wrong one//g.d

t h i r t y - o n e

(y/n pov)

"Hey!" you laughed, waking up. "Elle--"

"--ist-mas!" she giggled, poking you. "Y/N, --ist-mas!"

"Merry Christmas, honey." You sat up to see Elle sitting nicely in your lap, hands clasped before her. "Awh, good morning," you cooed. She giggled as Gray walked in.

"That's where she went-- did you get up on the bed all by yourself?" Gray asked. You stretched your arms. "Good morning," he said with a smile.

"Merry Christmas." You smiled as he kissed your head, picking Elle up.

"Your dad's been looking for you, pumpkin," Gray sighed, walking towards the door as you got off of the bed. He turned back to you. "Breakfast is ready-- made by yours truly."

You had breakfast altogether. It was a nice feeling-- definitely a Christmas to remember.

Presents were nice too. You and Gray had bought presents together and Christmas shopping had been a lot of fun that year as you didn't have to do it alone. You'd even put up a Christmas tree, despite not being home for Christmas. The holiday season was always so fun, no matter your mood.

Laughs were shared all around and genuinely? You were happy. Even with Ethan there, with e/w there, constantly reminding you that your reality wasn't what you'd spent your life dreaming of.

You were truly happy.

And things were great in New Jersey. Your meeting led you to a pleasant surprise-- a promotion. Meeting your parents was just lovely, and not to mention just being home. In the snow. You were downright so content-- you almost didn't want to go back to California.

Maybe that had to do with not wanting to be alone with Grayson and having things be awkward.

Because after being around people all day, every day again, you avoided any time alone with Gray. Things went back to how they used to be-- awkward.

So you got into bed just as he was falling asleep, you woke up late, or if you were up before he was, you pretended to stay asleep until he was up and out of bed.

And it definitely didn't help that it was as if Gray tried to get you alone, every moment of that trip. And one specific time? New year's eve.

"Elle!" She giggled, running down the hall at her own little speed as you pretended to chase her. she squealed, running straight into her uncle's leg in the kitchen.

He turned, spreading the icing on the cookies he'd just made. "Hey!" You smiled, stopping as she turned to look at you, tugging on Gray's sweats. There was no one in the kitchen but him, you, and the toddler.

"Gray!" she squealed. He sucked some icing off of his finger as he lifted her with his other arm. "Cookie?" she asked. You smiled.

"You watching her?" you asked. He turned to you as you began to walk out. "I'll--"

"Wait, have a cookie first?" You smiled and he handed you an iced sugar cookie. You thanked him and he turned to Elle. "And for you." He broke off a piece and handed it to her.

"Thank you!" Gray smiled as he set her back down. She waddled out of the kitchen. "Where ya going?" he asked her. She turned.

"Daddy?"

"Daddy's gone out with mama," you explained. She frowned, looking up at you. "Remember? They went to go get some groceries?"

"--ceries?" You nodded. "G-ama?"

"Grandma's-"

"Right here!" Lisa walked into the kitchen, just coming out of the shower. "Hi there." Elle reached up for her grandmother and Lisa complied, scooping her into her arms.