Birthday Hug and Cuddle for Kylie - A very Happy Birthday, dear K!

(Newly written; not previously published on tumblr.)

Puppy Piles

She wakes to the trickle of pale morning sunlight that sneaks through the blinds, and pulls the comforter back over her head with a groan. Turning over, she reaches across the bed but finds his side empty, the sheets already cold. It must be later than she thought; she must've slept in.

She sighs, curls deeper into the blankets, surprised by the sharp longing that suddenly spears through her. She wants him here, wants to crawl on his chest, feel his strong arms wrap around her, wants to just be held for a while.

She's turning 40 today. Forty years old. An odd kind of milestone. Past her prime, maybe? She doesn't know, feels confused why it matters, a little morose for even caring. Age is but a number, right?

Just when she thinks the house seems unusually silent, she hears little feet scuffing on the hardwood, the adorable sound of small giggles coming nearer, and then her husband's low voice. "Shhh, let's not wake mommy."

Her smile comes automatically, stretches across her cheeks as warmth unfurls inside of her, crawls into her limbs. She slowly drags herself up, scoots against the headboard with her knees drawn up, rubbing the grit from her eyes.

"I'm up," she calls out to them, and no sooner than the words have left her mouth, the door handle pops down and the door flies open.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy," her little boy comes racing inside, leaping on the bed and right on top of her. She barely manages to reach her arms out to catch him. "It's your birthday, mommy!"

"I know, baby," she hums, trying to hold him still as he bounces on her lap, his wild hair flopping over his forehead.

"What do you say, little man?" Castle reminds him and he startles, his eyes wide as he thinks.

"Uh yeah!" He grabs her face with his chubby hands, his fingers sticky with what she presumes is likely jam, looking earnestly at her as he announces, "Happy Birthday, mommy!"

"Thank you, my sweet boy." She eskimo-kisses his nose, and he giggles, and then her little boy just flops down on her, his face pressed into the curve of her neck. Kate cuddles him to her side, blinking up at Castle with a grin.

"I would've made you coffee," he apologizes with a shrug, "but I had my hands full." One of their girls is sitting on each of his hips, and he's trying to hold on to them as he walks up to the side of the bed. It's one of the most adorable things she's ever seen. Her heart leaps; she just loves him so much.

The twins start squirming to get down, little arms reaching for her and she holds out her hand for them. Castle carefully lets the toddlers drop onto the bed and then they're crawling onto her too, snuggled to her chest and wiggled over her lap, a coil of arms and chubby legs and baby cheeks, and she tightens her arms around all of them, inhaling the sweet scent of her daughter's head.

"They all wanted to see you," he states superfluously, laughing, and she looks up at him with a smile.

"Well, get in here too," she urges, and he hurries around the bed, slides in on his side. Curling an arm behind her back, he tugs her to his chest and she sinks against him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"It's like a pile of puppies, isn't it?" He grins and she laughs, surveying the pile of children draped over her; her beautiful, sweet babies.

She turns for him, kissing his cheek, her lips lingering against his chin, still raspy with morning scruff. "Thank you," she hums, relaxing against him because this, all of this-

It's everything.