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It’s the joyous sound of a hysterical laughing screech that draws Lawrence’s gaze up from his computer and out the window in front of his desk. From where his office resides in the house, he gets a full view of the front yard and, more importantly, two of the people he loves most in the world clumsily running around in ankle-deep snow.
Diana is hurrying away from Adam who holds a snowball– that is more the size of a soccer ball than an actual regular snowball– in both of his hands. By the looks of the splatter of snow on the back of Adam’s coat, Diana is the one who had in fact started the playful fight while Adam had his back turned.
With a softened gaze, Lawrence watches as his daughter ducks down to use the half-built snowman in the yard as a shield from Adam’s impending attack. There’s a pause then, Adam stops a few feet away from where Diana is taking shelter and switches to balancing the oversized ball of snow in just one hand. Diana then peeks her head up slightly, an interested yet still hesitant expression resting on her features.
Lawrence’s own interest piques as he observes the scene just outside the house. Adam seems to be trying to come to a compromise, waving his free hand around as he talks much like he always does. He first points at the big ball of snow in his hand then to the unfinished snowman. Pausing for a moment to take a glance around the yard, Adam then vaguely gestures to an untouched patch of snow on the opposite end of the yard from where he and Diana are standing.
Diana fully stands now, the snowman still protecting her frame, and she crosses her arms over her chest as she retaliates against Adam's offer that Lawrence is still unbeknownst to. Lawrence continues to observe the next minute or two of negotiations between his daughter and boyfriend until they finally seem to come to some sort of agreement.
Still, with her arms crossed, Diana nods down at the snowman that has been acting as her shield. It’s her silent indication of approval for Adam to approach both her and the headless friend made of snow.
Adam trudges through the snow making his way to Diana with the oversized snowball still in hand. It looks as if Adam is going to complete their half-made snowman as he slowly lowers the soccer ball sized snowball on the other two spheres on the ground.
It happens so quickly though. Whatever agreement Adam was trying to make with Diana had been a ploy because in one swift movement Adam turns and smashes the snowball over Diana’s head and quickly begins to run in the opposite direction with a self-satisfied and slightly mischievous smile widened on his lips.
Diana’s face is a mix of shock from the sudden icy-cold attack and betrayal from whatever previous agreement they had being broken. She shouts something towards Adam then, Lawrence can only guess it’s a playful threat judging by the wicked smile she exhibits, before bending down to grab a handful of snow and shaping it into a ball before she throws it as hard as she can in Adam’s direction.
It turns into a proper full-blown snowball fight between the two then. Lawrence watches for a little while as Adam and Diana pelt balls of snow at each other, dodging the ones they can and trying their best to aim their attacks perfectly at the other.
Lawrence has to force his attention back to his computer screen; he has been putting off responding to work emails since Diana’s arrival on Friday. Her weekend with Lawrence had been extended through Monday and now Tuesday due to the snowstorm and the schools closing. Not that either of them– or even Adam for that matter– are complaining one bit.
It’s no secret that Lawrence hates having to work while Diana is here. He’s spent most of her childhood being whisked away by long hours and pager calls. It’s not like he didn’t know what he was signing up for when choosing his preferred career path, that doesn’t mean he isn’t regretful of his own choices though.
There were too many moments missed, even the smallest things he had taken for granted and hadn’t realized until his own day of reckoning came. Now Lawrence is trying to rectify his mistakes, Diana knows that and Alison sees it. He can’t change the past but he’ll be damned if he lets it define their future.
A good few minutes pass with Lawrence simply staring at the cursor blinking back at him, waiting to be pushed to the right of the screen as he types back whatever string of words he needs to respond with. The sound of Diana and Adam’s loud and carefree laughter mixing harmoniously has Lawrence once again looking up and out the window.
In the moments that Lawrence was looking away, Adam somehow wound up lying on his back in the snow, his hands up in surrender as Diana stands over him with a snowball in her hand ready to strike at any given moment. However, she doesn’t get the chance to because Adam quickly grabs her by the leg and pulls her down onto the powdered white ground next to him, a loud yelp echoing around outside as she goes.
Both Adam and Diana then burst into a fit of giggles as they lay in the snow side by side. The beginnings of a soft smile tugs at the corners of Lawrence’s lips as he watches his two favorite people lay in the snow laughing together like nothing else in the world matters.
It’s moments like these that Lawrence has felt he’s missed out on, moments that he always felt like he had to look on from a distance– or be told about hours after they happen– due to his job being so demanding. He’s trying to do better, he really is.
Lawrence purses his lips as he glances back at the computer screen and the steady blink of the cursor. To hell with the emails, they can wait another day or two. He quickly closes out of his emails and shuts the computer down completely.
