Hawke
I hurried back to my room after turning Lea over to Orana. Lea was being extra fussy tonight so it had taken longer than I would have thought. I closed the door behind me and smiled at Fenris as he stood up from the bed that he had nervously perched on.
"Sorry. She's fussy tonight. Being clingy." I shook my head trying to put worry of her aside. She was fine. I needed to focus on the nervous man right now. Lea was in good hands.
"I noticed that earlier." He said moving to me. He pushed my hair back and placed a kiss on my neck. "Do you want to go back to her?"
I sighed and wrapped my arms around his waist. "No. She's fine. Orana is great with her. Maybe she's just tired. That was a lot of rolling she was doing earlier." I smiled at the memory of it. My baby was trying to grow up too fast. She had discovered rolling over and that she could move around that way. She had squealed with delight as she managed to get to the toy on the other side of the blanket.
"She is growing so fast. It seems like only yesterday she was here kicking when I spoke." He said as he lightly ran his hand along my stomach.
I smiled up at him. "And now she kicks and squeals when she hears you. Only I'm not the one being kicked anymore."
"Does it bother you that she likes me?" He asked quietly.
I reached up and kissed him. "No. I like that she likes you. I told you before you would be a good male influence in her life."
"So you did. I swear to try and live up to that." He said as his hands roamed my back. His hands slid up and cupped my face, pulling me into a kiss. The kiss was slow and gentle. His hands tangled in my hair, his body pressed to mine. I wondered if I was going to wake up and this all be a dream. "You still alright with this?" He asked as he walked me back towards the bed.
"Very. You?" I asked kissing along his neck.
"Beyond." He smirked and shoved me back onto the bed. I caught his hand and pulled him in with me. "Lila, I want this to be right. I want to make this special, but…" I shut him up with a kiss. He pulled back to smirk at me. "That is my favorite way of being told to shut up."
"Well, then let me tell you again." I laughed and tugged him down to kiss him.
His hands were hesitant as they roamed me, but soon all hesitation was gone. His lips left mine and trailed down my neck. His hands worked the clasp loose on the tunic I was wearing. His hands were calloused and strong on my skin as he shoved the shirt open. I ran my hands along his back and arms, letting him take the lead in this.
"You're beautiful." He whispered before kissing me again.
"I want to see you too." I said tugging at the clasp of his tunic.
"Ask it and it's yours." He answered and quickly shucked his tunic. He froze on his knees watching me as I took in his bared chest. The lyrium markings curved along his sides in fluid forms, almost like a vine pattern. The markings on his neck continued down his chest, forming an almost arrow pattern disappearing past his waistband. I raised my eyes to his.
"You are beautiful." I said sitting up to capture his face in my hands. He gave me a look about my comment, but he was wise enough not to argue with me at the moment. Instead he kissed me, shoving me back down. Our hands tangling with each other's as we wrestled trying to free ourselves from our clothes.
"Be still." He ordered and quickly pulled me up and tossed my tunic aside. He shoved me back down as his mouth resumed it's path down my neck. "Venhedis!" He hissed as there was a knock on my door. We could hear Lea crying through it.
"Mistress? Little Mistress is burning up and won't stop crying." Orana said nervously through the door.
Fenris bolted out of bed hurriedly shoving my tunic at me as we raced to fasten our clothing back on. He beat me to the door by seconds. He took Lea from a startled Orana. She nervously wrung her hands as I put my hand on Lea's forehead.
"She is burning up." I said taking her from Fenris. She made a pitiful face and sobbed. It wasn't like any of her normal cries. This one was full of pain. I looked at Fenris frantically.
"Anders." He said and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me with him. Lea rubbed her face against my neck as we rushed down the stairs.
"Shush, honey. It's going to be alright." I begged feeling helpless. The damn passages took too much time. Each of her cries was ripping me apart. Fenris didn't look any better. Finally he pulled me to a stop.
"I'm faster."
"Fenris, no." I shook my head. I wasn't handing her off. Not now. She was hurting. I tried to start running again, but he just picked me up.
