Author: Shadowfax27
Fandom: CSI: Miami
Pairing: Eric/Ryan
Category: Humor, Fluff
Fic Rating: PG-13 for some sexual innuendo - it's the Hardy Boys! Can you blame me?
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the cute little Halloween Penguin who decided to nudge me off the couch as I was watching CSI: Miami Monday night.
Summary: Ryan and Eric take their daughter trick or treating.
A/N: It's been a while since I wrote anything, eh? RL and the absence of a reliable PC are to blame. But now I'm back (slowly but surely!), and I promise to post the last chapter of "Boys Come Undone" by next week. In the meantime, I'm trying something sort of new for me. I'm gonna keep these chapters fairly short so that they're manageable. Oh, and for the record, I haven't gone trick or treating since I was 17, but I do remember a lot of what we did back then. So I'm basing this fic on some of my personal experience.
Written Entirely For: [info]alligator138 I put a little personal touch in here, so I hope you don't mind. You'll see what I mean soon. This is terribly fluffy, but I hope you like it. *huggles tight*
***
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Let down your golden hair!"
A series of squeals and giggles, followed by the unmistakable pitter-patter of tiny princess feet echoed through the brightly lit hallway of the second floor. The cacophony of delighted sounds reverberated off the cream-colored walls, bouncing off the hardwood staircase, and into the waiting ears of one very attentive royal horse - a Cuban stallion, to be exact.
He saw a pair of dainty slippered feet stop just a few steps down from the second floor landing, and with a flourish inherent in six-year old girls who dreamed about fairy tales and "happily ever afters", she tossed her long, braided, golden blonde hair over the banister and giggled even more.
"Whoa! That's quite some hair you got there, princess!" Eric beamed as he reached up and lightly tugged on the fake hair, running down about three and a half feet in length.
"Papa!" The little girl tittered but spoke to him in a teasing, admonishing tone, "You're not s'posed to call me 'punzel. Only the han-some prince can call my name!"
"Oh, right. Yes, of course," Eric rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Only the handsome prince can call you to let down your hair. Well, what am I then?"
"You..." he heard the unmistakable and amused voice of his lover as he came down the stairs, "...are supposed to be the royal aaa— I mean horse. The royal horse."
"I heard that."
"Yeah, well..." Ryan shrugged and stood a few steps down from where their daughter stood. "It's either that or be the wicked old hag who imprisoned our little princess in the tower."
"I could've been the handsome prince, you know?" Eric interjected half grudgingly.
Still amused, the younger man merely looked at him and chuckled, "Yeah, you could have. But we let Ali choose, didn't we? And she chose me. Guess I made a more handsome prince."
Ryan winked on that last remark, knowing that it would annoy the heck out of his lover.
The older man huffed and grunted before making a suspicious whinnying sound in the back of his throat. He crossed his arms and was mumbling something about "princes" and "being handsome" and "playing favorites with their daughter" and something that sounded a lot like "royal pain in my ass" under his breath when Ali gave an elated "Weeeeee!"
That seemed to dispel any grudges on the part of the Cuban, and he looked up just in time to see Ryan scoop up their daughter under her armpits, turn around on the steps, and then carry her down the rest of the stairs at arm's length, her teeny feet dangling like pretty little chandelier.
Ryan set her down in the foyer, and both men took the time to inspect and admire their finished handiwork for the first time.
Except for the little pink princess dress, slippers, and braided wig and tiara that Ali wore, which they had bought beforehand from the local Halloween specialty store in the mall, the rest of her costume was painstakingly agonized over by both of her dads for over a week.
Yes, it took them that many nights to draw up the plans and find the supplies necessary to make a convincing looking tower that they could both agree on - a tower that would be long enough to encase their daughter in but not too difficult to create.
The tower had to fit her just so, but it also had to be loose enough so that she could get in and out of it easily and be able to walk in it by herself. The result was an impressive single-piece, lightweight cardboard concoction that was conical in shape and widened gradually at the base like a laboratory flask. The bottom of the tower came up at just around the ankle area so that "people could see my princess feet," as Ali had so keenly put it.
Then they left one small window for their daughter's face to look out of (and her hair to fall through) in the top "tower" section of the costume and two small windows on either side of the main body of the tower for her arms to dangle from.
"Not bad," Eric smirked as he nodded his head.
"Yeah," Ryan agreed heartily, impressed with his own handiwork. "I dare say it looks like it was done by a professional."
"Yeah, but let's not forget who did the paint job," Eric winked.
"Ha! That's only because you couldn't draw a proper brick-stone!" Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes.
"Well, brick-stones aren't supposed to be in a straight line, querido," Eric objected, knowing how much his OCD-prone lover would love to argue the fact. "They're supposed to have imperfections. We're talking about ancient architecture here."
"Uh-huh. And if I had let you continue on drawing, then our daughter would've been encased inside the leaning tower of Pisa instead of a proper fairy tale tower," Ryan parried back.
"Can we go trick or treating now, please?" Ali's excited voice cut into their mock argument.
"Sure, sweetie. Just let me make sure that the royal horse is ready, and we'll be off in a minute," Ryan replied, turning to look at the Cuban teasingly.
"I'll show you what kind of a horse I am later, oh handsome Prince," Eric whispered hotly into the younger man's ear when Ryan took hold of his reins.
Shuddering, Ryan replied in kind, a challenge in hushed tone, "Oh yeah? You gonna give me the ride of my life?"
"Well, I am the royal stallion," Eric answered smugly, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Ryan snorted at the remark but didn't argue. He didn't take his eyes off his lover either. It felt a bit odd talking about naughty things to a horse costume, even if he could easily imagine the fine-looking man inside.
Eric was dressed head to toe just like a regal white steed with a royal purple and gold banner draped across his back. They had actually stumbled upon the costume at one of those rent-a-costume stores that specialized in medieval and fairy tale attires. Even so, the costume fitted his body well enough that the younger man could still see the faint traces of the Cuban's gorgeous physique underneath.
Ryan, on the other hand, was quite lucky to find a complete prince's attire in white and gold from the same store. He wore his hair sleeked back a bit, just like he used to style it when he was still working for Patrol, which reminded Eric of the first time they met at the scene of a bus crash all those many years ago.
The attire also reminded Eric of the kind of princely uniform that Prince Charming wore in "Cinderella" when they first met at the royal ball, and he thought proudly that his partner, in no uncertain terms, looked most devastatingly dashing in it.
Quite handsome, actually, in his proud and accurate opinion.
"Is everything ready for the 'trick or treaters'?" Eric asked offhandedly, aware and yet distracted by the way Ryan was running his fingers lightly over his costumed chest.
"Yep. The basket of candy's already out on the front porch with a sign to take only one piece."
"You really believe kids will follow that rule? Especially teenagers?"
Ryan shrugged, "Some probably will, but it doesn't matter. I'd rather all the candy be gone by the time we get back than have to hide them from Ali."
"Good point," Eric conceded, nodding.
"You look really han-some, Daddy," Ali cut in softly, a shy and adoring look in her dancing eyes.
"Why, thank you, darling," Ryan turned around, beaming proudly at their daughter.
"Hey! What about me?" Eric nearly whined, flailing his hoofed arms. "Doesn't your Papa look good too?"
Laughing heartily, Ali replied, "Yes, Papa. Like the bestest royal horse ever!"
"You hear that?" Eric nudged Ryan. "I'm 'the bestest royal horse ever' according to our daughter," he smirked.
Ryan was about to parry back with another sarcastic remark when Ali cut in unknowingly once more.
"How do I look?" she asked to no one in particular, turning to do a little pirouette.
"Absolutely gorgeous, princess!" Ryan replied with a smile.
"The most beautiful little princess we've ever seen!" Eric added, beaming.
Ali giggled once more at the compliment and then walked over to the coffee table to retrieve her "trick or treating" basket. They watched as she strode purposefully towards the front door, half waddling in the process.
"Coming, Daddy? Papa?"
"Right behind you, sweetie," Ryan replied.
And with that, Ryan tugged on his stallion's golden reins, and the three headed out into the night holding hands, Ali in the middle, holding both of her fathers' hands, an excited bounce in every one of her little steps as they went "trick or treating" from house to house and from townhome to townhome in their neighborhood on Halloween night.
Chapter 2 - System Of A Treat
"How do I look?" she asked to no one in particular, turning to do a little pirouette.
"Absolutely gorgeous, princess!" Ryan replied with a smile.
"The most beautiful little princess we've ever seen!" Eric added, beaming.
Ali giggled once more at the compliment and then walked over to the coffee table to retrieve her "trick or treating" basket. They watched as she strode purposefully towards the front door.
"Coming, Daddy? Papa?"
"Right behind you, sweetie," Ryan replied.
And with that, Ryan tugged on his stallion's golden reins, and the three headed out into the night holding hands, Ali in the middle, holding both of her fathers' hands, an excited bounce in every one of her little steps as they went "trick or treating" from house to house and from town home to town home in their neighborhood on Halloween night.
---
An hour and a half and a basket full of assorted candies and chocolates later, Ali and her two dads finally half-walked, half-galloped home. They reached their front door, and once inside, Ali scramble-waddled into the living room. She slipped out of her tower costume, which promptly toppled over to its side like a fallen castle of old and then proceeded to dump all of her acquisitions onto the rug-covered floor.
She sorted each treat into four different piles: chocolates, bubble gum, hard candies, and yuck.
"She gets that from you, you know?" Eric teased, watching his daughter in amusement.
"Well, treats do have a system, believe it or not," the other man replied flatly.
"Treats are meant to be unwrapped and enjoyed immediately," Eric countered.
"True. But how can you enjoy them if you don't know what all you got?"
"Riiiight. Sure. Whatever happened to being surprised?"
"Surprises can be good," Ryan agreed. "But after that, I need to know how much of everything I got so I can plan how many of each kind I should eat when."
Shaking his head, Eric replied, "Only you would say and do something like that. Oh... and teach it to our daughter."
"It's not that bad. Besides... I guess we all know who's going to get the 'yuck pile' tonight," Ryan returned, grinning smugly.
"Aw, why do I always get the 'yuck pile'?" Eric protested.
"Because you're the only one who likes licorice."
Eric rolled his eyes but didn't deny it. It was true that he was the only one who ate licorice, but that didn't mean he didn't like the chocolates and the other pieces of candy as well.
"You think she'll eat all of that?" Eric whispered conspiratorially, eyeing the treats on the floor.
"Eventually," Ryan answered. "And if I didn't know any better, I bet you she'll try to keep tabs of how many she ate from which pile."
"She gets that from you too," Eric teased.
"That's 'cause her Papa can't be trusted not to eat the treats when he thinks no one's looking," Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.
