Ethan dug around in Jake's chest of drawers with one arm as he held the fussy toddler with the other. He pulled out a T-shirt and some shorts and set his son down to get him dressed. Jake had been trying to escape the room for a little while now, since he'd woken his parents up by banging his blocks on his bedroom door, he saw his chance after Ethan had finished pulling his shorts up and pulled off his pyjama shirt and bolted, getting through the small gap left between the door and the frame and out onto the landing.

"Lyra!" Ethan yelled through to the bathroom, "Jake's going for the stairs!"

He heard the clatter of a toothbrush hitting ceramic, then the unmistakable sound of a small boy being grabbed around the waist against his will.

Lyra walked in, white foam still around her lips and Jake tucked under her left arm and flailing his limbs impressively.

"He gave me the slip," Ethan smiled sheepishly, Lyra handed Jake back to him wordlessly, lips pursed because she didn't have a chance to spit before being called into action, and went back to brushing her teeth.

Ethan put Jake's shirt on and held his hand to walk down the stairs with him, opening the child gate at the bottom so they could pass through. There was one at the top of the stairs yesterday, but Ethan had accidentally broken it during the night when he'd woken up and gone down for a drink of water.

That was his first job of the day after breakfast.

Ethan let go of his son's hand as soon as they reached the ground, and had to follow as Jake quickly dashed off, through the living room and into the kitchen. Jake pressed his hands against the glass doors that lead to the back patio and into their back garden and further to the Day-Care.

"I wanna play with Aibo!" Jake shouted, even as his stomach released a large growl.

"Breakfast first bud."

Ethan regretted saying anything as soon as he saw Jake's bottom lip wobble. Jake scrunched his face as he started to wail.

"What's up?" Lyra said, walking over to Jake, who was flailing once again, and picking him up.

"Jake wants to go and play before we have breakfast," Ethan frowned.

Lyra turned Jake in her arms and lifted him so they were face to face, "Jake? Sweetheart? Are you hungry?"

Jake looked to the floor and nodded his head.

"You need to eat so you can go and play."

Jake nodded sullenly and allowed Lyra to strap him into his booster seat. Lyra walked over to Ethan and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Looks like we have a mummy's boy," Ethan joked, but he couldn't prevent the tone from being slightly flat.

Lyra pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, "You're doing a great job. You know that."

Instantly Ethan was transported to the end of their first date, when Lyra had pressed a similar kiss to his cheek and told him that he didn't need to go out of his way to impress her, she'd already been crushing on him for months because of who he already was.

She still had that effect on him, over a decade and a child later.

"Besides," Lyra smiled, "With a face like that, I think he looks more like Uncle Silver."

Ethan chuckled.

He poured some cereal for Jake as Lyra chopped a banana for him. She took it to the table as Ethan put some slices of bread in the toaster, he had stuff to do today, and didn't really feel like cooking something more extravagant.

Lyra made sure Jake was settled and joined Ethan at the worktop, leaning back against it and looking at their son thoughtfully.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

Lyra hummed, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Ethan wasn't convinced and made a mental note to talk about it later.

Lyra turned to him and gave him a smile, "I'm okay, I promise."

They heard a loud, wet clatter behind them. They turned slowly to see Jake's bowl on the floor, cereal and milk spread on the floor around it.

"You go and get that child gate," Lyra sighed, "I'll clean up here and hold down the fort."

Lyra had a day off that day. As the owner of a Pokémon Day-Care, Ethan never really got a day off. He walked around all the shelters, feeding the Pokémon that had taken up residence on the grounds, whether they were his and Lyra's, or belonging to the trainers who left their Pokémon with them. Once he completed his morning rounds, he joined Lyra on their back patio where she slid him a glass of water.

Ethan looked out at his Pokémon, playing with his son. It never failed to make him smile, watching his old companions act so warmly with his son. Aibo especially, loved playing with Ethan's son.

