#dadsos AU

[higgs-the-god]

hmmmmmmmmm

[nostalgiabones]

Finding Out // C.H

So, this is the first blurb in my new ‘second baby’ series! Following on from the responses I got in this poll, I decided to do this as a series of blurbs rather than one big fic. Thank you to everyone for sharing your thoughts! I don’t have a solid plan for this series yet so there’s still plenty of time if you want to have any input. I’m basically going to do a pregnancy and baby series! As always, feedback is appreciated so please let me know what you think💕

Word count: 3.3k 

Warnings: pregnancy & sickness (nothing graphic!) 

“Baby…”

Calum’s gentle touch on your arm rouses you from sleep, his fingertips lightly running up and down your wrist. Your eyes flutter in response, eyebrows furrowing in confusion when you take in your surroundings. You’re in bed, in the middle of the afternoon, tucked up under the duvet with Mara asleep in your arms. Calum is perched on the edge of the bed, wanting to make sure you’re feeling okay after falling asleep for a few hours with Mara.

It wasn’t often you fell asleep with Mara during her nap. Additionally, Mara didn’t usually nap in your bed; she’d be in her own bed, in her own room, down the hall. Yet today, she had wanted just one story to settle her, and with your own eyes ladened with tiredness, you decided to read to her in your bed. The plan was to move her when she fell asleep, yet it seems as though you didn’t make it that far. It was becoming less often that Mara would nap, now that she’s almost four; only sleeping during the day when she had been unsettled the night before. 

“What time is it?” You murmur, careful not to move and jostle Mara – even though it’s time she wakes up too. Mara stretches, pushing her hands against your arm as she wriggles before settling again. “I didn’t even mean to fall asleep.”

Calum chuckles at your confusion, taking your hand in his own and pressing a kiss to your knuckles.

“It’s nearly 4,” He replies, his free hand brushing Mara’s curls away from her face. She leans into his touch, a sigh slipping from her lips as she snoozes. “I thought it was about time Mara woke up. We’re in for some fun later if she sleeps any longer.”

You nod in agreement, knowing she had already slept too much. You move the arm that’s wrapped around her, rubbing your fingertips up and down her back to wake her. She yawns and rubs her eyes, realising that she’s still snug up against you, and that she slept in your bed. “Hi mama,”

You smile at her words, her voice heavy with sleep. She sits up and notices Calum is there too; holding her hands out for him so he’ll take her. He lifts her up, standing up from the bed and sitting her on his hip as she wakes up a little more. It melts Calum’s heart to see you nap together – reminiscent of the days where the two of you had no responsibilities, where you used to spend whole afternoons asleep together, sometimes waking up when the sun had gone down. It makes him realise how different things are now. “Hi, little moon. Someone had a good snooze with mum, huh? Is your tummy ready for some dinner?”

He chats to her absentmindedly as he takes her downstairs, giving you a few moments alone to come round from your unexpected nap. Sitting up, you notice how your body aches with fatigue, your lower back twinging as you stretch. Thinking nothing of it, you re-make the bed, before joining Calum and Mara in the kitchen.

The familiar scent of Mara’s favourite pasta flooded your senses; one that you’d usually enjoy too, yet it makes your stomach turn as you enter the kitchen.  Calum notices the scrunching of your nose as it hits you, wondering what caused it.

“You okay?” He murmurs, his hands resting on your hips as you stand in the cradle of his hips. You nod, taking quiet deep breaths through your nose to stop the sick feeling creeping up your throat. Mara was unsuspecting, the sight of you and Calum close in the kitchen not unfamiliar to her. “What is it?”

“I think it’s the food,” You reply, that being the only thing you can think of that’s making you feel queasy. Calum’s warm palms rub up and down your back as your hands rest on his chest. “I’m okay, though. I might just be coming down with something.”

“Mmm,” Calum replies, raising an eyebrow in suspicion of you. The fatigue and sickness are all signs that he’s seen before; specifically, four years ago. “We’ll have to keep an eye on you.”

“I finished,” Mara calls out, your attention diverted from Calum to your sweet daughter sitting in her chair at the end of the table. The plate in front of her is clear and Calum has already covered the rest, saving it so she can have it for lunch tomorrow. You’re grateful that it’s no longer in the room, not wanting to get sick in front of Mara. “Can I go play?”

You nod, helping her down from the table, accepting the sweet hug as she wraps her arms around your legs. “You have an hour until bath time, okay? I’ll come play with you soon.” 

“Okay.” She responds, running off to the lounge where most of her toys end up throughout the day. Calum’s eyes follow you as you clear up after her; you feel him watching you, like he knows something is going on.

“Stop looking at me like that,” You tell him, without even looking at him. You know the look he’s giving you. It’s a knowing one. He knows the thought has crossed your mind too. “I’m fine.”

He chuckles, taking Mara’s plate out of your hands so he can take over cleaning up. He brushes a kiss to your pouty lips, before setting the dishes down in the sink. “Go see Mara,” he murmurs, followed by another kiss. “We’ll talk about it later.” 

***

“Is mumma okay?”

Mara’s question takes Calum by surprise as he brushes through her unruly curls, following her bath. Her cheeks are rosy from the heat of the bath and the warmth of her pyjamas, perched on the edge of her bed as he gets her ready to go to sleep.

Calum tends to forget how old Mara is – how she’s not a baby anymore, and how she’s much more intuitive than he realises. She knows when something is different – always a curious child, much like he was, always asking questions when she thought something wasn’t right. He didn’t want her to worry though. He’s almost sure of what’s going on – that you’re not sick, and he doesn’t want Mara to lose sleep over it.

“Why do you ask, baby?” He replies, although he already thinks he knows the answer. Bath and bedtime is usually a joint effort; yet tonight Calum has sent you to relax early. He knows you won’t unless he forces you to, and he doesn’t want you to overwork yourself, especially if his suspicions are correct. Mara notices your absence though.

“She said her tummy felt funny earlier,” Mara informs him, looking down at her hands as she talks. Calum hums in acknowledgement, setting the hair brush down on the side of her bed as he gets her attention. Gently tiling her chin to look at him, he notices her big brown eyes are filled with worry, and it makes his heart ache.

“Listen to me, sweetheart,” He murmurs, settling her in his lap so he can reassure her. “No worrying, okay? She’s fine, I promise. I’m sure she’ll be in to say goodnight any moment now.”

Mara nods, trusting of him – he knows he hasn’t settled her completely, yet he hopes that once you say goodnight, she’ll feel better. He feels bad telling her that you’re fine when Mara has heard otherwise, yet he doesn’t know how else to explain why he thinks you’re sick. Not until he’s sure, anyway. “Are you ready to get into bed?”

He’s cut off by you joining them in her bedroom; the night light illuminating the room in a soft glow. She hadn’t quite overcome her fear of the dark; still needing the golden light from the lamp to reassure her that there was nothing lingering in the shadows. Mara’s eyes light up at the sight.

“There’s my sweet girl,” You greet her, kneeling next to where she’s getting into bed. “Are you ready for some sleep? Mumma is ready to go to sleep too.” 

It’s something you say to her most nights, that you’re going to bed, so she doesn’t feel as though she’s missing out on any fun with you and Calum. Yet tonight it makes her more anxious, that you’re going to bed because there’s something wrong. 

“Does your tummy still feel funny?” She asks, tucking her bottom lip between a teeth -- a sign of her nerves. Her sweetness makes you smile yet you can’t help but feel bad that she’s worried. You help to tuck her under the duvet, pulling it up around her shoulders so she’s snug in the bed. 

“No baby, I feel better now.” You reassure her, though not completely true. It’s not something you want her to worry about either. Mara seems satisfied with your answer, shuffling down in her bed so her head is on the pillow. You rub your pointer finger over her cheek, watching as her eyes grow heavier and flutter as she looks at you. “Have sweet dreams, okay? We’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Love you, mama,” She murmurs sleepily, snuggling into the bed as you kiss her cheek. Calum follows, brushing her curls out of her face and giving her a goodnight kiss.

“Love you, baby. You know where we are if you need us, okay? Duke is here too,” Calum assures her, gesturing to the sleeping dog curled up on the foot of her bed. It’s where he slept most nights, wanting to be near Mara -- sometimes ending up under the duvet next to her. “Sleep tight.” 

You leave the room and pull the door to so she can sleep, knowing you and Calum have an interesting night ahead. 

“So,” Calum begins, leading you to your bedroom, where you had previously been curled up watching Netflix. You sigh as you sit on the edge of the bed, looking down at your slippers to avoid his gaze. He knows where Mara got that habit from. “You’re thinking the same thing as me, right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” You feign seriousness, taking a deep breath before looking up at him, a knowing smirk on your lips. “But when I napped earlier, the smell of your cologne on the pillow nearly made me throw up.” 

Calum raises his eyebrows -- another occasion reminding him of this time four years ago. He’ll never forget the time he came home from the studio and wrapped you in a hug, your face buried in his neck, but only for a second before you nearly threw up all over his shoes. He’d had to use something other than his favourite Calvin Klein fragrance for the remainder of your pregnancy, and he feels as though he’s about to have to do the same thing again.

“Do you still have those spare tests in the bathroom?” 

Your mind wanders to the stash of spare pregnancy tests in the bottom drawer of the bathroom cabinet, kept there always ‘just in case.’ It turns out to be pretty handy that you have them now. You nod, but make no effort to move from the bed in order to take one, and Calum wants to know what’s on your mind.

“Talk to me, honey,” Calum prompts you, sitting down next to you, his arm around your waist. You sigh and rest your head on his shoulder, trying to avoid his cologne once more in the worry of it turning your stomach. You sit for a moment, trying to work out what you’re feeling before articulating it to Calum. “What are you thinking about?”

A second baby was something the two of you had discussed; you weren’t necessarily trying to get pregnant, but you weren’t trying not to, either. You just hadn’t expected it this fast, and your mind wanders to the sweet girl sleeping down the hall.

“I’m nervous.” You reply, wringing your hands together in anxiousness, and Calum tries to soothe you by taking one of your hands in his. He links your fingers with his, gently squeezing to keep you grounded. “What if Mara doesn’t want us to have a baby? She’s so used to it just being her.” 

Calum nods, and he’d be lying if he said the thought hadn’t crossed his mind too. You were so settled as a family of three, always focused on Mara, yet you both know you always planned to have more than one child. 

“She’ll adjust, baby. It’s going to be new for us all. She has plenty of time to get used to the idea, and we can help her with that.” Calum replies, his hand rubbing up and down your arm as he speaks. “She’ll be so excited. You’ve seen how interested she is in talking to Luke about their baby when we see them.”

He’s right -- with Luke and his wife getting closer to the arrival of their first baby, Mara had taken a great interest in everything to do with her pregnancy. She had many questions whenever they visited, each time wondering when the baby would arrive. Her concept of time was something she didn’t quite understand yet. ‘Soon’ seemed to be her least favourite word. 

“I love how we’re doing this and we don’t even know if I’m pregnant yet,” You chuckle, followed by a laugh from Calum too. He pulls you a little closer and kisses your cheek, a smile on his lips.

“I’ll be very surprised if you’re not.” He replies, and you know he’s right. There had been little signs here and there; mainly the sickness and how tired you’ve been, along with a few other symptoms similar to that of when you were pregnant with Mara. You both recognise the signs. “Should we go find out for sure?”

You nod and follow him to the bathroom, closing the door behind you, as not to wake Mara. You go into the drawer and find the tests, pulling one out so you can use it.

“You’re really gonna watch me do this?” You ask, seeing as Calum had no intention of leaving the bathroom.

“I’ve seen worse things.” Calum replies, met with you rolling your eyes. “I’ll look away.”

He chats to you to take your mind away from your worries as you take the test. “Can you believe it’s been four years since we last did this?”

It doesn’t feel like four years. It barely feels like any time at all since you brought Mara home from the hospital. 

“Well, if you don’t count that one time after Mara’s first birthday.” You retort, Calum’s eyes widening at the memory before he laughs. That time you had definitely not been trying to have a baby. The test had been false, but you went through the motions all the same. 

“Oh yeah,” He murmurs, getting distracted by playing with his hair in the mirror. The bleach blonde look was starting to grow out, the dark roots no longer concealed. He made a mental note to get a haircut, not like he had more important things to think about in the moment. His attention is diverted by the sound of you running your hands under the sink, watching as the three minute timer began on your phone. 

“And now we wait.” 

Calum takes your hands in his once more and tries to get you to look at him, even though both of you are pre-occupied by the white stick next to the sink.

“Stop worrying,” He murmurs, like he can tell how fast your mind is racing. He knows it’s a big adjustment, that it’ll change your lives forever, just like Mara did -- yet he finds himself much less terrified than he was four years ago. “Whatever happens, we can handle it. We always do, don’t we?” 

You nod, feeling much better with him by your side. You think about how Mara will react -- will she be happy or upset? She’s so caring towards Duke, so you can’t help but think about how great of a big sister she would be. The thought of introducing a new baby to her makes your heart ache a little, just hoping that she would be happy. 

Time seems to stand still as you watch the clock on your phone -- the longest three minutes of your life. You press your face against Calum’s t-shirt, knowing that if his cologne did make you sick, you were in the right place. You’re both snapped out of your thoughts when your phone buzzes against the marble counter.

“I can’t look,” You tell him, facing away from the counter. As nervous as you are, now that you’ve thought about another baby, you know you’ll be disappointed if it’s negative. 

“Do you want me to?” Calum asks, and you nod, wrapping your arms around his waist and hiding your face against his shoulder. He picks the test up off of the counter and looks at the result, your heart pounding in your chest when he lets out a deep sigh. 

Pregnant. 

Calum pauses for a moment, his gentle touch on your lower back the only thing grounding you in the moment. 

“So... which room should we make into the nursery?”

You clasp your hand over your mouth, tears instantly slipping down your cheeks. Calum pulls you towards him, setting the test back on the side and wrapping both of his arms around your waist. He rests his head on your shoulder, his lips brushing the bare skin exposed from your jumper falling out of place.

“Really? I’m really pregnant?” You ask through tears, cupping Calum’s face in your hands so he’s looking at you. You see a shine in his own eyes, unshed tears just sitting at his lash line at the thought of your family expanding. Flashes of your pregnancy with Mara flood through his mind, as well as glimpses of the past four years of being parents. He can’t wait to do it all again. 

“Yeah, baby,” He chuckles, his tone laced with disbelief too. “Mara’s gonna be a big sister.” 

There’s so much on your mind, you don’t know where to begin. “Should we tell her?”

Calum shakes his head, one hand moving to rest on your stomach, your bump non-existent. His heart skips a beat at the thought of your bump growing and your body changing again, all to accommodate another baby. He knows it’s very early days and he doesn’t want to tell Mara until you know everything is okay. “I don’t think we should yet, honey. Let's at least wait until you see a doctor? Just so we know for sure.”

He sees a flash of worry in your eyes. He’s forgotten how scary pregnancy is; how you feel like everything is out of your control, yet you want to do everything you can to protect the baby at all times. 

“Don’t,” He murmurs, knowing where your mind is going. He cups your face in his hand, his thumb gently rubbing circles over your cheek. “Everything is going to be fine. We just need to be sure, okay?”

