Viper Manor ~ April 11, 2027

Viper sighed in relief as Demyan made his way towards her and wrapped his arms around her. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him as well, kissing his cheek gently as she repositioned them so she was sitting on the ground with him on her lap.

She winced with guilt upon hearing Demyan's wail, gently guiding his head to her chest as her other hand rubbed small circles on his back in a soothing manner. "Shh, bunny, it's alright. No one is mad at anyone..." she replied, her guilt accumulating at the worry in her son's tone.

Viper pressed a kiss upon the child's forhead. "You were being a good big brother as always. In fact, I'm the one who has to apologize to you." She shifted slightly and repositioned the two of them so she and Demyan could make eye contact.

The moment identical green eyes locked, Viper felt herself tear up again, though she did her best to hold it in. After all, she didn't want her little boy to see her cry. "Demyan, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get so angry with you. Especially today. It's just," she paused for a moment to take a breath, remembering what Sevastyan had told her earlier. ""Up in the tower there are... monsters. Mean monsters that your daddy and I try to keep away with our magic..." she explained as best as she could, hoping her son would understand.

With a gentle touch, she swept a lock of hair away from his face. "We don't want you or your sisters to get Demyan. I don't know what I would do if something happened to any of the three of you... I love you all too much..." she pressed a kiss to Demyan's head. "I'm so sorry, Demyan. Please forgive me..." she pleaded softly.

Relief flooded the boy when his mother returned the embrace and affection. Demyan was slightly confused how his mother had gone from completely ignoring him to this. However, the boy wasn't going to question why! He allowed himself to be repositioned, though he still clung to her with a rather impressive grip for a child of five.

A few tears leaked from his eyes, though Demyan was soon soothed by the affectionate actions. He was baffled by her statement that no one was angry with anyone. The boy was certain anger had been the driving force that made his mama deaf to his apology. But he supposed it didn't matter now. All seemed well and good.

"Hm?" Demyan uttered upon hearing that his mother felt she was the one that owed him an apology. He didn't understand - after all, it was he who had been bad... Confused emeralds searched the identical pair before him in innocent, curious search for answers.

Green orbs immediately lowered in guilt the moment the word 'angry' resurfaced. A tiny line creased between his brows. The pause made Demyan glance up curiously, wondering what lesson or punishment would befall him. "I didn't see any monsters... Why can't we just get rid of 'em?" came a question that was slightly moistened by unshed tears.

Demyan blinked as the offending lock of hair was removed from his line of sight. When his mother finished speaking, asking forgiveness, the boy offered a small smile and a nod before snuggling into the comfort of an embrace once more. "And I'm sorry I was bad, Mommy..." he murmured, immediately relaxing muscles he hadn't realized he'd had let alone had been tensing.

Viper could only smile at her son's grip tightened, her worries and fears forgotten for the moment as she encouraged the embrace with a one of her own, albeit not nearly as tight as his. With a gentleness only Motherhood could teach her, Viper tenderly wiped away any and all the tears that cascaded down her baby's face.

She practically melted at Demyan's question, holding him closer and answering as honestly as she could. "You can't get rid of all the monsters in this world, bunny..." Viper replied, wincing at the truth. She knew, and hoped Demyan knew, she would give up everything she had and would ever have to keep the Monsters, and not just the ones living at the manor, away from her children.

"You weren't bad, bunny. You were just having a little fun, that's all. But please don't do it again." she pressed a kiss on his cheek.

She sat for a moment, savouring the feeling of her son in her arms before deciding it was time to get his birthday started, on the right foot this time. She smiled mischeviously. "I believe, this is what you were looking for." she replied with a wink, revealing a small, slytherine colored, gift wrapped box. "Happy birthday, bunny..." she whispered, tapping his nose gently in affection.

All felt right and good with the world as Demyan felt his mother reciprocate and encourage the embrace. The tears stopped, and the ones that remained were not left upon his cheeks for long. A small part of him still regretted his aimless meanderings. Would his mother believe him if he'd told her it was an accident? Would it really matter now? Demyan decided to stay quiet: no need to make her think he was lying.

He stayed quiet, savoring the closeness offered, not wanting to ruin the mother and son moment that didn't make him feel an inch tall. At her request and kiss, Demyan relinquished some of his grip and slowly nodded. He never wanted to be ignored again! From the corner of his eye he noticed a smile playing about his mother's face. Immediately, he rose his head from its former resting place to see what she had up her sleeve - figuratively speaking.

Upon reveal of a gift, Demyan's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Thank you Mama!" Demyan cried out gleefully and accepted the package, blinking and giggling at the tap to the nose. The little boy gently bounced on his mother's lap from excitement, though paused as his mind focused entirely on unwrapping the parcel to find the gift inside....



