Hailee and y/n had gone back to the house that morning after going to see the sunset and went straight to bed. They spent the next two weeks by each other's sides since Hailee had a break in her schedule for the first time in a while. They spent the majority of their time at home either in bed cuddling with the dogs or on the couch watching terrible sitcoms. Y/n did manage to get Hailee out of the house to go on walks in and around the neighborhood. In the two weeks, Hailee had been home she had gotten y/n to agree to a couple's workout that Pete helped design for them. They both had different routines but Pete made sure they could work out in the same area of the home gym. Thanks to Pete y/n was finally getting some shape in her biceps and could finally return the favor and squeeze the air from Hailee's lungs.
ok ok ok, I can barely breathe.
*taps y/n's arm* I'm being serious.
*lets go of Hailee*
*drops to her knees trying to catch her breath*
And you felt like this when I squeezed you?
Yeah more or less.
Did it really feel like that every time? *looking up at y/n*
90% of the time you got happy and or excited and squeezed or hugged me yeah I felt like that. *reaches out to Hailee to help her get up*
I am so so sorry. *grabs y/n's arm and gets up*
Hey, it's fine. All that matters is I was finally able to get you back.
I'm surprised it's only taken you two weeks of daily workouts to get you that strong.
What can I say I'm all muscle. *giggles*
*staring with googly eyes*
Guess it just took some dedication to see them start to take shape
Yeah you are *tracing y/n's muscles*
Oh, stop it. *shoos Hailee's hand away* You're making me blush.
What they look good. I really can't help myself.
They definitely aren't as big or defined as yours are but I'll eventually catch up to you.
You will hell you might even pass me up.
But in the leg department you are already so far ahead of me I mean look at those babies. *pokes at y/n's calves*
Every day is leg day when you watch a 7-year-old kid. You kinda become their jungle gym.
Although I haven't babysat since Zander and the family moved away.
But I put in years of toddler leg lifts.
Yeah but clearly that muscle never left cause you got some cute little muscles going on over here. *admiring y/n's legs*
And your calves have always been killer.
Yeah, those are quite literally brought to you by anxiety.
Excuse me what now?
When I'm anxious and sitting down I always bounce my legs up and down.
Then if I'm standing still for too long I do what something called a calf raise. Didn't know it was an actual workout until someone asked why I was doing calf raises all the time.
*looks at y/n's calves* Yeah that makes sense I should really pick up that routine.
So if you ask what gets me the legs of people's dreams it's my own anxiety.
Huh, you know I noticed that you did all that but I really just thought you did it to keep the legs looking good.
Nope just super anxious and doing that keeps me from thinking of all of the worst-case scenarios of any given event.
Oh and don't worry I know I described the anxiety like it was soul-crushing but I'm good.
Believe it or not, the leg exercises calm me down.
Alright but if you ever aren't okay you know you can tell me.
I know I can. If I ever find myself overwhelmed I'll let you know but you can trust me when I say I'm good.
I get it all out in my art or by listening to my comfort artists.
Okay so long as you're okay.
Now that we have that settled what are we doing for the fourth of July?
My family honestly just uses it as an excuse to get together and bbq.
Same so does mine.
Every year we very much make it a point we aren't celebrating anything we're just getting together for good eats and to burn shit.
I don't even think we've done fireworks in recent years we've just gotten together grilled and swam.
That honestly sounds great.
I guess I could call Mom, Dad, and Griffin and see if they wanted to come over and hang out.
Yeah seeing as that is in what 3 days?
That's right today is the first! So I'll call and see if they want to come over and what we want to eat.
We could also call together too, that is if you don't have anything going on right now.
Nope, nothing going on at the moment.
I mean I just have to shower but we can call your family first.
Are you sure you want to call them now?
I know you don't like being sweaty and smelly.
Yeah, I'm sure.
Gives me time to cool off from that workout and I won't have to peel these gym clothes off of my body.
I've done that when I used to surf and I will never go through that again if I can help it.
Hold on you used to surf?
I went maybe 4/5 times with some friends.
It was fun but the whole swimming in the deep dark ocean was not for me.
There's a reason I only go up to my waist in the ocean as of recent.
Intrusive thoughts really were not my best friend.
I would be going out in the water thinking yeah sharks could be in the water or we've only explored 5% of the ocean what creature could eat me today?
Is that why you only go knee-deep in the water?
Sure is. Could things still go south even at knee-deep? Probably but it's the depth I feel comfortable at.
How am I just now learning this about you?
Because I am a book of secrets.
Sure you are...
See I can tell you about my fear of frogs when we where in the talking stage but Idk the ocean fears never came to mind.
Yeah but the whole sharks and scary creatures in the ocean thing is really relatable.
Is it?
Because I've been told my fear of sharks was irrational.
How irrational is irrational?
I thought any body of water was gonna have a shark.
Jaws really did a number on me.
Really?
Okay well, obviously I knew I wasn't going to find one in my bathtub at bath time. However, that didn't stop me from looking over my shoulder every five minutes in the pool as a kid.
Interesting...
Now that you've heard about my fear of ocean creatures hiding under me and my failed attempts to surf can we call your parents?
Yes, we can call them. *Dials Pete*
Pete: Hello sweetie! What can I do for you?
