Chapter 16.1
Demitri woke with a start, nightmarish images dancing just out of sight. He reached out for Felicity, only to find empty space. Opening his eyes. Demitri saw that the bedside lamp had been left on and that Felicity had made her spot. Demitri stood up and went out into the main part of the cabin to look for her.
The light was on in the kitchen, where Felicity was busy feeding their daughter. Demitri watched in silence, awed by the simple beauty of the action. Completely absorbed in her child, Felicity failed to notice Demitri until after the empty bottle was placed in the sink and the baby was burped.
"Did I wake you up?" Felicity asked, sounding concerned.
"No, I did that myself." Demitri replied, his gaze flickering between his daughter and her mother.
"She wakes up between two and three to eat, and she'll be up again between six and seven." Felicity said, noticing Demitri watching his daughter.
"Will you show me how to take care of her? I want to help you."
Felicity smiled. "Of course. You're going to have to change extra diapers to make up for lost time. Since we were... distracted earlier I didn't eat dinner. Will yu heat me something up while I put her back to sleep?"
Demitri nodded, walking past Felicity and opening the fridge.
"No, I did that myself." Demitri replied, his gaze flickering between his daughter and her mother.
"She wakes up between two and three to eat, and she'll be up again between six and seven." Felicity said, noticing Demitri watching his daughter.
"Will you show me how to take care of her? I want to help you."
Felicity smiled. "Of course. You're going to have to change extra diapers to make up for lost time. Since we were... distracted earlier I didn't eat dinner. Will yu heat me something up while I put her back to sleep?"
Demitri nodded, walking past Felicity and opening the fridge.
Once Sonya was asleep Felicity rejoined Demitri in the kitchen. She found him making sushi. "That's elaborate." she said. "I really would have been okay with leftovers."
Demitri shrugged. "It's nothing. All the things I needed were in the fridge, including the rice. I called the other day to let you know I was coming, but Rosa said you were taking a nap. I gave her a grocery list."
Felicity frowned slightly. Rosa had been acting weird for the past few days, maybe this was why. "She didn't tell me you were coming."
"I figured as much. Rosa has always been fond of surprises. I would have called again, but I was in and out of airports until I arrived yesterday."
Demitri shrugged. "It's nothing. All the things I needed were in the fridge, including the rice. I called the other day to let you know I was coming, but Rosa said you were taking a nap. I gave her a grocery list."
Felicity frowned slightly. Rosa had been acting weird for the past few days, maybe this was why. "She didn't tell me you were coming."
"I figured as much. Rosa has always been fond of surprises. I would have called again, but I was in and out of airports until I arrived yesterday."
Demitri handed Felicity a plate and they both sat down at the table to eat. "So why was the milk green?" Demitri asked with concern.
"Ask Rosa. It's some special formula she made. I don't use it often."
"Oh. Alright then."
"Ask Rosa. It's some special formula she made. I don't use it often."
"Oh. Alright then."
They finished eating in companionable silence, the tension from earlier completely dissolved.
Despite Demitri's protests, Felicity insisted on doing the dishes. He did the cooking; it was only fair that she did the washing up.
Demitri sat on the couch as he waited for her to finish cleaning. He felt like a trespasser in the cabin. Most of the furniture was different and it was clear the place felt like home to Felicity.
Felicity joined Demitri on the couch when she was finished with the dishes, stifling a yawn with one hand. Maybe Rosa would agree to babysit so Felicity could catch up on her sleep. "We have so much to talk about." Felicity said wearily.
"I know. It can wait until tomorrow." Demitri replied. Felicity opened her mouth to protest, but Demitri stopped her. "We have plenty of time and you need to sleep."
"You need to sleep too." Felicity reminded him.
"That's true, but you're more important. Come here." Felicity gave a small sound of protest when Demitri pulled her onto his lap, but made no attempt to stop him.
"I know. It can wait until tomorrow." Demitri replied. Felicity opened her mouth to protest, but Demitri stopped her. "We have plenty of time and you need to sleep."
"You need to sleep too." Felicity reminded him.
"That's true, but you're more important. Come here." Felicity gave a small sound of protest when Demitri pulled her onto his lap, but made no attempt to stop him.
"Why am I more important than you?" Felicity asked, attempting to argue even as her eyelids began to droop with fatigue.
"Because right now our daughter needs you more than she needs me, and mostly because I love you."
"Does that mean you'll shave for me?"
Demitri laughed. He hadn't seen Felicity in a mood quite like this one. He decided to play along. "Of course, but only if you give me a kiss."
Felicity smiled, pleased that she'd managed to get a laugh out of the usually stoic Demitri. "Alright, just let me brush my teeth."
"Because right now our daughter needs you more than she needs me, and mostly because I love you."
"Does that mean you'll shave for me?"
Demitri laughed. He hadn't seen Felicity in a mood quite like this one. He decided to play along. "Of course, but only if you give me a kiss."
Felicity smiled, pleased that she'd managed to get a laugh out of the usually stoic Demitri. "Alright, just let me brush my teeth."
"Demitri, what are you doing?" Felicity asked, her voice garbled through her mouthful of toothpaste.
"Waiting for you to finish brushing your teeth." Demitri did not like to admit that after some of the things he' been forced to endure while pursuing a cure for his vampirism often left him uncomfortable being alone.
When Felicity finished with her teeth, Demitri stood and stepped towards her. "Are your teeth clean enough now?" he asked playfully. Felicity pretended to think exaggeratedly before giving her consent.
She got a little more than she bargained for.
When he broke the kiss, Felicity gripped his arms for support. "Stay with me?" she said breathlessly.
"Always." Demitri replied.
"Always." Demitri replied.