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‘Niko, come back to bed,’ Joel calls, irritated. He’s up early, prowling, restless. It’s not nearly dusk yet, Joel can still feel the itch of the still-risen sun on his skin. It’ll be another hour before Olli is awake, probably even longer for Joonas and Aleksi. But apparently Niko’s pacing could wake the dead because Aleksi’s at his door. He’s bleary and barely able to stand but he’s there, leaning heavily on the door frame.
‘I had-’ he starts voice rough, ‘I had a dream-’ he pants, ‘a dream again.’ Joel tuts sitting up. Another nightmare, they weren’t uncommon in the first couple of months. The brain slowly atrophying and becoming, well, whatever it is now. Joel knows he should tell Aleksi to go back to bed. He knows it was more like something Niko would do to let him into their bed. But Aleksi looks so wobbly Joel’s not even sure he’d get back to his own bed. So he stands, going over to Aleksi, wrapping an arm around him to support him to the bed.
Aleksi collapses gratefully and Joel lies next to him so Aleksi snuggles up to him, hands curled like paws against his chest. Joel puts an arm around him, feeling Aleksi soften as the drag daylight draws him back down to sleep. Joel closes his eyes too, though he’s rested enough already. He sleeps even less than Niko but there were worse things than laying in bed with his new charge in his arms.
Until Niko came back in, talking as though he’d been speaking to Joel the whole time. Joel shushes him, turning a little to show Aleksi laying against him. Niko quiets immediately. He closes the door and comes over, getting back into the bed, just like Joel knew he would.
He got like this when there was a new baby to feed. Though he’d been adamant Aleksi was Joel’s responsibility. Joel’s problem. He wouldn’t feed or protect or care for him. Though he’d hunted all their meals himself for the past couple of months. They’d eaten like kings and Joonas was getting out of practice. And yet every argument still ended with Aleksi needs to eat, Joel.
Joel comforted himself that at least he wasn’t as bad as he’d been with Joonas; a year of Hell that had been. And that it wouldn’t last much longer. Aleksi was whip-smart with a thick streak of Joel’s fiery temper running right through him, and he knew enough experimental jazz on piano to drive a saint to distraction. Even Niko’s confused, overzealous parenting had its limits.
But still Joel understood; Aleksi was easy to love. Joel had always been a little cooler on the emotional side than Niko (unless it came to anger) and he’d been afraid. It felt crueler than killing him, to damn him to darkness and not to love him. But here he was letting Aleksi into their bed to cuddle, breaking one of their very ancient rules. Even after nearly two centuries, Niko wouldn’t compromise on the sanctity of their marriage bed. Though Joel had frequently pointed out marriage was hardly the appropriate term. Niko had told him to suck it.
But right that second Niko didn’t seem to mind however, or to have noticed, too focused on nuzzling Aleksi’s hair. Joel loosens his grip and allows Niko to pull Aleksi back against him, arms wrapping around his chest. Aleksi hums, eyelashes flickering.
‘He’s sleeping,’ Joel says, giving Niko a disapproving look as he starts to mouth Aleksi’s neck. Aleksi makes a soft sound.
‘Then I’ll give him good dreams,’ Niko says softly, eyes dancing with mischief. Joel huffs but doesn’t stop him as he lowers his mouth again, gently nipping at Aleksi’s neck. Joel lifts a hand, stroking Aleksi’s cheek, seeing his eyelashes flicker as Niko continues licking. Niko gently cups Aleksi’s chin, lifting his head for more access. Aleksi sighs softly. Joel can see the very tips of his fangs between his parted lips.