Chapter Text
When Kaveh and Alhaitham told the kids about the new baby, there had been mixed reactions. Amaan and Kian were absolutely thrilled. They kept jumping around and touching Kaveh’s flat belly, trying to talk to it. Alhaitham had to, sadly, inform them that the baby didn’t have any ears yet.
Brea seemed to understand that Kaveh was pregnant. Of course, she was excited along with her brothers, but the parents kind of doubted she fully understood. Amaan explained it to her, simply put, “Papa has a baby in his tummy!”
Then, she understood.
Her eyes had widened and she immediately smacked her tiny hand onto Kaveh’s stomach. “Baby is small.” She had observed.
Kaveh sighed and Alhaitham explained that the baby still needs time to grow up like her. Kian also provided the information of Kaveh’s stomach “getting as big as a house!” Kaveh wanted to cry, but Alhaitham only laughed out loud.
The only one not as excited was Amir. If anything, he seemed upset. He was wringing his hands together and his shoulders were pinched; telltale signs of his anxiety acting up. When Alhaitham asked him what was wrong, their oldest son unexpectedly blew up at them.
“Another baby?! But why?! Don’t you have enough kids?! There’s four of us already! Isn’t that enough?!”
Before either parent could say anything, Amir had stormed off, slamming his bedroom door shut. The noise scared Brea, but she didn’t cry, thankfully. She was upset, though, for about ten minutes. Kian and Amaan were confused, and kept asking what happened.
“I’ll go talk to him, okay? Take the kids in the backyard.” Kaveh had told his husband, but Alhaitham wanted to come too.
Kaveh gave him a look, and Alhaitham understood. Someone needed to answer the other kids' questions; they were confused and upset, they needed at least one of their parents. So, Alhaitham took Brea from Kaveh, and rallied them up outside.
Kaveh waited about five or ten minutes just so Amir could cool off a little. Then, he made his way to the room, and knocked on the door.
“Go away.” Amir’s muffled voice came from inside, followed by a sniff. Kaveh’s heart broke at hearing his child cry.
“I think we should talk, baby. You don’t usually lose your temper like that.” Kaveh said.
There was no response, and Kaveh sighed heavily. He sat down in front of the door. “I’ll wait right here until you’re ready to talk.”
Kaveh underestimated how well his kids can hold a grudge. He sat outside the door for an hour and a half. His butt was killing him. Alhaitham had gone to check on them, but Kaveh shooed him away. When the time nearly hit the two hour mark, the door opened slightly.
Kaveh smiled and got up, stretching his body out. He went into the room, and saw Amir laying in his bed, blankets pulled up to his chin. He was staring out the window; the sun was setting, casting an orange and purple glow across the sky.
Kaveh sat in the chair at their desk, looking out the window as well. “Pretty, isn’t it?”
Amir remained silent.
Kaveh had let the silence stretch for who knows how long. It resulted in Amir speaking up first.
“Are you really having another kid?” His voice was quiet, and uncertain.
Kaveh’s heart broke once again.
“Yes, I am. Would you like to tell me why that bothers you?” Kaveh asked, still looking out the window. He thought Amir would be more honest this way.
“I’m just… nervous. Also… I don’t want you and dad to forget about us… forget about me. The baby will have all of your attention, and time. What if you and dad forget to feed us? Or forget to have bathtime with us? Would that mean we would get less of your hugs and kisses? What if the baby has so much of your attention that I have to start taking care of my brothers and sister all by myself? You know, I read in stories that the oldest child is usually neglected, and expected to take care of their younger siblings. I don’t— I don’t want that, papa. I don’t want any of that.”
Kaveh’s face is wet with tears and a bit of snot. He kept facing the window, though, knowing Amir’s face looked the same. His baby is so, so young; he shouldn’t be thinking of things like this. He wondered if Amir often thought about this. This couldn’t have just come from out of nowhere. Alhaitham and Kaveh give equal attention and time and love to all of their children. They make sure of it.
Kaveh sniffed, and tried to wipe his face, but the tears wouldn’t stop. “Oh, Amir… How could you think that? Your dad and I love you all so damn much it’s ridiculous. How could we… We will never forget about you. Do you understand me?”
Kaveh finally turned around to see Amir sitting up in his bed, wiping at his face. He sat on the bed next to his son, and pulled him into his lap. Kaveh doesn’t care how old his kids get, he will always hold his children. Amir tucked his head into Kaveh’s neck, gripping onto the front of his shirt.
“Amir, you and your siblings are the greatest blessings. I thank Lord Kusanali everyday for you guys. You… you’re my first born; my most prized gift. I will never forget the day you came into this world. You cried so loud that Nari had to leave the room,” Kaveh chuckled at the memory.
“Your dad and I were young when we had you. We barely knew what we were doing, but we did know how much we loved you. And when Kian was born, we thought we were done. Two kids seemed like enough. But your blockhead of a dad wanted a bigger family, so he convinced me. Thus, Amaan was born. Your father made me realize we had so much room in our hearts for more kids. We will always love our kids, no matter how many we have. Do you understand, Amir?”
The 12 year old nodded his head, and pressed further into his dad. Kaveh hugged him a little tighter. “Also, we will never expect you or force you to take care of your siblings. We might need help from time to time, but you won’t be raising them. That’s our job, not yours. If you ever feel like we ask you to help out too much, then tell us. Amir, you have a life, too. As the oldest, you’re allowed to live it. So, don’t worry about that, okay? We won’t neglect you, we won’t forget you. Ever. Dad and I love you— all of you— with our entire hearts.”
“I’m sorry, papa. I’m so sorry.” Amir cried out, fresh tears flowed down his cheeks.
Kaveh kissed his temple, and rubbed his back. “It’s okay, baby. You don’t need to apologize. I promise it’s okay.”
Amir cried for a little longer, but felt so safe, loved and protected in his father’s arms. When he seemed to be done, Kaveh maneuvered him a bit to see his face. He smiled.
“There’s my handsome son. You look just like Alhaitham, you know that? Practically twins.”
“I don’t wanna look like dad… he has wrinkles.”
Kaveh laughed at that. “Yeah, he does have a wrinkle or two, huh? Amir, what brought this on? It couldn’t have come from nowhere.”
Kaveh pushed Amir’s bangs out of the way, and kissed his forehead. Amir brought his hands together again in that anxious way. Kaveh gently took his hands apart, and held them in each of his own.
“It’s… Its Lisa. I’ve been asking her to come over after school for a week now, but she never can. She always says that she’s gotta go home to take care of her little sister. When I ask about her parents, she just says they work a lot. Then I remembered all the times she rushed home as soon as the bell rang. I didn’t want to ask her directly, so I… skipped soccer practice one day and went to the Akademiya’s library. I found some books that explained how some parents make their oldest kid do all of the work. That they neglect their parental responsibilities… I’m sorry, papa.”
Kaveh takes a moment to process everything. That poor girl… she’s only 12. She has no business doing that stuff.
“Listen, Amir. It’s great that you’re concerned about her. You really need to talk to her. And if she wants, she can talk to me, too. Let her know that we’re willing to help, but only if she wants it. We can’t force her to do anything.”
