World Tour

Brisbane XXVI

The soft light filtered through the curtains, and Eddy slowly faded out of the deep sleep he'd been in into the soft, big bed he was lying in. He opened his eyes ever so slightly, not wanting to disturb anyone. It had been a restless night, with two babies not being very interested in sleeping at all, and they had eventually wound up in the big bed together with just a sheet on top of them, where the twins had happily nuzzled together and finally drifted off. Eddy knew they'd wake up any moment now, so he kept still and enjoyed the moment, enjoying the feel of the little body against his belly. Even if Eli's foot was hard and pressing right into it. 
Brett was sleeping still on the other side of the twins, his face relaxed, a small smile on his lips. 
Eddy smiled back tenderly. He hadn't thought it was possible to love Brett any more than he already did but somehow, seeing him care for their children, seeing his boundless patience as he rocked a baby to sleep... it had deepened, it had cemented their love. They weren't only lovers and partners, now: they were parents. The bond that they shared now could never be broken, not by anything. 

It was Elly who woke up first, opening her clear little eyes and calmly gazing around. Of course, the second she woke up Eli started stirring too; they were definitely twins, always wanting to be together and crying if they were apart. 
¨Good morning, my lovelies.¨ Eddy whispered, stroking both their soft chubby cheeks and their bellies. ¨Is it time for milk?¨
Brett inhaled sharply through his nose and grunted softly in that cute way he had as he, too, woke up. 
¨Good morning, Bretty.¨ Eddy said, smiling at him and reaching over to touch his upper arm. 
¨Good morning.¨ he croaked back. ¨Well, that seems to have worked, hey?¨
Eddy nodded. ¨Yeah. It was good to get a few hours' sleep at last.¨
¨Yeah, it was.¨ Brett replied. ¨I was thinking before I faded out, maybe we should take one of the sides of their cribs off and put them against the bed. That way they can lie in their own beds but still be close. I read an article about babies being safe that way and still feeling happy and protected.
Eddy nodded again. ¨Sure, we can try that. It's clear they prefer being with us, hey?¨
Brett grinned. ¨Well, I can't blame them for wanting to be close to you. You're a pretty awesome person to be around.¨
Eddy raised himself on his left arm and leaned over to Brett, kissing him softly on his mouth. 
¨Not as awesome as you though, my love.¨

Brett shook his head and reached over to his nightstand to pick up his phone.
¨I want to take a photo of this moment, before they start crying because they're hungry.¨
¨Sure!¨ Eddy grinned. ¨It looks real idyllic now, maybe you should have taken a photo last night as we were trying to get them to sleep as well, for a bit of reality?¨ 
He shuffled a bit closer, taking Eli in his left arm, his head facing the love of his life as Brett held the phone as high as he could above their heads.
¨Nah, there's no place for reality in photo albums, you know that.¨ Brett said, raising his eyebrows in irony. 
They both nuzzled into their babies and *flash*, the picture was there for posterity.
Brett turned his phone around for Eddy to see, and there it was. A picture of a family.  
A perfect, little family, with two proudly beaming guys looking up at the camera. 
He felt his heart swell up with happiness as he saw it. 
¨Bretty, just for the record, no one's ever been happier than I am now. Thank you for giving me this.¨
He saw Brett's suprised look out of the corner of his eye, and he heard his intake of breath.
¨What? N-no Eddy.¨ he stammered, ¨Thank you. I... I'm whole, now. I didn't think I'd ever be.¨

Whole.

Wow. Eddy liked that word. He liked that word a lot. 
Elly didn't though, apparently, because she started to cry then. He sat up and picked her up, rocking her tenderly in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her tiny forehead as he sniffed up that lovely, unique new-baby scent.  
¨Right, my lovelies. I think it's time for milk, hey?¨