You nod, agreeing with his words. You reach up to peck his lips, savouring the serene moment of joy with him his fingers still absentmindedly brushing over your stomach. “Well, how should we celebrate?” 

“I just don’t know,” Calum chuckles, thinking for a moment. The word celebrate has a different meaning now that you’re parents; it used to mean getting dragged to a bar with his bandmates and not returning until the early hours, and then spending the following day in bed. Now, you’re lucky if you find the time to go out for dinner. “I think we should go all out. Ice cream in bed and Netflix?”

“Sounds like a plan,” You reply, brushing your lips against his once more. “But if you get ice cream on the sheets, you’re washing them tomorrow.” 

He shrugs his shoulder, nodding as he speaks, “fair enough. I’ll get the ice cream. I’ll meet you in the bedroom in 10.”

***

Ask-box

Masterlist

Taglist:  @irwinkitten @wildflowergrae @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @maluminspace @fluffsshawn @xhaileyreneex @flowerthug @calpops @youngblood199456 @aliencal @wokeupinjapanisabop @banditocth @cashtonasfuck @5-secondsofcolor @g-l-pierce @monsteramongmgc @calmlftv @mantlereid @treatallwithkindness @another-lonely-heart @calumrose @inlovehoodx @mermaidcashton @everydayimfangirling @b-easybreezy @ilumxna @malumsmermaid @opheliaaurora23 @talkfastromance4 @zhangyixingxing1 @everyscarisahealingplace @mateisit-balsamic @saphseoul @suchalonelysunflower @findingliam-o @castaway-cashton @megz1985 @notinthesameguey @calumscalm @karajaynetoday @metalandboybands @littledrummeraussie @vxlentinecal @itjustkindahappenedreally @queenalienscherrypie @xxxstormyninixxx @chicken-ona-stick @hoodhoran @harrys-shrooms @midnightash

[fangirlingpuggle]

I also had this cute little idea like on one of Rian's visits he brings Deet and Brea a (live) fizzgig and Deet's like "*GASP*! ...What's that?" and Brea says, "It's a fizzgig!!!" and they're like super excited over it while the dads are just watching. Ok is like 'My girl is so smart :)' So's just 'cutecutecute' and Mal is like '...It's a common animal???' and Deet names it Fluffy and now they have a pet fizzgig that likes biting and pulling on the Skeksis robes and they just have to live w/ it

Hi there!

Yes!!! I love this so much =)

The entire castle is given orders not to harm the Fizzgig like it has free reign of the entire castle.

It keeps chasing the guards and the Skeksis, all the Skeksis get kind of annoyed until it starts to focus on SkekSil (Apparently the mmmmm does not sound good to a Fizzgig)

SkekVar then starts training it to getting it to attack properly.

SkekSil just walking down a hallway as SkekVar just puts the Fizzgig down ‘Fluffy kill!’ and the Fizzgig just starts chasing the Chamberlain..

[celticdoggo]

Gelfling skeksis au fic three

“So you felt like you were Mira for a while,” Bree asked from where she was sitting nearby notebook in hand. A sulking Rian was forcibly reclined on a bed in his childhood room. Deet had a podlings treat his wound that had turned out deeper than he thought meaning his father had banned him from hunting until it was healed. “Yes,” he answered, “it was like she was me for a little while until I shredded my thigh to ground myself.” Bree mumbled about it being fascinating as she scribbled some more in her book. Deet was the only one sympathetic as she patted his hair.

He leaned against her in response causing her to laugh. Bree eventually joined the cuddling and Rian found himself sandwhiched between them but he didn’t really care as they gently carded through his hair. Every once and a while someone would find leaves or sticks in a knot in his hair and make a comment about him never washing his hair. It was nice to sit like this. “Ri your hair is super gross,” Bree said as she and Deet has to work together to pull a matt apart as gently as possible, “when was your last bath? Tell the truth.” Rian shrugged, “I rinsed the blood off earlier.” “You rinsed,” she said and Rian could feel the eye brow raising, “you didn’t wash.”

Rian could tell where this was going and started to wiggle to slide down the bed. “Oh no you don’t,” Bree said holding him with all her weight. Deet ran to the door to call for a podlings to run a bath and grab a guard. Rian stood with Bree still hanging on and tried to book it. “Aaaaa,” Bree yelled hanging on for dear life as Rian ran down the halls. He didn’t stop until he was grabbed by the captain of the guard. A rather nice gelfling named Ordon. Rian tried to struggle as he was held in a tight headlock by Ordon as Bree picked herself up. “Thank you,” she said, “could you help us get him into the bathing room? He’s staying in the castle due to injury and he needs to not smell like a day old swamp while he does.”

Ordon let out a surprised snort of laughter. “No I wouldn’t mind Lady Skekbree,” he said as he followed her Rian still struggling though not being quite as formidable of an opponent without his armor and many weapons in reach. When they reached the bathhouse, Rian struggled even more. With a quick nod to him, Ordon tossed him into the bath clothes and all. Rian sputtered rising out of the water. It took all three of the gelfling and a few podlings to bathe him because of several escape attempts.

“There now your looking very fresh and clean,” Deet said patting Rian’s now fluffy hair as he sat trying to gather the remains of his dignity. He was wearing some borrowed casual clothes from a guard named Gurjin that were entirely too big on him. Rian grumbled causing the girls to laugh. Ordon smiles at the group of them as Deet began braiding his long hair back. Bree could see something in his smile as he looked at Rian. Something unbelievably sad and full of longing but she didn’t know what it was.

“If that’s all my lord and ladies,” he said bowing slightly, “I need to go back to work. One of my guards has gone missing and I need to go back to looking for her.” As he left Rian stiffened and gripped his stomach tightly. “Ri,” Bree said quietly laying a hand on him. He flinched a little. They knew why he was upset. “Come on Ri,” Deet said putting on a smile, “come help me catch fluffy. I think they have been hunting down mmmm for the past couple of hours.” Rian seemed to perk up at the idea of getting to mess with Chamberlin.

They had just had a grand time watching chamberlain attempt to fend off attacks from Fluffy the fizgig when they heard the yelling of an old woman. “What have you skeksis done?!” Rian stopped dead in his tracks. A haggard old woman with one eye stomped past them not even seeing the three of them. As Rian silently padded after her he thanked that the girls wore such soft slippers so they made no noise. He’s heard them try to sneak up on him in normal shoes and they were like elephants, though he would never tell them that even under threat of death.

She hobbled past the room for the Crystal then stopped in her tracks and backed up to stare at the crystal. “Oh my crystal my heart what has happened to you,” she said sounding so anguished Deet wanted to hug the old woman. Rian and Bree covered her as the crystal shower once again Mira’s tragic death. What they learned however horrified them. Mira would never be at rest with such a death. Her essence would be in a limbo with who ever drank it, trapping her forever. Rian felt his stomach writhe in response to that. He was trapping her. He…

Rian didn’t get anymore time to think about it as the old woman turned to see them. “Who are you three,” she said, brandishing her walking stick at them, “some more gelfling to doubt Mother Augrha?!” She stared them down with her one eye. “Mother Augrha,” Bree asked looking excited, “like the stories?” She raised the eyebrow over her good eye and began to stalk around the three of them. Rian whirled in place to constantly have her in his field of vision. She walked closer sniffing them. She reached out and touched Deet’s wing, Bree’s hair, and tried to touch Rian but pulled her hand back as he made to bite her.

“Hm,” she said sounding slightly mystified, “you look like gelfling, smell like gelfling, but you are not gelfling.” Augrha rapped a snarling Rian with her cane. “You especially,” she said, “you feral thing. Your no honorably warrior like the rest of your clan.” “We aren’t gelfling,” Bree explained, “we are skeksis. Deet is the daughter of the emperor. I am daughter of lord scrollkeeper. Rian is the son of the hunter.” Augrha laughed, “so even so corrupted they have soft spots for children.”

“What do you mean corrupted,” Deet asked confused. “Your parents,” she spoke the word as if it tasted vile on her tongue, “have committed a grave act against Thra itself, you yourselves have partaken in it.” She jabbed Rian’s stomach and he took a swipe at her forgetting they had taken his gauntlets to he cleaned. “You are not gelfling,” she said, “you are not skeksi. At this point you are so out of place I hesitate to call you part of Thra’s song even if I can no longer hear it.” Deet and Bree looked stricken at the idea that they were nothing in Thra. “That’s not true,” Rian snarled, “we are skeksi. They have raised and cared for us.”

Augrha huffed a laugh. “Did they tell you that,” she asked, “or do you know it?” Rian blinked again the strange question and the old woman hobbled off. “We are skeksi aren’t we,” Deet asked quietly. Rian was quiet before looking determined. “We can find out for sure,” he said, “pack in secret the both of you and meet me here when the three suns are all down.” The girls nodded and Rian went to plan. They would know the truth soon. Were they truly skeksi, gelfling, or had Thra abandoned them for not belonging anywhere?

————

I apologize for churning out so much. I’m on vacation with nothing much to do.

@fangirlingpuggle

[softforcal]

I just read both your poly!5sos and Cal pregnancy and my heart has melted 😭💕 and since I've been in an Ashton mood for the past week can you do one for him please?

ASHTON X PREGNANT READER (bonus proposal)

(Cal) (Luke) (Poly) (Michael)

-((((Also side note: i wasn’t going to post today but its @irwinkitten‘s birthday tomorrow (in a few hours her time) and i adore her so i wanted to kick off her birthday with something soft to show how much she means to me. Love you Laura. now fucking die hoe. )))

-this boy wants babies

-lots of em

-the two of you have been together for over a year and it’s definitely something you’ve talked about

-but he’s really busy with Youngblood and other stuff so it never really gets to be the right time

-you’re on tour with him and there’s about a month left and you’re having EXTREME baby fever because there are adorable children everywhere in the city you’re in

-like. an unusual amount of children

-or maybe you’re just noticing because it’s something thats on your mind

-regardless. your heart is soft as fuck.

-Ash is getting ready to go on stage and he notices you’re being kinda weird, “what’s up babe?” he asks

-”thinking about kids.” you sigh

-he stops what he’s doing and looks at you

-”oh yeah?”

-”yeah. i mean. your tour’s almost over and… i mean… if we wanted to start building a family… now might be a good time.” you shrug, “but no pressure, i mean you still have your career to think about-” he cuts you off with a kiss

-”we’ll talk about this when the show’s over, i promise.” he says, kissing your forehead before going to join the boys and go on stage

-you watch the show and surprisingly, getting pregnant isnt huge on your mind. it doesn’t really worry you. you know it’s something Ashton wants and now that you want it, you have no doubt that it will work out.

-the show ends and you wait in a back room for Ashton

-he comes off stage and is all sweaty and gorgeous and he just grabs you, “where are we going?” you ask as he pulls you towards a back dressing room, closing the door and locking it

-he kisses you, “you said you want a baby right?”

-”yeah?”

-”so stop asking questions and let daddy work.”

-’daddy’ has always used in the bedroom but OOF having baby fever while hearing it is wild

-Ashton always goes hard and this is no different

-you’ve never really done breeding kink before or really talked about pregnancy during sex and all of the sudden Ashton is like “you want me to fill you up Princess?” “going to pump a fucking baby into you.” and he’s going DEEP AF because like… better for making babies right?

-there’s probably not any real logic to that but whatever fam

-he hitting those spots is all i’m saying

-you both finish and he just stays inside of your for a bit, kissing you and being super soft

-but unlike other times with condoms, now there’s a bit of a mess (its the fucking worst) so he helps clean you up and is still super soft about it

-going back to the hotel you’re staying at for the night and he’s already down to go again

-once in the bedroom, then in the shower, then in the bedroom again, and then again in the shower and by the time you get to the bedroom again you’re like ‘please let me sleep’ and he just laughs and pulls you to his chest

-cuddling and talking about baby names

-talking about starting a family

-he’s been ready for a while but was waiting for you because it was obvious he was always down

-talking about whether you want a baby girl or boy first

-talking about how many kids you want

-just fully having an idea of the life you both want together

-you continue on tour and you have a general idea of when you’re period should come

-two weeks of really great sex all the time

-being in so many different cities and countries because you’re at the end of tour that days just start whipping by and then one day Ashton tosses you a pregnancy test because THIS GUY has a period app on his phone for you because he’s THAT FUCKING BOYFRIEND.

-”why do you have a period app for me?” “so i know when i have to go buy you chocolate. do you think i just magically have chocolate every time you get a craving?”

-what a sweetheart

-so you’re in a hotel for the night and you go pee on the stick and wait

-Ashton orders room service so that no matter what, you have comfort food to eat after the results

-”i’m afraid to look.” you groan. oddly enough he is too.

-so he calls Calum and is like “you need to get over here.” so Calum shows up and is like “what the fuck do you two animals want?” and Ashton is like “go look in the bathroom.”

-and Calum is hesitant as fuck, “if there’s a dead body in there? i hope you know Best Friend is just a song.” but he reluctantly goes inside, “did you pee on this?!” he calls back.

-”is she pregnant or not mate?!” Ashton yells.

-”yeah. she pregnant.” Calum states.

-Ashton immediately hugs you tight and after a few moments another pair of arms goes around you and Ashton and Calum is just like, “this makes me the godfather right?” “yes but don’t tell Michael. he’s going to be pissed.”

-”so… you can go now Cal.” “fuck, right, sorry.”

-once he’s gone you and Ashton just kiss and cuddle and are super fucking happy

-a few minutes later there’s knocking at your door. its Luke and Michael and they’re both like “i knew you two were fucking ever more often than normal!” “why didn’t you tell us you were trying to get pregnant!?”

-”a lots been going on mate.” Ashton shrugs. and it’s true. they’ve been really busy. besides, neither of you wanted to get your hopes up about it because for some couples it takes a long time to get pregnant

-so Luke and Michael hang out for a bit, Calum stops by to apologize for immediately throwing you two under the bus and telling Michael and Luke and then he goes, “you’ll forgive me, i’m the godfather.” and Michael freaks out

-Ashton ushering them all out of the room for alone time with you

-of course cuddling leads to sex

-he’s being a bit more gentle and you moan “daddy” and he just stops. pulls out and sits down with his head in his hands like “you can’t call me that anymore.” and he’s so distraught about it

-can you imagine. like. one of his main kinks. just out the door. because now it has to actually be used because he’s going to be a dad

-you rub at his shoulders and are just like… “sir?”

-yup that gets him going again with a laugh

-i mean, it’s nothing compared to ‘daddy’ but it will have to do

-the tour continues and it’s the second last show and as it ends, the boys are like “we have one last song for you.” and they start singing you and Ashton’s couple song and he straight up proposes to you on stage

-”i wanted to do this at the last concert but that’s Michael’s birthday so i didn’t think i could do him dirty like that,” Ashton teases as he gets down on a knee, “will you marry me?”

-of course you say yes

-its really sweet and cute and the fandom is shooketh

-they have their last concert and then everyone heads back to LA

-your first day back, Ashton is already planning the baby room because he’s so excited

-he’s just running around and he’s so cute getting worried about sharp corners and stuff like that and it’s just like “Ashton. we have time. i’m not even showing yet.”