Amir nodded slowly. “Thanks, papa. I’ll let her know. I’m really… worried. I love her.”
Kaveh didn’t say anything. He isn’t sure that Amir understands what love is. But, he wouldn’t interfere unless Amir asked him.
They had talked and settled everything. Amir was truly happy that he was getting another sibling. He promised to help take care of them, like he does with Brea. All was well in their household.
That was 3 months ago.
Now, he doesn’t know what’s going on in his house. He just got back from the market; he had to pick up a few things for dinner. He left the kids with Kuni, as usual, but he came back to chaos. The kids were running around, papers were flying everywhere, the pillows from the couches were strewn across the floor, and the TV was about to burst Kaveh’s eardrums.
He quickly finds the remote and turns it off. The kids run by again, straight into him, actually, and they were screaming and laughing.
“Papa! Help us!”
“He’s gonna get us!”
“What? Who is?” Kaveh asks, confused.
Then, Kuni comes flying— literally— into the living room. He plucks Amaan from the bunch, the four year old laughing his head off but screaming for help. His siblings chase after them down the hallway.
Kaveh sighs loudly.
He vaguely remembers telling Kuni when he first arrived here that vision usage in the house is strictly prohibited. He’ll deal with it in a moment; he’s got frozen food. Kaveh puts the groceries away, and only leaves out what he needs for dinner in a bit. He takes out his phone to send his husband a text.
K: Your kids and the nanny are about to get into so much trouble :)
A: What did they do?
K: The house is a mess because the nanny decided to ignore our most important rule :))
A: Don’t let Kian do the laundry?
K: No you dummy! Vision usage in the house! Kuni is flying everywhere!
A: Ohhh.
A: Give them hell, babe ;)
Kaveh rolls his eyes fondly and texts back just a heart emoji, then gets one in return. Kaveh goes into the messy living room, and shouts from the top of his lungs.
“KIDS! KUNI! GET IN HERE!”
All laughing stops.
Then, five pairs of feet shuffle slowly into the room with Kuni bringing up the rear. He has his arms folded and his expression is careless as usual.
Kaveh looks at his kids, and almost feels a little bad that their heads are hung low. Almost.
“Kids, why is the living room a mess?”
“… Because we were playing.” Kian says quietly.
“Is the living room where you guys play?”
“No.” They all respond.
“Exactly. You know the places where you’re allowed to play, and roughhouse, or whatever. I’m very upset with you guys.”
“But, papa—!”
“Please be quiet, Amaan. Now, clean up this mess, please. I want everything back the way it was.”
The kids don’t respond, and just do as they’re told with Amir telling Brea where to put things. Kaveh watches for a second, and then moves his gaze to Kuni, glaring at him.
“Can I speak with you in the kitchen?” Kaveh leaves no room for argument and Kuni simply follows him.
Once in the kitchen, Kaveh sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “You know the rule, yet you broke it. Why?”
Kuni leans against the counter, and shrugs. “The kids said they wanted to see what I could do.”
“And that’s fine. Couldn’t you have done it outside, though? Why inside?”
“It wasn’t supposed to get messy.”
“Yet it did! You can’t let the kids rope you into this kind of shit, Kuni. Don’t let this happen again. We have that rule for a reason.”
Kuni stares at him for a moment. “What reason exactly?”
“It doesn't matter. Just please don’t do it again. Or if you must, do it outside. Please.” Kaveh’s tone indicates the end of the discussion.
Kuni rolls his eyes. “Do you want help with dinner? I’m guessing the kids are in trouble, and can’t play anymore.”
“Sure, as long as you’re better than Haitham. Do you know how to hold a knife and cut an onion correctly?”
“I know how to hold knives in several different ways.”
Kaveh gives him an unimpressed look.
Kuni smirks. “For cutting food, yes I know how. As for the onion, I’m decent.”
Kaveh hands him a bag of vegetables. “That’s already better than Haitham. Please wash and cut everything in here. I’ll be back.”
Kaveh goes into the living room and the kids are just finishing up. When they do finish, they line back up in front of Kaveh.
“Thank you guys, good job. I talked to Kuni, and he won’t be using his vision anymore. Don’t ask him, or try to bribe him. You guys know the rule; it’ll remain that way if you guys receive your own one day. You guys aren’t in as much trouble as Kuni because he was the one in charge. You guys are only in trouble for playing where you shouldn’t be. We’re telling dad as well when he gets home.”
“No, please! Don’t tell dad! He’s just gonna lecture us!” Kian begs.
“Yeah! His lectures are so boring!” Amir adds on.
Kaveh scoffs. “What else is a lecture supposed to be? It’s a lesson that needs to be learned. Now, go sit down and watch tv while I make dinner. Dad will be home soon.”
About an hour later, Alhaitham comes home. Dinner is nearly ready, so Kuni takes his leave, barely telling the kids goodbye. Alhaitham enters the kitchen after taking off his shoes, and loosening his tie.
“Hey, babe.” Alhaitham says, wrapping his arms around Kaveh from behind at the stove.
“Welcome home, honey. How was work?” Kaveh asks, turning his head to give Alhaitham a quick kiss.
Alhaitham sighs, and rests his chin on Kaveh’s shoulder. “Slow, and boring. Did you give them hell?”
Kaveh chuckles, and turns off the stove. He set down the spoon he was stirring with, and then placed a lid on the pan. “Something like that. Kuni didn’t apologize, but he did feel bad.”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm. He offered to help with dinner. He has never done that.”
“Never. And the kids?”
Kaveh turns around to face him. “They’ll be okay. They’re just in trouble for playing in the living room when they know they can’t. They begged me not to tell you.” Kaveh chuckles a bit.
Alhaitham grins down at him. “Snitches get stitches, you know.”
“Not when it comes to the kids. Go on, they’re waiting on you.”
Alhaitham’s grin disappears at that. “What do you mean? I thought you talked to them already.”
Kaveh gives him another quick kiss. “I did, but they need you to lecture them as further punishment.”
“But, babe, I’m hungry. Can’t we eat first?”
“After. Now go! Hurry! Since you claim you’re so hungry!” Kaveh shoves him out of the kitchen and Alhaitham pouts like a baby.
“I don’t wanna.” He whines.
Kaveh laughs. “Shut up, ya big baby! Go be a dad real quick so we can eat; the kids are probably hungry too.”
Alhaitham huffs loudly and goes into the living room. The lecture isn’t too long considering Kaveh already talked to them earlier. Soon, all of them come into the kitchen and sit at the dining table. It’s eerily quiet.
“Don’t you guys have something to say to Papa?” Alhaitham says after putting Brea in her high chair.
Altogether, the kids apologize, “We’re sorry, papa. We love you.”
Kaveh smiles at them. “Thank you, guys. I really appreciate that. I love you, too. So, did dad bore you guys to death?”
“Oh my archons—!”
“Of course he did!”
“Dad talks too much!”
“Daddy!”
Kaveh giggles as Alhaitham rolls his eyes. He serves them dinner, then takes his own seat. Alhaitham attempts to defend himself, but to no avail. Safe to say that the kids are alright.
____________________
“Papa! Lisa is gonna be here soon, and Amaan keeps making a mess! Tell him to stop!”
