Diamonds Dancing

Twelve

Christmas melodies drifted around the cosy kitchen.

Standing in front of the mixing bowl, on top of the highest stools anyone could find, two guilty faces peered over at the man sauntering into the kitchen. Rika was busy washing up the used dishes to notice his entrance, and on the other side at the breakfast bar, sat Marco singing alone to the joyous music, working on a soduko puzzle.

Marco gave him a casual nod in greeting, to which he acknowledged with a feigned tight-lipped smile.

"What's that in your mouth, kroshka?" His morning voice was thick, and laced with sleep, his accent was much more stronger. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so blissfully through the night, but it had been a night of pure serenity.

He had woken up in a good mood which wasn't something that happened on a regular basis for the producer and father of two.

Shirtless, and in a pair of silk black boxers briefs, the warmth of the underground heating as well as the oven being on, made it a toasty environment. He looked around the room, bleary eyes finding piles of cookie dough stuck to a large mixing bowl, and flour scattered around the counter tops. Not bothering to make a comment about the mess created, blonde pigtails and forest green dresses came into view.

"Na'fing!" Chewing the rest of her mouthful, the big cook swiped her mouth quickly to rid of the evidence. He merely waited for the little cook to copy her, following in her footsteps.

As much as they bickered from time to time, Lilia wanted to be just like her eldest sister. And vice versa. Janessa cared for her little sister like it was her own precious baby. They looked after one another, something he was grateful hadn't changed between them over the years.

He knew they would always have each other's back.

Slater gave the mischievous faces a through look over, the expression on his face looked anything but tickled.

A pleasant warm scent of cookies baking gave away their misdemeanour.

He narrowed his gaze down on the big emerald eyes, nearing the breakfast bar, he took a seat down on one of the wooden stools.

Leaning over to snatch the bowl from the counter top, and then to everyone's surprise, he dipped a finger into the dough-bringing it upto his mouth.

"No!" Lilia let out, a pointed stare sent his way. "You can't do that."

He rose an innocent brow, "Why not?" He tsked, "you girls don't want to share with your father? I thought I raised you better than that."

Janessa huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she shook her mess of hair wildly. "You hate it when we eat the cookie dough without you, and now your eating it all to yourself!"

"That's because it's delicious, and my two girls clearly don't know the meaning of sharing." He told them straightly, although Christmas wasn't something he had experienced himself growing up, everything he had never gotten the chance to do, he wanted his kids to be able to say they did.

And if that meant coming out of his shell for a couple days, so be it.

He would do anything for them.

"Daddy..." she whined, trying to stay pretend mad at him.

Slater imitated her high pitched baby voice, mocking her. It was something he did often, knowing she wouldn't stay angry for long.

Instantly, her lips curved into a growing grin, cracking a infectious giggle at his teasing. "You're silly." She snickered, sticking her tongue out at him.