The main source: Here in Geneva he says, that he has a little one himself, jump to 1:11:10
Here he takes time to greet kids in the audience (TF's kids) at 0:25
This one where he is presenting some Very scary little Ghouls (Mr Ghosts kiddos again) at the beginning
Then there are just a lot of moments where he's great with kids in the audience, but also taking care that they're save and having fun.
Just one example here, at 31:05:
Or here, at 10:35:
There is a lot more, but I'll keep it at that. He's in dad mode a lot!
It's a HC that's very dear to me, I love the idea that he had kids/a kid and raised them away from the dangers of the churches leadership. Makes the whole thing✨Extra Tragic✨.
Hello, hello! How are you? Can I ask your father! Terzo, because I really like this topic. How does he take care of his daughter
Hello love! So this request has been in my ask box since the middle of November…I am so sorry it took so long but I really wanted to get this RIGHT! 😍 This is one of my favorite SFW topics to write about and I could ramble on forever about this 😭 This is part headcannon/part Drabble/part ficlet and I hope you enjoy as much as I did writing this 🥰❤️
This is the first Dad/Father Terzo fic I wrote! This can stand alone but gives even more context into my Father! Terzo head cannons 🥰🖤
I know many people have written Terzo all different ways in the very real realities of brand new parenthood and fatherhood (which I LOVE), but I have yet to see Terzo head cannoned with the intensity and reverence in which he canonically interacted with children. Terzo as a girl dad:
🎀 Does not care for his daughter in the typical way exhausted parents do- he cares for her with the same way he does with everything he loves: with reverence and worship
🎀 He watches, listens and speaks as if she already knows him- treating her like something sacred that chose him specifically
🎀 Terzo doesnt switch personalities for his daughter. She doesn’t get a different Papa..she gets more of him
🎀 He considers fatherhood sacred work, not some obligation or duty to be fulfilled
🎀 Terzo cares for his daughter by being present in ways he is never required to be- but WANTS to be. He watches when no one asks him to. He speaks to her and about her like she already owns herself. He takes her from her crib at night and walks with her in the quiet of the ministry, solely just to feel her presence and breathing on his chest.
🎀 He considers her arrival not an interruption or upheaval of his life, but instead a consecration.
🎀 He did not become careful because of her- he became purposeful
🎀 He does not treat her as something fragile, but something precious
🎀 He refuses to let fear be the foundation of her life
🎀 Most importantly- just like everything else in his life and papacy- every gesture, both large and small, is an intentional devotion
Terzo has never believed that love is something that always grows slowly.
Some things arrive complete.
His daughter had done so without ceremony, without negotiation. One moment his world contained everything it ever would- and the next it had been rearranged and reassembled around the simple fact of her existence. He had not wondered what she would become, what she would do in life, or what she would even require of him. Those were questions for later. Terzo had only known one thing for sure: that she had arrived and therefore, he would remain. Always.
He has never approached her as something fragile, but instead, as something sacred.
From the day she arrived he has treated her presence in his life like a vow. He has learned the weight of her in his arms with the same exact care he once learned for the balance of his vestments, and the placement of rings upon his fingers. He removes those rings now, always, before lifting her from her crib- not because he fears she might be harmed, but because he refuses to let anything hardened touch her before the world would demand it from her.
She fits against him as though she has always known where she belongs.
Terzo believes children understand far more than they are given credit for. He speaks to her accordingly. Not in any oversimplifications, not cooing fragments of baby talk, but instead in full thoughts, spoken softly, as if the truth itself will be bruised if stated too sharply.
“This world is loud” he tells her one night, her small head tucked underneath his chin. “It will ask much of you. You may refuse.”
Her little fingers curl into the sleeve of his shirt, the grip gentle but absolute.
He smiles. A genuine smile that meets his eyes.
“You may choose anything. I will still be here.”
At night while the ministry sleeps and the corridors fall into a quiet reverence of the night, Terzo keeps his promise. Not out of some obligation, not because she cries- though when she does he answers before the sound can fully even form- but because he prefers to witness her breathing without interruption. He times his steps to the rise and fall of her chest, counting the soft sighs she makes as if they were personal blessings. A man who commands crowds- is sitting and choosing silence. Her silence.
He hums for her then. Old hymns- half remembered, melodies stripped of any doctrine and kept only for warmth. He presses kisses to her temple, the crown of her little head, the soft patch of black curly hair above her ear- each one its own promise without any words.
When she stirs, he bows his head instinctively and reverently, as though she has called him to attention.
