The hot water pelts against their slick bodies. Steam fogs the mirrors and windows, trickling out from the shower. Erik has his arms wrapped securely around Anna’s waist, his face buried in her neck. She rests her head against his shoulder, her hand cupping the back of his head and her other hand on his veiny forearm. Her wet naked body pressed against his. Erik enjoys how soft her body is. He simply can’t get enough of her.
“My dear,” he whispers into her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. “Do you understand how beautiful you are?”
Anna’s lips curl into a lazy smile, her eyes closed to protect herself from the water. “Trust me, Ah know how beautiful Ah am. Prettier than a peach.”
He chuckles, kissing her ear. “I cannot get enough of you,” he confessed, taking her hand and turning her around to face him. His calloused hand cups the side of her face, thumb swiping at the space beneath her eye. Her dazzling green eyes stare up at him with love and a tinge of shyness, her cheeks flushed. He leans down to press a light kiss against her pretty lips, exhaling a soft sigh. “Waking up next to you every morning is something I do not take for granted. For so long, my darling, I’ve desired to be with you.” He lifts up her left hand, his thumb grazing over the sparkling diamond on her ring finger. “I knew that one day my dreams would become reality.”
Anna leans into his hand, her cheeks darkening. “An’ yer dream was to marry sweet ole me?”
“Yes,” he said honestly. “To marry the woman that I love and admire. Everything about you is magnificent, my dear Anna Marie. You’re strong and capable. Smart. Fast on your feet.” Kiss on her forehead. “Kind hearted.” Kiss on the tip of her nose. “Your laughter brings me joy.” A soft yet firm kiss on her addicting lips. “You’ve made me the happiest man on earth and that promise I made to be the best husband, that’s a promise I’m never going to break. I won’t fail you. I’ll be sure to keep you satisfied and happy. I’ll give you everything you ever wanted and more.”
“Erik, honey,” Anna whispered softly, trapping his face between her soft hands. “You’ve already given me everythin’ Ah’ve wanted an’ more.” She kisses his chin, his light stubble tickling her lips. She then hugs him, laying her head against his hairy chest. Her eyes flutter shut at the sound of his beating heart. A melodic lullaby she falls asleep to every night. “You gave me Belle, remember?”
Their five year old daughter. A sweet little girl with a strong spirit and a southern accent just like her mama. Red hair with streaks of white. She has heterochromia—one green eye, one blue eye. She’s currently obsessed with ponies and butterflies and everything regarding princesses. Says that her dream job is to be the princess of ponies.
Erik smiles proudly at the mention of his little girl. Belle is his entire world. His sweet baby girl. He recalls her birth perfectly. Belle came out two hours after Anna fell into active labor. She came into this world screaming and crying, her face a dark shade of red. He wanted to comfort his newborn daughter and assure her that her parents are her. But he had to wait for the nurses to clean her off before their daughter was handed over.
Anna hugged Belle against her, staring down at her little face; her face is filled with exhaustion, but joy triumphs it. She rubs her cheek against her head, tears running down her face. Erik sat on the very edge of the bed, his arm draped over his loving wife. He was brushing his finger along their daughter’s face, his heart overwhelmed with pride and joy.
His girls, the two most important people to him in the world.
“No, my darling,” Erik murmured, caressing her back tenderly. “You gave me our sweet Belle. You sacrificed your body to grow our daughter in your womb and you endured the hardship of labor. So my gratitude is with you, my dear Anna Marie.”
Anna laughs, playfully swatting his chest. “It’s funneh how ya word things. Ya sound so…ya talk like a old person, that’s what ya sound like.”
“Thanks, dear. I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Ya know what Ah mean,” she said, looking up at his handsome, wrinkled face. She traces her finger along his jawline and the side of his face, brushing his wet hair aside. “At least Ah know ya know how much work Ah had to put in. But what made things easier was ya bein’ by mah side. Mah biggest supporter.”
“I’ll always be your biggest supporter, darling. Up until my dying breath, you will have my unwavering support and loyalty.”
“Mmhmm. What’s the most important thing to remember?”