Chuckling, Eric conceded, "Yeah, well... You got me there."
"We're gonna have to hide some of that candy or she'll be bouncing off the walls like pinball on crack," Ryan reminded him, nodding towards their daughter.
"Agreed. Just as long as you don't touch my licorice," Eric added.
"You don't even have to worry," Ryan winked, smiling.
"Hey, you know the city's hosting a Halloween event at the Community Center tonight," Eric suddenly remembered. "Think we should check it out?"
"Sure, as long as Ali's up for it."
Taking his horse mask off for the first time, Eric sauntered over to their daughter's side and knelt. He took a few amused moments to watch their daughter work methodically on categorizing each of her treats before interrupting.
"How are you feeling, Sweetie?" Eric asked. "Are you tired yet?"
"Nope," Ali answered, sorting out her treats without looking at her Papa. "Don't wanna go to bed yet. I wanna eat candy."
Chuckling, Eric replied, "And you will, Sweetie. But I have a question to ask you. Can you stop what you're doing and listen to Papa for a minute?"
Sitting back on her haunches, Ali stopped sorting her treats and turned curious eyes on her Papa.
Just beyond the couch, Ryan smiled proudly, "That's my girl."
"Ali, would you like to go 'trick or treating' some more?"
Her face lit up all of a sudden, and she didn't even have to think about her answer. The words darted out of her mouth before she could remember that she wasn't finished organizing her edible little treasures.
"Uh-huh, that would be fun!" she nodded enthusiastically.
"Well, how would you like to take a ride over to the Center?" Eric now asked. "I heard they're having games there and giving away some more candy and some prizes. Maybe you could even join the costume contest," he suggested, a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Would you like that?"
"Yes, Papa. Can we go?" Ali asked, barely able to conceal her excitement as she stood up suddenly.
"What do you think, Daddy?" Eric asked Ryan, as if to put him on the spot.
Ali now turned pleading eyes on the shorter man, "Please, Daddy? Can we go to the Center? Pleeeeaase?"
Smiling indulgently, Ryan replied, "Okay, Ali. Just let me grab my keys and wallet, alright?"
"What? You're driving?" Eric frowned, standing up all of a sudden.
"Uh... yeah? Why?"
"Because I'm the one who always drives," Eric interjected.
"Not in that costume, you're not," Ryan opposed, smirking.
"It's the horse, isn't it?" Eric asked almost petulantly, to which Ryan merely laughed. "You think I can't drive the car with this on?"
"Not at all, oh brave steed." Ryan answered half-mockingly. "Not at all."
"Oh, ha-ha!"
"Oh, come on, Love," Ryan countered easily, sidling up to Eric before whispering lasciviously into his ear. "You're the horse; I'm the rider. Lets keep it that way, shall we? Why don't you just let things be for now and let me do all the driving and riding tonight, yeah?"
Mischievous hazel greens sparkled wickedly as they met stunned chocolate browns. And before the Cuban could react or respond, Ryan winked at him slyly before leaving his side and prancing up the stairs to retrieve his wallet and keys.
It took Eric a few seconds to comprehend what exactly Ryan had told him, but once his partner's nominally cryptic message finally sunk in, he shook his head and had a devious leer on full display by the time Ryan came down the stairs.
"What?" Ryan asked, feigning innocence as soon as he saw the look on his lover's face.
Grabbing his elbow, Eric leaned in and whispered hotly, "Save some energy, oh Prince. Because tonight, we'll see exactly what kind of a rider you really are."
"Does that mean I'll have to tame you?" Ryan spoke lowly, his eyes shifting back and forth between the Cuban's eyes and full lips. "'Cause you know I like my stallion wild."
Eric grunted, a cocky lopsided grin slowly stretching his mouth, "We'll see, querido. We'll find out soon if you can handle riding this stallion."
And with a wicked leer that had Ryan blushing like a bumbling schoolgirl, Eric let go of his elbow, picked up his horse's head, Ali's tower costume, and her now-empty basket, and headed towards the garage without giving the younger man a second glance.
That said, Ryan felt his stomach somersaulting into giddy little flip-flops, each flip and flop causing his heart to beat faster and faster until he could feel his face flushing even more. He knew he was bound to lose control if he didn't get a grip on his building anticipation.
And so, taking a few deep breaths to calm his heart's excited flutter, he turned his attention towards his daughter, bowed in a princely manner, and held out his left hand with exaggerated gusto.
"Are you ready to go, princess?" he asked in his most charming and chivalrous voice.
Grinning broadly, Ali took her Daddy's hand and answered, "Take me away, Daddy! Let's go trick or treating again!"
And with that, Daddy and daughter headed into the garage, got into the car with their steed, and then drove east about ten minutes towards the Miami-Dade Community Center.Chapter 3 - Come One, Come All!
And with a wicked leer that had Ryan blushing like a bumbling schoolgirl, Eric let go of his elbow, picked up his horse's head, Ali's tower costume, and her now-empty basket, and headed towards the garage without giving the younger man a second glance.
That said, Ryan felt his stomach somersaulting into giddy little flip-flops, each flip and flop causing his heart to beat faster and faster until he could feel his face flushing even more. He knew he was bound to lose control if he didn't get a grip on his building anticipation.
And so, taking a few deep breaths to calm his heart's excited flutter, he turned his attention towards his daughter, bowed in a princely manner, and held out his left hand with exaggerated gusto.
"Are you ready to go, princess?" he asked in his most charming and chivalrous voice.
Grinning broadly, Ali took her Daddy's hand and answered, "Take me away, Daddy! Let's go trick or treating again!"
And with that, Daddy and daughter headed into the garage, got into the car with their steed, and then drove east about ten minutes towards the Miami-Dade Community Center.
---
Exactly ten minutes later, Ryan pulled into the Center. He parked the car, and the trio began to walk towards the entrance of the main building.
The décor and the spooky but jovial atmosphere inside at once impressed them. It had a "Come one, come all!" ambiance, and it took them no time at all to get into the fun and festive spirit of the event.
Inside, there were plenty of simple carnival-type games, which were set up in individual booths, and a couple of small non-scary haunted houses for the kids to enjoy. Various community organizations and businesses were also there to advertise and help host some of the activities.
They arrived just in time for the "Kindergarten Costume Contest," which Ali promptly entered. Each child who registered was given a number and then he or she would parade his or her costume across the small stage, where they were then judged.
There were about eighteen to twenty kids who had entered the contest for Ali's age batch, all with varying costume designs. But none were, as her fathers would like to believe, as impressive as Ali's "Rapunzel in a Tower" ensemble, which, of course, received the loudest accolades from her two dads.
After each age group had gotten a chance to model their costumes, then the judging and awarding began. They waited patiently for the judges to make their decisions, and before long, they were calling out the winners from each division. Ali ended up winning second place overall from her group plus the "Most Creative Costume" award out of all the age groups put together.
Both of her dads clapped loudly and cheered her on, their faces a picture of glee at their daughter, who had modeled her costume quite confidently for a six-year old, and pure triumph for their painstaking but imaginative handiwork. They couldn't be prouder at what they'd accomplished together as a family, and several of the other parents and spectators complimented them and their daughter for her very creative and original costume.
After the contest, Ali decided to leave her tower for a little while, entrusting its care to her Papa. Then fathers and daughter went around the different booths to play games and win some more candy prizes. Ali got to play ring and beanbag tosses, went fishing for some small toy prizes, and got her picture taken with a human scarecrow.
She also participated in a princess cupcake walk and human checkers with the help of her two dads. She went through both kiddy haunted houses four times alone back-to-back-to-back-to-back, and before the end of the night, got colorful and sparkly fairy wings painted on her face and around her eyes.
They were just about to head out when Ali spotted one more station she hadn't visited, a series of mewling sounds and the sight of furry feet catching her attention.
Tugging on her Daddy's and her Papa's hands, she pulled them along towards the information booth with surprising strength for a six-year old. And there, behind the booth of the Dade County Humane Society, Ali let go of her fathers' hands, swooped down, and then scooped up a newborn black and white kitten, whom she promptly fell in love with.
"Awwww..." Ali purred, cuddling and stroking the little fur ball in her teeny arms. "He likes me, Papa! And he's soooo cute! Can we take him home with us? Daddy? Please?"
The two men exchanged glances.
"How come she only asks you whenever we have to take stuff home?" Eric asked teasingly.
"That's 'cause she knows you always cave," Ryan answered matter-of-factly.
"Ha!"
"Yep, she has you wrapped around her little fingers, and she knows it," Ryan chuckled.
"Oh, you say that like you're not wrapped around her fingers yourself," Eric retorted.
"I am," Ryan conceded readily. "But at least I don't give in as easily as you do. I make her work for it."
"Yeah, whatever," Eric smirked, rolling his eyes. "We'll see how long you last once she starts giving you those big puppy eyes," he nearly threatened.
"You just had to teach her that, didn't you?" Ryan accused, feigning offense but unable to hold back a smile.
"No, sir. I didn't have to teach her anything," Eric denied, throwing his hands up in innocence. "She got that puppy look from you," he pointed out.
Ryan couldn't argue with that. It was true that he was the one in the relationship who used that look a lot, especially when it came to getting what he wanted. Maybe Ali had unconsciously picked it up and imitated it, seeing how well the puppy eyes worked to her Daddy's advantage most of the time, especially when dealing with her Papa.
Maybe it really was learned behavior.
"Daddy?"
Ali's voice cut into Ryan's train of thought, and he looked down to see his daughter giving him said puppy look as she held the kitten close to her chest, cuddling it with her right cheek.
"See?" Eric nudged, smirking as if to prove a point. "What did I tell you?"
Rolling his eyes at his partner, Ryan sighed and knelt in front of his daughter.
There was no point in denying it now.
He'd been had, he knew.
"Ali Sweetie..." he began, his tone gentle but serious all at once, "a kitten's not a toy, you understand? You'll have to take care of it and feed it and clean after it and play with it if you get one," he tried to explain.
"I know, Daddy," Ali nodded. "But it's okay. Papa's gonna help me take care of him."
"Wh- What?" Eric nearly choked when he heard his daughter's words implicate him. "How the heck did I get dragged into this?"
From his position, Ryan turned to look up at the taller man and failed to suppress the snicker that suddenly bubbled out of his chest when he caught the bewildered look on his partner's face. The Cuban glared at him in return, shaking his head and mumbling something in Spanish that Ryan didn't quite catch.
He turned his attention back to his daughter.
"That's good, Ali. Papa can help you take care of the kitten."
Ryan said this, knowing that it would cause the Cuban to stop his ranting and glare at his back even more. He hid his smirk and tried to ignore the eyes that were beginning to burn holes in the back of his head.