“I am here.” He murmurs. “You are safe, dolce.”
He does not say it because she fears. He says it with the intent that she never will.
When the candles burn low and the hour creeps toward morning, Terzo sits with her at the altar, her small body cradled up against the steady thrum of his beating heart. His anoints his thumb in oil usually meant for grander rites, and traces it gently across her brow.
This was not a ritual intended for any witnesses.
“I bless you with peace.” He whispers. “Not power. Not duty. Not expectation. Only the certainty that you are loved with no conditions. Unconditional.”
His voice falters only once- when he says her name and promises to stay.
La Mia Dolce Speranza
She sleeps through it, unburdened by the weight of vows, her trust in him complete and unquestioning. Her breath warms his skin, steady and sure, and Terzo immediately feels the shift of something settling into place inside of him.
For all of his titles, all of his command, all the theatrics of devotion he had flawlessly mastered prior to this- this was the truest practice of personal faith he had ever known.
To hold her.
To remain.
To love without demand.
And in the early quiet of dawn, with her heart beating against his own, Terzo knows this is the only true legacy that will ever matter.
This time, how will terzo help his teen daughter through her first break up and broken heart?
Of course you can and in fact here we are ✨
The way I see it, Terzo is used to dealing with his feelings privately, and his daughter is no different. Because of that, it’s hard for him to tell when she needs comfort, or if she even needs it at all. She’s tough, and he knows she was made to endure hardships on her own terms.
He feels safe allowing this distance also because her mother is usually the one who knocks on her door when she notices she needs to talk. She’s the one who speaks and connects with her in a more explicit way. That’s fine: a bond between a mother and a daughter is something special that exists only between women. His presence, instead, is a little more indirect but constant, especially as she grows older and more independent, and the girl knows what she needs and who to choose, between her dad and her mom, in specific moments.
Sometimes he understands she needs support, but he prefers not to be intrusive, so he’ll simply play some music on his record player, like he used to do when she was little. He puts on songs about strength, courage, and fighting, something that lets her know her dad is there and knows she’s strong. That is usually enough.
But that time, though…
Terzo started to suspect something wasn’t right when his daughter came home earlier than expected, completely ignored him - standing in the kitchen with a yogurt just taken from the fridge - then slammed the door to her room, only to not come out until late the next day.
He just blinked and shrugged at the bizarre behavior. Teenage tantrums, he told himself.
But then the girl stayed silent all the following day, head bowed, barely eat, and locked herself in her room again right after dinner. That’s when he decided to ask the person truly responsible for the family and the one who kept the household running: his wife.
“Have you noticed the girl’s been a little strange lately?”
His wife only glanced briefly at him while folding fresh laundry in the closet. “She broke up with her boyfriend.”
“Did she?” Then he realizes. “How do you know…?”
She looked at him again. Terzo would have caught the hint of pity in her eyes if he had been paying more attention. “Because I talk to my daughter.”
“Should I talk to her too…?”
“Terzo,” the woman said, stepping closer, “for Satan’s sake, don’t.”
“But…”
She glanced at him one last time and sighed.
He watched her leave the room, confused and left standing there with no clue what was going on, until she came back with a pack of chocolates. She pressed it into his chest, and he grabbed it as if it fell from the sky.
“If you want to contribute, do your duty, but just listen. She’ll tell you what she wants you to know, no need to push. And most importantly,” She paused, locking eyes with him, letting her words sink in, “whatever she says… do not overreact.”
Armed with the chocolates and those few instructions, Terzo knocked on his daughter’s door, suddenly feeling small in front of the tragedy unfolding in his house without him even knowing it. Only a weak, muffled sound came from inside, and he decided that was permission enough to enter.
The girl was lying on the bed, back turned toward him. He stepped in timidly. “Honey, do you want to-”
“NO!”
The reaction caught him off guard. His wife hadn’t prepared him for that. He halted, then insisted anyway. “I brought you these…”
At first she didn’t turn. He waited as she wiped the tears from her face, then she shifted just enough to peek at what he was holding. He leaned the bag closer, and she snatched it quickly without turning around.
That was an encouraging sign, he decided, and he sat on the bed beside her.
He gave her time to get used to his presence in such a delicate state.
“Do you want to come here?” he then asked softly, tapping his thigh.
That was something they used to do when she was very small, when she’d set her head, with her pillow, on his or her mother’s lap and let them cuddle her like a kitten. With her mom, they’d watch movies while she played with or styled her hair. With him, he used to sing until she fell asleep.
