She took too long.
Who: Luthien, Elphaba and the kids What: Elphaba and the baby finally come home When: mid/late August Where: Their place Status: complete Rating: PG Finally getting Elphaba and the baby home was doing a great deal to soothe Luthien’s nerves. She’d insisted they hold both for a little longer than was probably necessary, even as she low key sang healing songs. She’d be able to use her full power when they were at home - if there was any danger to their daughter being so impatient, she’d ensure that no harm would come of it.
“Dior is going to be so excited to meet you.” Luthien said, gently stroking Maethoriel’s nose with one elegant finger. She helped Elphaba out of the car, then carefully lifted her daughter into her arms. She beamed over at Elphaba, and said for the fiftieth time. “She has your eyes.”
Elphaba couldn’t help but grin back as she watched Luthien with Mae, she’d never really understood before the need to just smile sappily but now she could. She just wanted to gaze at her and think about the miracle baby she was. Automatically moving to unclip and lift the car seat out of the back of the car, she stopped with a hiss as pain lanced across her middle.
“Easy…” Luthien had to juggle the baby while also helping Elphaba and if she were actually mortal or less graceful it would actually be a problem. “You’re still healing. I will help tonight before bed, but until then you should be careful.”
“Sorry,” Elphaba sighed, leaning against the car. “I just want to be able to help, I’m not used to being so out of commission,” she told Luthien. “You may need to keep reminding me.”
“I love you, but you are stubborn.” As though that wasn’t a reason Luthien loved her. She kissed Elphaba’s forehead gently. “Do you think can walk in? I’m more than willing to carry you.”
Elphaba smiled, closing her eyes as she felt Luthien press her kiss to her forehead. “I can manage, let me take Mae and we can head in while you bring in some of our things,” she offered, reaching out to take hold of Mae the way she had been shown in the hospital.
Luthien nodded, smiling softly and gently handing over their daughter. “Huan should be able to keep Dior from getting too excited while we head in. He’s always been such a fantastic baby sitter.”
Taking Mae in her arms, Elphaba headed slowly for the door. Huan was a good boy, he would know not to jump on her when she walked into the house and hopefully he would shepherd Dior into a contained area while they came in. Opening the front door, Elphaba was greeted by that very sight. Smiling brightly at the little boy, she headed to the sofa so she could sit. “Well hello there big brother, would you like to come and see little Mae?” she asked.
Dior peered out from between the hound’s legs. He liked to think they had the biggest dog in the whole world, and for once such bragging was right. “May?”
“She’s your sister,” Luthien said, closing the door behind her. She gave Huan a nod and he let the boy go. Luthien knelt and picked her son up. “Oh, you’re getting so big.”
He grinned at her, then turned his head as he was brought over to his other mom and sister. “She’s small!”
Elphaba had lowered herself down onto the couch carefully, feeling tired after the car journey and surprised at how much it had taken out of her. “Come sit by me and your mom can help you hold her if you’d like? She’s going to need you to look out for her as her big brother.” she smiled at him and patted the seat next to her.
“In our family, we all take care of each other,” Luthien said, giving Huan and pat on his back as she passed him. She sat on the couch and beckoned for Dior to come onto her lap, cautioining him not to jump. “Don’t jump. Mae and your mother are both still very weak. Your sister was very impatient.”
Dior climbed up onto Luthien’s lap, and looked at Elphaba.
Elphaba smiled at Luthien’s gentle manner with Dior. Shifting Mae so that he could see her better, she pushed back the blanket from her face. “Mae, this is your big brother Dior, Dior, this is Maethoriel,” she introduced them with a gentle smile.
“She looks weird,” Dior declared.
Luthien laughed quietly. “You were that weird looking when you were her age. She’s beautiful, and so were you.”
He bit his lip, but accepted that. “Does she do anything?” He looked at Elphaba with big eyes. “When can we play?”
Elphaba couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “I’m afraid she won’t do much of anything for a little while yet, but she’ll need us to keep talking to her and you can play gentle games with her, with soft toys. Nothing small enough that she could swallow it by accident, because babies like to put practically everything in their mouths,” she told him, remembering what she could from the books she’d read before the birth.
“We’ll show you the toys you can play with her with,” Luthien rubbed his back. “You can sing to her too, and read to her. She’ll love your favorite books, I promise.”
Dior nodded, giving them a wide-mouth grinned. “Okay! I’ll protect her too!”
Luthien beamed, lifting her eyes to Elphaba. This was, honestly, better than she could have hoped, but she had had several talks with Dior, and he’d spent a lot of time with his ear on Elphaba’s belly. So she shouldn’t be surprised. “I know you’ve been waiting patiently for her to come.”
“She took too long.”
“She was early!” Luthien laughed.
Elphaba laughed at his response. “Well she’s here now and we have to help her grow big and strong. And you’re going to be brilliant at it,” she grinned at him.
Dior nodded, puffing out his chest. “Me and Mae against the world!”
Luthien laughed again. “Remember, you’ll always have your mothers too.” She smiled when he pouted at her. “Though I suppose that sounds less impressive.” She’d never had a sibling, but she was glad her son was so happy on the idea. “We’re family. That doesn’t mean we always have to agree, but we do stick together.”