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wrapped-in-shadows:

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Despite being scolded by the person she admired most she still clung desperately to her father though her body was quivering with trying to hold back tears of her own. Being the first time she had heard her father speak to her in such a way she was slightly afraid and yet also angry, blaming the new baby for her misfortune.

“Nature is stoopid!” she whimpered, sniffling back tears and nuzzling her face further along his shoulder. “Dadda take baby back…”

Katelynn watched the scene with a slightly broken heart as she managed to sooth the little one down who had decided his fist was delicious. She opened her mouth to suggest her husband to talk to Gail but closed it and wanted to wait and see what they would do.

Jack gave a deep sigh. He could see how saddened Katelynn was, and he wanted desperately to go comfort and help her, but he had to deal with this first. “Sweetie, we’re n-not taking the baby back. He’s part of our family now. Nothing’s going to change that.” He stroked her silky brown hair. “You’re just g-going to have  to get used to him.” 

Bonnie watched the two of them with a sinking feeling. Like her son, she wasn’t used to handling sibling disputes. For the sake of trying to do something, she turned to Katelynn. “You want me to help you get this little guy set up?” 

It brightened the gloomy look on Katelynn’s visage as she nodded at Bonnie. “It will give you some time to cuddle your new grandchild. Maybe we can all do it and it will help a certain someone get used to the new addition?” she offered hopefully, looking between Jack and Gail with a smile.

They had some of the old hand me downs from Gail such as the diaper genie (where you disposed of them) as well as changing table (and it was blue rather than pink for reasons) and her cot where he would sleep for the first few weeks just as they had done with Gail until they transferred him over to his own bedroom which had been set up ahead of time.

Katelynn walked over to gently hand her son over so she could help her husband get everything put away. “Here you are Bonnie. He’s still awake.”

“Yeah, I see that.” The old woman smiled as she gave the baby a gentle little bounce in her arms. “Y’know, I wish I could have seen Jack when he was a baby. I’m sure he would have looked a lot like this.”

She peered closer. One trait both Maple children had inherited from their father’s side was that they’d been born with their eye colors already settled, instead of the milky blue most human infants started out with. “Hm. He may look like Jack, but he has your eyes, dear,” she said, glancing up at Katelynn. 

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wrapped-in-shadows:

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The elfish eared toddler took a long moment of simply staring down at the smaller version of her father, features neutral for so long Katelynn worried she had turned to stone. Silly yes but as a woman who had gone through pregnancy recently she was overly emotional and protective of her flock.

“Blue like dadda..” Gail whispered after a time and then poked his forehead.

Hard.

“NO!”

It fully woke up the little one who began whimpering his displeasure and waving his fists around. His lips were quivering before he let out soft cries from being disturbed from his rest.

“Gail!” Katelynn scolded, putting the carrier down gently and taking Ulric out, rocking him in her arms in hopes of soothing him. “Mommy has you Ulric..mommy has you..shhh..”

“Why blue but not me?!” Gail shrieked, hiding her face against her father’s shoulder and holding onto him tightly.

“Gail, no!” It was the first time Jack had ever raised his voice at his daughter. He straightened up sharply, hauling her away from the crying baby. “Why did you do that?! You have to be gentle with -“ 

And then he heard her question. His anger immediately faded, leaving him lost and unsure how to explain. He knew Gail wanted to have blue skin, despite how much he’d tried to tell her her own skin was pretty, but he’d never imagined she would be  jealous of her blue brother. He had no idea what to say to that. 

“Honey, that happens in all families,” Bonnie said, laying a hand on her granddaughter’s back. “Some children look more like their mommy, and some look more like their daddy. It’s just the way nature is.” 

Despite being scolded by the person she admired most she still clung desperately to her father though her body was quivering with trying to hold back tears of her own. Being the first time she had heard her father speak to her in such a way she was slightly afraid and yet also angry, blaming the new baby for her misfortune.

