Flipping the page, steel-blue eyes scanned the contents with only the mildest of interests. Much of the information and knowledge of this newly acquired tome he seemed to already possess, and this was providing so far a rather dull reading in all honesty. His lips curved downward, forming a frown and showing his displeasure in this dull book. This was a simple purchase from the Vale library, so perhaps he shouldn't have expected much from this at all. With a sigh, he closed the book up (After memorizing the page number he was in, of course) and relaxed into his chair somewhat, diverting his sight from the pages to around the room.
Ash Schnee-Sparda was searching around the room, poking his head under couches and chairs. There was somewhat of an annoyed expression on his face, causing the boy's father to raise his brow at the sight. From what he was gathering just from watching, the boy was currently looking for his sister, and they must be playing some kind of game?
The Schnee Son lifted up one of the wooden chairs of the room, and he scrunched up his nose when he found nothing but dust. "Elsa! Where are you?!" He called out to his sister-in-question, turning his gaze around to do a quick scan around the room once more.
Hearing absolute silence once again as a response, he crossed his arms against his little chest and turned his head to the side with almost a stomp of his feet and a "Humph!", showing his clear frustration at his inability to find his sibling, or perhaps he was angry that his younger sister was not giving him the satisfaction of winning? Either was possible, due to the boy's bratty nature.
The father of the twins just gave a roll of his eyes, setting the useless book over on the stand next to him. Vergil Sparda, known to some as the Son of the Legendary Dark Knight and the Dark Slayer was regulated to some common "stay-at-home" Father. He would never have expected this when he was younger and bitterer, but these years had made him older and more understanding. Even so, despite the simplicity of the life he had now that was nothing compared to even the small measure of peace he had been given as a result.
With a deep breath, he rose his hand up and let it rest on a small head of white hair, not his sons, but the daughter who had miraculously appeared out of thin air seemingly next to him.
Elsa blinked her eyes, looking up at her father. He didn't meet her gaze, but despite her age she understood what had happened. Ash was simply too slow, too out of tune with his latent abilities to catch up with his more advanced sister, and he was clearly growing more and more agitated as a result. Her father however, knew exactly where she was going to be next, and decided to put a stop to this already before it got too out of hand.
She stared at her father in a mix of wonder and admiration. He found her so easily, when the other children and even her own brother could not. Her father was the fastest and strongest person in the whole wide world, and she couldn't be happier to know that.
"There you are, Elsa!" Ash cried out, scurrying over to his family and causing his sister to tear herself away from her thoughts. "Dad, Elsa was cheating! I couldn't find her anywhere!"
Elsa folded her hands behind her back, narrowing his eyes at her elder brother and frowned. "I wasn't cheating, Ash. You just couldn't see me!"
"You're lying!" The Schnee Son responded with a scoff, pouting and switching his attention between Vergil and Elsa before continuing. "Elsa broke the rules; she must have gone outside the room!"
The Schnee Daughter was about to defend herself, until her father pulled his hand away from her head and raised it in the air, signaling for silence between the two of them. He glanced at the two of them and waited for a few seconds before beginning. "Enough, it doesn't matter anymore. The time has come for the both of you to head to bed anyways."
This time, both of them appeared disappointed that it was that time already, but only Ash spoke up.
"… but Dad! What about Mom?! She's not home yet!" There was the inevitable question, one that even made Elsa turn her to her father for an answer.
His frown deepened, but he remained resolute and shook his head. "Your mother will be home, /after/ you head to sleep. Understand?"
Ash only gave a pout and turned away angrily, but even he knew better than to push the subject with his father. He simply remained silent, begrudgingly nodding his head.
Feeling satisfied, Vergil stood up from his chair and reached for Yamato which rested ever faithfully at his side. He fastened it to his belt, ensuring its stability before turning to scoop Elsa up into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her chin on his shoulder, a smile spreading across her face as she hugged her father.
Vergil held his arm out for Ash, but the boy was feeling a little too mad at the thought of not seeing his mother before bed to care. He just sighed and rolled his eyes, extending just his hand this time for his son to take. Eventually, the boy grabbed his father's finger as he finally accepted it. With his children in tow, the Son of Sparda took his own children out the door, leading them over and tucking them into bed.
