[chapter 3/4 that I've uploaded in bulk]
Chapter 121
"We have to be one step ahead," Adria mumbled quietly, her hand intertwined with Sirius as she pulled him through the hall. Benji was slightly off guard this year seeing as Arden was staying with them again which gave Adria a large advantage. She looked at the props she had brought with them hidden in a large sack that she dragged across the hall and cringed slightly at the noise it made.
"You win every year, Addy," Sirius mumbled into her ear, laughing softly as he done so, "we can do it."
"You bet we can," Adria grinned, turning to look at him quickly in the darkness before creeping slowly into Benji's room, it was weirdly quietly, and Adria hoped the two of them weren't here but as she got closer to the bed she had to admit that the sight was entirely adorable.
"How cute," Sirius whispered as he crept up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "wouldn't mind to be doing that right now, I'm bloody tired."
She rolled her eyes as she nudged him, she couldn't help but admit that she was tired herself, getting up at three in the morning wasn't something that she enjoyed but her legacy had to be continued no matter what, so for the few moments that she leaned om Sirius, wishing she was in her bed cuddled up to him rather than just moments from setting up a prank was all she had.
Benji lay on his bed with his arm tightly around Arden and her head nuzzled into his neck, her hand clasped tightly in his and his head rested atop of hers as they both slept contently, their soft breaths escaping their lips in time with each other as they slept, it really was adorable.
"Okay let's do this," Adria whispered, reluctantly pulling herself from Sirius' grip to slowly empty the bag filled with props, she stopped the metal bucket from hitting the floor quickly and soon was she pulling out the rest of the things that she had.
"Hand me the string, please," Sirius whispered, watching her rummage through the bag until her hand found the string, tape and scissors and soon did she hand them to him, cringing when the loud sound of the tape was heard around the room.
She grabbed the bucket and the two cartons of eggs that she had left to rot in her cupboard and poured them into the bucket, making sure to crack some and almost gagging when the smell hut her nostrils.
Adria turned at the sound of giggling and watched Sirius set up the tape, his hand over his mouth to stop the sound whilst Adria couldn't help but admit that it was the most adorable thing to see him like this, she almost forgot what she was doing as she sat and stared at him, her eyes filled with adoration and a smile evidently on her lips.
She pushes herself up when she's finally snapped from her daze, carefully handing the bucket to Sirius who ties it securely over the two sleeping, all of which has to happen is Benji sitting up for them both to be covered in rotten eggs.
"I think we done good," Sirius smirks, his voice barely a whisper as he crept over to Adria who nodded enthusiastically. She reached into the bag, bringing out the syrup before pouring it out onto the floor just next to Benji's bed, and soon did she grab the sack and Sirius' hand, pulling him out of the room before they busted into fits of laughter.
Adria's head leaned on his chest as she giggled, trying her best to sound quiet but when Sirius' laughter filled the hall she couldn't seem to help herself. She looked up at him, a wide grin on her lips as she watched him laugh, shaking his head at the thought of Benji and Arden waking up to that before he caught the sight of Adria staring at him.
"What?" he grinned, "what are you staring at?"
She didn't speak, instead she pushed herself forward onto her tiptoes, giggling softly as she pushed her lips onto his, her hand on his neck and the other sneaking up to his hair, slowly pulling him closer to her whilst his hands finally found her back.
Their lips moved together in something much more passionate than the small kiss Adria originally intended but she wasn't complaining in the slightest, with the force of herself she had managed to push him against the wall, silencing both of their laughter as they relished the moment with each other.
"What was that for?" Sirius breathed out, a glint of happiness in his eyes as he stared at her, but with the smile that they shared, Adria merely shrugged her shoulders.
"For a lot of things, I suppose, but mostly for just being you," she grinned, pressing a soft kiss to his lips again, "I just like kissing you."
"Well in that case," Sirius trailed off, laughing as he reached for her hand, watching her laugh as he guided her towards her room. She let a yawn escape her lips as she closed her door, blinking slightly to keep herself awake.
"Tired, baby girl?" asked Sirius, pulling her closer to him as he leaned against her bed, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she nodded.
"We have a big day tomorrow," she whispered, another yawn leaving her lips as she fell onto her bed, pulling him with her, "it'll be fun though."
He moved his head to kiss her slowly, a smile on his lips as he nodded, "let's get some sleep."
"Wha- I thought I was going to kiss you?" she pouted, watching him let out a laugh before he leaned forward to kiss her nose.
"Sorry, Addy, but I'd rather you not fall asleep on my lips," he chuckled, pulling her closer to him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling the quilt over both of them in the process, "now sleep."
"Night, night," she grinned, leaning up to kiss his cheek before nuzzling closer to the warmth of his neck, "sleep tight."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite," he finished, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Love you to the moon and back," he whispered, looking down at her with a small smile.
"And a stop within the stars," Adria whispered, kissing his neck softly before her eyes drooped closed.
-
"I'm so excited!" Adria beamed, clapping her hands together excitedly as she drank from the cup of orange juice that her dad had poured her.
"Well I have every right to ground you!" Douglas exclaimed, sitting down the baby food in front of Jude before turning to her, a furiously look in his eye.
Almost, he almost got her until his lips wavered from the frown and the both of them burst out laughing, "I had to pretend to be sympathetic when both Benji and Arden came down stairs covered in rotten eggs, come on Addy, do you have no heart?!"
Adria rolled her eyes as she fed Jude, giggling as she done so, "I was merely initiating the prank war, you're lucky Arden is so chill with it, imagine he had a girlfriend like Abigail?"
"Don't say her name!" Douglas shrieked, earning a loud laugh from Adria as she watched him return to the kitchen.