-he’s just so excited to be getting married to you AND having a baby

-cuddles that calm him down but he gets excited and starts planning again

-having a small engagement party and announcing to close family and friends that you’re also pregnant

-so, everyone knows you’re engaged because of his very public proposal but Ashton decides to make a post for his insta to officially celebrate, he chooses a picture of you drinking a sparkling drink at your engagement party, ring showing

-he writes a long ass post about finding the love of his life and starting a new chapter and how excited he is, but he also states something along the lines of “and don’t worry, the drink is non alcoholic ;)”

-like the doesn’t explicitly state you’re pregnant but of course there would only be one fucking reason you can’t drink anymore

-the fandom is once more: shook

-now that you’re back in LA he has a lot of time to spend with you when he’s not working on the new album

-and he is an absolute spoiler

-like, as soon as you have any craving for food, he’s getting it for you

-because “you’re eating for two now Sweetheart.”

-going to your ultrasound and you decide to not know the gender of the baby (tbh, i do this every time because i wanna leave it up to the reader;)

-but the baby is strong and healthy and Ashton has tears in his eyes

-your bump begins to show and he adores it so much because “that’s my baby in there.” “our baby.” “nope, pretty sure i’m the only parent here.”

-what a teasing fuck

-he’s way softer with sex though, that would be for sure

-lots more cockwarming

-he straight up talks to the baby while he’s inside you and it’s like… “Ashton what the fuck.”

-”fuck, we can’t swear anymore. shit. i’m going to be such a bad fucking father.”

-assuring him that he’ll be a great dad

-he would totally hire someone to make the baby room perfect. i just see him as the guy that wants everything 10/10

-as it gets closer to your due date he religiously baby proofs the entire house

-he has the hospital on speed dial

-as its coming down to your due date this boy can’t sleep

-like. he is super stressed out and excited

-the boys being there for you two because this is a BIG deal

-he would adore cuddling next to your stomach and talking to the baby

-tapping gently on your stomach to show drum beats

-Ashton doesn’t even want you to leave the house without him incase somehow you get in trouble or need him and he’s not there

-can you imagine being a bit of a rebellious girlfriend and going for a walk while he’s still asleep and your water breaks so you call him and he’s like “Y/N, what the fuck, where are you?” and you’re just like “yeah… so i went for a walk and i’m fine, but like…. my water broke.” and he’s just like “fucking classic. of fucking course this would happen.”

-he comes and picks you up from wherever you are (probably like a block away from the house or some shit because classic) and he looks like shit cuz he’s exhausted and in a hoodie and sweats but he still managed to grab the hospital bag for the birth

-part of him wants to drive with both hands on the wheel to be safe

-but part of him wants to hold your hand so you can squeeze it while you have contractions

-but part of him wants his hand on your belly

-so probably a lot of him doing all three and you being like “hands on the wheel Ashton!” “we’re at a red light i can touch-” “Ashton it’s green now!”

-getting to the hospital and he doesn’t even get a wheel chair he just carries you because fuck that

-he’s super nervous and everyone can tell

-the boys show up and calm him down a bit

-”i cant believe this is fucking happening. oh my god. what if this is the last time i can swear? fuck. fuck. Y/N i fucking love you so fucking much holy shit.”

-”Ashton. calm down.”

-”what if im a terrible father.”

-”then i’ll divorce you and run away with Calum.”

-this earns a glare then a laugh and Calum’s just like “as the godfather, i can say that I one hundred percent would support that decision Y/N.”

-you all get Ashton to calm down and he holds your hand the entire time

-he would be such a great dad holy shit.

[nostalgiabones]

Hemmings Family of Eight AU - the Children

So here are the names, ages and descriptions of the Hemmings children in my Family of Eight AU, which I started in the story A Sunday Afternoon. If you have any ideas for this AU or there are any specific stories you’d like me to write involving them, please let me know! It can be pretty much anything, involving any of the children or the whole family! Let me know here ♥️ thank you!

Grayson: He’s the musical genius of the children - so gifted at music just like his dad. He’s able to play the guitar, piano and drums, and always wants to learn more. His favourite hobby is learning to play new songs on his instruments with Luke, and tagging along to the studio with him and his uncles. He is protective over all of his siblings, and is the most sensible child - he has Luke’s kind nature. Looks wise, he is more alike you than Luke, but has Luke’s nose. He has never been into sports like his brothers, but does enjoy supporting his siblings with their sporting achievements.

Poppy: She’s world smart - she cares so much about all animals and nature, and has always been so confident and intelligent. Luke thinks she could be a motivational speaker. She always tries to educate those around her, especially her family. She is enthralled with academia, loves school and learning new information whenever she can. She can always be found doing school work or reading, as she is a massive book worm. Her favourite hobbies other than school are swimming and netball. She has been nicknamed Luke’s ‘little flower’ ever since she was born, due to her name. She always wants to do her bit to help the environment whenever she can.

Oscar & Arlo: The twins are inseparable from eachother, and always have been ever since they were born. Both boys love football and are willing to play any other sport that they get the chance to. They can be boisterous, loud & playful, they always have far too much energy, and you and Luke always know where they are because they can be heard from far away. Arlo is a little less confident than Oscar - Oscar is the one who convinces his twin to do mischevious things, and can sometimes get the pair into trouble.

Willow: She is the shy baby of the family, as well as the biggest daddy’s girl out of all of the children. She is quiet but mischievous. She looks just like luke with wild blonde curls and his nose. She always follows in the footsteps of her older twin brothers, and wants to be involved in any games that they play. Her favourite things are Luke playing guitar or reading stories to her. She can always convince her older sister to play or nap with her - her and Poppy are the closest of the siblings, despite their eight year age gap.

Theo: He is such a quiet and content baby, has the calmest nature out of all of the children. He can literally fall asleep anywhere, in any situation, because he is so used to noise and being fussed over by his five older siblings. He loves any attention that anyone wants to give him, and is happy for anyone to hold him as long as you or luke are near. He loves cuddles, especially when he first wakes up, or as he’s falling asleep.

Taglist: @irwinkitten @i-calumhood @gorgeouslygrace @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil (let me know if you want to be added!)

Masterlist

[nostalgiabones]

Simple Sunday Afternoons // CH

This is just a random thing I wrote one day after talking to @calumrose as always lmao. I didn’t intend to post it but I think it’s a just a nice soft Sunday so, I thought I would! I also just wanted to make the point that the little moodboards I’ve made aren’t representative of what any of the ‘characters’ look like — they just represent the concept of the blurb! Let me know what you think, and as always, reblogs and feedback is so appreciated! ❤️

Word count: 4.2k

“Good morning,”

A warm smile rises on Calum’s lips at the words as he flips a pancake in a pan, clad in only his grey joggers and a messy mop of curls upon his head, along with the glasses he’s taken to wearing more often recently. He doesn’t hear the giggles or yawns of your daughter, just some of her usual sounds in the morning, and assumes you’re entering the kitchen alone without her.

He doesn’t have a chance to turn around and check before you’re wrapping your arms around his waist — his warm skin soothing against your own. It’s not often you get little moments alone like this — not without a baby in between the two of you, either resting in his arms or your own. Not that it’s anything to complain about; the two of you love Mara more than life itself. You just miss getting to hold Calum for a little longer in the mornings.

“Yes, it is,” Calum replies, taking one of your hands in his own, lifting it to his face and brushing his lips over your knuckles. “Where’s the little one?”

You rest your cheek against him, just wanting to be close, wanting your skin on his. “I just put her down for an early nap, she was kinda fussy. I think her teeth are coming in.”

He nods, pouting at the thought of his sweet daughter being in pain.

“We’ll have to keep an eye on her,” He states, and you nod in agreement. “She’s probably going to be asleep a while, isn’t she? Do you want to go back to bed?”

You take a sip of coffee from the mug on the counter, not caring whether it was his or one he made for you. Everything he has is yours, and vice versa — even something as insignificant as coffee. He feels the same way about your heart.

“We finally have some time together, I don’t want to waste it sleeping,” You murmur, your palm sliding down his back, the gesture familiar and soothing to him. Goosebumps break out over his skin.

“Okay, well..” He turns down the heat on the stove, moving the hot pan to a cold ring in order not to burn himself when he gets distracted by you. He spins around, a hand landing on either side of your hip, his nose brushing yours as he leans in. “I could just stand here...” he interrupts himself by brushing his lips against yours. “And kiss you instead.”

You sigh against his lips and bask in the moment, one that is so rare nowadays. He notices you pout and he chuckles — his warm palms landing on the small of your back.

“What’s up with you, pouty?” He asks, keeping your face close, his eyes searching your face.

“I miss kissing you,” You whine, and he can’t help but kiss you again with the way you’re looking at him. You think back to Sunday’s before Mara — it feels like a different lifetime, but it wasn’t so long ago. Now days are filled with tears, smiles, happy baby giggles and messy meal times — but you wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if the only time you got to be close to Calum was at bedtime, once Mara had gone down.

“You can kiss me whenever you want, baby,” He replies, his pointer finger brushing up your cheek as he furrows his eyebrows at you.

“I know, but we don’t get time anymore,” You remind him, and he nods. You know you both need to make more of a conscious effort to spend quality time with each other — instead of trying to clean the whole house whilst Mara is napping. “It’s nice to be close to you like this.”

“Maybe Mara should grow some teeth more often.” He jokes, and you slap his chest playfully as he laughs.

“Don’t say that! She’s in pain,” You scold him, your hands pressed against his chest as he holds you close. “You won’t be saying that when she wakes up in a bad mood and won’t sleep tonight.”

He knows you’re right. As much as he jokes, there’s nothing he hates more than seeing his sweet girl in pain — whether it’s her teeth or anything else.

“Touché.” He smiles, kissing you once more. “Do you want to eat? I made pancakes.”

“But that means we have to stop kissing,” You sigh, and he can’t help but laugh at you once more. Calum brushes his lips against yours, his hands rubbing up and down the tops of your arms as you stand there. There’s something about seeing you in one of his t-shirts that goes straight to his heart every single time — even after being married for several years.

“Come on, pouty. Let’s have one meal uninterrupted before we have to deal with a grumpy Mara.”

***

“Cal, I need to get up,”

The sounds of Mara’s cries fill your ears as you gently push on Calum’s shoulders; trying to get him to move from where he’s fallen asleep on your lap so you can get up to get her. The two of you decided to watch a movie (or as much as you can get away with) whilst Mara slept, yet less than halfway through, Calum had fallen asleep with his face pressed against your chest.

“Mara is crying,” You murmur, brushing your fingers through his hair to rouse him a little more as he wakes up. “I need to go get her.”

He shifts in your lap and leans on one arm so you can get up, almost face planting the sofa once you stand up and he’s left there alone. He yawns and listens to the soothing words slipping from your lips as you approach Mara’s bedroom, already knowing you’ll be met with her sad eyes and messy hair. Her cries slow down but your voice gets louder as you head back to the lounge, and he sits up so he can take her.

“Look who it is,” You kiss Mara’s temple as you carry her through to where Calum is, her tired eyes lighting up as she spots her dad. Her skin is warm and flushed from sleep, much like Calum’s — the similarity between your husband and daughter when they’ve both woken up makes your heart melt.

“Hi, honey,” Calum greets her, reaching out for her from his spot on the sofa as he wakes up a little more. She yawns and her lips curl into a small smile as you set her down in his lap, a hand coming to hold either side of her as he gets her. You sit down next to them, unable to stop yourself from smiling at their matching puffy eyes and flushed cheeks. “How was your nap, hey? Are those naughty teeth still hurting you?”

He gets an answer through her gestures — as he speaks, she presses her lips to his shoulder, like she was trying to find some relief for her angry gums. “Oh, my poor girl. Shall we get you something that’ll help, hey? I think some yoghurt might work better than my shoulder, little one.”

Calum stands up from the sofa with a dramatic groan as he lifts her, kissing her forehead as she whines in his arms, rubbing at her heavy eyes with little fists. He opens the fridge as he hums under his breath, picking out her favourite apricot yoghurt and a spoon in the hopes of soothing her mouth.

“Why don’t we go for a walk to the park in a bit?” You ask, watching as Calum sets Mara down in her high chair. He pulls up a chair in front of her so he can feed her - knowing he’s about to get as messy as she usually does. “It’s a nice day out, and we can walk Duke at the same time.”

Calum nods, coaxing Mara to open her mouth as he feeds her. “That’s a good idea. Although I think we’re gonna need a bath after this.”

“We?”

“Do you see how much yoghurt is on her hands?” He laughs, leaning forward to kiss Mara’s forehead. In the process, she reaches out for him, the sticky, dairy snack landing on his own skin. “I think there’s more on her than in her mouth.”

He’s right, she’s messy, but looks significantly less uncomfortable than she did when waking up — so it’s worth it.

***

“Watch her eyes whilst I wash her hair, Cal,”

Calum steps out of the stream of the shower so you can rinse Mara’s hair, after lathering a sweet smelling shampoo through her curls. Breakfast had been a messy affair, and in an effort to save both time and water, you decided to have a family shower together.

He cups his hand over her forehead as you gently rinse the shampoo away, your fingertips smoothing over her scalp as content noises slip from her lips. The smile on her face tells you how happy she is to have your joint attention; loving nothing more than being inbetween the two of you.

“What does she find so funny about showering?” Calum asks, laughing himself as he holds Mara, lips brushing her wet cheeks as she giggles. He grabs the sponge to clean under her chin, making sure all of the yoghurt is gone, the familiar smell of her lavender body wash a comforting one. She tries to reach for the sponge as he does — her eyes fixated on the purple object.

“I don’t know, actually.” You reply, watching her eyes follow you as you move to wash Calum’s hair, too, noticing how much the blonde has grown out and his roots have come through. “We need to swap places again.”

“We should let Mara shower with us everyday if it means you washing my hair,” He suggests, met with a playful eye roll from you. Showering together was something he’d do everyday if he could — it’s one of his favourite intimate moments with you, a wonderful way to start his day. It’s more difficult to find time for it with Mara now though.

“I don’t know why you’re acting like I don’t do it even when your hands are free,” You reply and he laughs, knowing you’re right. Having his hair played with whether you’re washing it or just running your fingers through it is one of his favourite things, especially now it’s longer — a way to instantly make him relax. “You’re just using Mara as an excuse today, isn’t he, honey? He’s using you to make me wash his hair.”

She giggles and gives you a sweet wide mouthed smile, one that you wish you could freeze in time and see forever. One that soon will be accompanied by the teeth that are causing her so much pain.

“She doesn’t mind,” He pouts as he looks at her, lips brushing over her forehead as she smiles. She follows your lead and reaches up to put her own little hands into his hair, tiny fingers grabbing the curls in an attempt to help you. You laugh at her action, with a “are you trying to help mum, sweetheart?”

Calum grimaces but can’t help but laugh as he feels Mara tugging at his hair, knowing she’s trying to help, but isn’t quite as gentle as you are. “I think you need some lessons in hair washing, my love, it feels more like you’re trying to rip my hair out.”

It hurts, but her smile makes him ache in a completely different way.

***

“Is her pushchair in the garage?”

Calum grabs a teething ring from the fridge with his free hand as he nods, Mara occupying the other as she clings to his shoulder. It’s been a few hours since her morning nap and he knows she’s getting tired again; evident through her rubbing her eyes and her little whines. He knows she’ll fall asleep on the way to the park.

