Prompt: From Anonymous - The Snuggie Universe definitely needs a third installment (at the very least!).
I hope you like this, Anon!
Tea and Snuggies
"Daddy, what you doing?"
Rick sits up, fighting the urge to groan as his back protests the last hour and a half spent hunched over. He should be writing, but he's taking a short hiatus from the keyboard to work on another project – a very important project, no less – but his attention is needed somewhere else now that Lily's up from her nap.
"Hey, little flower," he rumbles, watching his daughter's nose scrunch in delight at the nickname. Kate always calls her that; he tends to stick with the name he'd given her in utero, but today it springs from his lips easily. "I'm making something for you."
Lily brightens, her smile stretching wide across her face. "Fo' me?"
He allows a soft chuckle to escape his chest as he reaches for her, lifting her onto his knee. "Uh huh. You know the cuddle blankets Mommy and I have?" he asks, smoothing his thumb over the crease her pillow has left on her cheek.
His daughter nods, leaning into his palm, her eyelids slipping shut for a few brief seconds before they flutter open once again, pinning him with a look of expectation. He hums, dusting a kiss to her forehead; she's so much like her mother sometimes.
"I'm making you one," Rick murmurs, watching her bolt up, her gaze snapping between him and the fleece material on the table in front of him.
Technically, he's already made her one – when they first found out Kate was pregnant, he'd sewn a tiny baby-sized Snuggie – but she'd only worn it a few times before outgrowing the gift. His wife had been worried about Lily overheating, worried she might choke if they fastened it and worried she might tangle herself in it if they didn't, so they had reserved the Snuggie for walks in the park on particularly cold days. Now that she's older, he's confident she'll get more use out of it.
"It's so soft and pwetty, Daddy."
He grins, touching his lips to her hair. He'd picked a pattern similar to the one he'd chosen for Kate years ago. It's not exact – the elephants are a little more cartoonish, the colors a little more pastel – but it's close. "I'm glad you like it, Sprout."
Lily beams back at him, hooking an arm around his neck and yanking him into an exuberant – albeit slightly choking – hug.
"I'll finish it soon, okay? What do you say we go play right now?"
His daughter thinks for a moment, looking back at the fabric again. "I can help you?"
"You want to help me finish your Snuggie?" Lily nods. "Instead of playing a game?" Another nod. "If you're sure."
She groans, flopping against his shoulder. "Yes, Daddy."
Rick snickers, nodding into her hair. "Kiss please, then we'll get started."
Lily makes a show of taking his cheeks between her palms, locking eyes with him before smacking a deliberate kiss on his forehead. Little goof.
"Dere."
"There," he echoes, squeezing her. He's biased, he knows, but his daughter is one of the most adorable toddlers on the planet. "Okay, you hold this piece right here, make sure it stays flat, and we'll sew the pocket."
Lily nods, her tongue pushing between her lips, ready to concentrate on the task ahead.
Together they do surprisingly efficient work, managing to complete everything except for a few details – the Velcro on the back and hemming the sleeves – before Lily begins to squirm on his knee. Rick stills her with a hand to her belly, promising it won't be much longer.
"What do you want to do after we finish this?" he asks, trying to distract her from her boredom long enough to be able to complete the project. He's so close. He just has a couple more things he needs to do.
The princess tea party answer doesn't surprise him in the least, nor does the request to wear her new "cuddle blanket."
"Perfect, Sprout," he agrees, running the first side of the Velcro through the machine. "We can see if Mommy wants in on this party, too."
"I can ask her?" Lily offers, twisting in his arms, looking so hopeful and eager, he can't deny her.
"Sure you can, baby," he says, checking to make sure his wife hasn't already texted. She usually doesn't leave the precinct for another forty-five minutes, but there's always a possibility that they'll be able to tempt her away from her desk sooner than that. Especially if Lily's the one doing the enticing. "Just press this and tell Mommy what we're doing."
She nods, proceeding to record possibly the world's most adorable audio message asking her mother if she wants to join their party, tapping the send button with a flourish when she's done.
"That was a great message," Rick praises, sewing the last of the Velcro as she beams. "Mommy's going to love it."
He's putting the finishing touches on Lily's Snuggie when Kate replies, letting them know she's on her way. Rick smiles, kissing his daughter's cheek. "Time to get ready for our party; Mommy's going to be here soon."
Lily grins, squirming down from his lap and scampering off to find her princess tea party supplies. He follows a minute later, three Snuggies in hand, already anticipating the look on Kate's face when she realizes it's not just any old princess tea party this time around.
She's going to love it, though. Just as she loves her daughter, just as she loves him, and just as she loves her blanket with sleeves.
