Work Text:
3:34am.
That's what the blaring green digits read on their LED clock, blurring Lexa's vision. She tries not to let out a whine at the whimpering coming from the static of the baby monitor. Groaning, Lexa rubs at her face and rolls onto her back. The sheets shift beside her and Lexa glances over to her exhausted mate.
"She's crying again?"
"It's the typical timing," Lexa mumbles tiredly as she rubs at her eyes, "I would be more concerned if she wasn't crying, honestly."
An arched brow and a low grunt respond back and despite her exhaustion, Lexa smiles adoringly at her sleepy mate. Leaning over, Lexa places a soft kiss upon her creased forehead and reaches for her cheek. Her mate mumbles her disapproval and attempts to snuggle closer, causing Lexa to chuckle.
"Raven," she soothes as she smoothes back a strand of chestnut hair, "our daughter beckons our immediate attention."
"She's spoiled," Raven mutters as she snuggles further into the sheets. "She knows that you can never say no. At some point we have to let her cry it out."
"No," Lexa replies adamantly, earning another arched brow from her mate. Sheepishly, Lexa corrects herself with a light blush to her cheeks.
"No," she repeats again. "At least not tonight."
"Didn't you say that two weeks ago?"
"Madi was scared that night," Lexa protests weakly, her heart stirring as she hears another pitiful whimper from the monitor. "There were thunderstorms."
"Mhmm," Raven murmurs, "and that explains how as soon as you came in she started giggling and laughing, right?"
"Raven," Lexa scolds lightly, thumbing over the creased brow of her half-asleep mate. "She's still a pup."
"Lexa, she's almost a year old. She's not a pup anymore."
"She'll always be a pup to me."
"And so long as she is, she's gonna get whatever she wants out of you." Raven yawns, curling into a small ball before muttering, "don't forget who her parents are. You may be a gushing softy with our daughter, but don't try to tell me you aren't manipulative and cunning in the courtroom." Lexa rolls her eyes at the jest but Raven's hidden smile in her words has her chest fluttering with pride. Raven snorts and shakes her head with a quiet laugh.
"Of course you would be proud of our daughter's ability to be wrapped around your finger."
Before Lexa can reply, another sobbing whine comes from the monitor. She looks desperately down at her mate, who's on the edge of sleep.
"Please?" Lexa begs quietly. "Just for tonight. I hate being away from her."
"Lexa," Raven sighs before burying her face into the pillow. "Fine. Just don't complain if she doesn't let you go until morning like last time."
Lexa winces at that. She remembers how sore she'd been that night and badly doesn't want a repeat episode. She sets her jaw determinedly and nods.
"I'll be an hour, tops."
"I'll count that as four hours," Raven mumbles as she pulls Lexa's pillow into her stomach and peeks a sleepy eye open at her wife. "Now go, you sap."
Lexa doesn't need to be told twice.
* * *
Madison Anya Reyes-Woods is undoubtedly a beautiful baby.
With her dazzling green eyes, tan skin, onyx hair, and pearly teeth complete with perfect dimples, she is the model child. Everywhere Lexa and Raven take their baby, the couple get raining compliments left and right. And Lexa? Well, Lexa could never resist those chubby cheeks and wide eyes.
But right now, she's beginning to wonder if that's more of a weakness than a strength.
Raven had a good point. She's ruthless in the courtroom, known as the only defence attorney in the state with a straight fifty-o case wins. She's defeated crooked district attorneys and proved the innocence of so many of her clients. She'd learn to be rough and tough from growing up on the streets with her late sister; she hadn't known a sweet bone in her body until she'd met her wife in high school. There, alongside their good friends Clarke and Octavia, Lexa began to see her world as more than just pain and suffering. Lexa began to grow, and with that growth, she learned to love again.
Most importantly, Lexa realizes as she beams down at her fitful daughter in her crib, she learned that she can have a family, too.
"Oh sweetheart," Lexa purrs as she reaches into the crib to stroke her daughter's back. "Mama's here. Ssh, now."
Madison's cries don't ease fully, but she goes from wailing to whimpering. She cocks her head upwards and blinks her beautiful greens up at her mother in a silent plea. Lexa's heart clenches because she knows she's not supposed to do more than settle her, but when she stares into those innocent eyes she can't help but melt. Begrudgingly, Lexa scolds Raven's words in the back of her mind and simply reduces it down to the fact that Madison is uncomfortable.
Taking a quick whiff of her daughter's scent, she doesn't smell that she needs a changing or to be fed, but rather that she's just being fussy. Sighing tiredly, Lexa continues to stroke Madison's back and belly until her daughter starts to wriggle around less. All the while, she pumps out soothing pheromones that only work to soothe her spirited daughter during the worst of nights. Just as she thinks Madison's ready to sleep, Lexa hears her wail.
"Little one," Lexa hums as she works harder to soothe their daughter with her scent, "please sleep. I know you're fussy, but please."