“Yeah, it’s near the back, behind the car.” He replies, kissing Mara’s forehead as she leans against his chest. She yawns and he rocks her in his arms, resting his cheek ontop of her head and holds her close. “Are you tired, little moon? That shower has made you sleepy, hey?”

His voice is a soft murmur as he talks to her; the tone one that is reserved for when he speaks to her. He’s so gentle and loving whenever he speaks to her and it makes your heart melt.

“Here we go,” You open the door and push her pram into the entrance to the house, unbuckling the straps so Calum can put her in. “Do you think she’s wrapped up enough? I don’t know if it’s as warm as it looks.”

Calum lifts her in his arms and pats her back, rocking her on the spot as he judges the weather. She’s comfy in a little t-shirt, hoodie and leggings, complete with baby old skool vans that Calum got her, to match his.

“How about a hat, too? Should we get you a beanie to match dad, baby?” He asks, knowing it’ll keep her ears warm if it gets a little chilly. You smile and head to her bedroom to get one of her little hats; her collecting growing with every one that Calum buys. “Come on, sweetheart, lets get you all cosy.”

He moves her away from his body to put her down and she cries, little hands trying to hold onto the neck of his own hoodie. Calum knows she’s being fussy because she’s getting tired and her mouth hurts, yet it makes him sad all the same. “You’re okay, honey, shh.”

Calum manages to set her down in the chair without too much of a fuss; making sure she’s sat down properly, and has her little elephant in reach as well as her pacifier. He leans down in front of her and kisses her nose, making a little ‘mwah’ noise as he does to try and soothe her and make her laugh. It doesn’t though — she still tries to hold onto him so he’ll pick her up again.

“What’s with the tears, angel? What’s the matter?” He soothes, staying close to her and gently wiping her tears away with his thumb. She sniffles and his heart aches at the sight. “You can go to sleep when we get walking, okay? You’re alright, my love.”

It’s moments like these where he’s happy that her pushchair is back facing, so she can see the two of you whilst you walk. You join them near the door, Mara’s beanie in your hands, a pout forming on your lips when you spot Mara in her pushchair.

“Oh, baby, what’s wrong?” You ask, smoothing your fingers down her cheeks to soothe her. You tuck the hat over her head, making sure it covers her little ears to keep her warm. Calum hands you her soft blanket, and you tuck it around her knees so she’s snug — almost certain she’ll fall asleep as soon as you set off. “Your poor mouth is making you so sad, isn’t it? We don’t like having a sad girl.”

Calum grabs Duke’s lead and attaches it to his collar, handing it to you before he takes the handle of Mara’s pushchair. “Let’s go, my loves.”

You lock the door behind you before setting off; one hand holding Duke’s lead, and Calum takes the other — his calloused fingers slip between your own, warm and comforting. It’s such a small gesture yet it reminds you of the love between you both. Calum’s other hand pushes Mara’s pushchair at a steady pace. It’s a lovely spring afternoon — blue skies and birds singing in the trees, with just a slight breeze.

“It’s so nice to be out in the sun,” You comment, and Calum nods in agreement. His eyes land on Mara and he notices her squinting at the sun; stopping for a moment before he pulls the hood of her pushchair a little further up to shade her. “Is that better, honey? Can you see now?”

“It feels like we haven’t done this for a while.” Calum says, his thumb rubbing back and forth over the palm of your hand as you walk. He can’t help but feel a small amount of guilt nagging at his mind, knowing he’s spent a lot of time working recently. He’s always home for bedtime, but he’s always tired too — he knows you need to spend more quality time together. “It’s nice.”

“It is,” You reply, squeezing his hand in return. “When are you in the studio next week?”

Calum doesn’t answer for a moment as he thinks about the timing of you asking — like you also know that him being in the studio has meant less time together.

“I’m not going to go in,” He replies, and he knows it’s the right thing to do. “I miss you. I want to spend time with you and Mara this week, they can manage without me.”

It’s a small relief to hear the words. You never want to force Calum away from the studio, but he’s always in a different mindset when he writes. It’ll do him good to be away for a week — so you can spend more time wrapped in each other and with Mara.

You nod before speaking. “I’m so proud of you though, Cal. The songs are sounding great so far.”

A smile rises on his lips at the words, and he raises your joint hands to your lips so he can brush his lips against your knuckles.

“Thank you, honey. I know it’s a lot when we first start writing. I don’t mean to be distant, it’s just hard to get out of my head when I’ve been writing.” Calum explains, yet you don’t need him to; it’s a cycle you’ve witnessed several times throughout your relationship. You nod as he speaks.

“I know, Cal. It’s okay though.” You reassure him, leaning your head against his shoulder as you walk. “It’s all part of who you are, and I love you for you.”

Nothing else needs to be said.

It’s then that the two of you realise the gentle movement of the wheels of the pushchair against the pavement has sent Mara to sleep, and she’s tucked up under her blanket, fast asleep. Her cheeks are rosy red from the warmth and her sore gums, her little hands tucked up against her face. Calum smiles at the sight, reaching into the pram to push her curls away from her face.

“She’s so sweet.” He murmurs, his heart melting when she leans into his touch, even in her sleep.

“She’s all you,” You reply, watching as she wiggles in her sleep. From her wild curls to her full cheeks and pouty lips, every inch of her reminds you of Calum. He disagrees, though.

He shakes his head.

“No… she doesn’t get her temper and grumpy faces from me.”

Your mouth opens in shock and you playfully hit his arm as he laughs. “Hey! You know for a fact that her grumpy morning face is all from you, don’t try and put that on me.”

“Yeah, yeah,” He replies, leaning to kiss you in a silent playful apology. “Whatever you say, my love.”

***

“Should we sit down here for a bit?”

Calum nods and puts the break on Mara’s pushchair, where she’s still sleeping soundly, in between the two of you as you sit down.

“She’s been asleep for a while, there’s no way she’s sleeping tonight.” Calum tells you, and you fear he might be right, even though she needs the sleep with her teeth coming in. “Do you think we should wake her up?”

You gently push her curls away from her face as she snoozes, your heart melting at her pouty lips all smushed up as she sleeps. You realise it has been over an hour since she went to sleep, and that she’ll feel even worse later on if she can’t sleep.

“Yeah, as much as I don’t want to,” You pout, feeling how warm her skin is under your touch. “It’ll do her good to have some fresh air and wake up a bit.”

Calum gently moves the blanket from her lap and pats her tummy, slowly trying to rouse her. Ever since she was born, Mara had been a heavy sleeper - never one to be easily woken up. Maybe she did get that from you. There’d be times where Calum would take her outside with him in the morning to watch the sun rise and she’d happily sleep in his arms, undisturbed by any movement.

“Mara…” Calum murmurs, undoing the buckles so he’d be able to pick her up once she wakes up. He didn’t want to startle her, and knows she’ll just go back to sleep if he rocks her. “Wake up, sweetheart.”

He notices Mara twitch and start sucking on her pacifier — a sign that she’s a little more awake than she was. He brushes his thumb over her cheek and she whines, screwing her eyes up when she realises that she’s outside. She stretches, reaching her arms out for a moment and closing her eyes once more when she relaxes.

“I love watching her wake up.” You comment, chuckling as she very slowly comes round. Calum decides she’s awake enough to move her — carefully slipping his hands underneath her and pulling her up to his chest. “Hi, baby.”

Calum groans dramatically as he gets her settled in his lap and a few cries slip from Mara’s lips at the disturbance; fists lifting to rub her eyes as she wakes up. She sniffles and sucks harder on her pacifier, burying her face against Calum’s chest as he holds her.

“Good afternoon, my love,” Calum murmurs, rubbing her back with his fingertips as he cradles her. “Are you back with us, hey? You’ve been asleep for a long time, honey.”

You know she has no idea what he’s saying, but she loves hearing his voice all the same. He gives her a moment to wake up, brushing his fingers through her hair and cuddling her against him.

“Look how red her cheeks are,” You mention, pouting at the sight — rosy red from how sore her gums are. “Our poor baby.”

He lifts her up so she’s basically standing on his legs, her face in front of his - her hands lifting to cover her eyes from the light. There’s a few families around, children playing and birds singing — a lot of different sights and noises for her to take in. It’s a peaceful day — a feeling of contentment overcoming both you and Calum.

“Hi, little moon,” Calum kisses her pouty lips and gets her settled in his arms, a hand underneath her to keep her sat up. She yawns and her eyes land on you, a smile on her lips as she realises you’re there. “Oh, there’s a smile! We haven’t seen one of those for a little while. Should we get you home soon and have some dinner? How does that sound?”

Calum decides to carry her on the way home for a little while, and your heart melts at the sight — the way he points out different trees and her curious eyes take in the new sights. There’s no one else you want to discover more of the world with.

***

When Calum said Mara wouldn’t sleep that night… he was right. After an hour of rocking her in her room to no avail, you decide to let her join your movie night; there was no point in stressing yourself and Mara out if she didn’t feel like sleeping.

“She gets her stubbornness from you too,” Calum announces, kissing Mara’s temple as he sits down on the sofa next to you with her in his arms. Duke is curled up on one side of you, a blanket thrown over your knees as you waited for Calum to bring Mara down to join you both. “She is not sleeping anytime soon.”

Her big brown eyes look at you from her spot on Calum’s lap — evident that no sleep is about to take place. You laugh at Calum’s words and roll your eyes, shaking your head as Mara reaches out for you.

“Yeah, come here, sweetheart,” You take her and settle her in your lap, brushing your fingers through her hair. “Dad is so mean, isn’t he?”

Calum joins you under your blanket and throws his arm around your shoulder, pulling you both close to him. His cheek rests against your head as he looks at Mara, seeing so much of both you and him in her. He finds the discarded teething ring and hands it to her, hoping it’ll settle her down if it soothes her a little.

“Hey, don’t tell her that,” He replies, his free hand stroking her cheek as she yawns. “You’re meant to be on my side, sweetheart.”

“Sorry, we’re ganging up on you on this occasion, babe.” You shrug your shoulders, rubbing your hand down Mara’s back as she settles in his lap.

Mara finally falls asleep a little later that night curled up in Calum’s arms on the sofa — a warm bottle of milk managing to help her drift off. At the same time, you’re fast asleep with your head in Calum’s lap, and he decides that Sunday’s are his favourite day.

And that with his little family... every day feels like Sunday.

***

Ask-box — feedback is always so appreciated!

Masterlist

Taglist: @irwinkitten @wildflowergrae @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @maluminspace @fluffsshawn @xhaileyreneex @flowerthug @calpops @youngblood199456 @wokeupinjapanisabop @banditocth @cashtonasfuck @5-secondsofcolor @g-l-pierce @monsteramongmgc @calmlftv @mantlereid @treatallwithkindness @another-lonely-heart @calumrose @inlovehoodx @mermaidcashton @everydayimfangirling@b-easybreezy @ilumxna @malumsmermaid @opheliaaurora23 @talkfastromance4 @zhangyixingxing1 @everyscarisahealingplace @mateisit-balsamic @saphseoul @suchalonelysunflower @findingliam-o @castaway-cashton @megz1985 @notinthesameguey @calumscalm @karajaynetoday @metalandboybands @littledrummeraussie @vxlentinecal @itjustkindahappenedreally @queenalienscherrypie @xxxstormyninixxx @chicken-ona-stick @hoodhoran @harrys-shrooms @midnightash

[nostalgiabones]

Friends? // C.H

This was a request that I received anonymously a few days ago! Whoever asked for it, I hope you enjoy this 🥺 also I’m planning a second baby in this AU but I’d love to know if people would prefer a long fic or a blurb series instead! If you have any thoughts, please fill out my short google form, or send me an ask ♥️ thank you!

“Mara…”

Calum sighs as he approaches the crib once more; his hand reaching into the crib to brush Mara’s wild curls away from her face. Her cheeks are damp with tears, showing her resistance to the nap that Calum was trying to get her to take. She’s got her comfort blanket held tightly in a fist of one hand, her cuddly elephant in the other. A pacifier between her lips, there’s not much else that Calum can think of to soothe her – apart from picking her up.

“Come on, baby. You’re okay,” He soothes, his thumb gently swiping over her cheeks to wipe away her tears. She sniffles heavily, her eyes ladened with more tears as well as tiredness. She leans into his touch, wanting nothing more than for him to hold her.

Calum has never been one to let her cry things out – if she wanted to be held to comfort her, he’d always do it. Although, it had gotten to the point where she couldn’t soothe herself at all – she’d wake up in the night and need you or him to get her back to sleep, even if it only took a minute of cuddling her. You just want to see whether she can learn to fall asleep on her own, starting with her afternoon nap. “Oh Mara, you’re breaking my heart, honey.”

“Up,” She sniffles, raising her hands up to him in a grabby motion. Calum’s heart aches as he stands in front of her crib, debating what to do – he doesn’t want to give in to her, and doesn’t know if giving her one more cuddle before putting her down again will make her more upset. “Up.”

He admits defeat and picks her up, murmuring a “okay, just one more cuddle,” cradling her against him and swaying on the spot. He rubs her back as she cuddles into him, her face pressed against his neck, remnants of her tears left behind. He waits until she’s quietened down a little, before brushing his lips against her cheek and setting her down in the crib again. Her cries start again as soon as he puts her down, trying to cling onto him.

“Shhh,” He murmurs, kneeling so she can look at him as she lays down. “I’m right here, okay? Go to sleep, bubs. You’re so sleepy, you’ll feel better after a nap. I promise.”

Calum reaches down, rubs his pointer finger over her cheeks one more time and kisses her forehead before he steps away. “Love you, sweetheart. I’ll come back after your nap, okay?”

It hurts his heart to hear her cries as he leaves her room, pulling the door only half closed before he waits in the hall. He wasn’t planning on going too far away from her room, not until he knows she’s asleep. Her babbles of your names, heartachingly sweet, make him want to go and rock her to sleep. He knows he must be strong, and that it’ll pay off in the long run though.

He sits there for what feels like much longer than it is – waiting until her soft cries stop, and she finally falls asleep. He checks in on her to make sure she’s okay, finding her curled up into a little ball in the middle of the crib. Sighing in relief, he’s glad he persevered and managed to get her to fall asleep alone (for the most part).

Calum goes to catch up on some band stuff, checking his emails for updates on a few songs they had been working on – things he can’t usually get done when Mara wants his attention.

“Well, good afternoon,” You spot Mara’s messy bed curls and sleepy eyes as you push open the door to her bedroom, after hearing her noises through the baby monitor. “Did you have a nice sleep?”

She yawns and her eyes light up when she looks at you, though still heavy from sleep. You give her a minute to wake up, watching as she stretches and cuddles her elephant closer to her. “Shall we go see where your dad got to?”

You pick her up, listening to her sweet indecipherable babbles as she rests on your hip, still waking up. You find Calum in his home studio and he’s so happy to see her, as well as being happy that she finally took a nap.

“There she is,” He calls out, holding his arms out for her. Usually she’d be so excited to see him after a nap; yet today, it seems as though she isn’t. “Hi, little moon. Did you have a good nap?”

