the dad he didn't have to be [fanfiction]
“James. Come on, little man, you need to keep your clothes on.” David groaned as she chased the little boy across the living room, desperately clutching a shirt that he was trying to get the little boy to wear.
Of course James was rather content not to be dressed, a certain affliction that had started weeks before, and he giggled loudly as he continued trying to stay far out of reach. Luckily though, David’s legs were longer and so it didn’t take him nearly that long before he scooped the little boy into his arms. Avoiding the flailing hands as the little boy laughed and squealed, the older man tilted his head to the side to avoid a finger in the eye. “Haha, nice try, bud.”
Even though he had a good hold on his girlfriend’s son, it still took him a minute or two to actually pull the shirt over his head. The next trick was getting those small arms through the holes of the sleeves. When he had finally succeeded, he let out a huff of air as he leaned back to survey the pajamas that he had finally gotten onto James and then groaned when he realized the shirt was on backwards.
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes before smiling at the little boy. “Hopefully your Momma won’t mind because I’m not sure I can get that shirt on you again if I tried.”
Pushing to his feet, he shifted the little boy into his arms as he glanced at the clock while trying to guess how long it would be before the other three were back. He had told Molly to go out for a little while with Phoebe and Jonah, to just have some fun. He had wanted to see her relax since she was stressed out lately but he had also wanted to prove that he could look after James all by himself. That he could actually be a good....father.
He had never considered the fact that his first son wouldn’t actually be his. It wasn’t that he had been against the idea of dating a single mother or taking on another man’s child but it had never really crossed his mind either. But Molly had stolen his heart rather easily and, he had to admit, so had James. The little tyke was cute, even in this stage. David found it easy to be protective over him, to want to help mould him and guide him along his path in life. He worried every day that something was going to happen to James and he actually found himself dreading the day when James would be older, possibly not wanting his help anymore.
He worried about the day that James might look at him and point out that David wasn’t actually his father.
Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he started up the stairs as he carried the boy to the bedroom that they had set up as his.
“No! No bed!” James protested as soon as he realized where they were going.
“Yes, bed. It’s bed time, little man, and you need to sleep.” David kept his tone gentle as he pushed open the door, entering the bedroom.
“No sleep!” The boy protested again, whining.
Of course the whining clued David in that the boy was protesting just a little too much. “It’s okay, I’m sleepy too.” He smiled as he settled the boy down on the bed, turning to look for the stuffed toy that he loved to sleep with.
“You sleep too?” James looked hopeful, mainly because he loved it when someone laid down with him.
David eyed the small toddler bed with a bit of doubt but he couldn’t deny the big eyes he was getting. “Sure, I’ll lie down with you.” He snagged the bear out of the far corner of the room, eying the bed once more as he walked over and considered how he was going to crawl in.
He ended up tucked around the little boy, caught half on the edge of the bed and trapped against the half wall that they had attached to the bed to keep James from falling out while asleep. It wasn’t exactly the most comfortable spot to be in, especially with a tiny arm draped over his neck and a foot wedged between his knees but it was the only way he could get the little boy to sleep.
Listening to the steady and even breathing as James slept, David reached up to brush his fingers over the top of the boy’s head as he fought back a tiny little smile. Maybe he had never considered being the father of a child that didn’t come from his blood but he certainly was starting to count James as being his.
[No beta'd but sometimes all you need is fluff.]
Of course James was rather content not to be dressed, a certain affliction that had started weeks before, and he giggled loudly as he continued trying to stay far out of reach. Luckily though, David’s legs were longer and so it didn’t take him nearly that long before he scooped the little boy into his arms. Avoiding the flailing hands as the little boy laughed and squealed, the older man tilted his head to the side to avoid a finger in the eye. “Haha, nice try, bud.”
Even though he had a good hold on his girlfriend’s son, it still took him a minute or two to actually pull the shirt over his head. The next trick was getting those small arms through the holes of the sleeves. When he had finally succeeded, he let out a huff of air as he leaned back to survey the pajamas that he had finally gotten onto James and then groaned when he realized the shirt was on backwards.
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes before smiling at the little boy. “Hopefully your Momma won’t mind because I’m not sure I can get that shirt on you again if I tried.”
Pushing to his feet, he shifted the little boy into his arms as he glanced at the clock while trying to guess how long it would be before the other three were back. He had told Molly to go out for a little while with Phoebe and Jonah, to just have some fun. He had wanted to see her relax since she was stressed out lately but he had also wanted to prove that he could look after James all by himself. That he could actually be a good....father.
He had never considered the fact that his first son wouldn’t actually be his. It wasn’t that he had been against the idea of dating a single mother or taking on another man’s child but it had never really crossed his mind either. But Molly had stolen his heart rather easily and, he had to admit, so had James. The little tyke was cute, even in this stage. David found it easy to be protective over him, to want to help mould him and guide him along his path in life. He worried every day that something was going to happen to James and he actually found himself dreading the day when James would be older, possibly not wanting his help anymore.
He worried about the day that James might look at him and point out that David wasn’t actually his father.
Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he started up the stairs as he carried the boy to the bedroom that they had set up as his.
“No! No bed!” James protested as soon as he realized where they were going.
“Yes, bed. It’s bed time, little man, and you need to sleep.” David kept his tone gentle as he pushed open the door, entering the bedroom.
“No sleep!” The boy protested again, whining.
Of course the whining clued David in that the boy was protesting just a little too much. “It’s okay, I’m sleepy too.” He smiled as he settled the boy down on the bed, turning to look for the stuffed toy that he loved to sleep with.
“You sleep too?” James looked hopeful, mainly because he loved it when someone laid down with him.
David eyed the small toddler bed with a bit of doubt but he couldn’t deny the big eyes he was getting. “Sure, I’ll lie down with you.” He snagged the bear out of the far corner of the room, eying the bed once more as he walked over and considered how he was going to crawl in.
He ended up tucked around the little boy, caught half on the edge of the bed and trapped against the half wall that they had attached to the bed to keep James from falling out while asleep. It wasn’t exactly the most comfortable spot to be in, especially with a tiny arm draped over his neck and a foot wedged between his knees but it was the only way he could get the little boy to sleep.
Listening to the steady and even breathing as James slept, David reached up to brush his fingers over the top of the boy’s head as he fought back a tiny little smile. Maybe he had never considered being the father of a child that didn’t come from his blood but he certainly was starting to count James as being his.
[No beta'd but sometimes all you need is fluff.]