●be mine, valentine●

chapter fifteen

"Luca, hon, what did we talk about?"

"Mama s'eep?"

"Good boy. We have to let Mama sleep, yeah?"

"Yesh."

Valentine wakes up to the sound of Luca's soft, disappointed voice.

He doesn't know where he is but whatever he's laying on feels like a cloud. A complete contrast to the cheap mattress that he had at the apartment. The sheets were soft and the comforter felt like it was made out of feathers.

He wanted to open his eyes but he couldn't seem to manage it. He felt so weak. Laying on the cloud seemed so much better than waking up from his peaceful slumber.

"When Mama 'ake up, Mavie?" He hears the boy ask in a whisper that Valentine knew was a struggle for him.

"I don't know, little one. Whenever his body is ready. What about you though, hon, are you feeling okay?" What, why would Luca not be okay?

"Mmm 'm good, Mavie." And who was Luca talking to? Who do we know that's named 'Mavie'?

"Does your ouchie hurt at all?" What ouchie?

Valentine's confusion and concern for his son sparks the motivation his body needs to peel his eyes open, pulling himself from the most peaceful sleep he's had in what feels like years.

"Luca, what did we just talk about?"

"Didn't wake 'im up. Wook, Mama no s'eep."

"What do you- oh, Valentine!" Valentine looks around the room alarmed, scanning every single detail.

"S-Sir? What am I doing here? Why is Luca here? What happened?" He says, hurriedly pushing himself off of his huge cloud and walking towards Luca who was standing by the bedroom door.

Too overwhelmed with the moment, Valentine doesn't wait for an answer from Maverick. Ignoring his lightheadedness, he approaches the boy and immediately notices the bandage plastered on his forehead.

"Oh, baby boy, what happened? Are you okay?" He stresses, pulling Luca into his chest. The boy wraps his arms around his mother's neck tightly, nodding quickly against his neck.

"Fine, Mama. Don' hurts no mo'e cuz I's was a bwave boy." Despite his injury, Luca has a bright smile on his face. He looks to be happier than ever.

"Always a brave boy, sweetheart, but what happened?"

"Jus' feww on da pwaygwound but 'm fine, Mama. I's good."

"You fell on the playground? Why did nobody call me? Did you get stitches? Oh, my poor baby."

"He's fine, Valentine. He's okay." He hears the voice of someone behind him but it doesn't register, not until he checks over every square inch of the boy's body for any more injuries. "I promise you, Valentine, he's perfect. Greyson and I took care of him. He's fed and he's had a few naps. The only problem he's having is missing you."

Valentine's eyes tear up at Maverick's words.

"Why did no one let me know what happened? Why wasn't I there with Luca? Why did you just let me sleep? Something could have happened. It could've been worse. He could've needed surgery or- or worse..." He was almost hyperventilating at this point, mind wracked with every turn the day could have taken.

"None of that happened, love. He's safe." Maverick says softly, walking up behind him to place a caring hand on his shoulder while Valentine hugs the small, confused boy. "Look at me, Valentine." He commands gently. Valentine complies, turning around to face the man while also pulling Luca with him. He's now fully sat on the floor with Luca in his lap. "Your phone was on the desk when the daycare called. They said he went to urgent care but that he was fine and you had just fallen asleep. We didn't want to wake you up. Your body needed rest. We had Luca back here in less than an hour and you were napping together in no time." He assures, staring intently into Valentine's heartbreakingly sad eyes.