Reach For You [Dad!Calum Hood AU]

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"OH, GOSH, LET'S get you dried up," Aspen gasped, widened eyes taking in the sight of her daughter, practically soaked to the bone as she squelched into the apartment. The last thing Aspen wanted was for Luna to get a cold again when she just got over one. Her irritated eyes went over to Calum, who was awkwardly lingering by the doorway, just as wet, and she had half a mind to reprimand him for letting Luna get so wet. "Stay here, both of you. Let me get some towels."

Aspen didn't bother waiting for Calum's response as she turned and briskly walked further into the apartment, opening the hallway closet where she kept the linens and towels, pulling two of them out. Returning, she tossed one at Calum, who caught it effortlessly, before she crouched down to dry Luna's hair before wrapping it around her and picking her up.

Eyes going back over to Calum, Aspen huffed as she put Luna on her hip and tried to keep the snap out of her voice as she said to Calum, "You couldn't have kept an umbrella in your car or something?" But she failed as she began turning away, Luna in her arms, before adding on in a hard tone, "You better hope she doesn't get sick again."

Thunder rumbled through the house as Aspen brought Luna to her room, hearing the rain pelting consistently on the window as Aspen got Luna out of her wet clothes and changed the little girl into her pajamas as she told her about her day. "Daddy and I went to the movies," Luna said as Aspen put on her shirt.

"Yeah?" Aspen hummed, expertly keeping her irritation towards Calum at bay. "How was it?"

"Good," Luna smiled as Aspen tugged the shirt down her head before smoothing our Luna's hair. "We watched Smallfoot and ate lots of popcorn. And I had a slushee, too!"

"Aw, that's fun," Aspen smiled once Luna had her clothes on. "Come on, let's quickly dry your hair."

She made quick work of it, and once they were done Luna took off to see Calum in the living room and Aspen followed leisurely, jumping in surprise when her phone let out a shrill emergency alarm. Both hers and Calum's phones went off, and she let out a soft sigh when she saw that it was an emergency flood warning, just as thunder roared through the sky.

It was loud and, honestly, frightening and Aspen heard Luna let out a whimper before clutching Calum's legs, jeans still wet from the rain. "'S okay, bug," Calum soothed, rubbing the top of Luna's head. "'S just the rain."

Aspen looked over towards the living room windows, pursing her lips at the weather outside. It was late in the evening and the sun had already set, the sky dark, lighting up occasionally with the lightning as the rain relentlessly pattered on the windows. The area they lived in was prone to flooding in downpours like this, and everyone was always advised to stay indoors and off the roads in this kind of weather. And when Aspen checked the weather app, she felt her shoulders sink in dismay to see that it would be raining until the morning, hundred percent chance of it.

Her muscles went rigid with tension as she thought over the decision her rational mind was coming to, hoping that her irrational side would win out so she didn't have to do what she was about to. But the weather was awful and no matter their issues, Aspen wouldn't feel right sending Calum away in this rain.

"I think you're gonna have to stay the night."

The thunder that followed her words was almost comical.

His head snapped up from looking at Luna, his dark eyes meeting Aspen's in a mixture of incredulity and disgruntlement. Obviously Calum had no issue getting to spend extra time with Luna—it was being around Aspen that was unsettling. Sure, they were semi used to each other's presence, but it'd still take time. There were years lost between them; recovery was going to be a bitch. If there were any chances of it at all in the first place, that is.