Standing from his desk, Lawrence takes one last glance out the window to see Diana and Adam still lying on the snowy ground, this time spreading out their arms and legs as if making snow angels but upon closer look, Lawrence sees that they both have their mouths open to the sky with their tongues lolling out waiting for falling snowflakes to be caught on them.
Something warm blooms in Lawrence’s chest. He holds onto it and lets that feeling cling to every part of him like a tender embrace. Leaving his office, Lawrence walks throughout the house until he reaches the front door and swiftly opens it.
The sound of giggles immediately fills his ears; the light laughter sounds so much better without being muffled behind a thick pane of glass. Lawrence leans against the doorframe, simply looking at the heartwarming scene in front of him.
Lawrence takes a mental image of this moment. His daughter and boyfriend lay in the snow, just slightly sunken down into the white powdered blanket. Snow falls from the sky above and sticks to their bodies as they try to catch some on their tongues. The occasional giggle slipping past both of their lips between their attempts at allowing the flakes to melt on their taste buds. Even with their mouths slightly agape, Lawrence can still see the corners of their lips turned upward in genuine happiness.
Lawrence hates to break up the soft, carefree moment between the two but the snow seems to be starting to come down harder, and if he knows anything about his daughter and boyfriend and their shared love for the snowy weather then if he doesn’t call them in now they’ll spend the rest of the day out there.
“Hey,” Lawrence calls out, grabbing the attention of the two. Diana sits up from her previous position while Adam still lies with his back on the ground but looking in Lawrence’s direction. “How do we feel about coming in for some hot chocolate?” Lawrence questions with a softened smile and a quirk of one eyebrow.
Diana is immediately standing up then. “I could go for some cocoa.” She calls back. Of course, there is only one thing Lawrence knows his daughter loves more than a snow day and that’s the warmth of the sweet beverage after a day in the snow.
Adam says something that Lawrence cannot make out, and it seems it was meant for Diana anyway telling by the way she turns to him as he lifts his arms in the air as if signaling for her to help him stand. Instead of doing what was requested, Diana kicks some snow onto Adam’s stomach and turns to clumsily sprint through the thick snow and towards the house.
Lawrence suppresses a chuckle of his own as he fondly rolls his eyes at the two and makes his way back through the house and into the kitchen. As he works on heating some milk for the drinks, Adam and Diana finally make their way inside and strip from their snow gear in the foyer. It goes quiet for a minute or two as Lawrence moves around the kitchen, grabbing three mugs from the cupboard and then the tin of hot chocolate mix from the pantry.
As Lawrence scoops the chocolate powder from tin to mug, two cold hands find their way up his shirt to rest on his waist followed by the feeling of a body pressing against his back.
“Adam, your hands are freezing,” Lawrence breathes out through a full shudder as the sudden coldness on his bare skin has goosebumps starting to arise.
Adam only hums softly as he stands on the balls of his feet to rest his chin on Lawrence’s shoulder. “That’s why I have you to warm them for me.” Lawrence shakes his head at the response before turning around to face his boyfriend properly.
Adam has changed out of his outdoor clothes and now wears blue and white striped lounge pants– that Lawrence is almost completely sure are his– and an old baggy faded band tee that has a hole in the collar. Lawrence grabs both of Adam’s hands and adjusts them so both of his palms are pressed flat together.
"Or," Lawrence begins as he then places both of his own hands on either side of Adam’s and presses gently against the cold flesh to help warm them, “you can stop cutting the fingertips out of every pair of gloves I buy you.” The suggestion immediately has Adam feigning an offended pout.
“Doesn’t look as cool though,” Adam responds with a slight purse to his lips, “I still have a certain style I need to maintain, y’know.” The proudful grin that follows his words has Lawrence rolling his eyes– more with fondness than actual annoyance.
“Do you know how incorrigible you can be sometimes?” Lawrence’s teasing question has Adam humming softly, almost as if in agreement.
His grin quickly shifts into a sly smirk “Do you know how incredibly sexy you are when you use words like incorrigible? ” He leans up, letting their lips brush for one teasing moment before pressing them together in a quick yet ever-so-tender kiss.
It’s still so as dizzying as their first. Every kiss shared between them these past few years always seems to have Lawrence feeling like he’s turning to mush as if he’s some kid on the playground having his first kiss with his crush behind the slide at recess. Not that Lawrence minds really– god , he doesn’t mind at all. He loves finding himself being so affected by Adam’s touch that it feels like all of his insides are melting as his heart stutters in his chest with bursts of devotion. He prays to whatever god may be listening for that feeling to never begin to dissipate.
“Lar,” Adam says, voice soft and low, almost whisper-like before going in for another chaste yet love-filled kiss, “don’t burn the milk.” Lawrence can feel Adam’s smile against his lips as the words take a moment for him to process.
