He is a great dad, but not single.
Anthony
Bright eyes looked at him. It was story time at the bookshop. His favorite day. The older toddlers sat in front of him. The smaller ones sat on their parent's lap. As he read his eyes went to Percy. Who was holding Lucy. Harry, Neville, and Barnaby were next to him.
“The End.” Anthony closed the book. Happy squeals and handclaps filled the bookshop.
“Thank you for coming to storytime! Don’t forget to get your free treat at the cafe.” Little feet rushed toward the cafe. Anthony walked over to Percy and plucked Lucy out of his arms. He pressed a kiss onto the redhead's cheek.
“Hi, Shortcake!”
“It’s like we are not even here.” Harry playfully teased.
“He only has eyes for redheads I guess.” Neville played along. Anthony rolled his eyes.
“Boy’s leave him be. Who wouldn’t melt looking at our Lucy and Percy.” Barnaby placed his hands on his heart.
“He can hear you.” Anthony chuckled. “Hi Pops, Harry, Neville. I’m going to feed the kids their treats. Do you mind if I keep her for a few more minutes?” He asked Percy who nodded.
“I’ll come help you. You don’t have to wait for me. I think I’m going to stay here a while.” Percy told their family. Anthony didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. He needed to go hand out the sweets.
“Oh, Anthony! Whose baby do you have?” That same annoying mother asked.
“Mine.” The lie felt correct on my lips. Maybe it wasn’t a lie. He loves Lucy. It didn’t matter if she was his daughter by blood or not. The mother’s face falters only for a moment.
“What a great single dad you are. Working with your baby.” Anthony started to tell her he wasn’t.
“He is a great dad, but not single.” Percy interrupted. He walked up to him and kissed his cheek. “I figured you might need some help. You stay with our daughter and I’ll hand out the treats. Then I’ll take this little one home.” Anthony beamed down at his handsome boyfriend. Percy didn’t say that he wasn’t Lucy’s dad.
“Oh.. umm I should…” The woman walked away in a huff.
Anthony smirked at Percy. Who glared at her as she walked away.
“Thank you for saving me, Precious. I think she finally got the hint.”
Percy huffed as he rolled his eyes. “She has been like that with you before. I didn’t like it.” Anthony wrapped his free arm around Percy’s waist. He pressed a kiss into his curly hair.
“You have nothing to worry about. The only girl you have to share me with is Shortcake. I don’t think she minds.”
“That's the only girl I’ll share you with ever…” Percy blushed. He might not have wanted to say that part out loud.
“Come on, Precious let’s go feed the masses before they revolt.”
Percy
The air around him felt odd when he stepped out of the bookstore. Lucy was wrapped around his chest. He placed a hand on her back. If he didn’t have to pick up more disposable nappies. He would have apparated home. Percy took a deep breath as he walked down the street. He felt eyes on him. When he looked back there was no one there. He was panicking about nothing. This feeling of uneasiness hasn’t been this bad since he left.
Percy quickly went into the shop and picked up what he needed. He was about to apparate when he felt a wand jabbing into his back. A thick hand wrapped around his arm.
“I found you. You have been a very bad boy.” Lips brushed against his ear. His heart was in his throat. No… He couldn’t have found him. Runcorn looked down at him and his breath hitched.
“Oh, a very bad boy. You've been hiding a lot more from me. I saw you kiss that bookshop owner. That will not happen again. We are going home.”
Tears burned his eyes. How could he let himself get so comfortable?
“C..Can we please stop by my cabin to get her things? I just need a few things then we can g..go. She needs her things.” Percy hoped he would allow him to get a few of her things.
“Fine, take us there. If you try anything I will kill your new family. Starting with the bookshop owner. I’d do it in front of you.” Percy couldn’t speak, but he nodded.
“I. I promise. Hold on tight.”
Percy apparated inside of the cabin.
A sneer appeared on his face. “You have been living here? Of course, you have. Get her things. Don’t try anything.” Runcore pushed him towards the bedrooms.
Percy pulled out his wand slowly and flicked his wrist.
A big diaper bag flew over to the changing table. It was filled with clothing, blankets, and toys in no time. Percy walked up to her crib and picked up the blanket that Hagrid made her.
“Good, now we are going home. I see the baby is a little girl. You couldn’t even do that right. You couldn’t produce me a proper heir.” Runcorn seethed. He wrapped his arms around Percy and pulled out a flask. It was a port key. The older man activated it. He had one last look at freedom.
Anthony
All he thought about all day was getting home to see Percy and Lucy. Anthony had been on cloud nine all day after Percy told another person that Lucy was his daughter. It made what they were real. He’d never wanted anything more.
Anthony dusted off the ash from the floo. “Perc, Lucy, I’m home!” It was quiet. Maybe they were taking a nap. He walked to Percy’s room. They weren’t there. Maybe they were at the big house. When he walked back towards the sitting room he noticed something wrong with Lucy’s room. With shaky hands, he pushed the door open. He gasped when he noticed almost everything was gone. A few books and baby grows were scattered around the room.
With a pop. Anthony apparated to Barnaby and Hagrids. They had to be there.
After the pulling and tugging Anthony stood in the sitting room in the big house. Barnaby rushed in from the kitchen. He must have seen the distress on his face.
“What’s wrong? Is it Percy? Lucy?” The smaller man cupped his cheeks. “Take a deep breath. Come on Anthony.” Tears slid down his face. He focused on Barnaby and took a deep breath.
“They are gone. Lucy’s stuff is gone. H..He left.” He sobbed. Something wasn’t right, Percy wouldn’t leave. “Something is wrong, Pops. He wouldn’t leave me, would he? He wouldn’t leave and take Lucy away from me… us.. would he?”
Barnaby shook his head. “No! No, he wouldn’t. I hate to say it but it could be his past catching up to him. Don’t worry we will fix it.” Barnaby pulled away. With a flick of his wand, he cast a Patronus that called for an urgent family meeting.
“Don’t worry Anthony, we will find them and bring them home.”
Percy
“Why is she crying? I’m her father!” Runcorn yelled as he held Lucy. Percy was fed up. Just because he didn’t want his family to die. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t stick up for his baby.
“Lucy doesn’t know you yet.” Percy walked over to take his baby from the psycho. As he reached to take her, Runcorn backhanded him. The force from the hit was enough to knock him over.
“Whose fault is that? You hid her from me! From her own father! I knew you were a selfish whore! If you had a boy he would be acting this way! I’ll have to knock you up again. You will have a boy, or we will keep going until you do!” Percy felt tears on his cheeks. This was his life now. He knew Runcorn wouldn’t stop. Percy would be the punching bag. As long as he didn’t hurt Lucy.
“She is probably hungry. I… I can feed her.” He held out his hands for his daughter.
Runcorn practically threw her into his arms. “You will feed her, then put her to bed. After, you will kneel naked in the bedroom. You have a lot to be punished for.”
Percy nodded before he rushed off to feed her. If only he could escape. There had to be a way for them to escape. He could leave and go farther next time. A place where no one would find them.
Hagrid
The half-giant was heartbroken and his sweet Lucy was gone. Everyone was in Percy’s cabin to see if they could find anything. He knew that the baby blanket had to be left behind. He looked around the room.
“Barnaby. Can ya help me look for Lucy’s baby blanket I made?”
Barnaby pulled out his wand. “I wish they had taken it with them.” His husband sniffed. He hated to make him sad. His Barnaby should always be wearing a smile.
“Ya, I was hopin’ they took it.”
“Point me to Lucy’s blanket.” The wand spun in the smaller man's hands but didn’t stop.
“It’s not ‘ere!”
“BOYS! WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!”