She placed the pillow on his thigh and rests her head there, letting his fingers brush gently through her long black hair. “Do you want me to sing something…?”
“No…” she replied weakly.
“So you’re not telling me why you’re so sad…?”
There was a long silence before she spoke again. She inhaled shakily, fingers clutching the pillow.
The sobs return, softer this time. “Why am I so complicated?” she murmured.
For as much as Terzo wanted to answer, he knew that wasn’t meant as a real question.
“Maybe if I had been different-” She stopped herself, swallowing hard.
“Do not ever say that.”
“I’m not good enough… I only create problems!”
“If you say that again, I swear on all my ghouls that I’ll get you excommunicated and ship you off to a convent somewhere in the Romanian woods. You’re allowed to mourn, not to humiliate yourself.”
His firm tone seemed to calm her.
He kept caressing her hair. “Love isn’t easy. It’s not some mushy song or a romantic comedy. It never was for me and your mother either, but look at us now…”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah…” he confirmed, “can you see how much of a bitch your mother is now? She was ten times more a few years ago…”
“And how did you make it work?”
Terzo sighed, but still he smiled lightly at the realization of how much she resembled her mother. “Sometimes you have to go through a lot of shit to understand whether something is worth fighting for or not. At some point you start loving also the fights, and if that doesn’t happen... then it was never meant to be.”
“He gave up so soon…” she blurted out suddenly. “And I wasn’t chosen over,”
“What do you mean?”
“I was replaced.”
“You what?”
“He cheated on me.”
“He what?” Terzo’s hands halted immediately. “Cheated? On you? On my princess?”
The girl nodded, eyes wet, and his mouth twisted downward immediately. That little fucker.
He knew better than anyone what that feels like. He could’ve still accepted her precious tears being wasted on some random asshole who wasn’t mature enough to handle a complex masterpiece like her, but preferring anyone else’s progeny to his magnificent princess, the betrayal, was a direct, personal attack to him.
An Emeritus is not disposable.
“My little star, daddy needs five minutes. I’ll be back soon.” He said, delicately releasing her from his hold, as he stood up to leave the room. Once outside, he just pulled out his phone and dialed a number that took the call immediately.
“Omega,” he called, deadly serious, “we need to sort something out real quick tonight.”
Turn away I'm having more seahorse dad Terzo thoughts
What if the period Terzo spent in Poland was, among other reasons, to hide his pregnancy from the Clergy? Like when he got to the stage when the belly was getting visible and he risked being found out.
Then towards the end of the third trimester, Omega travels to Poland, telling the others it was a business trip, just to see his little one come to the world~
Ciao, ciao, ciao. Life is too short; so I've brought another drabble to the two (maybe three or four?) party fan club that I am still dragging my sweet, patient @copiousloverofcopia along with me. Sorry, girl. lol <3
Once again dicking around in the magical AU that came from the mind of the ever lovely: @copiousloverofcopia.
Mrs. Prime Mover Sister Alessandra borrowed from Prime Mover Ren and her series, Tied as One Eternally. Please read. It's life changing. And Ren is the best. Anything you click on written by her will instantly make your day better and leave you beyond flustered. Ayyyoooo!
Be well, be good to each other, and happy Thursday, my dudes.
-----------
Okay. So, this takes place a way a way back...
Terzo handed his radiant, exhausted, (and kind of sweaty) Prime Mover a plastic cup full of ice chips.
Alessandra stared dumbfoundedly at her husband as if he had three heads; hesitating to take the ice, “Terz… I said--”
“I have Omega and Alpha headed out to go get the shawarma order, it's not something the kitchen could handle,” Terzo cut her off, scrunching his nose at her and placing the cup at her bedside, “Paziente, Mama.”
Alé groaned, letting her head fall back against the mountain of pillows fluffed up behind her, “I’m not going to make it."
Terzo smiled brightly as he brought his lips to give her a chaste kiss on her forehead, “Soon, cara, soon. You’re strong as hell, Alessandra; this is a cakewalk.”
“You have no idea,” Alessandra sighed in agreement before a yawn slipped out; she looked down at the hour-old infant bundled in her arms. Dante Alessandro Emeritus, their second child, their first son; already had his parents wrapped around all his ten fingers. His button nose was the spitting imitation of Mena’s as a baby. His tufts of soft, ebony-hued hair were already a mess. Dante had Terzo’s full lips and matching eye colors. Alessandra couldn’t see much of herself in their newest addition, but she knew their son was going to be one handsome bastard. Just like his Papa.
