Archive of Our Own ^beta

It’s almost 9 in the morning when George’s eyelids flutter and his blue eyes peel open. The sun is already high in the sky, but George is still sleepy. They got home very late, the flight home from New York took forever, but his victory in Canada made things bearable - at least for big George - while little Georgie hates long flights. Being trapped in an airplane for hours is no fun! 

He doesn’t care about the trophy, not when his ears hurt and he is sleepy and alone in the big bedroom. He hates being alone! He is going to scream and cry until daddy comes and rescues him.

“Daddy?”

George’s voice is muffled because there is no way he is letting go of his pacifier. He gets no answer, Lewis cant hear him when he is busy cooking breakfast. George stares on the closed door of their bedroom and angrily arches his back. His heels dig in the soft mattress and George emits a high-pitched whimper before bursting in tears.

“Daddy!”

This time he is louder, the pacifier slipped out of his mouth and now George gets really mad. Everything is so huge. He usually likes the huge size of their apartment, but right now he feels tiny and helpless while staring on the tall beige ceiling.

“Daddy!”

Lewis almost drops the carton of eggs when he finally hears his baby and quickly turns the stove off before running in the bedroom.

George is busy squirming and whining, he doesn’t realize daddy is here until Lewis pushes the pacifier back between his lips.

“Such a hard weekend, button. My poor little boy.”

George blinks a few times and smiles sheepishly behind his pacifier. He loves when daddy or uncles call him “button”, it makes him feel small and warm. Button, sweet pea, peanut or buttercup, they all made George feel loved and protected.

Daddy’s hands are always so gentle and soft. Lewis strokes the soft curls out of his face and George squirms closer to him. Daddy is smiling and saying something, but George is focusing on his diamond earring. It sparkles in the sharp sunlight and George tries to reach for it. He loves sparkling things! Before he can tug on daddy’s ear, Lewis catches his hand in his and kisses his baby’s warm palm. Lewis is smarter after George nearly ripped his ear off, he wants to touch every glimmering object, but forgets about his strength.

George whines, he is one very spoiled boy and he knows whining usually gets him everything he wants. However it doesn’t work now when Lewis’s ear is at stake. George gets mad. He wants the earring! Daddy is mean! The little burrows himself deeper in the nest of blankets, pillows and stuffed animals. Lewis placed all of this around George to make sure he doesn’t roll off of the bed and hurt himself, and right now George doesn’t feel like leaving the bed anytime soon. He has Fergus and Arabella and the most important thing - his pacifier. This one is his favorite one because it has a smiling moon on the shield. He is slowly sucking on his beloved pacifier and immediately becomes calm, maybe too calm because he is falling asleep again and Lewis cant allow that, otherwise George would cry at nap time and skipping nap time means very grumpy George and grumpy George would cry even more.

Lewis hurriedly rubs George’s back and then grabs him under armpits to sit him up. George whines and clings to the soft blankets, but daddy sits him up and places one hand on his lower back so he cant flop back in his comfy nest. George whines and squirms, but Lewis is already tugging the wet diaper down and his shirt follows. George is ready to cry again, he is suddenly cold, but Lewis picks him up and hugs him closer to his warm chest.

“Bunny, you didn't have a bath yesterday so now we will have a nice warm bath. Okay? A quick bath, promise.”

George keeps whining, he wants to be fussy today. He needs to act like a big boy all the time. Do this, go there, say that. He hates it! He wants to be with daddy and Roscoe. He has had enough of people staring at him! And now daddy wants to bath him?!

Lewis sits George down in the bathtub, he already ran a bath with a few centimeters of warm water and now adds bubbles in a vain hope it could cheer George up. It doesn't work, not today when he is this upset, but Lewis doesn’t know what is wrong. Maybe George is just overtired after the race and then they got home very late so his sleep schedule is weird. Lewis cups the warm water in his hands and pours it across George’s back while humming a song, but the little one isn’t having it.

“Daddy, no more….”

Lewis is immediately cradling George’s face between his hands and observes his baby. Did someone hurt him? If somebody dared to hurt his precious baby…

“What, baby? No more of what?”

George sniffles and rubs his tired eyes with his hands.

“People…”

Ohh, okay, no more people …. phew…. Lewis was ready to punch anyone who mistreated his cutie pie.

“Don’t worry, it's just you, daddy and Roscoe.”

