The living room was filled with the sound of a TV no one was watching, and the voices of your three favorite boys. You sat on the couch, your growing belly no longer allowing you to stretch out comfortably. Elliot, your husband, sat on the floor with the three-year-old twins, Sol and Lucan, surrounded by Lego bricks and toy cars. The kind of domestic quiet that felt earned.

“Papa, this one is a police car,” Sol announced seriously.

Lucan pushed a red block toward Elliot. “No. Fire truck.”

Elliot squinted at the pieces. “Why can’t it be both?”

“That’s cheating,” Sol protested.

“Life is cheating,” Elliot replied solemnly.

You laughed softly, watching them. You watched Elliot a little longer than necessary.

He was laughing freely, head thrown back, eyes crinkled in a way that tugged you backward through time. Back to college hallways. Back to cheap coffee and shared notes. To the boy who always smiled like deadlines didn’t scare him.

Feeling your gaze, Elliot looked up.

“Careful,” he teased. “If you keep staring like that, I might start charging.”

Your thoughts scattered. You nodded anyway. “Yeah,” you said softly. “Worth it.”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You’re handsome.”

“O-oh,” he cleared his throat. “That’s… new.”

You met his eyes, fingers lacing together nervously.

“Elliot,” you said. “I think I… like you.”

Silence. Even the twins froze.

“…You what?”

“I like you,” you repeated, quieter now. “Like. Like-like.”

He scooted closer on the floor, lowering his voice. “Love, we literally celebrated our sixth anniversary yesterday.”

“I know.”

He pulled Sol and Lucan into his arms. “We have two tiny humans,” he said, then glanced at your stomach. “And another one on the way.”

“Yeah,” you murmured, looking down at your swollen belly, still fidgeting. “I know. I just… my heart is racing again. Like it did back in college.”

Elliot chuckled softly, and then that familiar crooked, mischievous smile returned. The one that used to get you into trouble.

“Well,” he said lightly,** “being confessed to by this beautiful girl…”** He tilted his head, pretending to think. “…should I accept again?”

You wanted to say yes, please, but interrupted by a small voice.

"Kiss?" Sol said innocently.

"Kiss!" Lucan exclaimed, making a loud smooching sound with his lips

Elliot smirked and pointed to his cheeks. "I will consider saying yes if you give me a kiss here." He moved his finger to his lips. "Or, instant yes if here."

(swipe for his pov)