2021-12-15 - Hello Little One

It's been some time since the house has had the benefit of hearing the shrill cries of a newborn baby shrieking for company, or food, or out of discomfort, or because it's a baby and if it can't sleep then ain't nobody else going to get the same benefit. When the high pitched screeching begins from little lungs, it's a moment (spent remembering why now two children were plenty) before the gorilla gets out of bed and picks the bundle from the foot of the warm, comfortable mattress he was just laying, and clutches his prize to his bare chest while shuffling out his bedroom door before Lillian's woken further then elbowing him in the ribs and having let him know "It's your turn."

The dark-haired newborn stifles her cries with the tip of his pinkie to her lips and starts to suckle experimentally while the stair wooden boards creek under his weight while he ambles down them to put more of a distance between the child and the household of other, sleeping residence. But the baby's quiet doesn't last long. Not when the fingertip doesn't lactate. After a couple of whimpers that threaten to grow louder, Everett's deep voice murmurs a threat the baby ignores, "Don't you even dare. We're almost there."

As the gentle giant comes down the stairs the light of the TV can be seen glowing. The program playing across the screen something with a talking horse in black and white. Probably Nick at Night. There are sounds, and smells, coming from their kitchen. One of those smells is cookies.

In said kitchen spooning out batter at the island, that has an angle still on the tv, is Kailey. Her hair is as purple as ever, with pink tips this time, and pulled back in braids. Of course she has been around, but just very consumed with the community center and her various art clients. Tonight though...or is it morning? Right now she is baking cookies while watches The Mister Ed show.

In an attempt to keep the baby's noise quiet, Everett begins to gently sway her in his muscular arms. When he reaches the ground floor, his bed-tossed hair is turned with his gaze towards the television, still shuffling his feet rather than stepping towards the kitchen. A yawn is released before he makes it to the kitchen in his red plaid pajama bottoms and turns his attention to the kitchen. His gaze focuses on the other adult in the room. And he yawns again.

Shaking his head to give himself a snap of wakefulness, the burrito'd baby fully rejects the picky tip for more vocal crying. Turning red with the effort of letting everyone know in her vicinity that she's not fed, and she won't be fooled by fingers. "Hey," Everett greets, raising his volume over the screeching, "I'll trade you?" he asks after a glance down to notice the cookies. But he presumes that the offer is going to be turned down, and resumes his course towards the fridge and helps himself to a bottle of Bean's finest.

Kailey's face melt when the newest member of the house comes into full view. "There's the sweetness," She says with a warm smile. "You know, I could actually keep her occupied better while you warm that up. It isn't like Morganna has decided to stop nursing yet." And so she does, in fact, pause in the cookie making and holds out her hands for the newborn.

Pausing, the tired man considers his options, there, illuminated in front of the refrigerator. A brief look around between Kailey, the bottle in his hand, the baby in the crook of his other, and finally Kailey's, um. Enchantments.

He's an easy sell.
"Yeah, ok," is said before he turns and pads over more animated than his whole amble down the stairs. If he could get away with it, he might have thrown the baby overhand like a football. Might have. And when the child is passed over with Everett offering his chest and arm and the screaming contents between, he puts the bottle down. Still holding on to it, his bare shoulders sag when he releases a long exhale, "Huugh. I love kids. I love kids." He pauses for a second, "I love. Kids."

Another shake of his head, and messy hair, he starts by getting out a saucepan and moving over to start filling it with water. "Kailey, meet Charmaine, or Jezebella, or Zelda. We haven't decided yet."

"I like Zelda and Jezebella...though I'd probably go with Jezebelle," Kailey says as she accepts the bundle with a broadening smile. Never mind that she is screaming and hungry. The smell of milk nearby probably making it even more of an urgency. "Ooooohhh, it's okay wee sweet," She coos to the infant as she gently and carefully tucks her into a cradle carry. Her loose tank that she was wearing in the kitchen being easy to lift up and tuck her in close.

Newborn secure and no longer screaming, she turns a warm smile back on Everett. "You should still warm that up. Bean's milk is always going to be perfect. I'm just an appetizer," She says before giggling and looking down her shirt at Charmaine, or Jezebella, or Zelda. It didn't matter. Clearly Kailey was totally enamored on first sight.

Looking back down at the pot for a while to watch it fill, Everett's attention turns back, specifically to double-take at Kailey, his brows frowning with confusion at her opinion. His gaze drifts down to watch the baby disappear like a magic trick while Kailey keeps talking. "Hmm," he offers, his expression softening with the sound of the hungry baby quieting. Blindly, Everett paws around three times before he finds the right handle and turns the flow of water off, all without turning his eyes away.

