Work Text:
It was the middle of the night and Nyx was screaming. Literally screaming. Crying and screaming, actually. Tears were running down his soft, little cheeks as Rhys walked up and down with him. He already tried flying, he walked through the whole house with him and right now Mor was on her way getting Madja. Nothing seemed to calm him down and Rhys was exhausted. It hurt him that he didn't know why Nyx was screaming, what he needed. He wasn't hungry and Rhys already changed his diaper three times, thinking it could be the reason. But nothing. On top of that he saw how tears dwelled in Feyres eyes as she watched them, sitting on the bed. Rhys already told Feyre a bunch of times to sit back down. It was just a week since Nyx birth and even if Fae healed much faster than humans, even if Feyre had the healing powers from the dawn court, she was still weak. On the small walks she did to the bathroom and the walks that Madja told her she could do, Rhys saw that she was still in pain.
"What if he is in pain?" Feyre asked.
Rhys continued to rock his son as he turned towards Feyre. "Then Madja will find out." he answered. "Do you think he is?"
Feyre threw her hands in the air "I don't know!" she said as she watched them, watched Nyx. "I- I don't think so. Not physical pain, at least."
Rhys nodded, continuing to try and soothe Nyx. He thought about what Feyre had said. He had hoped that she would have an idea, her mother instincts telling her what she should do. Like they did the whole last week. Rhys had tried it out himself, when Nyx cried he asked Feyre why she thinks he cries and she was always right. He wasn't really surprised, but it was still exciting everytime. Though not physical didn't really bring them further into finding out why Nyx is screaming his lungs out, even if Rhys couldn't stop thinking about what she said. Pain maybe, but not physical pain. Maybe she was right but what would make him scream so much? His thoughts wandered, going through everything that happened in the last week. Everything that could be reason for this, but he came up empty. Maybe it was his fault, Rhys thought. Maybe he unintentionally send Nyx some memories that he shouldn't have, that he should never know about. Guilt build up in Rhys as he walked through the room. It was his fault, he thought. Tears dwelling in his eyes. This was his fault-
The door opened suddenly and Mor peeked inside. "Madja is here."
"Send her in." Feyre said, her voice cracking as she did. Mor nodded and a second later Madja entered the room. She greeted them as she already walked towards Nyx. "May I?" she asked when she reached them.
"Yes." Rhys answered. "Please."
Madja held a hand over the little bundle in Rhys's arms. As Nyx screamed and thrashed in his arms. "He's not sick." Madja said. "He's a perfectly healthy baby." she looked back to Feyre. "Did you hold him, yet? Since he is in this state."
Feyre shook her head. "No." he saw the guilt in Feyres eyes, even if it was Rhys's fault. He didn't give him to her because she still felt bad. He would have given Nyx to her, if she would have insisted on it but she agreed to his reasons, which also worried Rhys. That she did not feel well enough to argue.
Madja walked over to Feyre, positioning a pillow against the headboard of the bed. She helped Feyre leaning against it and then gestured Rhys to come closer and he did. "Let her hold him." she said, nodding as he reached the bed.
Rhys gave Nyx over to Feyre, she already held out her arms. "Hello baby." she said as she held him. After a few moments he calmed down a little. He did not scream anymore but he cried.
"Can you hold him to your chest, so that his head is resting over your heart?" Madja said.
Feyre tried to change the position. When she struggled, Rhys helped her. She was still unsure because of the wings, careful not to hurt them.
They all waited, anxious and curious about what will happen. Whatever it did, it worked. Nyx started to calm down and Rhys could feel Feyres relief through the bond, echoing his own. She looked up at Madja and whispered "How?"
Madja smiled at the baby as he calmed down and then explained "Your birth was a traumatic experience. For you and the child. Children, especially the children of mated pairs, have a bond to the parents and as he was born and you died-" Rhys went stiff. "-your child could feel the bond fade. Laying on your chest, he can hear and feel your heartbeat and that calms him down." Feyre now cried as she rubbed Nyx's back. "If this should happen again, try holding him like that, so he can feel your heartbeat. It should work and if not, you send someone to get me."
Feyre nodded and whispered "Thank you." Rhys echoed it.
Madja told them goodbye and Rhys brought her out, into the corridor where Mor waited. He nodded at her "He is fine, he calmed down."
Mor let out a breath of relief and smiled. "Thank the cauldron."
When she winnowed Madja out, Rhys went back to Feyre. He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched both his mate and his son. Feyre smiled at him. "He's fine, Rhys."
Rhys smiled at her, brushing a lose strand of hair out of her face. "He's fine." Rhys echoed. He stayed there until Nyx's breathing became even and he was asleep. Then he went to his side of the bed and carefully pulled Feyre towards him. She laid her head on his shoulder and like that, it didn't take long either for her to fall asleep. Rhys didn't sleep, he stayed like this the whole night, watching Feyre and Nyx. Not leaving their side.