The Child of Thames..? [TCF FANFIC]

IV

~Quite protective~

In Cale's room, he sat perched on the edge of his bed, cradling the still-sleeping infant in his arms. Basen stood nearby, shifting uncomfortably in the thick silence, his gaze flicking between his older brother and the baby. Despite his nervous fidgeting, Basen couldn't help but feel a spark of fascination as he glanced at the tiny face nestled in Cale's arms.

"Hyung..." he ventured, the question slipping out before he fully gathered the courage to speak, "isn't he sleeping a bit too much?" He couldn't shake the comparison to Lily, who, as far as he knew, rarely stayed asleep long enough to miss a chance to play or demand food.

Cale raised an eyebrow at the question, looking at Basen with mild surprise. "Infants younger than a year tend to sleep a lot," he replied in a composed tone, "they need rest to grow."

As Cale's gaze drifted back to the sleeping Ciel, his expression softened almost imperceptibly. He found himself struck by an undeniable urge to gently squish those chubby, slightly drool-slicked cheeks-a wave of unexpected fondness tugging at him. Get a grip, he thought, pushing down the sudden and strange impulse. He's a baby, not a toy.

Basen nodded, feeling a small but hopeful flicker of connection as Cale answered him. Yet, as the quiet stretched on once again, he sensed his brother's full attention drifting back to the baby in his arms, leaving Basen once more on the periphery.

'I want him to talk more...' he thought, clenching his hands briefly. 'It's rare to see hyung this relaxed-at least, as close to relaxed as he gets. Even if it's just for the baby... maybe he could open up a little more to us.'

The silence finally broke with the soft knock and subsequent entrance of Ron, accompanied by the physician. The tension in the air shifted, and Basen felt a strange mix of relief and longing. He took a step back, watching as Cale turned his attention to Ron and the physician, preparing to take on the role of the responsible caretaker once more.

As the physician and Ron entered the room, the physician set his kit down carefully and opened it with practiced precision, though his eyes kept darting toward Cale, who unconsciously pulled the infant a bit closer to his chest.

"Young Master... I'll need to inspect the child," the physician said, voice wavering slightly. He was well aware of the rumors surrounding Cale, and even though his instincts were telling him to turn around and leave, duty bound him to stay.

Cale's gaze was guarded, holding an edge of uncertainty as he responded, "Can't you just check him while he's in my arms?"

At his words, Ron's eyebrow lifted in slight surprise, though a flicker of something else softened his usual steely expression. Beside them, Basen blinked, taken aback-he had rarely, if ever, seen his older brother this openly protective. It reminded him of something he'd seen only once before, a glimpse of warmth carefully tucked beneath his brother's usual aloofness.

The physician swallowed hard, "I'm... I'm sorry, Young Master, but I'll need to hold the child to do a full examination."

Cale muttered under his breath, irritation clear in his tone, "What good are you as a physician if you can't adapt?" The infant in his arms looked so delicate, so fragile. His instincts told him to protect Ciel, and he felt a surge of annoyance at having to relinquish him so soon.

Moments ticked by, stretching thin with tension until, finally, Cale let out a frustrated sigh. He adjusted his grip and, with careful hands, passed the baby to the physician. As the man accepted the infant with clear relief, he moved quickly and gently to begin his inspection, casting nervous glances at Cale as he worked.