"Oh, thank God, they're finally towing that thing?"

Blue eyes turned from the window to the receptionist. It was, literally, the ugliest thing he'd ever seen in his life. Broken down and abandoned in front of the clinic for days. Days.

"Okay, I'm off. Tapping out early. Uh. You can, too. Just turn on the answering service. Oh, and check on Fox before you go. He's in number eight, and I'm worried about the sutures on the left." There's a hint of disapproval. He hated de-clawing cats, but it helped pay the bills. Something about felines spoke to something deep inside. Their independence. Their fluffiness. "One hour. Check on Fox, then you can leave."

The Prius was everything the monstrosity outside was not. And the receptionist was totally going to bail as soon as he was out of sight of the veterinary clinic.

...

"Dee? I'm home!"

Right on time. Leaving early had given him enough time to stop by the new confectionery shoppe that had opened. It was the world's Worst Kept Secret that his wife had a sweet tooth, and it wasn't like he could get her flowers. And it's the little things that are important. Little things are a big thing, especially after a few years. They say college sweethearts never last, but they had. They would. They'd made it through him finishing his VMD while she was pregnant.

The rapid-fire pounding was the only warning.

"Heeeeey!" He caught the dynamo that launched herself at him, spinning the little girl before settling her in his arms. Couldn't help but grin and laugh as little hands grasped at the box. "No, no, not for you, love you, but these are for Mommy. You know what day it is. But we both know she'll share. And maaaaaaaaaybe there is something just for you?"

He winked at eyes as green as their mother's but with flecks of his blue sprinkled like stars in the night sky. Long fingers pulled a piece of candy out from behind the girl's ear to her delighted shriek. A sleight-of-hand trick left over from his own childhood.

"Because you, Tiny Val, you are also my Valentine. And Mommy's."

Our Valentine.