Kaveh is currently in the bathroom throwing up his lunch. He really wishes that morning sickness stayed in the morning. He groans, and spits into the toilet, hoping he’s done.
“Amaan, go to your room, please!” Kaveh shouts, and immediately throws up some more afterwards. He dry heaves for a bit, and is finally able to calm down. He really hates this.
His “morning” sickness has been going on for two weeks now. It’s a little longer than he’s used to, but Tighnari assured him that he’s fine. It should pass quickly.
“Not quick enough.” Kaveh mumbles to himself and flushes. He stands on wobbly legs, using the counter for support. He rinses his mouth in the sink, and takes a few deep breaths. He’s so fucking nauseous.
“You okay, papa?”
Kaveh turns to see Amir at the doorway with a glass of water. He takes it, and drinks some slowly. “Thank you, baby. I’m okay now. Is Lisa here yet?”
“Not yet, but Amaan is in his room.”
Ever since Amir told Kaveh what’s going on with Lisa a few months ago, he had been trying to help. Kaveh talked to Lisa’s parents, but also remembered his place as an outsider. He didn’t barge in and tell them how to take care of their kids. He rather gave them options, suggestions even. Using his own experience, he gave them tips on how to maintain a balanced work life and parenting. Of course, Kaveh was respectful as well, so Lisa’s parents accepted his help.
There was hesitation and slight offense at first, but Kaveh expressed he only wants to help for the sake of Lisa. Now, Lisa comes over twice a week to play with Amir. It’s been this way for about three weeks now.
“Alright, good. Kian and Brea are still in the kitchen?”
Amir nods as he and Kaveh leave the bathroom. Kaveh drinks the rest of his water, and enters the kitchen. Kian and Brea are indeed here. Kian is making sure Brea eats her lunch; the two year old took a longer nap than usual so she’s having lunch late. She’s been having an off schedule for the past two days, and Kaveh hopes she isn’t coming down with something. He makes a mental note to text Tighnari tomorrow if it continues.
“Thanks, Kian. You’ve been such a big help.” Kaveh says, pressing a kiss to his head, then doing the same to Brea.
“No problem, papa! I’m just doing my job as a big bro!”
“Big brother! More please?” Brea exclaims, opening her small mouth. Kian feeds her and Kaveh resists the urge to remind him that Brea can feed herself. She has her brothers wrapped around her little sticky finger.
Suddenly the doorbell rings, and Amir runs to it. Kaveh follows behind and the door is already open when he gets there. Amir and Lisa are hugging tightly, and Lisa’s father is smiling at them.
“Hi, nice to see you again. How are you?” Kaveh greets him.
The man nods in acknowledgment. “Been good these days. I hope the same for you. Lisa, I’m off now. Be good, princess.”
Lisa waves goodbye to her dad, and the man walks off. He never stays too long. He exchanges pleasantries and leaves as quickly as he came. Kaveh doesn’t mind; he’s met his fair share of awkward dads at award ceremonies and PTA meetings.
“Alrighty, kiddos, you know the drill. Stay in the living room, and if you go in the room the door stays open. Got it?” Kaveh reminds them.
Amir and Lisa nod, then Amir grabs her hand and takes her straight to his room. Kaveh shakes his head; his son is crazy. Lisa is a sweet girl, though. Kaveh and Alhaitham like her. She’s able to somehow handle Amir, and they couldn’t ask for anything more.
“Amaan, come here, please!”
Small footsteps could be heard down the hall, and Amaan comes running in, barreling into Kaveh’s legs. Kaveh is quick to regain balance and hug his son back.
“Hi, papa!”
“Hi, baby!” Kaveh smiles down at him, adoring his smile with a missing tooth. It came out a few days ago, but that’s putting it gently. His tooth got knocked out while he was playing in the backyard. Thankfully, it was already a little loose, so Amaan didn’t cry. He proudly held up his bloody tooth with an equally bloody smile. Kaveh didn’t need a picture of Amaan’s first tooth; it’s ingrained in his memory forever now.
“Do you wanna help me bake cookies?” Kaveh asks him, brushing back his blonde hair with his hand.
“Cookies? Yes, please! And we can eat ‘em after?” Amaan bounces on his toes in excitement, tugging at Kaveh’s shirt.
Kaveh gently removes his hands, and leads him into the kitchen. “After dinner, okay? But you gotta be a big boy and eat all of your vegetables.”
Amaan has been refusing to eat anything green lately. Kaveh understands that kids’ taste buds are all out of whack sometimes; they won’t like the same things as an adult. So, he has Amaan try something new every week. He has to eat the vegetable for three days, and if he still doesn’t like it, Kaveh finds something else.
It’s actually less complicated than it sounds. Amaan is an expressive kid, he will not hesitate to let you know if he does or doesn’t like something. He attempts to give Kaveh detailed descriptions on how a vegetable tastes, and Kaveh really loves that. He does it on his own, which is even better.
“Okay! What vegetable today?” Amaan asks, grabbing the step stool from the cabinet.
Kaveh gets all of the ingredients out as he talks, “I’m thinking we try lima beans today. They’re funny shaped little guys.”
“I looooove lima beans!” Kian pipes up from the dining table. He and Brea are now snacking on a few cut up strawberries. She seems hungry today, Kaveh notes.
“Really?” Amaan asks. “Are they tasty?”
“Very! I think you’ll like them, Amaan!”
“You liked the peas last week, so I think Kian is right.” Kaveh says. He turns on the oven to preheat it, and grabs two mixing bowls.
“Okay! Anything for cookies!” Amaan says, grabbing a spoon.
“Alrighty, you can do the dry stuff, while papa does the wet stuff.”
They make the cookies while talking about anything that comes to Kian or Amaan’s mind, which is usually nonsense but Kaveh can keep up. They make about three dozen chocolate chip cookies, and the kitchen is a downright mess. Not only did they bake cookies, Kaveh got dinner ready in between batches. Maybe he can convince Alhaitham and Amir to clean up.
Speaking of, Amir and Lisa had come back into the living room some time ago. The tv was playing some Star Wars show, and Kaveh noticed a bracelet on Lisa’s wrist that wasn’t there earlier. His son is quite the charmer, isn’t he? Maybe Alhaitham can take a page out of his book. Kaveh hasn’t received a surprise gift in a while.
Well, besides the pregnancy.
Kaveh looks down at his slightly pudgy stomach. He’s glad his shirts are still able to cover him up for now. Later on, he’ll have to bring out his big t-shirts. He is so not looking forward to that.
Just as dinner is done, and the counters are all wiped down (Kaveh at least managed that), Alhaitham returns home. He comes straight into the kitchen like always, and throws himself into Kaveh’s awaiting arms.
He buries his face into Kaveh’s neck, sniffing him loudly. Kaveh chuckles, and rubs his back. “Long day?”
“You have no idea.” Alhaitham mumbles.
“Dad, you can’t just ignore us! Helloooo!” Kian shouts. “And stop stealing all of the cuddles from papa! You know I need them before bedtime!”
Alhaitham lifts his head to playfully glare at his son. “I can ignore you, but I won’t; Papa will be mad at me. Also, you get extra cuddle time every night. Can’t I have a turn?”
