It's Quiet Uptown

Chapter Forty-Two Part Two: Por ti me Casaré

Groff's POV

    The day Lin came up with the idea of how we would announce our engagement started bright and early. Way too early, in my opinion.

    The night before had been Wednesday, a two-show day, and we'd come home around 11 o'clock to an anxious babysitter and a supercharged child.

    According to her, the three-year-old had snuck behind her back and eaten damn close to an entire tub of ice cream around nine and had been bouncing off the walls ever since.

    I rubbed my eyes in exasperation as Sebby ran screaming from room to room of the rented bungalow, paid the babysitter, and thought about what to do.

    "I'll get him to sleep," Lin said wearily.

    I turned from the kitchen island and looked at him incredulously. Lin had huge bags under his eyes, an absolute rat's nest of hair, and was literally swaying on his feet. One of the things I loved most about him was his determination to finish absolutely everything to be done, but not when it hurt him.

    Rebellion flared in his chocolate eyes as he saw my expression. "I can do it," he said mutinously. "I'm not that tired."

    Yeah, right. And I'm Elton John, I thought. He would fight me on this, so there was only one thing left to do. With a quick glance at Sebby to make sure the toddler wasn't destroying anything, I rushed Lin and swung him over my shoulder before he could fight back.

    He squeaked with surprise as I carried him towards our bedroom. "Hey! Stop! Put me down! I don't want to do that right now!"

    I chuckled. "Love, a gust of wind could knock you flat right now, never mind that. And a hyper three-year-old? Forget about it. You are going to bed even if I have to pin you down till you do."

    Lin muttered death threats, giving me dark looks as I tossed him on the bed and handed him some PJs.

    "Sleep," I said firmly. "I've got him. Parents've gotta share the load. I'm your fiance now, not just your boyfriend. I'm going to be here with you and Sebby for the rest of my life. So please, don't worry. I've got it handled."

    When you have as an adorable face as Lin-Manuel Miranda, you can't pull of hatred or anger too well. He knew that, but tried to pull it off anyway.

    "You're dead to me," he said, reluctantly pulling on his PJs.

    He is so cute when he's trying to look mad, I thought affectionately. "Love you too, fiance."

    That broke through and made him smile hugely. "Goodnight!"

    I angled my face elegantly and put on my British accent. "Good eve, my love."

    As I closed the door, I heard him giggle, which made me smile. But as soon as I saw Sebastian, that smile died.

    The toddler had gotten into the ice cream again, and he was using his Lin-given looks to look as innocent as humanly possible.

    This was going to be a long night.

    Long story short, he insisted I play dominoes with rules that changed randomly according to his whims until 3 a.m. Finally, finally, he'd fallen asleep after demanding I build a domino pillar, allowing me to haul him to bed and fall into my own.

    And just three short hours later, a rested Lin popped straight off his pillow to exclaim loudly, "I've got it!"

    When I didn't respond, he shook me excitedly. "I've got it! I've got it! I know how we can announce our engagement to the public!"