"I've got you both." He assured me and began to glow. I clutched tighter to Lea and to him as the passages began to fly by. He sat me on my feet as soon as we reached Darktown. His arm wrapped around my waist forcing me to run with him. He burst into the clinic yelling for Anders. Anders rushed to us pulling his shirt on as he came.
"What's wrong?" He demanded moving to us.
"Lea's crying. She's burning up. She's in pain. Do something, Anders." I begged hating to hand her off to him, but I knew I had to. I moved with him as he laid her down. Fenris paced angrily behind us as I tried to sooth Lea and keep her still so Anders could examine her.
"It's alright, sweetheart. Here you go. Poor little thing. I know it hurts, huh?" Anders said as he glowed, icy air moving off his hand as he placed his finger in her mouth. Lea quieted instantly. He smiled at me. "It's going to be alright. She's teething. Fevers and fussiness are a part of it I'm afraid. I'll give you something to rub on her gums. It will help numb them."
"Isn't there something you can do?" Fenris asked as I cradled Lea to me. She snubbed and rubbed her face along my neck before latching onto my finger and proceeding to chew it.
"Nope. Sorry. Like delivering a baby, magic can't do much for it. This will help numb it. Best advice is to let her chew on stuff and keep an eye on what she's chewing on. A ripe watermelon would be a good thing. Cool it off in the basement or have Bethany, Merrill, or me chill it. Make sure no seeds and tiny pieces only." He nodded to us. Relief poured over me. She was going to be alright. Then embarrassment set in.
"I feel like such a fool. I might have panicked a little." I said looking down at Lea. Anders tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.
"It's alright. Most new mommy's tend to overreact with their little ones. Better safe than sorry."
"I'm so sorry we barged in like this and woke you up."
"It's not a big deal." Anders looked away guiltily.
"It is a big deal. We were in the middle of something." Isabela said appearing in the doorway from the back room. I stared at her stunned. I would have never thought the two of them would end up together.
She smirked at me, taking in my disheveled appearance. "Don't give me that wide eyed innocent look. From the looks of the two of you, Lea didn't just interrupt Anders and me."
I glanced at Fenris feeling my face heat up as Anders looked back and forth between us. "Right, well. Um, she's going to be fine. I'll come and check on her in the morning, if you would like." Anders offered clearing his throat.
"So just rub this on her gums?" I asked as I took the bottle when Fenris took Lea from me.
"Yep. Just a drop on your finger. Don't give her too much or it will make her whole mouth numb." Anders nodded. Fenris wrapped his arm around my waist and inclined his head to them.
"Thank you." He then lead me away and back to the stairs.
"Well, that was awkward. I never would have thought those two." I said glancing at him. He smiled at Lea as she gnawed on her fist, her eyes growing sleepy now that the pain was easing.
"I had a feeling something was going on about three months ago."
"Really?" I asked shocked. He nodded and smiled down at me.
"You were a little preoccupied at the time, but yes. There was a definite affection between them."
"So you think it's more than just, well…you know." I said glancing at Lea. Fenris chuckled quietly.
"She doesn't understand you. And as to if it's more than just you know, I wouldn't wager a guess. Nor do I really want to think about it."
I made a face. "Ug. Me either." He smiled at me and then nuzzled Lea's neck as she yawned.
"I have a feeling we're in for a long night." He looked over at me.
"You want to have that sort of conversation with Lea present?" I asked looking at him shocked.
He laughed and kissed me quickly. "You have a one track mind, Lila. Not like that. I would imagine that numbing stuff won't last all night."
"Right. My poor baby." I sighed. I hated the thought of her in pain. "Do you mind terribly if we postpone the other events of tonight?"
"Lea comes first. I understand this. Do you want to move her into the room with us? I can bring the other crib out of the basement when we go through."
I nearly tripped at his use of the word us in reference to the bedroom. He was still willing to stay the night with me even if I was going to be up and down all night with a fussy baby? I looked at him in question. He misunderstood my look.
"I shouldn't have presumed. I'll get the crib and leave you alone. Do you mind taking her so I can grab the crib?" He asked looking away from me.
I stopped and caught his arm. "Fenris, I want you with me. I was just surprised that you wanted that. I mean she's probably going to be up and down all night. And you know the other stuff can't happen so I thought…" He tilted my chin up so I was looking at him.
