I'm just switching Daisy to my other breast when I hear loud, excited voices enter the hallway. At first, a feminine voice takes the upper hand, but it soon follows by other voices that join. I hear Hero's voice too, and I instantly detect the difference in his British accent; it's heavier, some words he uses are hardly understandable for me.

Somehow hearing him like this makes me smile, and it overrules the nerves that also boil to the service once more. I want to make a good impression on his friends. I want to live up to Hero's idea of Daisy and me.

"We'll be okay, right Daisy?" I softly say to the little bundle that's drinking from me. Her little fists have pressed themselves against the swell of my breast, and upon hearing my voice, her eyes flutter open. "Yes, we will be." I smile.

As if she agrees, her fists dig into my skin a little deeper while her nose runs against my breast a few times. She's not actively drinking anymore; it's more sucking, but I don't have the heart to take her off just yet. She's enjoying this moment, and I decide to enjoy it for a little longer as well before we're introducing ourselves to the party in the living room.

I'm happy that Martha and Mercy are here too. I know them, and that gives some kind of reassurance. I can always sit with them even though I know that Hero will probably take every opportunity he sees to involve me in conversations with his friends.

I look down once again, my hand trailing over Daisy's hairs. They've grown a little since I gave birth to her, and it seems as if it's a little lighter too. Mercy's right; she is changing. Because I see her every day, it's not as obvious for me, but now that I take the time to look at her properly, I see it too.

Her brown lashes are longer and more obvious, or maybe it's because she can open her eyes a little better now. And the dress she has on shows that she's grown too. She's not as small as when I first held her, and she's put on some weight. Her cheeks are a little chubby and every time I look at her I have to hold back from squeezing them.

"You are so precious," I mumble as I trace the small fist that lays on my breast. She's not drinking anymore; her lips are parted slightly and she has turned her head a little so she can look up at me, a dribble of milk leaving the corner of her mouth. She looks full, her chubby cheeks only adding to that sight.

It seems as if she's getting better at focussing too; her eyes are on my face, and it's as if she's trying to figure out where my voice is coming from. "Come here." I carefully lift her against my chest so she can burp, and as always she doesn't disappoint. Her burping is one of Hero's favorite things, and hearing her do it now makes me smile because I see his reaction in my mind.

His big green, proud hues and his enormous smile. And every time he compliments her after she's burped, the sweet nothings always something like 'that's my girl' as if it's an amazing accomplishment.

"Are you ready to meet some new people, sweetheart?" I mumble against her head, and in response Daisy hiccups which tells me she is just as full as she appeared to be moments ago. I carefully lay her in my arm again, wiping her mouth before laying her in the middle of Hero's bed. Her two fingers find her mouth while her eyes follow me as I climb off the bed to cover up. Once I'm done, I glance into the mirror once more to see if everything looks decent.

After running my hands through my hair a few times, I turn to Daisy once again. I check her diaper quickly, and when I see that's still good to go, I take a deep breath while I lift her against my chest. "Ready?" I ask, more to myself than to her, and I can't help but chuckle as I feel how she nestles against me a little more. She couldn't care less, and for a moment I wish I could feel exactly like that too. Careless and utterly content because my belly is full.

After another deep breath and a quick look into the mirror, I leave Hero's room. The moment I open the door, the buzz of the party becomes more clear, and with that, the nerves rise too. As I walk through the hall and towards the two glass doors that lead to the living room, I try to focus on Hero's voice. I hear him, but it sounds as if a lot of people are talking at the same time, so it's hard to pick out what he's saying.

When I'm standing in the door opening, I get the opportunity to scan the people for a moment since nobody notices me right away. I spot Hero first; it's an unconscious action that happens almost as if my brain and body know that seeing him will ease me. He is standing in the kitchen in front of an open fridge, and he is talking to the guy that's standing next to him while beers fill his hands. The guy next to him is laughing at something that Hero says, and one glance at them tells me they are very comfortable around each other.

The guy has dark blond short hair, and in his ear prides a shiny stud. The smile on his face seems genuine and friendly, and if I had to guess, I'd assume he is Felix. I don't really know why, but I think it's because of the natural ease that hangs between them.

