Huxley

My little bird stayed true to her word. I came in every day for lunch, but she refused any other request to spend time with her. It was frustrating how she was able to deny the obvious connection we have. I know I hurt her, but all I want to do is take care of her. That's all I've ever wanted. Now I have the ability to do that and she doesn't want me.

Well, she wants me. I can tell that much. Her body reacts to me as much as she tries to stop it. Watching her float around the diner, talking and smiling. It's a special form of torture. Even though we are on friendly terms, and she allows me to touch her, she doesn't seek me out. She doesn't call and hasn't come to find me since that night she came to the bar.

Today though, she won't be able to avoid me. It's Thanksgiving and I'm hoping the night ends with her in my arms, either in her bed or mind. I don't care, all I know is I want to wake up to her in the morning.

I grab the ingredients for my turkey, as well as the bird, and head over to the diner. The light is on and the door is unlocked. I push it open and a heavenly smell hits my nose, my mouth instantly watering.

"Hey, Hux!" Wren calls from the kitchen and I walk back towards her.

"What is that smell? It's incredible." I say, looking around trying to figure out what it is.

"It's apple pie. I made cinnamon ice cream too." She says excitedly, her eyes bright and smile wide. She's so beautiful it makes my chest fucking ache to look at her.

"You made cinnamon ice cream?" I ask and she nods.

"When I bought the diner I knew I wanted an ice cream maker. It was like, my highest priority." She says and I chuckle.

"You always did have a sweet tooth." I say and she nods, wrapping me in a hug that soothes me down to my soul.

"Still do." She murmurs quietly and I bend down to kiss her head, inhaling the sweet smell of her shampoo as I soak in our closeness.

"You're so warm." She says, slipping her hands under my shirt and I nearly poke a hole in my lip from biting it so hard when her freezing cold hands come into contact with my skin.

"I am not a space heater, baby." I say, clenching my jaw to stop myself from shoving her away as a defense mechanism. She just giggles and scooches closer, her hands traveling around my waist and up my back.

"Well, if I can't use you to warm up my hands I don't really see what I'm getting out of having you around." She teases and I scoff before looking down at her. Her cheeks are pink with the heat of the kitchen and I reach up to run my thumb along her face.

"How about this? You come stay with me tonight and I'll keep you warm as much as you want." I say and her eyes widen as she pulls away slightly, but I tighten my hold on her so she can't avoid me.

"I thought you said you wouldn't touch me until I asked." She says quietly and I chuckle before nodding.

"I won't. But that doesn't mean I can't sleep next to you. Hold you, make you breakfast in the morning. I sleep better with you in my arms." I say quietly and she sighs, relaxing again.

"Ok. But my house, not yours." She says.

Even fucking better. I'm hoping she lets me live there with her eventually, so I want her to be comfortable with me in her space.

"Perfect." I say, pecking a kiss to her forehead before letting her go. I can tell she wants me to kiss her, but I won't. Not until she asks.

Not until she admits that she is mine.

"Alright, baby girl. I gotta focus on my other little bird right now." I say teasingly as I grab the turkey from the box of stuff I brought. Wren tips her head back to laugh before going to a table and rolling out more dough.

"Another pie?" I ask and she nods.

"Cherry." She says and I groan a little.

"My favorite." I say and she smiles at me.

"I know." She quips and I chuckle under my breath.

We float around the kitchen with each other, I help her finish her pie and sneak bites of it when she's not looking. She glares at me when she catches me, but I just shrug making her laugh. Our friends arrive, but I can't stop myself from glaring daggers at Jace when he gives Wren a hug. I barely stopped myself from ripping his hands from his body that first night I saw her dancing with him. She looked so sexy, rolling her hips, her body lost in the music. I wanted to be the one holding her against me, her moving only for me.

"Hey, Hux. Good to see you." Jace says, I grunt and walk away making Wren scowl.

"Hux. Behave." She says sternly and I growl a little, agitated. She must be able to tell because she comes over to wrap her arms around me, standing on tiptoe to whisper in my ear.

"Just remember, you're the one sleeping in my bed tonight, not him." She says and my body relaxes with her so close to me. I put my hands on her hips to pull her closer, tucking my face into her neck to breathe her in.

"Thank you, baby." I murmur in her ear. She pulls away and I look around, people are chatting and basically ignoring us so I pull her close again and kiss her temple, letting my lips linger.

"You caveman." She murmurs and I bark out a laugh, looking down at her sweet smile.

"Can't help it. You're too perfect and I want everyone to know that you're all mine." I say and she rolls her eyes.

"Why don't you just pee on me?" She asks and I laugh harder.

"Didn't know you were in to that kind of thing, baby girl." I say and she giggles, shaking her head.

"I'm going to grab the food. Can you cut the turkey?" She asks and I nod, following her into the kitchen.

We eat dinner and I manage to remain civil with Jace. He laughs at me like he knows why I'm annoyed with him but I just ignore it. Russ' Grandma entertains us with stories from her childhood. My eyes travel the room, Jim and Brenda huddled in the corner, giggling and kissing like teenagers. Liv and Jace giving each other a hard time over the winner of the football game. My girl, talking to Russ' Grandma about the food drive for the food pantry. My heart feels warm sorrounded by these people, people I have always considered family. All that's missing is my mom.

And a little girl, my heart tells me making a spike of pain go through me.

"You alright?" Russ asks and I nod, clanking my beer with his.

"Yeah. Just thinking about my mom." I say and he sighs. He knows all about losing your parents.

"Yeah, I think about mine during the holidays too. Fucking car crash." He says, rubbing his chest like he's trying to disperse the pain.

"I can't decide what's worse." I say. "Your parents dying suddenly in an accident with no warning or watching your mother wither away and die from cancer. I mean, at least I knew it was coming." I say and Russ shakes his head.

"That shit was way harder. I'm grateful mine went quick. No suffering. Your mom, she tried to hide it but that shit was rough. She was amazing." He says and I nod, looking over at Wren who's watching me curiously.

"Yeah, she was." I say and we chat a few more minutes until Wren comes up to me.

"I'm gonna clean up. You want to help so we can go?" She asks and I nod, standing and smacking Russ on the back.

"That turkey was epic, Hux!" He calls as he helps his grandma put her coat on. I chuckle at him.

"Thanks." I say as we watch them leave. I follow Wren to the kitchen, but before we can start to clean, she pulls me into a firm hug. I hug her back, feeling some of the fractured pieces of myself start to smoothen out.

"What's this for? Not that I'm complaining." I ask and she holds me tighter.

"You looked sad." She says and I sigh.

"I was thinking about my mom." I admit quietly and she nods, not letting go.

"I'm here for you. If you need anything." She says and I smile despite my melancholy mood.

"This right here is perfect." I say.

She pulls away eventually and we get her diner ready for Saturday, she leaves it closed the day after Thanksgiving and I decide to shut the bar down as well. A day with her is more important. We drive in a contented quiet to her house and I reach over to hold her hand. We're quiet as we change into comfortable clothes and curl up on her couch. She grabs a large blanket and plops on my lap without my even asking, somehow seeming to know I need the affection. She turns on a Christmas movie and I chuckle, wrapping my arms around her.

"What? It's technically after Thanksgiving." She defends herself and I just laugh again, nestling down into the couch and holding her close.

"We can watch whatever you want, little bird. I'll be happy just to sit here and hold you."