New Years Eve. Ricardo smiles down at Andre as he sleeps peacefully in his father's arms. "I love you, little guy," he whispers, squeezing Andre's little foot. "You know that, right?" Alicia had crashed long before midnight, as had Sofia, so it's just the two of them, Andre's loud breathing something Ricardo's focused on, a comforting sound he'd grown to enjoy in the weeks since his son had entered the world.
Midnight looms and Ricardo expects it but he still cringes at the first flash of fireworks against the night sky outside, grimacing as it sets off a series of the noisy explosions that starts Andre out of his peaceful sleep and leaves him sobbing, fists flailing around as Ricardo kisses him and strokes his cheek, trying to whisper soothingly between blasts overhead. "It's ok," he murmurs, rocking back and forth carefully. "You're safe. I'll never let anything happen to you."
It takes time but the sound eventually fades, and Ricardo exhales as Andre slowly stops crying as well, his face flushed with the force of his tears, and Ricardo tsks softly, kissing the baby's cheeks and forehead before settling him back soothingly in his arms. "In about fifteen years, I know it doesn't seem like it now," Ricardo murmurs to him, "but you will find yourself in love with fireworks, I'm telling you right this second. You'll probably even want to blow your own off at any opportunity you get." He smiles fondly, remembering his own childhood and how fireworks always seemed so incredible and dangerous, beautiful when they light the night sky just right in reds or purples or whatever other color could be possible.
"Like my mother used to say- your grandmother-" he adds needlessly, eyes widening as he finds the baby had woken back up and was staring at him with wide, dark eyes that always succeeded at taking Ricardo's breath away. "most things you will appreciate when you're older,," he murmurs on, still rocking back and forth, watching the clock slowly tick deeper into 2021. "This saying will probably annoy you a lot when you're getting older, so I'll try not to say it a lot, but I have found it's true more times than not." He smiles ruefully, missing his mother and hoping she is with his sister and everything is alright. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what, Andre."
Andre doesn't respond, but he does fall asleep once more, so Ricardo decides to call it a win.