Work Text:
A chorus of illusory pleas sound within his mind, followed only a second later by the warm pulse of his mating bond.
Leonard?
Leonard rarely recited his honorific name so Klein knew it must be important. He gave an impatient glance to Danitz before issuing the order.
“Don’t get distracted this time.” Before Danitz could respond, he'd already moved to his designated bedroom, locked the door and isolated it with a wall of spirituality.
Taking four steps counterclockwise, Klein felt himself being pulled upwards, as indescribable ravings filled his mind for a few seconds before he found himself in the ancient palace.
Seated at the head of the long, mottled table, Zhou Mingrui glanced at the projection of Creeping Hunger resting innocently where he had left it during his morning divination, before turning to look at the fog curling gently around the star that represented Leonard. Without wasting a single breath, he established a spiritual connection with it and the scene appeared in front of him.
Leonard was perched on the edge of their large bed, his eyes glued to Felix, who sat in the middle as the omega fiddled with something in his hands.
“Today, I'm going to teach you something new. If you get some of it right, I'll let you lick this once.” Leonard explained gently, showing Felix what he held in his hand. Klein recognised it as a piece of milk chocolate and his sweet-addicted son nodded enthusiastically. “When you get all of it right a few times, I'll give you this and another piece to eat as a reward, alright?”
With that, Leonard raised his hand in the air, holding the chocolate directly above Felix and the fat-cheeked eight-month-old tipped his head back to stare up at it, unblinking, like a cat watching its prey.
“Repeat after me: The Fool that does not belong to this era.” Leonard recited the first verse in slow, halting Jotun as Felix blinked at the chocolate being waved above him.
Does he think our son is a pet to be trained? Klein didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He'd only been away from home for a month and Leonard had gone from being a very normal, very dedicated mother to someone who told his son he could lick chocolates as a reward.
Leaning back against the high-backed chair, Klein chuckled to himself.
“Leonard, how did your parenting style change so drastically in only a month? Our son isn't a dog!” He chided the poet who couldn't hear him as he slowed his pace and repeated the first verse again. Felix's big green eyes glimmered as he tried to copy Leonard's words in a whisper:
“Th—The Fool that… that?” He looked inquiringly at Leonard, making the omega coo adoringly. Klein couldn't help but instinctively squeeze the armrest at the sheer cuteness his baby could exhibit with a little action. Goddess! How in the world could so much cuteness be contained in such a tiny little body? Klein didn't know the answer. He did know, however, that he was already dying of cuteness aggression and Felix hadn't even done anything special yet!
It's all Leonard's fault! He thought. It's because Felix inherited his eyes!
“Does not belong to this era.” Leonard repeated slowly. Felix seemed to catch on because he managed to mumble the first verse correctly.
“The Fool that does… not belong to—to… this era!” Even though he stuttered and paused a few times, Felix succeeded in three tries and immediately reached for the chocolate with his chubby little arms.
Klein didn't even have to look to recognise the barely-contained violent fondness in Leonard's eyes. It was a feeling mirrored in his own heart after all.
Unable to stop himself, Zhou Mingrui gripped Creeping Hunger and squeezed it like a stress ball as he watched his wife lean closer. Clutching at the fabric of his pants with one hand, Leonard gently nibbled on a soft, pink cheek before he lowered his hand and placed the chocolate in front of Felix. The baby—who seemed to have inherited his looks from Leonard yet his preferences were an exact replica of Klein's own—grinned and batted Leonard's face away before politely leaning closer and licking the chocolate once. And then he obediently sat back, as if waiting for the next opportunity to earn the privilege of tasting the sweet treat.
So mature!
If it was Klein being offered chocolate in such a provoking manner, he'd have long since bitten half of it off. And yet somehow, the child who wasn't even one year old had better manners. Who in the world did he get those impeccable manners from? Zhou Mingrui didn't know but was sure it wasn’t from either of his parents.
“Such a good boy,” Leonard praised and Klein wholeheartedly agreed. Felix was a very good boy.
“As a reward for listening to your mama, you can lick it one more time.” The absolute pushover crooned, offering the chocolate again and Klein couldn't believe his eyes.
“You—You call me out for indulging him and then you do this?” He wasn't sure if he was happy Leonard couldn't hear his complaints or sad that he couldn't confront his ‘strict parent’ wife about his hypocrisy. We are so talking about this, Leonard! He vowed in his heart as Creeping Hunger squirmed in his grip.
Felix's emerald green eyes seemed to grow even bigger as he stared at the chocolate, pure adoration glimmering in his jewel-like eyes. A sunny grin stretched across his lips, making his plump cheeks look even more bitable as he leaned over to lick the chocolate again. He looked absolutely delighted at his win and Klein could see a trace of himself in that smugness.
This was the same reaction he always had when he got a discount or a free gift with a purchase!
“Alright, sunshine, repeat what you've learned,” Leonard smiled, raising the chocolate back up and peering down inquiringly at the boy and Felix quickly recited the first verse.
“The Fool that does not belong to this era!” His Jotun accent was rough but the words came out a lot more smoothly than the last time and Klein fistbumped the air.