Erik kisses her cheek. “That you’re always right, even when you’re wrong, which is impossible because you’re never wrong.”
She pats his chest. “Exactly!” she laughs. She rubs her hands against the sides of his neck, her forehead pressed into his stubbled chin. “Ah’m glad ya still remember who’s in charge.”
He slowly rocks them side to side. “I’ve known since day one, my dear.”
The intimacy of two souls combining is intense. There’s nothing inherently sexual between them as they bask in each other’s embrace. The two lovers act as if they’re attempting to melt into each other to become one. Desperate to be as close as possible. The flames of love were set ablaze; flames burning bright red with a tinge of pink and orange, the flames licking the air. May the angels above write it in their scribes that these two were destined for each other. The world can try to pull them apart or throw obstacles in their path, but their undying love will never waver.
Erik cleanses Anna’s body soothingly. Rubs her favorite scented sugar scrub into her creamy flesh, pinching her ass playfully. This elicits a squeal from her and she laughs, lightly elbowing him in the ribs. Erik loves her soft, beautiful body. Stretch marks around her hips and lower belly. He loves how they feel. She hasn’t done a lot of fighting, hasn’t been out there in the world much ever since she had their daughter. She’s put on weight ever since and he wholeheartedly loves it. He praises her body for its sacrifice of carrying a child and pushing that child out. Until the end of time, he’ll forever be grateful towards her.
Anna also cleanses his body, smiling up at him. The corners of her eyes crinkle, the warmth of her smiling reaching the pools of emerald. He shares her smile, unable to believe his mind how lucky he’d gotten in life. He won the lottery, truly.
The two finish up in the shower and wrap themselves up in towels. She has him sit on the toilet and she plops herself down on his lap. She lathers his chin in shaving cream and delicately glides the razor along his chin and neck, tapping it against the sink to rid of the hair covered cream.
“Ya know, as much as Ah love yer smooth face, Ah was kinda thinkin’ you should grow a beard,” she comments. She grabs a dry cloth and wipes down the left side of his face. She gets to work on the right side now. “Mm, Ah’m picturin’ it now. Mah handsome husband with a beard. Ah reckon the ladies wouldn’ keep themselves away from ya, but Ah’ll have to knock their lights out if that happens.”
Erik chuckles, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Not to worry my darling, I won’t let any woman who isn’t you come near me.”
Anna doesn’t say anything. Her nose is scrunched up, lips pursed, brows furrowed. He gently rubs her hips, urging her to say something. “...now Ah’m upset.”
“About what, my dear?”
“Those women comin’ near ya.”
Erik stifles his laughter. “So, if what I assume is correct, you’re upset about a hypothetical situation you came up with?”
Anna crosses her arms across her chest, glaring at him. “Now, don’ try an’ make fun!”
Erik holds his hands up in defense, but he’s unable to hide his smile. “I’m not.”
“Ya know what? Ya can go ahead and shave ya own damn face. Ah hope ya knick your chin!” Anna tries to get up but he grabs her hips and sits her back down.
“My darling, relax. I promise I wasn’t trying to make fun of you and I over my humble apologies if I did.”
“Then why are ya smilin’ as if ya some grand prize?”
“Because, my dear Anna Marie, you look absolutely stunning while angry.” He caresses her hips with his knuckles. “I find it cute that you’re jealous over something that most definitely won’t happen.”
Anna rolls her eyes, pushing his head back up to continue shaving him. “Whatever. Just don’ say anythin’.” Then, more quietly, “It can.”
“What?”
“Didn’ Ah just say to not say anythin’?”
“I’m curious by what you meant.”
She sighs, wiping down his freshly shaven face. “Ah mean, it can happen, because Ah for sure wouldn’ keep mahself away from ya.” She lightly kisses him. “If ya grew a beard, all nice and trimmed, Ah’ll be pouncin’ mahself on ya before ya could even notice.”
Erik gives her ass a firm smack. “I wouldn’t be against it.” Sounds like he’s growing a beard.
