Oh my goodness, yall are the best readers ever! Thank you so much for all the support and reviews! I'm sorry this chapter took longer to get out than the others. I took a mini-vacation over the weekend to the river, so I was only able to work on this for a bit each night. This also ended up being much longer than originally expected, so there's that too. I spent a lot of time adding on and revising, so I hope everything looks alright!
This time around, Lucy, Gru and the kids spend an evening at Super Silly Funland. This is set nearly a year into their dating period. I hope yall like it! Review, please!
Lucy could barely contain her excitement behind the steering wheel of her little blue bug. She cranked up the volume of the radio, singing along and bouncing to the rhythm of the song. Two stop signs, a red light and three narrowly missed wrecks went completely unnoticed as she zoomed down the neat suburbia streets, looking for one house in particular.
She didn't know why, but lately the idea of spending time with the Gru family – spending time with Gru – made her simultaneously giddy with happiness and overwhelmed with the swarms of butterflies in her stomach. Lucy had been visiting Gru's house more and more frequently these past few weeks. In fact, now that she thought about it, she and her boyfriend (she still grinned like a fool when she thought of Gru in those terms) had been spending quite a lot of time together. She supposed it was only natural; they had been dating for almost a year, with their anniversary only a month away.
And what a year it had been – she couldn't remember ever dating anyone as exciting and thrilling and funny and charming and handsome and –
"Aah!" Lucy grabbed the wheel and swerved, narrowly avoiding jumping the curb and crashing through someone's hedges. She straightened the car out, sighing and shaking her head. She had a terrible habit of letting her thoughts ramble out of control, a habit that became quite dangerous when driving.
Now, where was she? Peering around, she found herself three blocks away from Gru's address. She smiled mischievously, turning down the radio and deciding to try and sneak up on him. Of course, the blue bug parked innocuously in front of his house might be a dead giveaway, but still, she liked to try. She glided into her usual spot at the curb, the area completely empty, as the neighbors had long ago discovered Gru's propensity for destroying nearby cars and thus opting to park on the opposite side of the street with a wide berth in either direction.
She strolled up the driveway, fishing her copy of the house key from her purse before pausing and tilting her head to the side. She could have sworn she just heard something. She listened closely and - there it was! She knew that sound very well - Margo, Edith and Agnes' laughter, ringing out happily from the backyard. If the girls were outside playing, it was a safe bet that Gru was there too. She took a shortcut to the fence gate through the grass – or lack thereof – and slipped through, taking in the sight before her.
The small family stood by the back porch, Gru seemingly interrupted from cleaning up the toys scattered across the yard by whatever it was the girls wanted. Agnes gripped onto Gru's leg like a koala hanging from a tree branch, giggling madly and refusing to let go. Edith had made herself comfortable on her father's shoulder, pushing against his head to leverage herself up. The only girl not using her dad as a jungle gym was Margo, who stood in front of him with a hand on her hip, her expression that of playful challenging. All three of them seemed to be talking at once, and Gru was barely able to make himself heard underneath them. Lucy pressed herself to the outside wall of the house and crept closer, hidden from sight but still within a perfect vantage point to watch the show.
"Now gurls," Gru warned, "I said no. We're not – "
"Aww, come on!" Edith protested, tugging her hat upward to uncover her eyes. "Let's go!"
"Super Silly Funland! Super Silly Funland! Super Silly Funland!" Agnes chanted, still clinging tightly despite his attempts to dislodge her.
"I am not going back to dat nightmarish place, thank you very much," he replied, frowning. "Once is sufficient torture for a lifetime."
"It wasn't that bad, Gru," Margo said. "I thought you had fun!"
" - Super Silly Funland! Super Silly Funland! Super Silly Funland - "
"If by 'fun' you mean nearly throwing up five times and spending a fortune on tacky games, then yes, I had 'fun'," he replied sarcastically.
" - Super Silly Funland! Super Silly Funland – "
It was at that point that Lucy took pity on the poor man and stepped out of her hiding place. She walked into the yard toward the huddled group and called out with a smile, deciding to pretend as if she hadn't heard anything. "Hey guys, what's up with all the noise?"
The three girls' attention immediately shifted to her, and as if by a silent command, they all detached from Gru and ran over to her. She crouched down, already expecting the group hug that sent her toppling to the ground. Laughing, she sat up, hugging each girl in turn. "So," she asked, "what are you torturing your dad with now?"
"Super Silly Funland!" Agnes yelled, hopping up and down.
"Ah, I see. And what's that?"
"It's a terrible place where dreams go to die," Gru replied flatly, walking over and offering her a hand up. She accepted, and he pulled her to her feet and straight into his arms, pressing a small kiss to her lips. The girls made synchronized retching sounds behind them at the sight. Lucy grinned, sticking her tongue out teasingly at them.
