Late Night Talks

The darkness of the room about made Lisanna think her eyes were still shut. But as they focused, she realized that just a tad bit of moonlight was streaming in from outside, through the closed blinds. It was the only light in the tiny room, but the more her eyes settled, the less it mattered.

Adjusted to the dim lighting then, she only blinked a few times, laying there on her back, staring up at the ceiling. It was so hot that night when she laid down, as it was the middle of summer, that she only had a thin sheet laying over her, though it stopped at her waist.

Even still she had been too uncomfortable and taken off everything mostly, leaving her in a bra and pair of panties. On her stomach at the moment though, she felt a few different things. One was a smooth wooden bottom of one of her boyfriend's little 'babies' as it nestled there. Without glancing down, she knew it was Pappa. That was where he usually slept.

The other thing was an arm, a little beneath the doll, stretched over her while against her arm she felt a broad chest.

"You wake?"

"Mmmm."

"Lissy." His breath was dry, but she didn't say anything. She figured hers wasn't much better. "Sorry I was late. You wait up?"

"For a little," she admitted softly, her eyes drifting shut again. "But you didn't show, so I ate alone eventually and went to bed."

"Sorry," he yawned. "I got caught up training."

"S'okay," she mumbled. "Saved you a plate. In the fridge."

"I saw. Already ate."

"Mmmm. That late?"

"Yeah. Got home, showered, ate. Then slept for awhile. It's prob'ly 'bout three."

"Mmmm."

And they laid there for so long then that she was practically back to sleep again when he spoke.

"Hey, Lissy?"

"What?" she asked, her voice catching slightly as it traveled through the sleep drenching her mind. "Bick?"

"Me and the babies," he began before pausing. She thought he'd drifted off again, but then he was talking once more. "We was thinkin'."

"About?" She really, really just wanted him to shut up so she could go to bed.

"They really like you."

"Mmmm."

"Me too."

"Mmmm."

"Lots."

"Bickslow-"

Then his head, which was next to her ear, was pressing closer to the side of her head. His breath tickled her flesh then as he said, "They want you to be their mama."

For a moment, she didn't say anything. Then she turned her head to stare at him, not moving otherwise.

"What are you asking me?"

"I ain't asking you nothing," he said. "Just saying that they want you to be their mama."

She blinked. Then, slowly, she let out a breath. "I can't be."

"How come?"

Resting her head back as it was then, so she was facing up at the ceiling, she said, "We're only dating."

"And?"

"And if we broke up, then what? Huh? They'd miss me and I wouldn't be around. It just wouldn't-"

"I got a solution."

That time when her breath caught it was for another reason.

"What?" she asked, nearly breathless.

"We could just never breakup," he told her, nuzzling his head against hers. "Work for you?"

"It wasn't exactly what I thought you meant, no," she sighed. "But I-"

"Then what'd you mean?"

"Bickslow-"

"What'd ya mean? Huh, kid?"

She was blushing then without meaning to and suddenly the room felt real hot again.

"I just-"

"Say it." He knew. She could tell. "Lissy."

"I thought you were going to propose to me," she said, her words nearly slurring. She really, really just wanted to go to sleep so she could pretend the next morning that he'd imagined the whole thing.

"Really?" He kissed her cheek. "What would you have said?"

"I-I dunno."

"Yes?"

"Maybe."

"Hmmm."

Then they were just laying there and Pippi, who was sleeping on the other side of her, up on the pillow, stirred. He only took to the air, flew around some, before going to land on the dresser to rest there.

"What if," he began softly, "I was waitin' for you?"

"Waiting for me what?"

"To ask me."

"To marry me?"

"Yeah. What if I was waiting for you to propose to me?"

"Bickslow-"

"What if?"

Why hadn't she just stayed asleep?

"Then you'd have a long wait."

"No fair. Me and the babies, we're a pretty tight group, you understand? And here we were, offering you a spot in, and you can't even propose to me?"

"Bickslow, can we please just go to bed?"

"Not till we get this situated," he said. "Which one of us is going to be proposing here, kid?"

"Neither, now that you've made it into a big deal." She reached down then and picked up Pappa before laying him on the bed between her and the edge. Then she turned onto her side, giving Bickslow her back. "Now goodnight."

"Awe, Lissy. I's only kidding," he told her before moving closer, snuggling her to him.

"Bickslow, stop. I want to sleep."

He kissed her neck. "You want me to propose?"

"Right now?" Her stomach was all twisted and knotted.

"I dunno. Do you wanna get married right now?"

"We wouldn't be married, Bickslow, this minute. Just engaged."

"But would you wanna get married? This minute?"