“Nature is stoopid!” she whimpered, sniffling back tears and nuzzling her face further along his shoulder. “Dadda take baby back…”

Katelynn watched the scene with a slightly broken heart as she managed to sooth the little one down who had decided his fist was delicious. She opened her mouth to suggest her husband to talk to Gail but closed it and wanted to wait and see what they would do.

Jack gave a deep sigh. He could see how saddened Katelynn was, and he wanted desperately to go comfort and help her, but he had to deal with this first. “Sweetie, we’re n-not taking the baby back. He’s part of our family now. Nothing’s going to change that.” He stroked her silky brown hair. “You’re just g-going to have  to get used to him." 

Bonnie watched the two of them with a sinking feeling. Like her son, she wasn’t used to handling sibling disputes. For the sake of trying to do something, she turned to Katelynn. "You want me to help you get this little guy set up?" 

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wrapped-in-shadows:

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Katelynn couldn’t stop expressing the gratitude she felt over having Bonnie there to watch Gail as her face brightened further upon seeing the older woman. “Hello Bonnie!” she whispered as they made their way into the apartment. “Do you want to meet your grandson?”

She lifted the carrier so he was eye level to the woman, his face in complete peace from sleep as the pillow of the carrier supported him. Soft padding from another room came bounding toward them, probably having heard their voices as Katelynn turned to watch her daughter latch onto her father’s leg.

“Dadda!” a three year old Gail cried and became like a leg brace around his leg. “You home!”

It was enough to stir Ulric who fussed in his car seat, his tiny blue fists raising in protest of the noise.

“Gail,” Katelynn scolded gently as he tried humming to the baby to get him back to sleep.

The little girl, keeping herself wrapped around her father’s leg, peeked around it toward the carrier with curiosity. “Baby here?”

Jack smiled, and knelt down to pick his daughter up for a hug. “Yes, the baby’s here. So what do you say, sweetie? You want to come see your new brother?”

“I think you’re gonna like him,” Bonnie said with a little grin. She was standing by Katelynn’s side, gently stroking Ulric’s blue head in a soothing way. “See? He looks like your daddy.” She smiled warmly at her son. “So now you’ve got one of each.” 

The blue man chuckled awkward – he still wasn’t sure how to feel about Ulric taking so strongly after him in looks. “I suppose so.” He carried Gail over to the car seat, and crouched down to give her a good view. 

The elfish eared toddler took a long moment of simply staring down at the smaller version of her father, features neutral for so long Katelynn worried she had turned to stone. Silly yes but as a woman who had gone through pregnancy recently she was overly emotional and protective of her flock.

“Blue like dadda..” Gail whispered after a time and then poked his forehead.

Hard.

“NO!”

It fully woke up the little one who began whimpering his displeasure and waving his fists around. His lips were quivering before he let out soft cries from being disturbed from his rest.

“Gail!” Katelynn scolded, putting the carrier down gently and taking Ulric out, rocking him in her arms in hopes of soothing him. “Mommy has you Ulric..mommy has you..shhh..”

“Why blue but not me?!” Gail shrieked, hiding her face against her father’s shoulder and holding onto him tightly.

“Gail, no!” It was the first time Jack had ever raised his voice at his daughter. He straightened up sharply, hauling her away from the crying baby. “Why did you do that?! You have to be gentle with -" 

And then he heard her question. His anger immediately faded, leaving him lost and unsure how to explain. He knew Gail wanted to have blue skin, despite how much he’d tried to tell her her own skin was pretty, but he’d never imagined she would be  jealous of her blue brother. He had no idea what to say to that. 

"Honey, that happens in all families,” Bonnie said, laying a hand on her granddaughter’s back. “Some children look more like their mommy, and some look more like their daddy. It’s just the way nature is." 

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wrapped-in-shadows:

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Nuzzling her nose against her sleeping son’s cheek while she could get away with it, her lips stretched out into a smile. He smelled amazing – baby powder and something else that was sweet and purely him. “Well I suppose you do know her best since she always clings to your side. She just didn’t seem to happy when this little one was inside my stomach.”

