simmer down // a.i. [ON HOLD]

[45] pictures of you

dedicated to @deathbyamber bc she is funny af and she makes me laugh

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I grabbed at a crayon to stop it rolling off the coffee table, and placed it back next to Harry, on top of his colour book.

'So your Mum mentioned an excursion tomorrow - where are you going?'

He bit his lip in concentration, and focused on colouring the puppy dog bright red.

'We get to go to the aquarium to see all the sea animals.' Harry looked up and grinned toothily. 'I wanna see the sharks!'

I laughed.

'Sharks are scary though! What if you fall into the tank?' Wiggling my eyebrows, I handed him the blue crayon. He giggled.

'I would fight them off, my teacher said that if you're ever in a shark attack, you go for their eyes.' He imitated a clawing motion with his fingers, baring his teeth. 'I would beat the shark, and then my class would think I was a hero. So would Tatiyana.'

Harry went back to his colouring, and I hid a small smile behind my hand.

'Who's Tatiyana, Harry?'

'A girl in my class. She's really pretty, and she was my partner when we did running races in sport. I like her,' he said, matter-of-factly, and I sighed, thinking about how much simpler it would've been for me or Ashton if either of us were able to say it like that.

'Does your brother know?'

'Know what?'

Ashton walked in from the kitchen and flopped onto the couch next to me, immediately sticking his feet up onto the coffee table. Harry shoved them back off.

'Ashton, you almost snapped my crayon!'

'Sorry buddy,' he apologised, and leant over Harry's shoulder, 'but hey, that looks awesome!'

'Thanks,' he grinned proudly. 'I'm gonna give it to Tatiyana.'

Ashton shot me a questioning look over his head, and I silently laughed, mouthing tell you later.

'Where's Lauren?'

'Upstairs, practicing her part for the musical. I heard her singing as I went past to the toilet.' He smiled proudly and I slipped my hand into his. 'She sounds really good.'

As I sat there, I started to think about how comfortable I already felt, in Ashton's house, around the people Ashton loved and cared for - with Ashton himself. I felt more accepted than I'd ever been with my own family. Being there, curled up beside my boyfriend and his little brother, with his sister upstairs and his mum in the room over, I felt at home.

'Hey,' I whispered, leaning over and placing my head in Ashton's lap, 'this is fun.'

His hands automatically went to my hair, twisting strands around his fingers and gently laying them out across the pillow, like a lion's mane. Ashton's eyes searched mine.

'Out of all the times I've been with you so far, this is my favourite.'

I blushed, lightly touching his arm.

'Mine too.'

He stroked my cheek and I closed my eyes. I wanted to stay in this moment forever.

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'Dinner's on the table! Harry, baby, can you run upstairs and grab Lauren for me? Oh, and wash your hands on your way back down!'

Anma rushed past us with a steaming silver pot of pasta, and Ashton leapt up to help, with me following.