"Jiggrypoo! Wake up! Beta is calling!" Kunal rolled over as Sameer mumbled in his ear. "You get it, I got him the last time" he whined. He knew Sameer had been the one up in the middle of the night most of the time though, so he reluctantly stepped out of the bed onto the hard, cold, floor. The wails were emanating though out the house, so loud Kunal often thought it was inhuman. He walked into the hallway and opened the door across from their bedroom. The sky blue room filled with toys was like a war zone in the middle of the night, one false step and their foot was straight on a lego; which would make them cry almost as much as the child.
Kunal picked up the baby and sat on the chair in the room. He cradling the baby gently he began to rock it. He let his head fall back slightly and he mumbled some child's song his mother had often sung to him when he couldn't sleep as a child. Within a minute or two the baby was fast asleep in Kunal's arms.
When Kunal didn't come back to bed, Sameer became worried. Was he unable to calm the child? Was he trying and failing to feed or change him? Had he dropped their child out of the window? Getting up and out of the bed in a flash, he rubbed his eyes with his hands sleepily. How dare that bastard make him get up when it was his turn! He made his way into the nursery, where he couldn't help but smile. Their tiny son was wrapped in Kunal's huge arms, making him seem even tinier. Both father and son were out cold. He slowly unraveled Kunal's arms, freeing the tiny human. Gently kissing the baby's head, he put him back in his crib, lovingly tucking a blanket over him. He turned back to his husband. He walked over and gently put his hands on both sides of the chair. He leaned in towards Kunal and their lips met with the same kind of gentleness that Sameer had kissed his child with. Kunal's eyes fluttered, and Sameer kissed him again. Kunal opened his eyes and yawned. Noticing the lack of weight on his arms, he jumped up. "Dude, where's the baby?" he asked, eyes open wide in fear. Sameer laughed lightly, wrapping his arms around Kunal's neck. "Don't worry, I put him in his crib. Now it's time for you to go back to yours." He took Kunal's hand and dragged him into their bed.
Kunal never used his sleeping mask after the first night Sameer slept with him, and Sameer was able to look at Kunal for a few minutes after he fell asleep right after he hit the bed again. He began to reflect in the way that people do at 4 AM. Part of him was still amazed that he was with a man. He had never planned to be, nor had he ever been attracted to a man before Kunal. Kunal. God. Even after five years his name just rolled off his tongue. He glanced over at the beautiful man sleeping next to him. Kunal. He loved everything about him. He loved Kunal's swagger, Kunal's smile, the way Kunal opened one eye more than the other. He loved how Kunal danced with him, and loved him more than anybody else had. Love. Sameer's mind wandered to the first time they had met. Well sort of unofficially met. Sameer heard a girl screaming Kunal's name all night long. He had felt inferior, he hadn't made his girl scream his name more than a couple of times. But it didn't matter now, these days he was the one screaming Kunal's name. And oh, did he scream. They had woken up the baby more than once.
Smirking, Sameer pulled Kunal into him just like he had at Neha's apartment. Even after all this time they still fit together like puzzle pieces. Nuzzling his face into Kunal's neck, he fell asleep.
