Dark stains on a light colored shirt.

Pancakes

Fikis pov: I was sitting in the kitchen, the stove time saying it was 4:56AM. Since i'd run out of my sleeping pills I had stayed up all night working on fixing Artemi's favorite stuffed bear, as she cried for half an hour whenever she dropped it and it only slightly ripped, when I heard footsteps stomping down the stairs quickly. I looked at the stairs to see Artemi looking at me, her face shocked and nervous. I smiled at her, putting the thread and needle down and looking at Artemi.
"What're you doin up?" I asked her, walking to her as I picked her up and placed her against my shoulders.
"Mama is calling for you, I think shes having a nightmare." Artemi replied, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
"Well, lets go find out, shall we?" I asked, starting to walk up the stairs while holding Artemi. I opened my bedroom door and walked in, sitting Artemi on the bed next to Salam, who was staring at me.
"Whats the matter, mama?" I asked, rubbing Artemis hair as Salam huffed.
"My stomach is killing me." She said, looking at the ceiling as she cleared her throat.
"Well you cant decide to have two kids in the span of two years and not feel pain. Your having con- contr..you know what i mean.." I asked, as she nodded, turning over and smiling at Artemi who was staring at her.
"Well...how about I uh...make pancakes with blueberries in them?" I asked, looking at Salam's pretty face. She shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah..Artemi make sure she doesn't burn the house down.." Salam joked, pulling the blanket back over her as Artemi giggled, jumping off the bed and running back downstairs, hearing her footsteps loudly. Salam buried the side of her face in the pillow, looking at me.
"I think she's gonna come any day now." Salam said, rubbing her eyes as she closed them and hummed.
"That's good, I just hope it isn't a mess like it was with Artemi..aha...well, now ima make sure my child doesn't burn the house down, go back to sleep." I said, patting Salam's hair as I got up and went back downstairs, before pausing at the end of the stairs and looking at my knee, feeling it hurt like hell. It normally does it whenever I go up and down the stairs, but recently its getting worse, and its getting harder to hide it. I noticed Artemi walk to me and look at my knee.
"Is something wrong, papa?" She asked, her eyes full of worry. I laughed at her, shrugging it off as I picked Artemi up and carried her in the kitchen, sitting her down at the table and handing her a cup of berries as I got the pancake batter and a pan, as well as berries and starting to make pancakes. Putting the batter in the pan with some berries and watching the batter form into a pancake. After i fixed 5 pancakes, one for me, two for Salam, and two for Artemi, I put the supplied away, and looked at Artemi, who was laying her head on the table, looking at me smiling. I smiled back at her, reaching and opening the cabinet, hearing a small creak come from it as I grabbed a few plates and cups and closed the cabinet. I sat the plates down, putting pancakes on them and opening the fridge, feeling the cold hit my face. I grabbed the orange juice and filled up the three cups, putting the orange juice back in the fridge and grabbing the syrup and putting syrup on the pancakes, watching them make the pancakes slightly soggy. I sat the plates in front of three different chairs on the table, putting forks on the plates and watching Artemi smile and start eating. I then rubbed my eyes, feeling exhausted as I dragged myself up the stairs. I opened my bedroom door and walked in and beside Salam, gently rubbing her head.
"Breakfast is ready, wanna get up and eat?" I asked, noticing her roll over, moving her hands up against mine as she slowly opened her eyes, her messy hair in front of her face. She nodded, leaning up and grabbing my shirt, standing up and holding onto my shoulders, as she hugged me and yawned.
"Carry me?" She asked, looking up at me as i could feel her pregnant stomach press against me slightly.
"No offense, but your heavy, and my knee isn't as good as it used to be, i could drop you." I replied, rubbing her back as she scoffed.
"I dont caareee..carry meee." She demanded, rocking my shoulders. I scoffed, picking her up by her feet and carrying her down the stairs, before stumbling at the end and feeling my knee give out as Salam immediately got on her feet and held me up. She looked guilty, and held onto my waist as i bit my lip, trying not to make a sound at my knee hurting. I got over it after a minute and stumbled to the kitchen as Salam held a hand on my back and helped me sit down. She sat down in the next chair and smiled at Artemi, who was grinning and eating, her face having syrup all over herself.