"Ready to go?" asked Sirius as he walked into the dining room, catching Adria's eye who couldn't help but bite her lip at the sight of him, it was unfair really that he looked that good in the leather jacket she had bought him, she had a hard time looking away and only did when Jude was becoming annoyed from his lack of food.
"Yes," she nodded, "I just need to finish feeding Jude!"
He nodded, watching with a smirk as the blush filled her cheeks and soon was he leaning down behind her, brushing her ear with his lips as he whispered, "like what you see?"
"Oh shove off!" she huffed, nudging him as she watched Jude giggle, "if you grow up to be like that I swear I'll-"
Oh don't pretend like you don't love it," Sirius scoffed, falling onto the seat beside her as she glared at him.
She turned away from him, a smile on her lips at the one on Jude's and almost jumped at Sirius' hand trailing up her leg, "Sirius!" she growled, smacking his hand away whilst he couldn't help but smirk.
"What?!" he exclaimed, "I'm just admiring what's mine!"
"You're so bloody annoying," she whispered, shaking her head as she cleaned Jude up, turning to kiss Sirius quickly, "but I suppose I'll put up with it."
"Oh shush," he laughed, watching with a smile as she picked up Jude, quickly pushing himself forward to capture her in his embrace, his arm around her waist and his lips planting soft kisses to her face, his smile widening when she couldn't help but laugh.
"I love you," she whispered, supporting Jude with both of her arms but turning to look up at Sirius, pushing herself closer to him to capture a kiss, "so much."
"To the moon and back," Sirius smiled, watching the grin take over her lips.
"And a stop within the stars," she giggled, reaching for his hand which she squeezed before venturing into the kitchen, greeting a tired looking Alfie who slowly sipped coffee.
"Where are you going today?" asked Alfie, a sigh escaping his lips as he rubbed his eyes.
"That Christmas market, they have ice skating and all things Christmas so we thought it would be fun!" Adria grinned, handing Jude to Alfie before clapping her hands together.
"I have to tell you something," Alfie whispered, watching as she jumped onto the counter, pulling Sirius over to her as she done so, so that she could wrap her legs around him as they both stared at him, waiting for him to tell her what was wrong.
"What?"
"Next February," he breathed, "I'll be moving out."
"W-what?!" Adria shrieked, her eyes wide as she shared a look with Sirius, "no you can't!" she exclaimed, shaking her head furiously.
"Adria-"
"Why are you moving out? Where are you going to go?!" she shouted, "I barely get to see you as it is and now I won't get to see you at all, what about dad? And Jude? Doesn't he need you?!"
"Adria, this is my life and I should live it," Alfie snapped, "Grace and I are moving in together, we found an apartment in the city, it doesn't cost much, and with her work with the shelter and my job, we can afford it!"
"But dad!" she exclaimed, "Jude is just a baby, Alfie, without you, then what? Dad has a hard time coping with his job as it is, it's so demanding, and with Benji still at school, as well as Alina and I, what is he going to do?!"
"I don't know," Alfie shook his head, "but I do know that I shouldn't be stuck here when my own life is wasting away!"
"Wasting away?!" she scoffed, rolling her eyes, "get a grip, Alfie, you're nineteen!"
"Adria, I need to do this," he sighed, wide eyed as he begged for her approval that he didn't know he wanted.
"Why Alfie, why can't Grace move in with us if that's what you want, her to be with you, we have room!" Adria exclaimed.
"We don't, Adria, we need our own place," Alfie sighed, "I-I need to get my life on track, to have a place with her, she's my whole world Adria, I love her with all my heart and I want to start living with her!"
"But why so sudden?" Adria exclaimed, "why can't you get your life together in two years when I'm home and Sirius and I can take over helping dad!"
"B-because Adria, it's not as simple as that," Alfie whispered.
"It's very simple, Alfie!" Adria exclaimed, "I'm happy for you that you're getting your life together, but think of dad!"
"I can't think of dad right now!"
"Why not?!"
"Because Grace is pregnant!" Alfie shouted, standing up suddenly whilst he watched Adria's face contort to one of shock, her eyes wide and her lips parted as she processed Alfie's words.
"G-Grace is pregnant?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper as she shared a look with Sirius, "I-I'm going to be an auntie?"
"That's really what you're thinking of right now, Addy, really?" asked Alfie, his eyebrow raised as he watched her gently push Sirius to the side, jump down from the counter and soon was her arms thrown around him tightly.
"Y-you're going to be a dad," she whispered, her breath shaky as she hugged him, and soon did he relax as he hugged her back. he was terrified, really, of becoming a father, as was Grace, who couldn't help but freak out at the thought of it, but what relaxed her was how on board Alfie was, that he wasn't going to up and leave her when he found out, he couldn't leave her, she was the love of his life and she was carrying his child, he would never do that, he couldn't do that.
So he looked for the best job that he could find with the qualifications he had, and soon did he find one in the heart of London, an office job willing to take him on that had good money, enough money to provide for both of them and their unborn baby, and Grace, still working at the shelter was earning enough for small luxuries that they could enjoy.
They were on track, and they were young, so young, but that didn't stop them from wanting this.
"Does dad know?!" Adria asked, pulling away to look at him, her eyes welling with tears whilst he nodded.
"He does, he's happy for me," he whispered, "he's offered to help us out until we get on our feet."
"Oh, Alf," she whispered, shaking her head with a soft laugh, "I'm going to be the best auntie in the world."
"I know you are," Alfie nodded, a smile wide on his lips, "and you'll be the best uncle," he grinned, reaching out to grab Sirius' arm to throw his arm around him.