Aelburn (WATTY'S 2020)

.two.°°

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."

Jimmy Dean

November 25th, 2199

LUCAS

Snow fell lazily from the graying sky above us, swirling to the ground below in large arching circles that passed my frost covered window. It'd been raining not even an hour ago, surely now the ground below was frozen, ready to send an unknowing foot into the air and throw it's owner against the ground. Standing in the secure warmth of my room, I ran my thumb over the edge of my steaming mug of coffee, looking up as a high-pitched scream sounded from far down the hall, growing louder and closer and causing a grin to cover my face. Moving to my bedside table, I sat down my mug just as a hurtling mass of black curls and glitter jumped into my arms, a woosh of air escaping me and my feet stumbling back to catch myself as I laughed. My daughter pulled away, a wide grin on her face revealing two missing front teeth and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Daddy! I ran super-fast!" She giggled and I chuckled.

"You did! I almost didn't catch you!" I said and she giggled, pushing her black ringlets back from her face with chubby hands. "Did Momma come and wake you up?" I asked and my daughter nodded her head. "Where is she?"

"I'm here. I can't seem to keep up with her now." Lifting my head at my wife's voice, I smiled softly at her, watching as she waddled into our room, a hand on her swollen belly. "Who'd have known that an almost five-year-old could out run an extremely pregnant woman?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm and I smiled, walking towards her and pressing my lips against her forehead as my daughter squirmed in my arms.

Alixandra Nayea was incredibly beautiful, even now with her hair pulled back into a messy bun and crystal eyes lined with bags. Long-legged, doe faced and almond shaped eyes downturned, Alix was incredibly awe-inducing and a totally kind woman. She looked to me, dimples indented on her cheeks as she smiled, causing her pink lips to spread lightly.

"How did you sleep?" She asked, placing a hand on my back, running her fingers across my skin.

"Good. You?"

"As best I could. Mister here decided my ribs would be an incredible spot for his feet to rest on." She said, looking to her stomach and I smiled, moving one of my hands to rest against it.

"Jericho is being mean." My daughter said, glaring at her mother's stomach.

"What do you tell him, Clem?" I asked.

"Stop being mean, Jericho!"

Alix giggled, kissing Clementine's forehead before I sat my daughter down and ruffled her black curls, identical to her mothers. Clementine looked extremely similar to her mother, though the shape of her eyes were similar to mine. Crystalline eyes lined with thick black lashes atop a pair of chubby cheeks and thick curls sat nicely against her olive toned neck and she wore a pink tutu over sky blue leggings accompanied with a pink sweater just smothered in glitter. Setting her down, Clem moved to her mother and attempted to wrap her arms around Alix's waist, pressing her cheek against her stomach.

"Be nice to mommy, bubba." She said, patting her mothers stomach softly. Alix chuckled and looked to me causing a smile to split on my face.

"I ran into your mother on the way here." She said and I rose my eyebrow, tilting my head. "She said your father wanted to speak to you about your birthday dinner." I groaned, pushing my fingers through my hair and scratching my chest before moving toward the closet on the far side of the room to retrieve a shirt, my bare feet padding across the plush white carpet beneath them. "Don't be groaning at me. I figured you'd much rather hear it from me than from your mother."