Ficlet: Sanctuary
Ficlet for john_movinon, who requested bedtime!Robert (with possible associated father issues). Events not binding to anyone mentioned.
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Two pairs of eyes peek over the edge of Dylan Kelly's crib in the half-darkness of his room. There's a vaguely horrifying Spider-Man night-light in one corner, casting a bluish-red shimmer over the ceiling. Maybe one day Dylan will have nightmares about it, but for now he seems reasonably content, and it makes Beth feel better knowing that Spidey is looking after her little brother.
"Is he asleep?" The owner of one pair of eyes asks in a stage whisper, as if he's afraid that Dylan might suddenly jump out at him.
"Well, he isn't screaming, so it's a fair bet." Robert gets to his feet, and motions to John to leave the room, moving out into the better-lit hallway. "He's not too bad these days. Almost sleeping through the night."
"Almost?" To John, "almost" doesn't sound any better than, well, not.
Beth bounds up the stairs in her (of course) Spider-Man flannel pyjamas. "Night, Dad!"
Robert crouches down to give her a hug and kiss, and she waves to John, too, whispering, "There's candy on top of the fridge if you're tall enough!"
Downstairs, with Nic having already gone to bed, they're left with just the couch, a half-empty can of Dr. Pepper, and the TV. Robert idly squeezes the pillow that's been left for John at the end of the couch. "You're probably okay watching the TV. We can't hear it much from upstairs. And you're welcome to anything in the kitchen. Even the candy."
He wants to add, don't start any fires, but instead he just smiles. "You're sure you'll be okay?"
John thumps the pillow too. "Sure. I mean... It's only for a few days. Doug and Jean-Paul should be back by the weekend, and I could stay at the apartment, but it's kind of..." His voice trails off. "Quiet."
"Mm. Well. We're happy to have you here," Robert says. "Any problems, just come knock on our door. We're one past Dylan. And if Dylan wakes up Nic or I'll see to it. So. Just try to get some sleep, okay?"
"Okay," John echoes, and he's surprised to find Robert hugging him. He tentatively hugs back. "Man. You're dripping," he says after a moment. "Get off."
Robert's grin fades into an expression of sincerity. "They'll come back," he says quietly.
"Yeah," John nods, a little too carefree in his tone. "Course they will."
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Two pairs of eyes peek over the edge of Dylan Kelly's crib in the half-darkness of his room. There's a vaguely horrifying Spider-Man night-light in one corner, casting a bluish-red shimmer over the ceiling. Maybe one day Dylan will have nightmares about it, but for now he seems reasonably content, and it makes Beth feel better knowing that Spidey is looking after her little brother.
"Is he asleep?" The owner of one pair of eyes asks in a stage whisper, as if he's afraid that Dylan might suddenly jump out at him.
"Well, he isn't screaming, so it's a fair bet." Robert gets to his feet, and motions to John to leave the room, moving out into the better-lit hallway. "He's not too bad these days. Almost sleeping through the night."
"Almost?" To John, "almost" doesn't sound any better than, well, not.
Beth bounds up the stairs in her (of course) Spider-Man flannel pyjamas. "Night, Dad!"
Robert crouches down to give her a hug and kiss, and she waves to John, too, whispering, "There's candy on top of the fridge if you're tall enough!"
Downstairs, with Nic having already gone to bed, they're left with just the couch, a half-empty can of Dr. Pepper, and the TV. Robert idly squeezes the pillow that's been left for John at the end of the couch. "You're probably okay watching the TV. We can't hear it much from upstairs. And you're welcome to anything in the kitchen. Even the candy."
He wants to add, don't start any fires, but instead he just smiles. "You're sure you'll be okay?"
John thumps the pillow too. "Sure. I mean... It's only for a few days. Doug and Jean-Paul should be back by the weekend, and I could stay at the apartment, but it's kind of..." His voice trails off. "Quiet."
"Mm. Well. We're happy to have you here," Robert says. "Any problems, just come knock on our door. We're one past Dylan. And if Dylan wakes up Nic or I'll see to it. So. Just try to get some sleep, okay?"
"Okay," John echoes, and he's surprised to find Robert hugging him. He tentatively hugs back. "Man. You're dripping," he says after a moment. "Get off."
Robert's grin fades into an expression of sincerity. "They'll come back," he says quietly.
"Yeah," John nods, a little too carefree in his tone. "Course they will."