"But he's gonna be your kitten, okay?" Ryan continued. "And that means that you have to be the first one, the main one, to take care of him."
"I'll take care of him, Daddy," Ali assured him, her big green eyes sparkling with sincerity. "I promise."
"Papa?" Ryan now turned his attention back on Eric as he stood up. "What do you think about Ali getting this kitten?"
"I think Daddy needs to help us take care of the kitten. Don't you agree, Sweetie?" Eric asked in such a sickly sweet way that it was all Ryan could do not to wipe that mocking smirk off his face.
He should've known his lover would pull something like this.
"Yeah!" Ali nearly jumped up and down. "Daddy too! Daddy too!"
"Okay, okay!" Ryan nearly hollered, grinning broadly despite the trick that had just suckered him into adopting and taking care of a newborn kitten.
Ali continued to hold her kitten close as her dads spoke to one of the representatives about adopting said feline. They filled out a reservation form, put in a small "good faith" deposit, and promised to visit the shelter the very next day to formally register and adopt the kitten.
Naturally, their daughter was disappointed when she found out she couldn't take the kitten home with her that night, but they assured her that they would go to the shelter to claim the kitten first thing tomorrow morning.
And so, with one last cuddle and a gentle kiss to the kitten's head, Ali reluctantly put him back into the little pen and waved a little sad good-bye.
Chapter 4 - This Is Love
"I'll take care of him, Daddy," Ali assured him, her big green eyes sparkling with sincerity. "I promise."
"Papa?" Ryan now turned his attention back on Eric as he stood up. "What do you think about Ali getting this kitten?"
"I think Daddy needs to help us take care of the kitten. Don't you agree, Sweetie?" Eric asked in such a sickly sweet way that it was all Ryan could do not to wipe that mocking smirk off his face.
He should've known his lover would pull something like this.
"Yeah!" Ali nearly jumped up and down. "Daddy too! Daddy too!"
"Okay, okay!" Ryan nearly hollered, grinning broadly despite the trick that had just suckered him into adopting and taking care of a newborn kitten.
Ali continued to hold her kitten close as her dads spoke to one of the representatives about adopting said feline. They filled out a reservation form, put in a small "good faith" deposit, and promised to visit the shelter the very next day to formally register and adopt the kitten.
Naturally, their daughter was disappointed when she found out she couldn't take the kitten home with her that night, but they assured her that they would go to the shelter to claim the kitten first thing tomorrow morning.
And so, with one last cuddle and a gentle kiss to the kitten's head, Ali reluctantly put him back into the little pen and waved a little sad good-bye.
---
They exited the building together, Eric loading Ali's tower costume and his horse's head into the trunk, before all three piled into their car. They were silent and contemplative for a moment as Ryan drove them home.
Then with an audible sigh that both men couldn't ignore, Ali broke the silence first.
"Papa?"
"Yes, darling?"
"Do kittens trot?"
Frowning at the seemingly off the wall question, both men briefly cast a bewildered glanced at each other before Eric ventured a response.
"I suppose they can when they get older."
"Oh."
"What do you think, Daddy?" Eric asked, fishing for Ryan's opinion.
"I think your Papa's right, Ali," Ryan answered, hoping that the little girl would elaborate.
But another silence followed, a silence that seemed to linger much longer than they expected, and it wasn't long before both men found themselves burning with curiosity.
Turning slightly to look at their daughter in the back seat, Eric finally prompted, "Why do you ask, Sweetie?"
"Just thinking..." was Ali's short reply before she let out another sigh.
The car settled into silence again, and Ryan took the opportunity this time to break it. Perhaps a change in topic would draw out a more satisfying response.
And so glancing in the rearview mirror at his daughter, he asked, "So... have you thought about what you're gonna name your kitten, Ali?"
"Mm-hmm."
"And...?" It was Ryan's turn to prompt her this time.
"And I think I found the perfect name for my kitty!" she declared proudly.
"Well, then let's hear it," Eric urged her on.
"Yeah, Ali. So what name did you decide?" Ryan pressed.
"Harry!" the little girl nearly squealed the name, a broad grin stretching her painted face.
"Ha- What?" Ryan asked, confused.
"Harry! I'm gonna call him Harry!" came Ali's pleased announcement.
"Harry?" Ryan frowned, casting a sideways glance at the Cuban.
"Uh-huh," the six-year old nodded.
"I'm sorry, Sweetie, but did I hear you right? Did you say 'Hairy'?" Eric asked.
"No, Papa," Ali corrected, laughing. "It's not 'Hairy,' it's 'Haaaa-rry."
"Ali baby, are you sure that's what you want to name your kitten?" Ryan asked, trying to make sense of why their daughter had chosen such an unusual name for a cat.
"I'm sure, Daddy."
"I mean, you could name him something cute like 'Cupcake', or, uh... or 'Cuddles'... or, or maybe even 'Chess-ter', you know? Since he's black and white, yeah?" Ryan suggested, glancing briefly at his partner for support.
"Yeah, yeah..." Eric chorused in, agreeing. "I think you're onto something there, Daddy. I like 'Chess-ter'. That would be a good name for a black and white cat. Don't you think so, Sweetie?"
"But I don't like those names," Ali protested.
"Okay. Well, uh... h-how 'bout 'Dexter'? Yeah... That sounds like another good name for a kitty, doesn't it?" Ryan tried again.
The little girl just shook her head, however, her mind already made up.
"No, Daddy. I like Harry. Plus he's all soft and fuzzy and hairy. It's perfect!" Ali beamed, and there was no changing her mind.
"Oh, is that why you named him 'Harry'?" Ryan asked, still trying to comprehend his daughter's reasoning behind the name. "'Cause he's gonna be a big fuzball when he grows up?"
"Yeah... But I like it because Harry's my favorite boy wizard, and he's really sweet and really smart, and I know that my kitten's gonna be smart too, and one day, my kitten's gonna grow up and can jump and run and hide, and then I'll have to chase him, and then he'll know how to trot, and then I can finally give him a middle name and call him Harry Trotter!" Ali explained in a rambling run-on sentence, all in one breath.
That said, it only took a moment before a face-splitting smile spread across both men's faces. Ryan and Eric shared a meaningful look, comprehending finally why Ali had chosen that particular name for her new pet. And letting out a soft chuckle, they finally agreed:
"Harry Trotter it is!"
---
Much later that evening, as they were tucking their little girl into bed after she'd finally come down from her Halloween sugar high, Ali couldn't quite quell the excitement fluttering in her chest. They would be picking up Harry tomorrow, and she can't wait to bring him home and make him part of her small family.
She hugged her Daddy and her Papa tightly around each of their necks, telling them that she loved them and vice versa. In turn, Ryan and Eric planted a kiss on either side of her cheeks and bid her good night.
"Papa? Daddy?" Ali called out for the last time just as the two men were about to turn off the lights.
"Yes, Sweetie?" both men replied in unison.
"Thank you."
"For what, Ali?" Ryan asked.
Yawning, Ali replied sleepily, "For letting me take Harry home. For making him part of our family."
And with another yawn, Ali closed her eyes and immediately fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Of course, their daughter's last statement wasn't lost on either man as they turned off the lights in her room and closed the door gently behind them.
They had always been open and honest with Ali about the nature of their blended family:
They had adopted her when she was barely over a year old, and they couldn't have been happier with their decision to bring her home. There was no doubt in their minds that they wanted to become fathers. And although they were keen to explain to her what adoption was all about (once they felt that she was old enough to understand), they also made sure she knew and felt that they loved her like their very own flesh and blood.
They knew that in Ali's heart, there were no doubts that her Daddy and her Papa loved her dearly as their daughter.
"This is love..." they kept telling themselves. "This is as real as it gets."
And now, as their blended family prepared to grow from three to four, their daughter would at last receive the same opportunity to show unconditional love to another, even if it's only to a black and white kitten.
Walking hand in hand, the two headed towards their bedroom in silence, a knowing and proud smile tugging on both of their lips. The peaceful quiet told of an unspoken agreement between them as they wordlessly stripped down to their boxers and slipped easily under the covers.
There would be plenty of other nights (or mornings) for them to make good on their earlier promises of horse-riding and wild trysts and of seeing a handsome prince attempt to tame a fierce stallion.
But for now, they were quite content to just settle in each other's arms, close their eyes, and dream of "happily ever afters", Eric spooning Ryan from behind until they both fell into a worn out slumber.
It was a perfect way to end Halloween.Chapter 5 - Concerning Horses
They knew that in Ali's heart, there were no doubts that her Daddy and her Papa loved her dearly as their daughter.
"This is love..." they kept telling themselves. "This is as real as it gets."
And now, as their blended family prepared to grow from three to four, their daughter would at last receive the same opportunity to show unconditional love to another, even if it's only to a black and white kitten.
Walking hand in hand, the two headed towards their bedroom in silence, a knowing and proud smile tugging on both of their lips. The peaceful quiet told of an unspoken agreement between them as they wordlessly stripped down to their boxers and slipped easily under the covers.
There would be plenty of other nights (or mornings) for them to make good on their earlier promises of horse-riding and wild trysts and of seeing a handsome prince attempt to tame a fierce stallion.
But for now, they were quite content to just settle in each other's arms, close their eyes, and dream of "happily ever afters", Eric spooning Ryan from behind until they both fell into a worn out slumber.
It was a perfect way to end Halloween.
---
Two days later...
It was the morning after Ali had officially adopted Harry and taken him home, two days after Halloween, to be exact. The previous day, the whole family had spent several exhausting hours shopping for kitten essentials before coming home to help their daughter get adjusted to taking care of her little pet.
Now, they were in their bedroom, just waking up from a heavy night of slumber, the morning sun already taking its first peek through the curtains. Ryan was stretched out on his back, both hands tucked underneath his head, while Eric lay on his side facing him, an elbow propped up and his head resting firmly in his hand.
And with a voice inflecting that of an old, old storyteller, the Cuban began, "There once was a handsome but lonely horse who -"
"What do you think you're doing?" Ryan suddenly interrupted, suspicious but chuckling.
"I'm telling a story," Eric said simply, as if to say that that should've been quite obvious.
"I can see that," Ryan rolled his eyes, amused. "But why do you have a..." he paused and trained his eyes down to have a better look, "...a horse in your hand? And what's it doing prancing on my stomach?"
"Ah! This, my dear Prince Charming, is your Royal Steed!" Eric exclaimed, a proud, goofy smile on his face.
"A 'My Little Pony'?" Ryan asked skeptically, both eyebrows nearly shooting up to his hairline. "You got me Pinkie Pie Pony for a Royal Steed?"
"Whaaaat?" Eric asked, feigning innocence. "She's supposed to be 'everyone's best friend,'" Eric reasoned.
"Uh-huh. Sure..." Ryan was unconvinced.
