to hold back his laughter, he tried to grab hold of Sylvia, only laughing harder when she started to smack his arm. “Sweetheart, I think it’s safe to say your talents lie outside the kitchen.”
She snarled like a cute little kitten.
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Aw, sweetie. You’re so cute when you’re trying to be mean.”
She huffed and puffed, but eventually she settled down against him. “I hate you all.”
“Mm-hm.” Magnus was far too busy enjoying the feel of her in his arms to argue with her. He settled his cheek against the top of her head and closed his eyes, humming happily under his breath.
“You suck.”
“Mm-hm.” He rocked her back and forth, swaying gently in time with the music of their heartbeats.
She sighed deeply and relaxed in his arms. “Damn it.”
He chuckled. “You sound so disgusted with yourself.”
“I caved like a spineless jellyfish, all because you hummed.”
So instead of the tuneless nothing he’d been doing he started humming “The Gummy Bear Song”.
She didn’t react at all in the way he’d expected. She pulled free and, instead of laughing (or beating on him), she took one look at Syd and started singing.
The two women danced around each other, head banging when they sang the beba bi duba duba yum yum part of the song until he was laughing so hard he was clutching his sides. They looked utterly ridiculous, dancing some strange Snoopy dance and flopping around like idiots.
He’d never seen Sylvia like this, playing and being silly and just loving life. She was flushed, smiling and laughing, at ease in her own skin despite the fact that she looked like she had some weird floppy head disorder. When she Muppet-flailed he finally understood what women meant when they said they would die from cuteness overload.
She was absolutely adorkable and having the time of her life. He needed to make sure she got more moments like these, where she felt comfortable enough to just let go and let her inner geek out to play.
“What the fuck did you do to them?” Slade was next to him, watching the antics of the two women with a bemused, utterly charmed smile. “You finally broke them, didn’t you?”
“That’s one of the most annoying songs in the universe. I think I like it.” Logan was watching from the kitchen doorway, a huge grin on his face. Jordan was tucked against him, holding her stomach as she, too, lost herself in laughter. Kir was right behind them both, his head tucked against Logan’s neck, one hand on each of their shoulders.
Val merely stood, his gaze glued to Syd, looking utterly gobsmacked. A slow, hungry smile crossed his face as Syd gyrated like a woman covered in itching powder. Magnus didn’t even know arms could bend like that without breaking, but Syd must be part Gumby.
When they finished their song Magnus and Slade both clapped, the rest of the family soon doing the same. Sylvia bowed, but Syd curtsied, each woman flushed and happy. Sylvia threw herself into his arms, grinning widely, just so pleased with herself she was read to burst.
Syd looked just as happy until she caught sight of Val watching her and hid once more behind Magnus. “Eep.”
The scowl Val suddenly sported wasn’t helping his cause. He threw his hands up in disgust. “I didn’t do anything!”
Syd shook so hard Magnus was afraid she’d hurt herself.
Val sighed wearily. “I’ll go eat breakfast at my place.”
“Uncle Val, please don’t.” Jordan held out her hand to him, distressed.
Val shook his head. “I tell you what. I’ll come back, all right?” He sounded almost depressed. “Syd, I swear I won’t hurt you.”
There was the ring of magic in his words, a vow he was now bound to, but Syd didn’t move. She merely nodded, but she was tucked so far behind Magnus he wasn’t sure if Val could see it or not.
“Okay?” Val sounded unsure, so perhaps he hadn’t seen Syd’s assent.
“Okay,” she muttered.
Val started to leave, but froze
She snarled like a cute little kitten.
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Aw, sweetie. You’re so cute when you’re trying to be mean.”
She huffed and puffed, but eventually she settled down against him. “I hate you all.”
“Mm-hm.” Magnus was far too busy enjoying the feel of her in his arms to argue with her. He settled his cheek against the top of her head and closed his eyes, humming happily under his breath.
“You suck.”
“Mm-hm.” He rocked her back and forth, swaying gently in time with the music of their heartbeats.
She sighed deeply and relaxed in his arms. “Damn it.”
He chuckled. “You sound so disgusted with yourself.”
“I caved like a spineless jellyfish, all because you hummed.”
So instead of the tuneless nothing he’d been doing he started humming “The Gummy Bear Song”.
She didn’t react at all in the way he’d expected. She pulled free and, instead of laughing (or beating on him), she took one look at Syd and started singing.
The two women danced around each other, head banging when they sang the beba bi duba duba yum yum part of the song until he was laughing so hard he was clutching his sides. They looked utterly ridiculous, dancing some strange Snoopy dance and flopping around like idiots.
He’d never seen Sylvia like this, playing and being silly and just loving life. She was flushed, smiling and laughing, at ease in her own skin despite the fact that she looked like she had some weird floppy head disorder. When she Muppet-flailed he finally understood what women meant when they said they would die from cuteness overload.
She was absolutely adorkable and having the time of her life. He needed to make sure she got more moments like these, where she felt comfortable enough to just let go and let her inner geek out to play.
“What the fuck did you do to them?” Slade was next to him, watching the antics of the two women with a bemused, utterly charmed smile. “You finally broke them, didn’t you?”
“That’s one of the most annoying songs in the universe. I think I like it.” Logan was watching from the kitchen doorway, a huge grin on his face. Jordan was tucked against him, holding her stomach as she, too, lost herself in laughter. Kir was right behind them both, his head tucked against Logan’s neck, one hand on each of their shoulders.
Val merely stood, his gaze glued to Syd, looking utterly gobsmacked. A slow, hungry smile crossed his face as Syd gyrated like a woman covered in itching powder. Magnus didn’t even know arms could bend like that without breaking, but Syd must be part Gumby.
When they finished their song Magnus and Slade both clapped, the rest of the family soon doing the same. Sylvia bowed, but Syd curtsied, each woman flushed and happy. Sylvia threw herself into his arms, grinning widely, just so pleased with herself she was read to burst.
Syd looked just as happy until she caught sight of Val watching her and hid once more behind Magnus. “Eep.”
The scowl Val suddenly sported wasn’t helping his cause. He threw his hands up in disgust. “I didn’t do anything!”
Syd shook so hard Magnus was afraid she’d hurt herself.
Val sighed wearily. “I’ll go eat breakfast at my place.”
“Uncle Val, please don’t.” Jordan held out her hand to him, distressed.
Val shook his head. “I tell you what. I’ll come back, all right?” He sounded almost depressed. “Syd, I swear I won’t hurt you.”
There was the ring of magic in his words, a vow he was now bound to, but Syd didn’t move. She merely nodded, but she was tucked so far behind Magnus he wasn’t sure if Val could see it or not.
“Okay?” Val sounded unsure, so perhaps he hadn’t seen Syd’s assent.
“Okay,” she muttered.
Val started to leave, but froze
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