#twdg aniyah

[ericsonclan]

It’s a Wonderful Life

Summary: Aasim struggles with work stress around the holidays.

Word Count: 1574

Read on AO3:

Everything felt like it was falling apart. Aasim had hoped that by some sort of miracle the holiday season wouldn’t be a hectic, frantic time but it was. He could handle that when it came to life outside his job but now things were starting to get crazy there too. His firm had just lost a big client and the worry and after-effects were almost immediate with his staff. Aasim couldn’t blame them for feeling that way; it was one of the worst times of year for it to happen.

He knew he would have to buckle down and find ways to make sure that this didn’t mess with his employees’ salaries or put a stain on his accounting firm. Still, that was easier said than done and all Aasim could feel was stressed and shitty for how things had gotten to this point. Hours slipped through his fingers as he tried his best to find new clients and talk with some of the employees on what the right next steps would be. There never seemed to be enough time though and for a split second he considered starting to burn the midnight oil and stay later at work.

That wouldn’t be fair to Ruby though. He’d promised her that he wouldn’t get caught up in his work this holiday season and that he’d be sure to spend quality time with family.

With a long sigh, Aasim got up and worked to get his slim-fit winter coat on. He grabbed the homemade mittens Ruby had made for him and slipped them on. He said some quick goodbyes to the employees he’d just had a meeting with, wishing them a merry Christmas before heading outside.

The sharp cold made Aasim shiver even with all the warm clothes he was wearing. Snow started to fall down from the sky blanketing everything it could where it landed. Aasim couldn't take in the simple beauty of the winter weather. Instead his mind was still heavy with all the worries that he had at the firm. How would he be able to solve this? Would it affect some of the employees’ salaries? He couldn’t do that during the holiday season. Aasim’s head felt foggy with everything as he exhaled sharply, causing a thin fog to appear in the air. He decided to take the longer way to his car. He needed some time to think.

It did him no good, however, as the more he thought about things the more he got down in the dumps about everything. This day had gone to hell and it seemed like that would hold true at the firm until they found another big-time client. Christmas music began to play over the radio as he started the car. He immediately turned it off then turned up the heat before carefully driving onto the road and towards home.

The usual pleasantness that came with driving home during this hour remained. The sky was a beautiful deep blue flickering with stars while snowflakes slowly drifted down and added to the snow that was bathed in the warm rays of street lamps. All of that was lost on Aasim though as he impatiently tapped his fingers on the top of the car wheel while he waited for a green light. Every small inconvenience was really getting under his skin.

Finally, he arrived home. Pulling into the driveway Aasim turned the key in the ignition harshly then yanked it out. He gloomy walked across the freshly shoveled walkway to the front door. Once he opened it he was hit with the warmth of the house and the smell of freshly baked cookies and popcorn. The sound of Christmas music floated through the air all the way from the back living room and he heard his kids in the kitchen.

“You’re finally home!” Ruby bustled forward and got on her tiptoes to give her husband a welcome home kiss. “How was work?”

Aasim stayed silent for a second as he worked to get his coat and boots off.

“Pookie?”

“It was alright. Just stressful and-” He caught himself before he started to vent about the situation. “I’m just really tired.” His face remained turned downward until he felt his wife’s arms around him. Ruby held onto him for a few seconds, gently rubbing his back.

“Why don’t you sit down at the dining room table and I’ll grab you a cup of cocoa?”

“Okay,” Aasim held onto his wife’s warmth for a few seconds more then watched as she bustled back towards the kitchen. Aasim closed his eyes for a moment, taking a few deep breaths to shed off the worries of work and unwind. After that he made his way towards the dining room table, hearing his children’s voices more clearly as he got closer.

“I think it's a great idea. Uncle Omar gave us that food airbrush to use it. Savannah, you think it’s a good idea, right?” Zachariah looked over to his younger sister who was busy helping her mom get the cups of cocoa ready.

“Yeah, it would be super cute if we had red and green popcorn for the movie tonight. Just wait until I’m done helping Momma,” she added at the last second. But it seemed like Aniyah wasn't listening as she was already working to get the dye into the airbrush.

“Wait! Savannah should help us!” Zacharaiah huffed as his youngest sister didn’t seem to listen.

