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"Amber? Belle?"
The chameleon whispers his daughters' names, trying to rouse them from their deep slumber. C.J.'s close behind, getting all of their luggage into the foyer before returning to his sleepy family. Belle's the first one to wake, her bleary brown eyes blinking up in confusion at her fathers, "Papa…?"
The chameleon plants a small kiss on her forehead just as Amber starts to awaken in the bed next to the hedgehog's. C.J. sits on the foot of the bed of his eldest daughter's, her arms stretching over her head and rubbing her eyes.
"It's so early…" The gopher grumbles, her tiny body slumping back in her bed.
"Do you remember what today is, girls?" C.J.'s hushed voice is full of excitement, Flick casting a knowing smile to his husband before looking back to his daughters.
It takes approximately five seconds for the image of the calendar with the date circled to appear in both of the girl's heads and the two of them immediately sit upright. An excited squeal escapes out of Amber's mouth and giggles float out of Belle, "Disney World!"
Flick and C.J. giggle along with their elated daughters, not expecting two monster hugs from the little bodies. The two girls are now wide awake and their parents urge them to get changed and ready to go to the airport. The house is bustling now as C.J. brushes out Belle's quills while Flick helps Amber get dressed and brush her teeth.
Eventually all four of them, with their luggage, manage to get into their van, ready for their vacation.
---
Amber holds Belle's left hand as she rolls her tiny yellow Belle themed suitcase through the airport lobby. Amber in turn, rolls her blue Stitch themed suitcase, with their parents right behind them.
Thankfully, the airport wasn't incredibly crowded, for Belle's sake. The two girls were content to skip down the large aisle towards their flight gate, making some other animals passing by smile towards the little family. As soon as they made it to the check in, C.J. went up to the counter, while Flick took the girls to get some breakfast.
When the family was able to board the plane was where they had some problems. The loud engine of the plane had scared poor Belle, even with the earplugs that C.J. had preemptively bought along. When Flick and C.J. were able to coax Belle inside (mostly by holding her and letting her bury her head in their shoulder), she was able to relax a little bit.
Her nervousness of this big, scary, loud jet was making her rock back and forth in her seat. Flick made sure that she could be by the window seat, holding onto her little body with his free arm the entire time and smiling down at her as reassuringly as possible.
"You're okay, ladybug. Look outside." He gestures out to the window and his daughter follows his gaze. She gasps at just how high up they are, the fluffy clouds passing by them making Belle giggle and press her face up against the strong plexiglass. Eventually she begins to settle down, opting to watch a movie with Flick, specifically the live action Beauty and the Beast. She waves to Amber and C.J., the other two sitting across the aisle from her and her Papa. The flight takes a few hours, but they make it safe and sound to the Orlando airport.
---
By the time the girls and their parents make it to their hotel room, the four of them decide to go swimming at the pool before heading off to eat dinner.
There's a bunch of kids around, laughing and giggling with their friends and parents. Amber's in her element here, jumping into the pool and splashing Belle gently in her pool floaties. C.J. and Flick relax near the end of the pool, carefully watching their girls.
"I'm so glad we made it here."
The beaver smiles at his husband, "Me too."
"I just hope they love it…"
Flick can sense C.J.'s slight hesitation, offering him a warm smile and reaching to hold his hand.
"I'm highly doubtful of them hating Disney of all places. What are you worried about? Honestly?"
C.J. looks at his husband with a small smile, before watching his two precious girls. Amber's currently pretending to be a shark and Belle squeals in delight when her sister pops up and splashes her.
"I'm just…" He sighs, "I don't want them to grow up…"
Flick hums, watching his daughters with fondness, "I know what you mean, but we don't have to think about that right now."
He turns back to C.J., his gaze steady but warm and the beaver can feel his heart melting all over again for his husband, "Right now, they're our two amazing, beautiful, strong daughters and we'll just have to appreciate all the time we have with them while they're still small."
C.J. sighs and nods, a half smile appearing on his face, "You're right."
Flick smirks gently, "I'm always right."
"Besides, this place is all about staying young at heart, right?"
The beaver concedes, smirking, "Right again."
