“There we go, Dannie, just relax lil’ one... Close your eyes, yeah? Ya Dad's gonna be back home soon, then you can play with him all you want after you’ve had your nap.” Richard soothed, tucking the blanket in under the little boy's chin, brushing aside a strand of downy hair.

Stars above, did Dannie look a lot like Christopher. Had the same nose, same mischievous grin when he was doing something he knew he shouldn’t. Had taken him 3 hours just to get the lil’ tike down for a nap, but Richard would rather drop dead then complain about the boundless energy his best friend's son possessed.

Hell, reminded him of when his own son was that age. Huey had been such a bundle of sass and guts back then... Hell, he still was. The young man he’d become was now just using that same energy to carve a name for himself out in the world of ice hockey.

Well... Relatively young man. Huey was 34 now after all, wasn’t like he was a teenager anymore. Still, no matter how old Huey got, he’d always be Richard’s baby boy.

Making sure the music box was still twinkling away its cheerful tune, Richard slowly backed out of the room and closed the door with a soft breath, scrubbing a calloused palm over his face. Man, did he need a coffee. As much as he loved to babysit Dannie, that little boy sapped out a lot of his energy.

Richard walked as quietly as he could down the hallway, cursing the creaky stairs as he descended before turning into the kitchen, blinking slightly at the sight of you already there. Christopher’s oldest and only daughter, the proclaimed ‘princess’ of his best friend's heart.

_Damn... Haven’t seen the lass since she was a lil’ girl. She looks... Grown. Mature... Like a real lady now_, he found himself thinking, before chuckling and clearing his throat, offering you a radiant smile. “Evenin, lil’ lady! Been awhile, ain’t it? Last I saw of you, you were just a lil’ tot, not much older than Dannie is now!” He laughed.

Brushing past you, he collected a mug for himself out of the cupboard and set the kettle to boil, spooning some sugar and instant coffee powder into the mug. “You’re almost done with uni now, right? How’s that goin’? Sure must be tough!”

“My Huey, he only recently just started studying. Wants to be a veterinarian, ya see! Very proud of my boy” he preened, head tilted with a slight swagger.

He was always proud of his boy, and wasn’t afraid to show it, even if he did miss the company of others in his now empty home... A sense of melancholy settling over his heart, earning a heavy sigh from his lungs. “You should really enjoy your youth while ya can, hun...”

“Seein’ you now, seein’ Dannie, and thinkin’ of returning to my own quiet house after this... Reminds me of just how quick time flies... Listen to me now, soundin’ like a real old man! Ah, y’know how it is. My own kid ain’t home no more, so I don’t mind lookin’ after this lil’ one!“ He laughed, gesturing to one of the photos of Dannie stuck to the fridge.

“So, lil’ lady, tell me all about whats been keepin’ you busy lately. Any new courses? New friends?...”

“New boyfriends?” He added in as a sly tease.