Knitting is something that's always come natural to the Omega, something that's always brought him comfort when he was alone at night. Blankets, scarfs, hats, whatever it is he'll work until it's finished or until he runs out of yarn. Now in his room with a basket full of colored yarn he's busy at work. Winter is around the corner after all and with a new array of family members he has a lot of work to do. "Lei, do you want to learn to knit like Mummy?" He asks, looking over the bed to the child sitting calmly by himself.
"No Mum," he answers before going back to his small horse and dog in his lap.
"Are you sure? Or would you like to go play with your cousin?" He's always been a bit worried about his son and how much time the child spends alone. Even at six the boy is always in his head and for Arthur it's hard to tell what his son is thinking.
Again the fox looks up. "Whatever," he answers with a tiny shrug.
"Whatever?"
"Yeah."
Arthur blinks as the door opens. "I, did you teach him that?"
"Uh, what?" Jason answers, seeing his mate exactly where he left him hours before.
"What. That whatever is an appropriate answer to a question. He didn't learn it from me so...why are you giving me that look?" Arthur sends a nasty glare his mate's way.
The Alpha stares perplexed. "Look? What the fuck babe?" He answers, letting their son sneak past him and into the hallway. "I came to ask you something and your ass is still in bed and in your motherfucking underwear."
"I'm hot!" Arthur practically yells back, throwing his knitting needles to his side. "I'm not allowed to be hot now?"
"Are you hormonal or have you finally lost your shit?" As tears start to form at the edges of Arthur's eyes Jason closes the door with his foot knowing instantly that the man in front of him is about to break down. "No don't cry...it's not like I'm yelling at you. Come on babe don't cry."
Wiping his eyes Arthur nods but he looks away once Jason sits on the edge of the bed. They've been at the palace for a few weeks but right now Arthur would rather be anywhere else at the moment. Once Jason touches his ankle he whispers something he hoped he wouldn't have to say yet again. "I'm pregnant..."
Like he expected Jason instantly lets go of his ankle. "Yeah?"
"Yes." It's above a whisper and while he wants to shove Jason away he lets the Alpha curl up around him. "Jason..."
"No," Jason starts resting his head on his Omega's stomach. "You'll keep it this time." His voice is so gentle and sweet that even the Alpha's surprised it's him speaking. "It's got a better chance now so start making a blanket for him okay?" He's asked Arthur every time and every time the Omega only gets half way before the blanket's thrown into the fire.
For a few minutes the Omega doesn't answer, just running his fingers through his mate's dark hair listening to Jason's steady breathing. There's nothing he can say so he picks up his needles again and starts to pull out the yarn before finding two new colors, silver and dark green. "I'll start it..."
As he finishes the first few stiches Jason kisses his stomach. "Finish it, no matter what."
It's how their arguments always seem to go but it doesn't make it any easier to listen in. So once he hears his mother's rhythmic knitting again the child wanders off to give them a few hours alone. He's already familiar with most of the hallways and main rooms but there's still more that he's yet to explore so he heads off towards his cousin's room only to hear muffled cries of pain coming from a few rooms down.
"Bite down on the leather. I'm almost done with your shoulder blade." His Uncle says in a strict tone as Alfred lets out another cry. "You do yah need a break?" Allistor asks as Lei pokes his head in to see the strange sight of the Alpha straddling the shirtless Omega from behind with a towel spotted in blood by his hand.
Alfred shakes his head as he braces himself for another round of tattooing. His skin is already raw and with every hit to his skin it feels like his lover is tattooing his very bone. "I want to go until it's done." It's then that he notices the boy watching. "Hey Lei, Leon's in his room." Alfred manages before feeling the needle strike his skin again. "Damn it Allistor I wasn't ready."
"Go to your happy place and sit tight cause we have another two hours."
"Thank you," Lei says closing the door behind him and venturing on, ignoring the whimper that escaped Alfred as the door closed. "Leon?"
The blonde haired wolf looks up from his drawing. "Hi, wanna color too?"
"Maybe." The older answers, as he sits next to the other Alpha on the floor among the dozen of broken crayons. Even as he draws his mind is already elsewhere. "Do you think this is home now?"
Without missing a beat the younger answers, "Mama says we'll be gone when the birds start singing again but...I hear Birdy man singing when no one is listening."
"Yeah I've heard that too." Lei looks up at the window lost in thought. "Too bad it's nice here..."
Leon looks up. "You want ta stay with Birdy man?"
Lei doesn't answer as he goes back to his picture. It has very little color but slowly he reaches for the red and starts to color in the lines. "I just want to stay where it's safe..."