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“Shhh, Cynlaef.” Sihtric cooes and tries to rock the infant. “Come on, baby boy. Da’s tired.” He sighs deeply, his exhaustion settling in. He’d just arrived home and heard the baby cry. “These night shifts are killing me.” He mumbles and stifles a yawn. He holds him tight against his chest but his words and motions don’t soothe the crying baby. He touches Cynlaef’s forehead and his eyes widen. “Uhtred!” He calls. “Get the thermometer. Leaf is burning up. I think he has a fever.”
“Again?” Uhtred’s voice filters down the hall and into the nursery.
Sihtric pauses. “What do you mean, again?” He says, looking at the doorway the moment the brunet man appears.
Uhtred blinks and purses his lips at the glare he’s given. “Sitty, babies get sick. Don’t freak out. He had a mild fever yesterday night before bed and I gave him some medicine and he seemed fine.”
Sihtric glares at him even more. “Did you check on him again?”
Uhtred’s mouth drops open. “Yes I did!” He snaps. “All fucking night! Like every hour I was up with him! I got no sleep! I know how to take care of our kids, Sitty! He’s not our first baby.”
Sihtric sighs and shakes his head. “I know, I know. I’m sorry, Uhtred. He’s just… we’ve never had one this small! He… he’s just so small!”
Uhtred crosses his arms and tilts his head as he steps into the room. “He is. Was for sure he’d start putting on weight by now. He’s like two months old now, right?”
Sihtric nods. “Next week. Uhtred, he’s not any of ours. We have to be careful. They’ll take him away from us if they think we can’t take proper care of him.”
Uhtred shakes his head as he steps closer. “You worry too much. He’s ours. The adoption is nearly final. No one’s taking him from us. Aren’t you, little one?” He says, reaching out to touch Cynlaef’s cheek. His eyes widen. “Oh shit… he is hot.”
Sihtric frowns. “I told you!”
Uhtred nods. “I’ll wake Fin. He’ll have to drive. You're too tired and I never got to the DMV to renew my license.”
Sihtric clenches his jaw. “Uhtred, your birthday was nearly a month ago!”
“I forgot, okay?” Uhtred snaps, turning. “We got a sick newborn!”
Sihtric shakes his head but pushes his concern over Uhtred’s ability to drive away. “I’ll wake Stiorra, let her know we’re going to the hospital.”
Uhtred glances over his shoulder and smiles. “She’s gonna be mad. She was out late with Sigtryggr again.”
“I don’t care!” Sihtric says as he heads down the hall towards her room. “Leaf is sick and she’s gonna have to get the rest of the kids up for school.”