Re: Robert/Thomas
Robert stayed quiet, letting Thomas answer. His mother might not have been the next president of the US, but he knew all about being spoiled and adjusting. "It wasn't much of an effort. Effort would be admitting than more than one person has thought that death might be a better option. The more money and better life before, the more it happens," he said, as if discussing the weather, while looking at Jamie for a moment, giving the other man some sort of privacy, but it was all shuttered when Liam teleported on the couch.
"Hold," he said, stretching his arms.
Robert looked at his son amused. "And some kids are spoiled even here. You don't like me holding other kids, do you?" he asked, laughing, but he didn't expect an answer, instead he got up. "I'll be right back." He walked across the room and handed Deeks the baby. "Liam says it's your turn now." He grabbed two beers on the way back, and handed one to Thomas, before sitting down. Liam crawled over and sat on his lap without a word. "Brat," Robert said affectionately, before looking at Thomas. "Maybe you can help Savannah slow down. She is getting up every two hours and she has another two children If you could maybe mention your injuries and how you're not supposed to put stress on them, and you'd like company... let just say that a few people would appreciate if we don't have to tie her up to prevent her from overdoing it. Again."
He lowered his gaze as Liam reached for his bottle. He helped as his son tried to drink from it, chuckling when Liam choked.
"Yuck!"
"Yes, and I didn't tell you to drink, did I?" Robert answered, refusing to speak to his son like he had forgotten grammar.
"Go play."
Robert laughed. "Sure, now that you got rid of Jamie, you can leave." He kissed Liam's head and let him down. "Go play, but don't hurt the dogs or they will bite you."
"Ouch... danger."
"Yes, they will hurt you if you hurt them," Robert said, because it wasn't like this was the first time that they played rough with the dogs, and it wouldn't be the last time, they'd be warned. He followed Liam with his eyes until he was back with the rest of the kids and Travis, who was sitting on the floor with them and playing. "Sorry about that, and yes, I can see he enjoys it. Not something I enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I love my son, and I love the kids here. They are family. I just don't like kids, even when they don't ruin my clothes."
He took a sip of the beer and relaxed, or as much as he would relax with these many people. "I was joking. The strange and unusual sense of humor that is developed after living here for too long," he said with a smirk, before growing serious. "I didn't really believe that you cared about security. You're used to having it, not being paranoid, and that's how it should be. At least how it was supposed to be until you got here. These children will never have that normality, which is ironic, because I doubt that your life was anything near normal, and yet, it still more normal than they would know, but knowing that they have it worse doesn't really help, not when you're used to partying around the globe, having the finest things in life and suddenly you're here, and people are asking whether you prefer a Glock or a Sig, discussing the merits of a .38 over a .45, or talking about ejecting from a plane. No matter what Savannah says, life sucks here. We've all gone through this, trying to adjust. No hugs or pies from me, but you're not alone and the door is always open if you want to talk to someone who's not family. Of course I also know how likely you are to trust anyone not family, so I don't expect anything. A year down the line, if you still need it, I'm here, and so are a lot of people in this family."