"Besides..." Eric continued. "I couldn't exactly find Tawny."
Ryan's brow furrowed, "Tawny?"
"Ali's Barbie horse? Remember?" Eric answered in that "duh" tone.
"Aw, is that what she calls that thing?" Ryan teased.
"Oh, like you didn't know!" Eric retorted, throwing the pink pony at his lover's face, feigning offense.
Ducking and laughing at the same time, Ryan tried to pacify him, "Alright, alright... I'm sorry. But I have a better idea. How 'bout we just do away with the props and go on with this story of yours?"
"Um, excuse me. This isn't just any story," he clarified. "It's actually a love story. A fairy tale, if you will," Eric defended, almost pouting.
"Alright, then..." Ryan said, playing along. "Tell me your fairy tale."
"Say please," Eric teased.
"Eric!"
"Hey, now... What kind of manners are those?" Eric parried back, not the least bit deterred. "And you call yourself a charming Prince."
Sighing, Ryan acquiesced, "Alright, I'm sorry. Now, would you please tell me your story?"
"That's better," Eric smiled. "Okay, here it goes..."
With an exaggerated introduction, the Cuban made a show of clearing his throat, and then...
"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."
"Eric! Cut it out, will you?"
"What?"
"I thought you're telling a fairy tale," Ryan reminded him. "And that is definitely not a fairy tale."
Laughing heartily this time, Eric replied, "I know. I was just messing with you, Querido. But I'm really gonna tell the story now."
"You know what? I'm not sure I want to hear it anymore," Ryan huffed, though the corners of his mouth were tugging hard to betray his amusement.
"Aw, come on, Babe!" Eric soothed. "I couldn't help it. I was just playing with you, I'm sorry. Now will you please forgive me and let me tell my story?" he asked, puppy eyes and all. "I promise you'll like it. Aaaand... you'll really enjoy the ending," he added, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Sighing once again, Ryan only half-reluctantly replied, "Go ahead..."
"Thank you," Eric said. "Now... Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a young prince whose hazel eyes were as green and brown as the waters that rushed in to meet the colored sand. He met a handsome but lonely stallion who -"
"Ooohh... so now it's a stallion, eh?" Ryan interrupted once more, quickly catching on to what Eric's story was about.
"Shhh! Do you want me tell you the story or not?"
"Sorry, Babe... But a stallion?" Ryan apologized, clearly tickled by the thought. "Am I supposed to think you're a stallion?"
"And why the hell not?" Eric asked, beginning to get indignant. "What else kind of a horse am I supposed to be?"
"How 'bout an ass? Sometimes you can be a royal pain in the..." Ryan thought about saying, but immediately put a lid on that line of thinking when he saw the threatening look his lover shot his way, as if the Cuban knew what he would say. "I don't know, Babe. A, uh... a donkey, maybe? Or how 'bout a little pink pony?" Ryan answered instead, unable to help himself as the opportunity to tease his lover presented itself once more.
He laughed so heartily and so uncontrollably then that he was still gasping for breath by the time he realized that Eric had straddled him, shackled his wrists with his hands, and pinned them high above his head.
"Oh, oh... You think you're funny, huh? You think you're quite a comedian," Eric began, his eyes glimmering with something wicked, something much more than lust. "Have you forgotten what kind of a stallion I am, Wolfe?"
"Maybe..." Ryan teased, that same answering gleam in his eyes.
"Well, then, my dear Prince, I think it's high time this Cuban stallion gave you another wild ride."
---
Later that evening...
"Oh, he's precious!" Calleigh crowed as she stroked Harry's head with her finger. "He's so cute!"
"Thank you, Aunt Calleigh!" Ali beamed, holding a blanket-swaddled Harry in her arms. "I named him Harry Trotter because one day he's gonna be a big cat, and he's gonna run fast and trot a lot!" she explained.
"That is a great name, Ali," Horatio agreed. "When did you get him?"
"Yesterday," Ryan replied for his daughter. "Ali found him right as we were leaving the Community Center, but we couldn't take him home until yesterday after we've completed the paperwork at the Humane Society."
"She just fell in love, didn't she?" Calleigh asked, nodding towards the little girl.
"Yeah, and she fell hard," Eric replied. "Even pulled a Ryan on us when I told her I wasn't sure about adopting a kitten."
"Ha!" Ryan immediately objected, to which their co-workers just laughed.
"Why don't we sit in the living room?" Eric invited.
"I'll get some tea and some coffee together," Ryan volunteered. "Eric, would you like another cup?"
"Uh... No thanks, babe," he replied appreciatively. "I'm good."
"Okay, then. I'll be in the kitchen."
After Ryan had excused himself, they made their way to the living room and sat down. With the baby kitten still wrapped protectively in her arms, Ali very carefully sank to the floor and then proceeded to rock Harry to sleep.
They talked and laughed about their experiences on current and previous Halloween nights, Eric reluctantly confessing how he'd agreed to dress up as the Royal Steed to Ryan's Handsome Prince and Ali's Princess. Then with very little prompting, Ali eventually told her aunts and uncle all about the treats she'd gotten and about her fun and exciting adventures as Princess 'Punzel.
"Wow, Ali... It sounds like you had a great time!" Alexx smiled. "And you were really brave to go inside those haunted houses four times! Was it scary?"
"Not really," Ali shook her head, grinning. "More silly than scary."
"Oh, that's good," Calleigh piped in. "So, it wasn't too scary, huh? Did you have to hold Papa and Daddy's hands when you went in?"
"Nope. I didn't hold their hands," came her proud reply.
"My! What a brave, little girl you are!" Alexx cooed. "I bet Papa and Daddy weren't nearly as brave as you, were they?" she teased, grinning at Eric, who just shook his head and rolled his eyes before taking a sip of his coffee.
"No... they didn't go inside the haunty house," Ali answered. Then, as if suddenly remembering, she added, "But Daddy got to ride a horsy!"
At his daughter's words, Eric suddenly choked, spat, and then coughed uncontrollably, his eyes widening at what he'd just heard. And picking up on the meaning of his actions, Calleigh's confused frown suddenly turned into a wicked grin as she caught the innuendo. She eyed Eric, who was beginning to turn red and was now studiously avoiding her gaze.
"Oh, he did, did he?" the blonde CSI teased. "Did Daddy ride the horsy on Halloween?"
Eric glared at her, but he was still too stunned and too choked up to speak.
"No, Daddy ride the horsy this morning," Ali replied, oblivious to what she was revealing.
"Reeeeaaally, now?" Calleigh was definitely enjoying watching Eric squirm in his seat.
"Ali Sweetie..." Eric finally managed to croak. "Do you think Harry might be hungry? Maybe you should go to the kitchen and feed him," Eric offered, trying to find some way to keep Ali from answering any more of her Aunt Calleigh's lascivious questions.
"But I just fed him, Papa," Ali objected. "He's full, and now he needs to sleep."
"Listen to your daughter, Eric," Alexx chimed in, the same wicked grin on her face. "Ali's doing a great job taking care of Harry. She knows what she's doing."
"Yeah, she's not the only one who knows what she's doing," Eric replied, still glaring at the blonde.
Ignoring his pointed remark, Calleigh very sweetly asked, "Are you sure about that, Ali? How did you know Daddy rode a horse this morning? Did he tell you he was going to ride a horse?"
"No... But I heard him and Papa playing horsie in their bedroom. Papa asked if he was fast, and Daddy told him to go faster and faster and faster," Ali very innocently explained, oblivious to what she was really disclosing. "They were really loud. I thought they'd wake up Harry."
"Ali..." Eric cut in, trying to put an end to Calleigh's humiliating line of questioning before his daughter revealed any more details about his and Ryan's sex life.
Unfortunately for him, however, the CSI was faster. And right at that moment, Ryan just happened to enter the living room, holding a tray of refreshments and completely unaware of what he'd just walked into.
"Coffee or tea, anyone?" he very cheerily asked.
"So what happened next, Ali?" Calleigh prodded shamelessly, her eyes briefly flickering over to Ryan. "You said that Daddy and Papa were really loud this morning. Did you knock on their door and ask them to be quiet?"
"Well, Harry woke up, so I took him with me," she explained. "Then I was going to knock, but then I heard Daddy shout that he was coming soon. I thought he was mad, so I waited at the door, but he didn't open it."
Just then, a strange clattering sound reached everyone's ears, and they looked up to see cups and glasses jangling dangerously about on a tray, the liquids threatening to spill over as the man holding it turned bright crimson all the way up to his ears.
"Ryan, honey..." Alex began too sweetly for his liking. "Why don't you put that tray down before you spill something? And have a seat there right by Eric."
Too stunned and too red-faced to do anything else, Ryan mutely did what he was told, his mouth hanging half open as Eric helped him steady the tray on the coffee table, before pulling his dumbfounded lover to sit next to him on the couch.
"What...? " Ryan began, trying to make sense of what he'd just heard. "What on earth is going on here? What are you guys talking about?"
"Oh, well, if you must know... Ali here was just telling us a very interesting story about you getting to ride a horsie this morning, Ryan," Alexx answered, that knowing grin he hated to see firmly stretching her lips.
"Mm-hmm..." Calleigh chimed in. "And from the sound of it, you and Eric must've been 'playing horsie' quite hard."
"I told you to tone it down!" Eric hissed into his ear, trying to throw the heat off himself.
"I can't help it!" Ryan defended. "Besides, I wasn't the only one who was loud, you know?"
"Daddy's right, Papa," Ali concurred, looking at the older man. "You were noisy too."
"And what did your Papa say that made him so noisy?" Alexx asked, egging their daughter on, which earned her a glare from the Cuban.
Shrugging, the little girl nonchalantly replied, "I don't know... He was just making lots of horsie noises. And then he told Daddy that he was coming too, and that's when I heard Daddy yell Papa's name really, really loud."
"You see, guys?" the blonde CSI kept on, struggling to contain her amused giggles any longer. "You were both so loud and rowdy 'playing horsie' that you not only woke your daughter up, you woke up Harry too."
Ryan couldn't believe his burnings ears. He felt like crawling up into a deep, dark hole and never coming out until his daughter has turned twenty-one. He wanted to excuse himself and hide in the kitchen, but the suspicious CSI in him just had to find out the truth.
He had to know whether this was just a clever ruse to pry some 'juicy' information about his and Eric's bedroom activities, or if their daughter really did hear his and Eric's dirty 'horseplay' that morning.
And so he asked, "Ali Sweetie, is... is what Aunt Calleigh and Aunt Alexx saying true? Did we really wake you and Harry up?"
As if in response to his question, Harry opened his eyes, yawned wide, and then gave a soft "Meow..." as confirmation. And then he closed his eyes once more and proceeded to chase after sleep in his new owner's little arms.
