Bernard was awakened to frantic shaking. He could feel small grabby hands grip his bicep as sniffling filled the air.

It took him a moment to register what was happening. The empty space next to him, a shaking five-year-old on top of him.

Wait...

Almost immediately, Bernard's eyes fluttered open. Revealing the sight of a curly haired child wiping tears from his pale blue eyes. Soaking the sleeve of his superman themed pyjamas.

"Jacky..." Bernard hushed out, sitting up as he adjusted the kid in his lap.

Bernard was a little shocked that Jacky even came to him. Well, to be fair, Jacky's parents were out patrolling, so he was the only one here. The kid was actually the child of both Tim and Kon, but Bernard only had joined the relationship just a few months ago.

As you could tell from the implications, the meeting didn't go exactly well. Jacky was cold, he looked down at Bernard with those youthful judgemental eyes.

Bernard cooked dinner? "NONO I DONT WANNA EAT ITT. PAPA MAKES IT BETTER"

Bernard tries to help with literally anything? "YOU DIDNT DO IT RIGHTUHHH. I HATE YOU,"

Ouch dude.

Bernard gently glided his long fingers through the child's curls, softly shushing him as Jacky shook.

"What's wrong bud? Scary dream?" Bernard tilted his head. Jacky paused before giving a slow nod.

"I-I, t-there w-as,"

Bernard could almost feel his heart breaking at the cracks between his sentences. Small fingers still wiping his puffy red eyes.

"Take your time, Jacky. It's okay." Jacky nodded once again, small head tilting up to investigate Bernards.

"I-there was a-a monster,"

Bernard hummed, hands trailing down to give a reassuring squeeze to the kid’s arm. Feeling the soft fat that covered his bones,

"A-and it... ate papa and daddy." Jacky finished off with a sob, burring his face into the palms of his hands. Bernard's eyes widened, well that was a little unexpected. Never underestimate a child's imagination, I guess.

"Oh Jacky, everything is okay. Your daddies are still here and I bet you. If that monster comes again, they will kick it's as-... butt" Bernard quickly fixed the slip up before giving a small smile, leaning back onto the headboard.

"Here, how about this, do you want me to tell you a story?" Bernard offered in which Jacky's eyes immediately widened. Eyes practically sparkling as his mouth gaped open.

Jacky gave an enthusiastic nod, moving to sit next to Bernard as he rested his head against his shoulder. Knowing the drill already from doing story time with his parents.

"Okay so, once upon a time..."

As he spoke, Bernard talked about a shy elf who became the protector of the magical world after he was pushed into an erupting volcano by his enemy. Like a phoenix, the elf rose with magical powers. The elf decided to use these powers for good to restore balance between the world and fairy land.

If Bernard were to be honest, he was improvising like crazy. He might've changed the accent of the villain like 3 times. From a British accent to a Russian accent then it became southern?