Flick smiles and leans over to plant a soft kiss to C.J.'s lips, reassuring the beaver even more.
When they break apart, Amber's voice calls out to her parents, "Papa! Daddy! Come play with us!"
"Sharks! Sharks!" Belle cries out, her little feet kicking up the water around her.
Flick and C.J. smile at each other before grinning and diving underwater towards their girls. The adorable giggles and screams they receive are the sweetest music to C.J.'s ears.
---
"The castle!"
Amber and Belle both gasp at the magnificent castle ahead of them, welcoming all the guests of the park with its splendor. Flick and C.J. can't help but smile and chuckle at how astonished their daughters faces looked. Their tiny necks crane upwards to take in the absolute grandeur of the massive building compared to their small size. C.J. can't help but to take a quick picture of the two since they were just so adorable.
"Girls, turn around!"
Amber and Belle spin around to see Flick coming up to his daughters and stepping behind them and kneeling down to their height. C.J. smiles and aims his phone camera at his family, grinning even more when the girls' bright happy faces are immortalized on the screen.
"Hey! Are you C.J.?"
The beaver turns towards the voice, to see a very excited rabbit and goat, "Y-yeah, that's me."
The confusion on the beaver's face melts as the two girls smile widely, the goat turning towards the rabbit, "I told you it's him!"
The rabbit brushes off her friend, turning back to C.J., "We're such big fans of your stream!"
C.J.'s stance relaxed, laughing, "It's really nice to meet you guys. I'm happy you like my content, heh."
It's then that the goat notices Flick and the two little girls watching them talk, "Oh! Do you want us to take a picture of all of you?"
C.J. glances back to his family and then smiles sheepishly, "Would you mind?"
"Of course not!" The rabbit takes C.J.'s phone from his extended hand and waits for the beaver to get in close with Flick, Amber and Belle.
"Okay, 3, 2, 1, smile!"
The rabbit clicks the capture button a few times, getting multiple pictures of the cute little family. C.J. goes back with his family and takes his phone back, "Thanks so much, uh…"
The rabbit smiles kindly, "I'm Bunnie! And this is my best friend, Chevre!"
The goat smiles and waves, "You're very welcome!"
A sudden realization comes to Chevre's face, "Oh, Bunnie! The presents!"
Bungie's face mimics her friend's, immediately grabbing her backpack, "Oh right! We have gifts for Amber and Belle!"
Flick and C.J.'s face imitate the same expression, "Really? You guys didn't have to-"
"Oh, shush! We realized you all were coming to Disney the same time we were, so we brought these for your daughters! Just in case we ended up meeting you!"
Chevre explains as Bunnie pulls out two small plushies, one that resembles Stitch and another resembling princess Belle. Amber gasps at the little toy, Bunnie leaning down to give it to her, "I love him! Thank you!"
Belle hides behind Flick's leg, more hesitant when the goat hands her the small princess doll. Flick smiles at his daughter, "Belle, Chevre got this just for you."
Chevre's smile lowers Belle's guard and she looks up at her Papa with hesitancy. He only nods and smiles gently, which gives her a bit more confidence to take the plushie. "What do you say, ladybug?"
"T-thank you…" The little hedgehog holds the doll close to her, a small smile gracing her face. Her hushed voice makes Chevre and Bunnie smile, "Both of your girls are so precious."
C.J. and Flick smile back at their new friends, "Thank you."
"We'll be on our way now. It was so nice meeting you all!"
"Have a great time!" Bunnie and Chevre wave towards the family as they make their descent into Tomorrowland.
C.J. waves in return, turning back to his family. "So? Where to first?"
---
C.J. just had to leave it to Flick to pick the first ride.
He knows that all of the ghosts and effects of the ride are fake, but he still can't get over the fact that the apparitions and jump scares look real. The darkness and creepy voices don't help his nerves at all, trying desperately to stop his shaking.
Beside him in the aptly named "Doom Buggy" is Belle, holding her new doll close to her chest and looking around in awe at the spectacle of the dancing ghosts in the ballroom.
It's when they enter the seance room with Madame Leota that Belle speaks up, "Look Daddy! She's floating!"