Anna laughs and scoots off his lap, opening the bathroom door and walking back into their bedroom. Erik follows after her and they both get dressed in their pajamas, laying down in their king sized bed. Erik lifts his book off his nightstand, flipping back to the page he was previously on. Anna cuddles into him, laying her head on his chest and rubbing his stomach, her leg draped over his. She lifts up her head and sighs, dropping her head back down.
“Hey, love?”
“Yes, my darling?”
“Can ya please hand me the remote?”
“Of course.” He picks the remote off the stand and hands it to her. She kisses his jawline in appreciation and puts on one of her favorite lifetime movies. He buries his nose back in his novel, his hairy knuckles brushing along the curve of his spine. This, in his opinion, is the best way to spend a late night. The love of his life, an absolute goddess, snuggled into his side and him reading a fantastic piece of literature.
This is the best life—no one can convince him otherwise.
The two lay like that for a while until their door knob started rattling, followed by the sound of sniffles. “M-Mama? Papa?” their daughter, Bella, called out from behind the door. She continues to jiggle the doorknob before she resorts to knocking. “Mama! Papa!”
Anna turns off the TV and is out of the bed in a matter of seconds at the sound of her distressed daughter. She opens the door and finds Belle teary eyed and her face bright red, snot trickling out of her nose. “Aww, sweet pea! What’s the matter?” She squats down to her level, holding out her arms.
Belle immediately falls into her mother’s arms, sobbing. “A-Ah had a weally scary d-dream!”
“Aww, sugah, it’s alright,” Anna soothed. She lifts her up and bounces her in her arms, patting her back. She looks over at her husband; Erik is already standing, his posture stiff before he relaxes. He panicked for a moment that his daughter was hurt. She walks back over to the bed, going ‘shh’ soothingly to their daughter while she cries. She sits down, Erik sitting right next to her. “Everyone has a bad dream, sweet pea. It’s scary, Ah know, but yer safe now.”
Belle looks up at her parents, her vision blurred by tears. “A-A scary monster was chasin’ me a-an’ Ah c-couldn’ find y’all! A-Ah keept cryin’ for y’all, b-but—” Belle was unable to finish her sentence. She buried her face into her mothers chest and cried harder.
In her dream, she was in her house, but everything was darker than usual. She crawled out of bed, holding her teddy bear close, looking around fearfully. She heard a noise from her closet and went to investigate, but a big scary monster jumped out of her closet! She screamed and ran out of her room, running down an endless hallway to her parents’ room. She kept yelling for them, but their bedroom door was growing further and further away, and the monster was getting closer and closer. The monster lunged at her, ready to scoop her up and eat her, until she woke up. Her face was covered in steaming hot tears and watery snot and she slowly crawled out of bed—still scared in case there was a monster in her closet—tiptoed to the door, and once she opened it, she ran down the hallway to her parents’ room.
Hearing his daughter cry in such fear breaks his heart. He hates seeing his daughter distraught. Anna hates it, too, because she gives him a worried look.
Erik holds out his arms. “My little love, come to papa,” he said gently.
Belle wipes her nose on her mother’s shirt and crawls into her father’s arms, burying her face into his chest. Her tiny body is trembling so much, her tears soaking up his shirt. Anna rubs her back, kissing the back of her head.
“Oh, love bug,” Anna murmured. Anna wants to go find the monster in Belle’s dream and tear him to shreds. How dare he cause his daughter to be so distraught? In fact, how dare he visit her dream? She’s supposed to be dreaming about unicorns and princesses. She lays her head against Erik’s shoulder, still rubbing her daughter’s back.
“Belle, my sweet daughter, please look at papa,” Erik spoke gently, stroking her hair. His little daughter coughs and sniffs, looking up at him with her tear filled blue and green eyes. He wipes her tears and snot away, wishing to take away her hurt. “You are safe now, my little love. You had a scary dream and I am so sorry that you did, but it’s over now. You are with your mother and father now.”
Belle sits back, huffing and puffing. “B-But it felt so w-weal,” she coughed. Anna reaches out to stroke her cheek, her thumb wiping away her tears.