“I’m starving,” Alé pouted, stretching her achy back as she gave her husband pouty eyes. Terzo gave her an apologetic smile, biting his tongue before he let himself foolishly mention something else she could put in her mouth.
“Don’t,” Alé warned sternly; knowing exactly where his train of thought was going, “I am in no mood for your jokes.”
“I wasn’t!” Terzo lied, laughing as he stroked his wife’s untamed curls. Alé scoffed, rightfully not believing him.
“You really are amazing, cara,” Terzo murmured, taking in his strong-willed Prime Mover holding their child at her breast. He lowered his gaze to their son, ‘Satanas, did they make great looking kids.’
Alé smiled tiredly from her cot in the ministry’s infirmary, proudly taking the compliment. Once they had made it from Dante’s impromptu birth suite in the hallway, the nursing staff quickly threw together a temporary private room for the family. Alessandra and Dante had both been fully checked out and given the ‘all clear’ by the physician. Terzo silently watched everything from Alé’s side, slightly shell-shocked as the adrenaline died down.
“He’s pretty handsome, huh?” she whispered still in a happy dopamine-filled daze; her heart couldn’t feel more full looking between a father and his son, “I wonder if you looked like this when you were born..”
Terzo smiled sadly; he couldn't help but instantly think of his own childhood, his own mother. He turned his head away from Alé. She continued to coo over their son, laughing to herself, “Just imagine: now you get to be tormented the same way you punished Primo all those years. What goes around, comes around, Terz.”
Terzo didn’t reply, the fears he’d been suppressing over the last nine months all hit him at once. The memories of his miserable childhood seeped back in as he tried to focus on anything else in the room. Traumatically losing his own mother. Being shipped across the country from one sect to another, before finally arriving at the ministry as a young child. And then immediately being tossed aside by Nihil; already having been inconvenienced enough to have a third unwanted child dropped on his doorstep. Terzo never forgot that dejected, hollow feeling from the man who was supposed to care and love for him.
Terzo held out for longer than he would ever admit waiting for Nihil to see him as his son; waiting for him to be proud. Terzo remembered all the times he had been caught in the middle of Nihil's drunken rage; being screamed at and having items thrown at him. He remembered the silent car rides growing up where Nihil couldn't even pretend to be interested in his own sons' lives. Or Nihil disappearing for months on end on drug benders. The cigarette ashes being flicked at him if he ever said the wrong thing at the wrong time. The public monologues of what a disappointment Terzo was to him.
Terzo looked up at the ceiling and turned his body away from his partner and child, pleading with himself to think of anything else. But the ‘what ifs’ kept circling back. What if this was his future? What if he ended following his own disappointing father’s footsteps and let his own kids down? What if he ended up being a failure?
“Terz?” Alé asked, looking away from the infant only to be met with her husband's back side; realizing he had gotten strangely quiet. He had his arms folded snugly at his chest and stood as straight as an arrow. She saw his shoulders sag down as he took a ragged, calming breath.
“Terzo, what is going on?” Alé pressed again, more worry evident in her voice, “What’s wrong?”
He slowly turned around, avoiding eye contact, mustering up a smile for her sake. Alé could see the misty look in his eyes and held her hand out to her partner, “Terzo, what’s wrong?”
He sniffled and let out a short laugh, he took his wife’s hand, giving it three squeezes, “I’m sorry, cara mia. Everything seems to have caught up to me all at once. I'm just emotional.”
Alé rubbed her thumb over his knuckles soothingly, smiling softly, “I knew you couldn’t be that calm, cool, and collected.”
Terzo chuckled, waving her off, trying to shrug off the conversation, “Sadly: no. Fake it until you make it. I’ll be fine, amore. Promise."
“Well, that's a lie. If you don’t talk to me right now, I swear to Lucifer you will never see me naked again,” Alessandra warned, trying to get her husband to crack. She raised an eyebrow at him as she waited for his response.
Terzo laughed as he dropped himself down into the folding chair the staff had pulled out for him next to Alé’s cot, “Eh. You got me. It’s just been a lot--”
Dante interrupted their conversation with a few snuffles and coos sounding like it might lead into a good cry. Alessandra smiled down at her first son; she gently clutched him closer to her chest, swaying him. She couldn’t believe he was finally here, still thanking Lucifer all went well. Terzo looked away from the infant, choosing instead to stare into the space in front of him as he debated about how to go about this conversation.
Alessandra interrupted his thoughts, “I just realized: Terzo, I’ve been hogging the baby, why don’t you hold him?”
