Loving Ethan

Eka De Russe

Atrey looking at Ethan and Eka

Eka woke up in a very bad mood that day. When Atrey got him out of the cot itself he noticed.

"Our baby seems to be crabby this morning," Atrey told Ethan who looked up from the file he was reading.

"Why? He seemed fine when he went to bed yesterday," said Ethan.

Atrey smiled. "Well, you too wake up crabby for no reason, so, I guess he can be pardoned," said Atrey and made Eka sit on a chair, but he refused and tears started to come and both the new parents were puzzled and sad, so Atrey let him sit on his lap. By noontime, both understood what a bad day for Eka would mean. He would stick to them like a snail.

"It is good really. King says Jana's bad day is like Iker's. Don't look at me, don't touch me, don't come near me sort and Iker says Kanawar's bad day is just like King's. He will be all seething and angry and no one can go 10 feet close to him. Carles and Jeev are cuddle babies when they have bad days. Vir again will not leave Viraat or Zal for 10 seconds, Tara well, she doesn't have bad days according to her, but I know for a fact that she does and she locks her room in those days. And sweet Ira, she is all Hale and therefore a very good baby and well, Pran is all Vansh and is the broody bad day guy. Anthony is always in denial on his bad days and Anaya, well she is too kind like Ahem and so she deals with them just fine. Iker swears all three of their younger ones have Avadh's bad day. So I guess, of all the available options, we don't have it bad," said Atrey.

Ethan snorted as he looked at Eka who was now asleep with his head tucked under Atrey's chin. He was thinking that Atrey would be able to handle the day just fine when something happened that required Atrey's attention.

Atrey looked at Ethan.

"I don't think he would want to stay with me," said Ethan.

Atrey rolled his eyes and extended Eka to Ethan. Ethan extended his hand and took the kid sho just looked at him and settled on his chest as if he has been familiar with Ethan since ages. Ethan knew what it meant. The kid considered them both safe. He held the child tighter.

They both sat silently till Eka decided to grab his attention by pulling at his shirt.

"Hm?"

He stepped down and brought his building blocks which he got as a gift from his uncles who sent so many toys and baby stuff that they were all now inside the hall. He was building the mansion and was looking at Ethan expectantly. He seriously couldn't believe he was doing this, but he went down onto the floor and helped Eka build the mansion. Once it was built, Eka rushed to get some figurines. He had two favourite figurines, one with brownish hair and the other with black hair. He kept them both outside the mansion and Ethan smiled. It was supposed to be him and Atrey. He looked at Eka who was looking at him. Ethan dropped a kiss on his forehead and then said: "We need one more."

The kid looked puzzled and then Ethan took him outside. He broke a good branch from a tree and they both sat on the steps of the mansion as Ethan was busy carving. Once the carving was complete, Ethan and Eka went in and Eka watched curiously as Ethan painted it. Once the work was done, Ethan showed it to Eka who gasped.

He patted on his own cheek.

"Yes you," said Ethan and placed the figurine in front of the two figurines Eka already kept there. Eka looked at Ethan and then at the figures and just cuddled closer to Ethan.

"You are in charge of all the bad days from now on," said Atrey from the door and both Ethan and Eka looked up.

Atrey then rushed to both of them and hugged them.

Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Don't be that emotional. We just made a figurine," said Ethan.

"Don't open your mouth and ruin it. Just let me enjoy the moment," said Atrey swatting Ethan on his shoulder.

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Ethan came home one evening very tired to see both the occupants of his home fast asleep in the entrance hall. Both seemed to have been engaged in a tower building marathon and binge eating of all that stupid snacks his brothers send him.

And, then he saw the chocolate brown stuffed wolf, both of them were clutching to. Iker had told him that Atrey's stuffed wolf was a gift from Avadh when he was a kid and was scared to sleep. Iker, to spare Ethan's already red face did not say anything more.

He has seen Atrey sleep with the stuffed wolf in his arms when he used to sleep in the other room. Thankfully Atrey has never asked to see his wolf form. 

Ethan let them both sleep and went and took a bath and came out to see them both still asleep. He sat near them and without shaking Eka he woke Atrey. 

"You're home?" he mumbled as he sat up, careful not to dislodge Eka whom he laid down on the couch and Eka pulled the stuffed wolf closer.

"We were playing and then he started asking for you and got grumpy," said Atrey as he leaned into Ethan's warmth.

"He's like a cat," smiled Atrey fondly as he ran a hand through their son's hair.

"And you are not?" asked Ethan.

Atrey scowled.

"Guilty as charged," he said and smiled.

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One night, both Ethan and Atrey were fast asleep. They heard a tiny knock on the door and both woke up. Atrey looked up at Ethan from his chest which he was using a pillow till then.

"I will go see," said Atrey.

Ethan nodded.

Atrey opened the door and saw Eka standing there with his stuffed wolf and tears in his eyes.

"Oh, honey what happened?" asked Atrey as he took his son in his arms.

"Bad dreams?" asked Atrey. Eka shook his head and pointed to his room.

"You saw something there?" asked Atrey, though convinced that it was one of Eka's nightmares.

"Come on, let's go tell Father and see if he can run them out," said Atrey and Eka nodded.

Ethan was already at the door by then and looked at Atrey in askance as he ran a soothing hand through Eka's hair whose sobs were finally coming to an end.

"I will go see," said Ethan.

Atrey nodded and took Eka inside and Ethan went inside and then Atrey saw Ethan run out of the room and out into the yard, howling, giving out a signal of trespassers.

Atrey looked at Eka realising that his son had actually seen someone and it scared him to think what might have happened to his baby who can't even speak or cry loud.

They both went and waited in the hall for Ethan to be back.