Then he notices he's staring or starting to drift off. His head snaps up suddenly before he looks dubious again, briefly. "You don't think Jezebella is like. A little too close to Jezeabell? Might as well call her," he drops his voice as he faux shouts with an occupational tone, "whoorreeee." He takes a couple of steps forward, smiling with amusement as he looks down and uses his forefinger to pull the collar of Kailey's shirt open enough for the tall man to peer down inside. "She reminds me of Momo," he adds after a second of thought.

Kailey cannot help but smile when she catches Everett staring at her. It is more towards a smirk than a smile, but her green eyes are bright and loving. Though his comment of Jezeabell brings a touch of puzzlement across her face instead. "Huh? Why would that name mean whore?" She asks with a growing expression of confusion. "Why would a name mean that?"

Everett peers down her shirt and she leans in to press a kiss to the bed-head of black hair. Taking a deep breath through her nose, taking in his earthy and sweaty scent. "MMmm...how so? She certainly is louder," Kailey says without any rancor and indeed some amusement. Look, Kailey, not everyone can read their babies' emotions. Momo never got screaming mad cause mom always knew what she wanted and got it before there was fuss. Is that cheating?

Either way the newborn is happily sucking away and Kailey gives Everett's noggin a nudge with her nose. "Your pot is overflowing," She tells him with a faint giggle.

Letting her have her say, Everett doesn't interrupt until the kiss, which causes his head to press into it and to give a throaty sound. He mutters his reply, proving he was listening, and not just staring at Kailey's breasts, "It sure is." Even still, there's a moment's hesitation before he lets the t-shirt neck loose to snap back and using that hand and a step back to turn off the faucet before finally peeling himself away to pour out excess water from the pot and bringing it to the stovetop.

Turning the stove on low, Everett turns around to lean against the counter before he leans forward to gently take Kailey's wrist and pulls her in towards him until his arms slide around her hips and his fingers interlace behind her back. Once he's got his prize, Everett leans down to steal what's meant to be a quick peck, but with a thoughtful, "Mm," Everett goes back for a second, a longer, and more emotional kiss before pulling his head back just enough to tilt his head down to look at the t-shirt covered, suckling bundle.
"Isn't it some bible thing? Like, the whore of Babylon. I wouldn't want to do that to her and other kids can be cruel, you know." As for the comment that she's louder than Momo, Everett looks up and grins, nodding twice in agreement before he looks back down, all the while adding, "She sure is. Maybe she'll be a singer, that's artsy. Momo barely made a peep. Mostly just for me, though because you and she were using your," he brings his left hand up and wiggles his fingers, before returning his hand around her waist.

"What about you," he asks, with his eyelids half-closing, to look down sultrily and jerk his chin up. "Staying up late to bake and watch shows about horses?"

No resistance is given from the purple-haired mother. She slides over when tugged and happily curls into Everett's arm. Tilting her head back to return the kisses. Because really a peck is rare among these two.

"Oh! Is it a bible thing? I...uh...let's just say religion wasn't a part of my early childhood," Kailey says with a surprised look. "I didn't realize that. I justlike the sound of it, but you are sure right. Kids are mean." This time she peeks down at the contented baby. But her gaze snaps up at the finger wiggling. It makes her smirk. "Hey, she is one of the happiest babies out there. If every mom could do what I do, there would be a lot of happier kids probably."

Then there is a pop and an unhappy little screech. Kailey glances down in surprise and shifts her shirt to put the newborn on her shoulder, gently patting her back. "Oooohhh, there there little love. Your dadums will have proper milk for you soon," She coos softly as she sways. It soothes the yet-to-be-named babe for now. "I couldn't sleep. When I have one of these nights it is better to just be up and doing stuff. So yes, cookies for Santa."

DING Seems the cookies may be done!

"I think so," he replies, regarding the biblicalness of the girl's suggested name. With her look down, he follows her gaze, not that it takes much to convince him to steal peeks of her skin, or his offspring. The lazy smile continues to play across his lips at seeing both. "Probably," Everett agrees, nodding his head and bobbing his head, and his tired bed-messy hair, "but it could also have something to do with her having the best mom in fifty-seven states." His smile widens as he gives her a gentle squeeze.

