Owen wasn’t sure what to expect when he felt the vibrations of Baby’s anger and headed back to the house. In typical bear fashion, he’d gotten distracted and wandered further away than he meant to. He’d been a solitary creature for so long, it was nice to get out and just wander around, safe from curious eyes. Not that he didn’t love being around Baby, because he did. But sometimes he had to get outside and just be.
And he felt it was just typical that the one time he left Baby alone, working quietly on their house, Poseidon and Claude showed up. But, by the time he’d panted his way to Baby’s side, Baby and his parent and step-parent were getting along as though everything was fine – something Owen respected, but didn’t trust.
And he was right to trust his instincts rather than Poseidon or Claude. Lunch had come and gone, enjoyed by all. Claude was upstairs in one of the spare rooms with Baby showing him how to sand the wooden floors. Owen was enjoying the mundane but pleasurable task of washing the lunch dishes in the deep sink they had in the kitchen.
“You know, I’m not a hundred percent certain you haven’t twisted my son’s mind against me in some way.” Owen stiffened at the accusation in Poseidon’s voice. “He’s never yelled at me like he did earlier, ever. The thing I can’t understand is what you get out of it.”
Owen pulled his hands out of the soapy water and reached for a towel. Gloves off time. He turned to find Poseidon leaning against the breakfast bar, his aura a shimmer of blues and greens from the seas he loved. “Do you truly believe you’re that perfect, Sei, that you’re immune to being yelled at? Can you honestly stand there with a straight face and tell me you didn’t deserve your youngest son yelling at you?”
“I’m not saying that. I told Baby I’d made mistakes and apologized for them. I was a shit dad with all my sons, to the point it’s getting damned annoying being constantly reminded of it. The past is the past. I’m a new person now, who is a good father, and I’m not getting any credit for that.”
Despite the fact he was angry, Owen chuckled. “Even now, it’s all about you and how you feel. You’re annoyed because Baby yelled at you. It doesn’t matter that it’s taken him a thousand years to get the confidence to feel he can yell; that now he’s going to be a father of his own children, he’s learning to stand up for himself.” Owen changed tact. “Have you heard from Himeros?”
There was a wary edge to Poseidon’s aura. “No, but I didn’t expect to. After your warning, I put wards up around the club so Claude wouldn’t be hassled by the annoying twerp.”
“The annoying twerp won’t be hassling you anymore, and that’s all because of Baby. Himeros tried to interfere in our mating. Did you know Aphrodite didn’t even know of Baby’s existence?”
“I thought everyone knew. I take it she does now?”
“She definitely does now, and Himeros has got his powers suppressed until well after our little one is born. That was the agreement between me and Aphrodite, as restitution for the damage Himeros tried to cause. But the one thing Baby asked for, when meeting the goddess – the only thing he insisted on – was that Himeros be made to leave you and Claude alone. Permanently.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Poseidon whistled and shook his head. “I truly thought that boy hated me and was jealous of what I had with Claude. I’d get him to babysit the twins sometimes, and Baby never seemed happy about doing it.”
“You had the gall to ask him to babysit the twins? Sei, did you hit your head on a rock when you gave birth?”
“Of course not. That’s not how it’s done.”
He’s hit his head at some time in his life. Owen couldn’t believe Poseidon was being so clueless. “When Baby was little who did you ask to babysit him?”
“Why would he need a babysitter in my domain? He was perfectly safe there.”
Now, Owen wanted to hit something. The problem was, Sei genuinely didn’t see what he’d done wrong. “Were you around to make sure he got to eat three meals a day? Did you give him his bath every night? Tuck him into bed? Read him stories? Teach him to tie his own shoes?”
“Things were different then.”
Owen folded his big arms across his chest. “Actually, no they weren’t. A child, no matter when in history they were born, still deserved love, acceptance, and basics like food and comfort from their parents.”
“I was busy and it’s not like Himeros stuck around and did his bit.”
