. international baby

[dolly weathers]

"Hugely easy to please. I'm basically an eight year old trying to act like a forty year old," he falls beside her and she turns so that she can look into his blue eyes. "But there must be something about the sharing, right? Like you're never alone. I always felt so lonely growing up," Dolly runs her index finger down the bridge of his nose and rests her hand on his chest, where she can feel his heart thumping.

[theo lovett]

"Noted. So I can remember to get you some Barbies when your birthday rolls round?" He looks at her, returning her unwavering eye contact until he looks away to mull over what she's said. He nods, running a hand through his hair and thinking back on the few days of raw, relentless dread and panic he'd felt while he waited for his brother to wake from a coma. He had never known loneliness like it, so when she mentions having felt alone, his heart hurts for her. "No, that's true, you're never really alone as a twin. Aren't you close to your brothers? I guess it's not the same."

[dolly weathers]

"I'm more of a Beanie Baby sorta gal," the small mention of a future makes her face smile and her heart swell. Her cheek rests on the fat of her bicep as she rolls onto her hip to watch him. She thinks thoughtfully of her family, making a face that would be best described as puzzled. "Kind of. We're a funny family." Her fingers graze the prickly stubble on his face, "I guess everyone has a funny family. You with yours and me with mine. "

[theo lovett]

"Smart decision, I hear they'll be worth a fortune someday." Even in these unprecedented times, Theo doesn't think he ever could have foreseen himself sharing a bouncy castle with Dolly Weathers. Even after meeting her he still wouldn't have imagined them hitting it off like this, not after the Jake and Mia nonsense. But he's glad to be wrong. "I can only imagine," he says, though he can't even really imagine it. His hand finds her waist and he gives her a squeeze. "Mine's normal! One day I'll take you to Alaska to see my aunt. I'll give you a slice of the All American life."

[dolly weathers]

She squishes herself against him and rests her chin on his chest, beaming at him when he mentions Alaska. "I want that All American life," she confirms, she can't stop her hands from roaming the dips of his face and her thumb strokes the dark circles under his eyes. "Birthdays and Aunties in Alaska, look at you," she sits up and presses her lips against his, "you move fast."

[theo lovett]

She feels so warm and soft curled up against him, her chin on his chest. He slips an arm around her to hold her against himself, looking from the neon blue ceiling to her bright eyes. As she speaks his cheeks tinge pink, embarrassment gnawing away at him though he tries to bury it. "Only if you'll have me, duh," he says, offering a lopsided grin. "All I do is talk about what I'm gonna do when all this is all over. Can't wait for fewer 'somedays' and more 'todays'."

[dolly weathers]

He makes her feel so safe without trying. He's someone she probably shouldn't have met, but he makes her feel so connected and hopeful. Her legs twist into his and she rolls her eyes, "duh. I already have the white picket fence and a name for our dog." She smiles as he speaks outloud, "someday feels nice. I like that someday is ours.. but somedays as todays would be nice."

[theo lovett]

He's reached a level of comfort he didn't think possible, his weary body supported as it was by buoyant plastic, Dolly's warmth radiating off her. Her hair it lit by shaft of sunlight and it looks like it's glowing gold. "You are so fucking pretty," he says, verbalizing a thought without intending to. He clears his throat, laughing. "God, tell me it's not Rex or Rover. Also, what kind of dog? And what kind of fence? I'm picky about fencing." He glances down at her. "Sure. But today's pretty good so far, so I shouldn't complain."

[dolly weathers]

She twists a piece of golden hair in finger and boops him on the tip of his nose, "I bet you tell all the medic bunnies that." She forgets they're in a castle full of Disney characters until the fan below them whirls air in fiercely. For a brief second she looks up at Aladdin looking down on them and grins at the ridiculousness of it all. "Rover! You read my mind!! A golden retriever, of course. And just white and waist high." She nods, "today feels like a good day."

[theo lovett]

"Only the really pretty ones," he says, his fingers finding her ribs and giving her a momentary tickle. He laughs, shaking his head. "You wanted all American, that's all American. Two kids too, right? Ted Junior and Dolly 2.0?" It's a nice thought, though one that seems completely at odds with the future that her family have laid out for her. No point dwelling on that now. "Want more candy? I wanna be high on the stuff all day. I've also made alcoholic punch, since we're not actually five years old."

[dolly weathers]

She squirms and bats his hands away from him, "hey! None of that. You're ruining my cuddles." She laughs at the thought of them with their kids and perfect suburban life, "I'll bake pies and you'll rub my feet while the kids fight over the tv remote." She pulls away from their cozy little nook and tries to regain her balance on the ever wobbly float. "You really are the best date. I want that pizza."

[theo lovett]

"Oh so you are ticklish? Noted, good to know," he says, though his hand rests on her waist, no longer torturing her. His mind wanders to the thought of their entirely hypothetical kids. Would they be allowed a normal life, or would they be shipped off to some crazy boarding school? "Here, wait, I'll help you up." He gets up, leaning one hand against the wall and offering her the other. "We've got pizza. We've got soda, we've got ice cream... did I mention that I have a feeding fetish?"

[dolly weathers]

She takes his hand and pulls herself up, stumbling into him as she does. "we might fall into a sugar coma," she pulls him behind her and laughs, "lucky for you, I like to eat." The sun pours over them as they leave their castle. After a few days of cloud in Los Angeles, it was nice to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin. "I don't have anything. You' have to organize all our dates, 'cause I'd be a total letdown," her fingers intertwine with his and she pulls the sliding door open to the house.

[theo lovett]

"Don't worry, I've got my work kit with me. Uniform too, thought I'd Magic Mike it up as a finale." They stagger out of the inflatable, and Theo's legs feel shaky now they're suddenly on such solid ground. He's elated by her continued praise, practically skipping into the house as her hand slips into his. "Hey, that's not fair! Next date is on you, whatever pops into that head of yours, I'm down." He slides a plate of pizza over to her, letting go of her hand to pour them both a drink.

[dolly weathers]

"Oh my god, Theo," she gently punches him, "you can't tease me like that till date three, you fucker." Dolly shoves a handful of Skittles into her mouth and shakes her head, "I can't. I'd never live up to this. Last time I tried to have fun with a date, the idiot pouted in the corner." She takes a large bite of pizza and pours red punch in a glass for him, "I'm wounded by the lameness of my last relationship."