C.J. doesn't speak, the darkness of the room and unsettling voice of the animatronic making his fur stand on end. Belle seems to notice her father's discomfort, and silently curls into his arm, pushing her Belle doll into his lap. The beaver looks down at his daughter, confused, but nevertheless puts his arms around the tiny hedgehog. Her warm brown eyes, innocent and sweet look into his own frightened ones, a small smile in place on her face.
"I'll protect you from the ghosts, Daddy. Belle helps too!"
C.J. can't help the lovestruck smile that crosses his face, leaning down to kiss his daughter's forehead, "I'm feeling much safer now with you here."
Belle giggles and goes back to watching the animatronics and singing along in her own way as the buggy makes its way into the graveyard scene. C.J. just cuddles his tiny daughter close to him every time a spectre gets too close to their car.
When they exit, Flick gives him an apologetic look, giggling as he notices his husband clutching the Belle doll in his hand.
---
Before the family can make their way over to their next ride, the announcement for the parade comes over the loudspeaker. Amber gasps excitedly and jumps up and down, begging her parents to watch the parade.
"Can we watch the parade? Please!? Please?!"
Belle's more confused about the idea than anything, but judging from her sister's excitement, she figures it must be fun.
Flick laughs at Amber's antics, "Okay, we can watch the parade.
The resounding squeal of happiness is followed by Amber sitting down on the sidewalk, her parents following on either side of her. Flick grabs the youngest daughter, and seats her on his lap, the family waiting with many other onlookers.
"Papa? Who's in the parade?"
The chameleon smiles, hugging his daughter tight, "Well, all of the princesses are in it…"
Belle gasps, "Is Belle in it?"
Amber turns to face her sister, "Of course Belle's in it! She's like the best princess ever!"
C.J. chimes in at this point, "Ariel's always been my favorite princess."
Belle giggles, "That's because she's a mermaid, Daddy."
Flick rolls his eyes lovingly, "You and your fish."
"Says the man whose favorite princess is literally an ant."
"Oh, shut up."
Amber and Belle giggle at their parents' exchange but are quickly hushed by the sound of trumpets echoing over the loudspeaker. The floats proceed down the main street as boys and girls wave to the characters on the vehicles as well as the performers on the ground.
Amber has a blast waving at all of the characters, C.J. taking out his camera again (for what seemed like the thousandth time) to document the experience. Belle's content to silently watch, waving back to the characters every so often when they looked her way.
It's only when the float with Belle and Beast comes by that Belle truly gets excited, squirming and wriggling in her Papa's lap with her doll clutched tightly to her chest.
It's only when Princess Belle catches sight of Annabelle's doll that she points to the girl's lap and makes a heart sign with her hands. She blows a kiss to the little girl and Belle seems transfixed on the float even as it rounds the corner.
"She blew you a kiss, Belle!"
Amber gushes as Belle squeals in absolute joy, "She did! She waved and kissed me and my doll!"
C.J. and Flick share a look before absolutely melting at the sight of their daughters being the cutest animals in the entire world.
C.J. continues to film his family, and especially Belle, who now sports the biggest grin on her face.
---
"Tea Cups next! Tea Cups next!" Belle runs over to the entrance of the waiting line with Amber right behind her. Flick looks a bit apprehensive, as spinning rides normally weren't his thing.
C.J. notices and holds Flick's hand, squeezing it gently as a way to help ease his anxiety.
The chameleon's grip tightens a bit as he watches the teacup vehicles spin round and round and round…
Even just observing the ride was making him dizzy. The girls laugh as they watch all of the other kids spin with their parents, just itching to get on one themselves. When it finally gets to be their turn to ride, Belle immediately points to the yellow teacup, and the four make their way inside.
Flick and C.J. sit across from each other, the chameleon looking more pale as the attendant comes up to lock the mechanism in place. The beaver looks at Flick and nods, trying to convey any sense of comfort to him.
The jaunty music starts up and the cups start their slow spiral motions, the girls giggling as C.J. turns the center disc. Flick tries to take deep breaths, focusing on one single point and not letting his eyes wander too much.
The girls' squeals and giggles grow as the cup continues to spin, faster and faster without any input from C.J. "Faster, faster!"
