[CLOSED] taking on water.

[deacon reid rudman]

Deacon saw him curl up on the couch and couldn't tell if he was tired or upset. Bandit rocked back and forth, taking each spoonful of spoon he offered her. She looked over at Connor, and started waving again.

"Con Con Con!" She called, and Deacon put another spoon of food in her mouth. "Shh, Bandit." He finished giving her the food, then handed her the bottle, letting her lay back against him and suck on it, her bright blue eyes eyeing Connor curiously. She kept waving at him from behind her bottle, trying to get his attention. Deacon closed his eyes, laying his head against the chair.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor opened his eyes when Bandit called out again, smiling faintly through his exhaustion. A whispered 'silly girl' again passed his lips and he stretched some, waving back after she had been given the bottle. Eyes closed again, the faint smile remaining on his lips this time.

His breaths were slow and soft, lips parted faintly, and soon he was dozing in very light sleep, easil awakened by the slightest of sounds, simply trying to get a bit of rest.

[deacon reid rudman]

Deacon carried Bandit outside, and to her little sand box near the back of the yard, trying to keep her as far from the house as he could to Connor could sleep. She sat in the sand, throwing her bottle across the yard. She dug her fingers into it, wiggling them around before pulling them back out. She started pouring the sand into her bucket, and Deacon smiled, laying down in the grass.

"N Da Da N Con N Iff N ba ba." She babbled like she was telling a story as she tried to fill up the bucket.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor gradually fell into a light slumber as the house grew quiet, napling for a good half hour at least before his own coughing startled him awake. Grumbling at himself he rubbed at his face, reluctant to get up.
He padded tothe kitchen, looking around until he found the glasses, and he filled one up with water, sipping at it until the dry coughs passed. Sliding into his shoes he walked out back, eyes still tired from that half asleep state when just waking up. He ran a hand through his hair, smiling at Bandit before sitting in the grass next to Deacon, poking at his stomach.

[deacon reid rudman]

Bandit waved at him, then pointed to her bucket. Deacon shrugged, rubbing his side. "She's been telling some story about you and me and fish and her bottle and other stuff I don't understand." He thought for a second, realizing this was a close to a whole family as he was ever going to have. Bandit crawled out of the sand box, shaking off her hands before standing up shakily. She put a foot out, about to take a step when she fell. She whimpered, then pulled herself back up, taking a few shaky steps over to Connor before collapsing into his lap.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor smiled faintly as Deacon explained what had been going on. Gentle eyes watched Bandit attempt to make her way over to them, hugging her close when she finally did. "H-hey baby," he breathed, poking her nose before kissing her gently on the forehead. He picked her up so he could stand, then set her down on her feet.

Stooping some, he took her little hands in his and backed up half a step so she would have to step closer. He remembered his mother doing such things to Christy to help her learn faster, and he smiled.

[deacon reid rudman]

Deacon watched Connor, a smile on his face. 'I really am falling in love with this boy.' He thought, watching him interact with Bandit.

She looked up at him with bright blue eyes, then down at her feet. She took a step forward, then another, following him shakily. She would look up at him, her fingers curled around his index finger, then back down at her feet and take another step. She followed him a little ways more, then started to pretend cry, wanting to be picked up.

"Da-dee.." She whimpered, trying to pull herself up on his arms. "Da-dee.."

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor led her as she walked until she began her little antics of pretending to cry. Crouching, he picked her up and hugged her close to his chest, kissing the side of her head. "S-see? Not so bad.." He murmured, standing and walking around until she quieted down some.

Then he returned to Deacon and sat back down beside him, Bandit still held in his arms, now cradled against his stomach in his lap. He glanced down as Deacon's sprawled form for a moment, smiled.

[deacon reid rudman]

Deacon looked up at him and smiled, folding his hands under his head. "Apparently you're daddy now." He said with a smile as Bandit traced her finger across one of his tattoos.

"Da-dee.. Da-dee.. Da-dee.." She babbled, finding another tattoo to trace. She gasped, and looked up at Connor, then curled up against him into a fit of giggles. She stood up in his lap, poking his lip ring. She opened her mouth, placing a wet kiss on his jaw.

"Ew. Bandit cooties!" Deacon squeeked, tickling her. She collapsed into a fit of giggles, curling up against Connor for help. When Deacon stopped, she grabbed Connor's hand, pulling one of his fingers into her mouth.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor only smiled at this. He'd never expected to hear such words, had never planned to have a kid if he had even lived long enough, afraid of genetic problems even though they had told him there probably weren't any. As she traced the tattoo over his heart, Adam's name, he bit his lip in a moment of insecurity. But her giggles, her innocence, allowed him to let the feeling go, laughing when she kissed him and was attacked by Deacon's tickling.

"S-sorry little girl, c-can't save you there," He huffed, being just as ticklish. A gentle smile graced his lips, gazing down at her when she put his finger in her mouth.