Deanoru

Watch Her Crumble

"Karolina, I need you to take her for a while. I've never spent any time around a baby before and I have no idea what I'm doing." Karolina turned to see Nico awkwardly holding the infant they had found. Somehow, the sight seemed to make her girlfriend even more adorable than usual.

"I babysat during church services when I was younger. Let me see her." Karolina winced at the sound of the cries. "I think she's hungry. Usually, babies cry when they're hungry, tired, need to be burped, or need to be changed. Sadly, none of us have any mind-reading powers.'

"When blood is shed, The Staff of One will emerge." Nico pricked her finger and her staff appeared from inside of her chest. "Baby bottles." She said and pointed to the counter in front of her, where a series of bottles filled with warmed milk began to appear. Nico picked one up and passed it to Karolina and the upset baby.

"Well, I guess there was never going to be a better use for that particular spell." Karolina gestured for Nico to come and sit beside her to watch and learn how to feed the baby. "Sometimes your magic really does come in handy You can use it in a more utilitarian manner than any of the rest of the group's abilities."

"Are you going to tell Molly that we can't keep her or am I going to have to be the bad guy again?" Nico asked though Karolina could see a large amount of wonder and amazement in her dark lined eyes.

The small goth girl reached forward with one finger to tickle the round tummy only to be caught in the baby's surprisingly strong grip. Nico gasped lightly and acquiesced to the infant's capture of her finger. Karolina spoke quietly as she tilted the bottle up and their charge began to eat greedily. There was something about watching Karolina in this new and different mode of operation that touched Nico in an equally new and different manner.

"I'm going to go and put this away. Will you burp her while I'm gone? If we don't, she will definitely start screaming and crying again." Karolina draped a spare dishcloth over Nico's shoulder and helped her to position the baby.

"I just pat her back and rock her? Kari, I've never done this before." Nico said nervously, holding the baby as though terrified of her. One of Nico's hands rubbed gentle circles on her back and she suddenly was sitting up ramrod straight.

"Don't be afraid to really thump her back. She's not made of glass." Karolina guided her hand to the correct position and smiled down affectionately at the pair.

After putting the empty baby bottle into the kitchen sink and cleaning it, Karolina got distracted by gathering more supplies and all the random things she noticed that needed to be done. Mostly, Karolina wanted to give Nico and the baby a moment alone to bond. She could see how the inherent adorableness was cracking through Nico's faux 'tough-girl' exterior. Karolina doubted it would take long before the little one had won her over completely. Nico was rather weak to the sweet and innocent in the world.

After running out of ways to entertain herself, Karolina returned to the parlor where she had left Nico Minoru and the baby who really needed a name. She hadn't expected what she found. Nico's head was tilted back against the arm of the couch uncomfortably, the baby tucked beneath her chin tightly and peaceful, sleeping expressions on both of their faces. Karolina hadn't seen Nico look that content in a long while. Before facing down the Pride, before running away, and before Amy... that's the Nico she saw now. The one she had first fallen in love with and built the foundation of the woman she loved now. Before the darkness of their lives had infected her.

Karolina readjusted Nico's head to a less painful angle as gently as she could. She found a blanket and covered them both with it. Karolina tucked it beneath both of their chins and kissed their foreheads. After a moment of watching them, Karolina headed up to her bedroom to gather her set of pastels and a sketchpad.