tattoos || c.h.

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɴɪɴᴇ

mia

calum places julian down as everyone walks into the kitchen. before i could even take one step julian stands in front of me.

"hi." he says more calmly and i kneel down in front of him. yeah. he's definitely calum's kid.

"hi." i put my hand out and he shakes it with a smile. "i'm mia. it's nice to meet you." this kid is way too cute.

"uncle ash told me you also came because your friend wanted to bring you." he starts a conversation with me. "are you upset she made you come?"

"i got to meet an amazing kid, i'm more than happy." i give him a genuine smile. he really is the best kid i've ever met and i've babysat a lot.

"thank you." julian returns my smile. "what's in this?" he reaches for my necklace.

i open the locket and show him the picture, "it's me and my two dads a few years ago."

"you have two dads?" he seems really interested. this kid is getting cuter by the second.

"i do and they're my best friends." i answer julian and add on to it.

"my dad's my best friend." julian informs me and i can't handle his cuteness and how adorable and energetic and open he is. "he's the best."

"i bet he is." i say as julian closes my locket. "wanna go join everyone?" i ask him and he eagerly nods.

"can i have a piggy back ride?" he asks, making sure to give me puppy dog eyes. this kid is definitely getting places in his future.

"sure." i allow him to jump on my back and i stand up to see calum already looking at us. he gives a nice smile and i return it as i walk julian and me to the kitchen where everyone hangs around.

"hi!" julian says as he rests his head on my shoulder and everyone looks to us. "i made mia give me a piggy back ride." he seems so proud of himself.

the group bursts into laughter as i just smile at the amount of cuteness he holds. if i ever have kids and they're like this, i am never allowing them to grow up. they're going to stay like this.

we all get into a conversation and i still hold julian on my back as he seems to be snuggling his head into my neck. he's so adorable. i look over to calum who's seem to already be looking at me.

he takes a few steps to walk over to us, "you do know you can put him down, right?"

"no." julian whines and i laugh. "just a little longer."

"he gives the orders." i joke and calum gives me a light laugh. "so 'just a little longer'." i repeat julian's word. this kid could honestly tell me to read him a 300 page book and i'd do it. he's too adorable and sweet that i can't say no to him.

"surprised your arms aren't tired." calum continues to talk with me. "i would've let him down by now." he admits to me.

"i hold some heavy cameras for my job on a daily." i explain to calum. "you get a nice workout from it, so he's easy to hold."

"what's your job?" julian questions my job occupation. "why do you need a camera?"

"do you know what a photographer is?" i ask him and he nods. "that's my job."

"really?" his energy comes rushing back. "what pictures do you take?"

"what do you think i take?" i play around with him a little bit. i swear this kid is the reason why i'm so happy right now. he's made my day. end of conversation. a four year old has made my day. that is something i never thought i'd say.

"people and trees." julian sounds so sure of his answer. i get why calum wants to protect him so much. he doesn't want this energy to die. if someone leaves his life that he's become attached to this much energy and joy probably won't be present in his life for awhile.

"you're right. people and nature." i tell him and feels so victorious.

"i deserve an award!" he looks at calum. "can i have ice cream?" he asks calum and i smile because julian asking for ice cream reminds me of the store when calum was panicking.

"have you had dinner?" luke asks two seats down on the counter. "that's the real question."

"i had dinosaur chicken nuggets!" julian explains to everyone due to luke bringing all of our attention to julian.

"he deserves ice cream." michael tells calum, earning an eye roll from calum as he walks to the freezer and everyone cheers, especially julian.

i place julian on the floor as he runs to his dad for cookies and cream ice cream. reminds me of june and me begging our parents for money to get ice cream a block away from our school.

i look over to june who's already looking at me. in her eyes i can tell we both remembered those few years of begging. a smile finds our lips and we turn our attention to julian and calum, who's just given julian a tiny bowl of ice cream.

"thank you!" julian says before running to the couch, grabbing my hand as he does so. everyone laughs at julian's action as i land right beside him on the couch. "can we watch blue's clues?" he asks calum.

"yes." he nods and julian grabs the remote, knowing the exact channel for the show.