Open-Hearted

A/N: lmao i finally wrote something, enjoy

   Winter practically flew by. Sam helped take care of the chickens every morning, so I basically did nothing.
   With Spring sneaking up on me, I completely forgot about Christmas. I'm a freak when it comes to the holidays! One year I ordered so many gifts that I forgot who most of them were for. I just ended up donating or returning most of them.
   This year, I decided to bake some treats for everyone in the town. Since my dad sent over more brownie mix, I decided to just have Sam make half of them. There were two boxes which would make enough for everyone in the town to have one each. Perfect!

   Finishing up my last card, I heard a knock at my door. I smiled, then put the card inside an envelope and sealed it. I brought the cards to the front door and set them on the small entry table.
   "Who dares step foot upon my property?" I growled.
   "Only the finest warrior this town has to offer!" A deep voice replied.
   "No warrior ever lives after facing me. What makes you think you'll turn out any different?" I growled in return.
   "Uhh.. I have cookies?"
   I swung the door open and latched my arms around Sam's torso. He hugged me with one arm, the other carrying a tupperware full of cookies.
   "You're my favorite warrior." I mumbled into his chest.
   "Thanks, cutie. Can we get inside? It's cold out here." Sam replied, patting my head with his gloved hands.
   "Oh, yeah, come in." I laughed. We stepped inside and I helped Sam with the cookies while he took off his coat.
   "Vincent wanted me to bring you some of the cookies he and Mom made. There's some biscuits for Rotchi in there too since he can't have chocolate." Sam said, opening the lid of the Tupperware.
   "Aww, that's so sweet! I'll have to thank him later." I replied. Sam gave me a cookie and took one for himself.
   "Mmm, these are delicious!" I exclaimed. The cookies were peanut butter and chocolate.
   "Vincent found the recipe online. Mom said no at first, but couldn't stay solid. We usually follow old family recipes." Sam said.

   We ate about two more cookies each, both with a glass of milk, and I got the brownie mix out.
   "Sweets, I think we have enough sugar already.." Sam sounded a bit worried about my sweet tooth.
  "These are for the town, silly! I can't afford to get everyone a gift so I'm just making brownies." I replied. "Let's go get some eggs."
   "Alrighty." Sam agreed, taking my hand.

   We walked out onto the snowy farm. I held onto Sam for warmth since I didn't want to put my snow coat on. All I had was my hoodie and pajama pants to keep me from freezing. My boots did no help.
   We reached the coop and Sam shut the door behind me. He instantly went to pick up one of the chickens.
   "Hello little one! Miss Uncle Sam?" He baby-talked to the chicken. "Did you lay any eggs for me this week?"
   "Sam, you wouldn't be their uncle.." I said filling the hay back up.
   "Why not? These guys are like my family now. Isn't that right?" He directed the last part towards the chicken he was holding.
   "I know, but you're their dad than their uncle." I replied.
   Sam froze. His eyes went wide and his face went a bit red. "I-I'd be their dad?"
   I stopped for a moment, thinking about what I just said. It was no wonder his face went red, he'd always wanted to be a dad. And here I was, casually telling him he is one.
   I looked back at him and smiled. "You know, Papa Sam. That sounds nicer."
   Sam smiled and looked back at the chicken he was holding. "You can now refer to me as Papa Sam!" He exclaimed, dancing around with the chicken.
   I snuck a few pictures of Sam before going back to filling the hay up. I could hear him talking to the chickens as he collected eggs.
How did I get so lucky with him?