"I want you for more than just your body and the pleasures it holds in store for me. I am with you in this."
"And there you go again trying to make me emotional." I sighed, but smiled at him.
"I would rather make you something else, but it will have to wait until little one feels better." He said giving me a look that could only be described as smoldering as he handed Lea to me before grabbing the crib. "Shall we?" He asked looking back at me when I didn't move.
"Oh, sure. Expect a girl to be able to function after a comment like that with that voice of yours growling and those eyes promising all manner of naughty things."
And it was a long night. Just as predicted, Lea was up and down all night long. Finally I snuck out of the room with her, leaving Fenris to sleep. One of us should get some, I thought with a sigh. I took Lea down to the main hall and laid out a blanket for us. I placed her in the center and gave her all her favorite toys. I kept the numbing stuff close at hand, but safely out of her reach. She fussed, slept, and played all the rest of the night.
Finally as the sun was coming up, she seemed fairly content. I laid my head down nearly in her lap, keeping one hand on her little leg. She babbled happily and patted my head as she chewed on of my old leather gloves. I wasn't sure why she liked the thing so well, but it kept her from wailing so it was all hers now. I was in that half-sleep state when her babbling turned to her happy squeal and laugh when she spotted Fenris. I couldn't move to greet him though. Who would have thought two weeks of sleeping the night through would have made me so soft.
"Did you run Mommy ragged, little one?" Fenris asked quietly. Lea answered him with a raspberry. He chuckled softly and I felt him crouch down beside me. I allowed him to turn me over and opened one eye to look at him. Damn him for looking far too handsome and fairly well rested. "Are you alive?"
I grunted in response and then groaned. "She was up nearly the entire night. How can she be so happy right now?" I asked turning my head to look at Lea who smiled at me. Damn her for being irresistible.
"Why don't I put you to bed and I'll take over for a bit? I'll join you when she goes down for a nap." He offered as Sandal and Bohdan appeared in the room.
"Well, now. Did the little miss give you trouble?" Bohdan asked smiling at Lea. Sandal bound over to her dropping down on the blanket to smile at her. She squealed in greeting and latched onto his finger.
He smiled at me. "I like the baby."
"And she likes you too." I smiled at him and shifted to sit up. Fenris pulled me so I leaned against him. "She's teething." I explained to Bohdan.
"Poor little dear. Anything I can do?" He asked.
"Would you pick up a watermelon at the market today? Anders thought that would be a good thing for her to chew on." Fenris answered. "Would you mind watching Lea a moment while I put Lila to bed?"
"That will be our pleasure, won't it my boy?" Bohdan asked smiling at the two of them as Sandal danced a toy around for Lea. Bandit moved over to the blanket and nudged Lea who giggled and latched onto his jowls.
"Oh, honey, don't chew on Bandit!" I said and moved to extract her from the dog as she bent over to gum his nose. She squawked in protest. Fenris took her from me.
"Don't argue with your mother." He said smiling at her as she quieted and cooed at him. He sat her back down and she reached for the glove before rolling over onto her back. She babbled as she chewed it. "A glove?" He asked looking at me.
"Don't judge me. It was late, it stopped the screaming. It's clean." I shrugged. He kissed my forehead before pulling me up with him.
"I'll be back down in a moment." He told Bohdan. Bohdan was smiling at us with a knowing look.
"We've got the little miss. Take your time. I must say it's about time, if you don't mind me saying so. Couldn't be happier for the two of you." He said nodding to us.
"Fenris, I am perfectly able to put myself to bed." I said frowning at him. He just smirked and lifted me up.
"I am aware of that." He answered. "Let me take care of you."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and laid my head against his shoulder. "Hmm. I might could get used to this." His smirk grew. "Don't get cocky, Broody. I'm not going to give into you all the time."
His smile widened as he carried me into the room and laid me down on the bed. "I have my ways." He kissed me before I could protest. "Get some rest. I'll handle Lea."
"Just a quick nap." I promised. He pulled the covers up over me and kissed me again.
"I'll join you as soon as I can." He promised and left the room. I snuggled into the pillow that smelled of him. Yes, I could definitely get used to this.