Look at my little genius. He's such a quick learner!
Leonard fistbumped the air before poking a fat cheek. “Good, Felix, you're so smart!” The omega was generous with his praise and he used his free hand to ruffle Felix's soft brown hair. “The mysterious ruler above the grey fog.” He recited next, even slower than before and Felix got that one down in four tries and no mistakes.
“The Fool that does not belong to this era. The mysterious ruler above the grey fog!” The more he spoke, the wider Leonard's smile became and the more excited Felix got in response. By the end of the second verse, he was bouncing with how excited he got at the warm reception. Leonard quickly reached down to grab the chubby mass of happiness before the baby toppled off his lap due to his enthusiasm.
Klein could no longer suppress his squeal as he threw the crumpled glove on the table and slapped his hands on his mouth to muffle his words. “Cute! So cute! Ugh I want to teleport over and bite his cheeks and pinch his little belly!”
The thought left him with an ache in his chest. He wanted to be there. He wanted to watch Felix learn to recite his honorific name in person and he longed to respond to his sweet boy with all the kisses and praise he deserved… Why did I even decide to digest the potion so far from home?
But the pain didn't linger in his heart for long and it was his dear poet’s fault as usual. The melancholy quickly gave way to incredulity and Zhou Mingrui slapped his forehead as he watched Leonard get manipulated by someone who could barely string a full sentence together.
Three licks—Leonard, you doormat!—of chocolate and one relocation to his lap later, Leonard finally moved on to the final verse.
He adjusted the chocolate, extending his hand horizontally in front of Felix while he grabbed his wiggling son with the other hand as he chanted. “The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck.”
“Yellow?” Felix inquired, a tiny finger pointing at the citrine in Leonard's wedding ring, making his mother burst into breathy laughter.
“Yes, yes, yellow like that,” he agreed, grabbing the pointing finger and shaking it. The smile on his face was radiant enough to make Mingrui's heart skip a beat before his wife leaned over and planted a loud, smacking kiss on the top of the furry head. “My baby's a genius! The best, smartest, cutest—”
Felix's pink cheeks turned even rosier as Leonard rambled and the boy tried to swat at the chocolate-wielding hand.
“Alright, alright. The King of Yellow and Black who—” he repeated again, but this time, broken into two parts, the first being the one that made Felix point at yellow things and the latter made him grab at Leonard's long, black hair as he repeated excitedly.
“The King of Yellow and Black!” Felix chanted, smoother and more fluent than any of the previous ones because his apparent favourite colour had been mentioned.
“Has Leonard been teaching him colours in ancient languages?” Klein mused and did a quick divination which basically confirmed his guess. Starting with colours was smart. It was a lot easier to learn languages in childhood if the teacher was dedicated enough, which Leonard clearly was. “Its adorable to see the person who would go glassy eyed at the thought of learning become such a dedicated teacher.”
Klein couldn't help but feel proud. This is character development!
“—who wields good luck.”
“Who w—wields good luck!”
After fluently repeating the three verses a few times, Felix Moretti was given his rightful due.
His green eyes twinkled and squinted with the force of his smile as he gave Leonard a wet kiss on his cheek before stuffing the chocolate in his mouth. Leonard rested his chin over the tiny shoulder, tilting his head to see their baby enjoying his reward before kissing his bulging cheek. His fingers fiddled with Felix's hair, combing them gently as he smiled.
“Klein,” Leonard murmured and the alpha who'd been watching over him perked up. “I promised myself I'd teach him this on my day off. I know you're watching so can you give me any other teaching suggestions after the next Tarot gathering?”
Suggestions? How about starting off by not treating our son like a dog? Seriously, Leonard? Operant conditioning? He couldn't help but lampoon but then he decided to not keep that in his mind and transmitted his words to the star that represented his wife.
He watched as the words registered in Leonard's mind because his wistful smile had twisted into a scowl that did nothing but make his lips look more kissable.
Beautiful people are so unfair! Why do they look good doing anything? He complained inwardly as Leonard straightened up.
“Now listen here you judgemental alpha,” he started, the furrow between his brows deepening in the way it always did when he wanted to devolve into a long ramble. “We call this, positive reinforcement! If you have better plans, why don't you write me a lesson plan that targets children under the age of one who prefer being quiet, napping and eating sweets only? And don't you dare cheat by asking Miss Justice or Azik for help!”
Klein couldn't hold back his laughter as he stared at the indignant look on his stunningly beautiful wife. He looks so mad like I insulted the Goddess herself!
While Leonard always looked beautiful, it had to be said that anger really brought out the green of his eyes. It was a big reason Zhou Mingrui enjoyed provoking him so much.
“Rui?” Felix squirmed around in Leonard's lap and asked a little louder. “Daddy?” a pair of emerald green eyes searched the room, trying to locate Klein before Felix deflated. The sadness marring such a sweet face sent a stab of guilt through the alpha's heart.
I really need to digest the Faceless potion and advance to Marionettist faster! How could Zhou Mingrui not feel like crying when those big, green eyes stared around expectantly before dimming? Klein had only ever felt like an asshole once before and that was when he made Leonard cry.
