Features Cian and Child!reader. reader is gender neutral, Cian refers to them as "Angel" as a nickname.
Cian noticed that you, his little angel, didn’t immediately greet him at the door when he got home. He looked at your nanny for some sort of answer, but she could only shrug as she got her things and left.
Cian sighed and set the groceries he had gotten from the market down on the counter. He would get whatever was wrong out of you at dinner. For now, he cut the vegetables and meat for the stew.
He could hear the floorboards of the second floor creak with your tiny footsteps. The sharpness of the creaks got stronger as you approached the stairs. However, you didn’t go down then, instead retreating back to your room.
Something in Cian’s chest twisted, now he knew there was definitely something wrong. You always watched him make dinner.
Cian finished up dinner and tried calling for you. “Angel, it’s time for dinner! I made stew and potatoes!?”
Cian tried to listen for your little foot falls but heard nothing.
Cian was hoping you’d answer with that quiet and sweet little voice of yours, but there was nothing.
“Guess…not,” Cian sighed dejectedly and went to the kitchen, putting some on a plate for you and setting it to the side. Cian goes and sits on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He could hear you little footsteps going to the bathroom and starting the water.
You were such an independent little thing, and that scared Cian. What if you were so independent, you’d try to suffer in silence? Like he had when he was young? He had promised himself he’d do everything he could to keep you from that; And the matter of why you were so independent scared him too. Did you think you bothered him? That if you asked for help he’d get tired? What if you thought that his being gone all the time was just him avoiding you?
Cian was about to start spiraling when he head the quiet clack of a plate on the table and the dull scrape of a chair. He looked back to see his little angel sitting at the table in their pj’s, towel around their shoulders as their hair dried, eating their dinner.
His eyes softened at the sight, he walked over to the table slowly and sat down, almost as if to not scare you.
He leaned his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand, watching you eat.
You hesitantly met his eyes and put down your spoon.
Cian smiled and brushed some hair behind your ear.
“Where have you been all evening, hm? Didn’t even say hi when I got home,”
You squirmed in your chair and brought your spoon to your mouth, not answering. Your dad’s question sounded like one of those that didn’t have an answer.
“I’m not mad, if that’s what you think,”
Cian ruffles your hair softly, “just wanna figure out what’s wrong with my little angel,”
Your little cheeks puffed out and you refuse to meet his eyes.
“M’ not supposed to talk about it,” you mumble.
“Why not?” Cian raises a brow.
“Nanny says it’s not for kids to talk about,”
Cian sighs, “Well Nanny is older, angel, you can tell me,”
You look up at your dad with watery eyes, “It’s scary though…”
Cian sighs and takes you into his arms, carrying you to the couch and sitting with you in his lap.
“Daddy isn’t gonna let anything or anyone hurt ya’, not even a scary thought,”
You lay your head on his chest and toy with the cross on his necklace.
“...am I gonna see you in Heaven?”
Cian froze, his eyes widening a bit.
“You’re worried about that?”
Once again, you won't meet your dad’s eyes
“What if you and I don’t see each other?”
Cian’s stomach twists with something like guilt. He didn’t want to lie to you. He was already condemned to Hell, but he couldn’t say that to you. So he took a deep breath and said
Your eyes widen and you tug at his cross necklace again “Why?!”
Cian looks around for an answer.
“Because….God has a…special place for people like you in Heaven,”
You look up at him, “A special place?”
“That’s right, a special place for only the kindest of his children,”
It was a nice thought, and deep down, Cian sort of hoped it was true. Even if God couldn’t hear him anymore, he prayed you’d go to Heaven and that you wouldn’t go down the path he did.
“So don’t worry your little head about it. God has a plan for you, he always does,”
Cian gives you a peck on the forehead and rubs your back for a bit. It was soothing, and warm. Your dad always gave the best hugs and held you the right way. You could feel your eyes getting heavy, your little fingers losing their grip on his necklace.
“Bedtime, angel,” he whispered warmly.
Cian stands up, carrying you up the stairs and to his bedroom. He covers you with his blanket, and old but very cozy quilt, and kisses your forehead again.
He stared at your peaceful face, baby fat still around your little cheeks, chubby little fingers curling around nothing, just as they did when you were a baby.
Cian wasn’t going to let you go down the path he did.
No one would hurt you, or take you away from him.
And he’d make sure of that.
Character: Cian Lynch made by @sanityshorror
