After they each got their ice cream cone, Claire payed Mr. Zuo who made sure she didn't leave without promising him she would visit more often.
To Claire's surprise, Aiden didn't insist on paying or seemed disturbed by her doing so. Something she asked about while they strolled around the street eyeing the other vendors merchandise.
"Why would I get upset? You're a hard working and independent woman. Don't get me wrong, if you wouldn't have offered to pay I had no problem with it either. But if it's something you want to do, who am I to stop you?"
"That's actually quite surprising. I mean, you yourself said you're pretty old school when it comes to relationships. And having a man pay for everything is as old school as it gets."
"True, but that's not the kind of old school I meant." He began to explain as they stopped in front of a stand with hand made hair accessories. "I'm about hand written love notes, no cellphones out while on a date, always opening the door for you and prohibit you from carrying anything while I'm by your side kind of old school."
"So what you actually mean is that you're a classic romantic." Claire said as she looked up at him.
"Exactly. But I can't really go around calling myself that can I? It'd be the cockiest thing ever." He replied which made them both laugh. Claire agreed with him. It would be way to weird if he went around describing himself as such.
"True." Claire started studying his face without being to obvious. "Then what would you say if my dream is to leave my job and be a stay at home mom that work on non-profits and charities?"
Aiden didn't even bother to look at her as he browsed through the detailed hair pins on the table. He knew she wouldn't ask such a specific question if it didn't have importance to her. "Well, it depends."
"On what?" She raised her eyebrow in curiosity as while she wiped Lily's mouth with a napkin. She was enjoying her time blissfully without even caring about their conversation.
Claire was amazed by how unbothered Aiden seemed while constantly carrying her. It was as if he didn't even feel her weight.
"On how much support you're willing to receive." He responded as he finished his ice cream and threw away his napkin in a trash can next to them. "If you have no problems accepting my help, then I'd say I'll be your partner all the way." He stopped talking for a moment to take a pin from the table and gently place it in Lily's hair. Making her smile immediately. After smiling back at her, he continued.
"But if you lean towards taking the 'I want to do it on my own' route, then I'll make sure that nothing gets in your way without you ever finding out." While he finished describing the course of action he would take if she ever decided to do what she mentioned, and doing so while confidently assuming they would be together long enough for the situation to arise, he placed the same kind of pin in her hair as well.
They were thin rose gold colored pins with a single dark green jewel crystal like gem at the end. A very simple design that matched with the color of their eyes.
Aiden payed the lady attending the stand with a hundred dollar bill. Not giving the old woman the chance to even attempt giving him his change, he spoke directly to her.
"Don't they look beautiful?" He said as he gently pulled Claire by her shoulder until there was no space between them. "There's no way I could pay less. Have a goodnight." The woman bowed her head in gratitude towards him as he started to guide Claire away from the stand and back to strolling around the street.
"You put other smooth talkers to shame Mr. Villan." Claire said as she chuckled.
"It just comes out naturally." He said in a smug tone which made them both laugh even more.
Aiden felt a small hand ask for his attention which he promptly gave. Noticing she had finished her ice cream, he took the napkin out of her hand and wiped the corners of her chocolate stained mouth.
'Thank you for my hair pin. Now Mommy and I can match. I like it very much!' She signed with a bright smile on her face. Since her hands were occupied earlier with her ice cream cone, she waited until she finished it so she could properly thank him.
"You are very welcome Princess." He said after he shifted the left side of her headphones so she could hear him and not simply rely on reading his lips. "And by the way, great choice with that chocolate monkey flavor. It was the best ice cream I've ever had."
Lily giggled as he placed her headphones back in place. 'You're welcome too.'
"You're gonna make a lot of people jealous you know?" Claire said as they made their way back to the car. It was already dark out. She threw her own napkin away as Aiden's expression turned curious. "She's gotten along with you so quickly that it'll sure make a couple of the people at the base cry. Especially the guys. She still hasn't warmed up to most of them."
"Well I guess she knows a keeper when she sees one." He cheekily responded as he placed his arm over her shoulder. Pulling her closer, he practically whispered in her ear. "I'm just hoping her mom wants to keep me too."
Claire chuckled as she placed one of her arms around his waist. He was indeed a smooth talker.
--------
At the city's center base.
Lily had fallen asleep on the car ride back to the base. Aiden gently carried her all the way to their living quarters. And even though she was sound asleep, Claire woke her up to bathe and dress her for bed.
While she was away, Aiden sat with Anna who was currently watching a rerun of a soccer game.
"Claire mentioned she was into soccer, but now I can see it's a family thing." He said as he watched the screen.
"Are you kidding? We're all die hard fans. Do you have a team?" She asked while surprised by the fact that he was referring to her as Claire's family. It was unusual since people coming from old money would always draw thick lines between family members and outsiders. And taking into consideration that Aiden came from one of the oldest family's in the city, she was even more intrigued.
"If it isn't the Arsenal, I don't want to hear about it." Aiden felt a solid punch on his forearm making him look at Anna in surprise.
"Welcome to the team man." She said with a proud grin on her face. "You would've had a hell of a rough ride if you had said anything else."
Aiden perception of Anna drastically changed as they continued to talk about sports. She was careful not to mention anything beyond that, but the way she seemed so relaxed and almost tomboyish amused him very much. Anywhere else she seemed like an ice cold woman who wouldn't stand for a single hair to be out of place, yet there she was everything but that. Her usual composed and proper persona was nowhere to be seen.
After a while of talking, the door to Claire's room opened and Aiden saw the cutest little red head peak out from inside. He couldn't help but smile at her while she stood dressed in her bunny onesie.
He could see she was hesitant about something, so he stood up and approached her. Bending down to her eye level he reassured her. "What is it Princess?" He asked as he caressed her cheek.
Little did he know that Anna was staring at them while being shocked all the way down to her core. 'She's letting him touch her!?'
'Can...' Lily started signing but stopped before finishing her sentence. She stared down at her slippers for a few seconds before lifting her head. 'Can you tuck me in?'
Aiden made a mental note of going to the doctor. He feared his heart had literally melted inside his chest. "I'd love to."