Work Text:
Chris is not a sucker. She can say no to the sweetest batting of Street's eyelashes, to the neediest request for her to put in overtime when she has plans, even to Deacon in his raging storm of need if she feels like it. But those four kids... All they have to do is turn their big, sweet eyes on her and say, " Plleeaaaassseee , Chris?" and they get whatever they want.
Which, incidentally, is how they end up at Disneyland one summer day with all four kids in tow. Deacon is torn somewhere between amused affection at Chris caving to the kids and doing the standard amount of Dad Complaining, but he was planning on taking the kids soon anyway.
They’ve been inside the gates for less than a half hour when they look at each other with the foreboding knowledge that they are outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered, out planned, and are going to have to make an all-out stand if they're going to survive this day.
They do their best. They really do. The kids get ice cream for breakfast, everyone rides the Astro Orbiter, and they’re waiting to meet Mickey when somehow, everything goes to hell.
One moment, Victoria is smiling and waving at Mickey from Chris’s arms while her step-mom’s heart melts in Deacon’s camera lens. The next moment, the baby is screaming in abject terror of the cheerful mouse man, and to add to that, Samuel has ice cream smeared on every limb and article of clothing, Matthew just reappeared after disappearing for the second time, and Deacon is staring at the receipt for two $75 stuffed animals. And it’s not even 10am.
When Matthew and Lila tear the map clean in half while debating what ride to do next, Chris and Deacon finally lock eyes in crisis mode. She’s making the hand sign for ‘4 Armed Combatants’ and he’s signaling for retreat when Chris suddenly lights up and yanks her phone out of her pocket.
Chris added Bester Kumpel and #1 MILF to a group chat.
Chris: Do you still have your DL membership?
Bester Kumpel: Duh, love that place. Mickey shaped soft pretzels = LIFE
Deacon takes his phone out to eye the chatter, but Chris is typing again.
Chris: Any chance you want to come save us from the consequences of our choices and help us watch these children? We’re outflanked and there’s no chance of retreat.
#1 MILF: *Chris’s choices! I didn’t do this!
Chris starts to glare at Deacon over the kids’ heads, but he’s right, and anyway, her phone is buzzing again.
Bester Kumpel: UNCLE LUCA ON THE WAY
Neither of them have any idea how he makes it from East Hollywood to Anaheim so fast, but Luca texts once he's inside the park to ask where they are. Chris responds with "*uhh we're next to a... Idk cartoon streetcar?" And Luca practically materializes by her side.
Suddenly the whole day changes. He rides the exciting rides with the older kids, sits with the little two when Chris and Deac want to ride, magically has a pack of wet wipes in his pocket and cleans them up after snacks, and even insists on waiting with the kids to meet Rapunzel and Flynn so Chris and Deacon can have an hour to themselves to get a semi-fancy dinner
By the end of the night, Victoria is asleep against Deacon's chest in the baby harness, Sam is mostly asleep in the stroller, and Luca and Chris cave to giving Matthew and Lila piggyback rides back to the car.
When all four kids are buckled in, Deacon and Chris hug Luca as enthusiastically as they can after chasing four kids around Disneyland all day. He assures them that it's his pleasure and blows goofy kisses to the kids through the window on his way back to his car.
When Deacon notices in the rearview mirror that all four of the kids are asleep, he goes to crack a joke to Chris about wearing them out, and finds that she's passed out against the window of the passenger seat. It kills him to wake her up when they finally get home; he wouldn't if he didn't need help with the kids.
They get them all in bed, all four of them with a new stuffie from the park, and collapse in the main bedroom without even taking their clothes off. With sleepy, satisfied smiles, they tilt their heads towards each other and mumble something about perfect days and family, both of them falling asleep with "I love you" on their lips