"Bickslow-"

"We've been together now, what? Over a year?"

"Yeah."

"Then what would be the big deal? Isn't that a normal amount of time people are together before they get married?"

"No. I don't know. I feel like it should be longer."

"Oh."

"I mean, you don't like everything that you did a year ago, do you? So what if a year after being married, you don't like me?"

"Well, that's just dumb." Her neck got another kissed. "Me and the babies always will like you."

"You don't know that."

"Why you so pessimistic all of a sudden, Lissy?"

"Uh, gee, Bickslow, because marriage is kinda serious."

"Hmmm." He paused for a moment before saying, "Well, then just ask me when you're ready, huh?"

"I'm not asking you, Bickslow."

"Why? Scared I'll say no?"

"No," she said slowly. "But I'm the girl. I don't ask."

"Then how come when I say I'm the guy and don't clean, you get mad?"

'It's just the way it works, Bickslow."

"Well that sucks." He let go of her then, shifting to lay on his back. Glancing over her shoulder, she stared at him for a moment.

"Why?"

"'cause," he began. "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to ever go into a jewelry store."

"You can ask me without a ring. And then I can pick it up."

"Meh."

"…Why don't you like jewelry stores again?"

"Because," he said, disdain coming out in his voice. "They're full of people with money and suits and that want to, like, buy their women nice things."

"The nerve," she said with an accompanying eye roll.

"I know!"

Sighing slightly, she watched as Poppo got up from where he was over in the corner and came closer to them before landing on Bickslow's chest. The man only patted his baby on the head.

"Don't get people, kid," he went on, tongue falling out of his mouth to the side. She only looked forwards again, rolling her eyes. "Buying big houses, nice furniture, fancy appliances. Like really? We're doing just fine in the same mattress I bought off Freed when he got a new one a few years ago, the couch that I got from a yard sale, and all the other random fry pans and shit I've acquired over the years. And we're happy. Ain't we?"

"So happy."

"…Lisanna?"

"What?"

"You don't wanna be their mama, do you?"

Sighing, she said, "It's not that, Bickslow. I was just… I just though that you were proposing. Not that you wanted me to… What exactly do you want me to do differently?"

"Nothing," he said. "I was just joking. But then you went and got all serious on me and ruined it."

"Oh."

"I just thought that…you know. They're my babies. And you're my woman. So they're kinda your babies too, huh?"

With a sigh, she reached down to gently stroke the top of Pappa's head. This had no effect on him she was pretty sure, as he had no real feelings, but it soothed her.

"You're so stupid, Bickslow," she told him, though she did begin to smile after a moment. "You know that?"

"So you their mama now?"

"I guess I-"

"Mama!" Popp shot off his chest and Pippi came back over from the dresser. Puppu and Peppe were still dormant, over on the other side of Bickslow though. "Mama!"

And Pappa took to the air too in the joined excitement he had with the others. Lisanna only groaned because she'd never get to bed then. Especially when Bickslow took to that maniacal laughter. It took another twenty minutes to get them all settled again. And that was only after Bickslow got up to go to the bathroom, waking the other two babies, who immediately joined in with the frenzy.

Eventually though, all was calm for the moment and she found herself on her side again, facing away from her boyfriend, who was also giving her his back. Just as she was about drifted off though, he opened his mouth again.

"Lissy?"

"Sleeping," escaped her lips.

"I just… I'll ask you, huh? Soon, if you want. Do you want that? 'cause I'd be down for doing it in the morning or five years from now. I really don't care. It's all up to you, kid."

"We couldn't do it in the morning, Bickslow," she told him with a sigh.

"How come?"

"I would want a real wedding. And Mira would have to be there and Elf and-"

"I gotta wear a suit?"

"Yes."

"Then I gotta buy one."

Groaning, she shut her eyes tightly. "Just go to sleep."

For a moment, she thought he was going to. Then he added, "I love you, you know."

And that didn't make up for the loss of sleep, but it did make her grin, if only slightly.

"Yeah, I love you too."

"Love you, Mama!" the babies all chimed in then which made Lisanna groan loudly.

"I love you too, alright? Now go to sleep!"

"It's okay, guys," Bickslow comforted as they all made discouraged sounds. "It's hard adjusting to being a mother."

"One more word Bickslow, and one of us is going to sleep on the couch. And it's not me."

"Aye-aye."

"Bick-"

"That was two words. Ha!"

Groaning, she shifted on the bed, further away from him. She was dating a five year old. With two year old children.

…And she was secretly loving it.

Don't know if I'll get anything posted tomorrow, being Christmas and all, but I hope to get out a chapter of Solace for anyone waiting on that. Maybe.