Argo Gulskii watched silently as the three year old boy on the bed beside him breathed evenly, his face peaceful in his sleep. Nicolas, as Argo and his wife had named the child, would never grow to be as big as his gentle giant of a father, but he was loved all the same; adored, even. In fact, the little boy was very small for his age. Even at his age, he looked like a tiny one year old and weighed only twenty-four pounds. Not that Argo cared about little facts like that. This was his little boy, and the only chance he had to right his wrongs.
Little Nicolas was not only able to capture Argo's heart through his tiny frame and innocent face, but also in so many small things, such as his mother's sea green hair, the same delicate curve of his little face, and dark blue eyes. The boy was so fragile that Argo could not keep the fierce protectiveness he felt away. The child's short hair remained just as messy as his mother's. He looked so much like his mother…
Argo's hand brushed over the child's face, and he watched him twitch in his sleep and mumble in his sleep.
"Oh, Argo," was the all-too-familiar voice of his wife. "Are you coming to bed? We should let Nicolas sleep."
Argo nodded, not looking up from the boy just yet. He kissed the little boy gently on the head, petting back his hair once more, then stood, going to the woman in his doorway. Flipping the light switch off and closing the door gently. Turning, he nodded to his wife, who followed him back to their bedroom. It was then that he stole a glance at the woman's attire.
She wore long pajamas that were a light olive green color (not surprising that she would pick such a color) and covered her fingers and most of her feet. With her glasses gone from her face, she looked to him as a fallen angel would; beautiful, even without wings.
When they made it to their room, both adults silently readied themselves for bed. When Argo had his pillow set up the way he liked it, he climbed into bed, taking his wife into his arms. "Nastasha," he murmured into her hair, taking in a deep breath.
"Hmm?" came the sleepy reply.
Argo held her tightly, letting himself settle into sleep. It was some time later- he had no clue how long he had been asleep- when a very tight tapping noise woke him up. Hiccups were winning a vicious fight from the other side. He climbed out of bed already expecting to see the small form of his son even before he opened the door. When he could see the blubbering child, he knelt on one need to examine the tiny tot for injury. "What's wrong?" he asked when he could find nothing.
"Light," the little boy sobbed, rubbing his eye. He cried freshly when Argo lifted him, clinging tightly to the big man. His monkey plush hung down the man's back from the child's hand.
The big man carried the little boy to his place in the bed, setting him beside Nastasha, who had already seen most of what had gone on. Her simple solution was to wrap the tot into her loving embrace. Argo climbed back into bed beside them, but before he did so, he reached over, plugging the nightlight into the wall beside the bed.
"Scared…" he told his mother through a forced voice, rubbing his eyes.
"Of course you were, baby," she told him with a kiss to his forehead. She looked to Argo as he slipped back under the blankets, taking Nicolas with him. Once the little boy was covered, Nastasha once more took him into her arms with Argo holding both now.
"Mama?" Nicolas croaked, grasping the shirt of her pj's.
"Hmm?"
"Night night. An' Daddy, too."
Both parents smiled, no matter how wide, nor small. "Goodnight." They murmured together. Argo patted Nicolas' back a couple of times before his hand went to Nastasha's hip, rubbing gently until their baby fell asleep, then they both fell into a blessed, deep sleep.