#viveen

Reuben had barely any time to react before Viveen was practically jumping onto his lap. The book clattered to the ground. Her husband’s expression was one of shock until he realized who was hugging him. He beamed and wrapped his arms around the boy. “Whoa! Careful, Viv, I’m not as tough as your brother or his girl. These old bones aren’t built for your cuddle attacks.” Viveen giggled as his father squeezed him tight and gave him a kiss on the cheek, his tail lashing in excitement.

After letting the two of them settle down a notch, Elvira took a seat beside them, leaning over to retrieve the book. Reuben freed one arm to grab the old novel, giving her a crooked smile of thanks, one that matched his now very crooked glasses that were one nudge from falling off his face. She adjusted them for him.

“Oh! Thank you, Love.” He leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek as well. Viveen laughed as he was tilted along, clinging to his father’s shirt. “Now I read better! Would you like me to read to you, Viv?”

“Can you read to me and Mum, Papa?”

“Of course! Would you like to stay for the story, Dear?”

Elvira smiled and put her hands in her lap. “I would love to hear you read, Darling. What will you be reading?”

“I think this book about architecture might be a bit… not very fun to read. I was trying to get ideas for a new project. Why don’t you go get a book we’ll all like, Viv?”

“I’ll grab a fairytale book!” Viveen hurried to go find a book from the shelves. He passed a reflective trinket on his way and the little glass pyramid on a shelf split in two. Seeing him all excited to be read a story made Elvira very glad to have a young child back in the house. Though they had a few young grandchildren, their children’s visits were too few and far between for Elvira. Ever since Viveen had come to live with them, it’d been wonderful, bringing back so many memories of when her children with Reuben were his age. His curiosity and wonder over everything livened up the home, and it was lovely to see her husband interacting with the boy, to see how happy it made Reuben having Viveen around.

Reuben set down the architectural studies book he’d been reading and watched as Viveen searched for a book.

“Isn’t it nice to have another little one around?” Elvira asked her husband.

“Hm? Ah-” Reuben turned to face her, processing her question a bit late. “It really is. I’m glad Viveen is so happy here. I was worried when Lucy first brought him home…”

Their granddaughter had been the one to find Viveen and bring him to the family home, something Elvira was very thankful for. The adjustment had been difficult at first, with Viveen’s upbringing as a demonic prince of sorts by a group Elvira couldn’t help but refer to as a cult after what Lucy had described, and Reuben being forced to admit he had lied to the family and kept giving birth to Viveen a secret. Though he’d been worshipped, Viveen hadn’t been treated particularly well by his former caretakers, and it had been quite obvious in how Viveen acted the first few months he’d been home.

A difficult adjustment, but an adjustment that had been made. Reuben had opened up and admitted everything to her, explained his reasonings and fears. And Viveen had slowly adapted to a loving family life and was getting the hang of being a slightly supernatural normal child.

His half demonic heritage, however, fit right in with the family aesthetic. As bubbly and bright as Rueben was, all of their children had an affinity for the dark and occult, and Viveen was no exception even if he wasn’t Elvira’s biological child.

With his dark hair and thin face, though, he looked rather like his stepmother. Elvira had lost track of the number of times someone had remarked that Viveen looked just like her. His naturally black fingernails had led their neighbors to ask them if Viveen painted his nails to look even more like his mother, and Viveen had looked so happy to be matching that she hadn’t switched to another color since.

Viveen came over, holding a large, old book. “I found stories!”

“Oh! Grimm’s, an excellent choice. Do you have a story in mind?”

“The one where the boy wants to learn to be scared!”

Reuben took the book and checked the table of contents for the page number, then started flipping to that page. Viveen settled back in between them, eager for the story. “You really like this one, don’t you?”

“I like that he isn’t scared of the ghosts!”

Reuben chuckled, reaching to ruffle Viveen’s hair. “Ready for the story?”

Viveen nodded and curled up against his father. Elvira scooted closer so she could lean in as well.

Reuben started the story, and by the end of it, Viveen, who had started off so excited, was starting to doze off, comfortably snuggled against his father. He had his head over Reuben’s belly and was clinging to his vest. Elvira rubbed the boy’s back until she was certain he was falling asleep.

Then she said in a quiet voice, “It looks like you're stuck, Dearest.”

Reuben gave her a lopsided smile. “He's been trapping me like this all week,” he told her. “He seems to think my stomach is a pillow.”

“It is nice and soft, Darling.” She reached over and patted his belly, careful not to disturb Viveen.

Her husband huffed. “Oh, I guess I’ve gotten soft over the years.”

“It’s a lovely look for you,” she assured him. “You were always such a cuddle bug, it’s only fitting that you’re in the best shape for it.”

He laughed, which woke up Viveen. The boy blinked slowly, lifting his head and yawning. “Oops! Sorry, Viv. Papa didn’t mean to wake you,” Reuben apologized. He gave his son a squeeze and asked, “You ready for a proper nap, Viv?”

Viveen nodded, rubbing his eyes. Reuben coaxed him up and took his hand. Viveen’s tail was limp behind him, dragging as it did whenever he was tired.

Elvira stood and took the boy’s other hand. “Did you enjoy the story, little one?”

“Mhmm. I didn’t hear it all, though.”

“I can read it again once you wake up!” Reuben promised.

Viveen’s tail picked up a bit at that. Then he tilted his head and asked them, “Do you think the baby liked the story too?”

Reuben gave her a confused look. Unsure if Viveen was just too tired or had perhaps dreamed something, Elvira asked him, “What baby, darling?”

Viveen gave her an odd look. “The baby in Papa’s tummy.”

“But… I’m not…?” Reuben thought for a moment. “I certainly haven’t lost any time again. And I can’t be…”

“The baby like me!” Viveen insisted. “It’s like me. I can tell.”

“Reuben…”

He looked nervous. “I, ah, really don’t remember losing time. Surely you would have noticed, El? Are you sure, Viv? Has Papa gone missing again?”

“Yes!” Viveen answered, which Reuben didn’t look thrilled at all to hear. “It was a while ago! When Lucy called Mum and talked about a sighting spot she was going to and I wasn’t supposed to listen.”

That had been over a month ago. At least five or six weeks. “Yes, I remember that call. But I saw your father that morning and evening.”

“I wanted to play with Papa, but he was gone. And he came home before dinner and we sat in the garden until Papa could see me again.”

“I… don’t remember that. When was that?”

“In the middle of June,” Elvira answered.

“Oh. Too early to tell without a test. I guess I’ll have to go get one…” Reuben looked quite frazzled at the knowledge that yet again he’d been chosen to carry a half-demon child. “Well! That’ll be something to think about later! Come on, Viv, let’s get you to bed.”

They brought Viveen to his bedroom and Reuben tucked him in bed and gave him a kiss on the forehead. After shutting off his lamp and closing his door, Reuben leaned against the wall, stress evident on his face.

Even though her husband was shocked, Elvira couldn’t help but smile and ask, “Won’t it be wonderful to have a baby in the house again?”

“Ah… Y-yeah, it will be, huh?” Reuben calmed down, wrapping his arms around his belly. “I did love when our kids were so little. And I didn’t really get to spend much time with Viv when he was tiny before I left him with Shane and Sara.”

“I wonder when Viveen got his powers.”