Chapter Text
It was three in the morning, and Theo was not sleeping.
He sat in a chair, with a special pillow in his lap designed to support the head of his newborn son, since his hand was occupied with holding a bottle.
Theo yawned. His head felt heavy, and his eyes burned from lack of sleep.
He was exhausted. It wasn't just the fact that he was awake at this absurd hour; life had been pretty hectic for them these days.
The room he was sitting in– his and Annette’s bedroom– had boxes piled in the corner that they had yet to unpack.
With a baby on the way, they decided to move out of their apartment and into a small house close to the robotics lab Annette worked at.
So between moving, baby preparation, and work that didn’t stop just because you had other things going on, both he and Annette were spent.
And there was also the fact Theo himself needed extra help in getting ready for fatherhood. So much of caring for a baby involved two hands. He had taken classes, practiced with a weighted doll, done everything he could to prepare for the extra challenges he would face.
But still, tired as he was… the little guy was worth it.
He could just make out the color of his golden hair in the dim light, his eyes were barely open at the moment, but Theo knew their color— silver, like his mother.
It was pretty crazy to him that this was his son. He didn’t feel quite… grown up enough to be a dad.
I’m a dad now. That’s so weird…
Theo set the empty bottle aside. This part was tricky…
He maneuvered the baby onto his shoulder. Using the stub of his left arm to support his bottom, Theo rested his hand on the baby’s back, patting him lightly.
The burp came after a few moments. Theo shifted his son into a cradle position(with his right arm doing all the work, and his left playing the role of support.)
Walking back over to the crib, the new father carefully laid his son down.
“Goodnight kiddo… please stay asleep this time.”
Theo got back in bed, but just as he closed his eyes…the cries filled the room once again.
Theo sighed. Next to him, Annette sat up.
“I’ll get him this time…” she yawned.
She got up, moving back over to the crib. Theo watched from the bed as she scooped the baby up, and began to walk back and forth while rocking him.
It would be nice if he had the ability Shin did. When his kids were babies he’d been able to use the Esper ability he inherited from his mother to easily know their needs.
But Theo and Annette didn’t have that, so they would just have to play the guessing game like any other parents.
This time they got lucky. He calmed after just a few minutes– maybe he just wanted his mother.
Annette set the now quiet baby down. She lingered for a moment over the crib.
Theo got up and moved to her side.
“He’s gonna cause all kinds of trouble once he can move.” Annette said, nudging into his shoulder with her own.
“Probably.”
“It’s still hard to believe that you and me, of all people, are responsible for raising a whole human.”
“Right? Who’s idea was it to give that job to us?”
They had to laugh quietly so they wouldn’t wake the baby.
Theo and Annette cautiously went back to bed, careful to avoid making any noise. As they settled in the blankets, they faced each other.
“It’s gonna be a long eighteen years— and beyond. I’m probably gonna need backup sometimes. You up for it?” Theo asked.
“Little late to be asking that, isn’t it? But yeah, I am. Though I hope the crying in the middle of the night thing doesn’t last eighteen years.”
He laughed again, still making an effort to be quiet.
“Pretty sure that stops… after a few years.”
Annette groaned, then cracked a tired smile.
They moved closer together, wrapping themselves up in each other's arms. Theo’s chin rested on top of her head, his eyes fluttered shut.
And then the crying started once more.