Blinking, Lydia knew something was off, but couldn't figure it out.
"Morning, Sweetheart."
She jolted up. "Oh!"
"It's not that bad." Bradly chuckled. He brushed her hair out of her face.
"Sorry, it's... been awhile since I woke up somewhere other than my bed... with... um, my husband." She blushed.
"I imagine so." He murmured. Before she could protest, he pulled her down, and captured her mouth.
"Hey, he's still not healed!"
Lydia jerked up. "Tell HIM that, momma." She snorted. "I have to go feed my children."
Elunara shook her head. Watching Lydia disappear up the stairs, she sat on the bed and ran her hand over Bradly's head. "Bad night?"
"Yeah, sort of." He leaned against her. "I take it you know about Lydia's abilities."
"Currently studying how they work so I can teach her how to use them." She wrapped her arms around him and began to channel her energy. "Never forget, your family wants to help you."
"Yes, Momma."
"You should know... you have a right to a public or private execution."
"I..." He sighed. "I would prefer it to just quietly go away." He whispered. "I know that's difficult to do..."
"Then it will be done." She kissed his temple. "Now, you can sit in here for a few days, and Lydia will keep you company, or you can get dressed and get out of the house. You're healed enough to get up and get moving. I'll want to check in with you periodically, your injuries were... varied and in strange locations. I just don't want you to tear anything."
"Hm... Lydia... alone... in my room? Or leave the house..." Grinning, he tapped his chin.
"Did I say you were cleared for that?" Her eyebrow shot up.
"Aw, damn it." Crossing his arms, he pouted.
With a giggle, she kissed his temple again. "You are actually cleared for that." She poked his chest. "Just no wild acrobatics."
"Do threesomes count?"
Elunara grinned at Lydia. "They do not particularly count as wild acrobatics... depending on who's doing what."
Lydia cuddled Dargek. "Just checking."
Bradly eyed the door. "Come in."
Lulu peeked her head in. "I wanted to check on my brother."
"Come in, you little rat." He grinned.
Lulu bounced over. "Momma said you were hurt pretty badly." She fidgeted. "That... the same thing that happened to Daddy happened to you."
"Yeah." He sighed. "Except I don't have to worry about one of you popping out of nowhere." He stuck his tongue out.
"I guess that's good."
"Don't pick on your sister, Bradly." Elunara sighed. "She genuinely cares about you."
Lydia slipped back upstairs.
"Yeah..." He raked his fingers through his hair.
"I'm done with you for now." Elunara stood up and left the room.
Lulu fidgeted. "I'm sorry this happened to you." She said quietly.
"Don't worry about me." He shrugged.
"I... I'm glad you won't have to worry about... a baby."
He almost didn't hear her. "Are you ok?" He frowned.
She fidgeted and looked around. "It's just..."
"Lulu, sweetie, sit down."
She blinked at the affection, before she sat down. "I know I was never supposed to exist." She sighed and picked at her dress. "How much of a burden I've been, just simply being what I am."
"Lulu!"
"It's true." Tears streamed down her face and she swiped at them. "I mean, daddy likes me well enough, and momma is... momma... but often I feel kind of left out, because I'm not a baby, and I'm not grown. I'm just... in the middle. A burden to everyone."
"Lulu, dad loves you, with all of his being. Yeah, it was hard for him at first, but he fell in love with you. You should have seen him when you were a baby. It was nauseating." He grinned.
"But..."
He tugged Lulu into his lap. "You're my little sister. I know I pick on you, but ask Lydia, I'm not good at dealing with girls. Like, ever. I'm a royal fuck up. You have been my little sister from the day you were born and I've loved you ever since. I'm sorry I suck at showing affection. I was recently told that it had to do with my birth parents. You want to know a burden that everyone hates? That was MY existence. My birth mother hated me for existing, and beat the shit out of me every time it occurred to her that I was born." He cuddled her.
"Really?" She looked up.
"Now, my baby sister, when you're in this family, everyone loves you completely. From Grogek, on down to me, everyone does. You may be dad's only birth child, but we're better than blood. We're both in this family, because this family WANTS us. That's the major distinction here." He sighed. "I'm only just starting to come to terms with what happened to me, but dad's had thirteen years. If you had been considered a burden, even once, you would have never seen us again. Believe me, when mom wants someone to disappear, they fucking disappear." He snorted.
"You mean it?" She sniffled.
"I love you to pieces, my silly little sister. If I tease you, it's because I don't know how to do it any other way. If you think I'm being mean to you, then you have to tell me, cause I just don't know."
"I hate when you call me rat."
"Then I'll never call you that again. I just have to find a good nickname." He tapped his finger on his chin. "Hm. How about... Sugar?"
She giggled. "That's what momma calls daddy."
"Then it's fitting." He kissed the top of her head. He jolted back and rocked back and forth.
"Brother?" Lulu looked up. "Bradly?" She waved her hand in front of his face. "MOMMA!" She screamed.
After a moment, Elunara burst through the door. "What's wrong?"
"Bradly broke!!" She scrambled out of his lap.
"Tell me what happened." Elunara put her hands on Bradly's face.
"He... he kissed my head and poof."
Elunara concentrated. "This..." Grabbing Lulu's arm she concentrated again. "FUCK!"