Work Text:
Every night, Cloud reads a bedtime story called "Charles the Chocobo" to his 4-year-old omega son, Hope. The little omega has his own stuffed Chocobo doll that he cuddles with that he affectionately calls Charles (he used to call it "Ma" after his blonde, spikey-haired omega parent, but Cloud encouraged him to call him Charles after the book instead).
Sometimes Hope's father and Cloud's husband, Sephiroth, stands in the doorway and watches Cloud read to their son. He loves seeing how much Cloud gets into reading the story. The gestures, the Chocobo noises, the large smile on his face. It’s a side of Cloud he doesn't see often, but enjoys when he does.
Cloud has tried asking Sephiroth to read a bedtime story to Hope, but he shrugs it off. He says Cloud does such a good job, and he sees how much Hope enjoys his Ma reading stories to him.
The truth is Sephiroth is envious of how well Cloud can tell stories to their son. He is afraid of scaring his child or being so boring that Hope actively avoids reading with him. The possibility of rejection and disappointment from his child holds him back. No one read to Sephiroth as a child. His only comforts were his sword and his blanket. He can’t do funny voices or silly gestures. He can't light up a room with his smile like Cloud does.
Cloud's upbringing couldn't be more different. His mother always read to him before bed, making silly voices and reading his favourite stories over and over with just as much enthusiasm as if she was doing it for the first time. Cloud didn't have a lot growing up, but he did have a mother who loved him and always made sure that he knew.
Cloud assures Sephiroth he doesn’t have to read stories like he does. He says Hope would be more than happy to have his "Pa" read to him. They could even read the stories together for their son! However, Sephiroth brushes it off and tells Cloud he just can’t. They don’t talk about it again.
However, before Cloud’s expected heat comes, he’s bedridden (and bathroom-ridden) with fatigue and other issues. He tries to read to Hope, but he’s just so tired. The first couple of nights are awful. Hope is so restless, and Cloud/Sephiroth are barely sleeping. Everyone is stressed from lack of sleep, and Cloud takes himself to his specialist to get checked out.
On the third night of restlessness, Hope begs his dad to read to him. He looks at him with his blue eyes and pout. Sephiroth thought he couldn’t deny Cloud anything. He certainly can’t deny his equally adorable son.
Hope picks out a book about a cat with no friends. Sephiroth is hesitant, but he opens the book and reads in a rather monotone voice about the lonely cat.
Hope frowns, but he doesn't want to upset his Pa who is being nice and reading to him for once. He asks his Pa to try and do a different voice for some of the different characters. However, Sephiroth doesn't know what kind of voices these random humanoid animals would have. He tries to think of his and Cloud's friends, and tries to work with that.
The cat is “Uncle Genesis’s” voice, the dog's voice is “Uncle Zack,” and the rabbit's voice is a falsetto that poorly mimics “Auntie Aerith.” He doesn’t go crazy with gestures and reads rather slowly. He is so focused on reading and trying to do these voices he misses how big a smile his son has. When Sephiroth finishes, he sees Hope has drifted off to sleep, cuddling his Chocobo doll. Sephiroth kisses his forehead and tucks him in.
He goes to the door only to see Cloud in his house coat, leaning against the frame with a big smile on his face. Sephiroth mentions how much better Cloud looks and he whispers that they should go talk in the bedroom. They both sneak back to their bedroom after turning off the lights and closing Hope’s door.
Once they're alone in their room, Cloud wraps his arms around his alpha's neck and kisses his husband deeply and praises him for reading to their son. He’s so proud of Sephiroth for trying something new. He loves how Sephiroth tried to do impressions of their friends to voice the characters.
Sephiroth is pleasantly surprised at how energized and happy his spouse is after feeling so ill recently. He mentions how nice it is to see Cloud smile up and around. Cloud goes to his bag, pulls out a piece of paper with a big smile on his face and shows Sephiroth the note from his doctor from earlier that day.
Cloud's not sick. He’s pregnant with their second child.
Cloud smiles and says how they can both read to both kids. Sephiroth is so excited by the news he rolls Cloud on his back and quickly undresses him. Cloud jokes that Sephiroth can't get him more pregnant, but Sephiroth says that they should "practice" just to make sure.
In enough time, Cloud enjoys rocking his infant son while watching his husband read to Hope. All is well.