ALLI/YUUTA

A brisk breeze that nearly qualified as an early autumn wind blew wisps of hair free from Alli's ponytail. She kind of hated the windblown look, but whatever. There were more important things to think about, like getting these boxes where they were supposed to be.

"Carry'em close to yer chest, an remember ta bend wit- "

She glared at Anton. "I can carry a box for crying out loud."

One of Anton's eye ridges popped up. She could've nicknamed this particular expression, 'do you want to do this, because I'll totally go there with you', and true to form he followed the look with, "Is that so? Ain't you the one that tried ta carry the new microwave upstairs last week an dropped it on ya toe? Hmm? Then ya picked it up and hurt yer back? Yeah. See I know it was you because I'm the one that massaged the kinks out for a week." A sly grin played across his lips as he leaned in to whisper. "Not that I minded."

Alli's heart fluttered as her insides became all warm and tingly. "Hmmm," she mused, her lips hovering near his. She smiled so often anymore one might mistake her for impersonating her father. Which made her smile even wider as she pressed her lips to Anton's cheek while thrusting the box into his arms. "Here, you carry it then!"

"Hey!" He scrambled to catch the package, frowning when things jingled and clinked inside. His eyes widened. "You better hope there ain't nuthin' breakable in here!"

A playful smirk on the set of her mouth, Alli worked her way to his side, inching her fingers under the hem of his shirt to tickle the tender flesh along his bridge.

"Ack! Alli, Stop. Stop it. You little- I'm gonna- eek! Alli, seriously, this ain't my shit!" Anton squirmed and writhed as she continued her playful assault on him, laughing so hard anyone would've thought it was her being tickled.

Yuuta's squeak brought their antics to a halt.

Yuuta clicked his tongue in irritation as he navigated passed Alli and Anton on the steps up to their apartment with his own load. Hopefully, that clinking meant easily replaced dishware rather than unique, sentimental knickknacks. If Devon had labeled her boxes, he would have made sure to claim the most delicate. As it was, he was relying on his intuition for what was most precious. Thus far, he was three for three.

Gliding swiftly up the steps, he made it to the apartment well ahead of the lovebirds. He headed straight for Alli's old room, her having moved in with Anton, unconcerned with giving their parents a coronary, or at least their dads, well Raph mostly. He didn't mind. It had made some much-needed space after all.

His heart skipped a beat or two as he stepped into the room where Devon knelt in a pool of sunlight, streaming in through the window, trying to assemble one of those modular bookshelves where the instructions were written in hieroglyphs.

Hearing the noise, he purposefully made, she turned to look up at him, her dark, blonde hair flopping over her eyes, drawn up into a messy bun. Her frustrated frown broke into a wide smile upon seeing him, bringing forth his own involuntary smile in answer.

It still blew his mind that she was going to live with them. All the essential pieces that tied his life together and kept him from coming apart were somehow joining harmoniously. He tried not to dwell too much on getting everything he wanted, lest he jinx it, but family, friendship and love were all here now.

He'd always thought that falling in love was a gradual process taking place slowly over a span of years or decades, that those who fell hard and fast were either naive or delusional. But, looking back now, he was fairly certain that he'd been in love with Devon since the first night he met her. There was this inexplicable rightness to her and being together was more than easy, it felt inevitable. As though they'd always been and they belonged, like it was with Alli and Anton. While each day with her deepened that surety, the sense of it had been there from the start.

"How's it coming?" He signed.

"Piece B will not screw into piece L." She sighed.

A quick glance at the cryptic instructions told him that whatever pieces she had, probably weren't B and L. He scanned the pieces spread out across the floor, quickly picking out the correct ones and fitting them together.

Her brows rose. "How do you do that?"

He shrugged, grinning.

"That's it, forget the boxes. You're putting this thing together." She declared, moving towards the box, he'd set down upon entering.

As he set to work, he watched her open the box in the edge of his vision. No wonder it had been so heavy. The thing had been filled to the brim with books, some old and well worn. She ran her fingers affectionately over their spines, tracing the titles. Four for four on her important boxes.

"Dishes are in the kitchen, Alli's mixin' 'em in with all our stuff." Anton stuck his head in the room, seeing Yuuta at work on the bookshelf. "And it looks like I'm carryin' up the rest of the boxes by myself."

Devon laughed, arranging the books in categorical piles on the bed. "At the rate he's going, he'll be done before you are."

