Animal Instincts

Chapter XIX: Home Again

Tom woke with a loud groan of dismay the next morning; his arousal back in full and as hard as ever for wanting to please his bonded. Harry smiled to him affectionately and with a look of somewhat of a sympathetic understanding to his plight; seeing as Harry had been quite a terror as Loki to him the last time he had been in heat.

Though for now; Harry still refused to let Tom try to entice him for more than simple touches or oral stimulations as relief. Tom, however, was simply grateful to Harry having been there and to being able to relieve him...even if it was temporary for now.

Harry let Tom go to wash first; seeing as he would be longer and Nefertari was already awake. He slid from the bed after Tom was out of sight in the bath and put his robe on before he slipped out and to where their precious daughter was.

Tari beamed as she saw him enter; eagerly standing on her small legs and raising her arms up to him as Harry smiled to his daughter and he lifted her up; then watched as Tari scrunched her nose. Harry chuckled at her; yes, the wet nappy probably did not feel nice. He gently took time to wash and clean her some before putting a new nappy on. Then chose a casual and comfy outfit for her; since they'd be going home today.

Harry smiled as she did to the cute green and white play romper in a checkered pattern and with little white crew socks and green with white sneakers. Harry then took her brush and began to run it along her hair; smiling widely as Tari began hissing much like a very content snakeling. Tari was very much like her Pa-Pa in that the language of Parseltongue was comfortable, familiar, and that it soothed her. Harry had, in fact, more than once sung lullabies to her that way to get her to sleep.

Only more proof of evidence that she would more than likely be a serpent shifter.

Once Harry was done brushing her hair; of which for a one year old, she had a lot of...Harry gathered it and put into two small piggy-tails that he wrapped and held together with some green ribbon and tied into secure bows.

Tari then frowned as she looked at herself in the mirror and Harry frowned too, "Tari?" He asked her

Tari then tugged the ribbon over her eye that was red; well...the one that had turned red from it being blue at birth. She tugged on the ribbon until it came undone and tossed it off. She then pointed at herself; more specifically her eye and Harry sighed internally; of course. She wanted a red ribbon there.

Whereas Harry was trying not to make her look like a cute Christmas ornament...He loved that she had two colored eyes, but red and green in combo together made for much amusement as it did frustrations.

But he sighed and smiled as he put the green one away and pulled a red one to re-do the ribbon. Tari smiling as she saw it and Harry felt exasperated; hopefully she would grow out of this adorable yet very...trying habit.

Tom then entered as he eyed her and rose a brow as his lips twitched and quirked at the corners. Harry scowled but Tari didn't find it amusing at all; her eyes watered as her lips pouted, "Pa-Pa no like." She said sadly

Harry then smirked at Tom; who blanched at his daughter's upset to his reaction. He lifted his daughter; who had silent tears that he wiped away, "No Tari; it's lovely. Just...different." He told her softly.

Harry refrained from snorting loudly in amusement to that horribly bad attempt at pacification to her tears, and all as he motioned and left to wash and to dress before they prepared to leave. Tom nodded as Tari sniffled; eyes showing her disbelief at him. Then watched as Tom gently petted her head and Tari slowly smiled to him and hugged him; to which Harry paused and wished he had a camera on hand. It was one of the 'awww' moments between Tom and Tari.