It still gave her butterflies, having children and wondering if she was being a good mother. Taking care of Gail had been fine – one child to watch out for. But now she had two and would need to learn balance.

Sometimes she wondered if she was failing at taking care of Gail and giving her enough love.

Arriving at the apartment, the butterflies only doubled as they got Ulric out of the taxi, paid the man, and made their way into their home. “Here we go..” she whispered as she took Jack’s hand softly.

He pulled the suitcase out of the taxi after him, and gave Katelynn’s hand a comforting squeeze. “You don’t need to be nervous, love. It’ll be okay.” 

They didn’t even have to open the door, as it turned out. Knowing that the two (now three) would be coming home today, Bonnie had been up early and doing all she could to help get things ready. The older woman had never had the chance to raise a baby of her own, but she knew what needed to be done, and as soon as she saw her son and daughter-in-law arriving, she hurried to welcome them inside.

“Hey there!” She gave Jack and Katelynn both a beaming smile. “I’d hug you, but I can see you’ve already got your hands full.” Many grandmothers would have immediately hurried in to coo over the baby (or even grab it to cuddle for themselves), but Bonnie had enough respect for Katelynn not to push her. 

Katelynn couldn’t stop expressing the gratitude she felt over having Bonnie there to watch Gail as her face brightened further upon seeing the older woman. “Hello Bonnie!” she whispered as they made their way into the apartment. “Do you want to meet your grandson?”

She lifted the carrier so he was eye level to the woman, his face in complete peace from sleep as the pillow of the carrier supported him. Soft padding from another room came bounding toward them, probably having heard their voices as Katelynn turned to watch her daughter latch onto her father’s leg.

“Dadda!” a three year old Gail cried and became like a leg brace around his leg. “You home!”

It was enough to stir Ulric who fussed in his car seat, his tiny blue fists raising in protest of the noise.

“Gail,” Katelynn scolded gently as he tried humming to the baby to get him back to sleep.

The little girl, keeping herself wrapped around her father’s leg, peeked around it toward the carrier with curiosity. “Baby here?”

Jack smiled, and knelt down to pick his daughter up for a hug. “Yes, the baby’s here. So what do you say, sweetie? You want to come see your new brother?”

“I think you’re gonna like him,” Bonnie said with a little grin. She was standing by Katelynn’s side, gently stroking Ulric’s blue head in a soothing way. “See? He looks like your daddy.” She smiled warmly at her son. “So now you’ve got one of each." 

The blue man chuckled awkward – he still wasn’t sure how to feel about Ulric taking so strongly after him in looks. "I suppose so.” He carried Gail over to the car seat, and crouched down to give her a good view. 

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The pregnancy had been both a blessing and a curse as she had enjoyed every month knowing a little life was growing inside of her; something she and Jack had created through love even if the baby hadn’t been planned. She liked to think she was easy to put up with in the final months when her fake contractions had hit, when she would ask Jack for food during her strange cravings and gone through hormonal imbalances but those same wacky emotions would cause her to cry and ask for his forgiveness for being insufferable.

Seeing as how this was their second child didn’t make it any easier with a ball of energy that continued asking why mommy was getting fat and if she swallowed her toy ball. Sometimes their daughter would even throw fits demanding her ball returned to her or checking the toilet to see if she had released it.

Katelynn had tried explaining the best she could that what was in her stomach was a new baby for Gail to play with and it had prodded wonder at first before the small child stated she didn’t want to share her parents with a new baby.

“I’m da baby!” Gail had cried, running around the house.

Then the real contractions had begun and Katelynn couldn’t appease her daughter for longer as they rushed to the hospital. It had taken hours with Katelynn alternating between rest and pain before the little one had decided enough was enough – he wanted out.

And Ulric Ryu Maple had been born with a cry of pain and tears of joy, Katelynn gazing upon the new addition to the Maple family as he rested in her arms. A beautiful baby of blue who had shocked the doctor when he had come out but to the mother he was beautiful.