“Why?”

“Because we don’t know how to use it.”

“It's just point and spray, right? Like this.” Aniyah held out the airbrush and causally sprayed her brother with it. Zachariah exclaimed loudly and backstepped quickly.

“Aniyah! Mom!”

“Aniyah Sadie Laghari, don’t go spraying your brother with paint,” Ruby stomped on over with a frown that made Aniyah’s usual smirk disappear.

While Ruby was scolding her youngest and making sure she helped Zachariah clean up the mess on shirt, Savannah came over to the dining room table with hot cocoa.

“Here you go, Dad,” Savannah smiled as she held out the mug.

“Thank you,” Aasim gave a soft smile as he accepted the warm drink.

“Tough day at work?”

Aasim glanced up. “Mmm, yes, but nothing that you have to worry about.”

Savannah nodded along thoughtfully for a moment. “Sorry that your work day wasn’t great, but tonight is gonna be awesome! We’re gonna decorate Christmas cookies and watch a movie together. We’re even trying to decorate the popcorn to make it festive!”

“I can see that,” Aaasim took another sip of the hot cocoa then placed it on the table. “Why don’t I help with that?”

“Okay, I’ll help too!” Savannah followed after her dad and the two of them worked on getting the popcorn ready.

“I think you three unintentionally made this more difficult than it needed to be. You can add some dye to a bit of butter and evenly coat your popcorn kernels that way.” Savannah’s eyes went wide at the suggestion. “You’re right. Makes sense since you’re always super smart!”

Aasim smiled at that and then got to work helping his daughter with the popcorn. When Aniyah and Zachariah got back the popcorn was already set to go.

“Everything seems set there,” Aasim turned around and was surprised when Aniyah gave him a hug.

“Welcome home, Dad,” She then let go and spun around on her heel. “I think we should do a competition with Christmas cookie decorating.”

“Sounds good to me,” Zachariah gave his dad a welcome home hug then sat down at the table. “Let’s do kids versus parents.”

“Ooo! Yes!” Savannah grinned and sat down beside her brother.

“Won’t the butter mess with the texture of the popcorn soon?” Aasim pointed out but all his kids seemed too excited about this competition to consider the popcorn.

“Come on, Pookie, let’s show these kids a thing or two about decorating,” Ruby grabbed her husband’s hand and guided him over towards the table.

“Alright, my Dove.” He pulled out a chair for his wife then sat down next to her. “You three better be ready.”

“We totally are. We’re gonna kick your butts even with Zach on our team!” Aniyah declared loudly then pulled some bowls of frosting closer to her.

“Yeah! Wait, what? What’s wrong with me?” Zachariah huffed and sent a glare over at his youngest sibling.

Aniyah shrugged. “Don’t feel like answering. So, Savannah, I’ll be on sprinkle duty.”

“Wait, don’t change the topic!”

Soon the three siblings were all talking animatedly while Ruby grabbed her own bowls of frosting. “Come on, let’s get a head start on them,” A competitive smile pulled on Ruby’s lips.

Aasim nodded but didn’t work right away. Instead he took in this moment.

All the stress and worries he had were melting away. He watched as his kids continued to tease each other then looked over at his wife who continued to try to hold onto his hand for as long as she could before getting swept up in the art of Christmas cookie decorating. Life had been stressful lately and he knew that it wouldn’t stop anytime soon but still he had so much to be grateful for. A beautiful, loving wife, three children he loved dearly. Without thinking twice he pressed a kiss to Ruby’s cheek then started to get lost in the Christmas fun as a simple truth entered his mind. He really did have a wonderful life.

[ericsonclan]

Silver Bells

Summary: Ruby and Aasim finish up some last minute Christmas shopping for their kids.

Word Count: 1482

Read on AO3:

A burst of cold air blew through the store as Aasim and Ruby hurried inside, shivering despite being bundled up to ward off the cold. As they trudged inside, they paused for a moment to shake off the snow from their boots onto the entrance mats before grabbing a cart and heading down the main aisle. Aasim pushed the cart while Ruby pulled up the shared list they had composed of Christmas gifts for their children. There were only a few items left.