I slowly sway Daisy from left to right while my eyes move through the room. Mercy is talking to two girls, and both of them look as if they walked straight out of a fashion magazine. The girl with dark brown curls and caramel skin is wearing a tight, red dress which leaves little to the imagination. She is tall just like Mercy, and she's wearing heels that look uncomfortable. Her face is covered in make-up, on her right cheek two small, glittery stars that flicker in the dim lights of the Christmas tree.

The girl across from her is wearing a pink suit. The first thing I notice is how her cleavage is popping out which suggests that she's not wearing anything underneath the blazer that's closed with two buttons. Her hair is pulled back tightly, a big bun on her head making her look confident. She's tall too, and her make-up is done to perfection as well. And I have to admit that it makes me feel underdressed.

When my eyes find Martha, I spot her with two other guys. She's talking to them with a big smile on her face, and given the laid-back composure of the three of them, I assume that they know each other well. They are sitting on the couch, and overall, the whole atmosphere in the room is light and spontaneous.

My gaze falls back on the kitchen again, and as if he suddenly feels my presence, Hero's eyes flicker from his friend to where I'm standing. His face lights up the moment he sees me, and as if nothing or anyone else matters, he puts the beers on the kitchen counter before marching towards me.

"Hi," he greets when he is standing in front of me, a smile covering his face while his eyes go from me to Daisy who is laying in my arms. "Everything good?"

I nod and smile at him as well. "Yeah, everything good."

"Great. Want to meet everyone?" He asks excitedly, and right after, all the other voices around us seem to have stopped talking. When I scan the room, I see that everyone's attention is on us already, and I can feel my cheeks heat up at their intense stares.

Hero seems to have noticed it too, because he turns so he is standing next to me and wraps his arm around my shoulders. "Everyone, this is Josephine." While Daisy lies against my chest, I use my right hand to give them a little wave before supporting Daisy's back again. "Jo," Hero starts, pushing me forward a little while his friends gather around us. "This is Felix," he points to the guy that he was talking to in the kitchen. "And Elif." The girl in the pink suit gives me a small smile and awkward nod. "Miryam." "Hey, Josephine," the girl in the red dress says, her smile big and genuine. "And Morgz and Alex," Hero continues, pointing to the two guys that were talking to Martha. They smile and wave.

"Hello, everyone," I say politely, trying my best not to let the nerves be audible in my tone. My cheeks are still red, but Hero's arm around me offers some reassurance and it gives me a little more confidence as well.

"And this little one right here," Hero pipes up again, holding out his hands so I can give Daisy to him. When she lies with her back against his chest and his hand is wrapped around her protectively, he continues, "This is our girl, Daisy."

Pride and emotion rise as he calls her our girl, and I don't miss how Martha -who is standing behind the group that's surrounding us- blinks her eyes a few times as well.

"She is so tiny, bruh." Felix is the first one that speaks, his hand carefully folding around Daisy's foot before he strokes it with his thumb. My eyes follow his move intently and I feel the familiar need to protect her in my stomach as my body tenses. Hero senses this because he switches Daisy so she's laying on his arm before moving his now free arm around me as if to assure me that Felix is okay.

"She is," Hero beams. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

They all nod in agreement, their attention solely on my daughter. "And look at her blue eyes. They are so beautiful," Miryam compliments.

"Just like the ones of her mummy," Hero responds with a small smile and another squeeze in my shoulder. I don't miss the surprised look on both Elif and Morgz face, but they are soon replaced by small smiles. And as expected, my face is about crimson because of his comment.

Hero doesn't seem to notice how forward his comment was. He looks completely at ease, and after another round of "oh's" and "awh's" for Daisy, he says, "So, now that everyone is here and introduced, let's have a drink."

Everyone nods in agreement, and relief rushes through me for a split second as they all give us some space and the attention on me subsides. At the same time, Hero's grip on me tightens a little more. "That wasn't that bad, was it?" He chuckles, effortlessly reading my insecure composure.

