Twofer

## Meta

**Timing:** late July 2026

**Setting:** Sydney airport

## Text

Holly rests on a bench in the airport's Arrivals area.

Logan marks a path between the rows of chairs.

Holly sighs. "Sit down, love. You're wearing a track in the tile."

Logan scoffs, continues twitching and pacing.

It's truly amazing how much like Derek he looks when he's upset.

A delighted shriek, "/**Da!**"

Logan winces—

A flash of bright green motion.

—but crouches and swings a tiny, hurtling form into his arms.

The toddler tucks up against his chest, peppering his face with sloppy kisses.

[What a darling.]

"'ey, Button," whispers Logan into fluffy black hair.

Button coos, snuggles closer.

[Holly's eyes prick.]

"'m /**so** sorry about that," pants [[[Blossom Collocott|Blossom]], now with black hair pulled into a ponytail, as she skids] to a halt. "He knows to use your name, but he must've got too excited when he saw you."

[There's no hell deep enough for the monsters who've done this to her family.]

"'s'okay," assures Logan.

Toddler burbles happily.

"Beans'll be beans."

[Blossom] exhales tension.

Holly stands, nudges Logan's foot. "Introduce me to your friends, love."

He startles[—

Button turns huge, sparkling brown eyes on Holly.

Holly crinkles hers in reply.

Button smiles a whole-face smile.

—]"Oh. Right." Resettles Button on his hip. "Nanny, [this's] Tang Lan Wei, she-her-hers, and the shortstack is Button. Tang Lan, my Nanny."

"Actually, his name is [Tang] Yun, but no one calls him that," amends Tang Lan. "It's silly, I—" [1]

"Please don't worry, love. My great-grandbabies are Book, Baby, and Jubjub. A Button fits in just fine."

Tang Lan ducks her head, rubs her eyes.

"Besides[-—]" Holly stoops to Button level. "[—this] charmer is certainly cute as one." Boops Button's nose.

Button giggles, grabs Holly's finger.

Tang Lan beams. "Thank you, Mrs--"

"It's 'Holly', please, dear." She extracts herself from Button's grip. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Offers a hug.

Tang Lan glows, steps into her arms. "The same, Holly."

[She's still] a sweetheart[, even after everything she's been through].

"Now," Holly squeezes, lets go with one arm, "pleasant as this airport is, do you think Button would like to meet my many great-grandbabies?"

Tang Lan's eyes get shiny. "I think he'd love it," she breathes.

"Then let's collect your luggage and take ourselves back to The Village."

Logan rolls his eyes.

Tang Lan glances from him to Holly. "Is that some sort of in-joke?"

"It's a reference to some old TV show," Logan grumbles.

Holly smiles. "[Nerdery runs in the family, you'll learn.]"

Tang Lan chuckles[, threads an arm through Logan's free one. "Hopefully not through this—" Squeezes. "—branch."

Logan glances down, huffs, but makes no effort to free himself.

Holly laughs.] "Logan, love, give Tang Lan back her baby so you can be gentlemanly and carry her bags."

"C'mere, Button," coaxes Tang Lan—

Button whines, but grudgingly releases his handfuls of Logan's shirt.

—gathering the little one in her arms. "We should stop in the washroom before we get onto the streets."

"Good idea, dear. We'll wait here for you."

Tang Lan bobs her head, [strolls] off.

Button waves over her shoulder.

Holly waves back.

Logan [rubs his] neck[, murmurs, "That's them."

Holly sighs. "It's too bad Button's not one of my great-grandbabies. I'd love to spoil such a little sweetheart."

"It's to—"

"I understand, dear."] She glances up, eyes crinkled. "May I spoil him, though?"

Logan considers. "Only if you spoil the little bluey, too. Say it's an only-child thing."

Holly laughs.

Logan raises an eyebrow.

"Two new great-grandbabies in one day!"

Logan rolls his eyes.

.

[1] Is this proper form for introducing a toddler to an unrelated, older stranger?