---
THE END
A/N: Ha! I can finally add this to my collection of "finished fics"! My apologies for the lack of any outright smut if you were expecting any. I wanted to take a different approach on that and keep things PG-13. So, I'm kind of relieved to not actually write any blatant smut at the moment, since all my other Penguins seem to be of the smut variety as of late. Gah! *pulls hair*
A series of squeals and giggles, followed by the unmistakable pitter-patter of tiny princess feet echoed through the brightly lit hallway of the second floor. The cacophony of delighted sounds reverberated off the cream-colored walls, bouncing off the hardwood staircase, and into the waiting ears of one very attentive royal horse - a Cuban stallion, to be exact.
He saw a pair of dainty slippered feet stop just a few steps down from the second floor landing, and with a flourish inherent in six-year old girls who dreamed about fairy tales and "happily ever afters", she tossed her long, braided, golden blonde hair over the banister and giggled even more.
"Whoa! That's quite some hair you got there, princess!" Eric beamed as he reached up and lightly tugged on the fake hair, running down about three and a half feet in length.
"Papa!" The little girl tittered but spoke to him in a teasing, admonishing tone, "You're not s'posed to call me 'punzel. Only the han-some prince can call my name!"
"Oh, right. Yes, of course," Eric rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Only the handsome prince can call you to let down your hair. Well, what am I then?"
"You..." he heard the unmistakable and amused voice of his lover as he came down the stairs, "...are supposed to be the royal aaa— I mean horse. The royal horse."
"I heard that."
"Yeah, well..." Ryan shrugged and stood a few steps down from where their daughter stood. "It's either that or be the wicked old hag who imprisoned our little princess in the tower."
"I could've been the handsome prince, you know?" Eric interjected half grudgingly.
Still amused, the younger man merely looked at him and chuckled, "Yeah, you could have. But we let Ali choose, didn't we? And she chose me. Guess I made a more handsome prince."
Ryan winked on that last remark, knowing that it would annoy the heck out of his lover.
The older man huffed and grunted before making a suspicious whinnying sound in the back of his throat. He crossed his arms and was mumbling something about "princes" and "being handsome" and "playing favorites with their daughter" and something that sounded a lot like "royal pain in my ass" under his breath when Ali gave an elated "Weeeeee!"
That seemed to dispel any grudges on the part of the Cuban, and he looked up just in time to see Ryan scoop up their daughter under her armpits, turn around on the steps, and then carry her down the rest of the stairs at arm's length, her teeny feet dangling like pretty little chandelier.
Ryan set her down in the foyer, and both men took the time to inspect and admire their finished handiwork for the first time.
Except for the little pink princess dress, slippers, and braided wig and tiara that Ali wore, which they had bought beforehand from the local Halloween specialty store in the mall, the rest of her costume was painstakingly agonized over by both of her dads for over a week.
Yes, it took them that many nights to draw up the plans and find the supplies necessary to make a convincing looking tower that they could both agree on - a tower that would be long enough to encase their daughter in but not too difficult to create.
The tower had to fit her just so, but it also had to be loose enough so that she could get in and out of it easily and be able to walk in it by herself. The result was an impressive single-piece, lightweight cardboard concoction that was conical in shape and widened gradually at the base like a laboratory flask. The bottom of the tower came up at just around the ankle area so that "people could see my princess feet," as Ali had so keenly put it.
Then they left one small window for their daughter's face to look out of (and her hair to fall through) in the top "tower" section of the costume and two small windows on either side of the main body of the tower for her arms to dangle from.
"Not bad," Eric smirked as he nodded his head.
"Yeah," Ryan agreed heartily, impressed with his own handiwork. "I dare say it looks like it was done by a professional."
"Yeah, but let's not forget who did the paint job," Eric winked.
"Ha! That's only because you couldn't draw a proper brick-stone!" Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes.
"Well, brick-stones aren't supposed to be in a straight line, querido," Eric objected, knowing how much his OCD-prone lover would love to argue the fact. "They're supposed to have imperfections. We're talking about ancient architecture here."
"Uh-huh. And if I had let you continue on drawing, then our daughter would've been encased inside the leaning tower of Pisa instead of a proper fairy tale tower," Ryan parried back.
"Can we go trick or treating now, please?" Ali's excited voice cut into their mock argument.
"Sure, sweetie. Just let me make sure that the royal horse is ready, and we'll be off in a minute," Ryan replied, turning to look at the Cuban teasingly.
"I'll show you what kind of a horse I am later, oh handsome Prince," Eric whispered hotly into the younger man's ear when Ryan took hold of his reins.
Shuddering, Ryan replied in kind, a challenge in hushed tone, "Oh yeah? You gonna give me the ride of my life?"
"Well, I am the royal stallion," Eric answered smugly, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Ryan snorted at the remark but didn't argue. He didn't take his eyes off his lover either. It felt a bit odd talking about naughty things to a horse costume, even if he could easily imagine the fine-looking man inside.
Eric was dressed head to toe just like a regal white steed with a royal purple and gold banner draped across his back. They had actually stumbled upon the costume at one of those rent-a-costume stores that specialized in medieval and fairy tale attires. Even so, the costume fitted his body well enough that the younger man could still see the faint traces of the Cuban's gorgeous physique underneath.
Ryan, on the other hand, was quite lucky to find a complete prince's attire in white and gold from the same store. He wore his hair sleeked back a bit, just like he used to style it when he was still working for Patrol, which reminded Eric of the first time they met at the scene of a bus crash all those many years ago.
The attire also reminded Eric of the kind of princely uniform that Prince Charming wore in "Cinderella" when they first met at the royal ball, and he thought proudly that his partner, in no uncertain terms, looked most devastatingly dashing in it.
Quite handsome, actually, in his proud and accurate opinion.
"Is everything ready for the 'trick or treaters'?" Eric asked offhandedly, aware and yet distracted by the way Ryan was running his fingers lightly over his costumed chest.
"Yep. The basket of candy's already out on the front porch with a sign to take only one piece."
"You really believe kids will follow that rule? Especially teenagers?"
Ryan shrugged, "Some probably will, but it doesn't matter. I'd rather all the candy be gone by the time we get back than have to hide them from Ali."
"Good point," Eric conceded, nodding.
"You look really han-some, Daddy," Ali cut in softly, a shy and adoring look in her dancing eyes.
"Why, thank you, darling," Ryan turned around, beaming proudly at their daughter.
"Hey! What about me?" Eric nearly whined, flailing his hoofed arms. "Doesn't your Papa look good too?"
Laughing heartily, Ali replied, "Yes, Papa. Like the bestest royal horse ever!"
"You hear that?" Eric nudged Ryan. "I'm 'the bestest royal horse ever' according to our daughter," he smirked.
Ryan was about to parry back with another sarcastic remark when Ali cut in unknowingly once more.
"How do I look?" she asked to no one in particular, turning to do a little pirouette.
"Absolutely gorgeous, princess!" Ryan replied with a smile.
"The most beautiful little princess we've ever seen!" Eric added, beaming.
Ali giggled once more at the compliment and then walked over to the coffee table to retrieve her "trick or treating" basket. They watched as she strode purposefully towards the front door, half waddling in the process.
"Coming, Daddy? Papa?"
"Right behind you, sweetie," Ryan replied.
And with that, Ryan tugged on his stallion's golden reins, and the three headed out into the night holding hands, Ali in the middle, holding both of her fathers' hands, an excited bounce in every one of her little steps as they went "trick or treating" from house to house and from townhome to townhome in their neighborhood on Halloween night.
***
"How do I look?" she asked to no one in particular, turning to do a little pirouette.
"Absolutely gorgeous, princess!" Ryan replied with a smile.
"The most beautiful little princess we've ever seen!" Eric added, beaming.
Ali giggled once more at the compliment and then walked over to the coffee table to retrieve her "trick or treating" basket. They watched as she strode purposefully towards the front door.
"Coming, Daddy? Papa?"
"Right behind you, sweetie," Ryan replied.
And with that, Ryan tugged on his stallion's golden reins, and the three headed out into the night holding hands, Ali in the middle, holding both of her fathers' hands, an excited bounce in every one of her little steps as they went "trick or treating" from house to house and from town home to town home in their neighborhood on Halloween night.
---
An hour and a half and a basket full of assorted candies and chocolates later, Ali and her two dads finally half-walked, half-galloped home. They reached their front door, and once inside, Ali scramble-waddled into the living room. She slipped out of her tower costume, which promptly toppled over to its side like a fallen castle of old and then proceeded to dump all of her acquisitions onto the rug-covered floor.
She sorted each treat into four different piles: chocolates, bubble gum, hard candies, and yuck.
"She gets that from you, you know?" Eric teased, watching his daughter in amusement.
"Well, treats do have a system, believe it or not," the other man replied flatly.
"Treats are meant to be unwrapped and enjoyed immediately," Eric countered.
"True. But how can you enjoy them if you don't know what all you got?"
"Riiiight. Sure. Whatever happened to being surprised?"
"Surprises can be good," Ryan agreed. "But after that, I need to know how much of everything I got so I can plan how many of each kind I should eat when."
Shaking his head, Eric replied, "Only you would say and do something like that. Oh... and teach it to our daughter."
"It's not that bad. Besides... I guess we all know who's going to get the 'yuck pile' tonight," Ryan returned, grinning smugly.
"Aw, why do I always get the 'yuck pile'?" Eric protested.
"Because you're the only one who likes licorice."
Eric rolled his eyes but didn't deny it. It was true that he was the only one who ate licorice, but that didn't mean he didn't like the chocolates and the other pieces of candy as well.
"You think she'll eat all of that?" Eric whispered conspiratorially, eyeing the treats on the floor.
"Eventually," Ryan answered. "And if I didn't know any better, I bet you she'll try to keep tabs of how many she ate from which pile."
"She gets that from you too," Eric teased.
"That's 'cause her Papa can't be trusted not to eat the treats when he thinks no one's looking," Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.
Chuckling, Eric conceded, "Yeah, well... You got me there."
"We're gonna have to hide some of that candy or she'll be bouncing off the walls like pinball on crack," Ryan reminded him, nodding towards their daughter.
"Agreed. Just as long as you don't touch my licorice," Eric added.
"You don't even have to worry," Ryan winked, smiling.
"Hey, you know the city's hosting a Halloween event at the Community Center tonight," Eric suddenly remembered. "Think we should check it out?"
"Sure, as long as Ali's up for it."
Taking his horse mask off for the first time, Eric sauntered over to their daughter's side and knelt. He took a few amused moments to watch their daughter work methodically on categorizing each of her treats before interrupting.
"How are you feeling, Sweetie?" Eric asked. "Are you tired yet?"