Belle's near screaming as the cup twirls and rotates. Flick tries to focus on his girls' joyful sounds, finding that it's easier to concentrate. Regardless, when the cup eventually does come to a stop, Flick nearly trips as he gets out of the vehicle. C.J. catches him and holds onto him as the four exit.
"Papa, why are you all green?"
Amber's inquisitive question falls on deaf ears as they sit down on a nearby bench. "Papa's sick, Amber!"
"Oh no!" Immediately, the older sibling gives Flick her Stitch doll.
"Here Papa, Stitch will make you feel better."
"Thanks, lovebug." The chameleon smiles weakly, cuddling the little plushie and resting his head on his husband's shoulder.
The Dumbo ride seems to be a little better. Amber picks an elephant wearing a pink hat while Belle picks one with a blue kerchief tied around its neck. The girls were so patient with Flick, that their parents decided they could get a treat after the ride.
Flick sits with Amber, the older gopher keeping the height at the highest level the car could go, taking in the sights of the park around her. Belle, meanwhile, sits with C.J., making the car go up and down slowly and giggling.
“Woah! I can see everything from up here!”
The chameleon smiles at his daughter, the pale green color of his scales finally having returned to normal. “They all look like ants from up here!”
The groundhog turns in her seat and waves behind her to her father and sister, smiling brightly when she notices C.J.’s phone pointed towards her. Belle giggles and waves back, smiling when Flick turns around and waves too.
C.J. rotates the camera around to capture the vantage points of the surrounding area; The castle making the sunlight glint off of the spires, the crowds going through Fantasyland, the colorful blues of the rides below them as the elephants spin in the sky.
It's truly a sight to behold in both Flick's and C.J.'s eyes.
They can only hope it's the same way for their daughters. Judging by their smiling faces and giggles, it more than likely is.
---
Belle can feel her pulse pick up at the sight of the Princess just ahead of them. She's talking to a young family of skunks, kneeling down and smiling at the antics of the active little boy talking animatedly to her.
C.J. notices his daughter clutching her doll tighter to her chest and watching her idol with wide eyes, "Are you excited, cutefish?"
Belle just keeps her pretty brown eyes trained on the beautiful hedgehog in front of her, now taking pictures with the family.
The beaver chuckles and keeps holding onto Belle's tiny hand, her body shifting closer and closer to her father as the Princess waves goodbye to the skunks. The attendant allows C.J., Flick, Amber and Belle to come closer to the Princess as the family ahead says their goodbyes. She greets them all cordially, acting just like the Princess in the movie, graceful and polite. She giggles as Amber bounds her way over fearlessly, asking her all kinds of questions from how the servants are in the castle to if the Beast's fur is soft or coarse.
Belle drowns out her sister's ramblings as her little brain goes into overdrive. She can feel her palms getting sweaty and the nervousness starting to set in as she's gently nudged by C.J. to go up to the Princess. She hugs her doll tightly and every so often glances up at Belle with shy eyes.
Amber stops talking when she notices her sister in distress and rushes over to her, "This is my sister! Her name's Belle too!"
The character actress smiles gently, kneeling down to be more level with the pink hedgehog, "Do we really share the same name?"
Her voice is soft and kind and it makes Annabelle instantly feel more at ease. Shyly, the pink hedgehog nods her head and Belle's smile never leaves her face.
"You know, you're very beautiful, princess."
Belle's gaze looks up, her brown eyes widening ever so slightly as the Princess speaks, "I--I'm not a princess..."
The Princess nods, "Oh, but you are!"
"Do you want to know what makes a girl a princess?"
Belle tilts her head as the older hedgehog continues to speak, Amber also watching and listening intently, "A girl becomes a princess when her heart is pure and good. She has a lot of kindness on the inside, and that matters more than what we see on the outside.”
"Does that mean we're Princesses?" Amber asks in awe.
"Are you two kind to your parents and friends? As well as other people around you?" The older hedgehog asks, without missing a beat, "Do you take care of each other?"
"We're bestest friends!" Belle joyfully squeals, and Amber nods her head vigorously making Flick and C.J. smile.
"They're very good girls, your highness." Flick chimes in.
