Aetiyu

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith gave a small smile up to Cloud.
"I'm glad everyone's okay," she replied softly, playing with the tiny fingers that had done their best to wrap around her index finger.
She adjusted her son very carefully.
"Time to meet your Uncle Spike, Eden," she giggled quietly.
It seemed the nickname wasn't going to escape the latest addition to the Fair family.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud's nerves only seemed to get worse as Mako blues dropped to look at the tiny child. He REALLY had no intention of holding this one... they were just too tiny.
"Eden huh?" he asked with a nervous smile. "Hello there, Eden."
The baby gave a quiet grumble and looked right at Cloud, before curling back up against Aerith, tiny hand still clutching her finger.
"So quiet... like Ianthe was," Cloud observed.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith looked down to Eden as he curled in against her, securing him protectively against her body and readjusting his blankets, making sure he was warm.
"I suspect this is as quiet as we'll get him," she said with a small laugh.
"One he recovers, I suspect he'll get a lot more active. And probably noisier with it. He moved much more than the twins ever did. Put together."
She looked back up to Cloud.
"Perhaps I should be sleeping while I can..."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud smiled softly when she suggested she should perhaps get some sleep.
"I want to take the twins down to see Kunsel... they're quite eager to see him. You can get some sleep then. I'm happy to look after them until you're better."

"I wanna see Uncle Kunsel!" Ynyr announced, obviously he'd overheard Cloud's discussion with Aerith.

Zack laughed, excusing himself to go down and see if Kunsel was awake and feeling well enough for more visitors.

[The Painted Lady]

"Me too," Ashlynn piped up in a small voice as she crawled up closer to her mother, giving her baby brother a wide berth, to place down the teddy she held and to kiss her on the cheek.
"Love you Mama," she murmured.

Aerith smiled, giving Ashlynn her attention for the time being.
"Love you too, Ashie. Remember to be very gentle with Uncle Kunsel when you see him, okay?"
After receiving a nod, Aerith looked back to Cloud, expression a little guilty.
"I feel bad having to palm them off to you all the time. You deserve a bit of a rest from them..."
"Ianthe's probably sick of all the fuss too," she said, looking to Tifa with a smile.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"We don't mind," Cloud and Tifa said in perfect unison, laughing slightly at each other. "It's a pleasure having them," Tifa finished.
"Ianthe likes having the twins around," he reasoned.

Ynyr gave his mother a quick kiss too, before jumping down off the bed.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith gave a small smile.
"You're both really too good to us," she said softly.
"It won't be long, I promise. We'll both work hard on getting out of here quickly, won't we Eden?"
She smiled down to her tiny bundle, gently adjusting the woolen hat he wore to keep him warm.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"Worry less about us and just focus on getting better," Cloud scolded softly.
Zack reappeared then, nodding his head at an unspoken question. "Kunsel's had a bit of a nap and he said he's up to a visit."
"Yay!" Ynyr yelled.
"As long as you're VERY gentle, Champ," Zack warned.

[The Painted Lady]

"Quiet too," Aerith added.
"Uncle Kunsel isn't feeling too well."
She looked up to Zack.
"Are you going with them?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded.
"I'll go with the twins, that way you, Cloud and Tifa have some quiet time."

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith smiled to Zack.
"Okay," she said softly.
"But come straight back if Kunsel gets tired. And then Eden can snooze with you for a little while..." she said, looking down to her tiny son again with a smile.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"Of course," Zack agreed, placing a hand on the twins' shoulders to urge them out of the room and down the hall to Kunsel's.

[The Painted Lady]

"Daddy?" Ashlynn asked quietly as she reached for her father's hand. "Why is Uncle Kuns in hospital?"

Aerith looked up to Tifa and Cloud with a smile.
"Did either of you want a hold?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack stooped to pick Ashlynn up when she asked her question, bracing her securely against his hip before taking her brother's hand with his free one.
"Your Uncle Kunsel has been very sick," he explained. "He's very ouchy here," he kissed the spot near her heart.

Cloud had just started to say no thankyou to Aerith when he suddenly received a baby anyway. Tifa had pulled off the carrier and shoved Ianthe into Cloud's arms so that she could sit beside Aerith's bed.
"May I?" she asked, preparing herself to hold the tiny little baby.

[The Painted Lady]

"Of course," Aerith smiled.
"I'm afraid I'm not meant to lift him though, so you'll have to do all the hard work of picking him up..."

Ashlynn touched the spot where her father had kissed, looking contemplative.
"Can I help like Mama does?" she asked, holding up her hands.