"I guess not. I'm sorry for tensing when Felix-"

"Don't. I know, love." He pulls me against him and I take the opportunity to turn slightly so I'm standing in front of him with Daisy in between us. "I know how you feel about that, and I feel it too. She'll lay with you or me, or in her bed, don't worry."

"Or Mercy. I promised her cuddle time with her," I say, and on cue, a smirk flashes over Hero's face. When I add, "And maybe your mom," a full-blown, two-dimpled smile appears.

"She'd love that."

I smile when I see Hero glance at his mom. I can tell that he loves her very much, and I know it means a lot to him that I trust his mom with Daisy. When his eyes meet mine again, he leans down a little so our foreheads almost touch. "You don't mind that I called her our girl, do you?" He suddenly looks a little unsure, and his cheeks are a little red as well. "It just slipped out without thinking it over and I felt proud so-"

I shake my head and lift my hand so I can put it on his forearm, silencing him. "I don't mind. I liked it. It means a lot to me that you introduced her like that."

It's the truth. Ever since we had lunch, I've been thinking about Hero and Daisy's relationship. And when he introduces her as our girl just now, it only reinforced my hopes and feelings. I want her to be his girl. I want both of us to be his girls.

"Okay, Hero. My turn," Mercy pipes up from out of nowhere, forcing my thoughts on hold. She claps her hands in excitement and by that she forces Hero and I to create some distance between us. And while my cheeks are bright red because I forgot that we were not alone, Mercy doesn't even give it any attention. She's impatiently waiting for Hero to hand Daisy over, and after looking at me for permission, he gives her to his sister. "Careful with her head," he mumbles as he lays her in Mercy's arms.

"I will," she counters while looking at Daisy. "Hello, little girl. I missed you," she adds in a high, sweet voice before she lifts her head to look at me. "I'll just sit with her on the couch."

I nod and follow her as she slowly bounces to the couch, her head bowed while she gives all her attention to Daisy. When she's crawled into the corner that seems to be everybody's favorite spot, she lifts her feet and bends her knees before laying Daisy on her upper legs so she can look at her properly. The ease with which she does this, surprises but at the same time touches me.

The fact that Mercy is this welcoming and sweet with my daughter, gives me hope. It gives me hope about Daisy's future and how she'll have people around her that love her. It also puts light on the little progress I'm making as a mother. It seems so long ago that I didn't want anyone but Hero to hold her, but in reality, that's only been a couple of weeks ago. Yet here I am, completely at ease and even feeling a hint of pride as I look at Mercy and Daisy snuggled up on the couch.

"You want a drink?" Hero's voice right next to my ear pulls my attention back to him, and when I look at him I can tell he was looking at his sister and Daisy as well. He shares the same pride, I can see it in his eyes.

After one glance at the two of them, I nod my head. "Sure."

I follow him to the kitchen, his hand folded around mine. I can't help but notice how he's making sure to touch me, even as we move through his apartment. I'm sure it's because he wants me to feel comfortable, and it's working. It's a returning theme; with him close, things seem so much easier and less scary.

"So, mum brought all kinds of drinks, the guys brought wine and mixes. What do you want?" His happy, green eyes curiously scan me as he opens the fridge.

"Oh, just water is fine."

He frowns, and after he's closed the fridge again, he stands in front of me. "You always drink water or tea. Don't you want to try something else?" When I just shrug, he continues, "I know the white wine we have is really good. You might like it. We can give Dais a bottle, so you don't have to worry about breastfeeding."

"I... I've never had alcohol before," I confess. I'm not opposed to trying, but the thought does make me a little nervous. I've seen what alcohol can do to people, even felt it first hand as the five sometimes drank while they were in my room. I don't want to lose myself. "I'm not sure if I even like it."

"You can have a little sip. If you don't like it, I'll drink it. Don't worry." Hero grabs a glass from the cabinet and then opens the fridge to take out a bottle. He deftly uncorks it, and then fills the glass with a little wine before he hands me the glass. "Take a small sip and let it roll in your mouth for a bit." He's excited; his curious eyes pull me over the doubt I feel without as much as words.

