❝surprise (pronounced səˈprʌɪz or seh-prahyze), noun
an unexpected event.❞
The man turned around, holding his phone and a single rose. Her eyes widened, and he chuckled slightly. "I, uh, underestimated how much it would cost to get you a bunch of roses here, so I got you just one. Is that okay?"
"You... you..."
He smiled slightly, looking at her. Her makeup had worn off enough to show off her freckles. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and she was wearing her uniform for the cafe, which showed off her curves in the most incredible way. She was wearing her big glasses, the ones that magnified her eyes. And God, her eyes. He had forgotten how mesmerising the colour of them were. He had forgotten how incredible the colour of her eyes could be. "I missed you," he breathed. "You look stunning."
She shook her head, still in shock. "But I... I'm not even dressed properly, and I haven't done my hair, and, oh, goodness, I don't think I even showered yet. This isn't a good time, you should've told me you were com-"
He pulled her closer, and for the first time in nearly three years, he kissed her.
It wasn't like the rare times they had gotten to see each other in the past few years, where the only kisses they could manage were soft little pecks on the lips. This was like that very first time, where every line was crossed, and every single neuron in her brain fired up, making her heart race and her body tingle. His taste, sweet and heavenly, made her groan, and he pulled her closer, relishing her. His arms were wrapped around her in such a way that she could feel all of the taut muscle beneath his skin- God, that was amazing. Her arms snaked up, around his waist and up, touching the soft hair on the back of his head.
Eventually, he pulled away, both of them breathing heavily. "You didn't let me finish," mumbled Ryan.
"Shut up," he muttered, before kissing her again. He couldn't help himself. She was so amazing. He needed her, and he had only realised that now, once she was in his arms like this. When she was kissing him the same way he was kissing her, with reckless abandon, when he could feel her body against his. She was so perfect. She was so beautiful.
He pulled away, and she looked dazed. "That's... not fair," she muttered. "You're not allowed to make me dizzy to make me stop talking.
He laughed slightly. "I nearly forgot how sexy you are when you get all flustered like that."
"You're... you're here... you're really here!" She hugged him tightly, and he laughed softly, kissing her hair.
"That's right, my dove," he said softly. "I'm here."
She looked behind him. "Where are the kids?"
"In the taxi. They're asleep." He chuckled slightly. "They're exhausted. I kinda... this was a very sudden decision, after all. But we're not staying long."
She looked down, but then they heard a call. "Mama?"
"Spence- Spence is awake," she said, still sounding dreamy. "Come on! He'll be so excited to see you!" She looked behind him again. "Where are your bags?"
"Again, in the taxi. There's only a few, we're only staying until the twenty-seventh. Elle has exams on the twenty-eighth."
She looked sad for a moment, but brightened up. "We'll make the most of those four nights, then," she said, and he smiled. He walked to the taxi, paid the driver and got his bags out, carrying them to Ryan's door. She smiled, helping him carry them inside. Spencer wandered into the hallway, and gasped. "Papa!" he yelled, toddling up to Hunter. He laughed, lifting him up and throwing him into the air. "Papa, Papa!"
"Spence! Oh, bud, I missed you," said Hunter, kissing his forehead. "You've gotten so big!"
Ryan came closer, too, hugging them both. He kissed her lips once, softly. "But why are you here?" she questioned.
"To see you," he said. "Why else?"
"B-Because you're on tour? I didn't see any announcements for a tour-"
"I'm not on tour. I'm here. I just... caught the first plane I could and packed my bags."
She looked shocked. "You mean..."
"I gave the company a couple of hours notice. Yeah."
"But why?"
"Because I missed you."
She was going to open her mouth and say something else, but she ended up just hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad to see you," she breathed into his ear, and he hugged her and Spencer close.
"Me, too," he said softly. "Come on, we'll grab the kids, too."
Ryan immediately ran to the taxi and opened the door. Phoenix, who had been asleep on the window, fell out with a shock. "What-"
"Nick!"
His eyes widened, and he hugged Ryan, as she began to cry, overwhelmed with joy. Robin, too, woke up, and began yelling excitedly, waking Elle. "Shut up, Robin, my head is killing me," muttered Elle.
"Elle! Oh my goodness, Ellie! Oh, you're all here..." She hugged her close as well.
"Ma'am, I don't mean to be rude, but I got other customers."
She sniffled, wiping her eyes. "R-Right," she said. "Alright, kids. Help get your luggage out so we can pay this wonderful driver."
The driver blushed. "Aww, shucks."
"Thank you," she said to him, hugging him as well. "You helped bring my family back together. Thank you so much."
"Oh, lovely, you've lost it too," muttered Elle from the back seat. "First Pa brings us all to London and now you're hugging taxi drivers."
Hunter chuckled, grabbing the luggage from the back and hauling it up the steps to Ryan's little apartment. "Guys, help out?"