"Dad doesn't want to go with us," Edith pouted.
"Oh, come on, something named so cute couldn't be that bad!" Lucy said. The deadpan look Gru gave her in return suggest otherwise.
"It's not," Margo reassured, "Gru just says that stuff 'cause he doesn't want to admit to enjoying having his face painted and playing carnival games. It might ruin his villainous reputation."
Lucy giggled, nudging Gru in the ribs. "Oh, we can't have that now, can we?"
"Except Dad's not a villain anymore!" Edith exclaimed. "Plus, that place is sooo much fun and we never ever get to go!"
"We heard at school today that they're having a special on kid's tickets for tonight," Margo explained. "That's why we want to go. Plus, they have the best games and rides."
"So it's like an amusement park?" she asked.
"It's the best one in the whole world!" Agnes cried enthusiastically. She toddled forward, tugged on the hem of Lucy's overcoat and motioned for her to lean down. Lucy did, bending over to accommodate her. "Lucy, do you think you can get Daddy to let us?" she whispered. "I really, really, really wanna go." Agnes had her best puppy face on, complete with wide, shining eyes and pouting lip. The red head considered the girl hanging onto her coat for dear life, and then glanced at Gru. He raised a brow suspiciously, knowing that whatever prompted Agnes to put on that face couldn't end well for him. Finally, Lucy shrugged.
"Alright kiddo, I'll give it my best shot," she replied, smiling and bopping Agnes lightly on the nose. There was just no way Lucy could say no to that cute little face. Agnes cheered, instantly letting go of her coat to hop around the yard, resuming her chant of 'Super Silly Funland'.
Lucy watcher her with something akin to motherly affection stirring in her heart before focusing her sights on Gru. He blinked warily at her, and then groaned, already knowing exactly how this would end.
"Oh, no."
"Come on, at least try to look like you're having fun, Gru," Lucy teased, slipping her hand into his as they made their way through the parking lot. "Don't be such a grump!"
"I am not a grump," The villain grumbled, only slightly squeezing her hand to let her know that no offense was done.
"I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see this place!" she said.
Margo chimed in from beside the couple, doing her best to keep her rowdy sisters under control. "You've never been before?"
"Nope," Lucy replied. "I've never had anyone to go with me before, but now I have the whole Gru family!"
"Yay!" Agnes cheered. "Lucy is gonna have fun with us!"
They all passed under the entrance, stepping on to the boardwalk to be immediately surrounded by a plethora of sights, sounds and smells, melting together into a dizzying experience. Before them stood an impossibly twisted roller coaster, bunched together with other towering metal constructions, all painted in cheery pastels and bright colors. Lights were strung about every imaginable surface, fluorescent pinpricks of warmth shining in the darkness, blinking off and on in time to each ride's unique music. Lining either edge of the boardwalk was row after row of booths, offering everything from classical carnival games, to souvenirs, to every deep-fried foodstuff under the rainbow. The smell of popcorn, cotton candy and fried batter filled the air, mixing into an odd but strangely appealing combination. There were not as many people as Lucy expected, but large crowds still milled about filling most of the boardwalk. Children played underfoot, their parents in tow, some eagerly hopping into line for the rides, watching as their current occupants screamed and yelled in exhilaration. The sound of laughter and conversation provided a pleasant ambiance to the night.
Lucy took in the new environment with a sense of awe. She had always loved carnivals and fairs, ever since she was Agnes' age. Super Silly Funland seemed to take both and combine them into something huge and wonderful. There was so much to see and hear that she couldn't take it in all at once, her attention bouncing back and forth from this to that. Gru's three girls ran in front of them, criss-crossing across the walkway to try and see all the games and rides the park had to offer. They nearly bubbled over with glee, laughing and chattering excitedly. Lucy was half tempted to join in their enthusiasm.
She glanced at Gru, who seemed almost completely unaffected by the wonders around them. She set her brow; Lucy was determined to have fun with him tonight, even if she had to drag him kicking and screaming.
"Aren't you even a little excited?" she asked him, measuring a small imaginary space between her thumb and forefinger. His responding expression was anything but thrilled. ". . . Okay, maybe not. So, maybe this isn't your ideal night, but hey, at least you're making the kids happy!" she offered. Gru glanced from her to the girls, letting a minute smile slowly cross his face at the way they danced about. Inwardly she celebrated – each time she could pull him from one of his stormy moods was a success in her book. This was a good sign. "That's the spirit," she encouraged. "Now, let's get this started!" She helped Gru herd the kids together, standing before them and clapping her hands together with a grin.
"Okay girls, what's first?" she asked. They lit up, each yelling a different suggestion.
