Work Text:
———
“P’Freen!”
That is the first thing she hears as she walks through the door of Becky’s condo.
They had been hanging out in Becky’s place more often lately. After they heard weird noises from Freen’s apartment one night, they both decided to stay away for a while. Maybe the ghosts needed some alone time, Becky mused. Whatever it is, Freen is more than happy to spend time at her second home.
Becky’s place is different from hers, which she enjoys. It is a living embodiment of the younger woman’s tastes and personality. Full of light and soft, cuddly objects.
By now, she has a routine in place. Unlock the door with her key, slip her shoes off and set them on the rack near the door, and hang her purse on the peg bolted into the wall. A pair of slippers that look like grey bunnies wait for her tired feet. The next stop is the bathroom, where the contacts come out and the makeup is scrubbed off. After that, she is ready for relaxation and calm.
Sometimes, her routine is interrupted by a hug from Becky. She can never predict at which step her best friend will appear, but she always stops to give a hug and kiss before continuing.
Today, she makes it to taking her key out of the lock before she feels a pair of long limbs wrapping around her waist.
“Ooof— Babe, at least let me close the door.” Freen shakes her head. The younger woman is impulsive and spontaneous, always living in the moment and frequently forgets to think ahead.
Without detaching herself, Becky shuts the door using her foot. After she hears the lock click, she burrows even deeper into Freen’s arms. “P’Freen.” The younger woman stretches her name out like she’s pulling cheese from a freshly-cooked pizza.
She smiles at the cute display. “Yes?”
“I got you something.” Becky’s ash-blonde locks bounce around her face as she pulls them both to the couch in the living room. She pushes Freen down on a cushion and flounces away into her bedroom.
“Nong, you don’t have to keep buying me things.” Freen sighs as the familiar argument starts again. For some reason, Becky believes that she needs to buy things to show the older girl she loves her. It doesn’t matter how many times Freen insists that she knows already. If she even so much as glances at something when they are out, Becky makes it her personal mission to buy it for her.
Growing up with little money and no luxury of obtaining wants, Freen takes her finances seriously, resistant to purchasing frivolous things. She told Becky about this before, which started the gift-giving. But it doesn’t feel shallow or performative. Every little token whispers I love you, I’ll never leave you, I promise.
Really, she’s given up trying to fight.
She can tell Becky knows this. There is a smirk on her face as she drops herself next to Freen on the couch. “Oh, relax. I’m getting smarter with my gifts. More practical things that you can use.” She hands Freen a rectangular thing wrapped in decorative paper.
“What does that mean?”
“Open it and find out, silly.”
Freen stares at the other girl with narrowed eyes. After a couple seconds, she decides to comply. Peeling away the tape, she finds a clear plastic case.
“Aw, thanks. Is this for my iPad?” She grins up at Becky.
“You need a damn case, woman! You keep dropping it on your bed and throwing it around. If you aren’t going to be more careful, I’m going to take matters into my own hands.” The blonde leans closer with each word, eventually ending up with her chin on Freen’s shoulder.
She continues to inspect the case as Becky watches on.
The case is made of a stiff, thick plastic, with a lip around the edge to protect the touchscreen. Along the length of the tablet is a long, narrow piece of white plastic. She flips the case to find the white patch emblazoned in thick bold letters was the word DADDY.
“Becky!”
The younger girl dissolves into laughter. She throws her head back and grips Freen’s bicep tightly. Every time she tries to stop, she sees the older woman’s indignant face and starts cackling again.
The nerve of this girl! Freen looks at the nameplate again. Next to the word, there are small drawings of hearts, stars, flowers, and butterflies. They all look a little…off. That is how she knows they were the product of Becky’s hand. While the younger girl is talented in singing and guitar, her drawing skills leave a lot to be desired. Who can forget the dragon, right?
The personal touch warms her chest. It says a lot that Becky tried to draw in order to give her a gift. Despite her initial shock at the bold gift, she doesn’t hate it. She knows it comes from a place of great affection and love.
She slides her tablet out of her bag and snaps it into the case. Holding it out in front of her, she turns the case to look at it from all angles. “Looks nice.”
“Did I do good?” Becky sounds like a tiny child presenting a project from art class at school.
Freen is quick to reassure her. She pulls the younger girl into her arms and kisses her on the cheek. “You did great, I love it. Thank you, Beck.”
Pulling back with a resigned sigh, she cradles the cheek she kissed with her palm. “The fans are going to lose their minds.”
“That’s okay. After all, they already know Freen is daddy.” Becky yelps as Freen slaps her thigh lightly. “You know I’m right!”
“Does that make you mami, then?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. You’re a little too old for me.”
“Why, you—” Freen sets the tablet down gently on the coffee table before she chases Becky around the house. “Come back here, you scamp!”
———