The Love Between US [BxBxB]

8. Baby's Determination

Thomas POV

I curled up in a small ball resting in bed, deciding to sleep in this morning after crying myself to sleep last night. I didn't want anything to do with my family after the funeral, I just needed some time to think to myself. Luca and Matty understood without question and were now downstairs taking care of the little ones.

This morning my phone kept going off with the number I now knew as Sophia's and I refused to answer. But it got to the point where Matthias blocked her number and put it on do not disturb.

I closed my eyes, bringing the covers over my head to block out the sun coming in from the windows. My heart was broken into a million pieces over people who never loved me back and it was stupid but it was true. 

I was so focused on the pain that I barely noticed the barn door to our bedroom slowly sliding open until I heard the soft thudding of feet. A little confused I flipped the covers over and looked around. The door was now slightly ajar and I could hear a small ruckus going on downstairs. 

"Who opened the door? Hello?" I called out but without a response, like that's not creepy or strange at all. 

I slowly laid back down and let out a long sigh, wiping a stray tear from my eye but I felt like someone was here, watching me. The feeling made me uneasy as I rubbed my eyes, thinking maybe it would be best if I went downstairs and surrounded myself with people who actually love me.

Do they love me? 
Or would they one day abandon me too?

There's a soft thud from under the bed and now I was suspicious as I crawled to the edge of the bed and looked over. 

"Hello?" I called out but there was still no response. I slowly leaned over the edge, peeking just under the bed stand into the narrow crawlspace underneath to find a familiar face covering his eyes. 

"Rumi?" I questioned and he giggled, quickly putting his hands down. 

"Peek-a-boo!" He gasped and I reached my arm out, grabbing hold of his shoulder and dragging my toddler out from under the bed against his will.

"No Dada, Peek-a-boo!" He cried out with his bottle still in hand which told me he still hadn't eaten breakfast as I yanked him up to the bed with one arm. 

"What are you doing up here Roo? Do Mommy and Papa know you're here?" I asked him as he sat up on the bed, shaking his head as he continued to sip his bottle. I gently ran my hand over his big head and couldn't help but laugh a little.

"You scared the crap out of me Rumi, is that what you were trying to do? I thought you were a ghost," I told him and he pulled the bottle from his mouth.

"Boo!" He shouted with his hands up and I leaned on my elbow as I pulled him close to me.

"What? How did you know ghost say boo? Have you seen a ghost? Huh? Huh?" I asked him as I tickled his wiggly tummy and he squirmed into a fit of loud giggled.

"Dada stop! Dada!" He cried out as I tortured him with kisses and tickles as punishment for sneaking up and scaring me.

"Why aren't you downstairs with your siblings?" I asked him, finally stopping the torture so he could drink his warm milk. He rested his head in the crook of my elbow, using my muscular arm as a pillow while he sipped his milk from the bottle. I tiredly played with his soft little curls at the top of his head and he looked at me with those big brown eyes that I couldn't bring myself to look away from. 

Rumi stayed quiet as he pulled his bottled away from his mouth and toyed with it.

"Did you miss me? Is that why you came to find me?" I asked and he nodded. 

"Dada gone," He explained with the saddest pout I had ever seen and I snuggled him closer. I kind of imagined Rumi and the quad squad getting together and formulating a plan in their muttered baby talk to find me.

"RUMI!" Matty called out and little Roo gasped, instantly burying himself in my armpit like he could hide there from his mother.

"Aren't you hungry baby? He just wants to feed you," I tried to calm him down but he shook his head.

"Dada," he whined and I chuckled a bit, running my hands through his hair.

"Babe! He's up here!" I called out and could hear Matty's loud thudding footsteps as he came up the stairs and the door to our room burst open at Mama bear came through, his face flooded with relief when he saw Roo in my arms.

"Jesus fucking Christ, I swear to god Rumi you're going to give me a fucking heart attack," Matty pants as he clutches his chest and comes up to the bed where Rumi curls up beside me like his mom wouldn't be able to see him.

"He disappeared out of thin air and Luca and I were looking everywhere but we wanted you to sleep in so we didn't want to alarm you but I thought he hurt himself and I-"

"Calm down kitten, look. He's just fine." I told him and he sighed, crossing his arms and shaking his head. 

"I don't even know how he got up the stairs," Matty pointed out as he joined us, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently rubbing Rumi's back.

"I guess we have to get a taller baby gate or something," I said as I kissed the top of Rumi's head, he looked up at me just as his stomach started to gurgle.

"Hey baby, I know you're hungry. Come on, let's get you something to eat," Matty tried to coax him but he shook his head.

"No, Dada," he fought and Matty softened, looking at me. I chuckled as I leaned forward and kissed his soft lips. 

"You know what, I'm kind of hungry too," I told Rumi but he still refused to move.

"You know somebody told me Papa has bananas," Matty sang as he tickled Rumi's side a bit. Our son instantly perked up at the prospects of his favorite food. 

"Papa nana?" He asked and sat up like he was ready to run. 

"Yeah, so let's leave daddy alone okay?" He told Rumi and picked him up, taking him on his hip and going to leave. But just as he reached the doorway Rumi gasped, reaching his little hands out to me.

"Dada come!" he cried and I couldn't refuse that little face. Besides, I'd rather go downstairs now then let his siblings try to plan more stealth missions that would drive Matty and Luca crazy. And in the time I'd spent with just one of my little ones, the pain of yesterday seemed long forgotten.