"Yeah, okay," mumbled Elle, climbing out of the car to help take the luggage up the stairs. Spencer had run outside and was already excited to meet Phoenix and Robin.
Ryan sighed, coming out of the car as Hunter wrapped an arm around her waist. "You're actually insane, aren't you?"
He laughed. "I love you."
"I love you more," she said.
And they stood there together, watching their family be reunited for the first time in three years.
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"Spence, honey, wanna help with the meatballs?"
"Yeah!" He scrambled into the kitchen and almost put his hands straight into the meatball mixture, but Ryan said, "Hold on! What do we do first?"
"Wash our hands," he said, with a giggle. He did so, and reached for the meat again. With Ryan's immaculate spheres for comparison, his misshapen lumps were almost funny.
Ryan felt hands come around her waist from behind and she gasped. "Don't sneak up on me like that," she scolded. "I haven't gotten used to having more than just Spence in the house yet."
He chuckled slightly. "What's for dinner, Spence?"
"Pasta! Mama's making pasta!"
"That sounds wonderful. I miss your mother's cooking," he said, and Ryan smiled. Phoenix wandered into the kitchen and sat down.
"Where's Nita staying, honey?" asked Ryan.
"Aunt Lucky's place," he said, barely audible. Ryan had noticed that he was far quieter than he used to be, and that a smile was hard to come by. He pulled a little notebook out of his pocket and looked at Spencer. "Hey, Spence, don't move, okay? Be like a statue."
He giggled. "Okay!"
Meanwhile, Robin and Elle were sitting in the living room together. Robin wasn't talking, just watching some British TV show. Elle was studying quietly, with headphones in. She was trying to, anyway. Whatever the stupid TV show was bothered her- it was boring and stupid. She felt annoyed, but didn't say anything to Robin. She may have resented her, but it wasn't her fault that she was born to Ryan and Hunter for real.
She felt cold when she thought this. She realised she needed time alone, and looked at Robin. "Hey, I'm gonna go into a room to study, okay?"
"Is the TV loud?" she asked, turning it off. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's not-"
But Robin had already left, leaving Elle alone in the living room. She felt bad for the first time, for all the times she had yelled at her for how loud she and Phoenix were being when they played. She just sighed slightly, looking back down at her work. Being angry was easy enough. Being lonely? Not so. She didn't like people, but she didn't like being alone, either. So she sat there, painfully ignoring the laughter coming from the kitchen.
A little while later, someone walked in. She didn't bother to look up, but they spoke. "Hey, love."
"Ma," she said coldly.
She sat down. "What are you working on?"
"Study."
"What test?"
"English."
"What book are you studying?"
"Some ancient crap about an incestual scientist who liked dead people."
"I'm sorry?"
She rolled her eyes. "Frankenstein. We are doing Frankenstein."
Ryan chuckled. "Easy to see why Victor would be interpreted as such. Is it really incest if you aren't related though?"
"Imagine Phoenix and Robin started dating. Tell me that ain't incest with a straight face, I dare you."
"Good point." She smiled slightly. "Honey, look. Why don't you come into the kitchen?"
"Can't."
"Why?"
"I already told you. I'm studying."
"Your English test isn't 'til next year, though. Is it?"
"No, but I'd like to get some in early so I can practise the dance for my assessment."
"Is that the one on the twenty-eighth?"
"Yes."
Ryan didn't say anything for a moment, then said, "Listen. Come into the kitchen so we can all be together, and I'll go with you to the library tomorrow. There's an incredible one in London, and it's absolutely beautiful."
"What's it called?"
"British Library. It's the biggest in all of London. Why don't the two of us go, while Pa takes the kids someplace else?"
"I'd rather not."
She looked down. "Oh. Well... erm, just come into the kitchen when you're done. I'm making spaghetti for dinner."
"'Kay."
She sighed. "Honey, please. Why won't you speak to me?"
"Because I don't want to. You'd think that I'm hinting that hard enough, but apparently going to London dulls your senses."
"Don't be like that."
"What do you want me to be like, then, Ma? Six year old me? Because that was nine years ago. I ain't six anymore. I'm not pretending to care anymore, because I don't."
"Why are you so angry?"
"Because you left!" she exploded. "You left, as if none of us meant shit to you, and now you're here acting like you've been freaking missing us this whole time, and acting like leaving Pa was the easiest thing you've ever done. I know you don't regret leaving us. Look at you, all happy as f*ck in London. Why don't you just stay here?!" She stood up, slammed her laptop shut, and walked out of the room.
Ryan stared after her, and Hunter walked in. "I heard yelling, is everythi- oh."
"N-No, it... it was my fault. I shouldn't've pushed her."
Spencer tugged on Hunter's leg, and he picked him up, though he went closer to Ryan. "My dove-"
"Don't worry. I'll try talking to her again when she's cooled down a little." She stood up and tried for a smile. "Let's all go down to the kitchen. I think the sauce is still on the stove."