“No, no, cara,” Terzo woke out of his trance and shook his head, trying to lighten the mood, “You’ve earned this, you did all the hard work. You keep the fresh baby.”
Alé rolled her eyes at him, scoffing as she started to move the infant from her chest, trying to swiftly pass him off to Terzo before little Dante started to stir again, “No one likes a martyr, Papa."
Terzo’s arms remained firmly crossed and unmoving over his chest, “Alé…”
“Why don’t you want to hold your son?” Alé sternly questioned, before slightly grinning and teasing him, “Don't pull a Nihil."
Terzo pursed his lips, feeling the knot in his throat forming again. Alé immediately regretted her words, knowing she had struck a nerve. She moved Dante back into one arm and with her free hand she reached to rub her husband’s arm, “I'm sorry. That wasn't funny. I didn't mean it like that…"
“Alessandra,” he finally sputtered, speaking a mile a minute, “I’m so scared this will be different and I won’t have the same bond I have with Mena. What if Dante is like me and he’s a stronzetto? What if I yell at him? What if he hates me? What if I don't have the patience for him? I… I can’t be like Nihil.”
“You’re not!” Alé exclaimed, grasping his hand, giving it a gentle, but firm shake, “You are nothing like him. You are an incredible father, Terzo. I don’t know how many more people you need to hear this from. You are the best father I could ask for for our children. You’re a little… much at times, but you are everything Mena and Dante deserve from a dad. You are nothing like him in the ways where it matters. Why didn’t you bring this up earlier? You promised me no more secrets, Terz. We're in this together."
Terzo tipped forward and buried his head in his hands, “I don’t have a good excuse. I know you’ve been struggling and worried about having two kids and I refused to add more undue stress to your plate. And… I waited too long to bring this up…”
She reached out and rubbed circles on his back, “My sweet idiot. You are nothing like Nihil. The fact that you’re even having these thoughts is asinine.”
Terzo didn’t reply at first. He began to open his mouth and then it felt like there was an elephant’s foot on his chest crushing all the air out, “What if I do treat Dante like how Nihil treated me and Primo and Secondo?”
“Again: you won’t,” Alé replied, completely dismissing the idea, “You’re better than that, Terz. After everything he put you through, you know what to do and what not to do. Look at Mena. I think we’re doing a pretty damn good job with her! A little spoiled, no thanks to you, but I think we’re doing well.”
Terzo smiled up at his wife, sniffling as he carefully dabbed at the black smudging around his eyes, “Time will tell… But I can’t stop thinking about it. Every night before bed. Every morning I wake. When there’s a quiet moment in my office. Every time I'm tucking Mena into bed. What if I become my father?”
“Terzo,” Alessandra scolded, “You will never become Nihil, you care too much. You're a good man. Now stop being a fool and hold your son.”
Terzo sat up and shook his head, “I’m not ready. Not yet.”
Alé disappointedly sat back, holding the newborn baby tightly to her, “I didn’t realize you were this upset about it, Terzo.”
“Eh, the paperwork, the Papa duties shit, chasing Mena around, and courting you all day are pretty good distractions. As I said: I know you had enough to worry about already,” Terzo admitted to his partner. He looked over at his son as his thoughts began to swarm his mind again.
‘I have a son’ kept reverberating in his brain. He couldn’t believe it, after nine long months, he was finally here. And Terzo was able to be there for Alé the entire pregnancy this time around. He was there for all the milestones: every ultrasound, the first hiccups, the first movements, being there to massage out any and every cramp she had, playing him music (Meliora being the first album once they were convinced the unborn child could hear), the midnight cravings, being there to help Alé with her birth plan (a sad waste of time looking back on it now), and especially feeling his son respond and move when he sang to him. Terzo loved every second of it. Their son was worth it all. Dante wriggled against his mother, making tiny huffing noises; unable to fathom how loved he was already.
“I can't believe he's already here,” Terzo murmured, trying to change the subject, he was hypnotized by the small creature, “I’m sorry for dumping this on you… it should be a happy time... and-- I'm sorry, amata.”
Alé smirked, still watching their son with his Emeritus-colored eyes, sleepily looking up at her, “You’ll learn this soon, Dante. Your Papa makes bad choices; just really, really poor choices and he’s a damned fool. I think he's just scared of you overthrowing him. But believe me, he will grow on you after a while.”
Terzo scoffed as he briefly stood from his seat to kiss Alé’s flushed forehead, “You’re something else, dolce.”
“You’re something special, too. You're a good man. You're a great father. Stop doubting yourself; there's a reason I keep you around and let you knock me up," Alessandra teased, trying to lighten the mood, “I think being retired has made you soft. What happened to the arrogant, self-righteous Papa with an ego so large, it could barely fit through the door.”