“Where to first?” Aasim asked, loosening the scarf round his neck now that they had entered warmer surroundings.

“Well, the toy aisle should have most if not all of these, so let’s head there first,” Ruby rested her hand on her husband’s arm as they strolled toward the back of the store. “Christmas really snuck up on me this year. What with all the Christmas parties and Secret Santas and White Elephants I plum forgot to finish holiday shopping before break like we usually do. Now look at us, rooting through the aisles just a few days before Christmas. We’ll be lucky if we find everything on the list,”

“We’re not doing that badly,” Aasim gently retorted, smiling in an attempt to cheer up his wife’s glum expression. “Most of the presents are already wrapped and under the tree; there’s no sense beating yourself up for the few we haven’t found yet,”

“Still…” Ruby pouted, unable to shake her guilt. She knew she was being silly, but sometimes her perfectionism got the better of her just like Aasim’s did in matters of work or the children’s’ education.

“I got a shipping notification for the personalized storybook we ordered for Aniyah. It’ll be here day after tomorrow,”

“Thank goodness! I was worried we were cutting it close there,” Ruby smiled at the thought of her youngest opening the gift. It was one of those cloth books with a little plush dolly attached to it that the reader could put on each page to interact with the story. Ruby couldn’t wait to read it to her daughter and guide her tiny hands as she placed the doll in bed or by the breakfast table or waiting for the bus.

Aasim had his own phone open, but his showed the app for the store, providing a directory of the items in stock. “What’s first on our list?”

“One of those Junior Inventors kits for Zachariah. I have a coupon saved for it right…” Ruby leaned forward and tapped her husband’s screen, “There,”

Aasim nodded, switching back to the directory. “Looks like it should be on one of the end displays on the toy aisles. If we just turn down this one it should be on our left,” Aasim abruptly turned the cart, causing Ruby to scurry to keep up. He let out a triumphant hum as they stopped in front of a display full of Junior Inventors kits. “There we go, we have our pick of the litter,”

Ruby examined the options carefully before picking a box without any dents or dings and placing it carefully in the cart. “That’s one down, four to go,”

“We’re on a roll,” Turning round the cart, Aasim headed up the nearest aisle. “When Zachariah opens that, let’s make sure he knows that the experiments are meant to take place at his desk, not the dining room table,” The fire that had been accidentally set off with the contents of the last junior science box, while not burning long enough to singe more than the tablecloth, had been truly terrifying for both parents.

“Oh, he knows. Zach has been very careful with all his equipment since then… though maybe when he’s a bit older we can tell him about some of his father’s youthful exploits with fire,”

“Perish the thought,” Aasim tutted, drawing a giggle from his wife. He paused midway through the aisle; they had reached the toy horse section. “Does Savannah like any breed of horse in particular?”

“Ever since Jesse took her on a ride with Adsila she’s been wild about appaloosas. She keeps finding pictures of them online and printing them out to add to her door. Had to tell her to cut back since she was using up all the colored ink,”

“Perhaps having an appaloosa of her own will quell her obsession, even if it’s just in miniature form,” Searching the shelf, Aasim spotted a brown and white horse that was a good approximation to Jesse’s own. He placed it in the cart then glanced over at his wife’s list to see what else was on it. “Where to next?”

“The toddler aisle should be just a few rows down. We’re looking for the Hello Suzy Talking Telephone,”

The pair reached the end of the aisle and turned right, soon finding the toddler toys and their quarry. The baby pink telephone was bedazzled in plastic diamonds for buttons and its box boasted of all the different talking features the toy possessed. There were only two left. After careful consideration Ruby chose the one on the left. “Hopefully this’ll entertain Aniyah enough to leave the real phone alone. If I have to pick that thing off the floor one more time I’m gonna go stir crazy,”

“It claims to teach the alphabet,” Aasim noted, reading a speech bubble on the back of the box. “I wonder how Education Kids Online rated it,”

“Not every toy has to be about learning, ‘Sim,” Ruby replied, amused by her husband’s musings. “Now let’s head over to the craft aisle. The craft bracelet kits should be there,”

Sure enough, there were a few different bracelet kits to choose from in the craft aisle. Ruby pointed out the Friendship4Ever set on the top shelf. “That’s the best one according to Savannah. Danica got it for her birthday, and it has loads of instructions on all sorts of bracelet styles,”

Aasim reached up to grab the box for his wife and handed it over. “That reminds me, Savannah mentioned a sleepover next Monday. Did she tell you about it?”

