regency au } { of new arrivals and important love stories

[impetere]

Stiles: [which will lead to Stiles pacing in the parlor outside of their bedroom. Scott and Boyd are there, being supportive, and Peter is in and out]

Cora: [and it takes a while but eventually the sounds from the room calm down, and then there's a crying baby that probably only the wolves can hear with the walls the way they are]

Scott: [lifts his head and smiles] I can hear the baby.

Stiles: What?

Boyd: Me too.

Stiles: [and he is going to go for the door, but Peter will stop him and remind him that no, wait until they come for him or Cora may literally bite his head off]

Laura: [and eventually the crying will calm down and out comes Laura, holding the baby wrapped in a blanket] It's a boy.

Stiles: [blinks] I have a son? [standing back up and going to Laura]

Peter: [smiles from his spot. Nope, father goes first.]

Laura: [and she will gently walk him through holding him before placing the baby down in his arms.] They're getting her cleaned up and then Cora will be resting, but I thought you'd like to meet him while you wait.

Stiles: Thank you. [he's had a bit of practice with Derek and Laura's kids, but this was a newborn and his son and he just let Laura guide him until he had the tiny baby in his arms and he was just looking at him like he was the most precious thing ever]

Ben: [is just going to wriggle around, testing out his fingers and his legs and all these things because OMG SO MUCH SPACE TO MOVE also hi. I am here.]

Stiles: [laughs] You're a wiggly little thing.

Laura: [teasing] Takes after his father.

Stiles: Hopefully not completely. [he bounced the baby a bit]

Ben: [WHOA THERE'S MOVING AND I'M NOT DOIN IT he's stunned into stillness for a moment, eyes trying to look around but he can't really see anything unless it's directly in front of him so that's a bad plan to begin with]

Peter: Give him your finger, Stiles. He can't see that far.

Stiles: Oh. [and he will shift a bit to free one hand enough to press his finger to Ben's hand] Here you go, son. Daddy's here.

Ben: [it takes him a moment before the fingers curl around it, and he drags it right to his mouth like HMMM WHAT'S THIS]

Stiles: And this would be why Derek told me to wash my hands before I held the baby. [laughs]

Laura: [she laughs] They learn through taste for a while. You'll have to be careful what you put near him for a bit.

Stiles: I will remember that.

Laura: Good. [and Melissa will come out behind her with Erica and Kira, and she will glance back over her shoulder before turning back to Stiles] You can go in now, if you like, but you need to let her rest.

Stiles: Oh, I will trust me. [looks at everyone in the room, smiling] Thank you all so much.

Laura: [and they will all file out while Stiles can head back into their room where Cora is sleeping]

Stiles: [and seeing that she is asleep, he is going to just sit in the chair by the bed, rocking his son gently] You wore your mommy out, son. That's normally my job.

Ben: [will just keep wriggling around until he wears himself out and will probably pass out for a nap. Being alive is hard]

Stiles: [and once Ben is sleeping, he will get the baby bundled in his blanket the way he had been taught by Melissa, and just doze in the chair a bit himself.]

Cora: [and a few hours later she will rouse a bit, her eyes falling on the two of them and a small smile crossing her face]

Stiles: [he's out at that point, but instincts already have him keeping their son close and safe]

Cora: [she tries to get up and go to him, but that hurts so she stays for now and calls out to him instead] Stiles?

Stiles: [groans a bit, his eyes fluttering open. He looks over at her and smiles] Good morning, beautiful.

Cora: Good morning. How is he?

Stiles: [looks down at their son and smiles] He's perfect.

Cora: [smiles in return] Good.

Stiles: Would you like to hold him?

Cora: [nods as she shifts to slowly try and sit up more]

Stiles: Go easy. Melissa said you need your rest and to be gentle. [he will shift to sit on the bed, and gently put their son into her arms]

Cora: [and she will take him, cradling him gently as she adjusts to holding him with a soft sigh] He's beautiful.

Stiles: He gets that from you.

Cora: [she smiles softly as she looks up at him] You're biased.

Stiles: Of course I am.

