From the day that Ria walked into their house, Aaron has been the sole receiver of her affections and never ending amount of kisses. So when one day, one of August's devil friends comes over for work and happened to bring his little nephew with him too, that is when the three year old first time experiences mid life crisis.

Sebastian who has known about the human babysitter since her first days of employment, hoped she would take care of his nephew too while August and he worked on something.

More babies? Ria was ecstatic.

When little baby Sky walked in, clutching to his uncle, she bent down to his level and greeted him. "Hello! Nice to meet you Sky, would you like some cookies?"

Aaron gasped. How could she? When cookies are his favorite?

She gave the little boy his cookies. Aaron was fuming to himself as he played with his toy robot. This was the shittiest Saturday of his life.

He lost his Riri, lost his cookies all to this little boy. Then Ria even had the absurd idea to give Sky his toys. Aaron had just enough. He grabs his robot toy by his neck, drags it to the courtyard with him as he sits outside. Riri forgot him.

Who needs Riri anyway?

"You're so cute!" Ria coos in the background. The toy breaks in Aaron's clutch.

While Ria had been oblivious to Aaron's midlife crisis, it didn't skip the watchful eyes of his father. August sighs. He should've prepared for his kids firsts, all of them. Even his first tantrum.

He quietly makes his way to the courtyard where Aaron is siting with his tiny fists clenched. "Baby?"

The boy blinks up at his dad.

"Are you okay?"

All he gets is a very cold "yes" in reply. Sighing, he takes a seat beside his boy. "Then why are you sulking?"

"Am nawt."

"You sure?"

"Yeth."

August fights the smile off his face. "So you're not upset about the lack of attention from Ria?"

There's a sniffling sound. "Its oki. Am not her favorite anymwore."

"I don't think it's true."

"It is, dwaddy. Riri didn't gimme kissy."

"Catastrophic."

Aaron blinks up at his dad, nodding in agreement. He nods down at his son. "Why don't we ask Ria if you're still her favorite?"

Aaron is shaking his head vigorously but August has already shouted her name. Ria quickly makes her way to them.

"Hello you two!"

"Tell us Ria, is it true? Is Aaron not your favorite anymore?"

Ria falls to her knees. Dramatic kids, both of them. They deserve each other.

"What?"

"Well Aaron here thinks.."

"Never in a million years! Aaron is my baby! He's my all time favorite person in the world." Ria is getting all teary. "Aaron, look at me. Please? Who told you that my angel? I love you so much my baby."

Aaron blinks. "Really?"

"Yes yes!" She's nodding so quickly, August is afraid of her neck snapping. "I love you the most!"

"Even mwore than him?"

"Him? Who?" She inquires. The boy points at the intruder calmly playing with a teddy. "Sky? No of course not baby! I love you more than him."

"Really?"

Ria pulls Aaron into a hug. They both fall on the floor, clutching onto each other. August sighs at the sight. Hopeless, both of them. Was he really leaving the two of them unsupervised till now?

"I really really love you more than him. I love you! I love you!"

"Can you go tell him that?"

Ria pauses. "Huh?"

"Tell him you lub me mwore than him."

The babysitter sits up, fixes her turtleneck. Then Aaron and Ria goes to Sky. Crouching down in front of the little guy, Ria tells him she definitely has more love for the boy she's known for months. Sky is indifferent. With a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder, he focuses back on playing.

August raises his eyebrows at the triumphant smile on his son's face. What are the odds that his son has ended up just like him?

Ria gives Aaron three more kisses and a cookie.

—

The ringtone resonates through out the room, pulling August out of the world of spreadsheets he had entered. He answers the phone without even checking. There's only one person calling him on his personal phone anyway.

"I thought, I asked you to call me if only it's a matter of life and death, Ria."

Ria chokes on a sob. "I think it is!"

"What happened?"

"Aaron won't stop crying, and his tears, they are black." She says through tears. Aaron sinks back into his chair. "He's still learning to control his powers, so black tears can come time to time. Is he hurt somewhere? Can you ask him that?"

"Hey? Baby, come here. Does it hurt anywhere?"

August holds his breath.

