Highschool Lovers

if you drop that baby one more time i swear~

I stand in the kitchen, trying to muster the energy to make a snack for the kids, my eyes half-closed as I transition from one chaotic moment to the next.

"Mia! Please stop spinning in circles! You're going to—" I start, but then I hear it.

A piercing wail cuts through the air, making my heart drop.

"Adrien!" I shout, half-ready to dive into the living room. "Did you hear that?"

"On it!" Adrien calls back, his voice calm and collected as always.

I spin on my heel and race toward the source of the wailing, my heart pounding. And what do I find? The bouncy swing, now inactive, with an empty spot where Luke should be.

"Where's Luke?!" I demand, turning to Mia and the twins who are dancing around, a little too gleeful.

Mia shrugs, her eyes wide. "We dropped him."

"Dropped him?" I repeat, my voice rising. "What do you mean, dropped him?"

Chandler giggles, her cherubic face lighting up with the thrill of chaos. "He wanted to fly, Mommy!"

"Oh my—" I can't even finish the thought. I dart around the living room, scanning for a sign of my two-week-old baby.

"He's in the corner!" Charlie hops up and points, his tiny fingers outstretched.

I reach the plush rug where Luke lies, bright red and wailing, his little fists waving angrily at the ceiling. I scoop him up, hugging him close, my heart racing from the fright.

"Hey, little buddy, what happened?" I murmur, frantically checking for any sign of trauma.

Mia stands beside me, fidgeting. "He was sad because we left him alone!"

Before I can respond, Luke's wails lessen a bit, turning into huffs of annoyance.

"Okay, okay!" I say, realizing what's happening now. "You just want to eat, don't you?"

Adrien appears at my side, his expression a mixture of relief and amusement. "What's going on?"

"Mia and the twins decided Luke needed an adventure in the corner!" I exclaim theatrically, trying to mask my rising laughter.

Mia bats her eyelids innocently. "He was going to be a flying baby!"

I shake my head, still cradling Luke as the wailing morphs into hungry whimpers. "He's not a flying baby; he's just hangry and angry at you all for leaving him out!"

"Aww," Adrien chuckles, amusement lighting up his eyes. "Looks like our little superhero just wanted to join the fun."

I roll my eyes, moving to sit on the couch and instinctively lifting Luke to my breast. I feel a rush of relief wash over me as he latches on, his little body settling into a content, suckling rhythm.

Mia, now attempting to imitate Luke's sad face, squats down, cheeks puffed out. "Can I have some boo-boo, too?" she asks, eyes scrunching up in faux sorrow.

"Not quite how it works, sweetheart." I manage a smile despite my lingering panic.

"You all are such little rascals," Adrien chuckles, giving the twins a warning look as they plot their next mischief.

"Hey, don't blame us! It's fun!" Charlie squeaks, throwing his fists in the air dramatically.

"More fun than flying babies, I guess," I tease as Luke finishes and bunches his tiny fists, ready for a nap.

"Teamwork makes the dream work," Adrien quips, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Right?" I laugh, my heart swelling with appreciation. Life is perfect havoc, but somehow, amidst the chaos of four crazy kids, it all just... fits.