   "All done?" I asked Sam. He held up the basket full of eggs and smiled. "Alright, let's get back to the house."
   Sam opened the door for me, then took my hand on the way back home. The snow crunched beneath our feet, leaving new marks with each step we took.
   I called for Rotchi as usual, and he trailed behind us inside the warm house.
   Sam put the eggs on the kitchen counter and got out all the bowls we needed. He looked a bit out of it.
   I watched as he took out more supplies while I pet Rotchi on the couch. When he finished up, he turned around and leaned against the counter, giving me a light smile.
   I got up and walked to him, hugging him. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and back.
   "What's on your mind?" I asked.
   "What do you mean?" He replied.
   "You seem a bit off, what're you thinking about?"
   Sam sighed. "Do you think I'd be a good dad?"
   I lifted my head off his chest and looked up at him. "Of course I do.. why?"
   Sam looked off to the side. "I don't know, I just never thought I'd ever get to be a dad. And here I am, now with a girlfriend and taking care of chickens like they're my kids."
   I laughed. "Sam, they're just chickens.."
   "I know, but still."
   "You'd be an amazing dad, Sam."
   His eyes went back to mine. "You really think so?"
   "I know so."
   Sam smiled and looked down.
   "You'd be the best dad there ever was. I promise you." I ran my hand through the hair on the side of his head that wasn't pinned down with hair gel.
   "Thanks, Liv."
   "..maybe if you didn't use as much hair gel, you'd be an even better dad."
   "Hey!"
   I laughed. "It's true, you use way too much!"
   "Says who?"
   "Me! I can't even play with your hair like all those other couples do."
   "Who says we have to be like them?"
   "Pfff, I'm pretty sure none of them have chicken for children."
   Sam laughs. I put my head on his chest again. Sam holds the back of my head with his hand.
   "One day you're gonna have kids and they're gonna love you so so much. Either with me or without me, I promise you'll find them."
   "..what if I don't want them without you?"
   "What do you mean?" I looked back up at Sam. His eyes were a bit red.
   "If I'm gonna have kids, I want you to be there with me to take care of them."
   I smiled. "You know I love you, right?"
   "Yeah?"
   "And you know how much I'd go through just to see you? Like that time you were sick and I snuck in to give you soup and cuddle with you?"
   "Yeah.." Sam's eyes were a bit teary now.
   "I'm not leaving you. Don't worry about me not being there. I'll be there for everything you need."
   A tear fell down Sam's cheek. I kissed the mark it left and smiled.
   "I love you, Sam."
   He sat there for a moment trying to hold in his tears. He couldn't break eye contact with me.
   "It's okay, Sam." I said, putting my hand on his cheek.
   Sam couldn't hold back anymore and a few more tears fell before he put his head on my shoulder and cried. I could feel him shaking a little bit.
   I rubbed his back as he cried. He held on to me as if I were going to disappear any second. After about a minute or two, Sam finally lifted his head up and wiped his eyes.
   "I love you so much, Olivia.." Sam wept. "I love you so so much."
   I smiled, feeling my eyes get teary too. "Aww, don't make me cry too.."
   "I love you sweets, to Pluto and back."
   I felt a tear run down my cheek and laughed. "That's pretty far."
   Sam embraced me again and we both cried for a while before speaking again.
   "This counter's hurting my back." Sam laughed, wiping another tear off his face.
   "Let's go to the couch, we can make brownies later." I said, letting go of Sam.
   He agreed. Sam sat down on the side of the couch while I grabbed my thick white blanket. I tossed it over Sam's lap and walked towards the bathroom.
   "Nooo, where are you going?" Sam whined.
   "I need to blow my nose. Someone made me cry and my nose is not happy about it." I replied.

   I threw away my tissue and went back to the couch where Sam was still crying. I lifted up part of the blanket and sat under it. Right when I put the blanket on my lap, Sam grabbed me and forced me into a bear hug.
   "Agh, Sammy!" I yelped.
   "What?" He asked.
   "Not so tight!"
   "Sorry, but you're the one who made me cry."
   "You're the one who made me cry!"
   "Well look what you did to the both of us."
   "Ughh, just give me a kiss."
   "But I'm busy."
   "Busy squeezing me to death?"
   "Ah, sorry!" Sam yelped, letting me go. I was practically on his lap now. I laughed, wrapping my arms lightly around Sam's shoulders.
   "You look cute today." Sam said.
   "You say that every day." I replied.
   "Whoops, guess you always look cute."
   I laughed. "You look pretty handsome yourself."
   "Why thank you, this warrior trains himself every day to look the finest for the beauty in this forbidden kingdom," Sam joked, referencing earlier.
   "What?" A voice from the hallway laughs.