Destal walked in small circles, humming to settle his youngest son back to sleep. The young purpleblood had woken up and started fussing, which had woken up Rowwan, and really started a whole process of getting them all back in bed. But now the room was quiet, except for his footsteps, his gentle voice.
It wasn’t a particularly special song. It was sad, actually. Something about tragedy and how the singer was trapped while their partner was free. Felt right, too him, for the kids in the room. Vexien was settling down, finally letting his dad set him down. Destal made his rounds to make sure they were all settled in.
Stray curls brushed from Aziane’s forehead. A peck to Rowwan’s cheek. Fixing Lorcan’s blanket. Orlesi cooing at a gentle touch. Vexien purring as his head was scritched. Everything as it should be. All of them as they should be. At peace. Asleep. Safe. Safe from the world outside, from anything that could hurt them. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay there, hovering around the room until they woke up. Call him overprotective, but he knows; knows eventually he won’t be able to protect them like this. The thought terrifies him. He wants- no, he needs- to savor every moment like this he has.
“Cuspim? It’s so |at£, why ar£ you sti|| up?” Lavida stood in the doorway, having clearly just woken up. “You |ook tir£d.”
Destal blinked and rubbed his eyes, smiling. “I’m okay, moth3r. Don’t worry about m3. I was just ch3cking on th3 kids.”
She nodded, looking around at them. “Th£y ar£ a |ov£|y bunch.” She eyed her son, still concerned. “Com£ a|ong, my |itt|£ corvid. You n££d your r£st too.” When she offered her hand, he took it, letting her lead him back to his room. Lavida sat on her son’s bed, opening her arms to him. He greatfully climbed into her embrace, laying his head on her shoulder.
For awhile they stayed like that, him in her arms as she rubbed his back and gently rocked in a slow rhythm. She hummed to him, just like he’d done, as his weight slumped more against her as he drifted. Eventually she shifted, laying back on the pillows, gently running her claws through his hair. “Sl££p, my darling boy. You’v£ don£ so much. R£st.”
He opened his eyes, just a little, just enough to see her through his lashes. “I miss3d you, mama.”
“I miss£d you too, my most pr£cious corvid.”
Destal fell asleep in his mother’s arms for the first time in four sweeps.
For the first time in four sweeps, Lavida held her baby.