Summary - One year has passed since the birth of your son and you and Eris could not be more proud.
Warnings - parenthood, brief mention of ppd and mental health, babies, emotional reader, emotional Eris
A/N - I have 2 other fics queued for today, but will be mostly away from my phone. Today is a very big day in our house, so I will be celebrating with my Sophia and family.
✨️Light in the Hallway pt 1✨️
🔥Eris Masterlist🔥Master Masterlist🔥
The Forest House was quiet as Eris walked to the nursery he knew you and the baby boy you two shared would be in.
365 days had passed.
365 days of love, light, and learning. 365 days of fatherhood, of learning to parent better than what his own father had done. 365 days of loving you on a deeper level than he had ever known.
Eris entered the room where you sat, having good morning kisses with the one year old princeling, “There he is.” Eris held his arms out, expecting Conley to reach for him, smiling as the little boy exclaimed dada before wiggling to get away from you.
“Dada wants good morning kisses too,” you cooed so gently. “All the kisses today.”
Eris took his son and looked at you, “365 days. 8760 hours. 525600 minutes.”
You could only nod, the tears already beginning to form, “So much love and so many memories.” You wiped tears of joy, sadness, of bliss. “Remember how little he was?” It felt like yesterday for you, like you had just been handed this perfect little being you'd worked so hard to create. And now? Now that little being was a year old, you and Eris a year wiser.
Your sweet boy had grown so much. He looked more and more like Eris every day. Sharp whiskey like eyes, curling Autumn red hair, freckles over buttery soft pale skin. He was so handsome and smart. Too smart at times.
In the past year, Conley had learned to crawl, to climb. He had learned mama, dada, to shake his head no. He'd learned to eat mostly by himself, and he'd be walking any day now. Eris had told you nightly how proud of his son he was already, how proud of you he was.
This was all he'd never known he wanted and knowing you were considering blessing him with a second babe, it had Eris working harder to prove his dedication to the small family the two of you had created.
Parenthood had changed you two. Unless it was an emergency, Eris only allowed court business to be done Monday-Thursday. He reserved Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays for family and family only. Eris's life was for your son, that sweet boy he was tossing and catching. Rare laughter from your mate was ringing through the air as he had his fun.
“Breakfast is ready,” Eris used this voice every time he held his little Conley. One that was gentle, choking back the love he struggled to believe wasn't a weakness still, but your strong mate failed in that task. His hand reached Your face, holding your cheek as his thumb swiped a few stray tears. “You, my little fox, have done an amazing job as a mother so far. You exceed my expectations every turn, y/n.”
A muted sob left your throat, that insecurity laid to rest as he continued, “You surpass even my mother with your love, gentleness, and devotion to myself, our son, and our family. Autumn is lucky to have such a strong High Lady. I am lucky to have such a selfless, kind, and loving wife. Pumpkin buns here is lucky you are his mother. He won the baby lottery with you.”
Another sob left you as Eris pulled you into his arms, little hands immediately tangling into your messy hair as if Conley was joining the hug. You lifted your head, kissing Eris's jawline, then Conley's nose. “I'm not the only one who deserves praises,” you leaned into Eris's chest. “You have proven to be an amazing father.”
Eris shook his head, “You can praise me once my family leaves.” That tone held an innuendo, a request you would not be denying. “Good,” he purred when he saw your blush. “I look forward to my reward.”
Comfortable silence fell between the three of you, Eris stroking your spine lovingly.
“Breakfast will get cold if we stand he-”
“Let it,” Eris murmured to you. “Let it get cold if it means I get this moment alone with the two of you.” A soft kiss found the top of your head as content babbling began.
You whispered softly to your son, “Happy birthday, baby.”
Eris smiled wide, “Yes, happy birthday, my beautiful baby boy.” You two leaned in, kissing chubby cheeks and squishing them as belly giggling began. “You are the greatest blessing I have ever been given, Conley.” Eris kissed his son's fat cheek again. “Daddy loves you so much. You and your beautiful mother.”
“We love you too,” you held yourself together.
“Thank you,” he looked at you. “Just.. thank you.” The unspoken was known:
For giving him a chance, for saving him from the darkness that was consuming him before you, for never running from him, for staying, for making him a father.
“And thank you,” your unspokenness was known as well:
For loving you at your very worst, for supporting your dreams, for staying when you were suffering the deepest pits of postpartum, for giving you a baby, for letting you have a baby though he didn't know if he wanted one.
“Shall we go eat,” his voice was tight. “Feed this hungry growing boy?”
Conley began to bounce, anxious to move and adventure. “That's a yes. Would you like me to carry him?”
Eris shook his head, “Our whole parenting journey has been breaking Autumn traditions. It's time the court learns what a father's love is. I will carry him to his birthday Breakfast.”
As you two left the nursery, resounding joy was filling the halls. Laughter from the royal family that had been silenced by Beron now carried in the wind to the villages and towns. Laughter brought on by happiness only the security and safety love could bring. You held Eris's free hand as you two went to the dining room doors.
Long gone were the dark heavy wooden ones carved with Beron's story
A story of death that had the former High Lord seen more as a God than a male. They had been replaced with an intricately carved oak featuring the likeness of the oldest apple tree in Autumn's sacred orchard, the one brought back to life through Eris and his sacrifice to the land. You two had been married under it, had your mating ceremony under it, and tonight, Conley's first birthday party would be held in that sacred tree.
You two paused for one last moment, just the three of you. Eris put two fingers under your chin, leaning in to kiss you. “I love you,” he whispered as he pulled back.
“Love you,” you repeated. “Shall we survive your family now?”
He scoffed and bounced Conley, “With you two by my side, I just might.” The guards took the queue to open the doors, Conley's big birthday celebration beginning.
many things about having a cat with stage iv cancer fucking suck BUT it has lead to me filming her more to try and prep for when she isn't here anymore and thus the amount of video evidence i have of her crimes has multiplied exponentially. she is not a criminal she is The Criminal
