Astrid

21



We were supposed to reach the restaurant by 6 pm but it's 6:30 now. So we're half an hour late.

Daemon lead us to the reception and asked them to take us to our table. I saw a lot of people glancing at us as we walked past them so I snuggled into Daemon to hide myself.

The manager guided us to a private room. The room was circular with warm lights and a circular table in the middle. I could see the night sky from the ceiling to floor window that covered most of the room.

"I apologize for being late," Daemon said politely.

"Why are you late?" Mr. DiCosta asked, "Daemon King is never late. What happened today?"

I just noticed the people in the room as I sat down on the chair next to Adrian which Daemon pulled out for me. There were two boys and a woman I didn't know. The boys are probably Mr. DiCosta's other sons and the woman must be his wife.

"Me being late is none of your business," came Daemon's snarky reply.

"It is if it's my dinner," Mr. DiCosta raised his eyebrow with a superior look on his face while Daemon just rolled his eyes and took the seat net to me.

"Hi, I'm Alessandro, the old man you see yapping about, that's my father. And this pretty lady's my mother and the snotty baby is my brother. And you see that brooding ugly man? That's my other brother. It's nice to meet you," the boy who looked to be about my age rambled on.

"Aless," the woman snapped before turning to me. "Hello darling, I'm Isabella. You can call me Isabella or Isa or Bella whatever you want, I'm not picky. It's so nice to finally meet you," she said rounding up to me and pulling me in for a hug. It felt so nice to hug a woman. Almost like a mother's embrace.

"I'm Astrid, it's nice to meet you too." I mumbled shyly.

"Mama, Aless keeps pinching me," the other boy who didn't look older than five, whined.

"Aless, stop fucking annoying everyone," the other man, Mercello, grumbled. He seems really scary.

"Papa, what does fucking mean?" The baby asked.

"Mercello," the woman, Isabella, hissed. Then she turned to smile at me, "boys I tell you."

"You're pretty," the baby whose name I don't know yet suddenly pulled my dress to get my attention.

"I like you," he said still pulling my dress.

"Enzo, baby don't pull her dress," Isabella said gently.

Enzo pouted. "But I wanna give her a kiss but she's too far up, so I'm want her to get down."

"Baby, if you want her to get down you ask her with your word not pull her. Okay? Now apologize to her."

Before I could say that it's ok and he doesn't need to apologize he hugged my legs and sniffled. "I'm sorry," he said with teary eyes, pouting.

"It's ok," I bent down to his level and kissed his cute chubby cheeks which made him kiss my cheeks as well. Then he offered me his hand for a handshake, "I'm Enzo DiCosta and I'm almost five years old."

"I'm Astrid and I'm fifteen and I think you're really cute."

As soon as I called him cute he squealed and went running to mother, blushing. He's so cute.

Everyone conversed for a while before food was served.

"I ordered for you 'cause you were late," Adrian whispered in my ear and I nodded.

Dinner went by smoothly. Alessandro kept asking me questions like my likes dislikes, hobbies, pets and many other things. The more we talked, the more I liked him.

Soon it was time for us to leave. "Can I visit you," Enzo asked pulling my hands.

"Yes, I'd love that." Hearing my reply he again blushed and kissed my tummy.

"I love you too," he squeaked. So cute.

I giggled at his words. "You're really cute."

He blushed. Again.

"Alright love, it's time to go home," Daemon said placing his hand on my back.

I waved Enzo and Aless goodbye and exchanged a few words with the others before following Daemon to his car.

Daemon started his car and told me to rest my eyes. So I closed my eyes tired of fighting the sleep.

______________________________________



I looked at the passenger seat and saw Alora asleep. Deciding not to bother her I went to her side and carried her in. Adonis, Soren and dad also came in as I put her on the couch.

"Why're you laying her there? Take her up." Adonis frowned.

"But she needs to change her clothes right?"

"Daemon just take her to bed," Anubis said walking in.

"Did anyone notice how Enzo kept clinging to her today," Adrian asked lightly lifting Alora's head to sit down before putting her head on his lap.

"Yeah," Adonis grit his teeth. "Little brat."

"Do you guys not like that boy or something," Soren asked confused as Anubis snorted.

"Alright boys, it's getting late. You all go to bed." Dad said clapping his hands and making shooing gestures as if we're kids.

Anubis rolled his eyes. "Hey dad, Xander said gramps is going crazy to meet her."

I nodded. "Aldric said they all want to meet her. And it really isn't fair you know, keeping them away. They're her family too."

Dad sighed, "I know but I don't want to overwhelm her. We've got a big family, she might get scared."

"Family dad. They're her family. If she gets scared we can ask them to leave. They'll understand. But we should let them meet her."

"I'll ask Astrid first." Dad reasoned. "If she wants to meet them I'll tell them to come over."

I nodded. That's fair enough.

"Now put her to bed," Adrian said running his fingers through her hair.

"But she has to change her clothes," I don't like the idea of her sleeping in uncomfortable clothes.

"You will not wake my daughter up. Let her sleep."

"But her clothes! She might get rashes or something."

"Daemon if it bothers you so much then ask someone to change her," Adonis said tiredly.

"She hates it when other people touch her."

"The fuck are you gonna do then, change her yourself," Adrian growled.

"Watch the tone," I hissed as I lifted Alora off of him and walked up to her room.

I softly called her trying to get her change her clothes. She mumbled a few incoherent words before going back to sleep.

This isn't working. She'll just have to sleep uncomfortably.

Or I could sleep here and see if she wakes up. Then I'll get her to change her clothes.

Now that's one weird thought but my OCD keep bothering me so that's what I'll do.

I quickly went to my room, changed, git ready for bed and came back to her room and laid down hugging her.

I've missed cuddling with her. I slept with a content smile after eleven long years.

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A/N
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