"He's not replying, he's just crying." This is the most distressed he has ever heard her. "God, I don't know what to do, I can't see him like this."

"Ria, he's definitely not gonna stop crying if you start crying with him, am I right?"

"Ugh, I know! I can't help it, August. Can you please come home? Just, just this once. Aaron may be more comfortable with you here." Ria's voice cracks again and he quickly assured her he's coming back soon. He hangs up and looks at his screen. Fuck his work. His family always comes first.

When August arrives, he finds the duo hugging each other, curled up on the sofa. Hearing his footsteps, both of them sit up at once.

"Dwaddy!" "August!"

"Hello, kids."

There's dark streaks down Aaron's face, his onyx tears staining his chubby cheeks while his bottom lip wobbles. Ria's lips are stained black too, probably from kissing Aaron's tears away. Her eyes are red and puffy. He really hired someone to cry with his son.

Aaron jumps up to his dad's arm, hugging him once he's seated on the couch. August nuzzles in his hair, eyes stuck on Ria.

"I don't think you crying when he cries is a good solution."

Ria pouts. "I tried my best today, but some days all he needs is you. He's still very young."

"He needs me and you." August corrects, hugging his baby. Ria blushes at that.

He pulls away, settling the boy on his lap as he pressed a firm kiss on his son's cheek. "Now, tell me what's wrong? Why is my boy troubling Ria so much?"

Aaron pouts. "Did nawt." He averts his gaze, trying to not seem guilty. But under August's pressing gaze, the boy deflated.

"Mwissed you, Dwaddy."

"Oh," August visibly melts, endeared. He pulls Aaron closer again, pressing kisses all over his face. "So sorry, my baby. I've been a bad dad, been busy and neglecting you, Mhm?"

Aaron snuggles closer, sitting inside August's suit.

"I promise to spend more time with you from now on, happy?"

"Yeth."

"Great. Let's get you two cleaned up, hm?" August stands up with his baby clutching to him like a koala. They both look at a still teary eyed Ria. He turns to his boy. "You troubled her a lot, Now, apologize."

"Sowy, Riri!"

Ria breaks down crying. "It's okay, my little prince."

August tries not to smile. She's just so adorable. Along with his little boy, they make quite the endearing duo.

"Dwaddy?"

"Hm?"

"Can we slweep together? All of us?"

August and Ria locks eyes. She is quick to stand up and wipe her face. "I should get going I think, you two can get some rest and-"

"No! Riri! Stay pweese." The boy begs, his eyes getting teary again.

"I'll come back tomorrow!"

"No! Pweese."

She is shaking her head. "Try and understand my love,"

"Ria, stay."

The girl freezes. Hearing it from her employer, she didn't expect that. She fiddles with the hem of her shirt. "Are you sure?"

"The master bed is very big. It could easily fit six people. Let's go, Aaron looks tired."

"Yes! Yes! Tiiiired!" Aaron fakes a yawn. Ria smiles at the baby. She drops her bag as she follows the father and son up to the master bedroom. "No sleeping before brushing your teeth."

Ria and Aaron bicker as August hides his smile to himself. Together, the two of them keeps the house alive. He's not used to this at all. When he returns from work, the house is quiet. Aaron is asleep and Ria is tired. He just drags his body to the bed and the next day is the same. But, this is all so new to him.

—

True to his word, August starts spending more time at home than work. Even though he brings most projects home, but Aaron appreciates it a lot too. He usually stays perched on the kitchen stool from where he has the wide view of his living room that opens up to his courtyard. Ria and Aaron usually watch movies, build legos or whatever they want under his watch.

On one sunny Wednesday, Aaron requests his Riri for some lemonade. Which Ria has no trouble making, but that also means Aaron and Ria has to part. He's in the living room, while she's in the kitchen. Surprise to August, that five meter distance means a great deal to his son.

Ria is squeezing lemons on the counter beside him when Aaron struts up to her. "Hey Riri, do you want to build a snowman?"

August blinks up from his work. It's the first day of March and it's exceptionally sunny. Where is he gonna get snow from?

Ria pauses her task too, staring at Aaron with a pout on her face.

"Come on let's go and play

I never see you any more,"

August gapes. His demon baby, his fire spitting little devil, is singing a song?

