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30th May 2007
It was the longest Nik had ever been away since returning home from Urzikstan. Sure, it had only been 10 days — he had refused to miss Si’s 11th birthday — but it felt like a lifetime to him. As per usual, he’d ferried some soldiers around, waited for their op to be completed, got them all accounted for, and dropped them home. He’d done his best to call home every night to wish them all a good night, smiling as they all wished him one in return. He never did get a good night’s sleep whilst away from home. There was no John cuddled up next to him, keeping him warm, safe, tethered.
But he was finally home now. He was about ready to climb up the stairs on all fours and collapse into bed. Maybe just collapse onto the sofa and surprise the kids with his sleeping form when they came down in the morning. Instead, he found himself ambushed the moment he walked in the front door, all the kids running at him to hug whatever they could. Alexei got a leg, Garri got the other, Simon was clutching onto his arm, Farah clinging onto the other. Kyle, still not having mastered walking just yet, was shrieking as he crawled over, Garri giving him some room so he could cling onto Nik’s foot. Nik could only laugh a little as he did his best to hug each of them at once, stooping down to kiss the tops of their heads.
“Come on kids, let Papa get in the doorway proper,” came a voice from down the hallway, Nik’s smile already widening as he looks up to see who it belonged to. His handsome man. His wonderful fiancé. His John.
The kids dispersed a little to allow John room to envelope Nik into a tight hug. They take a moment, just breathing each other in, finally allowing themselves to relax knowing they were all safe. Thoughts had flitted throughout Nik’s mind that the op was all an elaborate ruse to take him away from the home, and even though he called home every night, the anxiety around it wouldn’t be sated until Nik was finally home.
“Come on, let's let Papa put his stuff away, then he can cuddle you all properly.” The kids still seemed reluctant to move, but they relented, all of them giving one last squeeze before letting him pass — Kyle needing to be picked up by John, only relaxing when Garri starts to distract him. Nik gives them all another kiss to the tops of their heads, before heading upstairs to his and John’s room.
He’d unpack tomorrow. He didn’t have the energy to bother now, he just needed to be with his babies, eat something nice, then retreat back upstairs to have the best sleep in nearly two weeks. Leaning down with a groan — which he’s thankful the kids can’t hear, lest he get teased by them again for being so old ! The cheek of them all — he takes off his boots, starting to undress himself then. He’s thankful he managed to have a shower earlier, whilst the soldiers were being forced to sit through a debrief, doubting he had the energy for it now he was back home. Putting on clean clothes, he retrieves his ring from the chain of his dog tags, putting it back on its place on his finger, smiling to himself. He always attached it to his dog tags if he went away, even if only for a day. Before he forgets, he finds his small bracelet from the bedside table, putting that back on his wrist. As much as he’d love to have that on all the time — it being adorned with little charms chosen by each of the kids — he knew it wouldn’t be practical. Besides, putting it back on meant he was truly home. He was truly back.
Shifting his bag aside to sort at a later date, he gets himself up and mentally prepares himself for the onslaught that awaits him downstairs. Immediately it descends on him the moment he walks through the living room door, Garri flying at him at a speed that has Nik reeling. Scooping him up, he rests Garri on his hip as his boy starts signing away at him, telling him about all he’s missed. Dill, their cat, is having her own babies now it seems. Farah picks up on what Garri is saying as Nik comes to sit down on the sofa and begins excitedly talking about how she can’t wait for the new kittens, Si agreeing with her, but that he also wants a dog. Alexei begins to talk about what he’s been learning at school since Nik’s been gone, then talking about what he wants for his birthday. It’s mostly the same list he’s had for ages, and John and Nik already had the majority of what it was he wanted. It was just a task hiding it from the little rascal. Kyle joins in once he’s been plonked on Nik’s lap, reaching up to play with his beard, as Garri and Alexei had done before him, making Nik laugh each time. He had no idea what made his beard such a good toy for his kids, or why they liked playing with it so much.
John bid some of them scooch up or shift so he could sit himself down, Farah and Si moving out of the way to let him. Si promptly parks himself on John once he’s sat down, Farah sitting the other side of them. John leans his head down against Nik’s shoulder then, all of them content just to relax in their little pile together for a short while before the inevitable bedtime rituals began. The three youngest were already up far past theirs, but it was warranted. Kyle was already in his sleeping onesie at least, so when he dropped off it was only a case of taking him upstairs and laying him down to sleep. Alexei was also in his pyjamas, but it seemed Garri had stubbornly refused as usual until Nik told him to. At least now he was home it would be easier on John, he thinks to himself.
One by one, the kids do indeed drop off against their Papa pillow, and they make the trek upstairs to put them all to bed, Farah offering to take Alexei. They never forced her to take care of the kids — she was still a kid herself, she deserved to be one and not a carer for her younger siblings — but if she offered to help with little things then they never minded. Making sure she could indeed carry him, they let her go up first, telling her to come back out for her own goodnight once Alexei is peacefully in bed. Simon waits patiently for the others to be put to their respective beds, then gets a hug from them both before heading off to his room, Farah following suit afterwards, saying she holds Nik to his promise of börek the next night.
Once they’re all in the rooms, John drags Nik through to theirs, sitting him up on the bed before sitting in his lap and wrapping his arms around him to hold him close. Nik wraps his arms around John in return, burying his head in John’s chest. This was perfect. Being here, breathing in John’s thick scent, he felt truly at home, truly at peace. He sighs heavily, letting all the weight and stress from the op leave him in one fell swoop.
Frowning as John moves away, ceasing his tranquility, he watches as he leans over to the bedside table. “Someone else has been missing you too.”
He only frowns more then. “Who, Laswell?” He hadn’t been able to keep in contact with her during it, the overseer being Kamarov for once.
Nik just thinks he’s getting his phone out to show texts from her, when he’s shown a thin white bar. He knows immediately what it is because of his years with John at this point. He doesn’t even need to check for two lines, there’s no way John would show him a pregnancy test without being absolutely certain. Especially being absolutely certain that he did want to go through it all again, but Nik had to make sure.
“We are having another baby?”
John just nods, smiling widely as he leans forward to kiss Nik’s forehead. “And yes, before you ask, I want to. Could be the last chance we have, I’m willing to try it again.”
Nik just pulls him down into a proper, deep kiss. They were having another baby! They weren’t even trying, not after John’s last time with Alexei and it being miserable for him. Not to mention the birth. It was the first time Nik had prayed in years , and he hated seeing John in so much pain and anguish. If he was certain he could go through it again, Nik would support him all the way through as he had done before.
“12 weeks, by the way. Have a scan later this week. Didn’t want to get one without you.”
Nik makes a soft noise, resting his head against John’s chest, before looking back up at him. “Does your mother know?” She was usually the first — Nik never minded, she’d been there for John during his first and knew how much John needed her, he’d never begrudge him it — being able to notice something different about her son.
To his surprise, John shakes his head and laughs. “Si’s got a bit of an idea though. You remember him with Alexei? He knows it ain’t just a bug anymore. Don’t think he’s noticed the little bump yet though.” John shifts back a little then, pulling up his top to show off said small bump, Nik making a small pleased noise as he gently places a hand on it.
Their new little baby. Nik was already planning ways to spoil them. He’d make sure it all went perfectly. Well. Maybe just as smoothly as possible.
“I am milking this pregnancy as well, I hope you know, solnyshko .”
John just laughs at that, shaking his head. “Knew you’d said that. Fine, if I must , I s’pose I can let ya.” He teases, pressing a kiss to Nik’s nose.