Work Text:
Frank was waiting outside for Hazel to finish talking to the new praetors about paperworks. He wondered if Leo had managed to detach himself from his new project to shower and eat somethind that wasn't Graham crackers.
"Excuse me ?" said someone.
Frank dropped his gaze to see a someone, hunched up as if their back was hurting — or they were trying to prevent Frank from seeing them. They were wearing an oversized sweatshirt, whose hood was covering their head. They sounded young.
"Praetor," said the person respectfully. "I-I have an pffering for the gods."
They held out a basket covered by a cloth, and Frank took it. It was lighter than he thought it would be, despite its size.
"Thank you," he said, looking down, but the person was already gone.
Strange.
Suspicious, even.
He frowned and carefully removed the cloth to peek inside, worried it might be something dangerous someone against the Greek-Roman friendship might've given — although these kind of ideas were rare these day.
Frank almost dropped the basket in his surprise, and the baby inside started wailing.
What the fuck.
"She's very healthy considering the circumstances."
Frank nodded at the doctor's words, his eyes fixed on the baby in his arms.
"We're all good, then ! You can register her at the Comune di Roma Nova."
Frank suddenly raised his head, stunned.
"What ?" he croaked.
The doctor's face fell. "Oh," she said. "Or… you can leave her here, in the Obstetrics. We can take care of her until she's old enough for the orphanage."
Frank opened his mouth, ready to agree, but then looked down at the sleepy baby in his arms, only two months old, and already all by herself in this big world.
She cooed soflty and gave a toothless smile to Frank.
She was beautiful.
She was so little.
She was perfect.
"I can take her," he said, without thinking.
He couldn't leave her alone.
The doctor seemed relieved, and gave Frank a pamphlet for new parents, and then send him on his way.
Frank carefully walked home, confused, and feeling panic rise at every step. He knew nothing about children, let alone babies ! He'd taken her in a whim, softened by her smile and her eyes and her story, and he was about to take her to his home, that was surely a mess by now because of Leo's new project.
Oh gods, Leo.
He didn't even know.
His fiancé was bringing a two-months old baby at their apartment, and Leo did not know.
Fuck.
And with a fragile baby in his arms, Frank couldn't even unlock the door. Just great.
He knocked on the door and waited.
His fiancé's grin welcomed him, and Frank relaxed imperceptibly. Leo had this effect on him.
"Hey babe," grinned Leo. "Watch'a got there ?"
Frank looked down at the baby.
"Will gave birth ?" asked Leo, but there was a waver in his voice.
Frank swallowed and said nervously : "Someone handed her to me in a basket, and I took her to the hospital, but I couldn't leave her alone so I took her here."
His voice got lower and lower each word and finally died on the last one. he felt stupid, suddenly. They were only 22, not old enough to take care of a baby, not old enough to have planned for a baby.
Leo blinked, then looked back at the little bundle in his fiancé's arms. He shook his head, unbelieving, then took the baby from Frank.
"You're holding her wrong," he scolded, easily slipping the infant into his arms. "Hey, cariño. Was the big guy holding you wrong ? You're safe now, baby."
Frank admired the ease Leo had with babies, and how he held her tightly but caringly against his chest.
"She's a girl — shouldn't it be cariña ?" he asked, stepping inside the apartment and taking his shoes off.
"Cariño's for everyone," shrugged Leo, who was now rocking the baby gently, making her coo sleepyly. "Babes don't need to be gendered."
Frank nodded.
"You got diapers and formula ?" asked Leo, looking at Frank up and down, as if he could make a bag of groceries magically appear from behind his back.
"I didn't want her to catch germs," he said — he'd also forgotten about that.
Leo sighed. "Well we gotta get her some 'till we found her parents."
Frank froze. "What ? No !"
His fiancé frowned.
"Her parent abandoned her. Gave her to me. They didn't want her — I don't want her to be somewhere with someone who doesn't want her or can't treat her right. Do you ?"
Leo looked down at the baby. "… right."
Frank, Leo, and the baby stayed there on the entrance for a moment, no sound interrupting their silence.
"So," said Leo. "Is she ours now ?"
"I'd like that."
Leo's grin widened. "Great. 'Cause it's love at first sight. She's dethroned you in my heart."
Frank chuckled.
"Now, shush ! Go get her baby formula. You brought her to the doctor, right ? you sure she's healthy ? She's too small. She's gotta eat."
Frank smiled and nodded, and put back his shoes while listening to his fiancés instructions.
Just before he passed throught the door, he looked back.
Leo was holding the baby, humming a nursery rhyme, and Frank's heart filled with love.