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Ted gingerly took a seat behind Olivia on the sofa, his fingers quivering with a palpable trepidation as he grasped her auburn locks. It was a Sunday afternoon, that had been meant for Trent to complete some errands, leaving Olivia home with Ted; but one conversation led to another between the two, and before he knew it, Ted found himself here, with the hair of his daughter between his fingers. In the midst of their chat, Ted had mentioned Trent's increasingly longer locks, now cascading past his shoulders in a breathtaking blend of raven and silver. Ted had expressed his regret at not being able to remember how to braid, and Olivia had offered to help him learn again.
"Now be warned hon’, I’m exactly not sure how long this’ll take, so get comfortable," Ted said, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Ted remembers the small capsule of memories of braiding Michelle's hair in the early stages of their relationship and during her pregnancy with Henry. However, after the dissolution of their marriage, Ted's once-practiced hands lost their touch. Now, with Trent, he finds himself unable to resist the temptation of running his fingers through his husband's curls, eliciting contented sighs of relief from Trent as he closes his eyes in pure bliss, every morning and night, and all the moments in between.
Olivia simply smiled, her eyes filled with love and encouragement. “It's okay, dad," she said softly. "I'll help you through it. It’ll be easy once you get the hang of it.
Ted nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over him. “Thank you," he said, his voice filled with emotion; though it may have been him and Henry for most of his life, he couldn’t help but feel prideful of being a girl-dad and how natural it felt.
As his daughter began to guide his hands through the twists and turns of the braid, Ted felt a sense of wonder wash over him. Her touch was gentle and reassuring, and he could see Trent within her; his warming gentleness and small words of encouragement were clearly their love language.
"You're doing great," she murmured, her voice with a hint of tiredness but relaxed. Ted felt his confidence growing with each passing moment, his fingers becoming more and more sure as he watched Olivia’s hair take shape beneath them.
As they worked, Ted found himself lost in the beauty of the moment. The sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a warm glow across their faces, and the soft sound of their breathing filled the air around them. His struggle before wasn’t evident now, as he worked with ease towards the end of her hair.
“You know kiddo, i think I ought to do this more often. Not just for your dad, for you too. Good hair clearly runs in the Crimm bloodline.” Ted said, his voice filled with joy. Olivia smiled, dozing off in Ted’s touch.
Olivia softly laughs. “Oh you’ll definitely be doing this more often, you’re a natural," she replied, her voice filled with warmth, “Papa is gonna love it trust me.”
As Ted finished the final braid, he felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. His daughter turned around to face him, her eyes shining with pride and admiration.
“You did it," Olivia said, her voice filled with wonder, “like I said, a natural.”
Ted smiled, feeling a sense of pride welling up inside him. "I couldn't have done it without you," he said, his voice soft and gentle. "You're my little helper, and I'm so grateful for you."
“Aw, c’mon dad give yourself credit,” Olivia hummed as she ran a hand smoothly over the end of her braid, “and you’re more than welcome to experiment a few other hairstyles. If you want.”
“Are you kidding me, I’d be more than happy to, sweetheart.” Ted expressed with keenness, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
Ted's lips curled upwards at the mere thought of it all, and the profound metaphor that lay behind the seemingly simple task of braiding hair on a Sunday. The braid was an emblem of their love and intimacy, a poignant reminder that even the most mundane moments could be infused with beauty. There was a time in Ted's life when he thought he didn't need anything more but Henry, but now, he couldn't imagine life without Olivia and Trent. Ted's heart swelled with an intense adoration for Olivia, and despite her not being his daughter by blood, he had made it his life's mission to ensure that she knew just how much he loved her, every moment since their first encounter.
While they sat together, reveling in the warmth of their affection, Ted detected a rustling sound emanating from behind the sofa. He turned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of Trent, standing there with grocery bags in his arms and a tender smile on his face, gazing fondly at the heartwarming sight before him.
"Hey, sugar," Ted says softly, his hand still caressing Olivia's hair. "How was your day trip in town?"
Trent beamed at him. "It went well, as you can see. What's going on here?"
Olivia tiredly peered up from the floor and at her father, “Dad was touching up on his badass braiding skills.”
Trent’s eyebrows raised, amused, “Oh, was he?”
Ted grinned bashfully, and Trent drew closer, settling beside him. He gazed at his husband's handiwork with a sense of wonder, his fingers tracing the intricate pattern woven into Olivia's hair. Ted observed him, feeling a sense of calm wash over him as Trent's smile enveloped him.
"You did an excellent job, my love. I don’t think I could’ve done it better myself," Trent beamed at Ted.
Ted appeared taken aback. "Did I?" he questioned, perplexed.
Trent chuckled, his hand caressing Ted's cheek as he planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "Me next?" he whispered softly, pulling away.
Ted grins, “I really only practiced for you, but I don’t mind doing y’all’s hair at all. Always so nice and well-kept, how can I keep my hands out of it.”
As Trent leaned in for another kiss, they both heard a soft snoring sound. Trent eyed Ted questioningly, his eyes drifting down to Ted's lap where a slumbering Olivia lay across his thigh. Trent lets out an airy laugh, hand reaching to stroke her cheek softly.
"She loves you," Trent sighed, resting his head into the crook of Ted’s neck, his own curly hair cascading around his shoulder. "We love you more than anything."
“I love y’all with everything, I’ve got.” Ted replies.
Ted leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on Trent's temple. Trent hummed contentedly, his eyes drifting closed as he felt a strong arm begin to rub his back. Before long, he found himself serving as a resting place for a handful of Crimms. Ted, meanwhile, was entirely at ease, sinking into the couch cushions and savoring the feeling of being enveloped by love.