Haha hey Dad you don't have to do anything for us today. Y/n and I were talking and we wanted to know what we're doing for the fourth of July? Or if we were doing anything this year.
Pete: Well I don't have any plans I know we usually just grill and swim maybe see a firework show if there's one in the area. If that's something you guys are interested in then we can go ahead and plan to get together for lunch or dinner.
How does that sound to you?
Sounds great to me.
Pete: Okay well, I will talk to your mom since she's the planner I can cook. Are you two okay with hosting?
Of course, we are! Just let us know if we need to get anything for the fourth.
P: Okay sounds good sweetie. It was good talking to you two, if I don't hear from you guys I'll see you on the fourth.
See you on the fourth
See you on the fourth
Pete: alright goodbye you two. *hangs up*
Well, it looks like you are about to experience your first Steinfeld holiday.
The first of many.
Oh yeah, I hope you weren't planning on getting rid of me.
Babe do me a favor and look at that ring finger.
Hey, I'm just saying...
Now I do have to disclose that Halloween, Christmas, and Thanksgiving are our big holidays.
Yeah I figured most families are like that.
Christmas is my families biggest one that we celebrate.
Then again we have two December Birthdays in my family so when we do finally decorate for Christmas we go all out like that one lady from the grinch with the light cannon.
Did you just mention December birthdays?
Yeah I did.
As a partner with a promise ring I need to know these birthdays.
I knew you weren't going to let that slide since you also have a December birthday. *laughs*
So whose birthdays are in December in your family?
My uncle is on the 14th.*pauses contemplating her life*
Well don't be shy tell me the other one.
It's me... *avoiding eye contact with Hailee*
I'm the other December baby in my family.
*spits out water* WAIT WHAT!
Yeah its 3 days before yours.
So your birthday is December 8th? Not September 19th?
Yep, good old December 8th apparently I share the day with Nicki Minaj.
Wait why would you think it's in September?
Oh no your not getting off easy on this one. You never told me.
ok ok it never crossed my mind I'm not the kind to make a big deal of it.
But how did you land on September?
*grabs y/n's forearm and points at it* Your tattoo?
Oh yeah my first tattoo, What about it?
I plugged in the numerals and it said 9-19
*giggles* Are You sure you typed it all in? Because you missed a few numerals.
It might have been when we first got together that I looked it up.
*scratches neck* And it might have been when you were asleep and cuddling me.
I was just admiring all the artwork.
Well, you could have just asked about them I would have told you about them all, a tattoo tour if you will.
But look *points near the tattoo location* if I bend my arm just right it covers these numerals that complete the tattoo.
So yes 9-19 was right but in full it reads 9-19-15.
So what happened or what does it stand for?
It's a birthday but it's not mine, it's Zander's.
Awww that's cute.
Yeah, I got it when he left so I had a part of him with me.
I mean he's my honorary brother after all.
Well you know how people get their birth years tattooed?
Yeah, I personally don't like them but that's just me.
I just thought you did your birthday.
And you said you knew it so I never thought to verify it with you.
I figured you'd have to have seen it on my ID since it's in my phone case.
You know I was so confident it was in September I never looked at your birthday.
Well, now you know when my birthday is.
And now I have more time to plan you an amazing birthday party. *walks up to y/n and puts her arms around y/n's neck*
Birthday party?
We still have a fourth of July party to plan.
That's not so hard go to a firework stand and get a few fireworks.
Maybe get some festive pool floats and call it a day.
What if I'm really not a party person?
oh Please, with the right company you can get pretty wild.
Besides after all the things you've done for me over the course of our relationship you deserve to be celebrated. *kisses y/n*
Oh stop it *looks away from Hailee and towards the floor*
Hey *hugs y/n* I promise it won't be anything too crazy, it will all be in your comfort zone.
Now don't even worry about my birthday my only request is we spend the day making dinner for two.
That sounds like something I can do but shouldn't we work on planning the 4th of July first?
I mean its still 3 days away and you have 6 months until december.
Alright Alright, I guess we can.
Well, would you look at that?
What?
There's been an addition to the Steinfam Family chat.
*phone goes off*
You might want to look at that.
*reaches for phone* oh wow there was.
Well, you do the honors and read the update from mom and dad.
"Hello, Steinfam For this year's fourth of July Hailee and y/n are hosting. Mom and I are on the main course. Griffin is in charge of bringing sides. Girls, can you make a desert?"
"For the main course, we are doing brisket and some ribs. Griffin is bringing corn on the cobb and assorted veggies as a side."
and you said we would make an apple pie...
You do have a recipe for one right?
Shockingly enough I do have a recipe for that.
Well, I guess we should get going to the store.
I'll follow you.
No, you won't your driving today. The last few times we've gone places I've driven.
I want to sit in the passenger seat today and stare at my drop-dead gorgeous partner.
Tired of me being the passenger princess *giggles*
It's my turn to be a passenger princess!!!!
Well, when you put it that way I guess I have no choice. *grabs the car keys*
*looks at key rack* Taking the mustang are we?
Of course, I have to take the pretty girl out in the prettiest car in the garage.
That sentence sat in Hailee's mind for a moment and gave her an idea that she would need to look into.
Oh, stop it.
What was I supposed to say the car is prettier than you?
Just get in the car so we can get our shopping taken care of.