[C] Bath Time

Aeker carried him out into the yard, setting him down onto the grass so they could play with one another.

"Come on Mac, give Darragh the ball to throw."

He called over to the dog, even if he couldn't take him outside during the day any more he still enjoyed playing with the boy as often as he could, there was no way he was going to miss an opportunity, children were only young for such a short amount of time, he didn't want to miss a moment.

The dog gave a playful growl, tail wagging as she looked up at Aeker.

Aeker had to catch her before she gave up her ball. She wanted to play just as much as Darragh did.

Play time was fun.

Darragh squirmed in Aeker's hold.

He wanted to get down and play.

"Down, mommy."

"Go on Darragh, get her."

He encouraged as he set the boy down onto the ground, letting him chase after Maccon.

Seeing him excited and happy was more than enough to make Aeker's day.

"Go easy on him, Mac."

He called to the dog, she was much faster than he was, there was no way he would catch her if she wanted to keep the ball from him.

The boy giggled loudly as he was set down.

He bolted after the dog, reaching out for her eagerly.

Maccon evaded the boy; keeping a slow pace so occasionally her fur would tickle his hands and arms as he grabbed at her.

This made the boy all the more excited.

He was getting close to grabbing her!

He chuckled as he watched the two of them playing.

It was fun watching them but he intended to get into the fray, something that was a little difficult given his current size.

"Darragh, do you want to see what Mommy can turn into?"

He knew the boy and seen his father in wolf form but his transformation was something he didn't use very often, this was be Darragh's first time seeing him in it, no doubt he would enjoy it.

The boy looked up at his mommy curiously.

He could turn into something?

"Uh-huh." The boy nodded, turning around to pad towards Aeker. He wanted to see what mommy could turn into.

The Vampire had his complete curiosity.

If he was too big to play with the two of them like this, then he just had to get smaller.

The Vampire shrugged off his jacket and shirt before disappearing, his pants and underwear falling to the ground with him no longer in sight.

The bundle of clothing moved a little as something burrowed out from underneath them.

The silver aardwolf poked his head out, shaking off as he crawled out from within his clothing.

He pounced over once he was free, cuddling up against the boy's leg with a happy yap.

You think we can have a lot of fun like this?

He asked, looking up at his son with bright crimson eyes.

Darragh squealed when the fluffy aardwolf bound towards him and curled up against his leg.

He reached down to pet him gently.

Anya had told him that things smaller than him had to be treated gently so he didn't accidentally hurt them.

"Fluffy."

Darragh sat down, reaching out with his other hand to stroke the Vampire's fur.

Darragh squealed when the fluffy aardwolf bound towards him and curled up against his leg.

He reached down to pet him gently.

Anya had told him that things smaller than him had to be treated gently so he didn't accidentally hurt them.

"Fluffy."

Darragh sat down, reaching out with his other hand to stroke the Vampire's fur.

Aeker grinned up at the boy as he was petted, nuzzling in against the boy's hands, crawling into his lap as he sat down.

Your father calls me fluffy when I am like this too.

He explained, puffing out his tail and wagging it gently.

Feather duster.

He added chortling happily.

Darragh cuddled his mother when he crawled into his lap.

He was like a big cuddly toy.

Darragh could spend hours cuddling him like this. He loved the feeling of his amazingly soft fur.

"Aithar likes fluffy things, too."

He continued stroking him. He liked this. He'd carry on stroking him until Aeker stopped him.

Aeker chuckled softly, Aodh liked anything with fur, and most things without them, the thought of their caged sock still made him shake his head.

He cuddled in against the boy, he could get used to this, sprawling out on the floor while Darragh petted him, though he suspected that Maccon would get jealous of the attention being taken away from her own fur.

Come on, lets play. We can cuddle after.

He wiggled out of the boy's lap, licking his cheek before darting off to try steal the ball off of Maccon.

Darragh pouted when Aeker crawled out of his lap, stumbling to his feet to chase after the Vampire.

Maccon yapped loudly, following after the aaardwolf, still teasing the boy with the occasional brush of her tail as he chased after them.

An hour passed with the three playing, Darragh giggling loudly, even as he tripped and fell into the mud. Numerous times.

By the time an hour had passed, the boy was laid out on the ground, yawning loudly.

He was covered in mud but very happy. He had had a lot of fun.

Aeker was panting softly, he made his way back over to his clothes, shifted back into his normal form and pulled them on before walking back over to Darragh.