She turns her face away from him and buries it in your neck, her hand holding onto the neck of your t-shirt so you don’t put her down. You chuckle and rub your hand over her back, wondering why she’s so reluctant to see Calum. “What’s wrong, Mara?”

Calum furrows his eyebrows in confusion, knowing it’s not how she usually reacts to him after she wakes up. He spots the grumpy pout on her lips when he stands up, moving behind you so he can try and get to her. Her eyes land on him from behind your shoulder and she shakes her head, clinging onto you. 

“Are we not friends anymore?” Calum chuckles, pouting as he watches her face away from him. He knows she can be stubborn, yet he’s never seen her be like this. “Are you mad at me because I made you nap?”

You laugh at the realisation, adjusting Mara so she’s not holding onto you so tightly. “Baby, he just wanted you to get some sleep,” you try to explain, laughing even more when she refuses to look at him.

“Can I have a cuddle to say sorry?” He asks, brushing his fingers through her messy curls as a soft gesture. She shakes her head and murmurs a “no” into your neck, showing no interest in going to him. “Please, sweetheart? I didn’t mean to make you sad.” 

“Come on bubs,” You chuckle, rubbing your hand up and down her back. “Daddy wants to say sorry.” 

Calum decides to do something, unsure of what the reaction will be -- holding his arms out to you so he can take her. Mara cries when she realises he’s got her, but he knows she’s not really upset with him - she’s just being stubborn. 

“Alright, alright,” He chuckles, sitting back down in his studio chair with her in his lap. You stay close to her, just in case she wants you again, but you know Calum will cheer her up. He always does. “Come on, little moon. Can we be friends again, huh? I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

“No,” She pouts, no longer struggling in his arms, but the same grumpy expression on her face. He has to try not to laugh at how serious she looks. 

“Mr Elephant wants us to be friends again,” He tells her, bopping her nose with with trunk of the squishy elephant in his hand. She giggles at that, her hand reaching out to take it from his grasp. She looks up at him, her eyes fixated on his face as he talks to her. She’s still not fully awake, occasionally rubbing at her eyes as she sits there. Calum rubs his thumb over the apple of her rosy cheek, trying to get her to warm up to him again. “I’m sorry if I made you sad, baby. Do you forgive me?” 

She nods, leaning forward to bury her face in his hoodie. He wraps his arms around her, snuggling her against his chest and brushing his lips over her forehead. She’s not even two yet, and he knows you’ll be in for much more fun when the terrible two’s hit her. “Love you, baby.”

***

Ask-box (feedback is always very appreciated!)

Masterlist

Google form - I’m planning a second baby in this AU, so if you have any thoughts on what you’d like to be included then let me know by answering the questions in the form! I’d really appreciate your input <3

Taglist:  @irwinkitten @wildflowergrae @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @maluminspace @fluffsshawn @xhaileyreneex @flowerthug @calpops @youngblood199456 @aliencal @wokeupinjapanisabop @banditocth @cashtonasfuck @5-secondsofcolor @g-l-pierce @monsteramongmgc @calmlftv @mantlereid @treatallwithkindness @another-lonely-heart-blog @calumrose @inlovehoodx @mermaidcashton @everydayimfangirling @sexgodashton @b-easybreezy @ilumxna @malumsmermaid @opheliaaurora23 @talkfastromance4 @zhangyixingxing1 @everyscarisahealingplace @mateisit-balsamic @saphseoul @suchalonelysunflower @findingliam-o @castaway-cashton @megz1985 @notinthesameguey @calumscalm @karajaynetoday @metalandboybands @littledrummeraussie @vxlentinecal @itjustkindahappenedreally @queenalienscherrypie @xxxstormyninixxx @chicken-ona-stick @hoodhoran @harrys-shrooms @midnightash

[nostalgiabones]

Soon To Be // L.H

Here I am with another blurb! If you’re tired of seeing me on your dash – blame @calumrose​ ❤ The photo is very serious but it’s just a sweet little blurb with Luke and Delilah (featuring Uncle Michael!). Please let me know what you think here, or if you have any requests!

“This venue is stunning,”

You murmur the words in Luke’s ear as he leans in closer to you, his lips brushing your cheek. Michael’s wedding is in full swing; the evening ceremony approaching the late night when most guests would begin to leave. With a hotel room booked, along with the other guys, down the road, you had no plans to leave anytime soon. That was if the sweet ten-month-old in your lap lasted that long too.

“It really is,” Luke replies, his fingers entwined with yours under the table. “We should look at something similar for us next year.”

You smile at his words; Michael’s wedding getting the two of you even more excited to plan your own. There was something about Luke seeing you at a wedding that just made him even more excited for you to be his bride; to officially declare his love for you in front of his family and friends. The beautiful engagement ring on your finger had been there for almost two years. You were in no huge rush to get married, yet even when you had begun to plan your special day, your plans were put on hold by an unexpected bundle of joy.

The room is illuminated with silver and pink; a beautiful theme, the hall decorated with class and elegance. There are huge bouquets of stunning flowers on every table, each one decorated with simple yet intricate name cards, each with their own personal touch. You can tell no detail has been spared as you admire the space, every part feeling as special as the whole day had.

Delilah whines in your lap, trying to lean back against you to cuddle against your warmth. It had been a very long day for her, and she had coped with it well – apart from missing her mid-afternoon nap. Luke had tried to get her to sleep during the dinner, hoping it would mean her lasting through the evening, but he’d had no such luck. There had been too much going on – too many people, too much noise, too much attention from her uncles. The environment was too overwhelming and exciting for her to sleep in, leading to her getting sleepier the more the night went on.

“I know,” You soothe, rubbing your hand down her back, over the frills of the adorable dress you had got her to wear for the special day. You re-adjust her in your lap so she’s facing you, letting her rest against your chest the best she can with your own outfit in the way. “Today has been a lot, hasn’t it?”

Luke pouts at the sight of his sweet daughter, reaching over to brush her curls out of her face as she yawns. She looks up at him, her eyes heavy with tiredness, making his heart melt. “C’mere, baby. Do you want to dance with daddy?”

You chuckle at his words, knowing she’s not in the mood to be moved around a lot. He holds his hands out for her and you pass her over, watching him cuddle her into his body, her face pressed against his crisp white shirt. She nuzzles her cheek against him, trying to get comfy, but whining at the strange environment and loud noises. It’s only a moment before the first hiccup of a cry slips from her lips, and Luke knows she’s overwhelmed.

“Oh, sweetheart,” He coos sympathetically, his hand lifting to smooth up and down her back. You reach into the bag of Delilah’s necessities that you brought along to keep her occupied and content, fishing out a pacifier and handing it to Luke. He slips it between her lips, waiting until she takes to it before bouncing her in his arms. “I’m gonna walk around and rock her for a bit.”

You nod and accept the sweet kiss he brushes to your lips, deciding to let him have some time with her before turning to speak to Ashton’s partner.

Luke keeps swaying her in his arms, heading to the middle of the dance floor where he can see Michael and Calum. He doesn’t know how kindly Delilah will take to attention from them when she’s so overtired but decides to try anyway. Michael spots them coming over and gestures to the DJ to turn the music down a little, now that a lot of people have started leaving anyway.

“Well, look who it is,” Michael announces, his heart melting at the sight of Luke rocking Delilah in his arms. “It’s only my favourite little wedding guest. Hi, honey.”

Delilah looks up at her uncle, lifting a tiny fist to rub at her eyes before cuddling back into Luke. He shifts her in his arms, so her face is level with his neck, his lips brushing over her head.

“Oh, someone is sleepy, huh?” Calum asks her, reaching out to brush his knuckle lightly over her cheek. Her eyes flutter at his touch, leaning into the comforting gesture. “God Luke, she’s so sweet.”

“I know,” Luke pouts, resting his cheek on her forehead. As the youngest band baby, both her parents and all her uncles dote on her; all willing to drop literally anything to hold or comfort her. “And very overtired. I’m surprised she hasn’t crashed yet.��

“Too tired for a cuddle with the groom?” Michael asks, not knowing whether it would be a good idea, but not being able to resist. “Will she cry if I hold her?”

“I guess we’ll find out,” Luke replies, knowing Delilah is usually content with any of her uncles holding her. “Here you go.”

He passes Delilah to Michael, waiting for a moment to see if she instantly decided she wanted to be back with him. She doesn’t resist though, just whines for a moment at the change of arms, before settling with Michael. He sways with her to the music, keeping his hand on her back to secure her in his arms.

“There we go, sweet girl. Have you had so much fun today, huh? How has your first wedding been?” Michael murmurs to her, his pointer finger running up and down her cheek. Luke stays close, watching the two of them interact.

“She’s so ready for bed,” Luke chuckles, watching his heavy-lidded daughter gaze at him with a sleepy expression on her face. He knows they don’t have much longer before she loses her resolve and will no longer be happy to be passed around them.

“It’s been a big day for you, hasn’t it? Are you all partied out?” Michael murmurs, his other hand rubbing her back. She wriggles in his arms, and all Luke wants is to take her and get her to sleep – he knows how grumpy she’s about to get with how tired she is. “Okay bubs, I got my cuddle. You can have your dad back now.”

With a kiss to her forehead, he hands her back to Luke, deciding to go and find his bride. Luke gets her comfy again, letting her snuggle underneath the material of his black suit jacket. She yawns again and whines against him, her hand clinging to the neck of his shirt, so he wouldn’t put her down again. He heads back over to your table.

“Do we have her blanket? I think she’s cold.” He asks you, continuing to sway on the spot to keep her settled for the moment. You hand it to him, the soft cream material a much welcome comfort to Delilah as Luke wraps it around her small frame. “I got you, sweetheart. I know it’s been a long day for you.”

He sways around the edge of the dance floor with her, his hips moving in time with the music. He keeps his focus on her, eyes below the blanket, watching as her own eyes droop. She finally begins to fall asleep, allowing herself to rest, soothed and comforted as she’s surrounded by Luke.

He doesn’t know that you’re watching; that your gaze is soft, and your eyes are lined with unshed tears at the sight. You know how content Delilah is with him, watching how he rocks her, how he’s looking at her as she falls asleep in his arms. It makes you appreciate just how lucky you are to share a life with him, to have Delilah who is half you, half him – to witness him be such an incredible dad. The man you get to call the love of your life, and soon to be, husband.

***

Masterlist

Taglist:   @irwinkitten​ @wildflowergrae​ @luckyduckydoo​ @letstaketheups-and-downs​ @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @maluminspace @fluffsshawn @xhaileyreneex @flowerthug @calpops @youngblood199456 @aliencal @wokeupinjapanisabop @banditocth @cashtonasfuck @5-secondsofcolor @g-l-pierce @monsteramongmgc @calmlftv @mantlereid @treatallwithkindness @another-lonely-heart-blog @calumrose @inlovehoodx @mermaidcashton @everydayimfangirling345-blog @sexgodashton @b-easybreezy @ilumxna @malumsmermaid @opheliaaurora23 @talkfastromance4 @zhangyixingxing1 @everyscarisahealingplace @mateisit-balsamic @saphseoul @suchalonelysunflower @findingliam-o @castaway-cashton @megz1985 @notinthesameguey @calumscalm @karajaynetoday @metalandboybands @littledrummeraussie @vxlentinecal @itjustkindahappenedreally @queenalienscherrypie @xxxstormyninixxx​ @chicken-ona-stick​ @hoodhoran​ @harrys-shrooms

[nostalgiabones]

As Time Goes By // L.H

So here it is — part two to Missing Piece! This is officially the longest fic that I have ever written. I put so so much into this as people seemed to enjoy the first part so much, so I hope I did it justice! I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who has sent me kind & encouraging messages about this — I don’t think i’ve ever had such an amazing response to a fic like that before, so it means the world to me! Also, a huge thank you to @calumrose for putting up with me rambling about nothing but this for the past three days, and reading it over and over everytime I added another line! I would LOVE to get some feedback on this, so please let me know your thoughts ♥️

Word count: 12,635

Bella had been home for just over a week.

It had been a long nine days of sleepless nights and adjusting to each other, in more ways than one. You and Luke had been thrown into the role of first time parents, but not with a newborn — instead with a 14 month old. Bella was confused. It was as if she didn’t understand that she lived with you and Luke now; that your house was her home. She wasn’t comfortable just yet.

She didn’t like being held for too long, she would never openly indicate that she wanted affection. She would push away from you and Luke if you tried to hold her or comfort her when she cried. You’d usually have to wait until she crashed somewhere in the house before cautiously carrying her up to bed. Yet, if she woke up in her crib, she would cry for attention until you or Luke brought her into bed with the two of you. It made sense — she was in an unfamiliar house, with people she was unsure of. You had to remember that it was a big adjustment for her, as well as for you and Luke.

She just wanted to know that you were there.

It was exhausting. Getting very little sleep during the night was having an effect on all three of you during the day. Luke had taken a few weeks away from the studio in order to be at home to support you and be there for Bella. She needed to get to know you both as her parents.

“What time did Sarah say she would be here?” Luke asked, slumped against the cushions of the sofa. He had his eyes on Bella, sitting up on her play mat on the floor. They had been up since 5:00am, after having only several hours of sleep — the new normal in your household.

He was tired, and so was she. He promised he could watch her whilst you caught up on sleep. You had worked out a system where you’d take shifts in the morning; one of you would watch her for a few hours whilst the other slept. It worked as it meant at least one of you was running on more than three hours sleep.

It won’t be like this forever.

At least that’s what you had read on countless adoption discussion forums, in the middle of the night when you couldn’t sleep. You just needed some kind of reassurance that Bella was going to be okay. Even though it had only been a week, it felt like much longer — and so far, things weren’t easing up.

“I think around lunch.” You replied, tapping on the screen of your phone to check the time. It seemed to lose all meaning now that night and day were practically the same.

There was a moment of silence before Luke asked, “Are you nervous about it?”

You watched as Bella reached out for her stuffed bear on the floor, before rubbing her eyes. Two clear signs she was tired. Signs that Sarah knew too.

“I just don’t want her to think we’re doing something wrong,” You sighed. Luke held his arm out against the back of the sofa, gesturing for you to lay against him. You happily obliged, the familiar scent and warmth of his body providing comfort that you needed in the moment. “She’s so tired. I don’t want Sarah to think we aren’t taking care of her.”

“I know what you mean.” Luke nodded in agreement. It was good to have him going through the same process as you — there was never a time where he made you feel unreasonable, or as though you couldn’t tell him how you felt. “But you know Sarah told us none of this was going to be easy. She’s done this before, she knows it takes much longer than a week for her to settle in.”

The rational part of your brain knew he was right.

Sarah would still be visiting for the foreseeable future; you and Luke weren’t able to apply for the adoption order to officially adopt Bella until she had lived with you for at least ten weeks. Until then, Sarah was still partly legally responsible for Bella as well as you and Luke. It seemed like a long time, but at this rate, you were grateful to have her ongoing support.

“I’ll go put her down.” Luke moved cautiously. He kissed your cheek in a gesture of reassurance before lifting Bella up, praying that she would stay asleep until he put her down. Cradling her in his arms, he looked at her face as she slept. Her soft, rosy cheeks sucked on the pacifier between her lips as she slept — one of the things that always helped her calm down. She felt warm against his t-shirt. It made his heart ache that she wasn’t comfortable with the two of you yet. She looked so calm; it made him forget about the hours that she spent crying that kept him up at night.

