A/N: This is really both hugs AND trailing fingers through hair.
Justus came up behind Rachelle while she was folding laundry and wrapped his arms around her gently, tucking his chin over her shoulder. "You okay?" he asked softly.
A half dozen retorts sprang to mind, but she bit her tongue on all of them and nodded shortly.
She had thirteen of his shirts to fold and several of her own. Justus didn't let go of her, but loosened his grip only as needed.
When she the last white undershirt neatly topped a stack, she bumped his chin with her face. He withdrew enough to let her turn around in his arms. She studied his face intently for several long moments, trailing her fingers up the back of his neck to tangle in his short blonde hair. He waited, studying her back. Usually he was the one who couldn't keep his hands off her hair.
Finally, she hummed thoughtfully to herself and turned, slipping out of his light embrace, to put away the shirts in the drawers and closet.
"What are you thinking?" he asked behind her, not calling by a name. Justus had a habit of choosing the handle that matched her mood best.
Rachelle shook her head, casual shrug, and threw out, "Have you ever thought of contacting them?"
She heard the sharp intake of his breath. There was no wondering between them who she referred to—his birth family. He had reasons for not contacting them, but she had reasons to believe he needed them.
"She's going to be all right," he said suddenly, softly.
She looked amused. "She? What makes you so sure it's a girl?"
His look turned annoyed. "I want it to be a girl."
Rachelle laughed quietly. "Well, you're out of luck. It's a boy with dark brown hair and dimpled cheeks."
At her words, Justus froze, breath caught at the realization that she knew that, and it had never occured to him that she would.
She hung up the last button-up and closed the closet door. "I think we should name him Joseph—after your brother and mine."
For a long time, Justus said nothing. Then at last, before she could slide past him with the laundry basket, he caught her own long hair in his fingers and nodded shortly.
Kingdoms and Thorn Ficlet: Family
Justus came up behind Rachelle while she was folding laundry and wrapped his arms around her gently, tucking his chin over her shoulder. "You okay?" he asked softly.
A half dozen retorts sprang to mind, but she bit her tongue on all of them and nodded shortly.
She had thirteen of his shirts to fold and several of her own. Justus didn't let go of her, but loosened his grip only as needed.
When she the last white undershirt neatly topped a stack, she bumped his chin with her face. He withdrew enough to let her turn around in his arms. She studied his face intently for several long moments, trailing her fingers up the back of his neck to tangle in his short blonde hair. He waited, studying her back. Usually he was the one who couldn't keep his hands off her hair.
Finally, she hummed thoughtfully to herself and turned, slipping out of his light embrace, to put away the shirts in the drawers and closet.
"What are you thinking?" he asked behind her, not calling by a name. Justus had a habit of choosing the handle that matched her mood best.
Rachelle shook her head, casual shrug, and threw out, "Have you ever thought of contacting them?"
She heard the sharp intake of his breath. There was no wondering between them who she referred to—his birth family. He had reasons for not contacting them, but she had reasons to believe he needed them.
"She's going to be all right," he said suddenly, softly.
She looked amused. "She? What makes you so sure it's a girl?"
His look turned annoyed. "I want it to be a girl."
Rachelle laughed quietly. "Well, you're out of luck. It's a boy with dark brown hair and dimpled cheeks."
At her words, Justus froze, breath caught at the realization that she knew that, and it had never occured to him that she would.
She hung up the last button-up and closed the closet door. "I think we should name him Joseph—after your brother and mine."
For a long time, Justus said nothing. Then at last, before she could slide past him with the laundry basket, he caught her own long hair in his fingers and nodded shortly.