"Face painting!"
"Roller coaster!"
"Games!"
Lucy paused, wanting a plan that would both keep the girls happy and let her make the most of her time with Gru. "Hmm, how about this? Let's do the roller coaster first and then we'll hit the booths. Sound good?" The girls nodded and took off through the crowd to get in line.
"Woah, woah, hold the horses!" Gru exclaimed.
"What's wrong?"
"I am not riding another one of dose things again," he said. "You go with the gurls, I will be porfectly fine standing here and watching."
"You don't like roller coasters?" she asked with a snort.
"What? Why is dat funny?"
"No, it's nothing," she goaded, "it's just I didn't know you got scared of stuff like that."
". . ."
He realized letting Lucy get the best of him and his pride was a mistake the second they reached the top of the first hill. To his credit, he only screamed half the time.
As they came to a rattling stop, Gru stumbled from the coaster with a hand clapped over his mouth, cursing his weak stomach. Lucy hopped out of her cart and came rushing by along with the girls, her hair a wind-whipped mess. She wrapped her arm around his and beamed brightly with the exhilaration.
"That was awesome!" she exclaimed.
Gru hiccupped, struggling to keep the rapidly spinning world upright. "Oh yes," he groaned, "that was absolutely wonderful."
"Let's do that again!" Edith cheered.
Another defeated groan from Gru convinced Lucy they shouldn't. A sick Gru did not factor into her plans very well. "Um, how about you go look at the booths instead?" she suggested. "That way you girls can play some games and grab some chow."
"Ooh, let's go see if we can find the one that Daddy blew up last time we were here!" Agnes cried.
Lucy arched a brow. "'Blew up'?"
Gru, seemingly recovered from his bout of dizziness, smirked before handing each of the girls some cash and shooing them off. "Go on gurls, go play." Not needing anymore encouragement, they sped off into the crowd, bickering over which game they would play first. "And steeck together!" he hollered.
"Do I even want to know?" Lucy asked, though her curious smile said she did.
The pair fell into step with one another, moving along with the crowd, hand-in-hand. Gru had to lean closer to her to even be heard over the surrounding conversation – not that she minded, of course. "Remember Agnes' favorite uneecorn toy?" he asked. "Dat's how I got it for her. Cheap carnies are obnoxious anyway, so blowing up the booth was only a small collateral damage."
"That is probably the coolest thing a dad's ever done for his kid," she laughed. "You think you could win me something like that, too?"
"Would you like me to?" he asked. He looked around, as if searching for the best booth nearby to play for.
"Oh, no!" she protested, shaking her head. "No, I was only kidding!" But it seemed as if Gru was determined to do so, as he found one booth in particular, nodded firmly, and pulled her along with him through the crowd. She laughed, tugging backward against him half-heartedly. "Gru!" she giggled.
They emerged from the crowd to come across a simple red and white striped booth. The banner hanging from the top proclaimed "Bottle Toss", and inside featured a simple set up of a table, on which stood a pyramid of glass milk bottles and a bucket of rubber balls. On the back wall was a display of prizes, ranging from a piece of candy to massive stuffed animals. Despite her protesting, Lucy felt a small spark of happiness at the idea of Gru trying to win her something.
He and Lucy approached the counter, where a pleasant looking middle-aged man stood. "Afternoon, folks!" the carnie said, gearing up into his sales pitch. "Interested in a playing? Five dollars will buy you three rounds. The rules are simple, the game's easy, and who knows, maybe you might win something for the pretty lady! So, what'll it be, fella?"
Gru fished five dollars from his wallet and set it on the counter. The carnie grinned, pocketing the cash and going back to fetch the bucket.
Lucy touched his shoulder hesitantly, leaning closer so no one else might hear. "Wait, Gru, you're not actually going to blow this one up too, are you?" she whispered nervously.
Gru chuckled, shaking his head. "No, of course not - I left my solar cannon in the car, so I do not have the proper weaponry to destroy it."
Lucy blinked, a surprised laugh bubbling up from her chest. She forgot how odd they truly were sometimes until moments like this. "And you do know these things are generally rigged, right?"
"Yes, I am well aware. However, it will not be a problem," he said, a hint of mystery to his voice.
"Well, alright then," she grinned, "go for it, hun."
The man returned, bucket in hand. He set out three balls across the counter, and then motioned Gru forward. "Okay, rules of the game are you get three rounds, three balls per round," he said, counting out three fingers on each hand as he went. "You knock down all the bottles in one round, you get first prize. Think you got it?"
"Got it." Gru picked up a ball, eyeing it quickly before focusing on the stack of milk bottles. Winding back one long arm, he threw the ball with suprising speed. . . and missed. Lucy winced, making a disheartened noise.