Upon relaxing the squeeze, Everett dips his head down, nuzzling his lips into the right side of her neck. A lazy flurry of ardent kisses, more nibbling with his lips follows, working his way randomly around then up her neck.
Until. The unhappy cry. Everett pulls his torso back to make room, but also to look down and see what's happening. He releases his left hand from around Kailey's hip and curls his fingers save his pinkie into a fist. While looking briefly to the oven to see how the water is coming along, when he returns his attention to the infant, Everett puts his pinkie into the baby's hand to give her something to grab before he shakes her little fist.

"I'm so mad," Everett says with his voice raised high, as though mimicking the baby, "this is not the boobie I'm used too!" Then something she said reminds him, and he closes his eyes and sighs, "Oh yeah. Christmas is coming too, isn't it? So? Real tree, fake tree, how are we going to decorate the place up? When Momo and Que are old enough I'm going to so enjoy messing with them. Do they even make Santa suits in my size?" he asks when the stove dings and Everett licks his lips.

Everett's ardent kisses cause soft giggles from his partner. "Don't start what you can't finish," Kailey says softly, giving a little growl. Leaning her head towards him to give a fake little bite at his ear.

As the babe sort of is soothed she glances from Everett to the oven as it dings. Trying very hard to stop chuckle from him mimicking the infant. "You are too funny, my love," Kailey says, bending down to give the soft, dark, downy newborn hair a little sniff and kiss. "It's okay, sweety, we'll protect you from the puns of dadums."

Then the stove timer goes off again. Oh yeah, that needs tending. With great care she transfers the previous package from her shoulder to Everett's arms. Before donning her oven mitts and fetching out two trays of chocolate chip cookie. Then she slides the one and a half that she had been working on previous inside. "There. Couple minutes you can have a cheaty cookie to start celebrating the holiday with. My mom always did Yule. Sorta? I dunno...memories can be weird. And my foster folks...well...Christmas was hit or miss except with the last family. They were- no are cool." And she flashes Everett a grin.

"I actually got a Christmas card from them this year!" And Kailey nods into the living room towards the fake mantle. "I think a tree and some decorations would be nice. Nothing too overboard. And we'll need soft or plastic ornaments. Maybe best to do a fake tree. "

"When have I ever not been able to finish," Everett murmurs in a sultry fashion deepening his tone and holding his eyelids on purpose. With the nibble to his earlobe, Everett leans in and strokes his cheek in what's meant to be an affectionate gesture, made less so with the sand-paper like scruff already growing there, and the scrapping sound that accompanies it.

When accused of being funny, Everett smiles in poorly kept triumph while accepting the little bundle back into his hands, which he then transfers to the crook of his left arm and body. "There's no protecting her from me. I'm a horrible influence," he adds, waiting the way a lover can for Kailey to bend over, but before her hands have cookies in them, to give her an affectionate, and solid, clasp on her behind where his hand remains long enough to steal a squeeze.
Or two.

The cheeky monkey, smiling even broader, dips a pinkie then, checking the temperature of the water on the stove, before putting the bottle in and returning to his post of leaning against the counter and watching Kailey moving around the kitchen as though he has already decided what he wants to snack on.
"Hmm?" His attention and head lift after a few seconds of silence, the look of stupefaction ebbing to his easy smile, the smile he had had no reason to show until he'd met her. "Right. I think Santa can maybe manage a bite and a sip of milk. He does have other houses to deliver presents too."

His head tilts with the information of a card, and he follows her gaze for a bit, "Oh? You going to return the favor? Let them know that you turned into a mother and a productive member of society like a good sheeple?" His grin widens even while he starts to jostle himself to keep the fussy little miss squirmy, but not screaming, "Got yourself a MAN."

The swat is expected and Kailey glances over her shoulder. Her lips twisting into a smirk while her eyes roll playfully. The cookies are then tucked into the hot oven safely. "You are so bad, it's true. There is no escape in the long run," She says as she straightens. Placing a hand dramatically to the pack of her forehead. Dark lashes flutter at him before she falls to a brief burst of giggles.

Everett's question has some of the mirth leaving her face. "I do. But I think I need to call or write a letter. Tell them all that has happened. I also want to send them a picture of all of us. Now that we are all earthside," Kailey says as her eyes drop to the infant. Reaching out to stroke a tiny cheek.

For a moment he looks wounded by her accusation, lifting his free hand to touch his chest while being under the attack of her untenable argument. He rolls his eyes a bit, and lets a soft grunt to show how extra hurt he isn't before he returns his hand down and smiles extra wide while stealing a glance at the warming bottle. "Never before have words cut me so deep, or wounded me so much," he adds while she giggles, drifting his gaze over her, from legs, up, ending with a wiggle of his brows when meeting her eyes.

