1So I wrote this on a whim. The idea came and I wrote it within an hour or so. There may be some mistakes here and there. It is set in the "Path-verse" series.
Eugene groaned awake as he felt Rapunzel stir next to him. He noticed that it was still night and was about to fall back asleep when Rapunzel started to get out of , that's not what woke him up. He heard a whimper coming from across the bedroom. No. Eugene quickly sat up and caught his wife's hand before she could get up. She was not going to get up this time.
"I'll go," he whispered as he tried to lay her back down, "You need your rest, Sunshine."
"But Eugene," she said, "What if she's hungry?"
"Then I'll make her a bottle," he replied as he got up and gave her a quick peck on her forehead, "That's why you pumped extra before bed, right? Please go back to sleep."
"You're going to take a crying baby around the house and possibly wake up the whole neighborhood?" she attempted to get up again, but Eugne stopped her.
"If it means that you finally get some sleep, then yes," he responded, "You need your sleep. Please go to sleep. I will take care of her for the rest of the night if necessary."
"But," she responded.
"No buts, Sunshine," he said, "get some rest."
Rapunzel gave him a small smile before laying back down and closed her eyes. She opened them again when she heard him clear his throat.
"Before I forget," he added, "once I do everything and she stops crying, what if she's still awake? Do I just hang out with her… orrr… you know what, nevermind." Her glare said it all.
Eugene walked over to the baby bassinet where his 5-day-old daughter, Eleanor, was waiting. He slowly scooped her up and when she realized who had picked her up, Eleanor began to cry again. Eugene quickly got her out of the bedroom and walked to the nursery, where he sat on the rocking chair and began to rock her.
"I know, Luna," he called her by her nickname, "but Mommy needs her sleep, so Daddy will be with you."
While he rocked her, he checked her diaper, which was clean. Then he gave her a pacifier, but she spit it out and started crying.
"Is somebody hungry after all?" he asked in a baby voice as he got up and headed for the door.
Eugene walked baby Luna downstairs to the kitchen and placed her in the baby egg they kept on the counter before he opened the fridge to get one of the bottles of breastmilk out. He carefully heated up the bottle in the warmer and tested the milk on his forearm to make sure the temperature was just right.
"Alright Luna," he said as he carefully picked her up, "got your bottle ready."
He walked her back upstairs into the nursery and sat on the rocking chair again before giving her the bottle.
This was the second night Luna has been home since the hospital. It was something all three of them have to get used to. The first night, Arianna spent the night to help them out while the new parents settled down. This second night, Eugene's mother, Eleanor and Luna's namesake, was supposed to spend the night, but pulled away last minute when her allergies kicked in. Oh well, the new couple had to learn one way or another.
Before Baby Luna, Eugene always thought that he only had love for his beautiful wife. No one else would ever receive the love he had for her. Until 5 days ago when he finally met his daughter for the first time. He could not take his eyes from her. Eugene instantly fell in love with her, the moment she was placed in his arms. Every time he held her, he stared at her. Sometimes even Rapunzel will snap him out of his trance. He vowed to protect his daughter for the rest of his life.
He was still feeding her when she looked up and stared at him with her big green eyes. Eugene smiled at her and softly nuzzled her head, before placing a small kiss on her forehead.
"I know you want Mommy," he whispered, "but I am here too. You can always come to me if you ever need anything."
When she finished her bottle, Eugene carefully placed her against his chest and a small burping cloth over his shoulder, and began to burp her. After a few moments, Luna burped and got spit up all over her father, completely missing the cloth. Eugene groaned and gently placed her on the changing table so he could clean himself up. Once he cleaned up, he checked for a dirty diaper and then picked her up again.
"Well since you have not yet fallen asleep," he said, "I guess we hang out now until you do."
Luna seemed to have cooed at his idea. Can babies even coo at 5 days?
Eugene moved to the bed that was placed in the nursery for Arianna and Eleanor, and carefully placed Luna on it and swaddled her before settling himself next to her. Even though infants can't roll over at 5 days, he still placed a pillow against the wall. Better be safe than sorry.
"You had us worried for a moment there, Sunbeam," he whispered as he gently stroked her forehead and down her nose, "Did you not want to leave Mommy's tummy? I mean having a little home all to yourself for nine months, I don't blame you. But we were surprised when you made your grand entrance."
He chuckled, "Even though we wanted to wait till you were born, everyone thought you'd be a boy."
She continued to stare at him and let out a small yawn.
"We had decided not to know what you were going to be," he continued, "We wanted to be surprised. Grandma Eleanor even did the ring and chain trick, and it was a boy. Yeah, I didn't buy it, but Mommy was convinced. But something in me knew you were going to be a girl, and I hoped and prayed that I was right. And I was!"
Sometime during the story of her birth, both Baby Luna and Eugene fell asleep.
When morning came, Rapunzel noticed that her husband and daughter never returned to the bedroom. She quickly got out of bed and searched for them. As she reached the nursery she stopped in her tracks and stared at the scene in front her.
Eugene was fast asleep, lightly snoring as he was facing Luna as he was nuzzling against her as she was also asleep. Rapunzel smiled and closed the door letting them sleep.
Hope you enjoyed a little Daddy Eugene with baby Luna! I really enjoy writing Eugene in a domestic environment.
Reviews are always welcome!