Terzo stuck his tongue in his cheek and folded his hands behind his head, laid back as much as he could in the plastic seat, “I’ll show you large.”
“There he is,” Alé giggled, shaking her head. She stroked Dante’s cheek, softening her voice, “These kids have no idea how lucky they are to have a role model as compassionate, empathetic, supportive, and courageous as you.”
“Ah, tesoro, you’re making me blush,” Terzo fanned his face, finding himself unable to pull away from her loving gaze, “Thank you for the pep talk.”
“I mean, do you think Nihil was even present for any of your guys being born? Let alone delivering a baby! You’ve already surpassed him in “dad-ing”. None of this would have been possible without you, again, Dr. Papa Emeritus the Third,” Ale cackled, tossing her head back, gently rousing Dante again.
“Okay, circling back to that,” Terzo began ramping up for his spiel with wide eyes, already waving his arms wildly, “We’re choosing a date for you to be induced next time. Because I’m not doing this any more!”
“Oh, I’m so sorry the problem you helped create is inconvenient for you!” Alessandra mocked, still laughing to herself.
“It’s not the birth, it's the fact that you keep having me on the receiving end. You know my track record, Alessandra! I’m going to drop the next one!”
“In the name of Lucifer,” Alé groaned quietly as her laughter ceased, wiping at her eyes, “There is not going to be a ‘next one’.”
Terzo’s well-prepared, crude response was interrupted by a soft knock at the door, “We will follow up on this later.”
"There is nothing to discuss!" Alé scoffed as Terzo sarcastically nodded in agreement as he stood.
Once he reached the entryway, he opened the door to see his two older brothers, and there excitedly hanging onto Zio Secondo was Terzo’s perfect daughter.
“Tesoro! Complimenti, Mena! You’re a big sister!” Terzo cried out, holding out his arms to his daughter; both just as equally excited to see each other. Mena almost threw herself out of Secondo’s hold as she eagerly stretched out her arms to her father.
Secondo handed his niece off into her father’s embrace, “We heard congratulations are in order, eh?”
“She did it again, Alé was an absolute macchina. A whole even 8lbs and a whopping 20.6 inches. Maybe the generational stature curse will skip him!” Terzo teased as he shook his ‘older’ brother's hands while balancing Mena on his hip.
Secondo peered past the dim glow of the room, studying his brother’s face. He looked down on him, momentarily lowering his sunglasses, “Perché stai piangendo?”
Terzo waved him off as he continued to rock his daughter before changing the subject, “I assume you’ve heard where he made his entry?”
“We are aware. Sister Imperator is already there assessing the damage. She’s furious, Terzo. If only you could hear the screeches coming out of her mouth. She’s already roped in as many of the nosy ghouls and siblings loitering around to help facilitate clean-up,” Secondo chuckled, already so proud of his nephew and his excellent choice in timing; already sticking it to Sister. He carefully extracted a wrapped Cuban cigar from the pocket of his onyx suit and handed it to Terzo, “Congratulazioni, fratello.”
“Lo apprezzo molto. Grazie, fratello,” Terzo replied, touched by the gesture before tucking it safely into his breast pocket. Secondo gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder as he stepped aside for Primo.
“We didn’t want to intrude, but our nipote had been asking nonstop about you two; she is aware her brother has arrived. She’s been insistent on finding her Mama and Papa,” Primo explained from the doorway.
“Thank you for babysitting her, ti devo,” the new father expressed his gratitude as Primo enveloped both him and his daughter into a bear hug. The lingering smell of warm sun beamed off Primo’s button-up shirt, he must have been out gardening when he heard the news. The familiar, comforting aroma lifting a weight off his soul.
“Non c'è di che,” Primo replied softly as he stepped back from the embrace, “Well, we’ve done our parts. We will let you four have your family time, please let us know if you need anything else. We’re here for you.”
“Nonsense!” Terzo insisted, “You are family, too. Let me check with the mama.”
“Only if it’s not intruding,” Secondo reminded him, before shuffling his hands together, “But… we are excited to meet our nephew.”
“You should be, he’s a looker. He’s going to be something special, just like his big sister,” Terzo beamed at his daughter, receiving a shy giggle in return. He held up a finger as he and Mena headed behind the privacy curtain to see Alé and Dante, “Aspetta un po’!”