"Come out the door, It's like you've gone away!" Aaron takes a step closer to her, sadly. That's just over the top dramatic. There's no door between them, and they've been separated for... ten minutes now?

Ria quickly closes the distance between them, falling to her knees in front of the boy. "We used to be best buddies, and now we're not," she sings back. August states at the scene playing in front of him, a little horrified.

"I wish you would tell me why!" They sing in unison, hugging each other.

"What are you guys doing?"

The duo looks up at him accusingly. Almost like August is the intruder, in his own home. Aaron scowls, shaking his head. "Dwaddy, tss fozen!"

Oh. He knows what fozen is. That god awful Disney movie. A few days ago, he came back to the said movie playing on his tv while Aaron was fast sleep on Ria's lap, Ria's head uncomfortably laid on the couch. With a secretive smile, he had carried Aaron up to his room then carried Ria to the guest room. While he ate his heated up dinner, he finished the movie all by himself.

"Of course, how could I forget?"

The dramatics of the two. Can't even separate from one another when they spend the entire day together. They fall back into their routine. Ria and Aaron being chaotic together while he works. They order lunch and the day rolls into evening.

The sound of the two conversing fades into the background for him. Until,

"I hwate yuh!"

A toy loudly crashes on the floor and it has August jerking from the noise. He's confused from his seat on the couch. Aaron is running towards him, face scrunched in anger as Ria is still on the floor, unmoving. Her eyes are glassy with tears as Aaron throws himself at August's lap.

"Baby, you can't just talk to someone like that. What's wrong?" He questions. Whatever answer he's given is muffled into his sweatpants. He looks up Ria again, her tears now free falling.

"What happened Ria?" He asked. "One moment you were playing, and-"

"His, his toy. He was trying to chew on it b-but it's so pointy, he could've gotten h-hurt." Ria's voice cracks. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just asked him to stop but he wasn't listening so I-I don't know why he said that..." She looks down at her lap, defeated. "I'm sorry, it's my fault."

"Ria, you haven't done anything wrong, so no need to apologize." He looks down at his lap, eyes flashing red for a second. "I've told him not to do that many times."

"Oh, no no! I raised my voice at him. It isn't his-"

"And, he can't throw tantrums like this when he doesn't get his way. It's not your fault. He was the one who insisted you come over today even when I was home. I need to teach him a lesson—"

Ria stands up. "He's just a child, August! He'll learn as he grows up."

"I'll handle things, Ria. You can go home for today."

"Are you sure?" Ria looks anything but. August nods, determined. "Just go."

Leaving without sorting out this mess doesn't sit right with the girl. She hesitates where she stands.

"Ria? Do you trust me?"

She nods wordlessly. Of course she does. August smiles. "Then leave this to me. My driver will drop you. Bye."

When the front door clicks shut, August pulls away from his son. "She's gone."

Aaron's cheeks are wet with tears.

"You know you were wrong, right? You can't just throw these words at anyone, especially not at someone whom you love or someone who loves you." He explains, voice soft. "Are you sorry?" he asks. He doesn't get any response.

Aaron is not sorry, August notes.

"Well, if that's the case then I don't think you care if she comes back or not. She's gone for good. You don't have to be with anyone you clearly hate." His tone is soft, but he can see the effect his words have on his son. Even though the little boy stands before him, fists clenched and face hard. "Let's have dinner, then we sleep."

That night, Aaron doesn't get a kiss.

The following morning, August walks into the kitchen half dressed as Aaron eats his boiled veggies.

"Yes Ria, Aaron doesn't need you anymore. Yeah. You don't have to come today." He pretends to speak on the phone. Aaron looks at him sideways but doesn't say anything. August had already texted Ria earlier, a lot of convincing later she agreed to take the day off.

He puts down his phone and buttons the rest of shirt. "Daddy has to go to work, I'll call the auntie next door to take care of you again." He walks to his boy, placing a soft kiss on his hair. "Bye baby, be a good boy. Okay?"

Said boy tears up a little, but he doesn't crack.

