her into the home that looked more like a palace than anything else.

"This is the living room, where your other uncles and I hang out. And in through here is the kitchen, so if you're ever hungry let either me or Michael know and we can..."

Daisy let the man go on his tour of the home, starting to subconsciously tune out as she looked around at the space. Sure, her home back in Australia was a good size and all she really needed, but Luke's place... well, she couldn't even believe that she was going to live there in the first place.

"And this," Luke began, snapping her out of her daze as he opened a new door. "Is your room."

Daisy entered the room slowly, taking in everything about it. It was the room she'd always dreamed of having, really. It was sophisticated for a girl her age, but she'd always had a taste for the finer things — that's just how she was. The room was a reflection of that part of her personality, with its clean white walls, canopy bed, and light wood dressers, and it made her feel good. She'd finally gotten something she'd always wanted, despite how she came to have it. Being sad could wait, happiness was in the moment.

The men of 5 Seconds of Summer watched as she entered the room with a look of awe on her face, delighted with her response.  They knew that nothing about this transition would be easy — so they did everything they possibly could to make it even a fraction better for her.  And by the look on her face, they'd say they did alright.

"So?" Luke asked, smiling down at her.  "You like it?"

"It's perfect..." she trailed off in a mumble, still wandering around the space.  "So pretty..."

"Pretty room for a pretty princess." Ashton spoke, beaming with pride that they'd done well. "It only makes sense."

Daisy giggled and clutched her tiny hands to her cheeks, not knowing what else to do. This wasn't a baby's room — this was a girl's room.

Luke smiled at her bashful reaction and scooped her up into his arms, tossing her onto the bed. He and Ashton smiled as she squealed with glee, not expecting the sudden action. As her tiny body bounced on the mattress, Luke walked over and peppered her face with as many kisses as it could handle.

"Luke!" she screeched, trying to push him off. "Luke! Stop!"

Joining her in bed, he trapped her in an embrace and continued his kissing and tickling, making the little girl feel lighter than she had in a long while. Luke always knew what to do, she reckoned. Even if he didn't know he was doing it.

Ashton watched the two with fond eyes and an aching heart, knowing that even though Daisy's arrival to Los Angeles was off to a good start, it wouldn't last for long. As soon as the shock and awe of everything had worn off, Luke and Daisy were in for the rude awakening of their feelings no longer being dormant. It was going to be hard. Quite possibly the hardest thing either of them will ever do in their lives, but they'd get through it. They'd push through, and eventually live the lives that their loved ones never got to live. Daisy and Luke would do everything for them. And they'd be happy.

But happiness is a journey. An odyssey. Filled with ups and downs and sidetracks and letdowns, but the end is always worth it. They weren't alone. Ashton would make sure of that.