"What's this then?" Nikki smiled at Gabriel as she lay on the sofa with him, her legs drawn up to her chest and her son resting on them. She handed him one of the twins' brightly coloured toys and Gabriel instantly reached up and grabbed it, his tiny hand wrapping around it. He shook it and laughed at the rattling noise that came out of the toy caterpillar, shaking it again to get the same reaction, his green eyes lighting up. Nikki couldn't help but smile when she heard her baby laughing and leant forward to kiss him on the forehead, moving back again to let Gabriel play with the toy.
Harry and Nikki had wondered how Donovan was going to get enjoyment out of the toys if he couldn't hear them, then they realised that he had become fascinated by the different textures and colours that were on the various toys while Gabriel focussed mainly on the sounds and textures.
Nikki giggled loudly when Gabriel squeezed one of the caterpillars feet and jumped when a loud squeak came from it, a shocked look crossing his face for a few seconds that was so adorable it made his mother laugh loudly, before he giggled and waved the toy to hear the rattling sound again.
"You're very clever aren't you Gabriel" Nikki told her son, shifting slightly but staying in the same position so Gabriel could see her when she was talking to him. They hoped that even though he wasn't deaf like Donovan was, he would learn to lip read as well as sign, it would be useful for him if he could. "You learn quickly just like your daddy"
She glanced up as the door opened and Harry walked into the room, smiling at her lover as he walked over and leant on the back of the sofa, kissing her on the cheek before glancing at Gabriel who was still enthralled by the toy in his hands.
"Donovan is asleep" Harry told Nikki who smiled and nodded, stealing another kiss from him and making him chuckle. "Isn't this one going to sleep?"
"Nope" Nikki chuckled and looked back at Gabriel who didn't seem at all tired. They'd noticed that since Donovan's illness and the loss of his hearing he had gone to sleep quicker and stayed asleep for longer than Gabriel, probably because he wasn't distracted and woken up by noises as his older brother was. "And he's just fed, I thought that might tire him out like it normally does but no"
"Because you're exciting him" Harry laughed as he tickled Gabriel's tummy, the baby squealing and grinning, waving the toy caterpillar around before putting it back in his mouth again and chewing on it with his toothless gums.
"Excuse me, don't blame it all on me Cunningham" Nikki laughed as Harry continued to tickle their son "He was just calming down then and then you started to tickle him"
"I'm sorry"
"No you're not" Nikki giggled and shook her head "And for that you can get him off to sleep"
"My pleasure" Harry smiled and took Gabriel from Nikki's legs, his girlfriend kissing the baby's head as he did so. "You'll go to sleep for daddy won't you my boy? We'll go and talk about planes"
"That will send him to sleep" Nikki murmured and Harry mock glared at her over the top of Gabriel's head as he walked around the sofa and sat down next to his lover, placing their son in his arms and cradling him closely to his chest so the baby could feel his heartbeat.
"Mummy just doesn't understand the fine intricacy that comes with planes" Harry shook his head at Gabriel who just stared up at him, waving the caterpillar around as he listened his to father's voice "She doesn't understand how wonderful they are"
"Please don't bore him" Nikki told Harry without looking away from the sign language book on her lap "Or traumatise him by telling him about the fine intricacies that come with planes"
Harry pouted at her and Nikki glanced up at him for a few seconds, smirking as she went back to her book.
"Well maybe we should take them to Duxford" Harry suggested to his fiancé as he shifted Gabriel into a better position, the baby turning his attention back his toy as he shook it, gurgling and smiling happily at the noises it was making. "Then they can hear the planes and..I mean Gabriel will, Donovan can look at them and see how amazing and interesting they are" he chuckled and Nikki giggled and rolled her eyes.
"Yes" she nodded "Large lumps of metal, really interesting"
"If you knew what went into one of those lumps of metal then you'll be interested as well" Harry laughed and Nikki grinned at him and shook her head.
"Nope" she disagreed with him "But I would like to take them there so they know what their daddy is obsessed with"
"I'm not obsessed" Harry chuckled and turned back to Gabriel "Daddy just likes planes that's all, like mummy likes her gardening and her butterflies"
"Butterflies are pretty, planes aren't"
"They are beautiful in their own way" Harry told her and Nikki laughed and nodded.
"Okay, whatever you say Harry" Nikki laughed and Harry chuckled at her as she rested her head on the back of the sofa, turning her eyes to the book on her legs. "The boys will probably start signing before they actually start talking" Nikki told him suddenly and Harry looked back at her. "Some babies start signing at around six months, that's pretty scary when you think about it. They only start to say a few words at around eleven months old"
"So they could be talking to us very soon, well in a few months" Harry smiled and Nikki shook her head, pouting slightly.
"Please don't say that, and anyway they're only eleven weeks old" Nikki smiled and looked back at the book, turning the page and resting her head on the back of the sofa again. "I don't want them to grow up"
"I know" Harry sighed, not taking his eyes away from Gabriel as the baby's eyes began to droop slightly. "You go to sleep" he told the baby "Then mummy and daddy can have some time together"
"Not right now Harry"
"I didn't mean that sort of time" Harry rolled his eyes at his lover and chuckled "I meant just spending some time together"
Nikki smiled up at him and nodded, putting the book on the arm of the sofa and then moving so she was snuggled up to Harry's side, looping her arms through his and looking at Gabriel who was resting the toy on his chest, a sleepy look on his face as he whimpered and yawned, his parents chuckling at him.
"Do you miss being pregnant?" Harry asked suddenly later on as the two of them sat snuggled up on the sofa, Gabriel having been taken up to the nursery half an hour before when he had finally fallen asleep in Harry's arms.
"Where did that come from?" Nikki asked, turning away from Artemis and Eos who were playing around on the floor in front of the fire.
"I was just wondering" Harry shrugged as he moved his arm away from Nikki, his lover kneeling next to him and grabbing a pillow to wrap her arms around. "I mean you kept telling me throughout the pregnancy that you enjoyed being pregnant and I was wondering if you miss it"
"Sometimes I miss it because I became so used to having all the extra weight, the bump and the babies moving in me but sometimes I think I forget what it was exactly like" Nikki frowned as she tried to explain "You know when you hurt yourself and you're in pain but then afterwards you completely forget about it but you have vague idea what it felt like?"
"Hmm" Harry nodded and Nikki smiled.
"That's what I feel about the pregnancy"
"Will you do it again?"
"Not right now" Nikki giggled and Harry chuckled and shook his head "But yes I will at some point, if you want to that is"
"Of course I do" Harry grinned and leant across to kiss her "I'm just happy that you want more with me"
"Same" Nikki nodded and kissed him again as Harry smiled and reached up to stroke her cheek gently, his lover leaning into his touch "But it won't be for a good few years yet"
"I wasn't expecting it to be anytime soon" Harry rolled his eyes and Nikki slapped his arm gently, chuckling at him.
"Well I don't know. For all I know you're plotting to get me pregnant again soon" she giggled and Harry laughed and shook his head. "Anyway you can't because I'm breastfeeding and I can't get pregnant while I'm breastfeeding"
Harry mock pouted at her and Nikki laughed, giggling when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down onto his lap, discarding the pillow and leaning down to kiss her passionately on the lips.