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The room was filled with the clacking of Vox’s hands on the keyboard as he flew through the various work emails he had. They never seemed to end, from complaints, to offers, to whatever other crap people insisted pass by his eyes. His fingers only stopped when a big interface of ‘Valentino calling’ appeared, he answered it without hesitation.
“Yellow” the sound of Vax’s cries could be heard as Val struggled to lift the phone to his ear
“Vox can you please help with put-down tonight, we aren’t even in the bedroom and he’s crying. I have shoot first thing tomorrow and If I don’t get to sleep at a reasonable time tonight I’m cutting your dick off! you hear me?” Val hissed through his teeth.
“I’ll be right there dear.” Vox grumbled as he hung up, opening the feed to the baby room on mute to see Val walk in and Vax practically crawling his way out of Val’s arms and out of the room.
What had gotten into him?
Vox sighed as he zapped into the nearest screen, appearing in the room where Val had been. When the other man emerged back into the room with Vax he was clearly disheveled, his fur all puffed and unkept, his eyes dark with lack of sleep and his pajamas stained with what he guessed was potatoes.
“You look-“
“A mess I know, here you do it, I just cant right now.” Val handed Vax to Vox and rubbed his tired eyes. Immediately vax squirmed and reached for Val.
“Maamaaamaaa” He whined as Val gave him a small weak smile.
“I know baby, but papis gonna try tonight okay? Mami needs… a break.” Valentino gave Vox a look as he lent down to kiss Vax on his head.
“He is still doing the thing huh?” Vox asked as Val wiped a little mess from the child’s face and nodded.
“Three nights now, did you pick up anything on your cameras?” Val questioned as Vox quickly scanned the footage he was meant to review last night.
“I’m not picking anything up, no audio or visual.” Valentino sighed in defeat.
“Then I don’t know, maybe we will need to have him tested again but it didn’t seem like he was in physical pain.” Val gave Vax a small head rub as the baby chewed on his own long antenna.
“I’ll see what I can do, go rest.” Vox nodded towards the door watching as Val struggled to take his eyes off the baby.
“I’ll see you in the morning my brightest, papi’s got you.” Val more told himself than anyone as he backed out of the room waving.
“I’ll keep him safe Val, you have my word.” Vox added, watching as Val nodded and forced himself to leave. Vox sighed to himself as he instantly headed towards the bed.
“Nnnneeh! Nnno! Weeh” Vax began to squirm in his sharpe grasp as if the bed itself would burn him.
“What? What is it?!” Vox set the child down, gesturing around the room.
“Show me. Where’s the bad?” He added watching as Vax merely clung to his leg and whined. Vox sighed, taking a seat on the bed. Vox took quick glance around the room only to see there was nothing wrong, the bed was extra soft and covered in dinosaur toys.
“Come on champ I can’t help if you don’t show me.” Vox half mumbled as Vax climbed up Vox’s leg and attempted to enter the suit jacket he was wearing. When Vax was scared he would climb under Val’s wings for safety, which he was currently attempting to do with his non-winged father.
“You’re not gonna fit in there Vax come on let’s lay down.” Vox scooted back on the bed bringing the whining child with him as he kicked his shoes off and laid down. The whines became full on sobs as Vax realized he couldn’t squeeze into Vox’s jacket.
“Mama! Maaaaaaaamaaahahaaaaa!” The child begged as Vox sighed up at the ceiling, deciding to shed his jacket and throw it over the boy in an attempt to mock Valentinos wings.
“Shh Mama needs to rest. Daddy’s got you.” Vox pulled the jacket tighter and Vax seemingly calmed down, opting to hide his head with small whines with each breath instead.
“What’s getting to you kid? You know daddy’s the strongest overlord he can kill whatever is hurting you.” Vox assured as he rubbed small circles on Vax’s tablet head. Pausing as a small cord tugged at his finger.
“Umm Mm!” Vax tried to communicate as Vox examined the cord that was clearly coming from his son.
“Oh you have cords like me… you are just full of surprises.” Vox playfully tugged at the cord but that seemingly only pissed off the toddler.