"Nope," Ali answered, sorting out her treats without looking at her Papa. "Don't wanna go to bed yet. I wanna eat candy."
Chuckling, Eric replied, "And you will, Sweetie. But I have a question to ask you. Can you stop what you're doing and listen to Papa for a minute?"
Sitting back on her haunches, Ali stopped sorting her treats and turned curious eyes on her Papa.
Just beyond the couch, Ryan smiled proudly, "That's my girl."
"Ali, would you like to go 'trick or treating' some more?"
Her face lit up all of a sudden, and she didn't even have to think about her answer. The words darted out of her mouth before she could remember that she wasn't finished organizing her edible little treasures.
"Uh-huh, that would be fun!" she nodded enthusiastically.
"Well, how would you like to take a ride over to the Center?" Eric now asked. "I heard they're having games there and giving away some more candy and some prizes. Maybe you could even join the costume contest," he suggested, a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Would you like that?"
"Yes, Papa. Can we go?" Ali asked, barely able to conceal her excitement as she stood up suddenly.
"What do you think, Daddy?" Eric asked Ryan, as if to put him on the spot.
Ali now turned pleading eyes on the shorter man, "Please, Daddy? Can we go to the Center? Pleeeeaase?"
Smiling indulgently, Ryan replied, "Okay, Ali. Just let me grab my keys and wallet, alright?"
"What? You're driving?" Eric frowned, standing up all of a sudden.
"Uh... yeah? Why?"
"Because I'm the one who always drives," Eric interjected.
"Not in that costume, you're not," Ryan opposed, smirking.
"It's the horse, isn't it?" Eric asked almost petulantly, to which Ryan merely laughed. "You think I can't drive the car with this on?"
"Not at all, oh brave steed." Ryan answered half-mockingly. "Not at all."
"Oh, ha-ha!"
"Oh, come on, Love," Ryan countered easily, sidling up to Eric before whispering lasciviously into his ear. "You're the horse; I'm the rider. Lets keep it that way, shall we? Why don't you just let things be for now and let me do all the driving and riding tonight, yeah?"
Mischievous hazel greens sparkled wickedly as they met stunned chocolate browns. And before the Cuban could react or respond, Ryan winked at him slyly before leaving his side and prancing up the stairs to retrieve his wallet and keys.
It took Eric a few seconds to comprehend what exactly Ryan had told him, but once his partner's nominally cryptic message finally sunk in, he shook his head and had a devious leer on full display by the time Ryan came down the stairs.
"What?" Ryan asked, feigning innocence as soon as he saw the look on his lover's face.
Grabbing his elbow, Eric leaned in and whispered hotly, "Save some energy, oh Prince. Because tonight, we'll see exactly what kind of a rider you really are."
"Does that mean I'll have to tame you?" Ryan spoke lowly, his eyes shifting back and forth between the Cuban's eyes and full lips. "'Cause you know I like my stallion wild."
Eric grunted, a cocky lopsided grin slowly stretching his mouth, "We'll see, querido. We'll find out soon if you can handle riding this stallion."
And with a wicked leer that had Ryan blushing like a bumbling schoolgirl, Eric let go of his elbow, picked up his horse's head, Ali's tower costume, and her now-empty basket, and headed towards the garage without giving the younger man a second glance.
That said, Ryan felt his stomach somersaulting into giddy little flip-flops, each flip and flop causing his heart to beat faster and faster until he could feel his face flushing even more. He knew he was bound to lose control if he didn't get a grip on his building anticipation.
And so, taking a few deep breaths to calm his heart's excited flutter, he turned his attention towards his daughter, bowed in a princely manner, and held out his left hand with exaggerated gusto.
"Are you ready to go, princess?" he asked in his most charming and chivalrous voice.
Grinning broadly, Ali took her Daddy's hand and answered, "Take me away, Daddy! Let's go trick or treating again!"
And with that, Daddy and daughter headed into the garage, got into the car with their steed, and then drove east about ten minutes towards the Miami-Dade Community Center.
***
And with a wicked leer that had Ryan blushing like a bumbling schoolgirl, Eric let go of his elbow, picked up his horse's head, Ali's tower costume, and her now-empty basket, and headed towards the garage without giving the younger man a second glance.
That said, Ryan felt his stomach somersaulting into giddy little flip-flops, each flip and flop causing his heart to beat faster and faster until he could feel his face flushing even more. He knew he was bound to lose control if he didn't get a grip on his building anticipation.
And so, taking a few deep breaths to calm his heart's excited flutter, he turned his attention towards his daughter, bowed in a princely manner, and held out his left hand with exaggerated gusto.
"Are you ready to go, princess?" he asked in his most charming and chivalrous voice.
Grinning broadly, Ali took her Daddy's hand and answered, "Take me away, Daddy! Let's go trick or treating again!"
And with that, Daddy and daughter headed into the garage, got into the car with their steed, and then drove east about ten minutes towards the Miami-Dade Community Center.
---
Exactly ten minutes later, Ryan pulled into the Center. He parked the car, and the trio began to walk towards the entrance of the main building.
The décor and the spooky but jovial atmosphere inside at once impressed them. It had a "Come one, come all!" ambiance, and it took them no time at all to get into the fun and festive spirit of the event.
Inside, there were plenty of simple carnival-type games, which were set up in individual booths, and a couple of small non-scary haunted houses for the kids to enjoy. Various community organizations and businesses were also there to advertise and help host some of the activities.
They arrived just in time for the "Kindergarten Costume Contest," which Ali promptly entered. Each child who registered was given a number and then he or she would parade his or her costume across the small stage, where they were then judged.
There were about eighteen to twenty kids who had entered the contest for Ali's age batch, all with varying costume designs. But none were, as her fathers would like to believe, as impressive as Ali's "Rapunzel in a Tower" ensemble, which, of course, received the loudest accolades from her two dads.
After each age group had gotten a chance to model their costumes, then the judging and awarding began. They waited patiently for the judges to make their decisions, and before long, they were calling out the winners from each division. Ali ended up winning second place overall from her group plus the "Most Creative Costume" award out of all the age groups put together.
Both of her dads clapped loudly and cheered her on, their faces a picture of glee at their daughter, who had modeled her costume quite confidently for a six-year old, and pure triumph for their painstaking but imaginative handiwork. They couldn't be prouder at what they'd accomplished together as a family, and several of the other parents and spectators complimented them and their daughter for her very creative and original costume.
After the contest, Ali decided to leave her tower for a little while, entrusting its care to her Papa. Then fathers and daughter went around the different booths to play games and win some more candy prizes. Ali got to play ring and beanbag tosses, went fishing for some small toy prizes, and got her picture taken with a human scarecrow.
She also participated in a princess cupcake walk and human checkers with the help of her two dads. She went through both kiddy haunted houses four times alone back-to-back-to-back-to-back, and before the end of the night, got colorful and sparkly fairy wings painted on her face and around her eyes.
They were just about to head out when Ali spotted one more station she hadn't visited, a series of mewling sounds and the sight of furry feet catching her attention.
Tugging on her Daddy's and her Papa's hands, she pulled them along towards the information booth with surprising strength for a six-year old. And there, behind the booth of the Dade County Humane Society, Ali let go of her fathers' hands, swooped down, and then scooped up a newborn black and white kitten, whom she promptly fell in love with.
"Awwww..." Ali purred, cuddling and stroking the little fur ball in her teeny arms. "He likes me, Papa! And he's soooo cute! Can we take him home with us? Daddy? Please?"
The two men exchanged glances.
"How come she only asks you whenever we have to take stuff home?" Eric asked teasingly.
"That's 'cause she knows you always cave," Ryan answered matter-of-factly.
"Ha!"
"Yep, she has you wrapped around her little fingers, and she knows it," Ryan chuckled.
"Oh, you say that like you're not wrapped around her fingers yourself," Eric retorted.
"I am," Ryan conceded readily. "But at least I don't give in as easily as you do. I make her work for it."
"Yeah, whatever," Eric smirked, rolling his eyes. "We'll see how long you last once she starts giving you those big puppy eyes," he nearly threatened.
"You just had to teach her that, didn't you?" Ryan accused, feigning offense but unable to hold back a smile.
"No, sir. I didn't have to teach her anything," Eric denied, throwing his hands up in innocence. "She got that puppy look from you," he pointed out.
Ryan couldn't argue with that. It was true that he was the one in the relationship who used that look a lot, especially when it came to getting what he wanted. Maybe Ali had unconsciously picked it up and imitated it, seeing how well the puppy eyes worked to her Daddy's advantage most of the time, especially when dealing with her Papa.
Maybe it really was learned behavior.
"Daddy?"
Ali's voice cut into Ryan's train of thought, and he looked down to see his daughter giving him said puppy look as she held the kitten close to her chest, cuddling it with her right cheek.
"See?" Eric nudged, smirking as if to prove a point. "What did I tell you?"
Rolling his eyes at his partner, Ryan sighed and knelt in front of his daughter.
There was no point in denying it now.
He'd been had, he knew.
"Ali Sweetie..." he began, his tone gentle but serious all at once, "a kitten's not a toy, you understand? You'll have to take care of it and feed it and clean after it and play with it if you get one," he tried to explain.
"I know, Daddy," Ali nodded. "But it's okay. Papa's gonna help me take care of him."
"Wh- What?" Eric nearly choked when he heard his daughter's words implicate him. "How the heck did I get dragged into this?"
From his position, Ryan turned to look up at the taller man and failed to suppress the snicker that suddenly bubbled out of his chest when he caught the bewildered look on his partner's face. The Cuban glared at him in return, shaking his head and mumbling something in Spanish that Ryan didn't quite catch.
He turned his attention back to his daughter.
"That's good, Ali. Papa can help you take care of the kitten."
Ryan said this, knowing that it would cause the Cuban to stop his ranting and glare at his back even more. He hid his smirk and tried to ignore the eyes that were beginning to burn holes in the back of his head.
"But he's gonna be your kitten, okay?" Ryan continued. "And that means that you have to be the first one, the main one, to take care of him."
"I'll take care of him, Daddy," Ali assured him, her big green eyes sparkling with sincerity. "I promise."
"Papa?" Ryan now turned his attention back on Eric as he stood up. "What do you think about Ali getting this kitten?"
"I think Daddy needs to help us take care of the kitten. Don't you agree, Sweetie?" Eric asked in such a sickly sweet way that it was all Ryan could do not to wipe that mocking smirk off his face.
He should've known his lover would pull something like this.
"Yeah!" Ali nearly jumped up and down. "Daddy too! Daddy too!"
"Okay, okay!" Ryan nearly hollered, grinning broadly despite the trick that had just suckered him into adopting and taking care of a newborn kitten.
