Kris awoke with a jolt. His one month old daughter's cries were coming from the room across the hall. He allowed his eyes to focus in the dark before looking at the alarm clock. 2:23am.
"Adam." Kris turned and pushed at his husband's back trying to wake him. "Adam, it's your turn," he whispered.
"No," Adam said, whining like a child being woken up for school in the morning throwing the covers over his face to bury deeper into the bed.
"Come on," Kris said.
"You do it," he mumbled.
"You are such a stubborn ass, you know that?" Kris said before rolling his eyes and getting out of bed. "I've gotten up all this week, when's the last time you've done it? Huh? Whatever." He walked out of the room steaming. Who the hell does he think he is? He's her father too! But no he just can't possibly get up the middle of the night to care for her! Oh no! That would be too much trouble!
He cooled down as soon as he got into Ryleigh's bedroom.
"Hey, pretty girl," Kris leaned over the railing to pick up the crying infant holding her in the crook of his arm. "You hungry? Hmm?"
Kris carried a crying Ryleigh to the kitchen to make her a bottle. As soon as she got her drink she stopped sobbing and calmed down. He sat with her on the couch and fed her her bottle.
There was nothing in the world Kris loved more than spending alone time with his precious daughter. The moments they got to bond were very special and Kris wouldn't trade them for anything. It just upset him that Adam won't get up with her as often as he did. Not because Kris would rather sleep, but because Adam was missing out on her infant days. Soon she will be grown up and out of the stage of life and Adam was missing it.
"I'm sorry."
Kris looked up to see Adam standing at the foot of the stairs wearing a black t-shirt and boxers. His hair was a bed mess and his face was free of all makeup. His arms wrapped around himself, not out of coldness, but insecurity.
"I'm sorry too," Kris said.
"What do you have to be sorry about?"
"Getting mad at you."
"No, it's my fault." Adam walked across the living room to plop himself on the couch next to his family. "I'm sorry for being so lazy."
"Baby, it's not that," Kris said. "It's just that…I don't know, I wish you would get up more often and have your moments to bond with her. She's going to grow up so fast, you're gunna miss it."
Adam sighed. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. I'm not mad at you. Just change it." Kris looked into Adam's eyes. "Ryleigh needs her Papa."
Adam nodded and gestured for Kris to pass him the baby. Kris handed Ryleigh to Adam in a way that the infant wasn't without her bottle for a second.
"Hello beautiful," Adam cooed down at his daughter as he helped her drink from the bottle.
Ryleigh opened her tiny eyes and looked up to her Papa.
"See? She loves you," Kris cuddled his husband from the side and rested his chin on Adam's shoulder. "She loves her Papa."
Adam stared down at Ryleigh for awhile before he tore his eyes away from his gorgeous baby girl and turned his head to face his husband looking up at him from his shoulder.
"Can I have a kiss?"
"Nope. You're still a stubborn ass," Kris teased turning away.
Adam giggled. "Just kiss me."
"Nah."
"You know you want to."
"Not at all," Kris smiled.
"Liar!" Adam smirked.
"I never lie."
"I love you though." Adam pouted.
"Oh don't even play that card." Kris smiled.
"Kiss me," Adam said giving Kris eyes that he wouldn't be able to resist.
"I don't know how you do that." Kris shook his head and smiled before laying his hand on Adam's cheek and giving him a long peck on the lips.
As soon as they parted they heard a tiny grunt coming from Ryleigh. They looked down to see their infant daughter's face contorted, eyes closed. A few seconds later they smelled it.
"Oh god," Kris covered his nose. "Nope, that's all yours, babe. Have fun!" He got up laughing to run up the stairs.
"Dammit," Adam chuckled looking down at his infant daughter's innocent shining eyes. "Don't give me that look, you know what you've done."
He could have sworn he saw a smile on the infant girl's face.
