The sadness lessened, though the guilt was still there, but for the most part, Ron felt tremendously relieved to hold him again, especially since he couldn't see any scratches or anything on him.
"Hullo, Seth." He rocked him a little bit, but was mostly hugging him to himself, and blushing slightly, as he felt like a dirty great girl with how soppy he had gotten over this kid, but it didn't matter. He was okay. He was holding him and he was okay. He wasn't hurt.
He grinned at him, and then looked sheepish. "You aren't mad at me, eh?"
Seth waved his little fists in the air, and Ron nodded knowingly.
"Yeah, that's what I expected. I'm really sorry about the other day, mate. If I had known he was going to try anything I would have never let him near you. And if he was still around, I'd hunt him down, I reckon, and make sure he would never be able to get near you again. But he isn't, and you're safe, alright? I'm just saying, though."
Seth burbled, and Ron took that as permission to continue.
"Your mum...well, she needs you around, so we're not going to be able to play for awhile. And it's not just her--it's me, too. A lot's happened lately, along with the other day, so I think I ought to get my head on straight. You understand? I just need some time to myself and your mum needs you near her and safe, I think, so no more playtime for us."
Seth started making noises that sounded like they were going to lead up to a cry.
"Hey, what's that? No crying, mate. I'll still be around, and I'll look after you, alright? And I'll make sure something like the other day doesn't happen again." He beeped his little nose. "So don't think you'll be rid of me that easily. OK?"
Seth settled into his arms and blew a spit bubble and Ron grinned at him. "Impressive. Now, you work on those and next time I see you, let's see if you've improved any, alright? You still haven't broken that record of yours yet, the one that was as big as your fist. Keep at it."
He turned and handed him and the baby back to Claire, very carefully, supporting his head. (It was so odd that he'd actually managed, in all that confusion to learn how to support the baby's head better from Ethan).
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"Hullo, Seth." He rocked him a little bit, but was mostly hugging him to himself, and blushing slightly, as he felt like a dirty great girl with how soppy he had gotten over this kid, but it didn't matter. He was okay. He was holding him and he was okay. He wasn't hurt.
He grinned at him, and then looked sheepish. "You aren't mad at me, eh?"
Seth waved his little fists in the air, and Ron nodded knowingly.
"Yeah, that's what I expected. I'm really sorry about the other day, mate. If I had known he was going to try anything I would have never let him near you. And if he was still around, I'd hunt him down, I reckon, and make sure he would never be able to get near you again. But he isn't, and you're safe, alright? I'm just saying, though."
Seth burbled, and Ron took that as permission to continue.
"Your mum...well, she needs you around, so we're not going to be able to play for awhile. And it's not just her--it's me, too. A lot's happened lately, along with the other day, so I think I ought to get my head on straight. You understand? I just need some time to myself and your mum needs you near her and safe, I think, so no more playtime for us."
Seth started making noises that sounded like they were going to lead up to a cry.
"Hey, what's that? No crying, mate. I'll still be around, and I'll look after you, alright? And I'll make sure something like the other day doesn't happen again." He beeped his little nose. "So don't think you'll be rid of me that easily. OK?"
Seth settled into his arms and blew a spit bubble and Ron grinned at him. "Impressive. Now, you work on those and next time I see you, let's see if you've improved any, alright? You still haven't broken that record of yours yet, the one that was as big as your fist. Keep at it."
He turned and handed him and the baby back to Claire, very carefully, supporting his head. (It was so odd that he'd actually managed, in all that confusion to learn how to support the baby's head better from Ethan).
He smiled. "Thanks," he said to Claire.