Luke went through the motions of what he usually did when putting her down for a nap. He had spent far too long researching different ways to help her adjust to him, and to her new home. One of the things that was meant to help was surrounding her with familiar items that would remind her of you and/or him, and since he found this — he let her sleep with his well worn cream Friends of Friends hoodie. It was soft and smelt like him. He grabbed it from the chair in the corner of your bedroom (one that often turned into his laundry pile, no matter how many times you told him to not do that) and set it down in her crib. He held onto her a little tighter for a moment — it felt nice to hold her without her pushing away from him, which she often did. The rejection from her made his heart ache, when all he wanted to do was love her and have her love him back.

“Sleep tight, bubs.” He whispered to her, being gentle as he set her down on top of his hoodie. She stirred for a moment, burying her face in the soft material and pulling her stuffed bear closer to her as she got comfortable. He felt relieved when she curled up into a ball and stayed asleep. It was then Luke noticed Petunia had followed him upstairs; she flopped at the end of your shared bed, ready to watch Bella as she slept. She had become very protective over Bella in the past week, even though she hadn’t warmed up to Petunia yet.

Luke knelt down at the foot of the bed, squishing Petunia’s cheeks in his hands like he always did.

“Don’t wake her up, piggy.” He murmured to her, kissing the top of her head before quietly leaving the room. He hadn’t heard the knocking at the door whilst he was upstairs, but when he got back to the lounge, he found Sarah sitting on the sofa — warm mug of tea in her hands and the same kind smile on her face that he had seen at every encounter with her.

“Hi, Luke. It’s good to see you! I’m looking forward to catching up.” Sarah greeted him, standing up to wrap him in a hug. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look just as tired as your lovely other half does.”

“No offence taken,” He replied, knowing the bags under his eyes were a clear indication of his lack of sleep over the past week. “It’s good to see you too. We have a lot to catch you up on.”

“So I hear.” She sat back down on the sofa as you joined the two of them, handing a drink to Luke as well as holding your own. “So, how has she been? Fill me in. Please don’t feel like you have to hold back, I hope you know that i’m not here to judge you. I know it’s tough at first.”

“She hasn’t been sleeping, well, at all really.” You began, your tired mind trying to recall everything from the past week. “It’s been really hard to comfort her too, she pushes away from us when she’s upset and we try to hold her.”

Sarah nodded as you spoke.

“You might be relieved to know that those behaviours are completely normal,” She replied, offering you a comforting smile. “I was expecting you to say that. It’s all part of the process — she’s probably not sure that you can comfort her yet, which is why she’s so reluctant.”

Luke sighed in relief at her words. It was nice to get reassurance from someone who knew Bella so well — who had cared for her pretty much since she was born. Time was so important in this situation. He just needed to be patient.

“It’s hard for her to understand that she lives here now,” Sarah continued to explain. You knew all of these things, yet the difficulties over the past week had clouded your mind. You needed to hear her say it again. “Everything has changed for her. It’s a huge adjustment. I know you know this, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded. Please don’t think you’re doing anything wrong.”

“It’s really good to hear that.” Luke ran a hand through his curls as he spoke. “We’ve just been really worried that she’s sad or feels unsafe.”

“I know you’re probably sick of hearing that it takes time, but it really does.”

She listened to all of your worries and fears, letting the two of you get everything out. It felt good to talk to someone other than Luke about them — he listened, but was in the same position as you. He didn’t have the answers that you needed, as much as he wished he did. You talked until the sound of Bella’s cries came through the baby monitor, and Luke jumped up to get her.

“I’ll be right back.”

Luke climbed the stairs, getting closer to the sound of Bella crying and Petunia barking. He knew Petunia was probably trying to help by getting his attention, but he was also sure it scared Bella. Especially when she wasn’t her biggest fan.

“Hey, you’re okay.” He soothed, giving her a minute to wake up before he tried to hold her. Luke had a feeling Sarah was about to see exactly what you’d been talking about. He tried to pick her up the best he could, despite her wriggling and protests to be put down. “Shh, it’s alright Bella. Someone is here to see you.”

He grabbed her necessities; a pacifier and her bear before descending the stairs once more. She was sniffling in his arms, upset like she usually was when she woke up. The pacifier helped a little; the familiarity providing some comfort.

“Look who it is!”

Bella’s eyes lit up as they landed on Sarah. She immediately held her arms out to her, pushing herself away from Luke as she tried so hard to get to Sarah. Luke’s eyes caught yours as you watched Sarah comfort Bella. It was hard to see. She calmed down so quickly and looked so content in her arms. You knew Luke was thinking the same thing.

“Hi, you.” Sarah cuddled her as she clung onto her, as if she didn’t want to let go. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Silence settled over the room. It wasn’t awkward, but the uncomfortable realisation dawned on you and Luke that this was the most content Bella had been since she moved into your home.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Sarah broke the quietness with her words. “This last week is the longest we’ve been apart in her life. Don’t let it discourage you, okay? I promise, you’re doing great.”

Bella got upset once more when Sarah had to leave.

Luke’s heart felt heavy as Sarah attempted to pass her back to him, reassuring her that she was okay and safe to stay with him. She wailed against his shoulder, pushing her arms against his chest as a gesture to be put down.

“Hey, c’mon Bella. You’re okay.” He murmured, patting her back as Sarah left the house. The exhaustion from not sleeping combined with the guilt that ate away at him for how upset Bella was made it more difficult to think rationally. He just didn’t know what to do.

“I think we should just let her feel it out.” You suggested to Luke, a comforting hand rubbing over the spanse of his back and shoulder blades in an attempt to provide some reassurance. Seeing Luke beat himself up everytime he couldn’t calm her down was tough. “She’ll come to us if she needs us.”

“Will she?”

Luke didn’t mean to snap. He was tired. He wanted Bella to stop crying, to not be upset anymore — to want him, and to love him like he loved her.

“It’ll be okay. We’ll come back in a few minutes to check on her, okay?” You reassured him, trying to win over the resistance you could see in his face as he held her. She pushed her little hands against his chest once more, before Luke set her down on the ground. She sat on the floor in front of the front door, looking up at it as to wonder where Sarah had gone.

Luke flopped down on the sofa, running a hand over his face and through his hair. You joined him, resting your hand on his thigh to calm him down.

“Sarah said it’s normal, Lu.” You reminded him, knowing that it was hard to get through to him when he was in a mood like this, but knowing he needed the reminder. “I know it’s taking a long time. We just have to be patient.”

Luke nodded. He understood, and knew you were right — as well as not having the energy to argue.

“It’s only been a week,” You continued, resting your head on his shoulder. “We have a lifetime with her.”

Your words made Luke feel better. He had a lifetime to get to know her, to love her — to be her parent. You sat together in a comfortable silence for a few moments more, thinking about the visit from Sarah, along with how Bella had reacted. She still felt safe with Sarah. It felt a little like a punch to the gut, as the two of you were trying so hard. It wasn’t her fault, though.

It just takes time.

“I’m gonna go get her.” Luke’s lips brushed yours in a sweet kiss before he stood up, stretching out his shoulders and preparing himself for how she might react to him. “We should probably have lunch soon.”

You nodded in acknowledgement, waiting for the cries which usually came whenever either of you tried to comfort Bella. Although, a few moments passed and the tears never came. Luke stepped back into the lounge where you were sat, Bella passed out against his shoulder. She looked content for the time being, her soft cheeks rosy from tears, a small hand clinging onto the neck of Luke’s hoodie.

“I know it’s not nap time but I don’t think we should wake her up.” Luke spoke quietly, his hand gently patting Bella’s back as she slept. The happy moments with her really did make it worth it, knowing she felt comfortable enough to sleep on him did make you think that everything would be okay. She would feel safe eventually. “She probably tired herself out.”

“She looks pretty cosy on you.” You murmured, resting your head on his other shoulder after he sat down next to you. He could feel every emotion through the way you were looking at him — the love, the adoration, the desperation for everything to work out okay. Seeing Luke with your child made your heart swell. It was something you thought you may never get the chance to see, when you found out the two of you would be unable to conceive naturally — something that had laid heavy on your heart. He was meant to be a parent. He had too much love in his heart not to be — especially when you saw the love he had for Michael’s daughter, Harper. You knew it was just meant to happen.

You were Harper’s favourite babysitters; there was many a time she spent the evening with you and Luke, when Michael and his partner needed a night to themselves. Luke never seemed to get bored, happy to go along with any game she wanted him to play, as long as she was happy. He loved her cuddles just as much as she did. By the end of the night, when Michael came to pick her up, he’d usually find her fast asleep, tucked up on Luke’s chest. It always made your heart ache, wondering when or if you’d get to see Luke with your own child.

No wonder how difficult things got with Bella, she was worth it.

She deserved a happy family, one that could show her the love and nurture she had missed out on. She deserved a home, which as you looked at her with Luke, you knew she already had.

***

A few weeks later, you were still taking things a day at a time. Bella was slowly getting more comfortable, and had settled into a more consistent sleeping pattern — meaning you and Luke managed to get some more sleep too.

Things were slowly but surely getting easier.

You were all still learning things about each other. You and Luke were adapting to being parents, to having responsibility for another human life who depended on you for everything. It was also amazing, though. Every smile and happy expression you saw on Bella’s face made everything worth it. She had become much more playful with the two of you — showing more interest in the many toys you had gotten her, as well as making her way through some new books with the two of you. It had become part of her bedtime routine, settled in the rocking chair with either you or Luke whilst you read her a story. It calmed her down before going to sleep.

Something else you were currently working on with her, was getting her to take her first steps — she had started pulling herself up against the sofa or anything else she could reach, standing on wobbly feet until either you or Luke helped her.

“Bella,” Luke called softly from his spot on the floor, where he was sitting cross legged with Petunia resting her head on his knee. Bella had warmed up to Petunia too — she didn’t cry whenever she went near her anymore, and was more comfortable being around her. “Can I have a hug?”

The two of you were slowly trying to get her to be more affectionate. You never pushed her into hugging you or to being held — it was important she had her own space, and that she never felt pressured into being close to you both if she didn’t want to be. You and Luke always made the effort to ask her if she wanted to be held, and if she said no, you didn’t.

She was sitting a metre or so in front of him, a pacifier in her mouth and her teddy bear in her hands as she looked up at him. Her eyes watched him for a moment, recognising his gesture of holding his arms out to her — she’d ignore him if she didn’t want to be close to him. Yet, she seemed to decide against that — pushing herself up on unsteady feet against the sofa, trying to get her balance. You watched their interaction, stood at the door to the lounge to observe. Pulling your phone out, you set it to record — wanting to have the special moment to look back on forever, as well as to show Sarah.

She looked down at her feet and then back up at him, as if she was trying to work out how to get there.

“Should I help her?” Luke asked you, knowing she was unsteady on her feet but also intrigued to see whether she could do it herself.

“Just wait a minute, let’s see what she does.” You replied quietly, not wanting to startle or distract her. She rubbed her eyes, whining softly as she rubbed her cheeks against the soft cushions on the sofa. “I think she’s tired, probably why she wants a hug.”

Luke moved a little closer to her, shuffling so she wouldn’t have as far to get to him. He held his arms out to her, not close enough so she could hold his hands, but not too far that she could fall.

“Come here, angel.” He coaxed her, noticing the apprehension on her face, but also how her eyes kept moving between her feet and him. “You can do it.”

Bella pushed herself away from the sofa, one hand clinging to the edge whilst the other helped her to get her balance. She moved one foot forward, and then the other, before wobbling a little and whining around her pacifier.

“It’s okay, sweet pea. You got it,” Luke soothed her, desperate to reach out and get her, but knowing she needed to do it for herself. She took another, moving forward again before falling into Luke’s arms. “You did it!”

Tears welled in your eyes at the milestone she had achieved. You sat down next to the two of them to join them, placing a hand on her shoulder as Luke cuddled her.

“Bella, you did it! You walked, baby!” You exclaimed, trying to stop the happy tears from falling as you sat with them. “We’re so proud of you.”

She seemed happy with herself, not completely understanding why you and Luke were so excited, but enjoying the attention she was getting from the two of you.

“Hug?” She asked softly, wrapping her arms around Luke’s neck. You couldn’t stop the tears from flowing at the sight — her openly asking for affection from Luke really was a huge step. It wasn’t often she spoke, only really doing so when she needed something — so to hear her ask for a hug was a lot.

“Of course, angel.” Luke was overcome with emotion too. He rested his head against hers as she clung to his neck, patting her back to hold her close. “I love you. Thanks for the cuddle.”

You kissed her cheek as well as Luke’s, before standing up to resume making dinner in the kitchen, your heart melting at the events from moments ago. As you stood up, you heard a soft whine from Bella, before a sad “no.” You turned around to look at her, asking a concerned, “what’s wrong, baby?”

“Hug.” She pouted up at you from her spot in Luke’s arms, holding her arms out to you. Luke couldn’t stop the smile on his face — he knew you worried about not bonding with her, about her not seeing you as her parent. Moments like these were so important to all three of you.

You reached down to pick her up, holding her in your arms — close to your chest. She rested her head on your shoulder, wrapping her arms around you like she just did with Luke. It made everything worthwhile, knowing she felt comfortable, safe and loved. You just wanted her to feel the love that you and Luke tried to show to her.

“You’re so sweet, Bella.” You cooed to her, running a hand through her soft curls. It felt so good to have her so close, so content with being held. Luke couldn’t take his eyes away from the two of you, a sense of relief washing over him that things were finally starting to improve, little by little. “Shall we go make some dinner?”

Bella was gradually becoming more open to affection. She seemed much more relaxed, much less sad — her grieving had lessened, but hadn’t completely gone. Luke found himself pacing around your bedroom every so often, letting her cry and process whatever she had going on. Sometimes she wanted to be held, sometimes she just wanted someone to be near her whilst she cried — it really depended on the situation.

Some nights she wouldn’t sleep — it seemed as though she didn’t really know what she wanted when she was in one of those moods. She’d lay in between you and Luke, not really wanting any attention but also not wanting to be alone. You and Luke didn’t sleep on those nights either.

“Bella, shall we read one of your books?” Luke asked quietly, gently setting his hand on her back to get her attention and offer some reassurance. He hoped it would help her sleep. She blinked up at him, sucking harder on her pacifier as she thought about what she wanted. She was so tired, but there was no way she would sleep. She didn’t cry either, but it was hard to know what she wanted.

“I’ll go make her a bottle.” You slipped away quietly, heading to the kitchen to get her some warm milk, hoping it would make her sleepy enough to actually fall asleep. She whined a little as she watched you leave.

“It’s okay, she’s coming back.” Luke soothed her, pushing her soft curls away from her face. She wasn’t really sure of how she felt or what would make her feel better, but yours and Luke’s faces were familiar to her, and she wanted you both around. She seemed to get upset when one of you left the room, no matter what situation you were in. “Shh, you’re alright.”