George settles down a bit, he whines and clings to daddy, but allows Lewis to wash his body and hair. Then it’s time to turn the little into a burrito and Lewis puts him down on their bed while he goes to get clothes and fresh diaper. George lazily sucks on his pacifier and watches Roscoe who sprawls next to him. George is falling asleep again, but then daddy rudely wakes him up by unwrapping the warm towel. George squirms when the chilly air hits his naked skin, but Lewis is already closing a diaper around his hips. A pair of soft shorts and a T-shirt with colorful parrots quickly follows and George has no real reason to cry, although he keeps going. Lewis knows this is just his overtired bunny. They are both exhausted but little George doesn’t know how to process the big feelings inside his head.

Lewis carries George in the kitchen and Roscoe quickly follows them. However, when Lewis tries to feed George, the little one presses his lips together and refuses to open it. Lewis gives up after a few minutes, the scrambled eggs are cold anyway, and he grabs the tin with George’s favorite banana flavored formula. George whines in excitement, he loves feeding from a bottle. It means daddy will hold him and no one can disturb them. Uncle Max once barged in daddy’s drivers room and daddy tossed a bottle of water at him. Daddy always says you should take your time while eating, eating too fast hurts your tummy.

Lewis shakes the bottle with tiny fishes painted on the glass and picks George up again. After making himself comfy on the living room’s couch, daddy finally pulls George in his lap. He cradles George’s head in the crook of his arm and gently angles him so he could feel the rhythm of his heart. George curls up and watches daddy’s serious expression. Lewis fusses with blankets and pillows to make his little boy comfy and then finally tugs on the shield of George’s pacifier. George whines at the loss of his pacifier but then a drop of warm formula touches his lips and he latches onto the nipple of his bottle.

George’s body relaxes, he basically melts in Lewis’s arms while his cheeks work in perfect rhythm, his breath slow and calm. Lewis tilts the bottle to keep the nipple full of milk, careful not to let any air slip in. Feeding George a bottle of formula is the best way how to calm him down, it never fails, no matter if George is sad, sick or just fussy. His hand grabs a fistful of Lewis’s oversized shirt and slowly sucks while daddy strokes his back. Daddy’s hand is warm and soft, the light pats on his back feels great. His eyelids flutter, half-closed in contentment until daddy sits him up and helps him to burp. George whines a bit, but burps before hugging daddy around the neck. They cuddle for a long time until Roscoe starts barking because he wants out. George watches the dog who hurries on the terrace as soon as daddy slides the door open. Roscoe has a special toilet for dogs, they can’t go for a walk all the time.

“Baby, do you want to play outside?”

George lies on the soft couch and stares outside. The weather is nice and warm, but George isn’t sure he wants to get up. He silently kneads Fergus’s leg. It’s filled with tiny beads and George rubs the soft fleece between his fingers until he finally decides and nods. Lewis gets a swim diaper with tiny crocodiles and a bucket hat before sitting George up.

George loves their swimming pool. They don't need to leave home and no one is stealing his daddy’s attention. George has daddy only for himself! Lewis used to only have a jacuzzi and a few potted trees on the terrace, but with little George, the place was quickly turned into something more. Monaco’s weather is mostly warm and sunny, it means George can spend hours playing with his toys on the terrace or in the swimming pool. A part of the terrace is covered with roof so even if the weather gets bad, George can still play outside. The railing around the terrace is higher than George so Lewis has one less worry - not like George would come closer to the railing, he is scared of heights.

Lewis covers every inch of George’s body with a sunscreen - the little doesn’t appreciate it, he hates the sticky feeling - and puts the bucket hat on his baby’s head. The swim vest with little seagulls is necessary, Georgie can’t swim. Lewis adjust the anti-rise strap between George’s legs for perfect fit and then George is free to jump in the swimming pool with Roscoe following him.

George and his friend have everything they need. George is gripping his favorite mermaid Barbie and pretends she is swimming with them while Roscoe sits on the concrete stairs that gently descend into deeper water. 

Lewis sits down on one of the sun loungers and sips on his smoothie while watching George. Observing the little one is way better than every TV show or book.