After that scenario, Vergil found himself preparing for bed himself. The years had made this type of thing easier for him to do, to the point where he almost had the same sleeping procedures as a normal person now. Such a thing needed to be a necessity for him as it turned out, what with having children of his own and insisting on taking care of them himself rather than hiring someone to do it.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slipping off his coat and unbuttoning the vest underneath. Vergil found some days harder than others, without Weiss there to help him along as he managed the family and saw to the home management, that is to say dealing with the various guards that protected the house, servants of the kitchen, gardens, and various other people he had to deal with. He was never much of a social or people person, so it was taxing on him. Not to mention the occasional moments of depression that tended to make some interactions more frustrating than usual. Still, despite all the problems and responsibilities he had now, he wouldn't trade it for anything else.
Soon enough he was ready for bed, and he was out cold in a matter of minutes really. That was until an hour later and he felt the mattress move, something small crawling over the surface of the bed. He opened one eye and even through the darkness of the room, he recognized the shape of his daughter Elsa. She did this sometimes, where she couldn't sleep so she made her way to her parent's room.
Sensing she had been caught, Elsa stopped where she was and sat on the bed, steel-blue eyes staring at her father.
Vergil returned the gaze and didn't say anything for a few moments, his tired mind attempting to think of a solution. He gave up soon and just yawned to himself, opening up the blanket for a spot for Elsa. She hurriedly made her way to his side in her blue pajamas, snuggling up to her father happily. He shook his head even with a small smile, wrapping his arm around her and trying to head back to sleep again.
Sometime later, Weiss finally came home from her work at the Schnee Dust Company. With a tired sigh, she began to set her things around. She already knew her kids would be in bed, and she practically hadn't seen them since she left for work, Vergil as well. Truthfully, she felt guilty for spending so much time away and not spending nearly as much time with her children, but her duties were important nonetheless. She set her keys in the draw, and her work coat elsewhere on a hanger. Curiously, she decided to head over to the family's preferred living room, as she sometimes she would find Vergil inside waiting for her.
Instead, she found her little boy, in his white pajamas holding a pillow close as she slept on one of the couches. Apparently, Ash had crawled out of bed and decided to wait for his mother himself, some drool trailing from his mouth.
Weiss smiled, leaning against the doorway as she watched her son. He was so wonderful, and although he can be a little hard to deal with sometimes he adored his mom just as much as Elsa worshipped her father. She pulled her long, soft pale hair out of her ponytail and walked quietly over to Ash, kneeling next to him. She had to stifle a laugh and she wiped away his saliva, shaking her head.
Ash's eyes fluttered open just then and he was greeted by the sight of his mother, smiling at him. He immediately latched his arms to her, digging his face into her shoulder. "Mommy…!"
His mother just let out a soft laugh, wrapping her arms tightly around him and lifting him up into the air. "Ash, you're supposed to be in bed…" She whispered to him, stroking his own white hair.
"I wanted to see you, Mom!" He responded back, lifting his head up just slightly to look at her. He was starting to cry already. "I missed you…"
Weiss shook her head, poking his cheek with her nose as she lifted her hand to once again wipe his face. "I know, my handsome boy. I missed you too." She kissed his forehead afterwards, and smiled once again. "Why don't you sleep with me and your father tonight then?"
He nodded his head as expected, tightening his arms around his mother. He was still so tired, and felt like he could fall asleep any moment now in Weiss' arms.
And with that, she turned right around and headed for the door. She had no problem bringing her children in and letting them sleep on her bed along with her, after all it was the least she could do to make up all the lost time while at work. She wished she could spend so much more time with her family and Vergil, as she just felt like she was the luckiest woman on Gaia to have them.
Opening the door silently and slowly, she peeked through to see what the situation was like before heading in. Weiss saw Vergil first, very clearly asleep on his back just like always. Her eyes caught the sight of another next to him, and for a brief moment her heart experienced a bout of shock and jealousy, until she realized it was just her daughter. Breathing a sigh of relief, she glanced down at Ash, who appeared to be resting against her shoulder already.
Entering, Weiss was as quiet she could possibly be, attempting to let her lover and children sleep. She kicked off her work shoes and set Ash down on the mattress, joining her family quickly. Exhausted from dealing with so much today, she was glad to be finally home and spending her time with everyone in her life who was important. She laid her head on the pillow, and then she felt a hand slip underneath. Blinking, she turned her attention over to Vergil, who had one eye open and head facing her.
Weiss could only smile brightly, relaxing her cheek on his head and closing her eyes, cradling her son as Vergil held their daughter, the two of them now drifting off to sleep together.