milliways_bar | (no subject)

Seth's fist waves and he stuffs it in his mouth.

Megan giggles, delighted.

"You were this tiny once," Charlie says to her softly. "The first time I saw you, you were itty bitty pink baby girl."

Seth blinks sleepily, his lips pursing.

Megan peers up at him, giggles again, and pats Seth's face.

Seth's head turns towards the pat wobblingly, and he blinks some more.

Liam is watching the children with a smile. And Megan quite clearly approves, as she turns to Charlie and firmly declares, "Seth. Our."

"Exactly. Our baby. Our Seth. Just like you're our Megan." He smiles at her and glances up at Liam. "How's your foot?" he asks softly, keeping an eye on Megan's exploration of the baby.

"Okay", Liam answers just as quietly. "It wasn't much, really, just a little bite. Yours?"

"Fine. I cleaned the bite with some rubbing alcohol just to be on the safe side. I'm having a hard time believing it was E-V-I-L P-U-P-P-E-T-S, though. Strange things happen here, sure, but that's just . . . freaky."

Liam shrugs.

"All I know is, there was... one on the floor, and then it was gone, and something bit me."

"Normally I'd say rats, but that rats here don't bite." He looks up at Liam. "It was on the floor and then it was gone?"

"Yeah. And it wasn't a rat, it was a puppet. I thought it might be Sunny's, so I picked it up, but it was... freaky. Not the kind of toy you'd get for a baby."

"Unless it's an evil baby," Charlie says in a monster-theater voice and nuzzles Seth, who waves his hands in confusion as he doesn't get the Vincent Price reference.

Liam glances at Megan, and says simply, "So, yeah. I put it down and when I looked back it was gone."

Charlie winces and says, "Er. Uncle Charlie is very silly, Megs.

"Perhaps we should continue this discussion during naps."

Liam nods his agreement and changes the subject. "So I hear there's a party tonight for a certain couple..."

"I think it's mostly for Richard. He's more of the groom in this relationship. Though he will be the one wearing a skirt." He looks at Megan again and sighs helplessly. "Maybe I shouldn't talk around children at all."

Megan is blissfully absorbed in tickling Seth and hasn't been listening.

Liam chuckles. "I'll teach her about kilts later."

"Anyway, yes. Party tonight." He sighs and leans his head on his hand, watching Seth squeak at Megan. "Just drink and talk, Richard said. He's not one for being the center of attention, anyway. A rather sedate bachelor party, really."

"Drinking and talking aren't necessarily sedate", Liam answers with a wicked grin.

"Richard," Charlie says, arching an eyebrow. "Sweet bloke with the Scottish accent. I imagine we'll split some really good Scotch and tease him about the kilt."

"Well. Should be fun anyway. And there'll have to be embarrassing stories, of course, if anyone knows any."

"Oh, I've no doubt it'll be fun. Just sedate. Quiet fun."

"It'll make a change", Liam says, deadpan.

"Yes," Charlie agrees solemnly. "No explosions, no earthquakes, no little nibbling evil things, just some friends chatting with a good drink. Should be lovely."