"Close one, sweetheart."
Gru didn't seem fazed by the loss, but only moved on to the next ball, picking it up and seeming to rethink the best way to go about throwing it. If she didn't know better, with the way she could see the gears of his mind turning she'd think he was working the physics of the game out in his head. Suddenly, his eyes sparked, as if realizing something. Smiling in that self-assured, almost cocky way that Lucy had learned to recognize over time as his, 'I've got this', look, Gru turned and lobbed the ball. It whipped across the dozen feet of open air, crashing into the bottles with force and toppling them all from the table and clear off the opposite edge.
Both Lucy and the carnie had the same bewildered expression on their faces. Lucy, because she couldn't believe he actually won; the carnie, because no one had won his rigged game in over a year.
"I believe dat means I win furst prize, yes?" Gru asked.
The pair left the booth five minutes later, Lucy clutching a giant stuffed lion and Gru with his arm wrapped around her waist. The two walked between the rows of booths, searching for the next thing to catch their fancy. Lucy was grinning like a fool, nearly giddy with the results of the night so far. She'd never expected to have this much fun, or for Gru to be so into it despite his complaining. She could barely wait to see what the rest of the night had in store.
"How did you do that back there?" she asked curiously. "I thought for sure those games were rigged to be near impossible to win."
"Simple - once you understand the physics of how to best break the superglue bonds dat hold the bottles together to the table, den it is only a matter of throwing the ball at the right angle and speed," he explained. "I only needed to determine which glue he used to feegure it out. Dere is always a way to beat a rigged game." She could tell he enjoyed flaunting his intelligence to impress her, and so far, it was working. She was just glad his recent bout of destruction had loosened him up - he seemed to finally be having a good time.
"So, still think this is the worst place ever," she asked, "or has the carnival worked its magic on you yet?"
Gru pretended to heave a long-suffering sigh. "Dis is steell a horrid place," he decided. "However, I am having a surprisingly good time. I theenk it must be the company I'm keeping." He smiled at her, warm and affectionate.
She closed the gap between them, planting a peck on his lips. "Good," she replied, lingering closely, "because you're not getting rid of me anytime soon, hun." Gru paused and tugged lightly on her arm to get her to follow suit. He drew closer, briefly touching her wild hair between his fingertips. Lucy felt the color rush to her cheeks at the guesture. He noticed, and smirked.
"Are you sure about dat?" he teased. "You might regret dat decision later."
She dared to move even closer, excitement tingling like electricity in her body. There was a sudden, palpable tension in the air. "I'm afraid it's true," she replied. "If you want me gone you're gonna have to try harder than that."
Then, he ducked his head to steal a second kiss, apparently no longer satisfied with just one. This was no peck, though, but a more profound expression of longing, escalating farther and farther as the seconds passed. Lucy suddenly wished she had somewhere to put her prize down without ruining it so that she could use both hands to properly clutch at him. His hands stole to her hips, holding her firmly and almost possessively in his grip. She was barely aware of her arms winding around his neck, focused instead entirely on the warm press of his lips against hers. She felt her face flush, acutely aware but somehow not caring that she and Gru were making out like total teenagers. Thankfully, they were still tucked away within the maze of booths, caught in the grassy pathway between three catty-corner tents, so no passerby's were likely to walk by and spoil the moment. They must have looked ridiculous, two fully grown adults wrapped around each other like this, but who was there to tell? She wasn't even quite sure what caused all this, but she wasn't going to complain.
Once again, Lucy's butterflies returned full force, swarming around her stomach and migrating to her fingers and toes. She was dizzy with the sensation. She and Gru were completely caught up in each other, torn with the give and pull of emotion. They were no strangers to this feeling - in fact, many late nights and subsequent early mornings were spent in the same manner - but each time felt brand new, a raw spark of desperation fanned into flames. Somewhere in her mind she vaguely wished they were anywhere but in public.
They broke apart, flushed and breathless. Lucy realized belatedly, despite her best efforts, her stuffed lion ended up on the grass anyway. Somehow, that seemed less important. They continued to cling to each other, not yet willing to let go of their life lines. "Whoa," she murmured. "Wh-where did that come from?"
He gazed at her, his expression nearly unreadable, but a warm, burning look in his eyes. It was akin to the affectionate looks he often graced her with, but somehow far, far beyond that simplicity. She struggled to understand it, knowing that it was meant for her and only her, but not quite comprehending what it was. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak a single word, they both heard a tiny voice ring out, calling, "Gru?"
They blanched, recognizing the voice instantly.
"Agnes," Gru said, glancing in the direction of the sound. He looked back at Lucy and coughed, stammering sheepishly. "Sh-She must be looking for us."