“Mama!” Mena squealed as soon as she laid eyes on her mother in the bed; noting something bundled and stirring in her arms. She began to try and wiggle herself free from Terzo’s hold to run to Alé’s bedside. Terzo clung onto the toddler and fought her tiny iron fists squeezing out of his arms. They had wanted the meeting of the siblings to be a little more controlled and calm. Terzo was insistent on this. From all the books he had devoured over the past nine months, trying to fully prepare himself this time around, he had some idea what he was doing; surprising even himself.
“Oh, my Mena!” Alé’s eyes began to mist up at the sight of her first born, remembering bringing Mena home for the first time years before, “I’m so happy to see you, I’ve missed you, baby.”
“Missed you, too, Mama,” Mena dittoed. She whined against her father, trying to bend herself backwards out of his arms.
“Mena, aspetta, per favore,” Terzo struggled out, beginning to lose hold over his incredibly strong child, “Alé, amore, are you willing to see ai ragazzi? You don’t have to if you’re not up to it.”
“Of course!” Alessandra warmly welcomed the visitation as she sat herself up and pulled her robe back over her chest and shoulders, regaining a little modesty before receiving her brothers-in-law.
Terzo winked at her as he obviously captured one more mental image of her exposed breasts. Alessandra scoffed in disgust at her partner and rolled her eyes, patting down her hair as he turned away to gather their guests.
“Alright, gentlemen,” Terzo excitedly began, waving them into the nurse’s room, “Let’s go say hello!”
The group headed past the curtain to be met with the glowing vision of Prime Mover Alessandra and her newborn son. The exhaustion was still evident on her beautiful face as she happily greeted her guests. She shifted Dante in her arms to allow the older Emerituses a quick peek. Primo and Secondo cooed afar at the newborn as they seated themselves in the other pair of fold out chairs; letting Mena and her new brother have their moment.
Terzo mentally prepared himself, asking his daughter, “Tesoro, are you ready to meet your fratellino?”
“Yes!” Mena whispered excitedly, desperate to get into her mother’s arms.
Terzo and Mena approached Alé and Dante in the bed as Mena began to take in the view of her new sibling.
“Hi, baby,” Alessandra cooed to her first born. Terzo leaned in to allow Mena to give her a kiss. Alessandra couldn’t believe it seeing her children before her; they had two kids now. Two. She couldn’t comprehend how she had agreed to this again. But she took faith in her husband’s reaffirming words: they’d figure it out and they’d be fine, “Mena, this is your brother, this is Dante.”
The four sat in a brief silence allowing Mena to adjust and take everything in. Terzo hugged Mena a little tighter, drawing her attention to her father, "What do you think, tesoro?”
“He’s hairy,” Mena stared at the newborn intently, taking in all his features.
“He… he is a little hairy… isn’t he?” Terzo hesitantly agreed with his oldest, the books did not prepare him for this scenario, “You too had a lot of hair when you were born, stellina.”
“I remember,” Mena nodded stoically. Terzo and Alé glanced at each other and shared a skeptical, but confused look.
“Eh, right,” Terzo broke the silence, “Do you want to say hello to him, Mena?”
“Ok,” the eldest Emeritus heir nodded slowly; still a little skeptical of the new human nestled in her mother’s arms.
Terzo lowered their daughter onto the bed next to Alé and Dante. Terzo fluffed up a pillow behind her to give her a little extra support. Mena burrowed against her mother, clinging to her arm, but still kept a curious eye on her newborn brother.
“He isn’t scary, I promise,” Alé empathetically whispered to her daughter, “You can get closer to look at him.”
Mena sat up, her small hands still firmly planted on her mother’s arm for security. She peered down at Dante’s face. Alé shifted her arms to move Dante closer to his sibling, he lightly stirred before silently yawning; his eyes still adjusting to his new environment.
“Hi, Dante,” Mena tilted her head, giving her new sibling an unsure, but welcoming smile. Mena cautiously reached a hand out to touch the blanket he was wrapped up in, seeming to relax a little more against her mom. Her little brother tried to focus on her face as she looked down on him. She squinted, inspecting the newborn before whispering for just Alé to hear, “He has my eyes.”
“He does, doesn’t he?” Ale laughed quietly at the innocent revelation, stroking her daughter’s curls, “Don’t you think he looks like Daddy?”
Mena glanced back to observe her father before turning back to her brother, shrugging, “I guess.”
“What do you think, my love? How does it feel to have a little brother so far?” Alé smiled, pressing her lips to her daughter’s crown.
" He's okay…” Mena agreed, taking in her sibling's features before nodding assuredly to herself, "He's gonna be trouble.”
