A cry split the air, and Sera rolled over, squeezing her eyes shut to try and block the memory, but it didn't go away. Her eyes flew open, and she shook her head, the darkness all-consuming for a moment, until a hand brushed down her back,
"Sera?" Ash. But that cry sounded again,
"Fates," she muttered, mortified that she hadn't recognized it at first, "It's Ires, let me up, he'll set Malec off in a minute," true to her word, a heartbeat later, a second cry sounded. Sera rubbed her eyes, trying to throw off the blanket of sleep, unsuccessfully, and she slumped back to the mattress, "Just push me out," she muttered,
"I'll go," Ash chuckled, pressing a kiss to her hair as he sat up, "So dramatic," he crooned to the crying babies, scooping one up in each arm. Almost immediately, the noise halved as Malec quieted, "He's hungry," Ash announced, and Sera finally forced herself to sit up, pausing for a moment at the sight of her husband gently rocking their sons, his hair tousled from sleep, his eyes dimmer than usual thanks to the sudden awakening. He was a mess, but he'd never been more beautiful. He hummed softly, and Ires stopped crying, just for a moment, before filling his lungs again and screaming all the louder. "You want Momma? There she is," he dropped his head to gesture towards Sera as she took her son from his arms. Ires immediately quieted, "Favoritism," Ash complained, and Sera chuckled to herself as she perched on the edge of their bed to feed her son.
"Awww, is the big bad Primal being left out?" Ash shot her a withering look, but snapped his attention back to Malec when the child grabbed a hold of his finger. The smile he gave their son was full of life, pure joy, the kind of smile she'd once lost hope of ever seeing from him, the kind of smile that was a daily occurrence now. Sera smiled to herself at the sight of the Primal of Death making faces just so that their son would laugh, tickling him until he squealed with joy. One day, one day she would learn some talent with pencil or brush, and she would keep that moment forever. Forever, for it would be forever, and some part of her still balked at that thought, the mortal part of her, but she was not mortal, not anymore.
"What time is it?"
"Almost dawn, we might as well just get up, assuming these two will go back to sleep after you've been making sure they're awake,"
"They'll sleep," Ash promised, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice, "They fall right asleep when you sing,"
"Maybe you should sing,"
"I thought you wanted them to sleep, not scream louder,"
"You're not that bad,"
"You've never heard me sing, and there's a reason for that, Liessa," Sera chuckled to herself, and glanced down at the sleeping baby in her arms, then across to the very much awake baby in her husband's arms. On a moment of impulse, she handed Ires to Ash, instead of putting him back into his crib.
"Big, bad Primal," she laughed,
"I'll get you later," he muttered as she tiptoed past him to the bathing chamber to wash her face and dress. There was no official function today, but she'd be grateful of the chance to actually get in a little exercise, perhaps she'd even manage to meet Theon and Lailah in the training ring later. She chuckled to herself as she tugged on a loose fitting shirt and tights, stifling a louder giggle when she laced up a bodice over the shirt, knowing full well that it hugged her curves perfectly.
"Oh fucking hell, Sera," Ash rubbed the bridge of his nose when she reappeared, glancing around worriedly to make sure he hadn't woken the twins, both finally asleep again in their cribs. "You'll be the death of me,"
"Very articulate, well done,"
"Shut up," he rubbed his face again, almost trembling with what could only be restraint, "Go, Sera, before I lose it and drag you next door, duties be damned," Sera tutted quietly as she sauntered towards him, sitting down to tug her boots on, trying, and failing, to ignore his stare on her the whole time,
"Later," she crossed the short space between them, tipping his face up before leaning down to press a soft kiss to his lips. The sort of growling rumble in his chest had her spinning away, dancing lightly to the side before he could deepen the kiss and follow through on his promise, "Until tonight." Sera winked as she slipped out of the door, the image of Ash groaning as he gripped the arms of the chair would stay with her all day until she could finally get some time alone with him, when they wouldn't be too exhausted to do anything other than sleep. Although, based on the heat in his gaze from the moment she'd reemerged, there would be little sleeping tonight.