So, I lift the glass to my lips and take a small sip. I let the wine go through my mouth, and after a moment I swallow. "And?" Hero eagerly asks, making me giggle.

It's not that bad. It's not good either, but that could be because I've never drank something like this. I'm not used to drinking anything with a very pronounced taste at all; I mostly drink water or tea, and since I breastfeed Daisy, I occasionally drink milk. He never gave me anything else to drink other than water or tea; I guess he hated me that much.

"It's different," I settle on, which makes him chuckle. "But I think it can grow on me." Hero's face lights up and he lifts the bottle to fill my glass properly before he takes another glass from the cabinet which he fills too. After he's put the uncorked bottle back into the fridge, he takes the other glass and lifts it before clicking it with mine. "To you and Dais."

While his eyes never leave mine, he lifts the glass to his lips to take a sip. I watch how he swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with the action, and my breathing spikes when he licks his lips to collect all the flavors. And I feel weird and warm and nervous once again.

"It's good," he mumbles, his pupils a little wider and his eyes a little darker. His gaze is intense, and to distract myself from the sudden, unknown yet familiar feelings that rush through me, I take another gulp of my wine. A much bigger one this time, which causes me to wince slightly at the new, bitter but fruity taste.

When I've swallowed, I suck in a breath, and after that, I lick my lips. Hero follows all the actions like a hawk, the distance between us slowly becoming less as he leans forward.

The tension between us is new and unexpected. He looks different; his black shirt -that's hugging his form perfectly- is making him look even bigger and more impressive, and the way he is looking at me doesn't make me feel special like it normally does. Right now, his gaze on me makes me feel warm. Hot even.

"So, Josephine," a voice next to us breaks the tension and intense staredown between us, and I turn my head to find a smirking Felix at the other side of the kitchen counter. He is holding his beer, and he looks amused. "What's it like living with this wanker? Is he behaving?"

In the corner of my eyes, I see how Hero lifts his hand to his face and draws his fingers over his eyebrows. I hear him mumble something incoherent under his breath too before he takes another gulp from his glass. All the while, Felix is eyeing me curiously, waiting for an answer to his question.

"Um, he has been very welcoming and kind. And he helps me with Daisy," I answer, trying my hardest to ignore my hot cheeks. It's somehow scary to talk to his friends, but the fact that Hero is standing right next to me helps.

Felix nods, his expression happy as he takes a sip from his beer at the same time as Miryam and Elif join us. Elif stands next to Felix, her arm casually looping through his. They seem close, but Felix's expression does change slightly. "How old is Daisy now?" Felix asks, not giving Elif as much as a glance. I note how his accent is almost the same as Hero's.

"Eighteen days old," Hero pipes up while his arm wraps around my shoulder. "She was born on December thirteenth."

"You know the time too, bruh?" Felix smirks, obviously trying to mock him, but Hero just smiles broadly while nodding his head. "Damn right, I do. Around one-thirty in the morning."

I can't fight the smile as I hear the pride in his voice. It's hard to believe that her birth has been just eighteen days ago. It's also how long I've known Hero, but sometimes it feels as if I've known him for so much longer. I'm aware that a part of that is because he is the first one that I have contact with since I'm not in that apartment anymore. Ever since he got me out of there, he's been the most consistent thing in my life.

But it's more. I feel like I've known him longer because he knows everything about me. He knows the scariest parts of me, and he has seen me in the darkest moments of my life when he found me on that floor. And I've never trusted anyone more.

"Your daughter is very cute, Josephine," Miryam smiles sweetly. "You must be very proud."

I smile and nod my head as I throw another glance at the couch. Mercy is still holding Daisy, but she's now laying in her arms. Martha is sitting next to her and they are talking about something while Daisy's wrapped her hand around Martha's thumb. "I am. She's my everything really."

"For how long are you and Daisy staying here?" Elif suddenly asks, her tone less interested than her friend's, and her question takes me by surprise a bit. Hero tenses behind me, and Felix rolls his eyes while he moves his arm so they aren't touching anymore. It's something that Elif doesn't like, but she tries to hide it.