Inwardly, Lucy cursed the little girl's timing. She needed to know what on earth inspired that bout of passion from him and why. But instead she nodded, carefully extricating her arms from the tangles in his scarf and from around his neck as he removed his warm hold on her hips. They took a few moments, straightening out rustled clothes and mussed hair quietly, both almost afraid to look at each other lest they reignite the tension still heavy between them. Silently, Gru took her hand and led her from the booths out to the boardwalk to find his daughter standing a few feet away, looking around for them.
"Agnes, keetten, what are you doing by yourself?" he asked worriedly." Where are your seesters?"
The child turned, lighting up when she saw the couple. "Daddy!" She scampered forward, climbing up his side with a practiced ease. He caught, holding her in his free arm. "Margo and Edith went to go get food, but I'm not hungry, so I went to find you."
"I told you to stay with your seesters," he scolded lightly. "You could have gotten lost or stolen in dat huge crowd, and I wouldn't know where you went!" Agnes looked away, her bubbly spirit slightly put out by the correction. She mumbled something that sounded like 'sorry', and Gru sighed. "It is alright," he assured her," just don't do dat again, okay?" A nod from her was all the answer he needed. Suddenly, she dropped her pout and let out a loud squeal, squirming and pointing at something excitedly. Gru winced, holding her at arm's distance from him by her overall straps. "Oh my gosh," she yelled, "look at the big fluffy lion!"
Lucy grinned, holding it up so Agnes could get a better look. "Yep, your dad won it for me at a carnival game!" The child pet the puffy mane with wonder in her eyes. Lucy watcher her, melting once more under Agnes' simplistic happiness. "You know what," she said. "I think I need someone to hold him 'til I get home. He's getting awfully heavy." She caught eyes with Gru and winked. He smiled gratefully at her. "Agnes, do you know someone who would like to hold him for me?"
"Ooh, ooh, I would Lucy!" Agnes said eagerly. "Can I hold him for you? Please?"
"Alright," she consented, smiling warmly at the little girl. "But only if you promise to take good care of him." She handed the stuffed animal into Agnes' anxiously waiting arms. Agnes squished it in a tight hug.
"I promise!" she replied happily. "You're the best mommy ever, Lucy!"
She froze, her gut sinking at Agnes' words. Part of her was elated to hear Agnes call her mom. She loved the girls so much, and they had stolen a special place in her heart, right alongside Gru. But the other part of her was firm in knowing that it was cruel for any of them to entertain that idea. She wasn't their mother, and she might never be. For all she knew, the girls still loved their birth mothers, and who was she to take their places? Perhaps it was better to not even think of it, rather than be hurt in the end. Still, unbidden warmth blossomed in her stomach, as she wished horribly that somehow Agnes' sentiment was true.
Slowly, she looked at Gru, whose expression was halfway between distraught and what she could have sworn looked like sadness. He tucked his daughter closer to his chest, hesitating for a moment to search desperately for the right thing to say to correct her.
"Ah, A-Agnes, sweetheart . . . Lucy isn't – "
"Gru." Lucy interrupted him, placing her hand softly on his chest. "It's okay, I've got it." Gru watched her for a moment. He seemed absolutely agonized over the situation, torn between what he should and shouldn't do, what was true and what wasn't. Slowly, he nodded, and set Agnes back down on the ground. Lucy knelt to her level, forcing a cheery smile on her face. "Hey, sweetie, how about you and me go talk for a bit, okay?"
The little girl, oblivious to her mistake, only nodded. Lucy stood, taking her little hand and leading them away to a nearby bench. She sat first, then picked Agnes up and placed her in her lap. She fiddled idly with the girl's ponytail for a moment, wondering where on earth she could begin. Agnes played with the stuffed lion, grabbing handfuls of its mane and attempting to braid it. Lucy took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She knew exactly what she needed to do.
"Agnes? Could you look at me for a second?" she asked gently. "I want to tell you something." Agnes looked up, the lion temporarily forgotten in lieu of her favorite red-headed agent. "You know I love you and your sisters, right?" Agnes nodded, smiling. Lucy continued, "And you know that will never change, no matter what? No matter who you are or who I am, that I will always care about you?"
"Uh-huh," she replied.
"Good," Lucy said, dreading what came next, "because what I wanted to tell you was that even though I love you, and even though we are very close, I-I'm not your mommy."
Agnes' eyebrows furrowed as a confused and slightly hurt look overcame her features. "But, you act like a mommy," she insisted. "You kiss my boo-boo's and brush my hair, like the Mothers Day song says."
"I know, sweetie," Lucy said, brushing Agnes' hair back fondly. "And I love doing those things. But just because I do them doesn't make me a mommy."
Agnes squirmed, shifting around in her lap to look up at her. "Then what does?"
