Severo snorted. “To be fair, there isn’t as much room for luggage in the other stalls.”
“Still,” he growled. “Now, get this off me. My baby wants nothing to do with me and it’s…awful.”
“Well, at least you know she won’t willingly go off with strangers,” Severo pointed out.
Seri went to respond, but sighed in relief instead as he felt the cool shadow shell draw away, until he was once again himself, and left in the odd, overly large outfit they’d put him in over a day ago.
“BAH!” Skya cried out, before bursting into tears and reaching for him, arms waving frantically.
“Oh, my poor baby.” Seri sniffled and pressed the button to free her from the stroller. Pulling her into his arms, he murmured, “I’m so sorry. You were so scared, I know. Daddy's sorry.”
She clung to him, gripping tightly as she continued to cry.
“Aw, poor thing,” Severo cooed. The man had already removed the shadow shell and was standing there in his tight red dress.
Seri snorted. “You change, I’m going to calm her down a bit.”
Severo nodded, and Seri’s eyes widened when the man stripped the dress off without warning, leaving him in nothing but a jockstrap. Deep olive skin, wide shoulders, smooth thick muscles—even the man’s legs were well toned. Yet, nowhere was he too thick to the point that it would likely hinder him while running or in a fight… Seri’s face caught fire as his eyes went lower on their own accord, the tiny cloth covering the man’s junk making it obvious that Severo was NOT tiny.
He spun around, fighting back the various parts of his body that were heating up.
Oh, Seri, why did you look?!? Why did you look for so long?! Hell, he may have no interest in touching anyone sexually, possibly ever again, but he definitely wasn’t blind.
To be honest, he had never looked too closely at Severo. For one, the man had been chasing him at first, and well now they were going into hiding together… This was a really odd situation. And it was also a really fucking bad time for him to realize the man was attractive. Because he was… Severo was hot.
No…okay… This was fine… It was okay for him to admit he found the man attractive. Look at him being all mature…
He shook the ridiculous thoughts away, and focused on his crying child. Rubbing her back, he hummed, rocking where he stood. Her cries slowly lessened, before she was just whimpering sadly while she rubbed her face against his neck.
A few moments later, after some rustling of clothes, Severo announced, “All done. Do you want me to hold her while you change?”
Seri slowly turned around, eyeing the man.
Severo was standing there wrapping a black scarf around his face, a puffy white winter jacket hanging off his left arm. The man was now wearing black snow pants, gloves, a thick navy sweater, and steel toed boots.
The long blonde wig was gone, his messy bun back. He wasn’t sure how it was possible, but from the glimpse he’d gotten of the man’s facial hair, it was still doing that thing where it was just past a five o’clock shadow. Shouldn’t it have grown more already?
Unfortunately, now that Seri had realized the man was hot…the realization remained in place, and his heart did that little fluttering thing it liked to do around attractive men, because he was a socially awkward introvert who didn't like people.
Fuck a duck… It had been like six years since he dealt with this shit, and NOW it decided to come back and grace him with its presence?!
Clearing his throat, he forced the thoughts away again and said, “I’m not sure if she will go to you right now. But we can try.”
He attempted to hand her over, and Skya loudly proclaimed, “MAH!” as she activated her baby grip of death on his oversized sweater.
“Let me uncover my face and maybe she’ll do it then.” Severo unwound his scarf.
Skya eyed him out of the corner of her eye, before dismissing him.
Severo clutched at his chest dramatically. “Oh, you wound me, little gummy bear. When all I want is to win your heart!”
His daughter gave the Dweller the most bombastic side eye he’d ever seen her give, before rolling her eyes at him and snuggling into Seri.
Severo let out a puff of air. “Well…she is definitely your child, that is for sure.”
Seri giggled. “I mean, she’s had a trying day.” He rubbed her back, kissing her on the head. “Skya, my dewdrop.” She looked up at him. He smiled. “Daddy needs to change. Can you let Uncle Severo hold you so I can change? I promise we can cuddle all you want after.”
While the gestation period for Nymphs was similar to human’s…developmentally, Nymphs were ahead. Which is why she at least, somewhat, understood when he talked to her. Not fully, but some.
