A Little Different Oneshots (Golden Guard x !Autistic! Reader)

Darius the Babysitter

This was requested by the lovely killer_beekepper as a prize for getting the Daily Trivia correct! 
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Happy Reading!~

Darius' POV:

"You're exhausted" I deadpanned as Raine was half asleep on the floor, waving a rattle loosely in their hand as Mipha was laying on her back on a playmate, reaching for little toys dangling above her. She was kicking her legs and smiling as wide as a 8 month old could. She was a healthy size now, and today was SUPPOSED to be Eda's day with Princess... but Eda is sick, so Raine is here with her instead. 
They're exhausted, Mipha none the wiser. She was a healthy, happy baby. But also a difficult one.

"My parents are coming..."
"Of course, because Ramona is EXACTLY what you need right now... I still wonder why Peter stays with the maniac" I rolled my eyes, Raine shrugging and dropping the rattle. The sudden noise startled Mipha, and before any of us could react, Mipha screamed as loud as she could and cried her eyes out.
Raine was panicking, picking the girl up and trying to shush her, bouncing her and whistling a random tune they knew. She wasn't settling, and all of a sudden the door was opened by none other than Raine's nightmare parents who still think they're a girl.
Ramona thought so, anyways.

"Rani! Oh dear Titan this place is a mess, do you EVER clean?" she immediately started on them, they looked ready to cry as Peter entered and immediately went to the kitchen to start cleaning. Nice guy, shit wife.
Ramona tried to take Mipha, this only making Raine stumble backwards and nearly fall as I was quick to summon an abomination and catch them.

"I thought you said Milicent would be with the whore" Ramona groaned, Raine too tired to be angry as I gently took Mipha from them. I wrapped my cloak around the baby, this silencing her cries as she looked up at me and smiled, squealing and smacking her hands to my cheeks, trying to grab at whatever she could.
"Eda isn't a whore, and right now she has the common mold. Raine, I'll take Mipha-"
"You will do no such thing! Rani can handle her own-"
"It's fine, Darius has been wanting time with her, just have... busy schedules..." Raine nodded off where they stood, I had the abomination guide them to their room and help them rest.

"Please don't wake them up, no one has been around to help them out, and right now Mipha is a LOT of work" I sighed, looking Ramona up and down as she stared at me with nothing but hatred and malice.
"We'll clean up! Don't worry my boy!" Peter came in, poking Mipha's chubby cheak as she laughed in return. I thanked him, hearing him then whisper to me that he'll keep Ramona in line. I grabbed the stroller, quickly putting Mipha in her carrier and attaching it to the stroller base before rolling out of their unit and through the castle.

Mipha had a rubber teething toy in her hands, she looked like she was trying to rip it, before biting on it with all her might. She only had 2 teeth poking out, but the other's were quickly on their way, hurting the little ones gums and making her far more agitated than usual. She cried before throwing the toy, this not fazing me as I quickly caught it. She was facing me, so I got to watch the girl in all her glory. Her curly hair was in her face, and she was still in her pj's. I don't blame Raine, they do their best. But this little one is a handful and a half. She certainly keeps everyone on their toes.

"Alright Princess, let's get you to my unit and get ya looking fashionable" I poked her nose, this making her sneeze and coo at me, throwing the toy again and laughing uncontrollably when I caught it once again with a quick slight of hand. Once I got into my unit, I had an abomination take out the few things I had for when I took care of Princess. 
I never thought I'd let myself near a child voluntarily, let alone one that couldn't take care of themselves. But when I held Mipha for the first time... something changed, I can't say what. My heart didn't break from it's stone casing, but maybe a little spot grew softer when I held her. A spot just for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8 months ago...

"Titan I'm so proud of you... she's perfect" Raine cried, Eda laying in the uncomfortable hospital bed, holding her baby. 
"She really is... oh look at her hair- She'll fit in" Eda mumbled, all her energy gone from pushing the small infant out just moments prior. The baby had healing patches all over, all of them working over time to keep the poor girl alive. 
2 pounds and 3 ounces, small thing shouldn't have even looked like a baby. By the point a fetus is that weight, it barely has toes. But here she was, fully formed, but tiny as ever due to her mother's curse halting her growth. 

"Ow! Ah- AH! Why am I still-?!" Eda groaned, startling the infant in her arms and hearing her cries echo through the room.
"Nurse said you'd still have contractions for a few hours, remember?" Raine wiped Eda's sweat, a healer coming and finishing up the cleaning so the girl was as good as she could be. 