“And I suppose letting Baby know from his first memories what a shit Himeros was, was just another way of showing how much you cared?”
Poseidon thumped the counter top. “It was ancient history. For fuck’s sake, why can’t everyone just let it go? Honestly, since the Fates started dragging my family into this mating lark, I’ve had to grovel and apologize to damn near every son I have. Enough is enough. I’ve changed. I’m a different person than I was then and it’s time that was respected.”
“Baby does respect that – he stuck up for you and Claude in front of Himeros and Aphrodite. But that doesn’t mean he’s still not grieving inside for the life he didn’t have; that he’s still not worried about how good he’ll be as a father when he’s got no decent role models to look up to. That lack of confidence stems directly from the way you and Himeros treated him.”
“Baby’s got no reason to feel down about himself. He’s the best-looking son I have, and aside from his looks,” Poseidon added when Owen huffed, “he’s bright, he’s clever, he cares about the twins even though he rarely lets me see him act that way. Face it, he cares about people far more than I give him credit for. He’s going to be a great father one day, and what he’s doing with this house is nothing short of amazing. Every one of my other sons have homes they conjured, prettied up with their powers. My son showed me his callouses. I saw him physically painting that frame. He even warned me off using my powers to help him. I’m so damn proud of him and what’s he’s accomplished despite his shitty upbringing.”
“Did you mean that? About being proud of me, I mean?” Baby’s quiet voice came from the kitchen doorway.
“I told you I was proud of you when we were outside,” Poseidon turned to face his son. “I meant every word. You’ve done what very few people have the strength to do, and I’m not talking about working on this house. You rose above two complete shits of fathers, forged a life for yourself, and found the courage and compassion to accept an asshole mate who was just as bad as I was in some things. I won’t forget the thousand year wait before claiming in a hurry,” he added as an aside to Owen.
Trust Poseidon to get his digs in. But the lord of the sea hadn’t finished. “I might not have ever told you I loved you like a father should to his son, but you’ve always had a special place in my heart, Baby. If I seemed uncaring, it wasn’t intentional. Honestly, Claude has taught me a lot about the importance of family and caring for others.”
Poseidon walked over to stand in front of his son. “You, my sweet child, you’ve always had more strength than your brothers put together. Artie shunned the world and stayed in the library – Lasse and Nereus both went out with friends, but they never tried to go it alone. But you, only you had the courage and the curiosity to step out into the human world and live, and for that, I am very proud of you. Have you got a hug for your slightly tarnished dad?”
“I’ve never seen you hug anyone except Claude and the twins.” The two men embraced clumsily.
“Meh,” Poseidon stepped back and smoothed down his shirt. “Just don’t tell your brothers or they will all be wanting one. Now, where’s my mate and has he finished sanding that floor yet, only we do have twins to get home to.”
Claude’s chuckle came from the dining room. “I’m standing right here, watching a very touching father and son bonding moment that is centuries overdue. I think, if you’re so inclined Baby, you should seriously think about having a working bee here – invite your brothers and their mates, and us of course – let them all develop some callouses of their own. Come on, Sei, let’s head back. If my instincts are right, it must be the twins bath time.”
“Really? Well, fuck it. I never get these time zone differences worked out properly. Remember what I said, Baby, I do love you, son of my heart.” And with a flash, the two men were gone as quickly as they arrived.
“Are you okay?” Owen asked, when Baby stayed standing in the doorway.
“Yeah.” Baby rubbed his chest. “I think so. If not now, I know I will be, thanks to you.” His hand slid lower down his body as his tone dropped suggestively. “I think I need a shower. Sanding is tough work. I probably have dust in a dozen body crevices that could be hard for little old me to reach.” His hand curled over the ample bulge in his groin.
Owen’s body reacted instantly, his blood quickening, his cock hardening. He might never see Baby’s body in anything but shades of gray, and that was only when his animal spirit came forward, but Baby’s aura was exciting all by itself. “I’ll meet you in the bathroom,” he said as he translocated.