Lucy smiled slightly. "Well, for me to really be your mom, your dad and I would have to get married."
"Okay, so get married then!" Agnes said, as if it were the simplest thing on earth.
Lucy laughed, surprised by her naïve bluntness. "That's not up to me, hun. It's something that both your dad and I have to agree on."
"Well, Daddy wants to!" she exclaimed, "I know he does!"
Lucy ignored the excited flutter of her heart and continued on. "How do you know that?"
"He loves you!" she replied with a wide smile. "I know cause he told me so. He always talks about you, Lucy. He likes lots of things about you, like your hair and your laugh and your eyes, and how crazy you are, and a whole buncha other things I can't remember. But he told me, honest!"
Lucy had to fight back the brilliant smile threatening to break across her face. Gru loved her . . . he loved her! The little girl in her lap kept talking, but the noise was temporarily pushed to the back of her mind in the face of this revelation. He loved her! If she felt giddy and excited before, nothing in the world could compare to this feeling. She'd known he loved her, knew it in her heart, just as surely as she loved him from the first moment she met him. They had never said it aloud to each other - not in so many words, at least - but they proved it to each other every day, hidden in the way they looked at each other, in they way they touched. But to finally hear it, and know it was true . . . She felt as if her heart might lift right out of her ribcage and fly away, so feather-light and burgeoning with hope. Gru loved her! She stole a quick glance at him, unable to keep from grinning when she saw him. He was idly pacing back and forth along a stretch of walkway, hands folded behind his back, a worried and pensive look on his face. One glimpse of him brought back all the tension and emotion they shared just ten minutes before, locked within each other's embrace in the intimacy of privacy. Her new knowledge made the memory that much sweeter. Shaking herself, she forced her attention back to the child in her lap, who was still happily chattering away.
" - so if you and Daddy have to get married, and you love each other, then why doesn't he just ask you?"
Lucy laughed, leaning down and gathering her in a warm hug. "That's a good question! I don't know, Agnes," she whispered secretively. "But how about you ask him later?" Agnes giggled and nodded, wrapping her little arms around Lucy's neck. "So, is everything okay then, munchkin?" Lucy asked.
"Mhm! Even if you're not my mommy yet, you're still the nicest lady ever!" Agnes hugged even tighter, nearly hanging from Lucy's shoulders. "I'm glad you met my daddy."
Lucy picked her up, standing from the bench and looking at Gru once more. "I am too, sweetheart. I am too."
Gru watched apprehensively as Lucy walked back, setting Agnes down at their feet. He seemed surprised at his daughter's happy state, and watched as she continued to fuss over the stuffed lion. "Go on and find your sisters, Agnes," Lucy told her. "Me and your dad are going to talk a bit." Agnes obliged, toddling off cheerily with the lion in tow.
Gru watched before turning to Lucy, brow raised. "Dat seems like it went well. What happened?"
"Agnes and I talked," she said, "and I handled it. She's okay, and she understands now that I'm not her mom."
He sighed. "Good." He looked away, turning sheepish again as he broached the sensitive subject. "I'm sorry if dat made you uncomfortable. I don't know where in the wurld she got the idea dat you were her mother." He glanced up at her apologetically.
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," she said kindly. "I'm not bothered by it. She's just a kid, and sometimes they don't know any better."
He smiled slightly, glad for her understanding. She was about to continue when she glanced above his shoulder and paused. An excited smile crossed her face, and she looked like a child on Christmas morning. Gru frowned, confused, before he turned and followed her line of vision. Standing in the near distance at the end of the boardwalk was a massive Ferris Wheel, towering overhead and blinking with cheerful colors. It spun slowly, each bucket perched delicately on the outer rim.
Gru felt her hands close around his, and she swung into his vision, walking backward and pulling him along with her toward the ride. "Come on Gru, let's go on the Ferris Wheel! One ride before the night ends, just the two of us. What do you say?"
Gru chuckled at her enthusiasm, allowing her to tug him beside her. "Okay, dat's fine," he agreed. "Anything dat makes you dis happy is worth trying." She hugged him briefly before nearly skipping ahead the short distance to the entrance line. Thankfully for them, the line was short, only about ten other people, so the wait was short. "You really like deese things, don't you?" Gru laughed.
"I haven't been on one since I was a kid!" she exclaimed. "Haven't you ever ridden one before?"
"Not dat I can recall, no," he replied. Normally, Gru couldn't care less about fair rides, but her passion made him eager to experience this with her for the first time. He found that he wanted to do most everything with her these days, as if her presence was essential to living his life.