Anton snorted. "Not likely," but still rushed from the room with new haste.

Not likely indeed.

Yuuta abandoned his task and got up to wrap his arms around her from behind. To her credit, she sensed him coming and didn't startle, a recurring theme in the early days of their relationship, forcing him to learn to be loud. Her training was coming along well, despite how frequently she distracted him from instructing.

"So, do you have any plans for later?" He signed, moving his hands in front of her slowly as she'd be reading backwards.

"Well, my parents invited us to dinner with Donnie and April." She replied.

He let out a squeak of amusement. Meeting the parents had gone well. His mother approved of Devon, who had done an admirable job of not being weirded out by her. And her parents had taken to him after a mandatory period of grilling him on the honor of his intentions. Though, he'd say it upgraded from well to excellent upon introducing them to his brother.

They now couple-dated almost as often as he and Devon. Her mother and Donnie could speak freely and be understood, while her dad and April commiserated on the trials of being in love with a genius. They were in for another evening of listening to them speak in sciencese.

"So, do you have any plans for now?" He tried again.

With a giggle, she squirmed around to face him, pressing her body tightly against his in a manner that sent waves of delicious tingles all throughout him.

"I'd like to." She answered, voice tempting him.

"Hey, house rules." Anton called out.

Yuuta flipped the bird at the hallway, to the extent that such a thing was possible with an even number of digits. Then he shut the door with a flick of his tail and leaned into Devon.

ANTON

Faced with a closed door, Anton couldn't help but grin, despite Yuuta's flipping him the bird. Because his uncle was in love.

Alli came up alongside him, tugging on his arm. "Come on, leave them alone. I finished unpacking her dishes. There's not much left to bring up."

His grin widened as the breathtaking, petite creature he adored, tugged and pulled on him to no avail. He chuckled as her face grew serious, a perfect blush rising to her cheeks. Gods she was beautiful, and so much healthier than she'd been in a long time. Hooking an arm around her waist he pulled her to him, shuffling his way toward their bedroom. "Yer really cute thinkin' yer gonna move me."

She flashed him an indignant look. "I was trying the nice way." A coy smile toyed at the corners of her lips as she lifted a finger to his shirt, moving it in little circles over his plastron.

"Nah, nice woulda been askin' me ta come wit ya. You were bein' pushy." He laughed as he leaned in close, whispering in her ear. "I'd like ta shut our door for a time out." His lips grazed her neck, eliciting a soft moan. His heart thrummed hard against his plastron. But the alarm sounding on his phone reminded him he had somewhere to be.

"What's that about?" Alli straightened, scowling at the beeping device. "Who or what dares come between me and my Anton time?"

"Your dad. I'm having lunch with him." He moved in to kiss her, but Alli turned her head, pouting. She really could be a spoiled brat. He smirked. She was his spoiled brat and he loved her.

Settling for giving her a peck on the forehead, he was amused by her attempt to continue being not-really mad. Her bottom lip stuck out and he kinda wanted to suck on it. Shaking his head, he backed away. "I gotta go, but I should be back in like an hour."

Her eyes widened. "What? I can't come?"

"Sorry, Al. It's just me and your dad." He rumpled her hair, immediately dodging her retaliatory punch.

"Quit, Anton! My hair's already a mess!" She tugged the rubber band out, combed her fingers through and tied it back up, every bit as messy. "Why can't I come? Who's going to eat lunch with me?"

"You'll be fine. I'm bringin' back an Alli-bird special just fer you. Eat some chips and dip till I get back." He reached out to hug her.

Arms crossed, she leaned her head against his chest. Tiny victories still felt huge to him. Chips and dip, actual junk food had recently reappeared on Alli's menu, and he could've bought her every chip known to man he was so happy.

His alarm went off again and she pulled away. "Well I guess the sooner you go, the sooner you get back. I don't like you meeting up with my dad alone though. That usually ends in a party of some sort, and I'm pretty partied out after helping with Drea's littlest students at hers." She flopped back on their bed with a sigh. "Is it your mom's birthday you're planning? I know hers is next."

Ignoring her question, he moved toward the door. If he didn't go now he wasn't going, because seeing her in his bed still sent tremors through him. "I'll be back before ya know it, Al. Love you!" He called from the hall.

"Love you more."

Those were the most perfect words he never tired of hearing. Usually he'd argue his love surpassed hers, but today he was running late for a very important date.