Madison has none of it, however, and only wails louder.
Sighing, Lexa glances over her shoulder to where the door to the master bedroom is cracked open the slightest. She spies her wife splayed out on the mattress with the sheets tucked up to her neck and her body enveloped around her pillow. Gulping, Lexa turns to her daughter with a small smile.
"Fine," she says quietly as she gazes at her daughter, "I'll stay for one hour, okay? Then you gotta sleep on your own, sweetheart."
Madison seems to accept the ultimatum with a whine as Lexa carefully swings her legs over and crawls into the confined space of the crib. Instantly, the tiny pup clambers onto her stomach and nuzzles between her neck, her whimpers easing. Lexa purrs and she hears Madison attempting to repeat the sound. It's disconnected and cracked, but Lexa proudly smiles as her daughter eagerly responds to her comfort. One of her tiny fists latches into her sire's night shirt and her other is splayed flat around the exposed flesh of Lexa's collarbone. Leaning down, Lexa can't resist pecking her daughter's forehead.
Madison seems to be content with the new comfort and falls asleep within a few minutes, light snores fluttering against her skin in small rasps. Lexa takes the time to drink in her daughter's features with overwhelming emotion and happiness. Everyday she feels more blessed to call this tiny ball of chub her own flesh and blood. When Lexa leans her head down and pecks Madison's cheek again, her heart swells when she hears her daughter mimic another purr.
She stays still like that for what seems like an hour, until she feels a twinge in her back. Lexa attempts to adjust, but Madison snores and whimpers.
Lexa winces. Of course this happens (like it has happened every time she's done this).
She hates to say it, as she looks to the master bedroom with a longing glance, but Raven was right once again.
"Well I can't just leave her here," Lexa murmurs to herself as she pulls her legs into an L-shape within the tight confines of the crib. "It's only a few hours."
Madison, as if in agreement, snuggles in closer and snores. Lexa rolls her eyes and thinks for a second she can make out a faint smirk on her lips.
"How am I going to handle you when you're sixteen and want your first car?" Lexa mumbles with soft chuckle, shaking her head. She reaches down for the small baby blanket at her daughter's feet and slowly pulls it up to cover her sleeping daughter. She wraps her arms around her protectively, but lightly enough to make sure she doesn't suffocate. Lexa smiles again and pecks her daughter's soft dark hair once more before sliding her own eyes shut.
Yeah, she'll be sore in the morning, but it'll be worth it.
* * *
Okay, so maybe it isn't entirely worth it.
"Seriously?"
Lexa cracks an eye open to see her amused wife staring over the side of the crib with an arched brow. Lexa goes to respond when a high-pitched giggle interrupts. She glances down to see Madison awake, sitting on her chest with her legs smushed underneath her bottom. A shit-eating grin dons her daughter's face as she glances between both her parents, giggling some more and then bouncing a few times. Lexa groans at the stiffness in her bones.
"Serves you right," Raven chuckles as she reaches in and takes Madison into her arms before pecking her cheek. "I told you that she always gets her way."
"I can't help it," Lexa pouts as she attempts to move her sore legs to get out of the crib. "Have you seen her face? How do you resist her?"
"Because I carried her for nine months," Raven quips back before teasingly nuzzling their daughter's nose. "Isn't that right, baby girl? I know all your tricks, don't I?" Madison places both of her stodgy palms on her mothers face and giggles again, bouncing happily as Raven makes a funny face. Lexa rolls her eyes, but deep down, her she can't help the burst of affection and love she has for her family. She finally, after a few stretches and groans (with no help at all from her smirking wife and grinning daughter), Lexa manages to pry herself out of the crib. She cracks her neck and twists her torso to loosen any knots. After she's sure that the worst strained muscles are dealt with, Lexa wraps her arms around her family. Raven's face sits in the crook of her neck, her nose tracing the faint scar of their mating mark as she drinks in their mixed scent. Lexa purrs and nuzzles the top of her wife's head lovingly.
"I'm still mad at you for sleeping in there," Raven hums softly as Madison pushes her way between them. "Only I get to make you sore, baby."
"I can't believe that you think the crib is… uh… penis-blocking us."
"It is," Raven says as she reaches down with her free hand to cup between Lexa's legs teasingly. "God knows, this is the only cock I want and I can't even get it right now. My pussy's all healed and yet all we can do is sleep. We haven't had sex in eleven months, Lexa. I'm getting a little needy too, you know."
"Raven!" Lexa scolds as she pulls back to place her hands over Madison's ears quickly. Raven just arches her brow at her blushing wife and smirks again.
"What? She's a baby, she isn't going to understand what cock or pussy means yet."
"Babies are incredibly intelligent, Raven. And if you were right last night and if she's anything like us, we have to be careful what we say around her."
"And why's that?" Raven asks, shifting a wide-eyed Madison in her arms. "You worried that she's gonna have a swear as her first word?"