The serenity of the moment was broken however, when Jake tripped and went sprawling across the ground. Ethan was at his side like a shot, helping him sit up and inspecting the new scrape on his knee. Jake's bottom lip made its trademark wobble, but Ethan was there to pull him close.

"It's okay bud," Ethan said soothingly, "Just a little scuff."

Ethan picked him and took him over to Lyra, who had already been to get the first aid kit. She sprayed the cut with antiseptic spray and covered it with a plaster, pressing a kiss to the plastic when it was applied.

"All better," she said with a bright smile. Her cheeriness did its job, and Jake had calmed down quickly. Before long, he was ready to get back to playing.

Ethan took his seat on the patio again, watching Jake playing again as if nothing was wrong. His Pokémon, however, were playing much more carefully with him, which Ethan appreciated greatly.

Jake made the day difficult through dinner and bedtime as well, having been displeased with the meal choice for dinner and then not wanting to settle at bedtime. Eventually, Ethan managed to convince Jake to lie down for a story, and eventually the young boy settled to sleep.

He tiptoed from the room, desperate not to make any excess noise that may wake Jake up, releasing a sigh of relief when he successfully made it to the landing and closed the door.

He truly loved his son, but it had been a tough day.

He made his way back downstairs and joined Lyra on the couch, slouching with exhaustion.

"A day off is never really a day off with him around," Lyra said, a tired smile on her face.

"He really is approaching the 'terrible twos'."

They sat in silence for a little while, savouring the lack of noise.

"Is everything okay?" Ethan asked again, "You seemed a little off this morning."

"I'm fine," Lyra replied, "Honestly I am, I just…"

Ethan closed his eyes, laid back and waited as she seemed to build her courage, he knew that she'd tell him eventually, so he didn't want to force it.

"I want another baby."

Ethan's eyes shot open, he slowly sat up and looked at his wife and saw her looking at her hands balled in his lap, a faint blush on her cheeks.

She was serious.

Ethan had a habit of sticking his foot in his mouth, a habit that he was usually good at avoiding with Lyra. But, when he would think back that night, he would cringe at his response.

"Even with Jake being… Jake?"

Luckily, Ethan's statement broke the tension. Lyra laughed and took his hand.

"Even with Jake being Jake," she said, brown eyes searching his golds, "Maybe I should've waited for an easier day. Jake's been abnormally fussy today, but… I've been thinking about it for a little while now."

Ethan went quiet, he truly adored his son, he loved watching him grow and guiding him. Jake truly was a mix of the two of them, his looks and Lyra's eyes, his energy and Lyra's curiosity.

"If you don't want to," Lyra said, "That's okay. I just… I guess I'm feeling a little broody, I'm still happy with you and Jake."

Lyra said that it was okay, but Ethan could hear the disappointment in her tone. She really wanted this.

Ethan thought back to when he'd found out Lyra was pregnant with Jake, she'd been scared and unsure whether they should keep the baby or wait until they were a little older, when Lyra had finally taken over from Professor Elm and Ethan had finished studying so he could take over her grandparents' Pokémon Day-Care.

Ethan had promised to support her decision, whatever she'd chosen, but he couldn't deny the rush he'd felt when Lyra had told them that a little piece of them both was growing inside her.

Being a parent was challenging, but he loved their little family.

Maybe he wouldn't mind doing it all again.

Ethan turned to face her, Lyra's posture was slouched with disappointment. He took both of her hands in his own and she looked up with him with hope in her eyes.

"Let's do it," he said, "I love you, and I love Jake. I'd love any other kids we have."

Lyra jumped at him, pulling him close and kissing him deeply, "I love you too, I know it won't be easy, but I've thought for a while. I really want this."

And for Ethan, he existed to give Lyra what she wanted.

I see Jake as one of those kids who's a demon child when he's really young, but becomes an absolute dream when he starts school. Lily, when she's born, is the opposite a (comparatively) easy baby, who becomes more mischievous as she grows older, although she's still ultimately a good kid.