Alan was reading a book on a recliner with saddie sitting on their lap playing with her dolls and argos was cooking dinner natalie was sitting on the couch watching tv with mama k wrapped in her arms and damian was drawing on the floor which he barely drew at times but he was good at it and alan loved to read anything they could get their hands on it was their hobby they've done it since they were a kid it helped distract them from everything in their home life and their school it drove their imagination wild and they loved it dearly as they read page after page saddie looked at alan and asked “daddy can you read to me?” Alan looked over at saddie closing their book “why of course my dear” alan went over to the bookshelf to pick out a book they could read to saddie they find one that was perfect “now saddie my dear this book was my favorite when i was your age it’s called ‘the boy who climbed into the moon’ i thought you might like it” Alan snuggled up with saddie her eye filled wonder and joy as alan started to read the book their voice soft like a kind song coming from a church on a sunday morning sadie’s eye had a glow as alan read through the pages alan read as if it was easy as blinking they spoke fluently as if they were only breathing alan paused looking at saddie as she had a bright look in her eye “you okay sweetness?” alan asked tilting their head to the side saddie nodded and smiled showing her sharp teeth but they were dull “yeah daddy this book is awesome” saddie exclaimed with pure awe in her voice her eye sparkling like a diamond in the sky alan’s gaze softened as they hold her close with one of their arms as they kept reading saddie drifted off to sleep alan paused and they close the book and they carry saddie to her room and they tuck her into bed and sang her a lullaby and when they were finished they felt happiness seeing her sleeping they remember the day they met her they instantly felt attached to her like a child clinging onto a stuffed animal alan moved her black hair out of her face as she slept and alan turned on her nightlight and they closed the door they felt their heart heavy with both happiness and sorrow they were happy they were being a good parent but they felt jealous because they didn’t have that growing up but the pushed past the jealousy feeling and they replaced it with pride the felt proud that they were a better parent then their parents were to them they walked down the stairs one pair of arms holding the railing and one pair behind their back mama k looks up and asks “is saddie asleep?” alan nods “yeah she fell asleep while i was reading to her” natalie chuckles “wow didn’t know how good you were with kids” alan laughs “i guess it’s all my trauma coming to fruition” everyone laughed at alan’s joke and alan was laughing along with them feeling happy for the first time in years