"Stephen?" David whispered as he came through the door. "Stephen?" he whispered louder. David looked around down the hall and found Stephen on his stomach, sleeping on the couch. David quietly walked up so as to not wake him, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hmm?" Stephen stirred and blinked his eyes open. "Hey." He smiled up at David and reached his arms up, pulling David down to him and kissing him passionately on the lips, letting his tongue dance along David's lips. David couldn't help but smile and let Stephen's tongue dance its way into his mouth. They stayed that way for some time, kissing and holding each other.
David pulled away suddenly causing Stephen to moan with desire. "Um. Hello?"
Stephen sat up and turned to see what David was looking at. Ruby was standing on the other side of the table looking at them. She looked from David to Stephen without saying anything.
David turned to look at Stephen. "Does she say anything?" David whispered as low as he could.
"Not so far, " Stephen mumbled still watching Ruby who remained still.
David got up from the floor where he had been kneeling and walked around the table, kneeling in front of Ruby.
"Hi. I'm David." David put his hand out. Ruby cocked her head to one side as if sizing David up and looked to Stephen for confirmation that this man was OK. Stephen was not quit sure what to do or say so he just watched the two of them. Ruby looked back at David then his hand, but did not take it. David took his hand back and smiled.
"Are you hungry? You slept through tea." David asked watching Ruby. Again, Ruby looked to Stephen and he shrugged his shoulders just as confused as she was. "Come on, let's get something to eat." David stood up and put his hand out once again for Ruby to hold so he could lead her to the kitchen and she just looked at it then up at his smiling face. "That's OK. We'll just go in the kitchen." David led the way to the kitchen and opened the door. Ruby stood in her spot for a moment before following David into the kitchen.
"Alright, let's see what Stephen has for tea. Is it OK if I put you in the chair?" David looked down at Ruby who made no reaction while he waited. He gently picked her up and put her one of the stools.
"Stephen! Get in here!" David shouted. Stephen guiltily walked in to the kitchen. "What were planning on feeding this kid?"
"I wasn't expecting to have a kid." Stephen replied with frustration. David shook his head and slammed the refrigerator door shut. "Let's go." David picked up Ruby, holding her tight on his side, and grabbed Stephen's hand.
As they started to go out the door Ruby made her first sound, she screamed and started kicking David. "Holy shit! What is her problem?" David shouted, trying to keep a hold on her so he wouldn't drop her. She screamed harder until she was crying. "What does she want?" David shouted at Stephen.
"How should I know?" Stephen shouted back while covering his ears. "Wait! Let me see if it's this!" Stephen ran back into the house and returned a few moments later with the little stuffed dog. He threw it at Ruby and covered his ears. She latched on to the dog tightly and quietly continued to cry into David's shoulder as he rubbed her back.
"I don't think I can do this. I can't handle that all the time." Stephen was shaking his head and panicking.
"You get used to it. At least she is past the terrible twos." David tried to joke. Stephen looked at him with a panicked face.
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"Here." When they arrived at Tesco, David removed a sleeping Ruby from her car seat and handed her to Stephen. He held her at her waist like she was going to wake and kick him.
"What are you doing?" David laughed.
"I have no idea." Stephen said looking at him confused. David took Ruby and adjusted her in Stephen's arms so her head was asleep on his shoulder and his arm around her, holding her on one side just above his hip. "I am so not cut out for this. I don't even know how to hold one."
They made it through the market and stopped to have a tea break at McDonald's. Holding her stuffed dog and shoes, David encouraged Ruby to play in the outdoor playground, but she just stood looking from him to her dog and shoes until he gave up and put her shoes back on.
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By the time night came, Stephen was mentally lost. Not only was he still dealing with his best friend's death, but the day after the funeral he picked up his friend's daughter and had to figure out to take care of her for at least a week.
"She's asleep. Did you know she really doesn't have anything in that suitcase or duffel? Just a couple pieces of clothes? It looks like it is mainly things John wanted her to have to remember him by." David yawned as he dropped on the couch next to Stephen.
Stephen let his head drop on David's shoulder. It was the first time in a few days he allowed himself to accept everything that happened with his childhood friend and allow himself to mourn. David wrapped his arm around Stephen and they sat that way for the rest of the night, eventually falling asleep in each other's arms still on the couch.
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The Only Girl for Stephen
FanfictionStephen's best mate, that he has known since childhood, has passed away. Stephen is now questioning the meaning of his life and everything in it. In the meantime, he discovers his mate has left him something in his will for the purpose of giving his...