Her swoon has his smirk widen even while he rolls his eyes and murmurs deeply but softly, "Oh you poor suffering woman," while she laughs, he shakes his head with mirth. While she speaks about her plans, Everett turns his attention back to the warming bottle and gives it a check. Pulling it from the pan, he gives a shake after exposing his wrist to it. Apparently deemed worth, he brings the nipple to the little unnamed baby's unhappy lips. She latches quickly, her unhappiness slowly subsides with each draw. Eventually making a happy sound while Everett transfers the bottle into his big hand so he can use his right to turn the stove off.

"So what do we need to do to help out? I mean other than set up the house? Get Momo in something Christmasy?" He considers for a second, watching the baby drinking, then lifts up his head, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I'm not going to have to smile, am I?" he asks while the feeding baby-burrito opens her green eyes and transfixes them on Kailey.

"So much suffering. Oh wo is me!" Kailey replies with more giggles. Everett gets a gentle hip bump from the purple haired artist. As she watches the as-yet-unamed infant suck on the bottle hungrily she ruminates over Everett's question. "Mmmm, you don't have to smile. But I don't want you scowling or looking like you're gonna tear someone's head off. Just, like, do the old vintage picture no expression thing or stick your tongue out. Just no glaring at the camera," She says as she turns to pick up a mug from nearby.

The smell of cocoa briefly wafts from it as she takes a sip, the liquid leaving a brief brown mustache before she licks it free. "I found this red velvet dress for Momo," Kailey says as she points a finger up, to indicate where it may be. "It's super cute. I figure we all have something red or green," And she winks at Everett before looking from his shirt to his face to shirt to face again. "I just...I want to show them how happy I am. We all are."

"Well," starts Everett, following Kailey's glance down to the bundle in the crook of his left arm and smiling softly at the slurping, sucking sounds that come from the pacified infant. The feeding baby keeps her eyes on Kailey, seeing without understanding yet. "No promises," he offers while looking back up then returns the hip bump before he leans in and down to stroke his right shoulder against her shoulder, "I can't have people thinkin' I've gone soft or nothing. I'll get people coming for my crown."

Listening, his smirk widens with the glance to his chest. "I'm sure I don't own anything green or red. Maybe get a red marker and colour a white tee-shirt? I'm sure Momo will help, if you think she won't try to eat the marker." He then remembers something and his mirth disappears with a chin up-nod, "Is this the same dress she was in when Vyv tried to," he pauses to wiggle the fingers of his right hand, "her away from him at the hospital? She hasn't grown out of that one already, yeah?" He turns his gaze down to the bundle in his arm, absentmindedly tugging on the baby's burrito wrapping to make sure she's still secure. "I guess if Momo does outgrow her clothes, we have someone who'll wear them."
He adds, lifting his gaze, "Maybe. I remember what hand-me-downs are like."

"I still am saving the nicer clothes. I've got them all clean and in a box. I didn't get any heirlooms from mom, so I kinda want her to have something. I found another dress like it in a bigger size. She just looks so pretty in it!" Kailey grins brightly as she looks up from the babe to her partner. Going up on tiptoe to press a kiss at the joint of cheek and lips. "This little one will have plenty of new stuff all her own too," Because Kailey already has made a number of tiedye onesies just for her.

The oven timer goes off and she turns to fetch cookies from it. Making happy humming noises as she busies herself with removing the first trays and setting the second inside. "If you want to go get some sleep I can fetch out the sling and feed her and stuff. I'll probably be up for several more hours," She offers as she grabs a spatula. The fresh cookies begin to be transferred to the cooling racks. One breaks in half and Kailey makes a tsk before popping it into her mouth.

With a soft nod, Everett smiles gently, then tilts his head to leer downwards and out of the corner of his eye to the other adult. “Who knows,” he murmurs, his voice suddenly deep but silky-smooth, “maybe we’ll need them for the next one.” And as though to illustrate just what he means, the gorilla supports the bottle back up with his right hand so he can raise The Unnamed Baby whilst tilting his head down to go cheek to cheek with the newborn, never once taking his eyes off Kailey.
Then two eyebrow wiggles. Paced perfectly between two loud baby suckles.

The scene isn’t held for long. Unlike Morganna, Bean and his children are less quiet and with her pre-bottle snack, a toothless grimace comes first before the red-faced cry. Right in his ear. With distaste, he grimaces too, like daughter like father before placing her over his shoulder, juggling the bottle and baby so he can use an empty paw that could nearly conceal the baby to smooth and gently pat while he begins to sway to bring the fussy missy back to a hush.