Right now he is trying to figure out how to retrieve Roscoe’s toy from the bottom of the swimming pool. The pool isn't very deep, but little George has almost no spatial or body awareness so he doesn’t understand his arm  is too short to reach the bottom without dunking his face. He keeps trying, but as soon as cold water touches his face, he pulls back and blinks in confusion before trying it again. His brain cant comprehend that they toy is further than it looks like and he is soon whining to get daddy’s attention. Lewis hates getting his hair wet, but it doesn’t matter too much, his hairdresser is coming tomorrow and when he gets the toy, George hands it over to Roscoe who drops it again a few seconds later. 

George is feeling really young today, all he wants is to cling to daddy. He lies on his back, the swim vest makes him float and daddy grabs his hands. George kicks his legs and watches the blue sky above him and daddy’s face. He has the nicest daddy. His daddy knows everything - he knows things about fashion, he makes the best bottles and always make his hair fluffy and nice. Daddy gives the best hugs and wears silly little earrings and lots of rings and necklaces and bracelets and sometimes he allows George to play with them so he can put four rings on each finger. George loves the bracelet daddy gave him - it snuggly fits around his wrist and reminds him of daddy holding his hand. There are even small diamonds and they sparkle whenever he moves his hand. 

Lewis strokes George’s wet hair out of his face and smiles at his baby. Lewis lifts him slightly and then dips him back in the water with a splash. George squeals with joy and Roscoe joins them while barking to show he wants the same treatment. The little and dog take turns until Lewis’s arms feel sore. Only then George climbs on the short slide and goes down right in daddy’s arms. Of course that daddy celebrates every splash or brave underwater dip until George opens his mouth right before landing in the water.

“George! Don’t drink the water!”

The little wants to argue, he also doesn’t like the weird tasting water, but he is busy coughing while daddy sits him on the pool’s edge. George splutters a bit and daddy rubs his back so everything feels good again. 

“That’s yucky, baby boy.”

Daddy pulls his hand away - George didn’t realize he was sucking on his thumb until daddy gently grabbed his wrist - and he whines because that’s his thumb so he can suck on it, but then daddy pushes a pacifier between his lips. 

Daddy decides they should take a break and have a little snack, he promises toasts with lots of cheese and warm applesauce so George doesn’t protest. Daddy wraps him in a large towel and carries him through the apartment right in their bathroom. George stands still like a good boy in the cold walk-in-shower, but the truth is that he is sleepy. Daddy showers George and then it’s time for another diaper and one of Lewis’s oversized shirts George loves so much. Getting George to eat is hard. His eyelids are too heavy, he manages a few bites of his cheesy toast but then refuses to chew so Lewis feeds him the applesauce.

George is quickly falling asleep, he barely notices that daddy puts him in their bed and closes the thick curtains. He snuggles closer to Fergus and feels a soft blanket covering his legs before the air conditioner starts softly humming and turning the air pleasantly cold. George is slowly sucking on his pacifier and he is almost asleep when he realizes he is all alone. Daddy left him, again.

George sniffles, eyes blinking open wearily to look around the bedroom. Daddy knows he doesn’t like sleeping alone. Daddy promised they will spend the day together. No uncles, no friends, only daddy and him. George is gathering every bit of strength in  his tired body to scream and cry, but then the door opens again. Daddy!

Lewis left for a few minutes to make another bottle because George didn’t eat much and now he comes back to sniffling baby. Lewis quickly shushes his poor little peanut and holds the bottle so George can latch on. No matter how hard George tries to stay awake, playing in the pool really tired him out. His eyelids keep fluttering, he closes his eyes for a few seconds before remembering there is a warm formula to drink so he opens his eyes again only to get even more sleepier thanks Lewis’s hand gently patting his padded bottom. George is asleep for good before he drinks one-third of the bottle, but he can always finish it later. He stays curled up close to Lewis’s side, his hands balled into fists are tucked under his chin with a few drops of formula dry on his cheeks. 

Lewis puts Fergus right next to George’s head and tucks him under a thin blanket. George doesn’t wake up, he only makes a soft humming noise behind his pacifier and Lewis gently pats his bottom to settle him down. Lewis has chores to do. The laundry room is full of their dirty clothes, he has many emails that need his attention, but Lewis decides to ignore everything. How could he answer boring business emails when his little boy is asleep and in urgent need of daddy’s presence? Lewis slowly lies down behind George and pulls the warm body closer to his chest. He doesn’t know why does he like sleeping like this with his body shielding George. Lewis has never done this in his previous relationships, but he has never been a daddy before meeting George.