TITLE: Sophie
AUTHOR: Jessa
RATING/GENRE: PG/Romance, Fluff
FANDOM/PAIRING: High School Musical/Troy and Gabriella
SUMMARY: Troy and Gabriella's daughter is turning one! Just a sweet little plotless one-shot.
Sophie Bolton was one year old today and her parents couldn't have been more proud. Their daughter was one of the most beautiful babies on the planet, at least that's what everyone who met her said. She had inherited most of her mother's gorgeous and exotic features, including her wavy black hair and smooth golden complexion. The most notable thing about her, however, she'd gotten from her father. Her ice blue eyes stood out in stark contrast to her skin and hair. They constantly blinked with curiousity and innocence, looking almost too adorable. Her parents found it hard to deny her much of anything, especially her father.
Gabriella had pulled out all the stops for her birthday party, not seeming to care that at one Sophie didn't really have any friends as such. All of the family friends and their children had been invited. Gabriella had spent the entire day cooking and decorating, sending Troy out to get things every two seconds, not that he minded. He was happy to help. It was also his job to look after Sophie for most of the day while Gabriella zoomed around the house at hyper speed. Whenever she passed them, she'd quickly lay a kiss on each of their cheeks and make Sophie giggle in her father's arms.
"She's just a little crazy," Troy murmured to her at one point, kissing her cheek in the same spot that Gabriella had.
"I heard that!" Gabriella called from the kitchen.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Troy replied, escaping to the backyard with Sophie while Gabriella put the finishing touches on her daughter's homeade birthday cake. He was trying to teach her to play basketball. So far he was having surprising success.
"You're gonna be a star one day," he told Sophie after she made a basket in her little kiddie net, with some help from him of course. As usual she just giggled. She reminded Troy so much of Gabriella whenever she did that. It always made him smile.
Gabriella actually paused in her party preparations to dress Sophie up in an outfit she'd purchased specifically for the occasion. It was a simple little sky blue dress that matched her eyes perfectly. Her feet were slipped into tiny white shoes with bows on them. Gabriella left her short ebony waves alone, pinning back her bangs on one side with a white clip.
Fluffing out Sophie's dress, Gabriella began to get emotional. "You look so beautiful," she told her daughter. "Before you know it you'll be dressing yourself for dates." Sophie's head cocked to the side and she reached out to run her small hand over Gabriella's cheek, as if she could sense that her mother needed some kind of comfort even if she couldn't really understand why.
Troy appeared at the door, leaning on the frame and observing the entire scene with a grin planted firmly on his face.
"Gabi, honey" he said. "She just turned one. I don't think we have to worry about that just yet." Although in the back of his mind, Troy was already dreaming up tactics for grilling teenage boys about their intentions with his little girl.
"The guests will be coming soon," Gabriella said, rising and scooping Sophie up in her arms and handing her over to Troy. "I have to put out more chips." She scurried down the stairs and Troy followed in her wake, amused.
Before long, the Bolton household was crowded with familiar faces. It seemed as though Gabriella had invited absolutely everyone they knew. She flitted about from person to person, greeting them with hugs and smiles. Sophie kept getting stolen from her parents by various relatives and close friends.
Troy took the opportunity to catch Gabriella, who at some point had escaped to the kitchen to make sure that the cake was ready to make it's appearance, alone for the first time all day.
He approached her from behind, wrapping his hands around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Hello beautiful," he whispered. She relaxed into his arms, laying her hands over his.
"Where's Sophie?" Gabriella asked.
"With your mother, last I saw," Troy replied, pressing a few kisses to her jaw. He felt Gabriella release a breath and asked, "What's up?"
"This just feels so crazy. I mean, our daughter is one. It seems like just yesterday I found out we were going to have a daughter," she said, her gaze flickering over her shoulder to try and catch Troy's expression.
"I know," Troy said. "It's so amazing, I don't want it to be happening so fast. I want to appreciate every second of it."
"Exactly," Gabriella replied, relieved that she wasn't being ridiculous.
"Man," Troy said, suddenly chuckling.
Gabriella glanced at him curiously. "What?"
"I can't wait to see what kind of wrecks we'll be when she has to leave for college," he said, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Oh God, I don't even want to think about that," Gabriella said. She was laughing now too.
Troy gently turned her around in his arms, looking her straight in the face. "So let's just think about today."
Gabriella nodded, leaning her forehead against his. "I like the sound of that," she responded. They shared a brief kiss that was no less passionate than any other kiss they'd ever shared before Gabriella broke it off. "It's cake time!" she said in defense when Troy began to whine. She appeased him with a peck on the cheek and went about her business, lighting the large candle on top of the cake. It was sparkly and in the shape of a one.
Troy carried it into the dining room, beginning to birthday song while Gabriella shut out the lights and got her digital camera ready. The sheer volume of the guest's singing was astonishing. To the delight of many, Sophie starting bouncing up and down in her high chair at the sight of the rather large cake. She also tried to join them in singing "Happy Birthday" but obviously didn't know the words or melody so it sounded like a lot of gibberish. Troy set down the cake in front of her, stopping her hands just in time to prevent them from delving right into the side of the cake. He also helped her blow out the candle and everyone clapped. Gabriella snapped about a hundred pictures in the span of two minutes.
Cake was distributed at a rapid pace, everyone eager to taste the masterpiece. It tasted just as good as it looked. Sophie loved it but got more of it on her face than actually in her mouth. Troy was certain that Gabriella didn't eat any of her cake; she was too busy fussing over Sophie and making sure that everyone else got a piece. He made sure to set one aside so she could eat it later, after she'd settled down a bit.
Like any proper human being, Sophie especially enjoyed opening her presents. She ooh-ed and aah-ed over the pretty wrapping and bows before Troy helped her rip it off. She seemed to enjoy that part even more, perhaps even a little too much. Because Sophie could only speak a few random words and phrases, Gabriella thanked everyone who'd given her daughter a gift. At the end of the day, Sophie had gotten many nice things, ranging from clothing to toys to books. Her parents' present was saved for last. After some debate, Gabriella caved and agreed to get her a brand new stroller. It was blue and sparkly. Troy had seen it at the mall and knew he just had to have it for his daughter, although the one they had was in perfect shape. Sophie's eyes went wide when she saw it; she was mezmerized by the way the sparkles caught in the evening sun.
Gabriella leaned against Troy and he slipped his arms around her waist. "You were right. It's perfect," she whispered.
"Aren't I always?" he questioned teasingly.
By the time all the guests had cleared out, the Bolton's house looked as though a hurricane had passed through it. There were streamers and wrapping paper everywhere. Paper plates littered every surface and discarded party hats were hidden in the most peculiar places; they'd most likely be finding them for weeks. Troy offered to start cleaning up while Gabriella put Sophie, whose eyes kept falling shut from the exhaustion of the day's excitement, to bed.
"You're amazing," Gabriella said, placing a sweet kiss on his lips. He shrugged as if to say 'it's nothing' and kissed his daughter on the head, ruffling her hair a bit after he pulled away.
"Night sweetie," he said quietly. She cooed in Gabriella's arms, snuggling into her mother's shoulder. Gabriella smiled warmly down at her.
"Awww, you're tired, aren't you, cutie?" she said, bouncing Sophie very slightly. "Bedtime for you."
Gabriella made her way to the stairs and Troy watched them until they dissapeared into the upstairs hall.
Sighing, he looked around his messy living room. "One down," he said to himself, snatching up a garbage bag and beginning the long process of tidying up.
THE END.
Don't you just love fics with absolutely no purpose except to make you squee? Yeah, those are my favorite kind. I hope you liked this little number, even if nothing really happened.