“Okay, settle down you two,” Kaveh interrupts before Kian could retaliate. “I have enough cuddles for everyone for a lifetime. Haitham, babe, go wash up; dinner is ready.”
Alhaitham makes the I’m watching you gesture at Kian as he slowly walks out of the kitchen. Kian gives him a smirk in return. Kaveh shakes his head in amusement. Why are his boys like this?
Dinner is a loud affair as usual. Alhaitham and Kian arguing about everything, Amaan taking his brother’s side against their father, Amir and Lisa are in their own world, and Brea is just happy to be there.
After Lisa leaves (with a few cookies, of course), Kaveh does manage to convince his husband and eldest son to clean up the kitchen. When the rest of the kids are done with their cookies, Kaveh gets them ready for bath time and then bedtime. Amaan ate all of the lima beans, but didn’t particularly enjoy them. He was optimistic about tomorrow night, though, and that’s all Kaveh could ask for.
Now, all of the kiddos are in bed, and Kaveh is currently throwing up his dinner. Damn you, all day sickness. (It doesn’t deserve the name morning sickness.)
Alhaitham is rubbing his back, not saying anything. Kaveh doesn’t like when people try to talk to him during the deed, even if it’s soothing words. Once he finishes, he flushes the toilet, and Alhaitham helps him stand up. He rinses his mouth, and leans on Alhaitham for support as the alpha takes him to bed. There’s already a glass of water waiting for him on the bedside table. Kaveh drinks half of it, and lies down, holding onto that damned pregnancy pillow for dear life.
That thing is the bane of Alhaitham’s existence.
“How long is this supposed to last? It’s been two weeks already.” Alhaitham states, gently playing with Kaveh’s hair.
Kaveh shrugs lightly. “Morning sickness can last up to 16 weeks; from month 1 to month 4. I’m lucky if it’s just this month.”
“What did Tighnari say again? Is he sure this is okay?”
Alhaitham is kind of freaking out, Kaveh can tell. The blonde opens his eyes, and looks up at his mate, who is sitting against the headboard. His face looks neutral to anyone who doesn’t have a PHD in Alhaitham Expressions. Thankfully, Kaveh does.
He reaches up to drag his thumb across Alhaitham’s cheek. He feels a little stubble coming in. “Baby, relax. I’ve done this four times already; there’s nothing to worry about. Sure, this is lasting longer than I’d like, but my body is just figuring itself out after a while. Remember when I was having those horrible cramps when I was pregnant with Amaan? It’s kinda like that.”
“That was a scary time, actually. You cried a lot.”
“Yeah, I did, but my body was just figuring itself out after six years of being empty. I didn’t realize that until after Amaan was born. Same thing with Brea; my contractions were wild. My point is, it’s gonna pass. Please, Haitham, stop worrying.”
The man sighs, and grabs onto Kaveh’s hand, holding it gently. “I’m sorry, dear. I just… I’m the one who did this to you, and I wish I could take the pain away.”
“No, no none of that. Yes, you’re the one who put a baby in me, but that’s a beautiful thing. I’m happy that I get to carry your pups.”
“You’re trying to appease my inner alpha to calm me down.”
“Is it working?”
“… Yes.”
Kaveh giggles and squeezes his hand. “Come down here and cuddle me. I’m sleepy from all that dry heaving.”
Alhaitham rolls his eyes and turns off the lamp next to him. He slides down into bed, and holds Kaveh from behind while he holds onto his stupid pillow.
“I really fucking hate that thing.”
Kaveh giggles. “I know.”
__________________
The all day sickness does eventually pass. It ended right as he entered the 16th week. Now Kaveh is hungry all of the time. He snacks throughout the day, and often eats two servings of dinner. Alhaitham would be concerned, but he’s enjoying it.
Seeing Kaveh eat his fill for himself and the baby makes something feel warm in Alhaitham’s chest. He wants to blame it on his secondary gender, but he shares some of the blame as well. Also seeing Kaveh gain healthy weight makes him happy in general.
It’s an added bonus when his hips get curvier, and his ass gets bigger, but don’t tell Kaveh.
This goes on until he reaches 20 weeks. His stomach is a little bigger now, and he’s starting to show through his shirts. Not that Kaveh minds, especially Alhaitham; the man loves it.
“Ugh! Why can’t I get these on?!”
Kaveh falls back onto the bed, his jeans halfway up his legs. They’re stuck around his thighs. He tries to pull them up again, but to no avail.
Him and Alhaitham are going out tonight, but Kaveh doesn’t think he’s leaving the house at all. He’s too fat to fit into his jeans!
“I give up! Haitham, we’re not going out! I’m going to bed!” Kaveh makes no actual effort to get up, though.
Alhaitham comes out from the bathroom, his tie hanging around his neck, and shirt unbuttoned. “You are not. Get dressed.”
“I can’t fit my pants, Haitham! I don’t want people to see how fat I am!” Kaveh sits up on his elbows to look at him. “Actually, we should really stay home, and you can take these pants off of me.”
Kaveh eyes his husband up and down, licking his lips in the process. Alhaitham rolls his eyes, and pulls his shirt closed. “Stop it, you pervert. You are not fat; you’ve gained healthy weight and it’s beautiful on you. Especially, around here,”
Alhaitham places a hand on each thigh, right above the waist band of the jeans, and squeezes. His thick thighs fill the gaps between Alhaitham’s fingers, and the man can’t help but groan quietly.
“My wife is absolutely stunning. How about when we come home, I rip these jeans off of you, and show you just how much I love you and your body. Sound good to you, baby?”
Kaveh is madly blushing, and biting his lip. He’s a little turned on right now, and might need to change underwear from the slick he felt drip out of him.
He slowly nods. “Yeah… sounds good.”
Alhaitham smirks, and squeezes his thighs once more. “Great. Now come on, or we’ll be late.”
With a newfound vigor, Kaveh gets up and changes. Alhaitham felt a sense of pride when Kaveh changed his wet boxers. It took everything in him not to push Kaveh against the wall and fuck his brains out.
They finish getting ready and head out of the room to say goodbye to the kids. They were at the dining table playing uno with Kuni. Brea is in Kuni’s lap, yelling out the colors in his hand.
“Brea, you are a traitor. Stop telling them what cards I have.” Kuni lightly scolds her, tickling her side.
She giggles, and shouts, “Red! Four!”
The boys laugh at Kuni’s misery, and Kaveh couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his face. “Babe, they’re so cute. My babies are so cute.”
“Even the babysitter?”
“Never.”
Alhaitham snorts at that, and calls the kids’ attention. “Kids, we’re leaving now. Come give your papa a lot of hugs and kisses so he doesn’t complain.”
Kaveh glares at him. “Hey! I don’t complain! I just miss them when we go out.”
“We miss you, too, papa!” Amaan says, wrapping himself around Alhaitham’s leg like a koala.
“I don’t miss you guys because I know you’ll be back. You’re our parents, you have to come back.” Kian says, hugging Kaveh.
“Exactly. Even if you for some reason don’t come home, we’ll hunt you down!” Amir adds on, hugging Kaveh on his other side.
Brea had attached herself to Alhaitham’s other leg, and it seems the man is struggling to remove them.