She laid down in the bed again, rubbing her face against the soft cotton pillowcase. She sniffled and sucked harder on her pacifier, which was one of the only things that brought her comfort. It was familiar to her and it always helped, even just a little. You and Luke had discussed trying to wean her off of it, but it wasn’t the time.

Luke’s heart ached as he looked at her.

She looked as though she was thinking far too much for someone who hadn’t even been alive for two years. She was only a baby, and it broke his heart to know she had felt so much sadness in her life so far. He couldn’t change what she had been through, but he could try to make it better going forward. That was all he wanted to do.

“I know you’re sad, sweet pea. That’s okay.” Luke murmured to her, not knowing whether she really understood what was saying, but wanting to say it anyway. His fingertips gently grazed up and down her pyjama covered back as he spoke. “You’re allowed to be sad. We love you though, okay? You’re so strong.”

She looked up at him as he spoke, like she wanted to hear his voice. There was no expression on her face, but it seemed as though she listened. They sat in a comfortable but somber silence until you returned, a bottle of milk along with a warm blanket in your hands.

“Here we go,” You sat back down in the bed, handing her the soft yellow blanket you had just warmed for a few moments in the dryer. She still wasn’t sure of what she wanted. You tried to hand her the milk too, but she shook her head, not accepting it. You and Luke had learned to be patient in these situations. You just had to go with whatever she wanted, and try not to get frustrated.

She held the blanket against her face, cuddling it close to herself. The warmth made her sleepy, her eyes heavy as she rubbed them. She held her hand out once more, towards the bottle — she decided that she did want it after all. You gave it to her and she took her pacifier out, then started to drink it, before deciding she was too tired and letting it slip out of her mouth.

“I got it.” Luke whispered, picking the warm bottle up from where it had fallen onto the bed. She snuggled up to the pillow and you wrapped the blanket around her, making sure she was comfortable. Luke held the bottle to her mouth, seeing if she did actually want it but was just too sleepy to hold it herself. She accepted it, sucking at the milk as Luke held it for her. “There we go.”

You softly ran your fingertips up and down her arm as she drank the milk, watching as her eyes grew heavier. She didn’t resist the affection — holding her blanket between her fingers and rubbing it against her face. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, her eyes finally closing her and breathing evening out. Luke slipped the pacifier back between her lips, waiting until she took to it before letting go.

“Shall I put her in the crib?” Luke asked, not wanting to risk waking her but knowing she should be sleeping in there, rather than in your bed.

“Not yet,” You replied, shaking your head. It was too soon — she would wake up if he tried to move her now. “Wait until she’s in more of a deep sleep.”

He nodded in agreement. You sat in a peaceful quietness; the soft sound of her breathing being the only one in the room, along with Petunia’s snores from her bed in the corner.

“She’s getting better.” You whispered, realising that it hadn’t taken as long to soothe her as it usually did. She hadn’t cried, she didn’t fight against either you or Luke when you tried to comfort her. It felt like progress. “She’s calming down faster than she used to.”

“It’s good to see.” He murmured, a soft smile on his face. It was reassuring to know she felt safe and was able to calm herself down enough to go to sleep. It meant more to you and Luke than words could describe — you didn’t need to say it. You both knew.

You sat together for a little longer, waiting until Bella was properly asleep before Luke tried to move her to bed. He scooped her up, resting her against her chest — soothing noises spilling from his lips as he tried to keep her asleep. He moved to the crib, rocking her in his arms for a moment before setting her down against the soft sheets.

“Shh, shh.” Luke whispered. She stirred a little, shuffling until she got comfortable before curling up into a ball, falling back asleep. He pushed her hair away from her face, kissing her forehead softly before whispering a quiet, “Goodnight, baby.”

***

Around a month after Bella being at home with you and Luke, the guys were desperate to meet her. It was important that she had time to adjust at home, getting used to living with the two of you before introducing her to anyone else. She had been getting more comfortable everyday, seeming to accept that this was her home now. You were nervous to introduce the guys to her. You didn’t want her to be overwhelmed, but it was important that she felt comfortable around them — it was especially important to Luke. They were his brothers, and he wanted his daughter to feel safe around them.

Bella was sitting in the middle of the living room floor, pushing her trains around the soft carpet, mumbling quiet noises to herself as she played. It was her new favourite game — she’d push them around the house, on any surface that would work, softly imitating the noises that they would make. The noise was something you’d come to hear a lot of, it was almost comforting — to know she was happy and content to play. Occasionally she’d call out a “choo choo!” making yours and Luke’s hearts melt. You had no idea where she had picked it up from — most likely a show Luke sat and watched with her when he got up with her, early in the morning.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” You asked Luke, watching her from the kitchen as she played happily. She hadn’t been introduced to anyone other than you and him — you had no idea how she would react.

After speaking to Sarah, she had suggested that it would be a good time to introduce her to other people close to you, to see how she felt around them. The boys were a good place to start.

“I dunno,” He replied, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. He really wanted her to be okay. “I hope so, though. She’s been doing really well recently and Sarah said it seemed like a good time, so hopefully it’ll be okay.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Michael was bringing Harper over too — you wanted to know how she would react around another child of a similar age to her. Harper, at the age of three, was around two years older than Bella but they were close enough in age to be able to play together. Harper had missed you and Luke, as you hadn’t been able to see her over the last month or so since Bella came home. Michael had told Luke several times over text that Harper was excited to see him — he had missed her too.

“Hey, guys!” You greeted them at the door when they arrived, Bella’s big brown eyes instantly looking up to the front door. She clutched onto her trains a little tighter, curious as to what was going on. Harper excitedly let go of Michael’s hand and jumped up at Luke, wrapping her arms around his legs.

“Uncle Luke!” She squealed excitedly, holding her arms up at him until he picked her up. “I miss you!”

“I’ve missed you too, sweetheart.” Luke held her on his hip as she happily chatted to him about what she had been up to. Calum, Ashton and Michael followed behind her, greeting you both and following you into the lounge.

“I brought some toys for Bella to play with!” Harper told you both excitedly, gesturing to the backpack hung on Michael’s shoulder.

“Harper,” Michael quietly got his daughter’s attention. “Come here, honey. Remember what we talked about, okay? Bella is a baby and she’s still trying to get used to living here. We don’t want to scare her, okay?”

Harper nodded, the reminder complete with a kiss to her cheek from her dad.

“It’s so weird that you’re parents now.” Calum placed his hand on Luke’s shoulder, in a show of support. “Congratulations again though.”

“Thanks, Cal.” You replied, smiling at him softly. They had all been so supportive throughout the whole process, and them meeting Bella had been a long time coming. “She’s just in here.”

“Bella,” Luke called out, crouching down next to where she was sitting. He was extremely worried about overwhelming her. “Shall we say hi? You have some visitors.”

Bella immediately became shy, her eyes observing the three unfamiliar tall men, along with the three year old girl holding onto Michael’s hand. She stopped pushing the train around in front of her and immediately clutched it to her chest, not knowing how to respond. She looked up at Luke, as if she expected him to know what to do. Ashton, Calum and Michael spread themselves out around the room, sitting apart on the sofa as not to scare her. There had been an extensive FaceTime call the night before, explaining how she was coping at home and how she may react to them— as well as giving them suggestions on how not to overwhelm her. Luke was happy to know they had paid attention.

“Up.” Bella’s voice was quiet as she spoke. She held her arms up to Luke, her gesture for him to pick her up. He did immediately, lips brushing over her temple as she observed the people in front of her.

“It’s okay,” He murmured, patting her back as she sat on his hip. The guys couldn’t hold back their smiles, at seeing Luke as a parent — especially Michael. They had all seen the effect that the whole process had on the two of you, and on your relationship. Michael felt guilty everytime Harper had been around you both, as much as he knew you loved her and how much you wished for a child of your own.

She wrapped her legs around him, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to put her down as small talk ensued between you and the guys. Ashton had started talking about a song he had written that he needed Luke’s expertise for, hoping to get him back in the studio soon. Although, he completely understood why Luke had needed the time away.

“Daddy,” Harper’s soft voice was heard in the room. She sat in Michael’s lap, waiting until he told her it was okay for her to play. “Can I play with the trains?”

“You’ll have to ask Uncle Luke baby, I think they’re Bella’s.” Michael replied, pushing her blonde hair out of her face as she slid off of his knee.

“We can play, honey.” Luke told her, sitting down with Bella in his lap. “Bella, shall we play with your trains with Harper? Let’s show them how we play, huh?”

Harper sat opposite them, picking up the first train she saw in front of her — which so happened to be the one Bella played with the most, her favourite red one. Bella whined in Luke’s arms as she realised, reaching out to take it from Harper.

“Hey, hey,” Luke took her much smaller hands in his, stopping her from snatching it from Harper. He knew she didn’t mean anything badly by it — she wasn’t used to sharing her things with anyone, especially not another child. “That one is her favourite, Harper. We can’t snatch though, okay Bella?”

“Why don’t we play with this one, bubba?” Michael had moved to sit next to his daughter, wanting to intervene to help Luke out. You chatted with Calum and Ashton as they played, as well as watching the interaction between Harper and Bella. You and Luke had been taking notes of her milestones, so you could report them back to Sarah on her next visit.

Bella’s eyebrows furrowed at the girl sitting in front of her, playing with her toys and getting Luke’s attention. She didn’t understand. She didn’t know who these people were, or why they were there, and she still wasn’t sure about them. Luke noticed how unsettled she seemed, her eyes curiously looking around the room as well as at Harper and Michael. She sat in his lap, arms crossed over her stomach in apprehension.

A few moments later, Bella reluctantly took another train and pushed it around in front of her, at an attempt to join in. It seemed like a little bit of progress, even though she barely interacted with the people in front of her. It was then Luke realised she didn’t have her pacifier, which could help to make her feel more content.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” He told her, setting her down on the soft rug to keep playing whilst he quickly went upstairs. He wouldn’t be long, and he knew it would help. You watched Bella as Luke stood up to leave, noticing how her lips formed into a pout and her eyes filled with tears. She stood up on wobbly feet, slowly trailing behind where she had seen Luke go, as if to say — where have you gone?

“Bella, it’s okay baby. He’s coming back.” You reassured her, moving to stand to make sure she didn’t fall. She kept going though, unsteady steps heading to the stairs where she knew Luke had gone. She whined softly from the bottom of the stairs, bottom lip stuck out in a pout as she looked for him.

“I’m here, Bella. Wait there, okay? I’ll be right back.” Luke told her, with a little urgency in his voice — she wasn’t steady enough on her feet to get upstairs, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her hurting herself because she wanted him. Although, he did find it sweet that she sought him out for reassurance. It made him happy that she recognised him as familiar, when she was surrounded by new people.

He grabbed her pacifier from her bedroom, as well as her favourite book and a few other things to keep her occupied. He quickly made his way back down the stairs, his heart melting at the sight of Bella standing up against the bottom step, waiting for him.

“Hey, you.” Luke cooed at her, picking her up and setting her on his hip again. He handed her the pacifier, watching as she slipped it into her mouth, hoping it would make her a little more relaxed. Luke sat in between Ashton and Calum on the sofa, setting Bella down to stand between his legs. She clung to him, her face resting against his stomach as she tried to hide her face.

“Hey, Bella.” Ashton smiled at her, not moving closer to her but wanting to interact with her somehow. She looked up at him, continuing to stay close to Luke but smiling at Ashton softly behind her pacifier.

“You can’t really tell but she’s smiling at you.” Luke told Ashton. Luke ran his fingers through her hair as she looked at Ashton, like she was deciding what she thought of him.

“Is she settling in well?” Michael asked, from his spot on the floor where he was still playing with Harper.

“We’re getting there,” You replied. The guys had been getting regular updates since Bella had been home, but you and Luke had been too busy adjusting to your new family to keep them up to date with every little thing. “She’s much more affectionate with us now, and is sleeping much better. It’s up and down, but we’re going in the right direction.”

“That’s good.” Calum replied, watching how Bella looked up at Luke every so often for reassurance. It was clear that she felt safe with him.

“Daddy, can I give Bella her present now?” Harper asked Michael, hoping it would entice her to come and play with them both. Harper was a sociable child, always wanting to make new friends and play with whoever was around — she wanted to be friends with Bella.

“You brought her a present? That’s so sweet, Harper.” You watched as Michael passed Harper her backpack, and she pulled out a small plush dog, similar to the one she had herself.

“Look! It’s a doggy, like mine! And now they can be friends!” She explained excitedly. Bella’s eyes landed on her as the attention was diverted in her direction. “Can I give it to her?”

It made your heart melt at how cautious Harper was being, taking great care not to overwhelm the baby she so badly wanted to get to know.

“Bella, look what Harper has for you.” Luke rubbed her back, coaxing her to look in Harper’s direction. She sucked harder on the pacifier between her lips, not making an effort to move any closer — but Luke spotted the curiosity on her face. “What is it? Shall we see?”

Harper moved closer to the two of them, cautiously handing the stuffed dog out towards her. Bella looked at the object in her hand, still not acknowledging it. Luke kept his hand on her back, so she knew he was there.

“This is for you.” Harper said to her, waiting until Bella held her hand out to take it.

“That’s so kind, Harper! Thank you so much.” Luke used his free arm to pull her into a hug, kissing her forehead. Harper smiled, happily that Bella accepted her gift. “Look, baby. Isn’t he so cute?”

Bella played with the soft toy in her hands, pushing her hands through the soft fur on its head. It took her a moment, but she finally decided that she liked it, hugging it to her chest. A soft chorus of “aww”’s broke out amongst the group as they watched the sweet moment.

“She loves it!” Luke exclaimed. It seemed as though in that moment, Bella decided that the unfamiliar faces weren’t there to hurt her — like she was accepting that she could feel okay around them. She let go of Luke’s leg, stepping forward on wobbly feet as she headed back to her trains. She sat down in front of them, grabbing her favourite one and pushing it around the floor like she always did. She took another in her hands — holding it out to Harper, as an invitation to play.

“She wants to play with you, honey.” Michael told Harper, knowing how relieved everyone in the room was feeling that the day was going well. They so badly wanted to get to know Bella — they knew that had to be patient. It was all a long process.

Harper sat down next to her, accepting the train that Bella held out.

“When does everything become official?” Ashton asked, as Harper and Bella played quietly on the floor in front of you all.

“We can’t apply for the adoption order until she’s been with us for 10 weeks, so we still have a little while to go.” Luke explained, thinking about the legal process they still had to go through before she was an official member of the Hemmings Family. “We’ll have to go to the family court. Our social worker will be there too to share everything we’ve reported to her from Bella’s time with us, and then the judge will hopefully grant us the order and we get full parental responsibility.”

Ashton nodded in understanding.

“It’s all worth it though, right?”

It definitely would be — it already was. Luke didn’t even need to think about the answer, and neither did you. The love you had already felt from Bella over the last month made you grateful for the lifetime you had ahead with her.

***

Until the court granted you and Luke the adoption order for Bella, Sarah was still partly responsible for her. You had kept in frequent contact with her — sharing photos and videos of Bella’s milestones and cute moments to keep her updated.

With the court date coming up in the next few weeks, Sarah wanted to pay another visit to your home. She wasn’t worried, she had made that clear — it was more for reassurance for you and Luke, as well as hearing more about Bella’s progress.