His eyes then widen slightly as he swiftly turns away from Adam and to the pot of milk simmering on the stove. Adam’s fit of laughter fills his ears as Lawrence turns off the burner and takes the pot off of the heat while promptly ignoring the rush of heat rushing to his cheeks.
Lawrence can’t help the smile tugging at his lips though. “Thank you, by the way.” He says, shooting a glance over his shoulder at Adam who moves to lean against the countertop next to where Lawrence begins pouring the heated milk into the mugs.
Adam hums. “For reminding you about the pot or for calling you sexy?” The smug smile playing on his lips has Lawrence shooting a very much bemused look at the man.
“I mean for today,” Lawrence responds, as he finishes filling each mug while Adam grabs a spoon from the drawer and hands it to him, “it’s been a long time since I’ve heard Diana laugh the way she did out there.” The elaboration has a small smile forming on Adam’s lips as he slightly ducks his head down as if to hide it.
“Yeah, well, it’s been a really long time since I’ve felt as happy as I do now,” Adam says, “so, thank you.” His voice is soft and barely above a whisper like he’s airing out some vulnerable secret that has been weighing on his chest for a while.
Before either of them gets to say anymore, Diana makes her way into the kitchen with her Nintendo DS in hand playing some sort of 8-bit style music. Lawrence and Adam had made it a joint Christmas gift for Diana with Lawrence buying the actual console and Adam picking out the games since he knows more about that type of stuff than Lawrence.
“Adam, can you help me with this level in Super Mario? It’s one of the boss fights and I can’t get past it.” Diana even puts on her best pleading puppy dog eyes as if Adam needs any convincing at all to help her out.
Adam then pushes himself off the counter and nods his head eagerly. As he crosses the kitchen to follow Diana out into the living room.
“Oh, Dad,” Diana stops and turns for a moment, “don’t forget the whipped cream–”
“And nutmeg.” Lawrence cuts off his daughter with a nod and a smile, “because it’s not like I have been making your hot chocolate every winter since you were three or anything.” He teases as Diana simply shakes her head with an eye roll as she turns and disappears into the living room.
Lawrence finishes preparing the three hot chocolates– not forgetting to add the nutmeg to Diana’s and whipped cream for both her and Adam. With a bit of skill, and steady as can be movements, Lawrence takes hold of the mugs by the handles in both hands and makes his way out to the living room where Adam and Diana are.
After setting down the two mugs on the coffee table in front of the sofa where his daughter and boyfriend are sitting, Lawrence brings his own to the lounge chair. He places it on the accent table next to it then lets himself sink into the soft cushioned fabric and pulls the lever to kick out the leg rest.
Warmth blooms in his chest as he looks over towards his two favorite people. Diana is pressed against Adam’s side, her chin resting on his shoulder and she watches Adam help her with the game. Cheeks and noses still tinted the softest shade of pink from their afternoon in the snow.
There’s something so heart-achingly sweet about the relationship the two have formed over the short span of a few years.
Diana absolutely adores Adam, has practically been attached to his hip since first meeting him at the hospital when he was still slightly malnourished, dehydrated, and sporting an infected shoulder wound. Lawrence recalls the smile that quickly spread across Adam’s cracked lips the moment that Diana had walked into his room, and how it was the first time he had seen Adam smile since being trapped in that bathroom together as he was looking at the photos of her in Lawrence’s wallet.
She immediately became so fond of Adam. She would ask about him all of the time if he wasn’t around and when he was she would be right by his side or dragging him along to whatever fantasy world she wanted to live in that particular day.
And Adam– god, Adam loves Diana like she’s his own. He would go to hell and back for her if need be, would crawl to the ends of the earth for her if she so as much asked. Every single day Adam proves how much he loves Diana, whether it be with risking injuring his own shoulder just to have a snowball fight or helping her beat a level in some video game. There is absolutely nothing that he wouldn’t do for her.
Every single day it has Lawrence’s heart swelling right beneath his rib cage. He often questions how in the nine circles of hell did he manage to get lucky enough to have his two loves hold each other as close to their hearts as he does with each of them. He doesn’t take it for granted. No matter how small the moment may seem at the time Lawrence will forever cherish the seconds that make up the quiet memories.
With his heart full, Lawrence simply takes the moment to admire the scene in front of him. He takes in the minutes that pass by with the wood in the fireplace crackling and the mugs of hot chocolate steaming as snow continues to fall outside. He lives in the moment silently wishing for it to never end.
It will though, all good things always seem to. When it does it usually is the part of letting it go that forms the heartache of regret.
So, instead of letting this perfect moment of tranquility slip away, Lawrence keeps it close to his heart. He tucks it safely there for him to always revisit wherever he so wishes.