“But you’re right,” Everett carries on like an old hand at soothing, like he might have done this once, twice, maybe three times before, “she does look cute in, what is it again? Crushed velvet? Dresses, charging after Vyv.” Everett gets an evil glint in his eye, while his gaze transfixes on nothing, remembering having his arch-nemesis up against the ropes with but one of his off-spring. “So pretty,” he murmurs after a second or two. Long enough to remember Vyv’s cool being ruined enough that the man couldn’t finger-wiggle a baby away.

A shake of his head clears his happy place from his mind’s eye and back to the here and now. “Oh, I hope she does. I remember being the youngest kid. You get all sorts of hand-me-downs.” Eyes travel to the oven and the delicious sight of Kailey bending over to retrieve them. Everett’s head cants to the right while he looks a little longer. He snaps his head back upright, hoping not to get caught appreciating her cookies, then frowns softly, “You sure? You going to be ok for Morganna in the morning, or would you like me to do that? She likes her ‘cheer toes’.” He’s could clearly be convinced to get more sleep, just the thought of it makes him stifle another yawn.

The look Kailey gives Everett is one of amusement and playful exacerbation when he makes the unnamed one cry. There is a soft tsking sound as she shakes her head. "You big ape," She tells him as she moves to pluck bottle and baby away. "Did the big daddy upset your dinners?" She asks of the newest family member.

Gently she strokes a little cheek and then the bridge of her tiny nose. The stroking motion seems to soothe and lull the newborn. Her blue eyes drooping almost closed with each loving touch. "Hush lil babe, don't say a word. Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird," She sings softly and gently. But the song isn't really continued as she turns to smile at the large man.

"Go get some sleep. I'll bring her to Bean nect she's hungry to nurse. Morganna, The Unnamed, and I will be fine. I'm in high energy mode!" Kailey reassures her sleepy partner. Picking up a still-warm cookie she goes to plunk it right in Everett's mouth. "Now go get some sleep, my love. What's the point of three parents if sleep can't be had?"

The accusation of his linage gets a defensive expression from Everett. “Wha?,” he asks like it’s a whole word and a means to his defense, “I was only trying to burp her.” For that must be the only reason for her upset, as sudden and in his ear as it was and not his cheek against hers. One of them has a baby soft, smooth skin. And it most certainly isn’t him, rough dark stubble beginning to grow on his face the way it does every night.

Everett also knows better than to not give Kailey what she wants. Short of a small turn of his waist to make a playful show at protecting his wailing package from the outstretched feminine fingers, he acquiesces a second, or two after, slipping the precious cargo to his other precious payload. When the girl is handed off, Everett offers the warm bottle a moment after.
Left without a task to do, Everett stays nearby, resting his hip against his partner while watching how the baby calms, though squirms, in the woman’s arms before producing milky white spit. His big hand rests against Kailey’s far hip lightly before giving an affectionate squeeze, listening to the singing. A soft exhale of air, his chest falls in with the sigh before he turns at his torso to nuzzle nose, then lips against her trapezius where it meets her neck. First, a little nuzzle, then a nibble with his lips as a pleased rumble rises from his chest and escapes into his throat.

Continuing his desirous ministrations while she speaks, Everett only lifts his head from the tasty, delicate buss to be met forcefully having a cookie kissed into his mouth instead of what he would clearly rather have. “Mmf,” he replies, once his countenance transforms to an amused annoyance. His hand from her hip slips down, briefly cupping her bottom before the lightly, devilish smack follows. He takes the cookie, sans a bite from his mouth with a grin with that hand. “Ok, ok,” he murmurs. Clearly not thinking clearly if he’s ingesting carbs. The same carbs he uses to gesture with, “But you’ll have to let me thank you.” He wiggles his brows while bringing the cookie back to his mouth for a moment, then back down without taking a bite, “Let me know how I can make it up to you.”
This time he takes a bite, an overly aggressive from the cookie while maintaining eye contact like he thinks what he’s doing is super sexy. Or stupid sexy. Leaning over next, he leaves two kisses; one on Kailey’s temple complete with cookie crumbs, and the other even more gentle on the baby’s forehead.

“Love you, babe,” he adds, with all due seriousness such a statement requires. The cookie is put back in his mouth and, now that his mitts are free, pulls up his pajama bottoms then carries himself away from the kitchen. The television is given another glance at the black and white program before he takes the steps three at a time.