Bedtime

Erik's mind wandered as he quietly made his rounds turning off the lodge's lights. He heard the muffled chime of the grandfather clock striking 2 am echoing through the lodge's empty halls. He'd always enjoyed that sound. Some visitors to the lodge weren't fond of it, but he found the big clock comforting. 

Erik stepped out onto the back porch and breathed in the frigid night air. It was mountain air. Good air. He leaned on the balcony railing and looked down into the gully below, just beyond the yard. Not that he could particularly see either, - the porch light was too bright - but the gaping darkness was beautiful in its own right.

Erik sighed and ran his fingers through his hair and around his neck. He'd gotten home a little later than he'd planned to, but he had managed to get Rickie to bed before midnight. He hung his head, feeling like a lousy father. Too many times in the past month he hadn't been able to pick Rickie up from school, or at least hadn't been here when Rickie got home.

Alexis was making so much money with her current contract, Erik wondered if he should quit his job and be a full time stay at home parent. As much as he disliked the current situation with Rickie, the idea of quitting his job entirely filled him with despair. It wasn't because of money, he'd never really done it for money. But no, he needed to be logical, quitting seemed a little drastic. Besides, they had made it work just fine for the past 6 years. But his schedule… He could do something about that. He would have to talk to Fevalti about that soon.

Erik was too underdressed to stay out on the cold porch too long. And so, as the cold started to bite, he pushed away from the balcony and returned to the house. He left the porch light on. He always left it on, in case someone was ever lost in the snow. There was plenty of room in this big lodge for refuge.

Erik stood in the dark living room, the windowed doors to the porch allowed light into the room. And so Erik didn't bother turning the lights back on. It was time for bed, he decided. He let his eyes adjust to the dark as he finished his last chore. He refilled Winona's water bowl in the kitchen and kicked her off the kitchen counter island. The large squeaker made a displeased whine but obeyed, padding off to find some other perch in the lodge. 

Erik finally started toward his own bedroom, the exhaustion finally getting to him. However, as he turned the corner into the unlit hallway his foot caught on something small and soft, unseen on the floor. 

Erik cried out in surprise as he blindly flailed in the dark, landing flat on his face. His snout hit the floor at an angle and forced his head to the side, his nose and skull erupting with pain. He laid on the floor for a moment, dazed. What was that? He was sure that he'd already picked up and put away everything that could be a tripping hazard like that!

"Dad!!!" The cry of a small voice was preceded by a gasp. Erik rolled onto his back as his son, cloaked in a blanket and wielding a now lit flashlight, scrambled to his aid. Ah. He'd tripped over Rickie.

"Rickie?" Erik groaned, the dazed feeling leaving slowly. He was supposed to be in bed. "What are you doing?" At another time perhaps Erik might have been more angry, but right now he only felt defeated. Rickie gripped his blanket and flashlight tightly, looking apprehensive. Erik struggled to sit up, waiting for his son's answer.

"I was waiting for mom." Rickie admitted, looking down. Erik's heart sank.

"For mom? Oh Rickie, she's not coming home until next month!" Erik moved to sit on his knees. Rickie didn't respond and continued to look down, his shoulders slumping and ears falling as he fiddled with the flashlight in his hands. Erik rubbed his snout and then leaned back, trying to recuperate. Lassune, he felt so powerless. He let out a long breath of air.

"Come on Rickie, let's go to bed, okay?" He tried to speak soothingly, but he was pretty sure he just sounded exhausted. Rickie drooped, still looking down, but after a moment of pause nodded. Erik's heart sank again. But he climbed to his feet anyway, and scooped his little boy up in his arms. 

Rickie rested his head under Erik's chin and Erik tiredly carried him up the stairs to the upper suite - where they lived when the rest of the lodge was rented out, and where their rooms were. Erik hummed quietly to Rickie as they went, he wished he was as good a singer as Alexis, but he hoped that this maybe could calm Rickie anyway. 

He pushed his way into Rickie's bedroom and gently let him down into his bed. He brushed aside his hair, gently taking the flashlight from him as he kissed his son's forehead. Rickie readjusted his blanket around himself, still seeming melancholy.

"I know Mom's not coming home." Rickie whispered, Erik stopped to listen. Rickie turned over in bed and muttered into his pillow. "But...I wanted her to anyway." Erik knelt quietly by his son's bed, gently rubbing his back.

"...She IS coming home, Rickie." Erik whispered reassuringly to him. "I know it feels like a long time… but it's only for now, it'll be over before you know it." Rickie grunted doubtfully. Erik smiled. "We can call her tomorrow. I'm sorry we couldn't get to it today."

"...Okay…" Rickie mumbled. He paused and then turned over to face his father. His little hand reached out and grasped Erik's fingers. "Dad? Will you lay with me, please?" Erik was surprised, but he squeezed Rickie's hand back.

"I don't know if I can fit in your bed!" Erik chuckled, rubbing Rickie's hand with his thumb. Rickie pouted. "But… if you want to sleep in mom and I's bed tonight, I will." Rickie's eyes lit up and his tail began to wag. Erik tiredly laughed again as he sat back on his knees and Rickie jumped to his feet on the bed.

 Erik stood and picked his little boy back up. Rickie had cocooned himself in his little comforter and was wiggling excitedly.

"Wait! Wait! My chicken!" Rickie cried, wiggling an arm out of his self imposed swaddle and pointing emphatically at his bed. Dutifully Erik retrieved Rickie's plush chicken and tucked it in his blanket with him.

"Anything else, Rickie? Make up your mind quick, because I'm ready for bed." Erik wasn't willing to wait long, but pleasantly Rickie quickly shook his head. Erik closed the door to Rickie's bedroom behind them and instead carried his son across the suite to his own bedroom door.

Erik gently laid his son down before sprawling out next to him in relief. Rickie wiggled in his cocoon, crawling closer so he could snuggle against his father. Erik closed his eyes and smiled as he pulled his own blanket over himself. Rickie fell asleep quickly, and it didn't take long for Erik to join him. Despite everything, Erik decided the exhaustion was worth it to be able to share moments like these with his son. He closed his eyes and peacefully fell asleep.