Work Text:
The Day after Christmas. The alarm clock sounded obnoxiously loud to Sasha's already pounding head and ears this morning. The expected outcome from last night's Psychonauts' Christmas party. He had indulged in the drink a bit more than usual, it was a party after all. It's not that he had drunk that much, but he still ended up tipsy enough to even laugh at Oleander's lamest jokes. With a quick push with his psi-power, he ended the intruding sound. He rose from the sheets with a series of groans. At the window, managing to look bright-eyed and awake, even with the messy morning hair, stood Milla, enjoying the sight of the run rising over the snowy, sleepy area. She giggled as she saw her husband stumble out of bed like a zombie.
“Enjoyed the party, I see, darling?” She asked jokingly, accepting a kiss on the cheek from Sasha.
“I did, and I know you did as well.” Sasha said with a smile. “In fact, I know you drank a lot more than me. So how are you this bright this morning?”
With a suggestive smile playing on her lips she traced a finger down Sasha's chest. “Easy, Darling-ow.” She placed her hand on her forehead, her face scrunched up in discomfort. She looked up with a bashful giggle. “I'm pretending.”
“Coffee?”
“Extra strong, Por Favor.”
As they went towards the kitchen, Milla suddenly made a detour towards Razputin's door.
“Let him sleep, Milla.” Sasha said. “He has stayed up as long as we have and he needs more sleep than us.”
Milla ignored her husband's remark and quietly opened the door. She giggled and gestured for Sasha to come closer. “Come take a look at this.” she said in a hushed whisper.
Sasha could describe the scene inside Raz's room as only one thing: adorable.
Besides their son Razputin, the other occupant in the oversized bed was Lili. She had spent the night in the Vodello-Nein household, despite her own (second) house being not to far from their own. In fact, She and Raz had been very unrelenting in their sleepover request last night. The two preteens were still asleep in Raz's bed, backs turned away from each other. Sasha noticed a mischievous smirk spreading on his Wife's lips. He didn't need to hear her thoughts right now to know what she was thinking.
“I know Raz is a deep sleeper, but I doubt he won't notice you moving him.” He whispered, not able to resist smiling himself. “Let them sleep, Liebe.”
His remarks once more ignored, he watched as Milla pressed her fingers against her temple. She gently flipped over Raz, making him face toward Lili.
“And for the finishing touch...” she whispered. She gently nudged Raz just a bit closer to his friend.
“You are playing with fire, Milla....”
“Ah, ye of little faith.” Milla whispered with a giggle.
Raz's hand brushed against Lili's back. She stirred for a bit and then flipped over, unto Raz's outstretch arm. She immediately snuggled closer into Raz's chest, who himself wrapped his arm around her. He actually seemed to pull her closer a bit, too.
Milla giggled. “There. Result.” She whispered with smile.
Sasha gently grabbed his giggling wife by the shoulder and ushered her towards the kitchen. As the entered the room, Sasha wasted no time gathering everything he needed to make coffee. “I don't see why you are trying to force them together.” he said as he prepared to make a strong batch of the hot brown morning potion.
Milla took a seat at the kitchen table. “I'm not forcing anything on anyone, Darling.” Milla said innocently. “I just think they would be adorable together.”
Sasha chuckled “You're not the only one who thinks that.” he said. “You know that the Interns have a betting pool going on amongst themselves?”
“Know it? I put 5 dollars in.”
“Milla...”
“I have faith in our boy, Darling.”
Sasha shook his head in amusement. As he waited for the coffee machine to finish it's work, he noticed something in the living room. A lone wrapped package was waiting under the Christmas Tree. Sasha found that strange, since they had opened their own presents yesterday morning and they had taken all Secret Santa presents to the party in the evening.
He nodded toward the present. “Milla, did we leave a present behind yesterday?”
Milla looked over to the tree and raised an eyebrow in surprise. “No we haven't. You checked the tree yourself after me and Raz had put everything in the car.” A smile played on her lips. She gasped in mock surprise. “Didn't you see it? Getting forgetful in our old age?”
“I'm not that old yet.” Sasha said, a smile playing on the corner of his lip. With a quick gesture of his hand he floated the present over toward them. He chuckled when he noticed who it was addressed to. He showed it to Milla. Written quite clearly in Raz's handwriting, it said “To My Parents”.
“Seems Razputin sneaked a gift for us under the tree when we were asleep.” Sasha said with a smile.
Milla beamed. “Oh, Querido” She held the present toward Sasha. “Do you want to...?”
Sasha waved it away. “Be my guest.”
Milla carefully unwrapped the paper of the present. She gasped when she saw what was inside. A photo Album, with letters pasted on the front cover. It read: “The Vodello-Nein Family. 1 Year of Memories, volume 1”. She opened the first page. There was a photo of Milla proposing to Sasha and a small bit of text.
Finally, took them long enough.
“When on Earth did he have time to make this?” Milla asked somewhat bewildered. She flipped a page. There were pictures of the planning, the shopping, cake tasting, birthdays and so on. “And how did he take the photos? I know we are all spies, but I'm sure I would have noticed a photographer following.”
Sasha took the book and flipped a few pages further towards the end.
Milla giggled. “Don't go to far ahead, I don't want you to spoil the ending.” She joked.
Sasha held his hand over the photo he recognized from just a few weeks ago. He sensed a faint psychic energy on the photo. Something familiar. The same signature left after the use of psyco-reactive devices.
“Ah, I see.” Sasha concluded. “It seems Agent Mentallis has lent out his – What did he call it again? … The Otto-shot Camera. It creates a temporal freeze to take pictures and can be taken without actually holding the device.”
“That explains that little tickle I sometimes felt during these moments.” Milla remarked, flipping through the book. She giggled. “It seems our little Raz – OH.” She paused when she reached the last page containing photos. Photos from the Party last night, it seemed. A little Post it note was pasted on it, written in Raz's handwriting.
Under the Post-it Note was a photo, taking maybe a few hours earlier, still somewhat damp from the glue. It was a picture of Razputin and Lili, with the former having his arm around the shoulder of the latter. both of them waving at the PSI-Camera. bits of paper and glue scattered around them - and on them.
“Well, now we know why Lili and Raz wanted that sleepover that badly.” Sasha said with a smile.
She wiped a tear from her eye.“ The little darlings” Milla said affectionately. She turned to Sasha with a smile. “Want to flip through some memories?”
“I'll get the coffee.”
Sasha and Milla spent the next hour flipping through the album, talking about the photos, what was happening in them and just enjoying reminiscing. A quiet morning.
…
Until the silence was broken by two screaming preteens, who had woken up and discovered they had been sleeping in each other's arms.