“UM Mm!” Vax repeated as the cord reached up towards Vox’s face. Vox looked at the cables end, it was compatible with his ports.
“You want to connect? I might overcharge you kiddo.” Vox warned as Vax’s wire wobbled before falling down in defeat before the small whines started up again. The kid was obviously exhausted, so a little charge wouldn’t hurt… Vox adjusted his internal settings before grabbing the little cord and plugging it in.
V.A.X device connected to D.A.D.D.Y
Vox smiled as he sighed into the bedsheets.
V.A.X requests D.A.D.D.Y perform internal check on V.A.X device.
Vox peeked his eye open as he looked down at Vax, who still sniffled and clung to him.
“What’s going on in there baby?” Vox accepted the prompt as his and Vax’s screen went black and limp.
—
They were both inside Vax’s head. The space was bright purple, with lots of cartoony letters and dinosaurs. There were folders floating around but they were named keyboard smashes since the child didn’t know what most things were actually called. It was far more chaotic than Vox’s well organized thoughts but also reflected his son perfectly.
“Vax, daddy’s here.” Vox called into the strange purple gooy mess of a mindscape. It took a minute but a very much older looking version of vax appeared, he would have had to be around twelve.
“Oh I see you think you are a big boy huh?” Vox smiled as the older version began to chuckle before zapping into the baby Vox knew and loved.
“Dadby!” Vax cheered as he flew up into his arms, Vox was sure to catch him.
“Such a creative mind, just like your Mami… now where is-“
“MAMAmMa!” Vax called, jumping down from Vox and flying through the weird gravity of his mind. Vox knew how to ground himself so he merely walked after the spin flying child.
“Mamamammm” Vax pointed to a larger folder labeled “mamam” that sat on a love heart and shined bright.
“Haha… of course” Vox rolled his eyes as he opened it, various screen grabs of Valentino from the past years were in there. Some clear some blurry, but the folder was warm to the touch and comforting.
“He is the centre of your world too huh?” Vox smiled, Stopping at the first entry which would have had to be when vax first opened his eyes. Val’s large smile and himself right next to Val.
“Uppa!” Vax tugged at Vox’s pant-leg dragging him to another folder labeled “pampa” it was less warm but still comforting to touch. Filled with photos of Vox who always looked a little more distant but he was clearly trying. The brightest photo was Vox handing Vax his first dinosaur plushy.
“You sure love your dinosaurs.” As if triggering something a bunch of dinosaurs suddenly appeared and began to march in a loud band. Vax clapped and marched with them as Vox closed his file. He saw Velvettes file labeled “tia” and a “yummi” and “yucky” folder as they walked with the dinosaur band. Suddenly the dinosaurs ran away, Vax jumped up and onto Vox’s shoulder trying to hide in his jacket again. Vox noticed the tone shift and quickly manifested a blue cape for Vax to wiggle into.
“So this is what’s upsetting you…” Vox grumbled as he stepped forward. It seemed to be the“Recently added” section of Vax’s mind.
“Tv… nightlight… call daddy… radio.” Vox froze at the radio app. Vax snuggled further into the cape with a small whine as Vox approached it.
“You have to be fucking kidding me…” Vox reached out, his hand crackled with electricity before he grabbed the icon violently. The purple room darkened as a familiar laughter rang out, Vax hid himself more as Vox watched a familiar shadow form.
“Took you three days too check on your son, oh you really are a deadbeat aren’t you Vincent?” Alastors voice crackled out however only his shadow appeared.
“Right I’m a deadbeat for not going through my son’s mind, yet here you are scarring a literal child. I don’t know why I expected better from you.” Vox watched as Alastor’s shadow shrugged.
“Well I didn’t mean to scare the poor thing, but seems some of your firewall rubbed off on him and I can only half manifest here.” Vax decided to peek his head out from Vox’s cape as he blinked up at the shadow curiously.
“Tch like that makes it any better! Stay the fuck out of my families life.” Vox placed his hand on the radio app icon and began to charge it with electricity.
“I never did get to congratulate you did I? You really did managed to convince that whore bug to breed with the likes of you didn’t you?” Alastor mocked as Vox glared, speeding up the shock.