“We love you guys too much to ever do that.” Alhaitham says, successfully getting Amaan off, only to have him lock on Alhaitham’s arm like a magnet. Alhaitham starts shaking his arm.
“Papa would never leave his babies! Ever! Not in a million years!” Kaveh exclaims, showering the two boys in kisses.
(Little did they know, Kuni had been watching. His eyes showed that he was in deep thought about something… or someone. There was sadness in his eyes, but he quickly got rid of it in case someone saw.)
The adults finally leave after that. Alhaitham had successfully removed his children from his arm and leg, which is a feat in and of itself.
Kaveh planned their date tonight. They would go to dinner at a nice restaurant nearby, and then take a small boat around Yazadaha Pool. Kaveh hasn’t been on a boat in forever, so he thought it was a good idea.
They eat and have a nice time in the restaurant. Kaveh is laughing every two minutes, and you’d think he was drunk, but Alhaitham is just that funny. The man talks nonsense most of the time, but Kaveh loves him for it. They leave the restaurant in high spirits and head down to the docks. They find a small boat just big enough for them, and Alhaitham offers to steer the boat.
Kaveh plays music from his phone, and he looks up at the night sky. The stars are shining bright and the moon is shining even brighter. He’s quietly singing the song playing, and is startled when a deep voice joins him.
He looks at Alhaitham and smiles wide.
“ I used to hear a simple song, that was until you came along.” Alhaitham sings, a little off key but it doesn’t matter.
“Now in its place is something new, I hear it when I look at you.” Kaveh finishes.
They continue to sing together until the song ends. Kaveh is crying by the end of it, and Alhaitham sets down the boat oars to gently wipe away the tears.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting to cry tonight.” Kaveh says, chuckling a bit.
Alhaitham looks at him fondly. “It’s alright. I’m always expecting you to cry at any given moment.”
“I don’t cry that often, Haitham!”
“Yes, you do, dear. I’ve known you basically my whole life. Pregnancy hormones or not, you’re bound to cry at whatever, whenever.”
“Well, excuse me for being in touch with my feelings!”
Alhaitham laughs. “I never said it was a bad thing. Besides, I love it when you cry while I’m knotting you.”
Kaveh blushes at that, and covers his face. “Haitham, give me a warning next time! I can never tell when you’re going to say things like that!”
“Why do you need to know? It’s the element of surprise. Also, I’m offended that you think I would let this date go on without a sexual reference at least once. Are you aware of how good you look tonight?”
Kaveh nods. “Yes, I’m very aware. Thats the point of a date.”
“Well, not entirely. You could have worn sweatpants and a stained shirt and I’d still think you look beautiful.”
“Now you’re just flattering me.” Kaveh says with a fond eye roll.
“I’m genuinely complimenting you. Take it or leave it.”
“If someone heard this conversation, they’d think this is first date with all the flirting.”
Alhaitham snorts in amusement. “Remember on our first date you fell on your face?”
Kaveh gasps loudly, and the boat shakes a bit, scaring away some fish nearby. “Shut up! It was that baby’s fault, not mine! Why was she sitting in the middle of the floor of a mall?!”
Alhaitham laughs loudly at the memory. “You spilled your iced coffee all over that baby, and pissed off the mom.”
Kaveh groans and covers his face. His cheeks and ears are red from embarrassment from their first date. It was a disaster that he’d rather not relive. After Alhaitham’s laughter dies down, and Kaveh’s embarrassment, he feels a little weird.
Alhaitham notices immediately. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, uh… I’m not sure.” Kaveh places a hand on his stomach on instinct. When anything feels weird or off, his first instinct is to protect the baby. Whatever it may be from.
Alhaitham picks up the oars, and starts rowing them back to the docks. “Let’s get you home, then.”
“I— I don’t want to ruin the date. We were having a nice time, I’m—“
“Don’t apologize, dear. It’s quite alright. I’m more concerned about your health and the baby’s health.”
Alhaitham is rowing the boat as fast as he can, jostling Kaveh around a bit. Now, he isn’t motion sick, but something about the rapid movement and the smell of the water is making Kaveh—
“Oh.”
Kaveh is leaning over the side, throwing up into the water. The dinner he ate tastes rancid in his mouth, so it causes him to throw up even more. There’s a hand on his back rubbing small circles, Kaveh is grateful. He hasn’t been feeling nauseous or anything at all tonight, so why all of a sudden?
Also, he should be past the morning sickness stage.
When Kaveh is able to catch a break, he breathes heavily while saying, “Call Nari… Please,”
Alhaitham is on it quickly. He takes out his phone from his pocket and dials the number he knows by heart now. It picks up after four rings.
“Alhaitham? It’s late, why are you calling? Is it Kaveh?”
“Yes, it is actually. We’re out right now, and he just threw up his dinner into the river. Will he be okay? It’s past the morning sickness phase.”
“Yeah, he’s fine,” Tighnari pauses to yawn. “Sorry. But, yeah, he’s okay. Just give him some ginger ale, and let him rest.”
“Is that healthy?”
“ Alhaitham, please. I’m tired, okay? Let this be a one time remedy.”
“…Fine. Sorry to disturb you. Sleep well.”
They hang up and Kaveh is now resting his head on Alhaitham’s lap. Alhaitham keeps rubbing his back.
“Are you okay, dear?” He asks tentatively.
Kaveh lets out a noncommittal groan.
“Well, Tighnari says you’re okay. He says to just drink some ale, but I don’t think that’s healthy.”
“… It’s fine. Medicine isn’t good right now during the first trimester. Can you please take me home? I’m so tired…”
Alhaitham doesn’t need to be told twice.
___________________
The next morning, they both wake up early. Alhaitham has been awake for a while now, silently watching his love for any discomfort. He barely slept in fear of Kaveh throwing up again. He read in a book that severe vomiting and weight loss is dangerous. He wants to avoid that at all costs.
He had sent Lord Kusanali an email a few minutes ago saying he won’t be going into work tomorrow on Monday. He has an omega to take care of.
“You’re staring.” Kaveh mumbles, his eyes barely open.
“I’m aware.”
“You’re also thinking too much,” Kaveh says, and yawns. He brings up his hand and uses his thumb to flatten the crease between his mate’s eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”
“You. How are you feeling?” Alhaitham looks worried, and that startles Kaveh a little. Alhaitham’s facial expressions hardly change, but when they do it’s concerning.
Kaveh scoots closer to him, puts his hand on the back of Alhaitham’s head, and gently pulls him to rest in the crook of his neck. “Haitham, love, I’m fine. I know you’re worried. I was too last night; that’s why I had you call Nari. But, today is a new day and I’m feeling much, much better.”
Alhaitham wraps his arms around Kaveh, and squeezes him carefully, inhaling his floral scent. “If you’re sure. But, I’m gonna keep an eye on you today.”
Kaveh’s chuckles. “That’s fine. We also need to keep an eye on Brea. Her eating habits have been changing, and she’s sleeping more than usual during nap time. I think she might be going through a growth spurt. I’m hoping it’s just that because at first I thought she was sick.”
“I see. She isn’t leaving my side today, either.”
“What about the boys? They’re going to want to play with you today since it’s sunday.”