"The sweetest girls in the entire world." C.J. adds proudly.
Princess Belle giggles, "Then that means you both are Princesses!
The two girls cheer and Belle is instantly more confident as she speaks up. Her little voice is adorably innocent, "Does that mean our daddies are Princes?"
The Princess smiles kindly, "I don't see why not. They seem kind and good to both of you."
Belle smiles brightly, "They're the best parents ever!"
C.J. has to bite his lip to stop himself from crying at just how sweet his daughters are.
Flick kisses the tops of Belle's and Amber's heads, pulling out his phone and giving it to the attendant.
"Shall we take a portrait together? Beautiful princesses and handsome princes deserve to have one, don't you think so?"
Amber giggles and Belle blushes, but the two of them nod, gripping their parents' hands and pulling them towards the Princess.
"Everyone say Be Our Guest!"
---
“Are you sure about this, cuttlefish?”
Amber nods her head vigorously as she guides her father up the steep wooden stairs of the log flume, “I’ve been dying to go on this ride since I saw it on T.V.!”
C.J. laughs and shakes his head, “I didn’t know you liked these kinds of rides.”
“Daddy, I love drop rides!”
“Remember the last time we went on a log flume? You were screaming for me to get you off after the first drop…”
“Shhh! I was six then! I’m seven now! I’m not afraid anymore!”
“If you’re absolutely sure…" C.J.'s voice still sounds doubtful, but he allows his daughter to drag him through the line nonetheless.
Eventually the two come to the closed gates of the ride, the log ahead of them being filled with passengers that get checked by the attendants. Amber bounces excitedly in line, her little backpack bounding up and down with her movements while C.J. leans onto the railing.
"We're next! We're next!"
"I know! I still hope you won't be too scared, cuttlefish…"
Amber sighs and rolls her eyes, " Daddyyy , I'll be fine!"
C.J. bites his lip to not smirk. Amber was so cute when she puffed her cheeks out. He couldn't say no to her even though he tried, "Alright…"
It's then that the next empty vehicle comes tumbling down the track and locks into place. The gate opens and C.J. climbs into the boat first, then turning around to lift his little girl into the seat. He reaches down to pull the seatbelt across them and Amber puts her hands up as C.J. pulls the lap bar down over them. It's not tight enough across Amber's tiny waist, so C.J. puts an arm around her to keep her more secured in the seat.
As soon as the flume starts to go, Amber squeals happily, "We're right up front, Daddy! I'm so excited!"
C.J. laughs and looks at all the animatronics that his daughter points to. The one that catches her eye the most is the giant bear that hangs out with the fox.
"Daddy, why are they trying to catch the rabbit? Aren't they friends?"
C.J. chuckles as they round one of the first corners towards a small drop, "Well, the fox wants to eat the rabbit in this story."
Amber turns to him, horrified, "Why would he want to eat him!? "
C.J. rubs the back of his head. Maybe he shouldn't have broached the subject… "Well--"
He doesn't get to finish his sentence as Amber notices a dark tunnel up ahead with water rushing downwards. She squeals and they get closer and screams loudly as the vehicle drops down the incline. The water splashes up and around the log flume as they descend and eventually splashes C.J. and Amber just the smallest amount.
"Was that it? We didn't even get that wet!"
"I don't think that was the end, cuttlefish…"
C.J. points up ahead and Amber turns to look at where he's pointing. They're in a darker part of the ride, a cave it looks like. The stalagmites and stalactites jutting from the floor and ceiling as well as the fake bats flying around gives the ride a more ominous feeling than the happy forest scenes from before. Amber can see the car ahead of them ascend up a steep conveyor belt, much larger than the ones she's seen before.
That must be the big drop that she sees people fall from outside. She starts to get nervous, trying to stop herself from shaking. They're too far ahead to stop and turn back now. Maybe her Daddy was right and that she is still too young to ride--
C.J.'s arm tightens around her tiny waist and she looks over to see her father smiling at her, "It'll be okay, cuttlefish. Daddy's here and I promise I'll hold onto you."
