#like ice

Goose and Maverick had extended classes, so Goose went home to his wife and kid, who probably isn't screaming ....and Maverick was asleep? Somehow?

Slider and the other boys wanders off to the kitchens for more milk and to get away. The baby is still crying, Ice is near tears and red in the face, when Mav stumbles out of his room shirtless and too tired to care and wanders up to Ice, who is absolutely not used to kids, but he's trying goddamnit!

And Mav just grumbles at him 'what are you doing?' with his adorably sleepy half-closed green eyes and gently grabs the baby from Ice, and cradles her to his bare muscular chest. Ice can hear his ears ringing at the sudden blessed slience and suppresses another sob. How is he so goddamn bad at comforting his only baby niece that even Maverick, a veritable stranger, is more help?!?! Ice feels like crying again.

Maverick merely soothes Estella softly, shushing her and gently rubbing her tiny back and within two minutes of the repeated noises and slow movements, has her calmed down and asleep in his arms peacefully, her head lolling onto his chest and his arms wound around her protectively. Ice is now jealous of a baby. Wonderful.

"- and the.....Ice, are you listening?"

"Huh, wha-?" Ice snaps out of his silence and Soft!Maverick with a baby-induced haze amd focuses into the present to find big green doe eyes peering up at him in....concern? Vaguely he realises he's staring at Maverick Mitchell with his mouth gaping open, and hastily shuts it.

"Umm yea, what was that, sorry?" Ice clears his throat awkwardly.

Mav smirks at him, but it doesn't have its usual sharp cutting edge, it looks almost...soft and the worry hasn't left his face, pinching the corners of his soulful green eyes as they scan Toms face. A pink tongue darts out to moisten soft-looking red lips and Ice could kick himself for unintentionally allowing his gaze to drop to watch the movement with rapt attention that he doesn't even give to their instructors. He then sees those tantalising lips move and quickly tunes back in before he makes an even bigger fool out of himself.

"I was just asking if you were okay?" Mav questions around a tired sigh, not quite a yawn. Thankfully he didn't seem to notice Ices wandering eyes and thoughts.

"Yea...uh yeah yes. I-um I'm fine. Thank you." Wow, smooth Kazansky. Really smooth.

And of course, Mav doesn't seem to buy it in the slightest. But at least he doesn't fight Ice on it, simply humming non-comittedly with narrowned eyes leveled at Ice.

Ices eyes droop in exhaustion and he runs a hand through his now probably very dishevelled hair, loose from its usual style and fluffy around his ears from him running his hands through it in frustration all evening and night. Ice's very bones felt weighed down by his exhaustion and he pressed his fist over his mouth to hide a jaw-cracking yawn, eyes watering from the strain and sleepiness pulling at his eyes.

A hand wrapped around his right wrist and tugs gently. He nearly visibly jumps as he's suddenly reminded of Mavericks presence in the room, but he was beyond exhausted and couldn't fathom a reason not to follow him. A few paces through the room and Tom was stopped as the backs of his knees hit something. Still fighting off another yawn, Ice didn't even hesitate when the warm hand guided him back and down.

Tom sank into the couch with a sigh, turning slightly to snuffle into the back cushions and drawing his legs up beside him. A small huff of fond laughter came from above him but Tom couldn't even drag up the willpower to open his eyes much less unfold from his uncomfortable but sleepable position.

Another body sank into the cushions beside him, and a warm weight smoothed down his hair to gently guide his head, out of its previously neck-breaking placement, to rest on warm soft skin, the body beneath him strong and compact and lulling him deeper into sleep with the up-down motion of every breath.

Wait....wait...what about Estella? He thought groggily.

Tom cracked open an eye to find little Estella peacefully asleep beside him, no fuss, no noise. With that, Toms eyes slip closed and he sleeps.