The two handed the attendant their tickets and climbed into a bucket, closing the door and taking seats opposite each other. The ride hummed to life, gaining momentum as it spun and lifted them into the air. Lucy giggled, reaching across the small space between their knees and gripping his hands. He smiled, despite the ridiculousness of it all. Slowly, they rose higher and higher toward the wheel's apex, until the entire city was sprawled out beneath them. Gru looked out across the view, speechless from the beauty of the nightscape. A waxing crescent moon hung crookedly in the sky, spilling pale white light across the rolling clouds dotting the atmosphere. Fog was rolling inland, blanketing the city in a thick opaque sheet. Lights like sequins pierced the veil, appearing as golden and silver clusters. The amusement park lay beneath them, an amalgamation of blurred color and movement. Behind them laid the ocean, as deep and black as the night sky, the water rocking and receding softly against the rocks like velvet over jagged teeth.
Pulling himself from the stunning view, he turned to look at Lucy, wanting to share the moment with her. What he found was even more beautiful to him than the landscape they floated above. The moonlight spilled across her skin, silhouetting her against the stark night sky. The soft fluorescent carnival lights beneath them danced across her skin and hair, setting her aglow with a myriad of colors. Her eyes danced with wonder at what they saw, and her lips were barely parted as if she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.
Her eyes flickered toward him, and paused, lingering there. She never knew a person could be worshiped, but at that moment, there was such reverence in his eyes it took her breath away. She found herself blushing – and thanking the cover of night for effectively hiding her reaction.
"Gru?" she asked tentatively.
"You are beautiful," he said softly. She ducked her head, smiling shyly. The soft affection he was showing her reminded her once again of their brief, shared moment earlier that night, and the revelations that followed. Agnes' words echoed through her head. He loves me, Lucy thought.
Gru's fingers on her cheek pulled her back to the present. He guided her to look at him, his eyes curious. "What are you theenking of?" he asked.
She leaned into his touch. "Of how much I love it up here. With you." The wheel began its descent, carrying them down toward earth once more. She took his hand from her face, slipping her fingers between his and observing with interest the way they seemed to fit together so well. "And of some of the things Agnes and I talked about."
"Like what?"
"She told me she thought that how I take care of her and her sisters makes me their mother - she said it had something to do with a Mother's Day song."
"Ahh," Gru hummed in understanding. "You mean like keessing her boo-boo's and brushing her hair?"
"Exactly," she nodded.
"All of dat happened just before I met you. Agnes had a part in the Mother's Day pageant, but she deedn't know what it was like to have a mother, so she was afraid she wouldn't be able to do it right."
"You mean she - ?"
"She was too young to remember her parents when dey gave her up for adoption," Gru said, "so she gathered what she could from the play. I guess dat's what she theenks having a mother means."
"That's terrible," she said sorrowfully. Her heart sank for the child, not able to comprehend how it must feel to not even remember her birth parents. Agnes was fortunate, though, to end up with a father as wonderful as Gru. If anyone deserved as much love and care in the world, it was those three girls. She knew she could help provide it, but she also knew it wasn't her place to take over any sort of role. "They deserve a mother," she said, "someone to care for them as deeply as you do."
"I am trying the best dat I can by myself to make dem feel happy and loved," he confessed, "but sometimes I wurry dat it is not enough."
Lucy backpedaled furiously, realizing what she might have implied. "Oh no, Gru, that's not what I meant! You do such a good job as a father and a single parent, and those girls love you so much. I just - " She wrung her hands together, looking to the side nervously. Her next words came out in a rush, as if she were scared that if she didn't say them right away, they might never come out. "I just wish sometimes that I could be there for the girls more! Agnes told me that I make a good mother and that made me realize that I love taking care of them, and how they've become such a big part of my life just like you have, and then I think maybe I could be their mother because they need that extra support and love and then I realize how silly that is because I couldn't be their mother because we're not married but still I just wish - " Gru's fingers against her lips halted her speech before curling underneath her jaw and guiding her to look at him. She was hesitant, afraid of the reaction she might find in his face. Her eyes met his, and to her relieved suprise she found warmth and understanding, along with a hint of that burning emotion she had yet to put a name to.
"Lucy," he murmured gently. "I theenk you would make a wonderful mother. And the gurls would be so, so lucky to have you."
She smiled tearfully, her hands gripping his outstretched forearm. She tried not to think about everything his words implied, but couldn't stop the overwhelming gratitude and love she had for him from bubbling to the surface. They were immersed again in moonlight, the wheel having come full turn and bringing them right back to the top. All the world lay stretched out before them. Suddenly, just as they reached the top of the rotation, the Ferris Wheel came to a shuddering halt. Confused, Lucy broke away from Gru momentarily to look down. There, several dozen feet below, sat the control box. Bright arcs of electricity sprung from it for a few seconds before giving way to sparks and smoke. The ride attendant rushed over, visibly baffled by the random occurrence. She could hear the other patrons begin to complain and demand to know why they'd stopped. Lucy raised a brow, bringing her head back around to stare at Gru questioningly.
