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“You know as much as I appreciate the effort, guys, she’s only four months old,” Eve said in amusement as she watched her LITs continue to string lights across the Annex. Vivienne was fast asleep in her carrier on the ground, a tiny Santa hat sat crookedly on her head.
“It’s her first Christmas, Eve! We have to be festive,” Cassandra informs her, looking around Jake’s shoulder and giving Eve a serious look, to which the blonde merely rolls her eyes, flicking through the book in her lap and rocking Vivienne’s carrier gently with her toe.
“You sound like Flynn,” she tells her, and Cassandra beams at her words, holding up another section of lights for Jake to staple in the place with the nail gun. “Our house is covered in decorations that I’m going to have to take down in the end.”
“C’mon Colonel, show some spirit,” Ezekiel cuts in, hanging another ornament on the tree from the box in his arms. “Viv deserves the best first Christmas ever! Only happens once, you know.”
As if the infant sensed she was being spoken about, she began to stir; just as the beginnings of an irritated cry started, Eve had her unbuckled from the seat and settled in her arms. She fixed the Santa hat, stroking soothing fingers over her daughter’s belly as Viv squirmed, face screwed up before she relaxed, stretching out her arms above her head.
“See? The little tyke agrees with us,” Jake says with a smile and Eve rolls her eyes, letting Vivienne grasp at her fingers as she settles back into her chair, watching the three of them continue to deck out the Annex. She doesn’t even hear Flynn come in; it isn’t until his hands touch her shoulders and he presses a kiss to the top of her head that she even realizes he’s returned.
“You’re back,” she said softly, smiling up at him as he leans down, kissing her.
“She’s awake,” he replies, fingers brushing over Vivienne’s toes as she smiled gummily at him, fingers in her mouth. “Hi baby girl.”
Eve pats the seat next to her on the sofa and once Flynn is settled she places Vivienne in his arms; their daughter coos happily as Flynn tickles her belly. Eve watches fondly, pressed against Flynn’s side with her chin on his shoulder as he murmurs quietly to their daughter about the temple he’d been in, telling her all about the stained glass windows and sculptures he’d seen.
“It looks like a holiday store exploded in here,” they’re pulled from their family moment by Jenkins’ voice, and Cassandra’s offended “It looks festive!” in response to the caretaker’s comment.
“It looks amazing!” Flynn says, looking around the room as though he hadn’t seen the decorations before- it leaves a warm glow in her stomach when she realizes the first thing he’d looked at upon entering the room had been her and Vivienne and he hadn’t looked anywhere else. “It really looks like Christmas in here!”
“Told you he’d approve,” Ezekiel said smugly, and Eve rolled her eyes.
“Of course I approve, it’s fantastic!” Flynn said, standing carefully and bringing Viv with him, pointing out the lights and the tree to her. He murmured excitedly, and Vivienne spent more time staring up at him with her wide blue eyes than she did at the decorations. Eve smiled softly, watching them with her knees brought up to her chest, heart warm and contentment deep in her bones.
Cassandra came to sit beside her, resting her head on her shoulder and sighing softly, lips curled up into a smile. “Happy Birthday, Eve.”
“Merry Christmas, Cassandra,” Eve whispered back softly, squeezing the younger woman’s hand gently.
_
They don’t return home until late that night; Vivienne is fast asleep and they get her down easily, her mobile playing above her, casting a warm pink glow over her.
Eve comes out from the bathroom to find Flynn on their bed, two small gift-wrapped boxes beside him. He beams when he sees her and she smiles back, settling down beside him. “I know you don’t like a big fuss on your birthday, which is why I waited until ten minutes before midnight to bring these out.”
“Flynn…” Eve says softly, but takes the first box from him, lips curled into a pleased smile as she tears the paper off, revealing a small, black velvet box. She looks at him before she cracks it open, revealing a small heart-shaped pendant, with one tiny green gem settled in it.
“It’s a family pendant- the stone is peridot,” Flynn explains, and Eve sniffles against the sudden rush of tears behind her eyes.
“Vivienne’s birthstone,” she whispers, lip trembling as she smiled at him, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm. “It’s perfect, Flynn.”
“There’s room for more, if we ever…” he trails off, but Eve understands; she leans forward to press her mouth to his, fingers tight in his hair. It takes a decent amount of time to break apart; when they do, they’re both out of breath, cheeks pink, and Flynn’s hair is mussed without repair. “You haven’t- you haven’t opened the other one yet.”
Eve huffed but moved back, reaching for the other box; it’s another small velvet box, but when she opens this one, it’s a simple silver band, but when she pulls it out, the words “come back alive” are engraved on the inside and she doesn’t say anything as she wraps her arms around his neck. He held her tightly, arms wrapped around her waist, and she buried her nose in his neck.
“Thanks for marrying me two years ago,” he whispered, and she laughed softly, moving back to see his face, palms on his cheeks.
“Thanks for asking me to,” she whispered back, smile mirroring his before she leaned forward, kissing him soundly. Clumsily, he pushes the ring onto her finger as they kiss, and they end up twined together atop their bedspread. The clock lets out a soft beep as it strikes midnight, and Flynn’s fingers gently brush Eve’s hair out of her face.
“Merry Christmas, Eve Carsen,” he said softly, and she melted into him, burying her face in his chest and sighing in contentment.
“Merry Christmas Librarian.”