Fic Prompt: not really holiday-related (but maybe you can turn it into one?) Willow and Case meet Baby Logan for the first time or just any kidfic in your Marvel-Chuck Universe :) Thanks in advanced and Happy Holidays!
This got long! It’s under the cut, anon! Happy hols!
Chuck Bartowski clomps down the stairs on Christmas morning, rubbing at his hair and intent on grabbing a glass of water. It’s not five in the morning yet, but Baby Logan is awake for a feeding, and he’s dehydrated, so he may as well.
As he glances around the living room on the way to the kitchen, he stops as he notice that there’s something - someone - who shouldn’t be awake yet.
Willow is seven now, their oldest. She’s got his hair (poor kid), his eyes (she could do worse) and Sarah’s nose (thank god), and she’s inherited a combination of his book smarts and Sarah’s common sense, making her one of the most level-headed, thoughtful seven-year-olds he’s ever met.
Blessing and a curse.
He watches her flop back on her little blanket, staring up at the star on top of the tree, and he leans over to get into her line of sight. “Hey, Smartiepants. Little early, huh?”
“Hi, Dad,” Willow says, sitting up quickly, looking worried. She gets that from him, too. “Did I wake baby Logan?”
“Nah, he was hungry,” Chuck says, settling down next to her, crossing his legs. “Your mom’s feeding him.”
“Oh.”
“What’re you doing up?” he asks, nudging her gently. “Huh? It’s early. You should be in bed, still.”
Willow just shrugs.
“Will, you okay?”
Willow’s shoulders slump a little. “I like the new baby, Dad. And Case. I don’t know how to help take care of babies. And you and mom are so busy. I don’t know how to help.”
Chuck frowns, staring down at her, and suddenly, looking at his daughter, he doesn’t see himself, or Sarah at all.
He sees Ellie.
He sees Ellie, who was too young to take responsibility for him, but who didn’t have much choice. He sees Ellie, who was abandoned by both of their parents and left in charge when she didn’t know how to be in charge.
Chuck scoops Willow up easily and settles her in his lap, holding her tightly.
“Listen up, Will,” he says gently. “I know that having a new kid in the house is hard, but I need you to understand…it’s not your job to take care of him. It’s mine, and your mom’s. And yeah, we might need your help sometimes, cuz you’re older. And you might need to do stuff like…keep yourself busy while we’re on diaper duty, or play with Case sometimes…but you’re not a grown-up like we are, and you’re not a parent. Your job is to be seven. So you play your video games and you watch your movies, and you play outside with your friend, and if you see stuff you can help with? Like…I don’t know. clearing the dishes from the dinner table or…making your bed every day? Awesome. But you’re not responsible for your brothers right now. We are. They’re really little, and they need grown-ups. That’s us. We got this. I promise.”
Her little arms wrap around him, and he hears a muffled “Okay” from against his shoulder.
Chuck grins and pats her hair. “You wanna sneak a present?”
Willow pulls away quickly, brown eyes wide. “Really?!”
“Heck yeah, really,” Chuck says, his voice turning to a whisper. “But don’t tell your brothers.”
Willow giggles, and dives for the smallest box under the tree.
Chuck grins.