"You didn't . . ." she trailed off.
"There may or may not have been a pre-programmed malfunction planted in the ride's control system before we got on," he said innocently, though the mischievous gleam in his eyes spoke otherwise. "It may have been programmed to stop at the top for oh, say, twenty or thirty minutes before it allows the normal programming to regain control. I, however, know absolutely notheeng about it. I don't know why you would even accuse me of such a thing."
She regarding him with wide, disbelieving eyes before breaking down into laughter. "Gru, that is the sweetest and most diabolical thing anyone's ever done for me," she said. "Thank you." He grinned, pleased with the results of his sabotage. Suddenly, Lucy stood up and switched seats, moving to sit next to Gru instead of across from him. She promptly nestled into his side, smiling when he wrapped his arm around her and tugged her closer. He pressed a kiss into her hair, then one to her temple. Together, the pair gazed out across the view, taking in all the beauty the world offered them.
"You know," Lucy said, a sing-song tone to her voice, "Agnes told me some other stuff too. Some pretty interesting stuff, if you ask me."
He groaned, pleading, "Please tell me dis is nothing like the time you met my mother."
She giggled at the memory and pat his arm reassuringly. "No, though that was absolutely hilarious. This was something more . . . secret. Something that you told her." He furrowed his brow, not getting her hint. "Something secret you told her about me."
"But I deedn't - oh." He froze, his cheeks reddening by the second. "O-Ohhh." She looked up at him, enjoying every second of his nervous stammering. "Well, I-I deedn't - I hope y-you don't . . . she deedn't say anything else did she? B-Because I know dis is still - dat we are still - "
Now it was her turn to silence him. She shifted, grabbing the lapels of his jacket and pulling him down, crashing her lips to his and effectively ending his flustered rambling. He made a muffled noise of shock, and she pulled back just as quickly as she started, a grin slanted across her face.
"Guess what? I love you too, partner."
His suprised expression melted into one of happiness and relief. "Y-You do?"
"Absolutely."
That look sparked again in his eyes, and Lucy was finally able to recognize it for what it always had been - it was love. Every time looked at her, he looked at her with love. The realization made her heart swell, and she couldn't keep herself from pulling him back down for another kiss. He responded, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her firmly to him. He met her with equal frenzy, as if he were a drowning man and she was his air. Now that he knew for a fact that she loved him, truly loved him, he didn't think he could ever let her go. Lucy slid a hand from his lapel to the back of his neck, grabbing and drawing him deeper into the kiss. Her other hand clutched at his jacket like he was her anchor to the world and without him, she would simply float away. She inwardly prayed that the Ferris Wheel would never come back down, because she was perfectly content staying like this forever.
Unfortunately, the need to breathe took primary concern after a few long minutes, forcing them to part. They both gasped for air, silly, lovestruck grins on their faces. Gru reached up a hand and brushed her mussed hair back from her face, fingertips lingering fondly.
"Well, you'll really have a hard time getting rid of me now," Lucy whispered, her eyes full of mischief. "Seems like once you're in love, you're stuck. Too bad for you, sweetheart."
He chuckled darkly. "You know, I theenk I can find a way to manage. Just promise me one thing?"
Already, she was being drawn back into him. "Mm?"
"Stay with me."
She grinned. "Already done."
The pair melded back together, where they stayed for the remainder of their stolen time, moonlight washing over them and the world at their feet. Together, it seemed, they could have anything.
Okay, so this was originally supposed to be a short, cute fic of Gru winning Lucy a stuffed animal at the fair, but then it came out like this. As you can probably tell, that happens to me a lot, lol.
I'd like to think that Lucy and Gru, as in love as they are, were both incredibly shy when it comes to saying it for the first time - Gru more so than Lucy. They both hadn't dated in so long, and when they did, it usually ended in disaster. So when they find each other and start dating, both are instantly head over heels, but maybe they don't voice it right away because not that much time had passed and they don't want to scare the other away.
I also have this cute idea that Agnes starts to consider Lucy her mom before she and Gru ever get married because she just knows it's going to happen sooner or later. On the sadder side of that idea is that Lucy is the first positive female role model in her life, so she's not quite sure what qualifies as a mother and what doesn't. But she knows that if anyone could be her mother, she would pick Lucy.
I've noticed a bad habit of mine in these fics is changing Gru's accent pattern over each chapter. I'm sorry if it's bothered yall, and I'll definitely try to keep it more consistent over future chapters.
Anyway, I hope yall liked it! Review, please!