Gift - Babysitting Nyx

 “Thanks for this, Jay.”

 “Don’t mention it.” I shrugged. “You go out and have a good time.”

 “We will.” Joanna grinned and shut the door behind her and Alex.

 “Doubt they’ll remember it,” I murmured, heading back into the sitting room.

 Jayden looked up. “That’s them off, then?”

 I nodded, sitting down on the couch beside him. “Yep. And she’s still asleep?”

 He gestured to the monitor on the table. “At the moment, yes.”

 “Let’s hope she stays that way.” I bit back the next words, knowing I’d have to eat them sooner or later.

 “They aren’t all that bad.”

 “Yeah, well…” I leant my head on his shoulder, getting comfortable. “Makes it easier for us.”

 Jayden stretched his arm around my shoulders, disturbing Sesser so that she cheeped and took off, fluttering away to sit on the windowsill. “Sorry.”

 I smiled and closed my eyes, pushing my boots off. It was nice to get to relax, especially after the festival. Wasn’t really my scene, the whole organising thing, but… well, it kept them happy.

 “So.” Jayden rested his head on top of mine. “Are you just going to lie there until they get back?”

 “Probably.” I nodded. “Why… got a better idea?”

 “Not really.” He laughed softly. “But if we’re supposed to be babysitting Nyx…”

 “I doubt watching her sleep’ll be all that interesting.”

 “True. And if she wakes up?”

 “Then… we’ll deal with that.” I wince. “Somehow.”

 “Not been around kids much?”

 “Yeah, something like that.” I frown. “The last one… might’ve been Catherine’s kid.”

 “Is that Catherine Wilson?”

 “No idea.” I shrug. “You know her?”

 “I know her husband, Nathanael.”

 “That’s them.” I nod. “Small world.”

 He nods as well, absentmindedly rubbing the top of my head with his chin.

 There’s noise from the monitor – coughing, a yawn.

 “We didn’t get very long, did we?” Jayden laughs softly.

 “Until she starts cryin’, I’m not movin’.”

 And she starts making more noise. The little wretch. Then,

 “Elise, c’mon, this window’s heavy. Hey, careful there.”

 The delicate, yipping laugh of Elise.

 “Isn’t she just?” That’s Soise.

 Nyx hiccups, then laughs as Elise yelps.

 “We’d better go up,” I sigh, disentangling myself. “I don’t trust those two with her.”

 “I don’t think Joanna would appreciate it either.” Jayden stands up as well.

 He follows me up the stairs and into Nyx’s room. Soise and Elise are leaning over the cot, playing with Nyx. Well, Soise’s leant over, Elise is perched on the railing, her tail in Nyx’s grasp. I lean against the door, watching them.

 “Ok, c’mere.” Soise scoops Nyx up, making her laugh and release Elise’s tail.

 Elise leaps onto a nearby shelf and grooms her tail out. As I shift, the door creaks and moves back to hit the wall. The two of them whirl round, and Elise flattens her ears and whines.

 “Hi.” Soise grins, hugging Nyx against her chest. “How’re you doing?”

 “What are you two doing?” I raise an eyebrow.

 “Just… checkin’ on the kid.” Soise shrugs. “She is adorable.”

 Nyx laughs and reaches out for Soise’s mane as it tangles over her shoulder.

 “Soise…” I want to tell her to give the child over, but…

 “What, you want a shot?” She holds Nyx out.

 “Well – not really.”

 Jayden steps around me, taking Nyx carefully in his arms, bouncing her slightly. She looks up at him, eyes big and round.

 Elise creeps along the shelf towards me on her belly, whining.

“It’s alright.” I shake my head, watching Jayden. “Just… you two probably shouldn’t be in here.”

 Soise wrinkles her nose. “It’s not like Joanna’s going to find out, is she?”

 “Well… probably not, no.” I concede the point.

 “And we were doing alright, really.”

 “Jay, do you want to hold her?”