“I can do both.”
“You’re gonna play with the kids while watching me? Good luck.”
“What’s that supposed to— oof! ”
There’s a soft giggle in the room and a head full of messy, grayish hair pops up from beneath the covers.
“Papa, daddy!” Brea says, wiggling to lie down between them. She’s on her back, looking back and forth between her parents.
Kaveh smiles, and tickles her chin. “Good morning, baby. You’re awake early.”
“Too early to be kicking me in the stomach, that’s for sure. Good morning, princess.” Alhaitham says, and kisses her forehead.
“Warm bed,” Brea mumbles as her eyes close. Ah, she’s still sleepy, but wanted to sleep with her parents.
Kaveh yawns, “You’ve got the right idea kid,”
“Go back to sleep, dear,” Alhaitham says quietly, gently playing with Brea’s hair as the two year old’s soft snores fill the room.
“Okay, but don’t let me sleep too long. I have a lot to do today.” Kaveh mumbles the last words as he drifts off to sleep.
Kaveh wakes abruptly, sitting up in his bed. He looks around, a little confused, and doesn’t see Alhaitham or Brea in bed. His side is cold. He finds his phone underneath the mountain of pillows: 11:50am and 3% battery. He places it in the charger and puts it down on the nightstand.
He told Alhaitham not to let him sleep in so late. He has so much shit to do and it’s already noon. Kaveh runs through a mental list as he uses the bathroom and brushes his teeth. He brushes his bed hair and pulls it into a messy bun on top of his head. He rubs his stomach and turns to the side, lifting his shirt.
His stretch marks are beginning to show, and he sighs. He lets his shirt go and leaves the bathroom, making his way into the living room. It’s eerily quiet on a sunday in their home; that’s not normal.
What also isn’t normal is that the house looks clean. Any toys were put away, the stains on the carpet were… getting there, and everything is dusted and in its place. The kitchen is spotless as well, not a drop of water on any surface. Kaveh can nearly see his reflection in the mopped floors. He goes to check the front door since their shoe rack is always a mess, but finds it neat and organized. Kaveh also checks if the laundry has been done (it has), and if the kids' rooms are clean (they are).
Alhaitham did everything.
Kaveh wanted to cry.
He eventually found his family in the backyard, chasing a frisbee around. Alhaitham throws it far and whoever catches it first wins the round. It’s a simple game. Kaveh runs over to them just as Alhaitham throws it, and joins the small gang of kids.
“PAPA!” They all yell in surprise.
Kaveh laughs, and uses the distraction to catch the frisbee. “I win, I win!”
Alhaitham jogs over to pick Kaveh up by the waist and spin him around. Kaveh laughs louder as he’s being set down gently onto the grass.
“That, kids, was a crappy play. How did you let papa get past you?” Alhaitham playfully scolds the kids.
“We didn’t know he was coming!” Kian shouts.
“Yeah, he came out of nowhere!” Amir yells, wiping grass blades from Brea’s pants.
Alhaitham shook his head in mock disappointment. “That’s no excuse. I’m expecting better results in the next round. Back to the start.”
The kids run back to their starting line which is the other end of the field. Alhaitham looks at Kaveh and smiles. “That was a very sneaky thing to do. How are you feeling?”
He kisses Kaveh’s cheek, and the kids fake gag. Kaveh chuckles, “I’m better. Thank you for doing all of the housework. I’m sorry I’ve been slacking.”
“Don’t worry about it, my dear. The kids helped, too.”
“Oh, Kian didn’t—“
“He went nowhere near the laundry, I promise. I refuse to wear pink socks to work again. Nahida never let me hear the end of it.”
Kaveh giggles, and kisses his cheek. “But still, thank you. I love you,” He pulls Alhaitham in for an actual kiss, and the kids start yelling at them to stop so they can play.
Kaveh turns to them, and shouts, “If you guys can beat me, we’ll go out for ice cream! You have 3 rounds, so 3 chances!”
He jogs over to them, and places his hands on his hips. “Sound like a deal?”
Amir eyes him suspiciously and holds up a hand. “Give me a moment to discuss with my team.”
Kaveh rolls his eyes as the four of them go into a small huddle. He pretends not to hear everything they’re saying, until Amir pipes up. “Papa, does Brea count?”
Kaveh likes a challenge and knows his boys will bring the heat. “No, she’s fine. I know she’ll slow you guys down. I’m here to win, and I know you boys are too.”
Amir’s eyes light up at that and he returns to their very loud huddle. His sons have a competitive streak just like Kaveh, and he couldn’t be happier. Soon, they’re done and let Alhaitham know they’re ready.
“Bring it on, papa! Oops! I mean Kaveh!” Kian exclaims.
Kaveh smirks at him. “You know what kid? I’ll let it slide this time, but remember your manners.”
“Is it bad to call papa by his first name?” Kian whispers to his big brother.
Amir nods, and whispers back, “It’s disrespectful. Tread carefully, friend.”
Kaveh’s kids are something else.
They play through 3 rounds just like Kaveh said, and surprisingly, the kids win 2 rounds. Kaveh is trying to catch his breath as the kids celebrate their win, and talking about which ice cream flavors they’re getting.
“Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?” Alhaitham asks him, and rubs his back.
Kaveh shakes his head. “I'm fine, just need water. I haven’t run around with them in a while,” He subconsciously starts to rub his stomach.
“Yeah, but they enjoyed it. Go get some water, and I’ll round them up.” Alhaitham gives him a quick kiss, and goes over to the kids.
Kaveh heads inside, and gets a cold glass of water. He chugs it, and after a moment he realizes he’s hungry. He didn’t expect to end up playing with the kids, so he didn’t eat. He goes into the fridge and just starts finding things to eat: String cheese, a yogurt cup, some grapes. Anything simple and easy to eat. He moves onto the pantry next with a pickle in hand. He finds some chips and eats a few of those, then some crackers and a cookie. He gets an idea and goes back to the fridge for another pickle.
He grabs the jar of peanut butter and scoops some out with the pickle. He eats it, and makes a delighted little noise. He takes another bite and turns around to see his husband standing there with his arms crossed.
“Oh. Hi,” Kaveh says, suddenly nervous.
“Hi. What are you doing?”
“… I didn’t eat earlier.”
“So you decided to just eat a bunch of junk food instead of an actual meal?”
Kaveh chuckles nervously. “I was trying to decide what to eat so I had some snacks in the meantime,”
Alhaitham sighs. “Dear, please eat a proper meal. I know you get cravings, but real food first.”
Kaveh pouts. “I know, I’m sorry, Haitham,” And he suddenly feels like crying from shame. He has nothing to be ashamed of, though. Alhaitham just cares about his well being.
Suddenly, hands are gently cupping his face, and wiping at some wetness on his face. Oh, he cried anyway.
“Dear, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry,” Alhaitham rushes to say.
Kaveh shakes his head. “No, no it’s not you. It’s just the stupid hormones, I’m sorry. It’s making me feel ashamed for no reason.”
Alhaitham brings him into a tight hug, and Kaveh cries into his shoulder. He really hates this part of being pregnant. Every little thing makes him upset and he ends up crying the entire pregnancy. It’s so embarrassing, really. He knows he can’t help it; it’s just the hormones.