Cora: [and she'll still blush a bit, because she's still getting used to that, before shifting one arm to pull him closer]

Stiles: [and he will go and slide in next to her, putting one arm around his wife and leaning in to kiss her]

Cora: [kisses him back, before curling into his shoulder] I'm still nervous.

Stiles: So am I.

Cora: At least we're not doing this on our own.

Stiles: I think your uncle plans to stay until you are comfortable. He was in the other room with me for most of your labor.

Cora: He was?

Stiles: Yes. I remember him being there for your sister too. He worries.

Cora: His first wife died in childbirth.

Stiles: ... That would explain it.

Cora: [she nods] She was human. She couldn't heal the way we can.

Stiles: Well, I am very happy you have the ability to heal quickly from this.

Cora: As am I. I don't know if I would be able to stay in bed for an extended period of time the way Elena needs to. [because poor Derek still has to worry. He's got the only wife who doesn't fix herself as of yet]

Stiles: Well, you won't have to. I'm sure this little one will be happy for that.

Cora: [she nods] I'm sure he will be. When he's not being passed around to the family as a whole.

Stiles: True.

Cora: I'm sure he will get plenty of attention.

Stiles: I'm sure. Though I will still make sure I give some of it to you as well.

Cora: [she glances up at him] I'm fine.

Stiles: I know, but I love you too. That isn't going to change.

Cora: I would hope not.

Stiles: [leans in to kiss her again]

Cora: [kisses him back softly, before leaning back against the headboard] We should probably let him sleep and get some rest.

Stiles: Yes, we should. And in the morning, we should decide on a name for him.

Cora: [she nods, and she will shift to rest Ben in the space between them before lying down herself]

Stiles: [and he will go into his spot and lay down with them, and then reach out and take her hand in his]

Cora: [she gives his hand a small squeeze before closing her eyes and drifting off not long after]

Stiles: [he will stay up to watch them awhile before drifting off as well.]

Ben: [and Stiles will probably wake up to Ben smacking him in the face as he wriggles around some more]

Stiles: [groans, chuckling] Good morning, son.

Ben: [babbles, waving his arms and kicking his legs]

Stiles: Hey, careful son. Don't wake your mommy. She did a lot of work bringing you into this world and deserves all the sleep. [he will reach over and stroke his son's face]

Ben: Maaaaah [wriggle wriggle wriggle. he can't do much more than that]

Stiles: Shh, it's okay. Daddy's here. [and he will pull Ben closer to him] Shhh.

Cora: [and Ben will just continue to wriggle around and babble a bit and Cora will rouse quietly but not say anything and just watch them]

Stiles: [is focused on Ben, smiling and letting him play with his finger while softly talking back to him. He's disheveled and scruffy from not shaving yet, but he is smiling]

Cora: [she smiles softly as she watches, glad that he is happy, even if she is still terrified]

Stiles: [and as he talks to Ben, he looks over at Cora and sees she is awake] You know, son, you are very lucky. You are the result of one of the greatest love stories in this world.

Cora: [shakes her head] Don't lie to him.

Stiles: Where is the lie in that?

Cora: I'm sure there are greater love stories.

Stiles: Oh, I'm sure. But I think many of those people believe that their story is not as great of one either.

Cora: Oh really?

Stiles: Of course. Would Romeo and Juliet believe theirs was a great love story?

Cora: They were certainly self-centered enough, it wouldn't surprise me.

Stiles: And you don't think that a lady, rescuing a servant who was unknowingly the heir to his own manor, and then their struggles to learn about themselves and love... that is not a great story?

Cora: [she gives a small shrug] I suppose it is too personal.

Stiles: Well... next to your sister's... I think ours is a great one.

Cora: Maybe it is.

Stiles: See, your mother and I can always find a way to agree on things. [smiles that bright smile]

Cora: [shakes her head as she shifts onto her side more] He seems happy, at least.

Stiles: Yes. He woke me up with a slap to the face.

Cora: [amused] He wanted to make sure he was getting your attention.

Stiles: Yes. Well, he has it now. [looks at her] How are you feeling, my love?