“Yeah, it’s happening over at Brody and Mitch’s place. Lark will be there too; Duck’s dropping her off early at our house and we’ll give her a ride over. Brody’s renting 13 Going on 30 for the girls – should be quite the slumber party,”

“Maybe you should be the one to drive her over. You could catch up with Brody, make a girls’ night out of it,” Aasim suggested, guiding the cart forward.

“I do love that movie…” Ruby mused. “But I’d rather watch it with just Brody and me rather than keeping track of the girls while they’re all hyped up on soda and popcorn. Maybe I’ll drop by the next day with some charcuterie and Brody and I can watch it then,”

“And I’ll be stuck with pickup duty?” Aasim replied, playfully quirking an eyebrow.

“You’re the one who put the idea of a ‘girls’ night’ in my head in the first place,” Ruby retorted, the glint in her eyes matching her husband’s. Her attention returned to the shopping list a moment later. “Last item on our list…” she squinted at the words. “Do they sell calligraphy sets here?”

“They do. I checked,” Aasim turned into the next aisle, seeming to know exactly where they were headed. Moments later they stopped near the end of the stationery aisle. Aasim picked out a slim box which read My First Calligraphy Set. “Zachariah enjoyed the pen pal program at school so much I thought he’d enjoy learning how to craft truly artistic penmanship,”

“Like father like son,” Ruby smiled fondly at her husband. “I’m sure he’ll love it,”

Aasim nodded; a proud smile rested on his lips at the thought of passing on his knowledge to his firstborn. “Well, with that our Christmas shopping is completed. Shall we check out?”

“Let’s,” Ruby walked alongside her husband toward the front of the store. “I still have a few things to pick out for you so I’m not quite done yet but those shouldn’t take long,”

“Oh? Should I attempt to guess what you’ve chosen for me?” Aasim teased, already knowing his wife’s reply.

“Absolutely not. You focus on your own gift giving, mister, and leave me to mine,” Having reached the checkout counter, Ruby greeted the cashier then began unloading the cart.

It was a fairly quick checkout. A few minutes later the couple found themselves back out in the snow but only for a few minutes as they hurried to their car, laden with gifts that were sure to brighten their children’s day come Christmas morn. With only a few more sleeps till Christmas, anticipation filled the air as they started up the van, cranked the heat and pulled out of the parking lot, headed home to wrap their newly-bought presents and tuck them snugly under the tree.

[ericsonclan]

Silent Night

Summary: Jesse goes to a late night performance for someone very special.

Word Count: 1560

Read on AO3:

Jesse glanced down at his watch as he ran up the stairs of the church; he was late. Opening the door as quietly as possible, he did his best to ignore the stares directed his way and found a seat on one of the pews in the back. Once attention on him had died down and returned to the sermon, Jesse looked up to see if he could spot them.

There, third from the front row. Ruby and Aasim sat together, eyes on the stage. A curious young face peeking out from the curtains backstage told Jesse what he needed to know: he hadn’t missed the most important part of the Christmas Eve service. The pastor did her best to wrap up quickly, announcing that the congregation was in for a treat. Sunday school services had been practicing this skit all month long.

It was the classic Christmas story: the birth of baby Jesus. Jesse watched in amusement as the children scurried round performing their different roles. Zachariah had been cast as Joseph this year. He assumed the role with dignity, the classic hallmark of a firstborn. Ruby and Aasim looked on proudly, Aasim filming the whole skit while Ruby took photos on her camera.

Savannah was one of the shepherds. She gently herded her “sheep” onstage, nearly tripping on one of her lambs’ feet as the kid got mixed up on which direction to go. She recovered well though, always maintaining a smile and looking out into the audience. The Sunday school teacher who was serving as narrator for the show announced that a heavenly host of angels appeared before the shepherds and Jesse straightened up. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Aniyah strutted out on stage proudly, decked from head to toe in as much glitter as she could fit on her tiny frame. Throwing her arms wide, she dramatically recited her lines. “Glory to God in the highest! And peace on earth, goodwill to men! Today in Bethlehem a Savior has been born – he is Christ THE LORD!” Having delivered her lines, Aniyah looked out into the audience, searching. Her eyes drifted over her parents then finally landed on Jesse. She waved excitedly, scattering glitter all over the stage.