And here he was, looking at his disappointed son's face as Leonard hugged him, whispering in his ear and stroking his back.
“I'm sorry, my sweetheart. He's not here now, but he misses you and will come back when his work's finished, alright?” Leonard soothed, and Klein knew he had to be using his new Soul Assurer abilities.
Felix didn't ask again.
He'd always been a quiet child who preferred clinging to legs and grabbing hems of shirts to express his attachment. He had only started speaking a month ago and even then, speaking as much as he did in today's lesson was very rare for him.
Leonard pressed a kiss to his forehead as the baby turned and buried his face against his mother's neck, seeking comfort from his pheromones. Rubbing his son's tiny back, the omega pressed another kiss to the soft brown hair at the crown of his head.
“Felix, whenever you feel scared or think something's wrong, if you ever think there's something bad going on around you, I want you to recite the lesson I've taught you today.” Leonard whispered against his hair. “As long as you manage to say these words completely and correctly, you'll be safe and everything will be fine.”
The small face turned to peek at Leonard, making the omega smile gently as he promised.
“I'll make sure you won't forget the lesson. So don't feel shy to recite it, alright?”
Felix nodded, his tiny hands clutching at Leonard's shirt as he snuggled back into the omega's embrace and Klein felt his view blur.
I miss them so much… He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes as he watched Leonard hum a lullaby to Felix before deciding something.
“Darling?” He projected his voice in Leonard's mind again and the omega looked away from Felix, silently indicating he was listening. “Ten minutes after the next Tarot gathering ends, send your messenger to Azure Wind Inn in Rorsted Archipelago. I want to come see the two of you.”
Klein had been away from his family for four weeks and two days already and was barely managing to suppress the desire to buy the first ticket available and run back to Backlund.
A month wasn't a long time and he'd been away from Felix and Leonard for longer but at least they were still on the same continent! And Felix was too young to miss him back then so he could feel a little less guilty.
Now though…
Leonard nodded once and a sweet, reassuring smile played on his lips. It was a smile reserved solely for Zhou Mingrui and he knew the message Leonard was trying to convey without words.
If this is what you believe is good for you and doesn't hinder your plans, then do it. I'll support you either way.
Klein felt himself soften at the sight, a smile unconsciously tugging at his lips.
Leonard truly was Klein Moretti's best friend and cheerleader and he felt better about his decision to go back for a little break—
—His decision was proven to be right the very next day.
×××
Klein woke up to the sound of a prayer and rubbed his eyes sleepily, glancing at the clock.
Four in the morning? Who needs me and why?
He couldn't recognise the voice so he shuffled into the bathroom, took four steps counterclockwise and arrived above the grey fog.
His sleep-heavy eyes zoomed in on a strange, new star that had formed. Is someone trying to use my bank password? But there's no money there…
With his curiosity piqued, Klein established a spiritual connection with the star and a scene filled his vision.
It was a chubby baby in a cat-printed onesie, with chestnut brown hair and a pair of unique, lake green eyes. It was a boy he could recognise even if he went blind and deaf.
Felix!
With small, uncertain steps, Felix toddled towards Leonard's desk and rose on his tiptoes. He almost lost his balance twice but steadied himself by grabbing a wooden leg. With great effort, he placed something on top of the desk his hands barely reached before he staggered back on trembling legs.
Through his expanded vision, Klein could see it was a crumpled chocolate, most likely the second one Leonard had rewarded him with.
Felix looked around, with wide hopeful eyes as he whispered inquiringly.
“Daddy?”
“Ye—” Yes, my little sunshine? Was what Klein wanted to respond with but he quickly realised how hearing strange voices in his mind and believing them to be safe could put Felix in harm's way. He's just a baby!
With a heavy heart, Klein kept his words to himself and watched his son look around the desk in search of him while solemnly reciting his honorific name again before sitting down in front of the desk and picking up a cat plush and a toy sword.
This time, he didn't look disappointed at the lack of Klein but simply started playing with his toys, completely ignoring the crumpled piece of chocolate he would otherwise do his best to inhale like his life depended on it.
“Did he… leave it for me?” Klein asked incredulously but the more he thought about it, the more sensible it felt.
Leonard did talk to him after teaching Felix his honorific name and even though Felix couldn't hear Klein, he still heard his mother utter a name he was very familiar with.
Combined with that specific desk being used to conduct sacrificial and bestowment rituals, it wasn't a stretch for Felix to think he could send a chocolate to his daddy if he put it there and recited an honorific name.
He did grow up listening to us chanting in Jotun and conducting similar rituals…
Klein looked at the abandoned chocolate again, his heart filling with tenderness as he watched his son cuddle his cat doll before Leonard came over and picked him up.
“I'll ask Leonard to send it to me after breakfast.” He decided. With one last look at the chocolate, Klein enveloped himself in spirituality and left the grey fog.
There was only one thought echoing in his now-alert mind.
It doesn't matter if it takes me longer to digest the potion. I must go back and spend time with them every few weeks!