Amber immediately curls closer to his side as they ascend the steep hill. Two vulture animatronics gaze at the passengers down below them, watching with grins as they pass by. Their voices are creepy and mocking as the log keeps going up the hill.
"Everyone's got a Laughin' Place…"
"Maybe this one's yours…"
"Time to be turnin' around…"
"If only you could!"
Amber can see the light at the end of the large tunnel and she closes her eyes tightly. C.J. gently nudges her when they reach the top, "Amber, look, the castle!"
Hesitantly, she cracks open a green eye and she gasps. She can see the entirety of Magic Kingdom from up here! The beautiful castle in the distance as well as all of the other big attractions from each other the other parks. Momentarily the view distracts her from the motion of the log flume tipping forward and plummeting down the slope.
Her screams as well as the other passengers' are all that can be heard in the distance of the Magic Kingdom.
---
"Do you think Daddy and Amber are having fun?"
Flick smiles and helps Belle strap into their pirate ship seat. Belle was too small to go on Splash Mountain, so he decided to take the little hedgehog onto the Peter Pan ride. Besides, he wasn't a huge fan of drop rides anyway.
"I'm sure they are lovebug, but we'll have just as much fun on this ride."
Belle gives her Papa a wide smile, pulling her doll into her lap and swinging her tiny legs back and forth on the seat. She giggles as the pirate ship zooms forward off the conveyor belt and "flies" into the darkened night sky. Down below, she can see the nighttime scene of London and the Darling family being visited by Peter Pan.
She points down at the scene and looks over to Flick, "Papa, it's us!"
Flick laughs, "What do you mean, lovebug? That's the Darling family, not us."
Belle shakes her head and points to each of the characters as they fly in the night towards the second star in the next scene, "No look!"
First she points to Peter, "Peter's Daddy because he's the leader and the strongest!"
She then moves on to Wendy, "You're Wendy, Papa, because you love Daddy like Wendy loves Peter and you're super smart!"
Flick chuckles and lets his daughter continue, pointing to John next, "Amber is like John because she's the oldest and loves to be in charge."
Lastly, she points to little Michael holding his teddy bear, "And I'm Michael because I'm the smallest and the cutest!"
Flick laughs out loud at the analogy and pulls Belle closer, kissing her on the top of her head, "You and Amber are both equally cute, lovebug."
Belle smiles and giggles, "Can I be the most adorable then? That's what Daddy calls you!"
Flick blushes and laughs more, "Sure, Belle. You can be the most adorable, but Amber gets to be the cutest."
Belle beams and giggles, going back to watching the ride pass through and pointing out all the details and characters that catch her eye. She coos at the mermaids in the Mermaid Lagoon and blows raspberries at Captain Hook when the crocodile gets him.
"I feel bad for Smee…" Belle giggles, as the rowboat holding the animatronics rocks back and forth following the captain.
"I do too. He didn't deserve to be treated like that. Too nice." Flick tuts, smiling.
"Maybe that 's why Hook never liked him!"
Flick and Belle laugh as the final scene comes up; Tinkerbell turning the giant pirate ship gold and sailing in the air back to the Darling family home.
"Can we get a flying pirate ship, Papa? Please!?"
Flick laughs and strokes her pink quills, "You'll have to ask your father about that."
Belle smirks, "You know he never says no to me and Amber!"
Flick bites his lip and sighs, as if in defeat, and Belle gives a full belly laugh as they come to the exit of the ride. The chameleon steps out and lifts his daughter off the ride, holding onto her hand.
"Where to next, lovebug?"
Just as Belle's mouth opens to reply, Amber and C.J. come running over to them, wide grins on their faces.
Flick is the first to speak up, "You two look like you had fun!"
"You're both soaked!" Belle laughs and Amber huffs and puffs to try and get air back in her little lungs. Both of their clothes are practically sticking to their skin with the amount of water the fabric absorbed. Amber and C.J.'s fur are also matted down, small droplets of moisture dripping off the ends.
"That. Was. Awesome !!" Amber cheers and C.J. chuckles, pulling his hat off and wringing the water out of the fabric.
"It was pretty epic! That drop was pretty steep."
