Sweet little fic of happily married Benophie with their baby. Benophie Week Day 7.
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Sophie froze in the doorway of the kitchen, amazed and overcome at the sight before her. Benedict was standing at the stove, Charlie strapped to his chest, dancing and softly singing as he warmed milk.
"Lavender blue dilly dilly lavender green
When I shall be king you shall be prince
Lavender blue dilly dilly lavender yellow
You and I are the best looking fellows*
Isn't that right, my lad, we are the best looking fellows around aren't we? Mummy is a very lucky lady! What's that? What's that you say, we are the luckiest to have Mummy? Mummy is the bestest, most gorgeous, most loveliest Mummy ever? I have to agree, son."
Benedict spun around and flashed Sophie a wide, crooked smile. "Wouldn't you agree with our little man here, Darling?"
"What are you doing, my love?" Sophie laughed as she came and kissed both of them on the cheek.
"Master Charles was fussy so we came down to get some milk. It should be ready by now. Care to join us lads for a drink?"
"Benedict, why didn't you wake me? And when did you learn to use the stove? And how do you propose to feed Charlie when you don't have…well…the proper equipment? I am very appreciative, Darling, make no mistake. But, well, isn't Charlie my responsibility?"
"So many questions, Sophie! Just rest. Go sit down. I've got it handled."
Sophie reached for Charlie to take him to the drawing room but Benedict stepped away quickly, chuckling.
"Go sit, Soph. We'll bring you your milk."
Sophie slipped into the drawing room and stoked the fire. She loved this cozy little space Ben had let her redesign. She'd filled it with soft plush velvets and brocades, perfect for a comfortable, cozy home, the one thing she craved almost above all else. She settled down on the sofa, waiting for her men.
She could hear Benedict singing and talking in the kitchen and was simply amazed at how loving and attentive a father he had become. He loved to read to Charlie and take him on walks. He always had him strapped to him in the glorious baby carrier he'd adapted from one of his own father's designs. He was always present for bath time and bedtime. Most men of the Ton barely interacted with their offspring, much less devoted time to them. Sophie considered herself blessed
"Here we are, Mummy! Did you miss us?" Benedict danced in with Charlie, a mug in each hand, and something strange sticking out of a pocket on the baby pack.
" Come here, my little darling! Has Papa been starving you? Tsk tsk, Papa!" Sophie playfully admonished Ben while reaching for Charlie.
"Nope, I'm going to feed him, Soph. I want you to see this thing I created…well, adapted."
Benedict sat next to Sophie, handing her a steaming mug of warm spiced milk. He pulled the strange object from Charlie's carrier.
"Ben, that looks like what Mr. Crabtree uses to feed the new lambs in the Spring. You're going to feed our son with a lambing bottle?"
"Yes! Well, not exactly. I've adapted it for human babies. I want to adapt the feeding end specifically for Charlie but I need your cooperation for that. Watch me feed him though, Soph!"
Benedict lifted their son out of the carrier and handed him to Sophie while he removed it.
"Alright, little man, let's show Mummy how you drink like a champion. Just like we discussed, alright? Alright!
He took Charlie and nestled him in the crook of his arm. He took the bottle and, assuring Sophie that the milk had cooled down, placed the feeder into Charlie's mouth. Charlie immediately began to suckle strongly from the bottle.
"Benedict! Oh my word!! How…why…this is amazing, My Love!" Sophie, who was leaning over his shoulder, pulled his face around and kissed him.
"I got the idea from watching Mr. Crabtree nurse a sick goat. He was using something similar. I figured that if sick and baby animals could figure out how to do it, surely Charlie could. I also figured that me being able to feed Charlie too will help you. I know your breasts are sore. I've seen you bite your lip trying to hold back tears when he feeds. If I can take on some of the feeding burden your nipples will have time to heal."
Sophie couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her face. She didn't know what benevolent God had deemed her worthy of this man but she was eternally grateful.
"Thank you, Benedict." She said softly through her tears.
"I love you, Sophie. I'll always do anything I can to make your life easier or to take away your pain." He took her hand and gently kissed her knuckles. "Everything I do is for you. And now, for him."
She laid her head on her husband's shoulder and they watched their son finish all his milk and fall into an easy sleep.
"His little breath smells so sweet, doesn't it?"
"It's the cinnamon I put in the milk. Or maybe it's the whiskey?"
Sophie whacked him on the shoulder.
"Benedict Bridgerton, you did not put whiskey in our baby's milk!" she whispered emphatically, trying not to wake Charlie up.
"Calm down, Soph. Of course I didn't. I thought about it–our nurse used to put whiskey on our gums when we were teething–but I would like to live so I thought better of it." Benedict could no longer stifle a yawn. "I think it's time we returned to bed, little family."
"I'll carry Charlie upstairs. You've kept him from me all night. By the by, you never did explain how you learned to use the stove. Surely your mother didn't allow that."
"My mother didn't allow a lot of things. Doesn't mean they didn't occur. But that is a story for another night, My Darling."
These are not the correct lyrics to Lavender Blue. This is Benedict's version.