"You look pooped out."

He chuckled as he sat beside the boy, it was almost past his bedtime and their playing had been quite exhausting.

"Muddy little man."

He added with a laugh, wiping a smear of mud off of his cheek.

The boy pressed his hand against his mouth as he yawned.

"Bed time," he mumbled, shifting to curl against Aeker's side when he sat beside him.

He laid his head on the Vampire's thigh, nuzzling against him with another loud yawn.

"I'm tired, mommy."

The boy pressed his hand against his mouth as he yawned.

"Bed time," he mumbled, shifting to curl against Aeker's side when he sat beside him.

He laid his head on the Vampire's thigh, nuzzling against him with another loud yawn.

"I'm tired, mommy."

"Alright sweety."

He replied, scooping the boy up in his arms before standing up.

"Lets go to bed."

With that he carried him back inside heading back toward the bedroom, calling for Maccon to follow after them.

His own body was still adjusting to sleeping when the sun rose so he too was tied at the moment, but he would force himself to stay awake until dawn.

The boy curled up against Aeker's chest, eyes sliding shut.

The Vampire and husky had knackered the boy out. His breathing was just now slowing to a calmer pace.

Darragh's little hands fisted in his mother's shirt.

Maccon followed behind the two, panting softly. She had had a good work out, too.

Aodh was laying on their bed, looking at the picture that Darragh had abandoned in his attempts to hide from the dreaded bath time.

Aeker smiled warmly, his hand stroking through the boy's hair gently, Darragh was such a gorgeous child.

He carefully opened the bedroom door and slipped inside, purposely being quiet so he didn't wake the boy.

"You're back."

He muttered as his eyes landed on Aodh, a smile still gracing his lips as he cradled the boy in his arms.

"I didn't expect to see you back until dawn, shame you didn't came down into the yard, we had a lot of fun."

He admitted as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Belial wanted Coilean back."

No matter how much he tried, the man couldn't hide his disgusted expression. He didn't like the fact that Belial had control over his brother. He still didn't like Belial.

His silver eyes flickered up from the drawing and his lips quirked upwards.

"Look at you, mucky pup. Do I have a son or a ball of mud? Bath time, I think."

Darragh whined loudly and clung to Aeker. "No bath!"

Aeker shook his head softly at Aodh's expression, he didn't truly understand Coilean but it was his life and if he chose to live it serving Belial then that was his choice.

The Vampire chuckled softly as the boy clung to him, rubbing his back softly before stroking his fingers through his hair.

"We decided to make the most of our time outside, feather duster made an appearance."

He explained with a grin, Darragh had definitely enjoyed running around with him in that form.

Aodh gave an amused little chuckle.

"Well then, Feather duster sure managed to transform my nice shiny clean son into a mucky little puppy."

The Lycan slid off the bed and reached out for Darragh.

"Go run him a bath. Coilean and I went down into town. I bought some bubble bath. That might amuse him for a while."

The Lycan span his son around, grinning up at him. "Come on, pup, bath time."

Once again the boy's face screwed up. He gave one big sniffle before a sob shook him. "No bath! Mommy said no bath."

Aeker got to his feet as Aodh took the boy from his lap, a soft whine sounding from the Vampire as the boy began to cry again.

He padded into the bathroom, drained the water that was in there previously and filled it with fresh warm water, finding the bubble bath that Aodh had brought and pouring some in.

"To be fair, I said that before he was covered in mud."

He muttered sheepishly as he looked over at his fiance, offering up an apologetic smile.

"He did, did he?"

Aodh turned an arched brow to the bathroom as he awaited Aeker's response.

The Lycan pursed his lips. "I said bath time tonight. He has a bath when I say it's bath time, even when he doesn't look dirty." When he said it was to be done, it got done.

"I think mommy's a bit of a pushover," he chuckled softly, swinging Darragh around in the air and making 'aeroplane' noises. He pressed his lips to the boy's stomach and blew hard. Darragh couldn't help but giggle a little through his tears.

"No bath!" he insisted once again when Aodh began walking towards the bathroom.

Aeker gave Aodh a kicked dog expression as he was scolded for making promises he shouldn't have to the boy.

"Not my fault... his tears upset me."

He muttered softly, knowing that only Aodh's ears would be able to pick up what he had said.

He already knew that this wasn't over with, Aodh was his father, he couldn't go and undermine what the man said just because Darragh put on the water works.