Her little bundle of joy – a quiet one who stopped crying once he was in his mother’s arms, opening his eyes after a few moments and simply staring at the woman he had been living inside as if recognizing her. That was the woman’s voice he had heard for 9 months, a loving voice that was now kissing his forehead and whispering more loving words.

“My little Ulric..” she had whispered with such love in her heart as she nuzzled him softly, excited to take him home and for Gail to finally see his face. How she hoped her daughter would love him upon seeing him but there was speck of worry in her heart at the kind of jealousy she might hold against him.

When the day came to take him home, they loaded him up in the car with such care – like a delicate present because truly that’s what he was.

“You’re going home now, little one,” she whispered during the ride, caressing his tiny hand between her fingers. “And you’ll meet your big sister and she’s going to love you…I hope..”

She stared up at her husband, worry swimming in the depths of her brown eyes.

Jack gazed back at the two of them, his green eyes soft and loving. Unlike his wife, he wasn’t at all worried about Gail liking the new baby. Maybe it was because he could remember how desperately he’d wanted a little sibling of his own, or maybe he was just blinded by love for his daughter, but either way, he couldn’t imagine Gail not loving Ulric.

Ulric … Jack still wasn’t crazy about that name. When they’d found out their second child was going to be a boy, Katelynn had read through a book of baby names, and fallen in love with the name’s meaning, “powerful heritage”. The blue man had tried to object; in a family with nice, normal names like ‘Jack’, ‘Katelynn’, and ‘Gail’, ‘Ulric’ would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. Not to mention all the teasing he feared his son would get as he grew up – a fear that had only grown worse when the little boy came out as blue and bald as his father. 

But Katelynn was determined – she wanted her son to be named Ulric. And because he loved his wife, Jack had finally given in. At least he can call himself ‘Rick’ if he wants to. 

“Of course she’s going to love him.” He reached over and caressed the baby’s soft little cheek. Even if he feared for what Ulric would have to deal with because of his looks, Jack couldn’t help feeling a little pride at seeing his own features reflected in his child. “Look at him, he’s adorable. And when he’s a bit older, she’ll love having someone always at home to play with. You’ve seen how sad she is whenever Vycter and Maria have to go home.” 

He hoped Gail wasn’t too upset at being left at home for the last few days. Since children under twelve weren’t allowed in the maternity ward (too much risk of spreading germs), Bonnie Maple had come over to stay with her granddaughter as soon as Katelynn had gone into labor. From what she’d told them, all was going well, but Jack was still anxious to get home.  

Nuzzling her nose against her sleeping son’s cheek while she could get away with it, her lips stretched out into a smile. He smelled amazing – baby powder and something else that was sweet and purely him. “Well I suppose you do know her best since she always clings to your side. She just didn’t seem to happy when this little one was inside my stomach.”

It still gave her butterflies, having children and wondering if she was being a good mother. Taking care of Gail had been fine – one child to watch out for. But now she had two and would need to learn balance.

Sometimes she wondered if she was failing at taking care of Gail and giving her enough love.

Arriving at the apartment, the butterflies only doubled as they got Ulric out of the taxi, paid the man, and made their way into their home. “Here we go..” she whispered as she took Jack’s hand softly.

He pulled the suitcase out of the taxi after him, and gave Katelynn’s hand a comforting squeeze. “You don’t need to be nervous, love. It’ll be okay." 

They didn’t even have to open the door, as it turned out. Knowing that the two (now three) would be coming home today, Bonnie had been up early and doing all she could to help get things ready. The older woman had never had the chance to raise a baby of her own, but she knew what needed to be done, and as soon as she saw her son and daughter-in-law arriving, she hurried to welcome them inside.