“Why is papa crying? Is everything okay?”
Alhaitham turns to see Amir standing there, ready to go like he asked them to do earlier.
“Ah, he’s fine. It’s nothing bad, just his hormones.” Alhaitham explains briefly.
“Hormones?” Amir takes a cautious step forward. Alhaitham can see his shoulders tense up, and his hands are balled into fists at his sides. Amir is getting anxious.
“Yes, hormones. They’re chemicals that tell our bodies to do certain things,” Alhaitham thinks of a kid-friendly way to explain it. “Right now, the chemicals in papa’s body are telling him to cry. How rude, hm?”
Amir nods, but doesn’t look convinced at all. Kids can become sensitive when their parents cry or show any type of upset emotions. Some cry along with the parents, or are just genuinely worried. Others have no reaction at all.
Amir has always been a sensitive one.
Kaveh pulls away from his husband, and grabs a napkin to clean his face. “I’m okay, baby, I promise. Come here,” Kaveh kneels down and holds his arms up.
Amir runs into his arms, and nuzzles his neck, already feeling comforted by his dad’s scent. “I’m sorry,” He mumbles.
“There’s no need to be sorry, hun. I know you’re worried, but it’s okay. Everything is gonna be okay,”
Suddenly, there’s a scream from one of the rooms followed by loud laughter. Kaveh looks up at Alhaitham and the alpha just nods his head, leaving to go check on the other kids.
Alhaitham finds them in Amir and Kian’s shared room. Kian and Amaan are huddled around Brea, laughing loudly as she shouts at them excitedly.
“Boys, what’s going on?”
The three of them all quickly turn their heads to their dad. Amaan runs up to him, and tugs on his shirt. “Brea found a caterpillar!”
Alhaitham blinks. “A what.”
“A caterpillar!” Kian repeats.
Alhaitham gets closer, and Brea holds her small hands out. Indeed, there’s a bright green caterpillar slowly crawling around on her palms. Alhaitham takes a deep breath and steps back.
A shiver goes down his spine.
“I’ll get your papa.”
Alhaitham leaves just as quickly as he came. He finds Kaveh and Amir in the living room playing a card game.
“Dear, the little ones need you. Immediately.” Alhaitham tells him.
Kaveh sets his cards down, and stands up, worry etching his features. “What’s wrong? Are they okay?”
He awaits no response and runs into the room. “Are you guys okay?! Daddy said you need help!”
“Papa! Come look!” Kian says while waving him over.
Kaveh walks closer and Brea holds out her hands. “Oh my! Why do you have that, sweetie?”
Now Kaveh sees why Alhaitham told him to come check. He rolls his eyes mentally; that man needs to get over his fear of bugs. Kaveh carefully takes the caterpillar from her.
“The window! Papa look,” Brea says, sprinting to the window, pushing the curtains out of the way.
The window is open and there, in the bottom corner is a small hole in the screen. Kaveh shuts the window, and ushers the kids out. He takes the caterpillar outside and tells the kids to say goodbye to their friend.
“You were very brave today, Haitham.” Kaveh says as they leave the house to walk to the ice cream parlor nearby.
The kids are all holding hands and walking a few feet in front of them. They’re shouting with excitement about how much ice cream they’re going to eat, and what flavors they’ll get.
Alhaitham takes a deep, dramatic breath, “Thank you, Kaveh. I was holding it together as best as possible for the kids; wouldn’t want to freak them out.”
Kaveh laughs at him. “I’m sorry, baby, but your fear of bugs is so funny to me!”
Alhaitham rolls his eyes. “I’m glad my misery entertains you so much. I want a divorce.”
“A divorce? Who’s going to deal with the bugs then? Certainly not you,” Kaveh chuckles some more.
“That’s what exterminators are for.”
Kaveh shakes his head and they soon approach the parlor. They walk in, and the kids run up to the glass casings to look at the different flavors.
“Hi, welcome in. Oh, Senior Kaveh, and Scribe Alhaitham! Hello,” The worker behind the counter greets in her usual sleepy tone.
Kaveh smiles. “Hey, Layla. And, please, no titles. It makes me feel old.”
“You are old, papa!” Amaan shouts.
Kaveh sighs, as Layla hides a giggle behind her hand. “If it’s any consolation, you don’t look older than 25.”
“Thank you, Layla. Alright, boys and Brea, go easy on Layla today. She said I look 25, so be nice,”
“Aren’t you like thir—“
“If you wish to live, you won’t finish that sentence,” Amir warns his little brother Kian, holding his hand over the younger’s mouth.
Kian looks over at Kaveh. The blond is smiling sweetly at his son. Too sweet. Kian looks back at Amir and nods quickly. Amir removes his hand, and pats Kian’s shoulder.
“You live to see another day, friend. Let’s celebrate with ice cream,”
Kaveh and Alhaitham give each other a look after witnessing the miracle that is their children. They’re so funny and cute.
After they all get their dessert, they make their way to the park. By the time they arrive, all of the boys are finished and ready to play. Brea, Kaveh’s sweet girl, is still working on her treat.
“Baby, you’ve got it all over your face,” Kaveh says with a smile.
He has Brea sitting on top of the table at the park. He sits on the bench as he wipes her face with the extra napkins he snagged from the parlor. Thank the archons that he did. The two year old miraculously didn’t get any on her shirt, and Kaveh is grateful.
“Is yummy, papa!” Brea says, biting the sugar cone. Another drop of chocolate goes down her chin, and Kaveh wipes it off quickly.
“Yeah, I bet it is yummy! Papa’s ice cream was yummy too!”
“Did baby get some?” She asks, trying to reach for Kaveh’s slightly showing belly.
Kaveh catches her sticky hand in his before she could touch him. If he knew today would go like this, he wouldn’t have worn a white shirt.
“Yes, sweetie. I shared mine with the baby,”
“Was it yummy for baby?”
“Yes it was. Ready to go play?” Kaveh asks, wiping off what he can without any water. She’s going to need a bath when they get home.
Brea nods her head, her little pigtails bouncing around. Kaveh lets her go and she runs off to find her brothers. Kaveh turns around on the bench to watch them carefully. He rubs his stomach subconsciously and takes a deep breath. Maybe the baby didn’t like the ice cream.
“Are you okay, dear?” Alhaitham asks from beside him.
“Maybe. My stomach hurts a little,”
“Should I call Tighnari? Do you need to go home? The hospital is close by—“
“I think I just have to take a shit,”
Alhaitham shuts his mouth and gives Kaveh a blank stare. The blonde notices and bursts out into laughter. “What?! It’s a natural, human thing to do!”
“I know, but you made me worried. I hate when you do that,” Alhaitham crosses his arms as he watches the kids again.
Kaveh leans his head on Alhaitham’s shoulder, hugging the man’s arm. “I’m sorry, baby,” Kaveh can’t help the giggle that escapes. “I won’t do it again, promise,”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You will definitely do it again.”
Kaveh laughs some more because his mate isn’t wrong. It’s just so fun to tease Alhaitham; it always has been. Kaveh knew that someone couldn’t be expressionless all the time, but Alhaitham was quite stubborn. The day Kaveh finally got a smile from him was the day he fell in love, probably.