"Ms Rani? Someone's here to see you" a healer peeked in, all of us groaning at Raine's dead name, they politely corrected the girl, who apologized before they stepped out, stating it was their mother. Of course Ramona had to show up and ruin this moment. Darius stood there, unsure what to do, he had witnessed the birth, luckily from his cozy corner and didn't see anything explicit. Darius and Eber had gotten the call that the baby was here, little did they know Eda hadn't QUITE gotten the small girl out yet, small thing didn't wanna leave it's home.  Darius didn't quite know what to think, he had promised to take care of Raine and the baby in the castle, help where he could... but he didn't like kids, barely saw his own brother's kids, didn't know what to do with this one. 

Since his best friend Adam, the Golden Guard died in action... Darius hasn't been the same, his heart had hardened... more so than before.

"Darius, I need you to hold her- I gotta go take a shower" Eda groaned, her body looked frail, and she seemed to be having trouble moving.

"Oh, I'd rather not hold-"
"Oh hold your damn niece, asshole! I just spent 16 hours pushing her out, least you can do is hold her!" she yelled, the baby already used to her noise. Darius had no time to object before a nurse took the baby from Eda and made Darius hold her. 

"Uh-"
"Her name is Mipha, your niece... remember? Help Raine... for old times sake Darius I am reminding you of that promise you made me those months ago..." Eda begged, Darius nodding before the nurse finally got Mipha situated and Darius to hold her properly. 

He didn't know what to do, felt frozen as the small girl rested in his arms. All of a sudden, she moved, and opened her eyes. 
Golden, like the sunset.

Golden like his best friend.

"Adam would've loved you..."

Raine was about to enter when they heard Darius, they stopped, staying by the door and listening closely.
The Golden Guard only died 2 months ago, but Darius wouldn't say a word about it. Everyone worried for him. Raine thought that if being alone with an infant who couldn't judge his feelings, or his weakened moments would help him. Then they were willing to wait another few minutes to give their good friend that chance.

"Adam always told me about a girl he loved, Cecilia. Met her once too, she'd love you too... Adam tried finding me a girl, never found anyone... Cecilia had a niece... Adam called her Princess..." Darius gently touched Mipha's forehead, hearing her make a cooing noise. He brushed the thin, tiny, light blue curls from her face. 

"Your Uncle Adam would've called you that too... thought every girl was a little Princess... told me to loosen up" Darius felt the tears, he didn't want them to fall, he promised himself he would never do so. But when he put his finger near the girls hand, and she gripped onto it with the strength of the Titan itself, it broke his walls.

"He always believed in me, cheering me on... he was always there for me..." he paused, his lip quivering as a tear landed on the colorful blanket wrapping his niece up to keep her warm.

"I will never hurt you, NEVER... you're my little Princess... Uncle Dari's gonna take good care of you, and be here whenever you need me, alright?" He cried, his tears overwhelming him.

Raine felt tears of their own spill.

Darius was gonna be ok now, someone finally got him to open up.
They were happy Mipha was already helping people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darius' POV:

"You are beautiful, Princess" I smiled as I held Mipha to stand, hearing her giggle as her little purple dress bouncing as she jumped.

I held her on my hip, walking around before she squealed and pointed to a photo.
Last years Coven Ball.
The last one Adam ever went to before he went missing.

"ADA!" she yelled, pointing at the photo, making me smile.

"Remember what Uncle Adam had me teach you" I had her stand on the dresser again, letting her bounce.

"You is kind... You is smart... You is important... got that, Princess?" she squealed in response, making me hug her tight.

She's my Princess... love her more than anything in this world. 
Somehow... I see Adam in her, his kindness is in her heart, I know it. When he left this world, he gave his gift to someone else. Someone who he knew I'd be close to. 

She'll grow to be a strong, beautiful, and kid woman, I know it.
And I'll be here every step of the way, so help me Titan.

Recently the Emperor's had me babysit his nephew. Can't stand that kid... I've told Belos to have Lilith do that, since I was busy with Mipha. Now I just see him once a month.
The moment the Emperor said that his nephew would become Golden Guard... I just... can't look at that kid kindly. He's 6 months old, has done nothing to me... but just knowing he's replacing a legendary man... makes my blood boil.

So long as Mipha grows up well, I care about nothing, and no one else.
Never thought I'd let this little one wrap me around her little fingers... but heck, someone's gotta style these pretty curls of hers properly.

Someone's gotta help her be strong.