“Oh, Ah know sugah. Ah know it must’ve been super scary,” Anna said. “But yer okay now. Mommy and daddy won’t let anythin’ happen to ya.”
Belle looks between her mother and father. “W-Weally?”
“Belle,” Erik said softly, “I promise that we’ll keep you safe no matter what. I’ll keep you safe no matter what. You are my flesh and blood. My pride and joy.” He lifts Belle up and hugs her. She lays her head on his shoulder, sniffling. She hugs him tightly, still trembling. “As your father, no harm will come your way. It is my duty to keep you safe and keep you safe I will. Nothing will ever hurt you or scare you again.”
Belle pulls back, blinking down at him. “Not even monsters?”
He shakes his head. “Not even monsters.”
Belle’s eyes well with tears again and she hugs him once more. “Yer mah hero, papa,” she said.
Erik looks over at Anna with a ‘my heart is going to explode’ expression. Anna rubs his back, smiling at him. He kisses the side of his daughter’s head, patting her back.
“Papa will always keep you safe. You have my word.”
Belle looks at him again with big puppy dog eyes. “M-May Ah sleep with y’all tonight? So the monster d-doesn’ try to g-get me.”
“Of course, love bug,” Anna said. “We’ll make sure the mean monster won’t come back. If he does,” Anna punches her fist into her hand, “mama will show him not to mess with her baby!”
This makes Belle giggle a little, a small smile lighting her face. She stays leaning against Erik, sniffling. “Can ya stay holdin’ me, papa?”
“Anything for my precious daughter.” Erik lays down on the bed with his daughter laying on top of him. Anna lays down next to him, covering the three of them up with a blanket. Belle lays her head on his chest, her eyes fluttering shut. “I’ll make sure the scary monster won’t get you again so you can sleep peacefully, my little love.”
Belle nods, nuzzling her head against him. “Love ya mama. Love ya papa. Night night.”
“Good night,” they say in unison.
Belle goes to bed after five minutes, snoring softly. Now that she’s in the protective embrace of her father, she knows nothing can get her now. If something does try to, her father—her hero—will save her.
Erik is stroking her hair, hoping that she’s dreaming what a child her age should dream about—a world of gummy bears and ponies. A happy dream that’ll make his daughter laugh in her sleep. He kisses the top of her head and hugs her, laying his cheek against her head.
Anna smiles at her husband and child, her chest filled with love and warmth. She never thought that one day, she’ll have a family. A loving husband and an adorable child. Anna believed loneliness was in her future, but as she stared at her husband and child, she proved herself wrong. She has a family to call her own. She never had a stable upbringing, and she swore that when she had a child, she’ll do everything in her power to make sure that child is loved and protected.
Little Belle Lehnsherr is the luckiest little girl in the world, because she has parents who are willing to sacrifice themselves for her in a heartbeat.
Anna lifts her hand up to run her fingers through Erik’s hair, her nails scratching lightly at his scalp. “Yer such a wonderful father,” she whispered, careful not to wake their daughter back up.
“Thank you,” he whispered back, smiling softly. “We created such a wonderful little girl. I love her so much.”
“Me too. Now, gimme mah daughter. Ah wanna snuggle her, too.”
Carefully and gently, Erik transferred Belle into Anna’s arms. Belle rests her head on her mother’s arm and snuggles into her, her small body curled. Anna kisses her daughter’s forehead and hugs her close, rubbing her head against her daughter’s. Erik turns onto his side to wrap his arm around Anna’s waist, bringing both his girls close to him.
“You two are everything to me,” he said, propping his head up on his hand. Anna stares up at him with her beautiful green eyes that seem to sparkle in the dark. “My two girls,” he said happily, the warmth in his eyes visible. “I would let the world set ablaze before anyone could ruin our family.”
Anna nods, yawning. She closes her eyes, still hugging their daughter. “Me too. Ah’ll do anythin’ for our family. Especially little sugah right here.” She snuggles her closer. “She’s mah world.”
“She’s my world too,” Erik agrees, his eyes falling shut as well.
The Lehnsherr fall asleep peacefully with not a single worry in the world.