"Hey there!” She gave Jack and Katelynn both a beaming smile. “I’d hug you, but I can see you’ve already got your hands full.” Many grandmothers would have immediately hurried in to coo over the baby (or even grab it to cuddle for themselves), but Bonnie had enough respect for Katelynn not to push her. 

will-never-be-a-swan:

The pregnancy had been both a blessing and a curse as she had enjoyed every month knowing a little life was growing inside of her; something she and Jack had created through love even if the baby hadn’t been planned. She liked to think she was easy to put up with in the final months when her fake contractions had hit, when she would ask Jack for food during her strange cravings and gone through hormonal imbalances but those same wacky emotions would cause her to cry and ask for his forgiveness for being insufferable.

Seeing as how this was their second child didn’t make it any easier with a ball of energy that continued asking why mommy was getting fat and if she swallowed her toy ball. Sometimes their daughter would even throw fits demanding her ball returned to her or checking the toilet to see if she had released it.

Katelynn had tried explaining the best she could that what was in her stomach was a new baby for Gail to play with and it had prodded wonder at first before the small child stated she didn’t want to share her parents with a new baby.

“I’m da baby!” Gail had cried, running around the house.

Then the real contractions had begun and Katelynn couldn’t appease her daughter for longer as they rushed to the hospital. It had taken hours with Katelynn alternating between rest and pain before the little one had decided enough was enough – he wanted out.

And Ulric Ryu Maple had been born with a cry of pain and tears of joy, Katelynn gazing upon the new addition to the Maple family as he rested in her arms. A beautiful baby of blue who had shocked the doctor when he had come out but to the mother he was beautiful.

Her little bundle of joy – a quiet one who stopped crying once he was in his mother’s arms, opening his eyes after a few moments and simply staring at the woman he had been living inside as if recognizing her. That was the woman’s voice he had heard for 9 months, a loving voice that was now kissing his forehead and whispering more loving words.

“My little Ulric..” she had whispered with such love in her heart as she nuzzled him softly, excited to take him home and for Gail to finally see his face. How she hoped her daughter would love him upon seeing him but there was speck of worry in her heart at the kind of jealousy she might hold against him.

When the day came to take him home, they loaded him up in the car with such care – like a delicate present because truly that’s what he was.

“You’re going home now, little one,” she whispered during the ride, caressing his tiny hand between her fingers. “And you’ll meet your big sister and she’s going to love you…I hope..”

She stared up at her husband, worry swimming in the depths of her brown eyes.

Jack gazed back at the two of them, his green eyes soft and loving. Unlike his wife, he wasn’t at all worried about Gail liking the new baby. Maybe it was because he could remember how desperately he’d wanted a little sibling of his own, or maybe he was just blinded by love for his daughter, but either way, he couldn’t imagine Gail not loving Ulric.

Ulric … Jack still wasn’t crazy about that name. When they’d found out their second child was going to be a boy, Katelynn had read through a book of baby names, and fallen in love with the name’s meaning, “powerful heritage”. The blue man had tried to object; in a family with nice, normal names like ‘Jack’, ‘Katelynn’, and ‘Gail’, ‘Ulric’ would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. Not to mention all the teasing he feared his son would get as he grew up – a fear that had only grown worse when the little boy came out as blue and bald as his father. 

But Katelynn was determined – she wanted her son to be named Ulric. And because he loved his wife, Jack had finally given in. At least he can call himself ‘Rick’ if he wants to. 

“Of course she’s going to love him.” He reached over and caressed the baby’s soft little cheek. Even if he feared for what Ulric would have to deal with because of his looks, Jack couldn’t help feeling a little pride at seeing his own features reflected in his child. “Look at him, he’s adorable. And when he’s a bit older, she’ll love having someone always at home to play with. You’ve seen how sad she is whenever Vycter and Maria have to go home." 

He hoped Gail wasn’t too upset at being left at home for the last few days. Since children under twelve weren’t allowed in the maternity ward (too much risk of spreading germs), Bonnie Maple had come over to stay with her granddaughter as soon as Katelynn had gone into labor. From what she’d told them, all was going well, but Jack was still anxious to get home.