Ch 119: bonus

Bonus:

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"So..."

Gable doesn't mean to pry, really now he doesn't. But it's a rare time for either Ronald or his little Rosalia to share anything of their unique circumstance, let alone at the same time, even less so to each other.

"She says she hates me, oh she sounds so much like Maria in those pesky teen years when she says it like that! It's like raising a teenager in a toddler?!"

"There there now, I'm sure that's not what she actually means. Ron, Ron get off the ground and come to bed already."

"*gasp!* And she said there's no way we can have a sleep over! But when Maria was little she'd always come right up and curl-"

"It's fine Ron. Rosa likes being a mature girl. Everyone is different. Your granddaughter of all people especially so."

Gable tries comforting, though somehow it ended with him on the ground instead of getting Ron up. The other man's head firmly on his lap as he moped and cried.

As much as Gable didn't mind it when Ron was finally still, even somewhat so obedient for once, the position was getting a bit much. He wasn't as young as he used to be and tired out easier after a long day. Surely there were more comfortable spots for this.

"It's Freddy! She takes too much after him, from the hair to the gold obsession! It's ruining my baby girl's babies' cuteness."

Gable's hand stopped it's absent-minded comforts and pets, halting in thought. "You know, I actually agree with you for once. It is the blasted boy."

"Right?! When she gets overwhelmed she acts like a little Freddy before he calmed down, all 'blah blah I am a very smart noble, yes business. Do we have a deal? Or shall I take your soul?'"

"Ron you exaggerate, it's not that level of awful. Oh fuck if it was..."

"Yet! You see it happening?! Slowly as her hair turns full on Bichierri- oh but when she gets mad that's just Maria." the brunette slightly shivered, thankful that out of anything Rosa didn't inherit all of his Maria. Still just as cute, but less....painful.

"And that is why, Ron, I'm saying Rosa doesn't mean it every time she says things like that. Remember all the times Maria went off crying 'papa I hate you?'. Why she even said it to me on occasion!" Gable grimaced, remembering old times that really weren't that long ago?

"Gabe, she hasn't once dared since she passed puberty. She loves you too much for that. Me, however, she said it just the other day on the portal call!" Ron exclaimed, hands waving where he lay.

"Well....you were... interrupting her plans...."

"Oh god, Gable. What if they get a boy? What if I get a grandson?! I've never had a grandson!? What do I do?!"

"You're asking me? The one with no kids-"

A banging crashing sound clattered in the ceiling above, sounding out from the next room. It was a sound that prompted both the adults to quickly get up and see what was the commotion. It wasn't that they were worried about any intruder but instinct acted first. Especially when there were little ones in the property. Weak, vulnerable, and-

"Ahaha! Made it! I can prove it now! "

...and loud little children in the house.

"Oh, ahahaha it's just Lukas. Huh, how did he climb through there? Like a raccoon-dog? We need to work on your sneaking boy!"

"Ron don't encourage him....Lukas....what are you doing up and messing about?" Gable asked as calmly as he could, for it was late in the night and his options were even more limited.

He was incredibly tempted to just lock the children's room. The entire thing, every night. Just magically set them for at least 9 hours, the time they should be sleeping anyway. That would be 9 more safe set hours of peace. Of no....this?

But he's sure the kids would cause mayhem somehow, even more so if they took their eyes off them in a sense of false security. The littlest one also didn't deserve the same treatment as a certain three troublemakers did. Especially....Lukas.

"So....are you going to answer? Or do I have to..." Gable starts, ready to pull and straighten the little boy making a mess of the bed.

"Gaaaable, I want to sleep with you and Cap tonight? Pleeeease. Please please please. Is today one of the okay times? Can I stay with you?"

Big wide, baby eyes. A shade of grey too similar to what Gable sees in the mirror each day, frosted ever so subtly a darker shade of icy blue. He shouldn't feel anything for them but god damn he does. When they look up at him, paired with a puppy pout on those chubby cheeks and pleading voice, he's just weak.

It made sense with Maria. She was an adorable child with wild untamed hair, even wilder than Ronald's, and eyes as meltingly warm as a gazelle. She took after Ron, warm and soft in all the ways Gable could never.

But Lukas was supposed to be his family, he was supposed to be more resistant to this god damn it. How the hell did that younger sister of his, one he hardly noticed in their own frigid upbringing, ever give birth to such an innocent and horribly heart-melting child? Ron level disaster that he is reminiscent of.

More importantly, how in the world did she ever give him up?

"Oh pleeeeease Gabe." begged the other man, already taking the boy into his arms, holding him up directly under Gable's nose. "Awwww he's just been so lonely without you all the time Gabe. I would be too honestly, but peeeeeease."

"...If you promise to never speak like that again." Gable facepalmed, not sure why he put up with the other man, ever. Like a damn weed sometimes, growing all over the place.