Jesse waved back, a soft smile on his face. She had done great. Aniyah had called him at least a dozen times this last week to practice her lines, sometimes with her parents’ permission and sometimes without. It seemed she had memorized the passcode to Ruby’s phone. Jesse couldn’t have been prouder. He hadn’t been sure of being a godfather when Ruby and Aasim had asked back when Aniyah was born but he was 6 years in now and it was great.

The rest of the skit went off without too many hitches. A couple of kids forgot their lines (and had Zachariah prompt them) and one of the shepherds’ cardboard staffs bent in half during the manger scene, but by the end all mistakes were forgotten and the skit was met with resounding applause from the whole congregation. The first part of the evening finished, the pastor announced a 15 minute intermission to allow the children to join their parents for the rest of service.

It took Aniyah all of two minutes to run down the aisle to Jesse. “Uncle Jesse, what are you doing all the way back here?” Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed his arm and began to sprint back to the front. Jesse chuckled and went along with it, doing his best not to bump into others as Aniyah led him up to the pew where her parents and siblings stood.

“Jesse, you made it!” Ruby gave him a warm hug and an equally bright smile.

“Of course. I couldn’t miss Aniyah’s first star performance. Hi, Aasim,” Jesse nodded in his direction then looked to the kids. “Zach, Savannah, great work tonight,”

“Come sit by me!” Aniyah interrupted. She pulled Jesse across the pew, forcing him to awkwardly sidestep through the entire Laghari family before finally reaching a spot to sit.

“You know, we could have gone round the pew to the other side,” Jesse noted dryly.

“Where’s my present?” Aniyah was focused as ever.

Reaching into his pocket, Jesse pulled out a present in silver wrapping paper. “Hide it away before your mom can see or she won’t let you open it till Christmas,”

Aniyah quickly clasped the gift in her hands, shaking it wildly beneath the pew. “It doesn’t make any sound. What is it?”

“You’ll have to wait till you’re alone to open it and find out,”

Aniyah stuck her tongue out in annoyance at Jesse which caused him to do the same in amusement. He knew Aniyah would love the gift. It was a tiny gold necklace with an angel as the pendant, a memento for Aniyah’s first “starring” roll.

The lights flickered, signaling the second part of service was about to begin. This was Jesse’s favorite part. Standing up with Ruby and her family, he sang along to the first Christmas hymn, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. The voices of the congregation filled the church and welled with joy, the sort of excitement that only Christmas brought. Jesse found a smile remained on his lips as he sang along, remembering most of the songs by heart.

About a half hour later the service ended and the church began to empty. Ruby looked over at Jesse, pausing in the process of packing up her family. “Want to join us for some Christmas Eve cocoa?”

Jesse shook his head. “Thanks for the offer but there’s somewhere I’ve got to be,”

“You’re coming over tomorrow though, right?” Aniyah asked, craning her head back to look up at her godfather.

“Of course. I’ll see you then. And you can let me know how you liked your present,”

Aasim extended his hand for a handshake. “Merry Christmas, Jesse,”

“Merry Christmas,” Jesse watched as the Laghari brood left the church, the children all talking loudly and asking their parents what they thought of their performances that night while Ruby gushed about each and every one of them and Aasim talked of putting his recording onto a DVD. Once the church had cleared out enough, Jesse slipped out the door and into the winter night.

He could see his breath in the evening air as he walked back to his car. Checking his phone, Jesse saw he’d received a text from his husband.

Feeling a bit better. You up to watch Polar Express when you get home?

James loved that movie. Jesse wasn’t sure why; the animation made the characters look cursed to him. But his husband was sick the night before Christmas so he couldn’t say no. He’d simply watch in silence and enjoy the excitement on James’ face at all his favorite parts. There was one thing he needed to do first though. Turning on his car, Jesse let the engine warm for a few minutes before he slowly drove off into the night.

