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"Well, looks like it's just you and me today, bud," Jimmy said to the egg as he picked it up from its nest. "Your dad has some meetings to attend to, but he'll be back later, don't you worry."
He held the egg in his arms and rocked it.
"And that means, we have some time to kill! I'd think of taking you off to the village, but that would take too long to get there and back, and I know your dad will want to see you as soon as he's free. Plus, I don't actually have any meetings to deal with- honestly, I swear, he has so many more of those than me!" Jimmy shook his head. "Guess that's just Rivendell for you. Benefits of leading a smaller empire- not having nearly as much to worry over!"
He chucked at that.
"Of course, once you're here we'll have to sort out a better way for all this. Can't have us flying you back and forth everyday- can't imagine you'd like that. Or maybe you will, I could see flying being soothing. A bit like being rocked. The rockets might be a bit loud though..."
He shook himself, running a hand over the shell with a smile. He might not be able to sense what was going on inside, but he liked to imagine they knew what was going on too.
"We'll get that sorted out though. Scott's got ideas and all that. Shouldn't be too different... But I guess you're giving us plenty of time to work all that out..."
He looked out the window again, getting lost for a moment in the low clouds and snow that covered everything. It was pretty in its own way, but was at the point of the year were winter was starting to feel like it was dragging on, even if the snow from a few days earlier did lend a freshness to the snow.
"It's nearly the equinox, did you know that? I suppose you probably don't know much yet, but there's two of those a year. You were at the fall one, and now it's almost time for the spring one. The Cod Folk always have a big old festival for both of those- a lot like how Rivendell does their Solstice celebrations. You were at those too... anyways, it's a big old festival that lasts for a bit over a week. Lots of dancing, a few ceremonies, some swimming, loads of music. That's coming up in not too long, so we're getting it all together and ready for the big day. I've got my parts to do since I'm the Codfather... and I know your dad is coming and you will too!"
He smiled down at the egg then and cuddled it closer. The smile slipped though, as he looked down at it and found himself almost to the point of crying.
He took a deep breath, just rocking the egg.
"I- when I first met you... back when everything happen- did you know you were born on the spring Equinox? I guess not, and I'll tell you again someday, but you were. Or, laid, I guess, but your dad always hates when I call it that..."
He trailed off again.
"When I thought about it, this next Equinox, back then, back at the start... I really thought you were going to be a baby for this, you know? You were here and you were an egg, and I mean we didn't really know, but we thought we might know! We thought back then that you might hatch in the fall... that was what was probably going to happen, but joke's on us! I guess... cause you still haven't done that... You're still keeping us all in suspense!"
He sighed.
"It's just... It's almost spring, you know?" He looked down, turning the egg a bit, changing which side was against him and which was facing towards the window, no matter their blanket. He didn't need them getting cold. "We're just a few short weeks away from the equinox, which is kind of your birthday, and I thought you were going to be here or something... Had a whole notion of doing something at the ceremony for it, since it was your special day and all... Haven't planned anything yet, cause obviously you haven't hatched yet...
"Maybe I should anyway? I could. Still your birthday of a sort, even if you're still cooking away! Though I don't know if your dad wants the reminder of not..." He paused. "Probably should ask him about that, especially if it's something public... I do have something in mind that's more quiet. That'll just be for us though. Special day and all... Definitely doing that second one, just not sure on the first."
He started to pace, egg still in his arms.
"You know, I look at you, and I can hardly believe it's been a whole year! I look at you, and it's just like that first day! Your pretty shell, holding you in my arms- I think this might even be that same blanket!"
He laughed.
"You haven't changed a bit! At least not on the outside. Lizzie says you're actually something big on the inside now. Getting big and strong. Miriel said something like that too... Which is good! Real good...
"Miriel swears that you're fine, that you're healthy, that you're just coming along at your own place. And that's all we can ask, really... Slowest one she's ever seen, apparently, but- hey! We know you get that from me!" He laughed. "Here I am complaining about a measly little year, when you could have been taking centuries!
"That was a joke! That was a joke, please don't take that to heart!" he begged, laughing and rocking them close. "I'd do it, I'd wait, but please don't make me wait like that! I don't know how Lizzie did it, because the anticipation of meeting you is just killing me! I can't wait!
"I can't wait... I just want to meet you. We both do. Like, we'll be here, for however long you take, even if you were completely like me and took centuries, both of us would still be here, still be waiting for you... but please don't make us wait that long! We want to meet you! Both of us do! We cannot wait to meet you and to be your dads!"
He looked down tenderly again.
"Ever since I first found out about you, I've wanted to know you. To see you. To meet you. To... know what you'll look like, and what you'll be like, and what your favourite food is going to be. Or what your favourite colour is going to be! Or all the things you're going to learn! I can't wait to see all the things you'll do and learn and see!
"And all the things I'll get to teach you! Like to read and to sing, or to play an instrument! I cannot wait to teach you to swim, and I just know you're going to be a natural at it! You'll probably learn how to use an elytra once you're big enough, and I think you're going to have to put up with both of teaching you that!
"I can't wait to learn everything about you. I can't wait to see you grow up!
"And in all that, the biggest thing that I can't believe... is that I get to be there. I get to be there and I get to be your dad. And there is no bigger honour or joy than that. Not to me."
On a whim, he got a little closer to the fire. He sat down in front of the fire and undid the blanket wrapped around the egg. He sat cross legged, draping the blanket across his lap. He set the egg in the middle, blocked on the sides, but also held it, balancing it just barely with his hands.
It wasn't like a pregnancy, the shell contained the baby too much to make an impression or transmit a full kick. But there was just enough now, just big enough to rock the egg a little. To make it move and shift enough to know that something, someone, was really there. And he found that if he held them on a solid surface and rocked them a bit, they tended to rock back.
He felt the egg tip back into his hand from where he had it balanced.
It wasn't much, just that light movement, but it showed that they were there! He might not be able to see inside like Lizzie could or Miriel could, but it was magic of its own all the same.
He smiled, rewrapping the egg then to keep it warm and out of the winter's chill that still gripped Rivendell. He got back up, humming as he wandered with it once more.
"Take your time," he said after a little bit. He looked down and addressed them directly. "Take your time. Grow strong and healthy. And when you're ready... We'll be here waiting. Because we can't wait to meet you, little bud!"
He cuddled the egg close and gave it a quick kiss.
"Yeah. We can't wait to meet you."
"That was really sweet."
Jimmy yelped, instinctively clutching the egg close. He whipped his head around to see Scott, who looked like he had also lurched forwards.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Scott said sheepishly.
"It's alright- what are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting?"
"Rennyn's sick. It got cut short."
"Oh. Nice."
"It was sweet though..."
"What?"
"What you were saying."
"Oh. Ah, you, you heard that?"
"Just the bit at the end, I think."
Jimmy ducked his head. "Just thinking out loud..."
"No, you were making sure they know they're loved. Which they are. And that's sweet."
"Yeah. That's... yeah. Exactly that."
Scott ducked in to press a kiss to his cheek. "Love you."
"Love you too."
"Love you and ready to face our next adventure with you!"
"Absolutely!"
Adventure of a lifetime, and there was no one he would rather do it with.