"Yes!"

"Yay! Thanks Gable! Cap cap cap Rosa kicked me again when she went to sleep and it actually kinda hurt so sidekick number two is definitely getting stronger! But Amar pinches me when he's sleepy and I'm loud and that hurts more because he can twist just a little bit and it really really hurts but I can't tell if that's strong or just tricky- "

"Ron, get him to bed. Now." Gable sighs, trying not to look.

He can handle their noise. Their bothersome somewhat frustrating if not familiar noise. But looking was too much. It was just too much to see a doting Ron all over again over a child that looked much like him.

Gable would like to keep his mind and sanity in check, thank you very much.

"Gable? You too? Gable, pleeeease. I sleep better with you." the boy cried out, pleading voice an ice pick to his heart.

"Why what a coincidence Lukas, me too! Pleeease Gable~" Ron played along, voice naturally teasing.

Fine, he'll think about how Lukas broke out in the morning. He'll wring Ron for some actually useful information, the secrets the man juggles through their whole life, all in the morning.

It's late anyways

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Bonus 2:

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"Oh darlings isn't that just so novel?"

"Papa! Papa, Lily want dat one. Pwwweeeeae."

"Oh and look whatever is this? It's so shiny."

"And dat one and dat one and dat one."

"Darling, does this suit me. Hmmmm perhaps something fuller?"

"Dat dat dat dat dat! Pweasey pwease?!"

"Darling?"

"Papa?!"

It's two against one. An adorable lovable little girl and the even more beautiful woman that is her mother. Can any man resist such horrors?

Or should he just give in what they want?

"Such cheap things are beneath my girls. You won't need bother."

Safely cowered in my father's arms, I fearfully watch on. I am fearful in general, for that is how I woke up.

Before dawn rose, I was struck with a sudden paralyzing terror. The sound of heavy panting not far from the edge of my bedside. I did not dare open my eyes. Like any child, I snuggled under the sheets, hoping the blankets could protect me against all reason. This strange fear as familiar as it was terrifying.

Down below I could hear the steady breaths of another sleeping child, but more so- that heavy breathing outside the sheets.

Right beside me.

I couldn't believe someone with my mental age was afraid, so very afraid of monster and boogeyman. But how else do you explain that horrible fear?!

Slowly, as I were I still asleep, I wriggled and rolled my way closer to a fellow child, away from the edge of the monster. It felt so long. An arduous journey, painstakingly poised to look natural in feigned sleep. Even though I suffocated under the heat of those covers, my body shivered immensely.

When I finally touched on another source kiddy warmth, I clutched on, clinging for survival and admittedly part comfort. If the monster strikes, my chances go up by taking one of the boys down with me.

From the dark, the creature above me in the outside world let out a horrible muffled noise!

"Kyaaaaa~"

Oh my god it was ghastly! The stuff of nightmares! It was, of course, my mother.

But in that situation how was a girl supposed to react? Especially with such a strong terrifying aura floating out. For hours till morning, I shivered and hung on under the safety of the covers. Still pretending to be asleep but too fearful to actually really fall all the way.

That thick dangerous aura and the frighting monstrous mumbles "kyaaaa kyaaa, oh no so cute!!! Kyaaaa they're too cuuuuuute" scared me more than any encounter with grampa ever will.

Ignorance is truly bliss for the other child slept on despite the all the frightening sounds outside. Somewhere in the time though, I eventually did fall asleep for real. The fact that we weren't eaten, even when the monster slowly pried off the blanket enough to "kyaaaa kyaaa!!!~" at our sleeping faces, or in my case feigned, was the climax of this nightmare.

At a much more reasonable hour, when birds were chirping and light actually streamed through the curtains, a loud almost sharp sound pierced next to me! On the other side?! I was suddenly snatched off the bed and seemingly stolen away. The harsh movements obviously jolting me awake if I wasn't already.

I have been in my father's arms ever since. Shivering in confusion and fear, and honestly too sleep-deprived for a child my age.

Mother and father are truly back, opening up the manor and freeing me from the farmhouse. A place that was both at once heaven and hell, with both Gable and Grampa running things.

As much I did not worry or miss the parentels at all, I am glad they're back. For they really did bring presents. It's just...a lot?

And by that I mean in raw materials. Spider web silk, fillets of eels, a grass that sparkles like gold. What is all this stuff?

I'd ask, but I'm honestly too afraid and tired to at the moment.

For some odd reason, mother looks more terrifying than ever before, despite dressed prim and proper like always. From the main hall, she spins and showcases the goods for father and Lilyanne. From inside father's arms, the additional scent of blood still carries over despite the very strong smoke of gunpowder on him. When he pets my hair and asks how my time with grampa was, his smile is bloodcurdling handsome.

Let's....just not think about it for the time being.

At least they're back, safe and sound. For now, that's all that matters.