after watching this week’s episode I just had to write smth short Clay family related. Enjoy :)
It’s rarely ever been this quiet with all of them at home, but right now, both Caduceus and Calliope are holding their breath, small hands on their mother’s swollen belly.
For a moment, nothing happens- and then, Calliope yelps, hand pulling back, a wide grin spreading on her face. “It kicked me!”
Constance laughs softly, rubbing her own palm over the area where the Calliope’s hand had just been. “It did. Here, Caduceus, put your hand over there…” She moves her son’s hand to the same spot the baby had just kicked. His brows are furrowed in concentration, but nothing happens, and eventually, Caduceus slumps.
“It’s not doing anything!”
“Just wait a little, darling.” Constance pets his cheek.
“The baby likes me better!” Calliope sticks her tongue out at her brother. By the fireplace, Colton, in the process of getting his hair braided by Corrin, rolls his eyes at his younger siblings like the irritable teenager that he is right now.
“That’s not true!”, Caduceus dissents, “Maybe it just wanted to kick you away.”
“Doofus, why is it kicking Mom, then!”
“Stop fighting, you two.” Cornelius, having been in the process of cleaning potatoes for dinner, reaches out and pulls his daughter into his lap playfully. Calliope yelps in glee, struggling with laughter while her father maneuvers her into a cradled position in his lap. “When you were still in your mom’s belly, you always kicked for Caduceus.”
Constance agrees with a low hum and a smile.
“I remember that!”, Caduceus chimes in, leaning against his mother’s side as Calliope dissolves into giggles as her father tickles her. “I even remember you being born, Calli!”
“She was so small, nobody thought she’d ever grow! We thought you’d stay a bean forever.” Aunt Corrin inclines her head with a smile as she remembers. Caduceus does remember his sister being born, a tiny bundle cradled in between their exhausted mother’s arms, blind, a little bloody still, and really loud. He also remembers how proud he was to not be the smallest sibling anymore.
“Well, I remember both of you being born, and Calliope was way cuter as a baby!”
“Colton, that’s not true.”
“I remember all three of you being born”, Cornelius quickly intercepts before his children can start a proper fight, “and all three of you were the most beautiful gifts the Wildmother has ever given us. And so will this baby be.”
Reaching out, he grabs his wife’s hand and presses a kiss to her palm, a loving smile passing between them. “Well said, my love.”, Constance agrees, returning her husband’s adoration-filled look, leaning down to kiss him.
Right as she does, Caduceus, still with his hand on her tummy, lets out an excited “Oh!” as something inside moves, bumping his palm.
Calliope immediately perks up in her father’s lap, sitting up straight. “Did it kick you, too?”
Caduceus, proud smile spreading on his face, nods wildly.
“See?”, Constance laughs as her son, eyes wide and full of glee, looks at his hand now, “I told you, just wait a little.”
She wraps her arm around him, her other hand resting on her husband’s shoulder. Caduceus snuggles into her side, arms barely fitting around her belly.
