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This was never supposed to happen. Shane was happily living with Sara, really getting his life together. Buzzfeed Unsolved was a hit right away, the fans loving his staunch skepticism and stupid comments in the face of the scariest situations. They lapped up the duo's dynamics and Shane never knew that so many people would be interested in what he had to say. But right now, it was all coming apart. His relationship fizzled out, his stupid brother had to go and have a kid when his marriage was already on rocks and the result was right now staring at him with that bug looking eyes that he found was creepier than the random words Ryan's stupid spirit box spat out sometimes.
Look he knows that he can't blame the kid right now, but he never wanted to have kids. This was unfair - responsibility thrust upon him at the peak of his life. Okay, not his peak but still, not the best timing he feels. It is a temporary situation, maybe a few months he hopes. He knows how bad post-partum depression can be, and mama Madej was right to not leave the kid alone with his brother. He slowly rocks the baby as he carries her through the threshold of his small apartment which was totally unequipped to be a place where his little niece will be staying for some time. After feeding her and settling her down for the night (thankful that his mom walked him through all that stuff instead of blindly thrusting her upon him), he lays down on his bed, too exhausted to even change out of his clothes covered in drool, baby powder, and other unidentifiable yellow specks. He drifts off into a dreamless sleep only to be woken up by the incessant wailing of the newest member of the Shane Madej household.
The next morning he walks into the office in an almost trance-like state, the coffee doing nothing to help with his current state. Dropping his niece off at the creche was tougher than he thought it would, with him almost considering taking another day off from work to look after her. But the kind old lady assured him that this was all babies do and her crying was of nothing to be worried about. But what followed was one of the most embarrassing conversations he ever had to have in his life. In all the confusion and drama, they forgot to name the baby. Following a really long-winded explanation, the old lady urged him to pick a name as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of the child growing up without a name and thus being bullied. "A girl has a no-name" he muttered and wheezed silently drawing the attention of his desk-mate. "You seemed to be in a good mood today" Ryan said before he could take a good look at Shane. "No I take it back, you look like shit dude"
"Thanks, Ryan"
"You Okay big guy?" Ryan asked with worry when Shane didn't come up with a witty comeback.
"What do you think is a good baby name for a girl?"
Ryan looked at him like he suddenly grew a third head before blurting out "Niki"
Niki it is then.
Ryan didn't know what was up with Shane. He knew that Shane had some days when he was not very social and quiet and he knew not to bother him then. But this was getting just ridiculous. It was Friday evening, most of his coworkers have already left the office, and Ryan was already planning on confronting Shane. The big guy was slumped on his desk, his headphones being crushed by his big noggin. He seemed to be taking a lot these naps lately, Ryan muses before gliding his chair over to Shane's and shouting boo on his ears. "Top of the morning to ya" he greets him chirpily, and couldn't help but notice how even with all the hair sticking in weird directions, the glasses resting in a skewed position and half of his face red with marks from the headphone, Shane looked endearingly adorable.
"Shane, are you alright dude? "
Shane rubs his eyes tiredly as he absent-mindedly starts packing all his stuff up. He looks at Ryan for a few seconds, contemplating something deeply before answering Ryan. "I need your help"
Oh, this must be serious Ryan thought. "What is it, dude?"
Instead of telling him, Shane thought it would be easier to show him.
Ryan already worked himself up to a state of panic and frenzy. Maybe the fan theories were right - Shane is a demon and is finally fed up and is going to kill Ryan. He was therefore very much surprised when Shane stopped in front of a Creche and walked out a few moments with a cozy looking bundle and a small bag slung across his slenderman frame. "Ryan meet Niki"
His brain which was already struggling to catch up on the current happenings just went into overdrive. Struggling to balance the sleeping baby that was suddenly thrust on him, he whisper-shouted "What the hell Shane?"
"Don't curse" he instinctively told instead of addressing a million questions that Ryan seems to be having a meltdown over. "She is my niece and I'm taking care of her for a few days". He then proceeds to tell him about how his brother and sister-in-law are not on speaking terms and his mother deemed Shane fit enough to be her parent for a few days.
"Oh my God! Did I name her??"
"Yeah...I had to name her and well your suggestion was good enough"
The apartment was a total mess and Ryan could see why Shane was not himself the entire week. He understands why Shane would need his help and offers to prepare dinner and help him with chores. Shane accepts his offer a little too eagerly, and Ryan gets to work right away, first set on cleaning up the room. "If I thought that you were asking a name for your niece I would have put more thought into it you know"
"Well I like the name Niki and it is not like she has any other option"
"No offense dude but these are the baby's formative years and I think her parents leaving her with you is not the best thing for her you know..."
"I'm trying my best" he slumps over the sofa, the baby making cooing noises at him.
"Can I hold her?"
"Yeah sure" he offers Niki to Ryan, who takes her into his hands reverently. Ryan's eyes soften and the chipmunkish smile that makes Shane's heart flutter makes way into his face. Apparently, his niece also finds Ryan's smile amusing, going by the increase in the cooing noise and animated hand movements.
"She likes you"
"They are babies Shane. They would trust a bigfoot"
"Can't disagree with that"
"She is the best-behaved baby I have met so far" Ryan tells him as he gently rocks the baby in his hands. "Well, you haven't met her midnight persona. You will recant that statement - She is a banshee" Shane strolls into the kitchen to prepare her milk, Ryan following him with baby in hand. "Don't be a meanie Shane. Meanie Uncle Shanie" Ryan baby talks as his niece full on cheers the exchange.
Ryan's tries to clean the house as much as possible as Shane feeds Niki. He also starts preparing dinner (well he knows how to cook Spaghetti and they have to make do with that). As he was almost done with the meal, he comes out to find Shane and baby Niki napping on the Sofa, the baby head smushed on his friend's chest. Ryan couldn't resist taking a pic before waking them up.
After that night, Ryan becomes a regular visitor, bringing groceries for Shane and toys to Niki who loves him. He generally leaves right after the dinner, but one tiring day when Ryan ends up staying the night, Shane finds that he really doesn't mind and he, in fact, finds Ryan's presence comforting and welcoming. They have had sleepovers before, but this was different. Maybe it was the lack of haunted ambiance or the baby waking them up in the odd hours of the night, the whole thing starts to feel domestic.
It was the third night of Ryan's sleepover at Shane's house when it hits him. He was wearing one of Shane's t-shirt, going to brush his tooth with his yellow toothbrush that he had left behind from his last visit. He doesn't build the pillow fort between them anymore and can sleep through Shane's snoring. He and Shane have fulled transformed into the old-married couple that youtube comments loved to talk about. They even have a daughter who he named!
Ryan comes out to find Shane trying to teach her basic words. "Ryan" he points at him as the baby claps revealing her toothless gums. "Shane, we need to talk"
Shane immediately straightens and gives a quizzical look "Nothing good comes after such statement"
"It's not a big deal. I mean it is. It's about Niki's food...I think we need to switch her diet from milk to solids. Read about it one of those books" he loses his courage to talk about their current situation as he fears it might make things awkward.
"Oh" Shane utters and gently places Niki on the sofa before striding towards Ryan and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. Ryan shocked utters "Well that was unexpected" and cranes his neck to look at Shane. He looks at Shane as if asking silently asking for his permission before standing on his tiptoes to place a gentle peck on Shane's lip.
When Shane's brother comes to pick their daughter up, both of them felt like parents whose child is being taken away. They are happy that the Nicola Madej will finally get to grow up with her mama and papa but they knew it was Niki who got them together and her presence will be very much missed from Shane and Ryan's apartment.