"And the view!" Amber gasps out remembering how the park looked from above. She turns to Belle who looks excited just from her sister describing the vast amount she had witnessed, "When you're old enough to go on, you're gonna love it Belle! I promise!"
The little hedgehog giggles, "I can't wait! But… I think I like the little kid rides more."
Amber smiles and Flick leans down to the two of them, "Speaking of, what's the next ride?"
---
The four decide to break for dinner before choosing Small World as the next ride to go on.
Big mistake.
Amber and Belle thought it was boring and now C.J. and Flick can't get the stupid theme song out of their head. The girls keep giggling when C.J. whistles the tune by mistake or Flick hums it by accident and they catch themselves groaning.
---
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! In just five more minutes our nighttime castle spectacle will begin!"
The four of them are situated in the false lawn of the property behind the crowds of animals gathered in the front of the castle. Flick and C.J. are sharing a bucket of popcorn while Belle eats her ice cream bar (rather messily). Amber zips around her new light up toy, watching the multi-colored flashing blur as she swings it.
They have a full view of the castle, lit up in a beautiful blue light against the nighttime sky with other families and park goers around them.
"C, we probably should give Belle her earplugs soon." Flick whispers to his husband.
"Why do I need my earplugs, Papa?"
Flick smiles at his daughter and picks up a napkin to wipe off the remaining chocolate around her face, "The fireworks are gonna be very loud, lovebug."
Belle nods, looking apprehensive but confused. She's never seen or heard fireworks so close before, but from what Amber had told her, they were so pretty . She really wanted to see them even if they were very noisy.
C.J. hands her the small earplugs and kisses her forehead, "You'll be okay, sweetheart. You can hold onto Papa and I if you're too scared and we can always see the fireworks from further away-"
"I'll be okay, Daddy. I really wanna see the fireworks!"
"You're gonna love them, Belle! They look like… fireflies! Different colored fireflies that make patterns in the sky!" Amber gleefully chimes in, swinging the light up toy in circles in the sky as if trying to make her own fireworks.
Belle's eyes immediately brighten, but before she can say anything else, the lights around the central area in front of the castle start to dim and the crowds' cheering echoes through the park. The music starts softly as a few small fireworks of light streak across the blackened sky. It then starts to crescendo and the fireworks grow in intensity and vibrancy. The castle projections switch from beloved characters of the Disney franchise, making a grand spectacle for all the guests.
The loud booming of the fireworks startles poor Belle, even with the earplugs in her ears. It's too much for her to handle.
Instinctively, she holds her ears with her tiny hands and snuggles into C.J.'s side, trying to find a way to get away from the too loud sounds.
C.J. curls an arm around her tiny body and leans down to whisper encouraging words in her ear. Flick rubs his daughter's back soothingly, trying to help her relax. Amber looks back to Belle, a joyous expression on her face until she sees Belle's fear in her eyes. She rushes to her little sister's side, and pets her quills on the top of her head, an action she knows helps her sister calm down.
It's only until the music changes to something familiar that Amber brightens up. Gently, she nudges Belle, "Belle! Listen!"
The hedgehog strains her ears to listen now that the fireworks have died down and she eases her grip on her father as the melody floats around. The soft tune of Beauty and the Beast instantly calms the small hedgehog down and she looks up to see the projection of her favorite princess right on the castle, dancing in the familiar ballroom with the Beast. Her rapid breathing slows down as she takes the scene in before her and Amber smiles, hugging the hedgehog gently.
Flick and C.J. look on and pull both their girls closer to them, Belle's hands still over her ears, but happily watching the light show, nonetheless.
The gentle music switches to See the Light from Tangled and snippets of different romantic scenes flash across the castle in tandem with beautiful floating lanterns. C.J. leans over and plants a small kiss to Flick's cheek. The chameleon smiles and turns to his husband, leaning over their daughters to pull C.J. into a proper, soft kiss. Amber and Belle giggle because their parents were just too adorable.
"You're both too cute!" Amber squeals and Belle laughs when they both pull away blushing and smiling at each other sweetly.
" You're both too cute!"
Flick leans over and tickles Amber's sides while C.J. leans down and attacks Belle with kisses on her face. The two girls roar with laughter as the romantic scenes end on the castle. As soon as the music picks up again with Pirates of the Caribbean , the girls go back to watching with rapt attention at the projections on the castle.
