“May I?” Envy asks softly, standing beside me, and I’m more than happy to pass off the fussy little pup. She takes him onto her chest, supporting his bum with one hand while her other goes to his back as she takes him over to the lounge room. I follow like it’s not even a question. I want to be wherever she is, always. When she sits on the old, worn-out leather sofa, she props him on her knee, facing me, and holds him under his chin, pushing his back inwards slightly until he’s sitting up straight. He lets out the smelliest, loudest, longest burp I’ve ever heard from that pup. She rubs his back a few times, getting a few little hups from him, before she brings him back to her chest, and he settles into herfortably.


    “When I was younger, the patrol guards with mates would take me home for baths and dinners, usually the ones with pups because they felt bad for me. I learnt a lot helping with the pups.” She answers the question that was on my tongue.


    “Well, I’ll be damned. Usually, I’d be stuck with a fussy baby until he would pass out again.”


    Sheughs and shakes her head, probably picturing me looking frazzled with a fussy pup. Meanwhile, all I can think of is how utterly perfect she looks with Henry snuggled up on her chest as she ys with his little fluff of hair and rubs his back.


    “I’m going to get some sandwiches out for this kid’s lunch. Do you want one…Or I could order us something a bit nicer if you like?”


    “A sandwich would be perfect, but make sure the kids have eaten first.” I pass her the TV remote, and she starts flicking through channels until she settles on a cooking show, turning the subtitles on and the volume off. I smile, and before I leave the room, I snap a picture of Envy and Henry and send it off to my


    brothers.


    They all reply to the group chat before I even reach the kitchen.


    Levi – “Wow…”


    Haiden – “Holy hell, that’s hot.”


    Xavier – “Imagine if that was our pup.”


    And I do. That’s all I can think about.


    Envy.


    Who would have thought Noah would be so good with these kids? I listen from the lounge room with Henry as Noah attempts to get the younger kids to eat their sandwiches. It sounds like utter chaos, and I’m so here for it. The sounds of their littleughter surround me in a bliss I’m not ustomed to. It’s almost…homey. No, it is. I realise this is something I would miss if I ever had to leave. Jeremy appears from somewhere, plopping himself down on the couch next to me.


    “It’s nice to see him happy, you know?”


    “What, he wasn’t happy before?” I question, and he shrugs.


    “He was surviving. He’s always put on a good face for the pups, but he seems different today, like he’s at


    peace.”


    “Hmmm. He does look pretty peaceful.”


    Weugh as Macey runs through the lounge room with a stolen muffin while Noah is hot on her heels, wearing a pink, frilly apron.


    “No muffins until you eat your sandwich!”


    “Aww, but, but but!”


    “No buts. Sandwich first.”


    He carries her back into the kitchen on his shoulders, ducking as they go through the doorway. I take Henry into the kitchen to see Noah pulling out all of the baked goods we had made, cing them in containers, all the while organising the kids at the dining table.


    “Well, don’t you look very domesticated.” I tease and he blushes.


    “Is that a good thing?”


    “It is.” I pat his shoulder and pass Henry off to him to continue what he was doing.


    “Alright, kids, you can have one muffin when you’re done, bring your tes to the dishwasher, and then we can do some painting outside,” Noah instructs them.


    The afternoon is spent fingerpainting little canvases with the kids. Macey decided to do a simple pink handprint in the middle of hers and asked if I would do a ck one next to hers. Once I was finished, she grabbed Noah and had him ce another ck handprint on the other side of hers and whispered something in Noah’s ear.


    Once the sun started going down, I helped the older kids string up arge white sheet between two trees in the backyard. All the kids started bringing out pillows and nkets, and we did a vote on which movie to watch, while Noah started on the BBQ. We ended up watching Finding Nemo on the makeshift projection screen, and Noah brought out couch cushions for us to sit on at the back of the group. Some of the younger kids started to fall asleep under the stars, while the older kids got bored and wandered off. Macey had long since cuddled up on Noah’sp, and Henry was well asleep in my arms. Jeremy popped back out for a moment with his phone, telling us to smile as he pointed it at us. Noah was quick to wrap his arm around my shoulder as I leaned my head against his. Once Jeremy was satisfied with the photo, I didn’t bother to move away. His touch was nice, the night was beautiful, and this moment was perfect. So when he tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and leaned in, I closed my eyes and fell into his sweet, soft


    213


    kiss.


    Not long after, Nanna Nia returned to help tuck the rest of the kids in bed. Noah showed me where Henry’s room was, and I reluctantly tucked him in while Noah put Macey down. We walked hand in hand through the house, stopping by the dining room where Noah searched through the dried canvases from earlier. He grabbed the once Macey had made and handed it to me.


    “Macey said this would be the perfect gift for my mate.” He blushes.


    “I love it!” I beam back at him, holding the canvas like it’s made of ss. “Today was perfect, Noah. Thank you for bringing me here.”


    “I’m so d you liked it. These kids mean a lot to me.”


    “Can Ie back next week?”


    He wraps me in his arms, kissing my forehead before smiling down at me.


    “You cane here whenever you like, but I would absolutely love it if you joined me every week for movie night. Maybe we can even convince the guys toe.”


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