Didn't Think This Would Ever Happen...

Chapter 12: Baby Sitting

  Lilia peeked into the cradle, his nose resting against the edge. The child was still asleep. Was that all it did? Didn't it get hungry and want to play and other child-like things?
  It wasn't far into the morning when Malleus came in. He smiled, "good morning."
  "Morning..." Lilia felt very awake, having actually fallen asleep for a few hours. Despite his energy, he had little-to-no motivation to use it.
  Malleus looked into the crib, "it hasn't woken up yet?" Now that he actually got to look at the child, Malleus thought it was the most adorable human he had ever seen.
  Lilia shook his head, "nope... I'm starting to think it only sleeps..."
  Malleus chuckled, "well, we'll have to wake it, then."
  "What? Why?" Lilia blinked up at him. He was actually a little frightened at the thought of waking it.
  "It has to eat to survive, doesn't it?"
  Lilia pursed his lips, "but what if it starts crying or something?"
  "Just do whatever you did to get me and mother to stop," Malleus shrugged, "don't you have a ton of experience with children?"
  "Not babies... I don't even know its name..."
  "What were you thinking of?" Malleus sat beside him on the floor.
  "Huh?"
  "For a name? Oh, you mean there wasn't anything with its name on it?"
  Lilia nodded, "yes, why would I name it?"
  "It's your child now." Malleus tilted his head, "so you get to name it, don't you?"
  Lilia looked back at the baby, "mine?... ... that's a lot of responsibility..." He never thought he would have a child to call his own... How was he supposed to feel about it?...
  "You've never helped name anybody?" Malleus found the idea strange.
  Lilia sighed quietly, "no... What if I pick a name it hates?"
  Malleus chuckled, "then we'll find a nickname it likes. Oh, by the way, do we know it's gender?"
  Lilia pursed his lips, "no..."
  Malleus shrugged, "we'll know soon enough."
  "... why does that sound so ominous?..."
  "You'll see," Malleus chuckled. "But first we should feed the child before it starves."
  Lilia stood up, nervously looking between Malleus and the baby.
  Malleus conjured a bottle into his hands, "go on. It's not like you have to worry about it setting anything on fire."
  Lilia carefully reached into the cradle and lifted up the child. It stirred, its little face scrunching up for a moment.
  Lilia held his breath, incredibly worried. He hoped the child would not hold a grudge against him for his actions.
  The baby's eyes slowly fluttered open. It stared up at Lilia, it's hands twitching.
  Lilia looked at Malleus very tensely, "okay, what now?..."
  "Sit down first," Malleus pulled over a chair.
  Lilia slowly sat down. The child started to smile as he stared up at Lilia.
  "Uhm... is it supposed to do that?..."
  Malleus laughed, "it seems to understand that you're it's caretaker now." He held the bottle out to Lilia.
  Lilia took a moment to figure out how to carefully hold the child in one arm. The baby leaned into Lilia's embrace, making some strange baby noises.
  "Don't you think it's the most precious thing," Malleus handed over the bottle and poked the baby's hand.
  The baby opened and closed its hand around Malleus' finger a few times, staring up at him in wonder. Malleus smiled, "I'm very glad you brought it home. Would it be my sibling or my aunt/uncle?... or something else?"
  "I have no idea... I guess it depends on how fast humans age..." Lilia was awkwardly holding the child and the bottle, not sure what to do.
  Malleus smiled as he guided Lilia in the right direction.
  "How do you know what to do, anyways?" Lilia asked, "you've never-"
  Malleus rolled his eyes, "mother has a never-ending supply of baby stories about me. I think I know enough about caring for children. Though... maybe humans are a little different..."
  Lilia sighed, "I doubt we know anyone who has raised a human child."
  Malleus smiled mischievously, "I might know a few..."
  "What?"
  "Interracial marriages aren't all that uncommon nowadays," Malleus pointed out.
  "Oh... I guess not..." Lilia stared down at the baby in his arms. "Do you think it'll be able to use magic?"
  Malleus hummed in thought, "I don't know... I guess we will have to wait and find out."
  "Silver..." Lilia said quietly.
  "Hm?"
  "Their name," Lilia nodded, "it's Silver..."
  Malleus smiled, glad Lilia wasn't fretting over the task anymore. "It's fitting, considering their hair color."
  Lilia blinked, "oh."
  "Don't tell me you hadn't noticed?" Malleus grew concerned.
  "Hm? Oh, yes, that's exactly why I named them that..." Lilia closed his mouth tightly.