Belle's still holding her ears, but she's enraptured by the pretty lights and extravagant show. The best part in her opinion is that she's experiencing it with her family.
---
"We hope you've enjoyed your day here at the Magic Kingdom! For your safety, please stand clear of the doors and hold onto the handrails…"
The quiet audio spiel of the bus echoes around the interior as the guests make their way back to their designated hotels. C.J. is currently holding onto a handrail in front of Flick, sitting down with the two girls; Amber next to him and Belle in his lap. Both are currently passed out in the darkness of the bus, the streetlights illuminating their sleeping forms as the bus travels along the road.
Amber's dangling her light up toy in her limp right hand and her Minnie ears are pushed off to the side of her head, since she's currently leaning it on Flick's shoulder.
Belle, meanwhile, has her small face pressed up against Flick's chest, one arm curled around her beloved princess doll and a Mickey head- shaped balloon tied to her other tiny wrist.
"They sure looked like they had fun." C.J. chuckles tiredly, leaning his full weight onto the handrail above him.
Flick smiles tenderly, pulling his girls closer to him instinctively, "They definitely did."
He looks back up to his husband, "Do you still have doubts now?"
C.J. hums, studying the sleeping faces of his children with a soft expression, "I still don't want them to grow up… But I know that they still have a ways to go before that happens."
The chameleon's tired smile grows bigger, "I'm glad you realize we have time with them now."
"Just wait til Amber gets to the age when she has a boyfriend… or girlfriend." C.J. grins.
Flick rolls his eyes, but keeps his smile on his face, "You'll be the most overprotective father, I swear-"
"So will you. Don't lie."
Flick only smirks, too tired to argue.
It feels like another half hour before the bus arrives. The four eventually trek back to their hotel room (Flick carrying Belle while C.J. piggybacks Amber) and put the girls to sleep in their bunk bed. By the time Flick is brushing his teeth, C.J. is flopped backwards on the bed.
His back is killing him from carrying the backpack full of stuff around and his legs feel like they're on fire, but it was worth it to see his kids so happy. He shoots upright, remembering something and pulls the pack up from the floor, rummaging through its contents.
"What're you looking for?" Flick walks back out from the bathroom, already dressed in pajamas and sits down on the edge of the bed. C.J. keeps digging around, not looking up, but Flick knows him long enough to know when he looks guilty.
"I may have gotten you a present…"
Flick sighs and laughs, "Seriously?"
The beaver blushes, but still keeps his mischievous smile, "Am I not allowed to spoil my husband?"
The chameleon just chuckles and shakes his head, "You spoil me all the time. I feel bad though since I didn't get you anything-"
"No, none of that." C.J. shushes Flick's ramblings, "I saw this and immediately thought of you, so I got it."
Gently, the beaver pulls out a small white box with the logo of the castle on the cover and places it in Flick's lap. He watches intently as the chameleon opens the box and gasps.
"Oh, C…"
Inside is a shiny enamel pin of the outline of a dragonfly. It's a normal silver design, but Flick finds it beautiful in its simplicity. He delicately runs a finger over the smooth surface.
"It's from an older Disney movie, but I thought you'd love it since y'know… dragonfly." C.J. rubs the back of his neck, a blush creeping down his neck.
"I know it's not anything crazy or big, but I figured you could pin it to your jacket since you love doing that kind of stuff and it would look nice and-"
"I love it." Flick's soft voice cuts off C.J. nervous ramblings and pulls him in to a sweet, slow kiss. Eventually he pulls away, smiling, "Thank you, honeybee."
C.J. practically melts at the nickname and the way Flick's beautiful eyes shine in happiness, "You're welcome, angelfish. I love you."
"I love you too."
Flick places the box down on the bedside table and wraps his arms around the beaver, leaning his forehead against his husband's. C.J. smiles and wraps his arms around his waist, pulling him closer.
"Best vacation ever."
Flick whispers against C.J.'s lips before dipping back into another soft kiss. C.J. can't help but agree, even though he doesn't voice it in favor of kissing his husband back.