“Congratulations on your next of kin, let’s hope he is nothing like his father!” With that last mockery the app disappeared into glitter, Vox added a block on the app until Vax turned 21 as the room returning to its bright purple.
“Upppa!” Vax crawled up Vox’s back and onto his head as Vox’s attention was pulled from the inner manifesting negative thoughts.
“Hey kiddo… daddy got rid of the bad. Reckon you can sleep now?” Vox smiled as he turned around, only to be greeted by the dinosaur parade cheering with a small “yay dad-d” banner.
“Hehe play!”Vax cheered as the band started playing and marching.
How long before Vax realized Alastor was right and that he wasn’t someone worth striving to be like. That he was a dead beat, that’s why his folder was so small and Val was so tired all the time even though Vox promised to help before Vax was born. That his father was a failure-
“Uppa ing!” Vax tugged at his pants leg before running to get in line with the dinosaurs. Vox couldn’t keep the small smile off his face, despite all that. What other parent could upload themselves to their kids mind and have a dinosaur marching parade?
“Alright one song, then it’s bedtime!”
—
It was actually three songs before Vox disconnected himself to find a very sleepy Vax cuddled up on his chest. He tucked the tiny child into bed with his dinosaur plushie before making his way back to his own bedroom where his husband was fast asleep. After a quick change into his pajamas, Vox did his best to slide in and not disturb Valentino but seemingly failed as four hands grabbed him and easily pulled the shorter man onto his chest.
“Mijo?” Val’s eyes remained shut as Vox smirked a little.
“Snug as a bug.” Vox mumbled, as his face was pushed into Val’s bare chest.
“How?” Val mumbled still only half awake. Vox didn’t reply hoping that Val would drop it but instead he felt a squeeze on his shoulder.
“Vox don’t keep me in the dark… whats wrong with Vax.” Val’s words where stern as Vox felt Val go to sit up.
“Nothings wrong anymore… Vax asked me.. to plug into him so I did.” Vox felt Valentino relax a little.
“He has a wonderful mindscape, purple, littered with dinosaurs and a shining folder of pictures of you. Completely disorganized but wonderful nonetheless.”
“Mmm that’s my mijo.” Val drew small circles in Vox’s back.
“As he ages he will have more access to applications… and it seems he may have downloaded… a radio application.” The circles on his back stopped.
“Alastor, what did he do?!” Val was up in a second, Vox was removed from the warmth of Val’s chest and frowned at his partners distress.
“He was just manifesting in there to say “hello” apparently and his shadow was scarring Vax.” Vox looked away, Val eased off but a spare hand pulled the side of Vox’s head to look back at his husband.
“He said something…” Val could tell just by Vox’s expression alone, Vox sighed before glancing at Val.
“Just his normal shit… but about me being a deadbeat and I don’t know?! Like where does he get off-“ Val grabbed both sides of Vox’s head.
“Baby sh…you got rid of him right?” Val pressed his forehead to Vox’s.
“Yeah… I deleted and locked the radio application until Vax is old enough to decide he wants to re-download it himself.” Vox sighed as Val pulled them both down.
“Mmm my smart boy…” Val pulled Vox back into his chest. Vox closed his eyes and let himself be held.
“You don’t… regret it do you? Marrying me? having Vax?” Vox mumbled feeling Val pulled him impossibly close.
“Mmm, No regrets from me, Amorcito. I have a sexy husband that fucks me just right. Who somehow made my life so perfect I felt safe enough to bring a child into hell, I’m the luckiest ten foot tall, moth pimp Mama in all the seven rings.” A small happy squeak left Val as he held Vox close.
The small nagging voice in Vox’s head vanished as he held Val close. Only for a second later he was flipped over to look up at his gorgeous husband.
“You know… if you don’t stop being so handsome we will end up with some more babies hm papi?” Val teased as Vox’s face lit up.
“Wh- I mean- let’s just see how this one goes first!” Vox cursed the way his voice broke mid sentence as Valentino laughed before locking their lips.
“I love you Vox.”
“I love you too Val, always.” The was kiss returned, with more heat this time.
And that’s when they knew, Valentino was not making that morning shoot.