A/n: Hello everyone! And thanks for stopping in to give this a look over. This bunch of one-shots isn't going to be anything fancy. They're basically just quick one hour or so one-shots involving bedtime Bible stories that Adam and Liam tell their kids. The idea of Liam and Adam reading Bible stories to their kids every night wouldn't leave me alone. So, I'll be updating this pretty sporadically since I'll be using this as my "I want fluff because King and Lionheart is becoming depressing" story.
The stories will alternate between the Pevensie household and the Leonidas household. Most of the names from the stories are slightly changed, but not too much. I usually adapt them from the Hebrew pronunciation/spelling to make things easier for myself because I stink at creating names. :D And half the time the Hebrew names for the Bible characters don't sound a thing like their English counterparts anyway which I find really weird (like Jesse the father of David. His Hebrew name is Yeesha. Where on Earth did Jesse come from?).
First up in the series is little Peter. This story is set just a few weeks before Helen and Adam find out Helen is pregnant with Edmund. Peter is 4 years old. He also has a bit of a problem with the "r" sound, hence the misspellings during his talking parts. I know he's a little old for these problems, but one of my sisters had problems with "r" sounds up until 6 so I'm giving myself some wiggle room. ;)
Hope you enjoy!
God bless!
Disclaimer: I only slightly own Adam, though I do co-own him with the wonderful JustValiant1717. Everything else is just borrowed – even the Bible stories. :D
~~~ Line Break ~~~
"Daddy?"
Adam looked up from where he was fixing one of the rafters in the back room. Liam might have the skills for detailed work, but he also knew his way around tools and wood. Mostly because of Liam, which he wasn't ashamed to admit. His son stood at the bottom of the ladder – well outside of the drop zone like the good boy he was. He was twisting his hands into the bottom of his pjs.
"What's wrong, Pete? Are you ready for bed?"
Peter nodded, "Uh-huh. My teeth are bwushed and I'm dwessed."
"I see that. Is it time for your story?"
Peter's eyes lit up, "Uh-huh! Huwwy, Daddy! Please!"
"All right." Adam laughed. "Go get in your bed. I'll be right there. I just have to finish this, and then I'll be up. Can you get the book for me?"
"Okay!"
Adam shook his head and sighed as Peter took off running out of the room. He finished up what he was doing as quickly as he could. Then he went to see his son.
Halfway up the stairs, he passed Helen. She rolled her eyes when she saw him, "He's very excited. I could barely get him settle down tonight."
Adam laughed, "Well, at least he's not bored. I remember a time in my life when I didn't want to hear a word of Aslan's lessons."
Helen leaned up to drop a kiss on his cheek, "We can thank Aslan for guiding you back. Without you, I would never have known the truth."
Adam was kept from responding by a call coming from up the stairs, "Daddy! Aw you coming?"
Now it was Helen's turn to laugh, "Duty calls, Hot Shot."
"I'll be down in a little while." Adam growled playfully, stopping for a second to steal a kiss. Then he continued up the stairs.
Entering Peter's room, he was greeted by his son sitting on his bed with his arms crossed. He had to stifle a chuckle at the sight of his 4-year-old son frowning at him.
"You and Mommy wewe being icky again. I was waiting!"
"We were. I'm sorry." Adam acknowledged. "Do you have the book?"
"Yep! Hewe you go!" Peter pulled the large book out from under his covers and held it out to his dad.
"Thank you." Adam said as he took it from Peter. As soon as his hands were free, Peter pulled the covers back so that his dad could sit. As Adam did so, Peter threw the covers over him.
"All right." Adam said as Peter snuggled into his side. "Where were we?"
"Divwed was about to go fight the giant Golyat." Peter pipped up, bouncing slightly. "Wead, Daddy, wead!"
"All right!" Adam laughed, opening the book to the page marker. "Impatient tonight are we. Do you remember what happened last night?"
"Uh-huh. Shawool twied to give Divwed his awmow. Divwed said he didn't need it because Aslan would help him. Then he picked up five little wocks and went to meet Golyat. Wead, Daddy, please!"
"Okay! Here we go."
After Divred got his stones, he continued on his way towards the middle of the valley. Golyat was waiting for him there. He wore a heavy helmet on his head, and had a big metal breastplate on.
"Daddy, what's a bweastplate?"
"It's a big piece of metal that goes on your chest, right here." Adam tickled Peter all up and down his chest causing the little boy to giggle and squirm away. "It protects you from arrows and things like that."
"Oh. Okay!"
Golyat also had a big sword that he kept in a leather sheath tied to his hip and he carried a spear that ways almost as tall as he was. He towered over Divred. And when he saw that it was Divred who had come to fight him, he was not happy.
"Am I a dog?" He roared, so loudly that the mountains around them rumbled in reply. "Why do you come to fight me with sticks? If you come and fight me, I will tear you into pieces. And then I'll feed you to the birds and to the wild animals!"
Divred didn't get scared though.
"Why do you think that is, Pete?" Adam paused, running his hand through Peter's golden locks.
"Because Divwed knew Aslan was with him!" Peter chirped. "An with Aslan, he could do anything."
"Exactly. And it's the same with us. Aslan holds us in His paws. We don't have to be scared of anything because He is with us."
He turned back to the story.
Instead of getting scared, he stood up straight and stared at Golyat, "You come to fight me with a sword and with a spear. But I have the name of Aslan with me. With His help, I will defeat you!"
Golyat roared when he heard that. Drawing his sword, he started running at Divred. But still Divred wasn't scared. Instead of running away, he pulled a stone out of his pouch. Putting it in his sling, he began to twirl the sling. After a minute, he let the stone fly.
It flew through the air so fast that it could barely be seen. And then it hit Golyat in his forehead, and he fell to the ground."
"Yay! Way to go Divwed!" Peter cheered. Adam smiled.
When the Pleeshtee saw their warrior die, they became afraid. They didn't even wait to talk to King Sharool. Instead they immediately ran away. And they kept running until they got back to the borders of Etten-smar.
Adam finished the story and closed the book. "What did you think?"
"I like that one a lot." Peter said.
Adam got out from under the covers, then turned to pull them up to Peter's chin, "Even more than Moske and the lantern?"
"Uh-huh. But that one is still my second favowite."
"I'm glad. I like that story too. All right now. It's time to sleep. Eyes closed."
Peter dutifully closed his eyes, wiggling a bit to get into a more comfortable position. Adam waited until he was settled down, and then placed a hand on Peter's head.
"May the Lion protect and defend you. May He shield you from shame. May He make your name to shine throughout the land. May He make you like Avram and Moske.
"Strengthen Peter, oh Aslan. Keep him in Your paws and keep him from falling away from Your path. Protect and defend him and keep him from pain. Amen." *
"Amen. Love you, Daddy!" Peter threw his arms up around Adam's neck and squeezed really hard.
"I love you too, Peter." Adam returned the hug, then settled Peter back onto his bed. "Sleep well." He dropped a kiss onto Peter's forehead, then exited the room after turning out the lights.
~~~ Line Break ~~~
*Adapted from The Sabbath Prayer, an amazing song from the Broadway play/movie Fiddler on the Roof. I've loved this song since I can remember, and it fit perfectly with Adam. I couldn't resist. :P