Cora: Tired. Sore. But I will be fine.

Stiles: Good. [leans over to kiss her] Can I get you anything? I can call for breakfast, or tea...

Cora: [considers before nodding] Breakfast will probably be good. And I should feed him as well.

Stiles: [then let me leave you to feed our son, and I will go and get out breakfast brought up to us. I should also clean myself up a bit.

Cora: [nods in agreement, before reaching to draw her son closer]

Stiles: [and he will get up, going to give her privacy as he headed out to get their breakfast ordered and then wash his face and shave]

Cora: [and she will feed the baby and put him down again to sleep but this time in his crib, before returning to bed]

Stiles: [and when the servants bring up breakfast, he will set it up on the window seat in the parlor and then go in to find his wife] I have breakfast set up by the window. Would you like me to carry you there?

Cora: [glances up at him before shaking her head] No, I can walk.

Stiles: Okay. [but he will hover, in case she needs a hand]

Cora: [and she will move to her feet - slowly - but well enough that she doesn't need to be steadied too much]

Stiles: [and she can get the comfy cushioned window seat and he will have the chair across from her]

Cora: [she appreciates that]

Stiles: We should discuss a name for him.

Cora: Yes. [she exhales slowly] Though I'm not sure what.

Stiles: Well, do you wish to name him after your father perhaps?

Cora: My father's name was Thomas. [she lets her eyes wander to the crib where he's sleeping] It doesn't feel right.

Stiles: [nods] Okay. I would prefer that my son have a name people will be able to pronounce, so I'm not inclined to use a family name on my end.

Cora: Maybe ... Thomas for a middle name?

Stiles: That would good. And you are okay with him carrying the last name of Stilinski, yes?

Cora: Of course.

Stiles: [licks his lips] Well, when I was living with the Whittemores, I had a pet mouse that was my friend and I had named him Benjamin Mousawictz.

Cora: [her eyebrows go up] You wish to name our child after your mouse?

Stiles: He was the only friend I ever had until I met you.

Cora: [she pauses for a moment, before glancing back to their son again] Benjamin Thomas.

Stiles: I do like the sound of that.

Cora: [she nods, resting her chin in her hand] But we never tell him it was a mouse.

Stiles: We will just tell him he was named after my childhood friend who died when I was still young.

Cora: [she nods] Perfect.

Stiles: [smiles, looking back at the crib] I still can't believe he is here.

Cora: Neither can I.

Stiles: I should hire Melissa some help, so we have someone to travel with us when we go back to Austria for our yearly trip.

Cora: Maybe she could recommend someone?

Stiles: I would take that into high consideration. After all, she does have a lot of children to care for, so help will probably be welcome now.

Cora: [she nods] And there are only going to be more.

Stiles: One hopes there will be enough bedrooms after a while.

Cora: Oh, there's plenty of room. And if not, Laura will have additions built. She'd want to keep the family together.

Stiles: And as part of our contract, we will live here for as long as my uncle lives and can run the manor on his own.

Cora: [she nods] Yes, we will. Though I'm sure we will spend plenty of time there.

Stiles: Oh yes. But like I said... this is my home. It has been for a long time now.

Cora: [small smile] And we are glad to have you.

Stiles: [smiles, and he goes to focus on his food]

Cora: [and she will do the same, though eventually she will need to return to bed]

Stiles: Do you want me to stay with you, or would you like to rest?

Cora: I wouldn't mind if you stayed.

Stiles: Then I will stay. I will bring our book in and keep reading to you.

Cora: [smiles softly] I would like that.

Stiles: I thought so.

Cora: [she nods and makes her way back to the bed slowly, before crawling under the covers and waiting for him to join her]

Stiles: [he will ring for the servant to come and get the food tray, and then pick up their book and go join her. He will snuggle up to her side, and will begin reading to her]

Cora: [she lets her head rest against his chest, listening to him quietly as he reads, and eventually falling asleep in his arms]

Stiles: [and he's gotten good at stopping when she dozes off, and will close the book and just hold her gently and lightly drift off as well]