The room erupted in laughter at her statement. Primo gave Terzo a stern, knowing nod, remembering just how much trouble Terzo truly was as a child.
"I'm glad he gets your seal of approval!” Terzo teased smirking at his daughter. Relieved the meeting of the two seemed to be going well.
“Do you want to hold him, Mena?" Alessandra offered.
Mena nodded softly as her mother carefully placed Dante into her tiny, outstretched arms. Terzo's hands waiting on the side of the bed to catch him if Mena lost interest; as he had witnessed her doing with her baby dolls before dropping them to the floor.
“See?" Alessandra began, beaming down at the two humans she created, “Holding a baby isn't that scary, Terzo."
“I don't need your merde," Terzo jokingly muttered in a hushed tone, glowering at her while trying to mask his amusement at her taunts.
“I'm only teasing, my love," Alé winked, wrapping her arm around their daughter and resting her cheek on her head, “Mena, tell your Papa it isn't scary to hold him."
“You held me, why don’t you hold Dante?” Mena innocently asked, not taking her eyes away from Dante’s face. She seemed to be entranced by the baby as she gently held onto his small hand; taking in all of his features and the strange noises he made.
"That's not fair," Terzo chided Alé for using his daughter against him, clenching his jaw through a tense smile. She flashed a wicked smile at him and a wink.
"You haven't held your own son, yet?” Secondo piped up, joining in on the gentle hen-pecking of his younger brother, "Why won't you hold the baby, Terzo? You are scared, aren't you? Might drop him, mani di ricotta?”
"Stai zitto, testa di minchia,” Terzo seethed at his brother, glaring daggers. Primo gently nudged the middle Emeritus brother, breaking up their spat. Primo could read Terzo like a book and this wasn't the right time; his little brother was more tense than usual.
Primo rose from the seating in the infirmary room and made his way silently to his family. He rested a hand on Terzo's shoulder as he peered at the newest arrival.
“You’re doing so well, tesoro,” Primo complimented Mena, “You’re already such a good big sister.”
“Grazie,” Mena grinned up at her beloved uncle before returning to coo at her little brother.
"He truly is the spitting image of you, Terzo. At least from the few pictures your mama had of you when you arrived here,” Primo recollected, softly smiling as he basked in the glow radiating from the family snuggled on the bed.
“Bah, how would you remember that?” Terzo scoffed at his brother, wrapping his arm around him, patting his back. Primo leaned into the sideways hug, returning the embrace.
"You really would be surprised by all that I remember,” he smiled at his younger brother, tapping at his temple. He leaned close and spoke in a hushed, reassuring tone, "Sei dieci volte più padre per loro di quanto lo sia mai stato per noi. Non avere preoccupazioni."
Terzo’s eyes widened as his hand clasped over his heart, “Cazzo stregone. Esci dalla mio mente.”
Primo chuckled as he gave his brother another pat on the back, "I know you fairly well, stronzo. Now get that garbage off your mind and celebrate the arrival of your son.”
“Ave Satanas. Grazie, fratello," Terzo shook his head in disbelief.
“Sí, sí. Go tend to your tua moglie," Primo gestured forward.
Terzo gave his brother's arm a thankful squeeze as he turned his attention back to Alé and their kids. He lowered back down onto the chair, eye-height with Mena, “Tutto bene?”
“Sí!" Mena asserted, “He's very interesting."
Terzo nodded, pretending to understand, “You're telling me he's not too bad to hold, eh?"
Mena nodded vigorously as if she were an expert now, “Oh yes, he's a good baby."
“Alright, Terzo broke the brief silence, clearing his throat. He held his arms out towards his son, “I’m ready for a turn then.”
Notes:
Paziente -- Patience
Stronzetto -- Little asshole
Complimenti/Congratulazioni -- Congratulations
Macchina -- Machine
Perché stai piangendo? -- Why were you weeping?
Lo apprezzo molto -- I appreciate it
Nipote - neice
Ti devo -- I owe you
Non c'è di che -- Don’t mention it
Aspetta un po’ -- Wait a second
Ai ragazzi -- the boys
Stellina -- little star
Mani di ricotta -- butterfingers
Testa di minchia -- dickhead
Sei dieci volte più padre per loro di quanto lo sia mai stato per noi. Non avere preoccupazioni.-- You are ten times more of a father to them than he ever was to us. Don't have worries.
Cazzo stregone. Esci dalla mio mente. -- Fucking witch. Get out of my head.
Tua moglie -- Your wife
Tutto bene? - All good?