Ali continued to hold her kitten close as her dads spoke to one of the representatives about adopting said feline. They filled out a reservation form, put in a small "good faith" deposit, and promised to visit the shelter the very next day to formally register and adopt the kitten.
Naturally, their daughter was disappointed when she found out she couldn't take the kitten home with her that night, but they assured her that they would go to the shelter to claim the kitten first thing tomorrow morning.
And so, with one last cuddle and a gentle kiss to the kitten's head, Ali reluctantly put him back into the little pen and waved a little sad good-bye.
***
"I'll take care of him, Daddy," Ali assured him, her big green eyes sparkling with sincerity. "I promise."
"Papa?" Ryan now turned his attention back on Eric as he stood up. "What do you think about Ali getting this kitten?"
"I think Daddy needs to help us take care of the kitten. Don't you agree, Sweetie?" Eric asked in such a sickly sweet way that it was all Ryan could do not to wipe that mocking smirk off his face.
He should've known his lover would pull something like this.
"Yeah!" Ali nearly jumped up and down. "Daddy too! Daddy too!"
"Okay, okay!" Ryan nearly hollered, grinning broadly despite the trick that had just suckered him into adopting and taking care of a newborn kitten.
Ali continued to hold her kitten close as her dads spoke to one of the representatives about adopting said feline. They filled out a reservation form, put in a small "good faith" deposit, and promised to visit the shelter the very next day to formally register and adopt the kitten.
Naturally, their daughter was disappointed when she found out she couldn't take the kitten home with her that night, but they assured her that they would go to the shelter to claim the kitten first thing tomorrow morning.
And so, with one last cuddle and a gentle kiss to the kitten's head, Ali reluctantly put him back into the little pen and waved a little sad good-bye.
---
They exited the building together, Eric loading Ali's tower costume and his horse's head into the trunk, before all three piled into their car. They were silent and contemplative for a moment as Ryan drove them home.
Then with an audible sigh that both men couldn't ignore, Ali broke the silence first.
"Papa?"
"Yes, darling?"
"Do kittens trot?"
Frowning at the seemingly off the wall question, both men briefly cast a bewildered glanced at each other before Eric ventured a response.
"I suppose they can when they get older."
"Oh."
"What do you think, Daddy?" Eric asked, fishing for Ryan's opinion.
"I think your Papa's right, Ali," Ryan answered, hoping that the little girl would elaborate.
But another silence followed, a silence that seemed to linger much longer than they expected, and it wasn't long before both men found themselves burning with curiosity.
Turning slightly to look at their daughter in the back seat, Eric finally prompted, "Why do you ask, Sweetie?"
"Just thinking..." was Ali's short reply before she let out another sigh.
The car settled into silence again, and Ryan took the opportunity this time to break it. Perhaps a change in topic would draw out a more satisfying response.
And so glancing in the rearview mirror at his daughter, he asked, "So... have you thought about what you're gonna name your kitten, Ali?"
"Mm-hmm."
"And...?" It was Ryan's turn to prompt her this time.
"And I think I found the perfect name for my kitty!" she declared proudly.
"Well, then let's hear it," Eric urged her on.
"Yeah, Ali. So what name did you decide?" Ryan pressed.
"Harry!" the little girl nearly squealed the name, a broad grin stretching her painted face.
"Ha- What?" Ryan asked, confused.
"Harry! I'm gonna call him Harry!" came Ali's pleased announcement.
"Harry?" Ryan frowned, casting a sideways glance at the Cuban.
"Uh-huh," the six-year old nodded.
"I'm sorry, Sweetie, but did I hear you right? Did you say 'Hairy'?" Eric asked.
"No, Papa," Ali corrected, laughing. "It's not 'Hairy,' it's 'Haaaa-rry."
"Ali baby, are you sure that's what you want to name your kitten?" Ryan asked, trying to make sense of why their daughter had chosen such an unusual name for a cat.
"I'm sure, Daddy."
"I mean, you could name him something cute like 'Cupcake', or, uh... or 'Cuddles'... or, or maybe even 'Chess-ter', you know? Since he's black and white, yeah?" Ryan suggested, glancing briefly at his partner for support.
"Yeah, yeah..." Eric chorused in, agreeing. "I think you're onto something there, Daddy. I like 'Chess-ter'. That would be a good name for a black and white cat. Don't you think so, Sweetie?"
"But I don't like those names," Ali protested.
"Okay. Well, uh... h-how 'bout 'Dexter'? Yeah... That sounds like another good name for a kitty, doesn't it?" Ryan tried again.
The little girl just shook her head, however, her mind already made up.
"No, Daddy. I like Harry. Plus he's all soft and fuzzy and hairy. It's perfect!" Ali beamed, and there was no changing her mind.
"Oh, is that why you named him 'Harry'?" Ryan asked, still trying to comprehend his daughter's reasoning behind the name. "'Cause he's gonna be a big fuzball when he grows up?"
"Yeah... But I like it because Harry's my favorite boy wizard, and he's really sweet and really smart, and I know that my kitten's gonna be smart too, and one day, my kitten's gonna grow up and can jump and run and hide, and then I'll have to chase him, and then he'll know how to trot, and then I can finally give him a middle name and call him Harry Trotter!" Ali explained in a rambling run-on sentence, all in one breath.
That said, it only took a moment before a face-splitting smile spread across both men's faces. Ryan and Eric shared a meaningful look, comprehending finally why Ali had chosen that particular name for her new pet. And letting out a soft chuckle, they finally agreed:
"Harry Trotter it is!"
---
Much later that evening, as they were tucking their little girl into bed after she'd finally come down from her Halloween sugar high, Ali couldn't quite quell the excitement fluttering in her chest. They would be picking up Harry tomorrow, and she can't wait to bring him home and make him part of her small family.
She hugged her Daddy and her Papa tightly around each of their necks, telling them that she loved them and vice versa. In turn, Ryan and Eric planted a kiss on either side of her cheeks and bid her good night.
"Papa? Daddy?" Ali called out for the last time just as the two men were about to turn off the lights.
"Yes, Sweetie?" both men replied in unison.
"Thank you."
"For what, Ali?" Ryan asked.
Yawning, Ali replied sleepily, "For letting me take Harry home. For making him part of our family."
And with another yawn, Ali closed her eyes and immediately fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Of course, their daughter's last statement wasn't lost on either man as they turned off the lights in her room and closed the door gently behind them.
They had always been open and honest with Ali about the nature of their blended family:
They had adopted her when she was barely over a year old, and they couldn't have been happier with their decision to bring her home. There was no doubt in their minds that they wanted to become fathers. And although they were keen to explain to her what adoption was all about (once they felt that she was old enough to understand), they also made sure she knew and felt that they loved her like their very own flesh and blood.
They knew that in Ali's heart, there were no doubts that her Daddy and her Papa loved her dearly as their daughter.
"This is love..." they kept telling themselves. "This is as real as it gets."
And now, as their blended family prepared to grow from three to four, their daughter would at last receive the same opportunity to show unconditional love to another, even if it's only to a black and white kitten.
Walking hand in hand, the two headed towards their bedroom in silence, a knowing and proud smile tugging on both of their lips. The peaceful quiet told of an unspoken agreement between them as they wordlessly stripped down to their boxers and slipped easily under the covers.
There would be plenty of other nights (or mornings) for them to make good on their earlier promises of horse-riding and wild trysts and of seeing a handsome prince attempt to tame a fierce stallion.
But for now, they were quite content to just settle in each other's arms, close their eyes, and dream of "happily ever afters", Eric spooning Ryan from behind until they both fell into a worn out slumber.
It was a perfect way to end Halloween.
***
They knew that in Ali's heart, there were no doubts that her Daddy and her Papa loved her dearly as their daughter.
"This is love..." they kept telling themselves. "This is as real as it gets."
And now, as their blended family prepared to grow from three to four, their daughter would at last receive the same opportunity to show unconditional love to another, even if it's only to a black and white kitten.
Walking hand in hand, the two headed towards their bedroom in silence, a knowing and proud smile tugging on both of their lips. The peaceful quiet told of an unspoken agreement between them as they wordlessly stripped down to their boxers and slipped easily under the covers.
There would be plenty of other nights (or mornings) for them to make good on their earlier promises of horse-riding and wild trysts and of seeing a handsome prince attempt to tame a fierce stallion.
But for now, they were quite content to just settle in each other's arms, close their eyes, and dream of "happily ever afters", Eric spooning Ryan from behind until they both fell into a worn out slumber.
It was a perfect way to end Halloween.
---
Two days later...
It was the morning after Ali had officially adopted Harry and taken him home, two days after Halloween, to be exact. The previous day, the whole family had spent several exhausting hours shopping for kitten essentials before coming home to help their daughter get adjusted to taking care of her little pet.
Now, they were in their bedroom, just waking up from a heavy night of slumber, the morning sun already taking its first peek through the curtains. Ryan was stretched out on his back, both hands tucked underneath his head, while Eric lay on his side facing him, an elbow propped up and his head resting firmly in his hand.
And with a voice inflecting that of an old, old storyteller, the Cuban began, "There once was a handsome but lonely horse who -"
"What do you think you're doing?" Ryan suddenly interrupted, suspicious but chuckling.
"I'm telling a story," Eric said simply, as if to say that that should've been quite obvious.
"I can see that," Ryan rolled his eyes, amused. "But why do you have a..." he paused and trained his eyes down to have a better look, "...a horse in your hand? And what's it doing prancing on my stomach?"
"Ah! This, my dear Prince Charming, is your Royal Steed!" Eric exclaimed, a proud, goofy smile on his face.
"A 'My Little Pony'?" Ryan asked skeptically, both eyebrows nearly shooting up to his hairline. "You got me Pinkie Pie Pony for a Royal Steed?"
"Whaaaat?" Eric asked, feigning innocence. "She's supposed to be 'everyone's best friend,'" Eric reasoned.
"Uh-huh. Sure..." Ryan was unconvinced.
"Besides..." Eric continued. "I couldn't exactly find Tawny."
Ryan's brow furrowed, "Tawny?"
"Ali's Barbie horse? Remember?" Eric answered in that "duh" tone.
"Aw, is that what she calls that thing?" Ryan teased.
"Oh, like you didn't know!" Eric retorted, throwing the pink pony at his lover's face, feigning offense.
Ducking and laughing at the same time, Ryan tried to pacify him, "Alright, alright... I'm sorry. But I have a better idea. How 'bout we just do away with the props and go on with this story of yours?"
"Um, excuse me. This isn't just any story," he clarified. "It's actually a love story. A fairy tale, if you will," Eric defended, almost pouting.
"Alright, then..." Ryan said, playing along. "Tell me your fairy tale."
"Say please," Eric teased.
