Let's Play!

Ansel kissed her easily, sighing with content happiness.

"I think we could use a hot tub. Just so we can have somewhere to lounge while the kids play on the splash pad? "

He suggested with a smile.

"Whatever you want. It's your house."

Willow shrugged a little before climbing up onto his lap better and pulling his arms around herself. She bobbed her feet over the edge of the bed with satisfaction.

Ansel chucked.

" our house. Do you enjoy hot tubs? "

Willow studied his fingers, threading hers between.

"I've only been in one a couple times. Seems to me that a hot bath is about the same with the added option of soap. But it's fine."

This was so far above her current concerns that it might as well been considerations for an alien.

"Huh. Maybe I'll hold off."

For now.

"Don't let me keep you from having the things you want. "

"I have all I want. Right here. You. Right in my lap. "

He kissed her pointedly, grinning.

"But in a broader sense? Maybe you want to be able to take soapless baths outside. Doesn't matter to me. /

Ansel laughed.

"I never considered taking soapy baths outside. But now I'm thinking about it. "

He admitted with a smile.

Willow let her body relax back against his, its fatigue drawing her eyes shut.

'That seems like something you'd do. Ducks and all"

".... maybe not the ducks. Some things are just for inside. "

Maybe not to be mistaken for "ma, people will see! ".

Willow chuckled.

"My mistake. I'm not as educated as you on the rules of duck territory"

"It's alright. I'm here to guide you in the magnificent ways of thee elite ducky care. "

He reassured her, much more serious than should be possible.

"Are we doing the caring or are the duckies? "

"Us, naturally. The duckies are just babies. "

Willow peeked up at him with a grin.

"So that's how you already came with prepackaged dad-functionality when I got you. "

Ansel smiled a tiny bit.

"Eh, duckies are easy babies. It's grown up babies that trained me. "

Willow's smile faltered. If that was the prerequisite, then she never stood a chance to begin with.

"I'm glad you had that, for both you and your children. "

The woman turned and pressed her face to him for a minute.

"I should let you go shower. You said you wanted that before bed."

Ansel glanced to the bathroom.

" Yeah, I should really shower...... but..... you know even without it, it still would have worked out for us. You're an amazing mom to them."

He kissed her twice more.

"Want to wash up with me? "

"No. You enjoy yourself."

Even as she turned down the simple pleasure and moved out of his way, her mind turned back to the problem that had resurfaced. Was that the reason why she had lost them?

Either way, it should be clear to Ansel by now that Liam had been completely right about at least one thing. Willow didn't take breaks. With the exception of the brief interludes with him, her mind always seemed to be busy, turning over troubles that clung to her like stains.

It was apparent but he hadn't found an approach to that he was comfortable with taking or approaching the topic. He washed up in relative calm though, moving a ducky to sneaky peek out from behind Willow's shampoo. It was the one with a little hat with hearts on it.

He finished up and opted for comfy wear, sweats and tank top as he climbed up to pull Willow into his chest.

"Hey. "

He whispered gently, reaching to cup her cheek and look at him.

At seeing him, willow remembered how he had thought of and missed her while he was gone. She smiled slightly at the little, fresh wave of warm fuzzies and curled up to him.

"Yeah? "

"You should settle into me tonight. Share my dreams tonight? "

He requested gently, thumb lightly stroking her cheek.

Willow's brows shot up.

"Why?" She blurted, not because she was necessarily opposed so much as surprised and completely unable to think of a reason he'd want that.

Ansel smiled a bit, eyes lighting up as he fought not to laugh.

"Because dreams can be soothing. An escape. You might find it helpful. "

He shared tenderly, kissing her.

"Plus. It's like bonus time with you."

Willow eased into a smile, leaning to kiss his cheek.

"You want to be with me? "

"Very much so, yes. "

He agreed, kissing her again as he waited to hear her official answer

Willow nodded a little bit, thinking instead of the logistics.

"I've never done it on purpose."

She wilted a little as realization hit her. If she could do it on purpose, that would be using her magic, wouldn't it?

Ansel smiled at her, nodding as he kissed her.

"That's OK. We can always try it and if it doesn't work try again later? "

Willow slowly curled her fingers into his shirt.

"That wouldn't let you down?"

She was trying to decide which action and which outcome would do the most harm.

"You're sure you want me to try? That's not... the most normal- seeming thing for me to do. "

"No outcome would let me down. Whatever is most comfortable for you is alright with me. "

He kissed her adoringly, kissing her forehead.

" I'm sure I'm happy to do it, if you're up to trying. C

"Okay. Are you going to bed now? "

"Only if you are?"

He posed with a quirked brow and a charming smile.

Willow twisted his drawstring around her finger and tried again.

"Are you WANTING to go to bed?"

"I'm not entirely tired yet, but I'm not like.... wanting to run laps outside? "

He ventured with a little smile at her.

"I'm just a bit in between I guess. "

Willow nodded.

"Okay. You could... read? You seem to like that."

She slid backwards so she was sitting on her own.

"Or, or you could talk to me? If you can't stop your mind you can share some of it with me? Whatever you want to talk about?"

He suggested, just wanting her to spend time for them right now.

Willows brows pulled together as she tried to make sense of that. She leaned against the headboard, tucking her knees under her chin and grasping her toes.

"You want me to stop thinking? "

"No no, but I don't want you to live in a hyper aware state..... so maybe I can give you a tiny break?

She couldn't figure out he meant. Wasn't she just the normal amount of aware?

"I don't understand."

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to stave off the sudden sense that there was something bad hiding under the surface of this conversation. It certainly wouldn't have a lie or a cue she'd missed or anything else she needed to be scared of. Nope. Not at all.

"I can go to sleep," she decided after a minute.

That would make her the least aware or whatever was causing the problem. No more of whatever was starting to go wrong.

"You can just wake me up later if you want my attention. Love you. Goodnight. "

She uncurled and slid quickly under the blanket.