The cemetery was closed this time of night. Jesse didn’t care though; he knew a way in. Parking on the edge of the lot, he circled the perimeter of the graveyard before finding his entry point. A well-placed foothold, a moment of vaulting over the wall and he was in. Jesse’s feet followed the familiar path. His footsteps were silent, muffled by the soft layer of snow along the ground. At last he reached it, the grave he was looking for. Adjusting his coat, Jesse sat down in the snow before the headstone.

“Hi, Mom. Sorry I didn’t come by earlier. Busy day,” Jesse leaned forward and brushed the snow off the petals of the poinsetta he had left at the grave a few days ago. “I guess that’s a good thing, huh? You would have liked that, seeing me spending time with all my friends,” Jesse considered dusting the snow off the top of the headstone, but it looked pleasant there, peaceful.

“I went to church today, the one Ruby and Aasim attend. You would love it. It’s one of those classic-looking buildings with the wood and the steeple. They sung hymns too. All your favorites,” Jesse sat in silence, taking in the atmosphere of the night. Others had visited with him in previous years: James, Clementine, his grandfather in the early years before the trek out in the cold became too much for him.

“Grandpa’s doing well. I think he misses you the most this time of year. I’ll be sure to give him a call tomorrow. James and I are going to fly out in a few days and spend two weeks on the ranch. That will be nice,” Snow was starting to fall again. The flakes coated Jesse’s gloves and got caught in his hair, slowly melting and disappearing amongst the black strands. All was silent this late at night, just like the old rhyme said. Not a creature was stirring.

An alarm went off on Jesse’s phone, a light, pleasant tune. Turning it off, Jesse looked at the time. It was midnight now. He smiled at the headstone. “Merry Christmas, Mom. I love you,” Rising to his feet, Jesse headed out of the cemetery. The snow fell behind him, covering his path and carpeting the ground in soft, gentle stillness.

[ericsonclan]

We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Bed

Summary: Aasim and Ruby find their bed to be far too small when all of their children want to pile into it as well.

Word Count: 1272

Read on A03: 

Aasim shifted in his sleep, waking up for a moment when his hand brushed against the ice-cold metal of the bunk bed. Pulling his hand away, Aasim reach out blindly for his wife, eyes still closed. His tension immediately dissipated as he felt Ruby’s warmth. Sliding closer, he let out a contented sigh. Their youngest daughter Aniyah slept between them, her tiny breaths slow and steady. Aasim cracked open one eye, smiling down at his baby with paternal warmth. His free hand reached down to stroke some feathery wisps of hair away from her face.

It was a tight fit with the three of them in one bed, but they knew how to make do. They had done the same thing with their son Zachariah and their daughter Savannah after him. When Aniyah was old enough she’d be moved to the last open bunk in the room. Well, not open exactly – Aasim would have to clear off the books he kept there and work with Willy to assemble another bookshelf to store them elsewhere. The room was already a bit cramped with five people living within it, but Aasim was sure any day now Zach would be asking to move into his own room by himself and Savannah would want the same thing as her big brother and beg for a new room as well. For now, Aasim would simply enjoy having all his family together in the room where he’d once live alone.

The wind outside picked up a bit, rattling the mishmash of glass and plastic used to keep the elements out. It was summertime so thankfully the room wasn’t too cold. In fact the cool breeze brought a welcome change from the muggy days spent lying on top of sheets and begging for the sweet escape of sleep to come to you. Adjusting the covers, Aasim made sure they were snugly tucked round his wife before laying his head back on his pillow. His eyes drifted closed, his mind slowing as he was drawn in by the slow, peaceful breaths of his wife and child. It wouldn’t be long now till he was back asleep.

“Dad?”

Aasim opened an eye again, glancing over to see Savannah silhouetted by the moonlight. Her tiny pigtails were crooked, likely smushed out of place by her sleeping on them. Sitting up carefully so as not to wake the others, Aasim whispered softly. “Trouble sleeping?”

Savanah nodded, looking down in embarrassment. “The wind is scary…”

Did you try the trick we taught you? Making a list of all your favorite things till you get sleepy?”

