Songbird

Lithe is in the kitchen, just putting away the last of the groceries when the front door clicks open and slams shut loudly.

"I'm home! I missed you!"

That sweet voice let him know his partner was already pretty well regressed, probably before they even got all the way inside.

Lithe smiles down at his sweet little one. They grin brightly up at him, asking Daddy for a snack and a movie and rambling about what had gone on that day. He shakes his head a little and continues to watch Lyric as they fumble with getting their things put away.

From the bubbly tone of his little, most people wouldn't be able to see how hard their day had actually been. But he was watching them wring dainty hands and flail and bounce about. Full of nervous energy. Full of harsh responsibilities. Too much for the sweet little blonde to take on their own.

Lithe chuckles and ruffles their hair when they suddenly catch him in a fierce bear hug. Lyric looks up at him, tugging him down for a soft, chaste peck on the lips. They laugh a bit breathlessly and Lithe finds himself tugging them flat to his chest again, scooping them up. Lyric wails in delight when he blows a raspberry against the side of their face.

"Come on my little Songbird. Dinner's almost ready. Set the table for me sweetheart and you can pick the movie when we're done."

Lithe says, letting them scramble from his arms. He stands back, observing once again. The rigid lines of their partner's shoulders and back have begun to soften. The nervous energy seems to be dissipating with it as Lyric dutifully sets the table exactly as they've been taught. When they're done, they stand beside their seat and smile up at him a bit more shyly.

He knows they're waiting for him to tell them if the job was done properly. Normally, he would wait until the food was dished out, letting them squirm just a bit. But today Lyric seems to need a softer hand. He slides back their chair and motions for them to sit. Pushing them in a bit, he leans down and presses a kiss to the crown of their head.

"You did a beautiful job. So good for me."

His hand rakes gently through their soft golden waves, smiling as they lean in.

"Alright, Songbird. Time to eat. Finish your plate for me and I've got a surprise for you."

Dinner passes uneventfully until the end. Lyric asks about his day briefly before getting distracted. Scooping up quick mouthfuls between words, They tell him about how their train was late by forty-five minutes and they missed an exam they can't make up. By the time they're scooping up the last mouthful, fat tears are spilling down Lyric's cheeks.

Lithe stands, walks over to them, and crouches to be at eye-level. Their arms circle his neck instinctively and he scoops them up, carrying them to the couch. He rocks them, hands petting their hair and down their back soothingly as Lyric shudders and sobs in his arms.

He lets them cry for a few minutes, just holding them tight. Losing out on a big part of their grade is a big, scary deal for Lyric and Lithe knows they need a little time to just feel. He presses kisses to their head over and over, whispering soft encouragement until they finally quiet down a bit. When they finally look up, they seem out of it, just starting to dissociate.

"Lyric, little Songbird, can you sing for Daddy? Anything you want. Just let me hear that pretty little voice of yours, okay?"

For Lyric, this tactic usually worked to pull them back out and keep them from going catatonic. He stroked patterns down their bare arms and continued to encourage them to sing. Quietly, they began to hum, then sing. He recognized it immediately as Dear Prudence and began softly singing along.

"Dear Prudence, let me see you smile. Dear Prudence, like a little child."

Lyric perked up a bit at that, watching him, singing with him. Lithe let his hands move to their face, thumbs wiping away drying tears.

"The clouds will be a daisy chain, So let me see you smile again."

Their plush lips twitched up the tiniest bit when he tickled them slightly under the chin, eyes bright and alert, voice clear. He let his hands slide down their arms and then up their sides.

"Dear Prudence, won't you let me see you smile?"

As he sang the last bit with them, Lithe curled his fingers in against their sides, tickling. Lyric exploded with giggles and gasps, nearly squirming clean out of his lap. He stops, pulling them flush against him again, speaking softly when they melt into the embrace.

"Feeling better, Songbird? Are you ready for dessert and a movie?"

He only just manages to move in time as Lyric's head shoots up off his shoulder, nodding vigorously. They seem to realize their near miss, and duck their head a little, bit they bounce excitedly in his lap.

"Alright, Love. You pick the movie for me, hmm? I'm going to grab the ice cream, with sprinkles, and be right back. Okay?"

"Yes Daddy!" Lyric is beaming again, as if their earlier outburst had never happened and he felt his heart flutter for his sweet little Songbird.

Returning to the living room with two little glass bowls of strawberry and vanilla swirl ice cream, Lithe found them sitting square in the middle of the couch, movie paused after the previews but just before it starts. Blankets and pillows were piled on either side of them, forming a nest of sorts.

When Lyric noticed him, they bounced up, moving things so that Lithe could sit comfortably. They climbed in right beside him, as close as possible without being in his lap and took the ice cream with a soft "thanks Daddy."

They ate and watched and cuddled together. Lyric giggling a bit less and drooping a bit more as time went on. They were coming down a bit, coming back to themself. When Lithe looked over next, the angelic childlike expression had faded from his Songbird's face. They looked content and relaxed, nearly boneless resting against his shoulder, but Lyric was back to their twenty-two year old self.

He presses a kiss to their temple. His reward is a tired, happy little smile and soft muttering against his skin.

"Thank you, Lithe."

For a long time he stays like this, still and quiet with them. He watches long after they've fallen asleep and thinks. This might not have been what he imagined, but he couldn't think of another soul he'd ever want more. His little Songbird. His Partner in all things. His Heart.

He scoops them up with a few blankets and their pillows, smiling as he carries them to the bed they share, together.