—

August picks up Aaron's favorite food for dinner on his way back. He finds the boy on the couch, flying a toy helicopter around the living room. August settles down beside him. "How was your day baby?"

Aaron doesn't reply. He has a frown on his face as he crashes his toy against the wall. That makes August smile a little, he knows just what to add to the fire.

"You know who I met on my way home today? I met Ria."

The little boy turns his head to the right. He looks perked up, very interested.

"Ria was at the park with a little boy. They looked so cute, playing together. After that, they went to get Ice Cream together. Lucky for you, I took pictures. Wait let me-" He fishes out his phone and unlocks it.

"Dwddy.." Aaron bursts into tears "m' sowwy, dwddy m' sowwy I mwiss Riri! Dwddy plweas bwing Riri bwack.. Am sowwyyyy.." he falls off the couch dramatically. August hums, "But, didn't you say you hate her?"

"Nuuuuuuh, I love her!" He cries, rolling around on the floor. August sighs, picking him off the floor and pulling him on his lap.

"Dwaddy pweeeese, wanna see Riri."

"And are you really sorry?" He asks Aaron who nods immediately. August kisses his forehead.

"Will you never use these words again? Atleast for her? You hurt Ria—"

Aaron shakes his head vigorously.

"Do you pinky promise?" He stretches out his pinky. Aaron is quick to intertwine their fingers together, hiccuping. "Pwomise dwaddy."

"That's my boy." He stands up with Aaron clutched to him. "When we meet her you have to say sorry again, and give her kisses, okay? Now stop crying baby, I'm taking you to her."

With a huge pout, Aaron is strapped into the baby seat in August's car. He just wants to hug Ria as soon as possible.

When Ria opens the door she's tackled into the floor with a three year old hugging her knees. There's tears shining in her eyes as she drinks in the sight of him. "Aaron!"

"Am sowy Riri! I dun hate you, I lub youuuu." He climbs up to her chest and buries his head there. "Am so sowy! Tss my fwult, Riri pweese."

"Baby, it's okay! I know you didn't mean it." She says as Aaron presses kisses on her cheeks, nose, forehead, everywhere. She looks up at August who's standing by the threshold. He holds up the bag of takeaway. "I hope you didn't have dinner yet."

Sebastian is a laughing mess the next day as August retells the story. Truly, the antics of his baby and his babysitter are interesting.

"Why don't you just ask Ria to move in with you?"

August pauses, gaze flickering everywhere but at Sebastian. "Why would I do that?"

"Aaron is clearly very fond of her, and don't lie to me, you are too. Ask her to move in, then you can be carefree when you're away."

"I don't see why Ria would ever agree to a settlement like that."

Sebastian chuckled. "Maybe because she loves Aaron? And you."

August scoffs. "Very funny."

"August." His tone is serious this time. "You can't hide things from me, not when we've been together for three thousand years now. You like Ria and Ria likes you-"

"So should we start dating?"

"Well,, If you're asking for my opinion then let me tell you, it's a yes from me."

With a shake of his head August leans back. "It's literally impossible. I've been alive for so long, Aaron will be too. He will grow up to be a demon, he will do unspeakable things in order to rise up in ranks. Just like you and me. Ria is a human, a mortal and she needs to be far far away from all this mess. I just need her till Aaron is grown enough to handle himself and then-" he stops himself.

"And then she's gone for good yeah?"

August hates that thought. To not have Ria around anymore. When he thinks back to the time, when he was yet to meet Ria, Aaron was so difficult to handle, he can't even imagine going back to those days again. Both the son and his daddy has grown too attached to her. To the point she's family now, not just a babysitter.

To Aaron, she may be more than just a babysitter. August doesn't know what his son feels as of now, but he would hate to part from her. That much is certain.

"If she wants to, yeah."

Sebastian is laughing again. "That's not the August I know. Since when do you let things slip past your hands. If you want her, ask her. If she's willing to stay with you, then why is it a problem?"

"How does one even ask that to their son's baby sitter?!"

"Fair point." Sebastian nods. "But you can always ask that to, uhm, your girlfriend." And a napkin is immediately thrown at him. August is sure Ria never thought of him that way. After all, who would want to be with a demon, specially the worst of his kind?

-

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