 “No, I’m good.” I hold my hands up as a barrier as Jayden turns to me. “As long as she’s fine.”

 Nyx twists and gurgles in delight, reaching out to Soise. Elise sits up and barks, flicking an ear.

 Soise leans over Nyx, flickering small illusions in her claws. “Well, I’m good with pups, apparently.”

 Elise yips with laughter and pads nearer me. Sesser takes off, moving out of reach. Elise watches her flit around the room and then sits down, stretching out on her side. I rub at her belly and she rolls over, tail thumping against the wall.

 “Where did you learn?” Jayden asks, shifting Nyx.

 “Just sort of picked it up.” Soise shrugs. “Jay, come on. It’s not that bad.”

 “Really, you seem to have it covered.”

 “Yeah, and I’m not supposed to be in here, remember?” She grins, slowly beginning to fade out.

 Nyx starts to cry as Soise disappears, and Soise instantly drops the illusion and takes Nyx, sitting down amongst the plushies to soothe her.

 I trade a glance with Jayden as Sesser lands on his head.

 “They do have it covered.” He lifts a hand, coaxing her onto it.

 “Maybe we should leave them to it.”

 “You’re the one that promised to do this.” Soise smirks.

 “Yeah, true… I think it was more keep her out of trouble, though.” I take Elise into my arms and slide down so I’m sitting against the wall.

 “And I’m not trouble at all?” Soise laughs.

 {You can keep out of trouble sometimes} Lairisse appears in a soft flash of light, taking on her human form. {Sorry. I got curious}

Elise twists to look up at her, whining.

 {Do not mention it} Lairisse shakes her head. {Brith is enjoying the respite}

 “Everything’s good, then.” Soise grins. “Can we just stay up here, Blue, please?”

 {Please?}

 I sigh. “Guess so.” I smirk. “Make it a mini slumber party?”

 Soise nods excitedly, scooching over to hold Nyx out to me.

 I hold my hands out of the way. “Do not give her to me. I’ll go get the food and drinks.”

 {I can get that} Lairisse slides past me and skips down the stairs.

 Elise slips out of my lap, sitting up.

 “You’re all terrible people,” I grumble, cautiously taking Nyx.

 “Well, we’re not really people, are we?” Soise corrects my arms.

 “You’re doing fine, Jay.” Jayden sits down next to me. “That’s not so bad, is it?”

 I cautiously shift, getting more comfortable so I can rest Nyx against my legs. It wasn’t so bad, not really… not that I’d be telling them that.

 {We know anyway, NightGale}

 Elise yips, prancing over to sit beside Soise.

 “Know what?” Soise looks up as Lairisse appears again, a tray of food and drink floating before her.

 “Don’t you dare.” I shoot a glance at the latias before concentrating on Nyx again. “Image and all that.”

 {My lips are sealed} Lairisse sets down the tray on the floor between us.

 “And your mind?”

 “No – Lairisse, come on!” Soise whines, illusioning herself a baby zangoose form and looking up through her oversized claws at her. “You can’t do this to me!”

 Jayden watches, smiling. “Used to that?”

 “Still half scared I’m going to drop her.” I shift, holding Nyx out to him. “Please?”

 He laughs and takes Nyx, cradling her against him with an ease that just confuses me. How are people not scared by them? They’re so fragile!

 Lairisse smiles and drops her human form, lying down beside Soise. Soise drops her own illusion and curls up with Lairisse, allowing Elise to slip into her mane.

 I pour out drinks and push one of the plates of biscuits over to the pokémon. “Well, until Joanna and Alex come back, how ‘bout a semi-slumber party?”

 “Aren’t those for kids?” Soise asks, flicking an ear as she shifts, getting comfortable.

 “Who put an age limit on them?”

 “I think you three and Nyx probably lower the age of the room by several years anyway.” Jayden smiles.

 “Just get out before they come back, ok?” I sigh, rubbing my eyes.

 {I will manage that. It will be fine, NightGale}