"Eric!"
"Hey, now... What kind of manners are those?" Eric parried back, not the least bit deterred. "And you call yourself a charming Prince."
Sighing, Ryan acquiesced, "Alright, I'm sorry. Now, would you please tell me your story?"
"That's better," Eric smiled. "Okay, here it goes..."
With an exaggerated introduction, the Cuban made a show of clearing his throat, and then...
"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."
"Eric! Cut it out, will you?"
"What?"
"I thought you're telling a fairy tale," Ryan reminded him. "And that is definitely not a fairy tale."
Laughing heartily this time, Eric replied, "I know. I was just messing with you, Querido. But I'm really gonna tell the story now."
"You know what? I'm not sure I want to hear it anymore," Ryan huffed, though the corners of his mouth were tugging hard to betray his amusement.
"Aw, come on, Babe!" Eric soothed. "I couldn't help it. I was just playing with you, I'm sorry. Now will you please forgive me and let me tell my story?" he asked, puppy eyes and all. "I promise you'll like it. Aaaand... you'll really enjoy the ending," he added, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Sighing once again, Ryan only half-reluctantly replied, "Go ahead..."
"Thank you," Eric said. "Now... Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a young prince whose hazel eyes were as green and brown as the waters that rushed in to meet the colored sand. He met a handsome but lonely stallion who -"
"Ooohh... so now it's a stallion, eh?" Ryan interrupted once more, quickly catching on to what Eric's story was about.
"Shhh! Do you want me tell you the story or not?"
"Sorry, Babe... But a stallion?" Ryan apologized, clearly tickled by the thought. "Am I supposed to think you're a stallion?"
"And why the hell not?" Eric asked, beginning to get indignant. "What else kind of a horse am I supposed to be?"
"How 'bout an ass? Sometimes you can be a royal pain in the..." Ryan thought about saying, but immediately put a lid on that line of thinking when he saw the threatening look his lover shot his way, as if the Cuban knew what he would say. "I don't know, Babe. A, uh... a donkey, maybe? Or how 'bout a little pink pony?" Ryan answered instead, unable to help himself as the opportunity to tease his lover presented itself once more.
He laughed so heartily and so uncontrollably then that he was still gasping for breath by the time he realized that Eric had straddled him, shackled his wrists with his hands, and pinned them high above his head.
"Oh, oh... You think you're funny, huh? You think you're quite a comedian," Eric began, his eyes glimmering with something wicked, something much more than lust. "Have you forgotten what kind of a stallion I am, Wolfe?"
"Maybe..." Ryan teased, that same answering gleam in his eyes.
"Well, then, my dear Prince, I think it's high time this Cuban stallion gave you another wild ride."
---
Later that evening...
"Oh, he's precious!" Calleigh crowed as she stroked Harry's head with her finger. "He's so cute!"
"Thank you, Aunt Calleigh!" Ali beamed, holding a blanket-swaddled Harry in her arms. "I named him Harry Trotter because one day he's gonna be a big cat, and he's gonna run fast and trot a lot!" she explained.
"That is a great name, Ali," Horatio agreed. "When did you get him?"
"Yesterday," Ryan replied for his daughter. "Ali found him right as we were leaving the Community Center, but we couldn't take him home until yesterday after we've completed the paperwork at the Humane Society."
"She just fell in love, didn't she?" Calleigh asked, nodding towards the little girl.
"Yeah, and she fell hard," Eric replied. "Even pulled a Ryan on us when I told her I wasn't sure about adopting a kitten."
"Ha!" Ryan immediately objected, to which their co-workers just laughed.
"Why don't we sit in the living room?" Eric invited.
"I'll get some tea and some coffee together," Ryan volunteered. "Eric, would you like another cup?"
"Uh... No thanks, babe," he replied appreciatively. "I'm good."
"Okay, then. I'll be in the kitchen."
After Ryan had excused himself, they made their way to the living room and sat down. With the baby kitten still wrapped protectively in her arms, Ali very carefully sank to the floor and then proceeded to rock Harry to sleep.
They talked and laughed about their experiences on current and previous Halloween nights, Eric reluctantly confessing how he'd agreed to dress up as the Royal Steed to Ryan's Handsome Prince and Ali's Princess. Then with very little prompting, Ali eventually told her aunts and uncle all about the treats she'd gotten and about her fun and exciting adventures as Princess 'Punzel.
"Wow, Ali... It sounds like you had a great time!" Alexx smiled. "And you were really brave to go inside those haunted houses four times! Was it scary?"
"Not really," Ali shook her head, grinning. "More silly than scary."
"Oh, that's good," Calleigh piped in. "So, it wasn't too scary, huh? Did you have to hold Papa and Daddy's hands when you went in?"
"Nope. I didn't hold their hands," came her proud reply.
"My! What a brave, little girl you are!" Alexx cooed. "I bet Papa and Daddy weren't nearly as brave as you, were they?" she teased, grinning at Eric, who just shook his head and rolled his eyes before taking a sip of his coffee.
"No... they didn't go inside the haunty house," Ali answered. Then, as if suddenly remembering, she added, "But Daddy got to ride a horsy!"
At his daughter's words, Eric suddenly choked, spat, and then coughed uncontrollably, his eyes widening at what he'd just heard. And picking up on the meaning of his actions, Calleigh's confused frown suddenly turned into a wicked grin as she caught the innuendo. She eyed Eric, who was beginning to turn red and was now studiously avoiding her gaze.
"Oh, he did, did he?" the blonde CSI teased. "Did Daddy ride the horsy on Halloween?"
Eric glared at her, but he was still too stunned and too choked up to speak.
"No, Daddy ride the horsy this morning," Ali replied, oblivious to what she was revealing.
"Reeeeaaally, now?" Calleigh was definitely enjoying watching Eric squirm in his seat.
"Ali Sweetie..." Eric finally managed to croak. "Do you think Harry might be hungry? Maybe you should go to the kitchen and feed him," Eric offered, trying to find some way to keep Ali from answering any more of her Aunt Calleigh's lascivious questions.
"But I just fed him, Papa," Ali objected. "He's full, and now he needs to sleep."
"Listen to your daughter, Eric," Alexx chimed in, the same wicked grin on her face. "Ali's doing a great job taking care of Harry. She knows what she's doing."
"Yeah, she's not the only one who knows what she's doing," Eric replied, still glaring at the blonde.
Ignoring his pointed remark, Calleigh very sweetly asked, "Are you sure about that, Ali? How did you know Daddy rode a horse this morning? Did he tell you he was going to ride a horse?"
"No... But I heard him and Papa playing horsie in their bedroom. Papa asked if he was fast, and Daddy told him to go faster and faster and faster," Ali very innocently explained, oblivious to what she was really disclosing. "They were really loud. I thought they'd wake up Harry."
"Ali..." Eric cut in, trying to put an end to Calleigh's humiliating line of questioning before his daughter revealed any more details about his and Ryan's sex life.
Unfortunately for him, however, the CSI was faster. And right at that moment, Ryan just happened to enter the living room, holding a tray of refreshments and completely unaware of what he'd just walked into.
"Coffee or tea, anyone?" he very cheerily asked.
"So what happened next, Ali?" Calleigh prodded shamelessly, her eyes briefly flickering over to Ryan. "You said that Daddy and Papa were really loud this morning. Did you knock on their door and ask them to be quiet?"
"Well, Harry woke up, so I took him with me," she explained. "Then I was going to knock, but then I heard Daddy shout that he was coming soon. I thought he was mad, so I waited at the door, but he didn't open it."
Just then, a strange clattering sound reached everyone's ears, and they looked up to see cups and glasses jangling dangerously about on a tray, the liquids threatening to spill over as the man holding it turned bright crimson all the way up to his ears.
"Ryan, honey..." Alex began too sweetly for his liking. "Why don't you put that tray down before you spill something? And have a seat there right by Eric."
Too stunned and too red-faced to do anything else, Ryan mutely did what he was told, his mouth hanging half open as Eric helped him steady the tray on the coffee table, before pulling his dumbfounded lover to sit next to him on the couch.
"What...? " Ryan began, trying to make sense of what he'd just heard. "What on earth is going on here? What are you guys talking about?"
"Oh, well, if you must know... Ali here was just telling us a very interesting story about you getting to ride a horsie this morning, Ryan," Alexx answered, that knowing grin he hated to see firmly stretching her lips.
"Mm-hmm..." Calleigh chimed in. "And from the sound of it, you and Eric must've been 'playing horsie' quite hard."
"I told you to tone it down!" Eric hissed into his ear, trying to throw the heat off himself.
"I can't help it!" Ryan defended. "Besides, I wasn't the only one who was loud, you know?"
"Daddy's right, Papa," Ali concurred, looking at the older man. "You were noisy too."
"And what did your Papa say that made him so noisy?" Alexx asked, egging their daughter on, which earned her a glare from the Cuban.
Shrugging, the little girl nonchalantly replied, "I don't know... He was just making lots of horsie noises. And then he told Daddy that he was coming too, and that's when I heard Daddy yell Papa's name really, really loud."
"You see, guys?" the blonde CSI kept on, struggling to contain her amused giggles any longer. "You were both so loud and rowdy 'playing horsie' that you not only woke your daughter up, you woke up Harry too."
Ryan couldn't believe his burnings ears. He felt like crawling up into a deep, dark hole and never coming out until his daughter has turned twenty-one. He wanted to excuse himself and hide in the kitchen, but the suspicious CSI in him just had to find out the truth.
He had to know whether this was just a clever ruse to pry some 'juicy' information about his and Eric's bedroom activities, or if their daughter really did hear his and Eric's dirty 'horseplay' that morning.
And so he asked, "Ali Sweetie, is... is what Aunt Calleigh and Aunt Alexx saying true? Did we really wake you and Harry up?"
As if in response to his question, Harry opened his eyes, yawned wide, and then gave a soft "Meow..." as confirmation. And then he closed his eyes once more and proceeded to chase after sleep in his new owner's little arms.
---
THE END
A/N: Ha! I can finally add this to my collection of "finished fics"! My apologies for the lack of any outright smut if you were expecting any. I wanted to take a different approach on that and keep things PG-13. So, I'm kind of relieved to not actually write any blatant smut at the moment, since all my other Penguins seem to be of the smut variety as of late. Gah! *pulls hair*
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- Main CSI page
- The new stories
- Gil/Greg stories
- Gil/Nick stories
- Gil/Warrick stories
- Nick/Greg stories
- Nick/Warrick stories
- Greg/Warrick stories
- Nick/Bobby stories
- Jim Brass stories
- David Hodges stories
- f/f stories
- CSI: New York stories
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- Other pairings & threesomes
- Gen CSI stories
- C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation: The Complete Ninth Season