Ever since his parents, Lara (considering Lynn hadn't been born yet), and he vacationed in Japan, Demyan had picked up a fascination with all things of the East. He learned that his Chinese zodiac sign was that of the Tiger - which was the creature depicted upon the trinket his mother had bought for him.

"It's pretty mummy - spasiba!" he declared. The carved jade stone in one hand, Demyan practically flung his arms around his mother again in appreciation and affection. All thoughts to his birthday having gotten started "on the wrong foot" vanished completely.

Viper's smile widened as she witnessed her son's reaction, his laughter the sweetest music in her ears, bewitching her's to follow, especially when his arms tightened around her. She was thrilled Demyan liked her gift as much as he clearly did. One of her recent, and fondest, for that matter, memories was of the family's trip to Japan.

Viper knew the children would enjoy the trip to a foreign place. Especially one who's culture was strikingly different than the one they grew up in, but she hadn't expected Demyan to take a shine to it as much as he did, eagerly absorbing as much of his surroundings as he could. All she could do to pry him away when it was time to leave was promise him they would return soon, a promise Viper had every intention on keeping, especially as Lynn had not been born at that time and would surely benefit immensely from such an experience.

"You're welcome, bunny!" Viper grinned, kissing her son on the forehead in reply. "I'm glad you like it!" she giggled in response, standing up with her son in her arms. She almost staggered for a brief moment, suprised at how much heavier her son seemed since the last time she carried him, but she shrugged it off. After all, every moment with children was precious. How much longer until she was wholly incapable of carrying her son?

"Come on, bunny, the day is still young and you've got a whole birthday and a mountain of presents to get to!" she beamed, pressing her head against Demyan's in affection. "Ready?"

Demyan grinned lopsidedly upon hearing his mother’s laughter, whether she could tell he was doing so or not. He clutched onto his mother slightly tighter – but not too tightly, in his thinking – when Viper hoisted him up into her arms. The boy didn’t notice her stagger, being too young and excited to realize he was likely heavier than the last time he’d been carried. It was moments like this he cherished, and would cherish for as long as he could recall them.

The boy mimicked his mother’s gesture of affection, making sure to press his head against hers just as much as she was. However, it was done perhaps a bit quicker due to Demyan’s all-too-obvious excitement. When asked if he was ready emerald orbs widened to the size of golf-balls and a grin seemed to split his face in two. “Da! Da, mama! I’m ready!” he exclaimed excitedly and shifted just a little in his mother’s arms.

The child vaguely wondered if Lara was looking for him in their practically forgotten (by him, at least) game of hide-and-seek... and where his father had taken Lynn. While he loved his sisters, despite the frequent spats between him and Lara, Demyan set these thoughts aside for now.

“What’re we gonna do first, mama?” Demyan asked in the same, cheery and slightly hyper tone.

The smile illuminating Viper's face was that of pure happiness. There was no greater feeling in the world than that of one's child as happy as can be, smiling and holding you tightly, returning your affection. She laughed inwardly as she remembered a random elderly witch she had run into during a family outing in Hogsmeade, and the advice she bestowed.

"Enjoy all the affection they give you now, because the moment their teenagers, it'll be nothing but slammed doors, scowls, and pouts..."

Viper listened to the given advice with amusement, nodding to show comprehension, but barely keeping her laughter at bay. As a Professor and Head of House it wasn't anything she hadn't known. After all, she witnessed teenage obnoxiousness on a nearly everyday basis. But she had taken the advice to heart, nonetheless, combining it with her life philosophy, one of many, might she had, to live each day as her last, and savour every moment she had with her family.

She wondered briefly where Lara, her oldest daughter, was at the moment, as she knew where her youngest and Sevastyan were. She assumed that, as usual, the little girl was still in her room, curled up sound asleep under the covers. Viper sighed mentally. She wouldn't call her oldest lazy, but Lara was certainly fond of sleeping. Or, "hibernating", as Dracovan put it. Oh well, she thought. Lara would be up sooner or later. And if not, well, seeing as how it was Demyan's birthday that Lara was sleeping through, Viper felt it was only fair for Demyan to decide how to wake his older sister.

The sound of Demyan's voice broke her musings as she turned her attention back to her son in her arms, her eyes as bright as the smile upon her. "Well... since it's your birthday, I daresay what we do is up to you. What we have for breakfast, where we go today, what we do today, anything you want. It's your day, Demyan." she replied, caressing his cheek, and pressing a kiss to his forhead.