[C] Bath Time

Aodh sighed softly.

Aeker really did make a good mother, right down to being upset when Darragh cries.

He just needed to learn the finer points of being a mother; like being able to say no when Darragh wanted something different to what Aodh had said would already happen.

"Tears in that situation are his weapons, ceadsearc. Don't let him fool you." He padded into the bathroom with a squirming, sobbing child in his arms.

"No bath! No!" The boy gave a high pitched scream and lashed out with his hands.

One hand collided with Aodh's cheek with a thump. The boy hadn't come into his transformations as of yet, but he was still stronger than your average human boy.

"Darragh," the man barked, holding the boy against his hip and gripping his small hands in one of his to still them. "We don't hit people. That's not nice. What do you say?"

The boy didn't reply, just wriggled and tugged at his hands to try and free them.

That scream made Aeker flinch, he had become protective of the boy so quickly.

It was an extension of his protective nature toward Aodh, he was never good at saying no to Aodh and that was coming through with how he was with Darragh.

He sighed heavily and pulled off his muddied coat, tossing it into the basket and rolled up his sleeves.

This really was a horrible experience.

"Darragh!"

Aodh's voice was firm. He wasn't letting this go.

He wasn't raising a child who thought it was okay to hit someone when he didn't get his own way. Aodh may be hypocritical but he wanted to be a good father and raise his boy right.

"We do not hit people. What do you say to me?"

The boy let out another loud scream.

"All right then. No bed time story tonight."

If he wasn't going to behave then he wasn't going to get the treats that he enjoyed so much. It was simple.

He set the boy in the bath and leant against the rim, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Every time he hits us, we take something away from him," he informed his Vampire. He wasn't going to tolerate a screaming match every time the boy needed a bath.

Aeker nodded and joined Aodh in the bathroom, leaning over and pressing a kiss to the man's forehead.

"Ich werde besser auf diesem Aodh, das verspreche ich."

He muttered, he wouldn't let Darragh get his way all the time, he couldn't let the boy lash out like this and refuse to bathe.

Darragh would have to learn with having a fiery temper when he got older, the last thing they needed was him thinking he could just hit people to get his own way.
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I'll get better at this Aodh, I promise.

The Lycan gave a little smile when his Vampire kissed his forehead.

"Ich weiß, du willst, meine Liebe. Es braucht nur Zeit." He wasn't blaming Aeker for letting the boy avoid bath time. He knew it would take time to get used to the boy's screaming and crying and be able to say no to it.

Aeker was a gentle soul. He just needed to harden it against baby tears a little more.

"How's your bath, pup?" Aodh asked, leaning over the muddy and now wet boy with a grin.

Darragh glared up at his father, muttering under his breath in Gaelic, causing his father to chuckle softly.

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I know you will, my love. It just takes time

Aeker's face warmed as he looked down at Aodh, he had a lot to learn but the two of them would be able to raise this boy right, he was sure of it.

"Come on Darragh it isn't that bad."

He muttered with a gentle smile as he knelt down beside the bath, building a small tower out of handfuls of the bubbles floating on top of the water.

The Vampire chuckled softly as he reached over, smearing his hand over Aodh's chin and giving him a bubble beard.

The boy shuffled in his position sat in the bubbly water, pout still on his face.

He looked up at Aeker and gave a soft sniffle, his wide, watery green eyes piercing the Vampire. "You promised no bath." He was rather upset that his mommy had gone back on his promise for no bath time.

In his grump, he lifted his foot, bringing it right through the tower that Aeker was building.

He stuck his tongue out at the Vampire as the bubbles popped around his foot, bringing the tower down.

Aodh's silver eyes flashed and a grin curled his lips when he was attacked with bubbles. Oh, it was on now.

The Lycan leaned over, hand swiping through the water, sending a bubbly wave towards his Vampire.

"I know sweety, but you're all muddy, you can't go to sleep like that, you'll get sick from all the germs."

He replied with an apologetic smile, reaching over and stroking his hair gently.

"I'm sorry I lied, will you forgive me?"

Aeker gasped softly as water splashed over him, covering him with bubbly suds.

He glared playfully at Aodh before returning the gesture.

"Aithar says it's wrong to lie when its not protecting us." The way he said us was very obviously a hint towards their supernaturalness.

"He says that's what bad people do. Are you a bad person, mommy?"

Aodh bit his lip to attempt to stop the amused grin that was bubbling up. The boy really knew how to ask questions that would make people do a double take. He loved seeing people squirm under the innocent questions of an infant.

A snort sounded when he was splashed in revenge.

He splashed Darragh, laughing as the boy spluttered and pouted at his father.

Aeker winced softly at the question, Darragh knew how to hit hard with words, little devil.

"No I'm not a bad person, I just made a bad decision.
I didn't mean to lie, I just don't like seeing you upset, I wanted you to be happy but I couldn't keep my promise, I am sorry."

He replied, giving the boy a kicked puppy look, showing how ashamed he was of himself.

Aodh snorted a soft chuckle when Aeker responded.

Poor Vampire was being pulled through the ringer with Darragh's innocent questions. He loved seeing Aeker squirm.

But he knew he'd get hell if he didn't save the man now.

Aodh scooped up the sponge that had been laying at the bottom of the bath and dropped it onto Darragh's head.

The boy whined loudly, rubbing the water away form his face and catching the sponge as it slid off his head. "Aither!" he whined loudly, pouting as he looked up at the Lycan.

"You know what to do, Pup. Squeaky clean."

With another whine, the boy began rubbing the sponge over his muddy skin.

Aeker shot his Lycan a glare as he laughed, he really was starting to feel like the bad guy in all of this.

The Vampire sighed softly in relief as Darragh was distracted by washing himself, moving to sit more comfortably against the bathroom floor.

His hand reached over, softly stroking Aodh's leg in thanks, the man had rescued him from those nasty little questions.