After another hour or so, the parents round up the kids to head home. Just as he suspected, Brea is dirty and still sticky with ice cream. As soon as they got home, Kaveh announced he was going to give the little girl a bath and that Alhaitham will feed the boys.
There is a moment of silence and Kaveh realizes his mistake.
“Dad will give Brea a bath, and I will feed the boys.”
“There ya go, papa!”
“He almost killed us!”
“Hey, I may not know how to cook, but you won’t die,” Alhaitham retorts, taking Brea from his mate.
“I beg to differ, dad,” Amaan says as he hops up onto the chair at the dining table.
Alhaitham rolls his eyes and mumbles, “Where did he even learn that,” and walks off.
Lunch is a quick, yet messy affair. Kian somehow got peanut butter in his hair from his sandwich, and Brea nearly got a blueberry stuck up her nose. Alhaitham and Kaveh decided she wasn’t allowed to have them until further notice. The jury is still out for Kian and the peanut butter.
The rest of their Sunday goes without a hitch. They play games, watch movies, and build forts. However, shit hits the fan when it’s bedtime.
Kaveh is in the office, gently rocking Brea, trying to get her to calm down. She started screaming and crying when Alhaitham tried to put her to bed. She was yelling for Kaveh, who was giving Kian his extra cuddles at the time. The blonde trusted that Alhaitham could handle it, he had other kids who needed his attention. After five straight minutes, the crying didn’t cease. Kian and Amir assured him that they’re fine, and to go help their baby sister.
When Kaveh arrived in the room, Alhaitham was holding her, and Amaan was sitting on his bed looking upset as well. Kaveh had checked on him first.
“Hey, buddy. Your sister is pretty loud, hm?”
Amaan nodded sadly. “I’m sleepy, papa.”
Kaveh had gently cooed at him, and pulled him to his chest. “I know, baby, I know. How about you go lay down in our bed? You can close the door, too, if you want.”
“Can I sleep with you, too?”
“Of course, buddy. I’m gonna see what’s wrong with Brea, and dad will be in there soon, okay?”
Kaveh had kissed the top of his son’s head as he left the room to go into his parent’s room. Kaveh heard the door shut, and he stood up, ready to take the crying girl. Alhaitham gladly handed her over, and Kaveh chuckled quietly. He knew it could be hard sometimes. He sent Alhaitham away to go with Amaan, and Kaveh thought it’d be best for everyone to go somewhere quieter.
That’s how he ended up here in the office. It’s at the back of the house, in an empty hallway. It’s the only room back here, and Kaveh has always thought it was creepy, but it helps for situations like these.
He hasn’t gotten a single word out of Brea besides “papa, papa.” He doesn’t know what’s wrong with her and he’s worried. She won’t speak.
“Baby, you gotta tell papa what’s wrong. Are you hurt? Let papa help you, please,” Kaveh nearly begged her. He is on the verge of tears himself; he’s been in here for 20 minutes.
She continues to cry, and clutch onto the collar of his shirt. Kaveh debates on calling Tighnari. He should be able to handle this himself, but he has no clue what to do; Kaveh is stuck. He’s lost.
So, he gives him. He pulls his phone from his pants pocket, and calls his fox friend. It picks up on the second ring and Kaveh is quickly reminded that it’s only 10pm.
“Hey, Kav— What’s going on?” Tighnari immediately slips into doctor mode.
“I— I don’t know! She hasn’t stopped crying and it’s been like 30 minutes. She won’t tell me what’s wrong, or— or if she’s hurt, or—“
“ Kaveh. Relax, please,” Tighnari said in a demanding yet gentle tone. “ Did she eat dinner?”
“Yes, she did. She ate some chicken, peas, and—and mashed potatoes. She loves mashed potatoes, Nari,”
Tighnari smiles on his side of the phone, and doesn’t mention that Kaveh didn’t need to tell him what she ate. He knows Kaveh is just worried and rambling.
“That’s great! I’m happy she loves them; they’re good. Are her pajamas comfortable? What about her bed? Toddlers are sometimes uncomfortable and they don’t know how to express it very well, so they get frustrated and cry. She also could just be missing you, and Alhaitham. I’m sorry if this next question is offensive or anything, I just want to help: Do you and Alhaitham scent her things? Like clothes, her pillows, blankets and such.”
Kaveh thought about it, quietly shushing Brea as she still whines and whimpers. “No, I don’t think we do. We scent her , but not clothes or anything. Is that what she needs?”
“That could be it. Some toddlers react this way when the parent is pregnant as well, but that’s closer to your last few weeks. Right now, I think she’s just tired and missing her parents. You guys do a lot on Sundays usually, no? If she didn’t nap today, she'd definitely be tired from all of the activities and trying to keep up. It’s not your fault, though, some toddlers are just like that.”
Kaveh looks down at his baby, and nearly bursts into tears. Her little face is scrunched up, and red all over. Tears are mixing with the snot, and probably getting into her mouth.
“Brea, baby, are you sleepy? Is that it? Tell papa,” Kaveh tries again.
Brea stares at him and sniffles, letting out a small cry. “Papa… Want papa,”
“Sounds like she just misses you, and needs to feel that connection. I know she isn’t a newborn anymore, but try some skin to skin contact. Alhaitham, too.”
Kaveh leans down to kiss her forehead. “Thank you, Nari. I was so… worried.”
“I know. You don’t have to thank me. Make sure you give her some water; she’s probably dehydrated from crying. You drink some as well, and get some rest. Love you, Kaveh.”
“Love you more, Nari.”
They hang up, and Kaveh looks down at Brea, who is staring up at him with wide, wet eyes. Kaveh readjusts his hold on her, and burrows his face into her hair.
“Let’s go to bed with daddy, okay?”
Kaveh leaves the office, and goes back to their room. He opens the door quietly, and shuts it behind him. On the bed, Amaan is sprawled out in the middle, and Alhaitham is lying next to him, scenting his son.
“Hey, babe. I called Nari, and he said something might help,” Kaveh says.
Alhaitham perks up at that. “What is it?”
“First, move Amaan over to my side,” Kaveh instructs. Alhaitham does so, then awaits further instructions. “Take off your shirt,”
“Uh, dear, I don’t think—“
“Just do it, weirdo,”
Alhaitham does so hesitantly. Kaveh goes over to him, and hands him Brea. Surprisingly, she doesn’t protest. She’s probably tired from crying. Next, Kaveh gets on the bed in between Amaan and his mate.
“Nari said she’s just tired and probably missing us. He suggested we try skin to skin contact.” Kaveh explains while taking his own shirt off. He doesn’t like being shirtless— never has— but if it’ll help his baby he’ll do anything.
So, they both lay down with Brea in between them. They’re close enough so that she knows they’re both there, but aren’t squishing her. She seems to like it, and is calm now. After a good while, she finally falls asleep.
Kaveh lets out a quiet breath of relief. “Finally. I was so worried.”
“I could tell. She’s fine now.”
Kaveh believes him. Their daughter is fine. She’s healthy and strong; she’s growing fast, too.
And for the rest of the days, she was happier than ever.