"Fiwe fly! Fiwe fly!"

Lancelot's quiet voice tore Everett's attention away from the paperwork he was focusing on. The two-year-old was lying on a duvet that Everett had brought up to the roof of the Sanctum, hoping to watch the summer sunset.

His loyal teddy in his arms, Lancelot was staring up at the sky, a look of wonder on his face.

Everett couldn't help but smile, moving the paperwork back into his bag. "They're not fire-flies sweetie… no more Disney for a while, I think. No, they're stars."

"Down?" Lancelot reached up, as thought to try and pull them down, "Down!"

"No, you can't pull them down sweetie, that's their home." Everett finished putting the paperwork away, and went to sit by his son, "Don't you want everyone else to see them as well?"

"… Yes?" Lancelot didn't sound too sure as he looked up at his Dad, grey eyes wide and curious. Everett wasn't ashamed to admit that his breathing hitched a little bit. He still couldn't believe that Stephen and him, had made something so amazing.

Shaking his head slightly, Everett chuckled and moved closer, gently ruffling Lancelot's hair, fingers trying to neaten the white streak in his hair, "I have a book about a star… do you want to hear it?"

"Yeah!" Lance's smile was wide as he crawled onto Everett's, resting his head on his Dad's chest and sighed happily, "Tell stowy!"

"Well, the story starts with a wall… a wall that separated two very different worlds…"

As he told the story as best he could, Lance's eyes slowly started to slip shut. Halfway through the meeting with the pirates, Everett trailed off, turning his attention to the sky. Lifting his son into his arms, he slowly made his way back downstairs, heading straight for the small room that had been designed and decorated for when Lancelot had to stay over at the Sanctum.

Placing his son on the bed, Everett gently removed his little shoes, and tucked him in, moving towards the door.

"Where Papa?"

Stopping in his tracks, Everett turned back around and went to go sit next to the bed, giving his son a reassuring smile, "Your Papa will be home soon. He just needs to- "

"- walk through this door."

Everett and Lancelot both turned towards the doorway upon hearing the familiar voice.

"Papa!" Lancelot squealed, practically rolling out of the bed and running into Stephen's arms, giggling as the Sorcerer Supreme lifted him into the air.

"Hello my little sorcerer…" Stephen muttered warmly, "… why are you still awake?"

"Stars! Stars!"

"We were watching the stars on the roof." Everett explained, "I think I'm going to paint the constellations on his bedroom ceiling at some point."

"How exciting!" Stephen kissed the tip of Lancelot's nose, making the two-year-old giggle before he moved to place him back on the ground, gently pushing him towards his bed, "Why don't you get into bed, and I'll tell you a story, okay?"

Lancelot eagerly climbed into bed, practically wrapping himself in the duvet, grabbing his teddy, "Dumbo! Dumbo!"

"Yes, yes… of course."

As Lancelot babbled eagerly about Dumbo, Everett turned to Stephen and pulled him closer, "Problem solved?"

"The tentacled creature is back where it belongs and is no longer terrorising half of Chicago."

"… I don't even want to know." Everett shook his head, smiling as Lancelot's babbling grew even more frenzied, "You know you're not getting out of here without telling him that Dumbo story."

"I know, I- "Stephen suddenly stopped, frowning at the window, "- Ummm…. Remind me to give Wong a call about natural magic."

"Why?"

Slowly, Stephen encouraged him to turn around.

"Oh…My… God."

At the window, were over three owls, seven bats and several New York rats, all scrabbling to get inside… and Lancelot was loving it.

"Look! Look!" Lancelot turned and beamed at them, "Birdy!"

As the child shuffled a little closer to the window, the animals seemed to go even crazier, scratching on the window and trying to force a gap that they could crawl through.

"… Maybe we should head back to the apartment?"

Everett nodded in agreement, before moving forwards, "Alright…" He cleared his throat, moving over to the bed and lifting Lancelot into his arms, "… I think we need to say goodnight to the animals now okay? We can't have them keeping you up all night, right?"

Lancelot seemed unsure for a few moments, clutching his teddy close to his chest, before waving at all the gathered animals, "Good night!" he called out, keeping his eyes on the window as they all headed out of the room.

"I'll have a word with Wong in the morning." Stephen promised, "He'll know more about natural magic."

…

Later that night, Everett and Stephen lay in bed, holding each other close, as if they'll lose each other next day. Over time, it had become their habit to sleep as close as possible, to feel each other's heartbeat and the warmth of one another's bodies. Gently Everett massaged Stephen's aching hands, smiling as the Sorcerer hummed in delight.

"Stephen?"

"Hmmm, yes?"

"I know it's very exciting that Lancelot had some magic… but you're not going to force him into being the next Sorcerer Supreme, are you?"

Stephen furrowed his eyebrows and took a deep breath, considering Everett's words. That was the reason why Lancelot was even here in the first place, because some device decided that an heir was needed… and he clearly had the talent for it.

On the other hand, if Lancelot chose to do something different, Stephen knew that he wouldn't mind.

"Never." He stated, "I would never do that." There was a brief pause, before he spoke up again, "If he's anything like you, I wouldn't be able to force him into doing anything anywhere."

"Damn straight." Everett agreed, nodding in determination, "Nobody forces a Ross to do anything…. What do you think he'll be then?"

"…. Zoo keeper?"

"I was hoping more for Doctor… or lawyer."

"With all those animals? Zoo keeper… or vet."

"… He's not getting a pet until he's at least ten."

"Deal."