“Yeah, but every time I start to calm down the wind picks up again and-” The sound of thunder cut Savannah off, causing her to scream out in fright and leap into the bed.

“Savannah! No! Watch out for-” Aasim rushes to scoop up Aniyah into his arms, keeping her safe from the errant footsteps of her older sister.

“Oops,” Savannah’s eyes were large as she realized what she had almost done. “Sorry. I forgot,”

“It’s ok, sweetie. Just lie down before-”

“What in tarnation?!” Ruby shot up from her sleep, her eyes harsh with anger till they softened upon seeing her daughter. “Aww, moon pie, did you have trouble sleeping?”

Savannah nodded, her lower lip trembling.

“Come here, baby,” Ruby opened her arms, drawing her daughter in for a hug. Their red hair intermingled as she rested her forehead against her daughter’s. “You want to sleep here for the night?”

“Yes please,” Savannah’s voice was small, much quieter than she was during the day.

Ruby looked towards her husband. It was already a tight fit with the both of them and Aniyah in the bed but maybe they could make it work. Shifting round, Aasim tucked the edge of the blanket round his back to protect him from the chill of the wall then slid back against it, giving Ruby the space needed to cuddle with Savannah while Aniyah still slept soundly between her parents. They were lucky they hadn’t woken her; who knew how long it would have taken in the rocking chair before she fell back asleep.

The four settled down to sleep once more. The storm had begun to pick up more, but they were all safe together in their room. The school had weathered far worse than a little rain. As the thunder rolled and flashes of lighting threw momentary patterns upon the weathered wood floor, Aasim tucked his head above his baby’s, closing his eyes once more. The sound of the rain was soothing to him even amidst the storm. His thoughts turned to his plans for tomorrow. Cleaning the rabbit hutch, checking if they needed to reshoe Molly, working with Willy on rebuilding the porch… the list continued though Aasim found it slipping away, his thoughts blending together as consciousness once more overtook him and-

“Dad. Psst, Dad. Are you awake?”

A low groan left Aasim’s lips before he could suppress it. “Yes,” Barely.

“With the storm outside, I thought it would be best if I watched over everyone, y’know, to make sure you’re safe. And since everyone’s in the same bed, well…”

Aasim looked over at his son, amused by his efforts to ask to join the cuddle pile. “Would you like a place in the bed? For safety purposes of course,”

“Yes,” Zachariah nodded. It was too dark to see his expression, but from his tone Aasim knew he was taking his volunteer role as family guard very seriously. Spending so much time with A.J. must be rubbing off on him.

Aasim glanced down at the bed. There was absolutely no more room. Unless… Carefully picking up Aniyah once more, Aasim laid his daughter upon his chest to continue her sleeping in peace. It hadn’t bought them much room, but it would have to do. “OK. Crawl very carefully over to this spot,”

Zachariah followed his father’s directions, crawling slowly and carefully until he could safely slide into the space between his parents. It was certainly a tight fit, but the boy seemed to appreciate the snugness of it, the tension leaving his shoulders as he settled in place. “Thanks, Dad,”

“Of course,” Aasim wasn’t quite as comfortable but he wouldn’t mention that. As his son closed his eyes, nodding off quickly in the warmth of the family huddle, Aasim tried his best to get back to sleep himself. That was easier said than done. In all the shifting, the blanket had fallen down behind his back, exposing him to the icy chill of the wall. With Aniyah sleeping soundly on his chest, it was too much of a risk to move his arms to correct it. Zachariah’s elbow was digging into Aasim’s ribcage as well as there was absolutely nowhere to scoot to in order to alleviate the problem, not a solitary inch. Resigning himself to his fate, Aasim closed his eyes, hoping exhaustion would eventually take him. It was a long, long time before it finally happened but at last in the midst of the seemingly endless night he drifted off into a fretful sleep.

---

Willy was in the midst of tinkering away within the workshop when Aasim dropped by. Setting aside the bridle he’d been attempting to fix, Willy looked up from his seat with a smile on his scraggly, bearded face. “Hey, Aasim! Whatcha doing here so early? We’re not due to discuss the balcony till this afternoon,”

Aasim stood before Willy, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and face haggard from a night of poor sleep. “I need you to build me a bigger bed,”