NEW YORK
billboards & unpleasant greetings

Lavvie and Dylan walked hand in hand down the sidewalk's of New York, Dylan holding Rory at his hip. They had decided to go out for dinner, since Lavvie had the weekend off. It wasn't often they were able to go on full family dates, and Dylan was leaving in just a few days—so they wanted the night to be the best it could.

"Is she already asleep?" Lavvie asked, noticing Rory laid against Dylans chest, holding tightly to his arm.

"Think so, Hails and I were playing tag with her while you were getting your hair done and she didn't get a nap." Dylan answered, feeling her thumb slowly swisting his wedding band.

"May have to add Hailee to the Rory groupchat." Lavvie joked, leaning against Dylans open shoulder as they walked. "I used to hate coming back here." She mumbled, her eyes wandering around the brightly lit city.

She'd only been a few times in the last few years, each time she'd have to leave as soon as she could. It brought back terrible memories, the memories she wanted so badly to forget. When she'd first come back to the city after Timothee, she'd fall into a panic, fearing that ever corner she turned; he'd be there. With Dylan around though, she didn't care if he'd pop out of the alley or the ground—she knew everything would be okay.

"I wish I could've met you then, just so you could've avoided ever getting with him." She knew Dylan refused to say his name, which honestly the was grateful for. Just the though of him made her nauseous, the heartache never fully going away.

"Guess what though?" Lavvie questioned, trying to lighten the mood with her warm smile.

"Hmm?" He hummed, glancing down at her and his eyes softened.

"You have me forever." Lavvie told him, his mouth turning upwards as he leaned over to kiss her.

"Ewie!" The couple pulled apart, their now awake daughter scrunching her face at them with disgust. Lavvie laughed while Dylan rolled his eyes, adjusting her on his hip as she squirmed.

"Were you even sleeping?" Dylan asked her, the toddler only let out a giggle, hiding her face in his chest. "Course not." Dylan chuckled, Lavvie beginning to swing their intertwined hands between them.

"Where dinner?" Rory asked, moving her arms out to lean forward only for Dylan to hold her back.

"We're almost there, chipmunk." Lavvie said, letting go of Dylan's hand to take Rory into her arms. "You hungry?" She asked the toddler, who nodded her head quickly with a humming noise coming from her.

"Hawwy!" Rory squealed, pointing up to the bright billboards that illuminated the night sky. When Lavvie looked to where she pointed, they laughed, seeing that there was indeed a large billboard with Harry covering it.

"I saw mommy on one yesterday." Dylan said, his arm snaking around Lavvie's waist as he pulled his girls to his side.

"Mommy big?" Rory asked, watching as the billboards changed every few seconds.

"Mhm, she looked so pretty too." Dylan grinned, winking to his wife who's face shaded red.

"Me pretty, not mommy!" Rory whined, smacking Dylan's arm and he gasped out dramatically.

"Aurora, you get your pretty from mommy." Dylan said, Rory's brows furrowed and she stared up at Lavvie studying her face.

"I do?" She asked, not taking her eyes off of Lavvie as she brought her tiny hands up to touch her face.

"I'm starting to think you spend too much time with your dad." Lavvie joked, Rory not comprehending her words as she continued to poke her face.

"Well, she's got-" Dylan froze, his smile falling.

Lavender tried to see why he was suddenly stepping forward, his fists balled to his sides—but Rory was blocking her view. She only new of few reasons as to why his demeanor would change from happy to someform of anger in seconds. She didn't want to guess though, fearing that she could be right.

Then, Rory moved, curious as to what Dylan was staring at and suddenly, Lavvie couldn't breathe. Their eyes met, both frozen in place, one pair of eyes filled with fear and jealous, the other clouded with hurt.

"Mommy, why cry?" Rory asked, noticing the tears that had snuck from her eyes.

Each of their attention fell to Rory and that's when Lavender knew he knew that he made the biggest mistake of his life.

"She's- um, congratulations." He finally spoke up, tears clear as day filling his eyes. Then he smiled, she knew it wasn't fake, nor surrounded with his usual manipulation—it was genuine. Dylan stepped forward, his body standing protectively in front of his wife and daughter.

"I think it's best if you keep walking." Lavvie had never heard Dylan speak so strongly, a cold, dark tone shadowing his usual playful tone. The curly haired male nodded, his eyes still glued to Lavvie as he began to walk away.

The second he'd disappeared into the heard of people, Lavender was handing Rory back to Dylan. Her body hunched over, one hand propped against her knee to keep her from falling, the other covering her mouth as she let out dry sobs. It felt like a rush of emotion, everything she'd ever felt towards Timothee flooding back to her. She hadn't seen him since before she and Dylan had gotten together, knowing she'd react the same way she was now.

She just didn't know it would hurt this bad, she thought that if she were to see him again she'd be able to gloat. She had the family he never wanted after all.

authors note.
tell me why tf i sobbed writing this