"No, I just don't want to explain to Abby why our daughter is fascinated with a word she shouldn't be learning."
"Don't bring my mother into this."
"I'm right though," Lexa says as she cheekily swoops in to kiss her wife's cheek. "Given how smart we are, Madi's bound to be up to mischief early. I mean, she has a rocket scientist and a lawyer for her mothers. Just imagine what her teenage life is going to be like. Not to mention, we weren't exactly the model teenagers back in the day. I remember a certain someone blowing up Ms Lucin's classroom 'for science' and then setting the teacher's dress on fire."
At that, both parents pale slightly before glancing to their daughter. Madison grins at both of them, wide-eyed, before giggling.
"She knows," Raven says as she glances to her wife with horror, "she knows, doesn't she?"
Lexa gulps and shrugs worriedly before glancing over at her wife with a sheepish smile. "Like you said, she's just a baby. Maybe she's just… taking in the world. I am sure that she's not aware enough to be plotting and scheming already. At least… I hope." Her voice wavers on uncertainty, and both parents believe it even less when Madison bounces and slams her palms on both of their cheeks before staring directly into their eyes with sparkling green eyes.
"She's a good baby," Lexa coos as she playfully pinches her daughter's cheek, "aren't you, my little one?"
Madison squeals and slaps Lexa's cheek lightly in response. Raven chuckles at the frown on her wife's face and shakes her head. Lexa tries to maintain her frown, but the beautiful smile on her daughter's lips and the teasing laugh from her wife are enough to melt away any sense of stubbornness. She pulls them back into her arms and kisses the both of them on their heads before letting her chest rumble with another purr. Raven echoes the sentiment with her own purr and Lexa smiles as she feels those soft lips planting gentle kisses on the underside of her neck. Madison snuggles into her chest and clenches her shirt. As their daughter occupies herself with a loose string on her shirt, Raven's mouth finds the shell of Lexa's ear and she tugs gently.
"When she does go down for her nap, though, I want you. We've waited long enough," Raven husks sensually as she lightly bites the alpha's ear. "I've missed having a part of you inside a part of me. I've missed feeling you hard and needy inside of me, aching to just let go…" Lexa shivers at the undertones of lust in Raven's voice. When Raven's hand gently massages over the front of her sleep shorts with a testing squeeze, she can't fight her groan.
"Fuck," Lexa hoarsely gasps, before her eyes grow wide at what she'd just uttered. Madison's head snaps up and she studies Lexa's face curiously.
"Oh no," Lexa says as she watches the gears turning in Madison's head. Raven watches on in equal anticipation. "No, sweetheart, don't--"
"Fuck," Madison repeats in a soft voice at first. Raven bites her lip and can't hold back the snort that bursts from her mouth. "Oh fuck--"
Lexa gasps in shock, "Raven--"
"Fuck!" Madison squeals louder, earning a bigger laugh from her mother. "Fuck, fuck, fuck…"
"No," Lexa tries to stop her, but her daughter is obsessed with the new (and sadly, first) real word to leave her lips. "Madi, we don't say that word, okay?"
"Fuck?"
"No."
"Fuck," Madison repeats resolutely, frowning at her mother before repeating. "Fuck."
Raven can't stop laughing now, and it grows louder and harder until Lexa has to pry their newly talking daughter from her arms. Madison continues her barrage of the word, seeming to have recognized that by saying it, her mothers elicit a positive response. Lexa's attempts are thwarted by Madison's stubborn behaviour, and soon enough even she resigns to chuckling and shaking her head and sighing in disbelief. Raven wipes her eyes and breathes out.
"Oh my god," her wife heaves between chuckles as she smirks at her wife, "you were the one who was worried, and you taught her the word--"
"Fuck," Madison says seriously, looking between her mothers. Raven snorts again and teasingly nods at her daughter's stern expression.
"Exactly," Raven says, glancing back up to Lexa with a beaming grin. "I told you she was smart."
"Technically I told you that," Lexa says as she arches her brow and stares at her wide-eyed daughter. "But it's true isn't it, little one. You truly are too smart for your own good. Your first word before Mami or Mama just has to be a curse word, doesn't it? Boy, your grandmother is going to have a field day."
At this, Raven's eyes widen in fear. "Oh shit, Mom!"
Both parents freeze before looking over to Madison. Raven opens her mouth but it's too late, Madison's lips are already moving.
"Shit?" Their daughter repeats with a wide grin. "Shit-fuck-shit-fuck-shit--'
"Great," Raven sighs as she watches their daughter happily babble. "Mom's going to murder us, probably."
"Most likely," Lexa agrees seriously, not taking her eyes off Madison. "But honestly? Could we have expected anything else from our kid?"
Raven glances to their daughter and then to her wife. She smiles lovingly before wrapping her arms around her lover's waist and pecking her lips softly.
"Never in a million years."