"Yeah. Yeah, alright."
"Mama, can we watch the telly?"
"Of course, love," said Ryan, and Spencer got down, taking both Phoenix's and Robin's hands and leading them into the living room.
Hunter looked at Ryan. "I'm sorry. I should have come alone, I-"
"Don't go blaming yourself," she said gently. "It's okay. She's a teenager. I've dealt with plenty of them before remember?"
He sighed. "I just don't want you getting upset again."
She leaned up and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, sending a wave of electricity through his body. "I'm not upset. I'm... okay. I am upset. But I'm not permanently upset anymore, Hunt. I'm happier now than I ever was."
"I know." He kissed her gently. "I love you more than life itself, you know that?"
"Of course I do," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her chin on his chest. "You haven't shaved, huh?"
"I know that you like it when I don't, so I didn't," he said, laughing.
"Let me just check the sauce, hold on," she said, pulling away and stirring the pot. "Alright, it looks done. Let's get the spaghetti cooked while the meatballs are on."
"I really am sorry I didn't tell you we were coming," said Hunter. "I just knew you would say not to."
"Of course I would. Giving the company less than a couple of hours notice? You're insane, Hayes." She kissed him. "And I absolutely love it."
"Yeah. You can't resist me," he said jokingly.
"More than you know." She chuckled, putting the spaghetti in the pot and stirring it a few times. "I'm so glad to see you. It'll be easier to come back from my exam knowing you'll be waiting for me."
"Of course I will."
Ryan smiled, going back to cooking, and Hunter said, "Have you been working out? You look fantastic."
"You're very flattering. Yes, I have."
He laughed slightly. "I can tell. You look... well, to be perfectly honest, you look like a goddess."
"You haven't changed at all, have you?" she said, stroking his cheek.
"I won't change until you want me to, darling."
"I missed you," she said, kissing his cheek. "I can't believe you're here."
"You're all mine now," he said, kissing her lips. "All mine."
"I was always all yours." She smiled slightly, and Hunter felt his heart race in his chest. "You've always been mine, too."
"Of course."
Elle walked into the kitchen sullenly, and sat down. Ryan glanced at her, but didn't say anything. Eventually, Elle sighed. "Uh... Ma?"
"Yes, love?"
"You know that... that library you were talking about?"
"The British Library?"
"Yeah, that. Maybe... maybe we could go tomorrow?"
She smiled gently. "That would be fun. I'd like that."
"Are you gonna apologise, Ellie?" Hunter asked.
"It's amazing that you mention that, actually. No, I'm not."
"Elle," he said warningly.
"M, N, O, P," she responded. "Shouldn't've named me after a letter of the alphabet." She laughed. "It's too easy to piss you off, at this point."
"Ellie, that's enough," said Ryan, soft but firm. "Your Pa was just asking you a question."
She didn't respond to that. Hunter looked at Ryan, as though to say, "Why does she listen to you and not me?" She just smiled and winked. "Is dinner ready?" asked Elle.
"Yes, it should be done." Ryan strained the pasta, before tipping it all into a big bowl and doing the same with the sauce. "Come on, everyone, dinner's ready!" She frowned. "Let me find some more chairs so that we can sit together..."
They managed to find enough chairs, and the kids all sat at the table, eating hungrily. Spencer grinned at Hunter. "Look what Nick drawed!"
Ryan took it from his hand and her eyes widened. "Nick, this is amazing!"
The corners of his mouth turned up very slightly. It could barely be called a smile, but from him, even that was rare. "Thanks."
"You've learned so much," she said. "Have you got more drawings you could show me?"
"Maybe later."
Robin smiled. "Nick draws everything," she said. "Sometimes he goes to the park and he draws the squirrels."
"I'd love to see them, honey."
He nodded imperceptibly. Elle just ate silently, and Hunter smiled at Ryan. "I'm glad we're all together like this again. It's been such a long time."
"Why didn't you ever come and visit us?" asked Elle, before she could stop herself.
"I wasn't studying part time, Ellie," said Ryan. "Full time meant I barely got holidays or days off. I've been studying like mad for three years, and whenever I wasn't studying, I was working."
"You've got holidays now-"
"I've got exams the day after Christmas, darling. They're always around the holiday period."
"That's not fair."
"You're right. It's not."
Elle was trying desperately to find a reason to hate Ryan, but she was coming up with nothing. Ugh, why did Ryan have to be so wonderful in every way? She hated it. She was... she was too much of a good mother. It pissed her off like nothing else. It was the same reason that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hate Hunter. Not really. They were both such perfect parents. She glared at Robin and Spencer. The lucky little shits. They had the most perfect parents any kid could ever ask for.
Hunter grinned at Ryan. "You must be pretty glad that I decided to bring all of us here for Christmas, huh?"
She laughed and shook her head. "You're an idiot, Hunter."
And in that moment, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.
*A/N: yay
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Nethii <3*