You were intrigued as to how Bella would react to Sarah this time.

The last time had been so soon after first moving in with you that she had missed her so much. Since then, Bella had made a lot of progress, including meeting new people and becoming much more affectionate with both you and Luke. You were hoping Bella wouldn’t get so upset when Sarah had to leave this time.

Bella was sitting, playing with her trains, like she spent a lot of her time doing. Her stuffed dog, known as ‘doggy’ — the gift that Harper so lovingly gave to her when she visited with the guys — sat next to her as she played. She had grown very attached to the stuffed animal to the point where she wouldn’t sleep without him.

A knock at the door diverted her attention from the trains.

“Hello, you two!”

Bella pushed herself up onto her feet at the familiar voice, taking wobbly steps towards the front door where you and Luke greeted her.

“There’s my favourite girl!” Sarah knelt down and opened her arms, gasping when she realised Bella was actually walking towards her. “Look at you walking all by yourself! When did you get so big?”

Bella smiled and wrapped her arms around Sarah’s neck, clearly happy to see her.

“It feels like it’s been so long since we last saw you.” Luke spoke as he closed the front door, inviting Sarah into the lounge with Bella in her arms.

“It does,” Sarah replied, setting Bella down on the ground in the hopes of seeing how she would interact with you and Luke, as well as the several toys scattered around the floor. “I have a feeling I’m about to get some positive updates though.”

You and Luke joined Sarah on the sofa as Bella resumed playing with her toys. Sarah observed her carefully, watching her body language to see if she was comfortable. She seemed content — making her “choo choo” noise as she pushed the trains around in front of her.

“That’s her new favourite game,” Luke explained, a smile on his face as they watched her play. “She’s obsessed with them.”

“Has she had the chance to interact with any other children yet?” Sarah asked, curious to know how Bella responded around other children if she had been around anyone else.

“Yeah, she met my bandmate’s daughter a few weeks ago.” Luke replied. “She’s three, her name is Harper. Bella was really shy around them at first but she warmed up after a little while. Harper gave her the little dog she has next to her there, and she’s grown really attached to that.”

“That’s good to hear.” Sarah replied, nodding as Luke spoke. “Did they play together?”

“Harper tried to play with her favourite train and she wasn’t happy about it at first, but after she came around a little bit they played together without any issues,” You replied, recalling the events from when she first met the guys and Harper. “She’s learning how to share which is really nice.”

As if Bella knew what you were talking about, she stood up with a train in her hand and took it to Luke — as an offer for him to play with her. He obliged, moving to sit on the carpet with her and play like she usually did.

“What is her sleeping pattern like?”

“Definitely a lot better than it was.” Luke informed her. “We give her a bottle before she goes to sleep. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night but not very often, and she’s happy to sleep in her crib.”

“She seems to be doing a lot better, this is all really great to hear.” She assured you, writing notes down in her clipboard that she would need to add to your file. “This will definitely all go in your favour for the adoption order too. How are you feeling about the whole court process?”

It had been something you and Luke had discussed many times — the process of going into court to prove that you could be loving and responsible parents for Bella was a daunting one. The risk of them not granting you the order laid heavy on your hearts, although it was extremely unlikely — especially with the way that Bella had settled in. Sarah would be there to share all the information she had, which was nothing but recommendations for you to get the order.

“Nervous,” Luke responded, turning to talk with Sarah whilst continuing to play with Bella. “We just want everything to be certain now, you know? Even though we know the likelihood of them not granting us the order is low.”

Having the adoption order would mean you and Luke gaining all of the parental rights that you would have had if Bella was your biological daughter. It would also mean Sarah losing her legal responsibility over Bella — even though you were sure she’d keep in touch in the future.

“Absolutely, please don’t worry about that.” Sarah reassured you. She had been through this process many times, enough to know that there would be no reason for you or Luke to be rejected by the court.. The two of you had shown nothing but love towards her, and she was happy and safe in your home. “I’ll make sure the judge sees exactly what’s going on here, okay? That she has a loving and beautiful home with the two of you.”

“Thank you,” Luke smiled, following a sigh of relief. “We really appreciate that.”

“Bella, do you want to help me make dinner?” You asked her, wanting Sarah to see her interacting with you too. It was something you did together to bond with her — she enjoyed helping you out and it was a good chance to spend time together. You and Luke tried to involve her with activities around the house, hoping it would make it feel more like home to her. “Come on, bub.”

You held your hand out to her which she took, toddling along next to you as you headed to the kitchen. Sarah stayed next to Luke, happy to have the chance to talk to him individually. She watched as you picked Bella up, setting her on your hip as you got out the ingredients for her favourite dinner — a pasta bake. She could hear you quietly talking to her, explaining what you needed her to do, and getting her to help you find the ingredients in the fridge. Luke loved watching you together too.

“Have you been referring to each other as ‘mama’ or ‘dada’ in front of her?” Sarah asked. Luke shook his head. The two of you had the conversation about whether to start using that language to refer to each other, so she would pick up on it, but it seemed to soon. The looming worry of the adoption order being rejected hung heavy over your heads, and having her call you mum and dad before she was officially a part of the family was too risky. You didn’t want to confuse her if the worst was to happen.

“We talked about it, but we decided to wait until we got the order.” Luke explained, worried that Sarah would disagree with what you opted to do — especially since she was so sure of you being granted the order. “We just didn’t want to risk her getting used to calling us that for it to go wrong.”

“I understand,” She replied. “I know it’s a worry, but please try not to focus on it. I promise I will do my absolute best, and it’s extremely unlikely that you’ll be rejected. You’re doing a great job, she seems very happy even from what I’ve seen of her so far.”

“Thank you,” He smiled, his heart melting as he spotted you and Bella together in the kitchen — she sat on your hip as you stirred pasta in a pan, her eyes curiously watching everything you were doing. Luke had waited so long for these moments. There was nothing he loved more than seeing you with Bella — seeing her look at you like you were her whole world. Getting to know her over the last eight weeks had been a beautiful experience. He thought touring was the most chaotic part of his life, but since Bella joined your family, he realised he was wrong.

“Thank you so much for having me again.” You handed Sarah her coat as she prepared to leave. With dinner eaten and more discussions over Bella had, it was time for her to go — and you hoped Bella wouldn’t get upset again.

“Of course. Thank you for everything, as always.” Luke spoke. He felt Bella pull on the leg of his trousers, trying to get his attention. She was reaching up to him, mumbling an “up!” behind her pacifier. He happily obliged, resting her in his arms as Sarah stepped outside. Bella asking for Luke’s attention was a good sign. “Shall we say bye, Bella?”

“Bye bye.” She called out quietly from where her head was resting on Luke’s shoulder, lifting a hand to wave at her as she left. Tears welled in your eyes at the sight, thinking back to what happened the last time Sarah visited, and how Bella had reacted to her leaving.

She had made so much progress.

Luke patted her back as she yawned against his shoulder.

“Is it bedtime, baby? Is someone ready for bed?” Luke asked her, kissing her forehead. She needed a bath, pasta sauce ending up smeared all over her hands and soft cheeks.

“Bed?” She replied, rubbing her eyes. She pushed against Luke, looking around for something in particular — you. As soon as her eyes landed on you, she called out again and held her arms out towards you.

“You want me to put you to bed?” You asked, trying not to let any tears slip out again as she tried to get out of Luke's arms to get to you. It was usually his time with her, she seemed to go to him for comfort most of the time and when she wanted someone to play with. It had played on your mind that she seemed to have a stronger bond with him than you. However, all she wanted now was to be in your arms. “Come here, sweet girl. Let’s go have a bath and head to bed, huh?”

Luke felt a sense of relief wash over him as he watched you carry her upstairs, quietly chatting with her as you held her close. He knew you thought a lot about your relationship with her and whether she had bonded with you or not — but as he watched you together, he knew she had. He saw the way you looked at her and the way she looked at you too. He knew she loved you just as much as she loved him too.

Luke worked on cleaning the kitchen from dinner. As he did the dishes, he could hear water splashing from the bath upstairs — he knew you’d be lathering her soft curls with your favourite coconut shampoo, and making bubble beards to hear her sweet laughter. He felt so content. He waited a little longer, before heading up to her nursery, where he could hear your soft voice reading her one of her favourite books. He didn’t want to disturb the moment, but he couldn’t resist peering in.

The sight he was met with made his heart swell.

You were rocking in the soft chair in the corner of her nursery, humming under your breath as Bella fell asleep. Curled up in your arms, her hand clutched on to the neck of his t-shirt that you had borrowed, her eyes were heavy as you rocked her.

Neither of you needed to say anything. The way you both felt in the moment said more than words would be able to.

You thought back to her first week at home, where she would refuse to be held or accept any comfort, and cried until she eventually tired herself out. Moments like these, where she wanted to be rocked to sleep, had seemed like a lifetime away. It had been so difficult at times, more than could be explained, but nothing could’ve prepared you for the overwhelming love you felt towards her.

Luke also noticed the tears lining your eyes.

He couldn’t tell where the tears were coming from. He had noticed a few times over the past few days where you’d gotten emotional, but he had gotten distracted with Bella and you’d been okay again. However, now, he wanted to talk.

“I’ll put her down, and then we can talk, okay?” Luke whispered, his hand landing on your shoulder in a reassuring touch.

You shook your head softly before replying, “it’s okay, I got her.”

You carefully stood from the rocking chair, shifting Bella in your arms so she was pressed against your chest. She stayed asleep, the pacifier in her mouth helping to keep her content as she snoozed. Luke lingered in the hallway, waiting until you’d settled Bella into her crib in your room, tucking her blanket around her body and leaving the door open ajar behind you.

“C’mere.” Luke murmured, holding his arms out for you to slot into as you broke down in tears. He hated the sound of you crying, it always tore his heart into pieces, no matter the situation. He wrapped his arms around you, holding you flush against his chest as you sobbed into his neck. His fingertips ran up and down your back, soothing you by touch as you cried. “Shh, it’s okay honey. I’m right here.”

You tried to catch your breath as you held onto Luke, the faded scent of his cologne that clung to his skin and clothes comforting to your senses. The past eight weeks had been a lot. You hadn't had time to process any of the feelings, as well as hardly speaking to Luke about them. Everything had built up.

“What’s the matter?” Luke asked softly, his finger gently placed underneath your chin, to tilt your face to look at him. His thumbs landed on your cheeks, softly brushing away the tears that had fallen as he looked into your eyes. It made him realise that he hadn’t held you for a while. The two of you had been so focused on Bella, that it seemed as though you had forgotten about each other. “What’s with the tears, gorgeous?”

You didn’t know how to verbalise it, or even where to start.

“I love you,” You whimpered, trying to keep your sobs under control as you looked at him. The beautiful, kind, caring man you were so lucky to call your husband. “I love you and I’m so proud of us. I just… I love Bella so much. And I think she’s starting to love us too.”

His thumb traced your cheekbones, holding your face in his hands but without speaking — he wanted you to get everything out first. He nodded, though. He knew you were right. The two of you had been terrified that Bella wasn’t going to settle in — it wasn’t something you often spoke about, since it scared you both so much. He knew the tears were out of relief.

His nose nudged against yours as he moved his face closer, just needing to be intimate with you. He just wanted to feel close to you, as connected as you always were. His lips gently brushed yours, a sign of the love he didn’t have to speak of to know it was there.

“She does,” He confirmed to you, thinking about the scene he had been met with just moments ago. “You should see the way she looks at you, babe. She adores you. You’re giving her the love that she’s never felt before.”

The wetness of your tears met his fingertips as he wiped them away, his words being everything you needed to hear. The desperation to be a parent that had built up over the last few months and years all seemed to be coming out as you thought about the sweet baby girl fast asleep in your bedroom.

“We are.” You corrected him, trying not to cry even more when you thought about them together. Luke had only become more affectionate and soft in his new role as a parent — one he was always destined to fulfill. “She feels safe with us now, she wants us. You’re amazing, Luke. You’re everything a parent should be. She’s so happy when she’s with you.”

Luke sighed against your lips, closing his eyes momentarily as he tried not to get emotional too.

“You’re going to make me cry with you.” He chuckled, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. “I know it’s been hard. It’s been so much to handle, but look at us now. We waited so long for this, and we did it.”

“It’s not over yet,” You reminded him, not wanting to ruin the loving moment but not being able to forget the looming court date at the back of your mind. “But we’re so close.”

“So close,” He smiled. Every day was a day closer to Bella officially becoming a Hemmings. “We’re getting closer every day.”

***

With just over a week until the court date, Luke was anxious.

Michael’s partner had offered to take you out for the day, knowing you needed to take your mind off of everything just for a few hours — leaving Luke and Michael in charge of Harper and Bella.

“So, how are you holding up?” Michael asked, accepting the beer Luke handed to him as he joined his bandmate on the sofa. Bella had been happy to see Harper, instantly searching out her doggy, the one that matched hers. Harper had been happy to see that Bella loved hers so much.

“Good, man.” Luke replied, his fingertips drumming along the edge of the sofa. A telltale sign of his anxiety that Michael knew too well. “We’re just so close to everything being official now, we’ve waited so long for it.”

Luke couldn’t take his eyes off of Bella as she sat on the floor in front of him, watching as Harper pulled a few of her toys out of her backpack. She was fresh from a nap — cheeks rosy and hair tousled from how she had slept.

“It’s the best feeling though, isn’t it?”

Luke smiled at Michael’s words. He knew exactly what he was talking about.

He loved the little moments. Waking up every morning with her asleep in the crib at the end of his bed was one of his favourite things. Even though he knew she shouldn’t be sleeping in your bed, he savoured the moments where she fell asleep in there accidentally, and he’d be woken by little pyjama covered feet resting against his back. Her cuddles were nothing like he had ever felt before — the love and sweetness she radiated gave him a feeling he was sure he’d never find anywhere else. At bedtime when she was getting sleepy, and she’d go to him for his warm cuddles — it made him melt. He knew she felt safe with him now. Luke loved the way she wanted him to be involved when she played now, too — at first he sat and watched her from a distance, knowing she was content to be alone — but now she’d openly invite him to join her. She had learned how to share, and seemed proud of herself when someone accepted whatever she offered them, whether it was a toy or a piece of her afternoon snack. Her laugh was his favourite sound. She had brought so much happiness to your lives and to your house — she made it a home.

He nodded. “Yeah, it is.”

“I miss having a baby,” Michael admitted as he watched Harper play — he felt as though she was growing older and older with every day that passed. “Even now, when Harper falls asleep on me it still melts my heart. I hope she never grows out of it.”

“I’m sure she won’t. You’re her idol.” Luke replied, knowing it was true — Harper had looked up to Michael ever since she was born. He loved seeing her grow up, and seeing Michael evolve into being a parent.

Harper stood to run to the stairs, remembering that she had left something in one of her coat pockets that she just had to show Bella. Bella wanted to follow — standing up and attempting to chase after her. Although, she wasn’t as steady on her feet as Harper was, and she tripped over the edge of the rug, taking a tumble to the ground.

Luke was instantly out of his seat as he heard her cries. They hurt his heart, not knowing whether she had bumped her head or grazed her knee.

“Oh dear.” He scooped her up straight away, holding her against his chest and gently patting her back like he always did to soothe her. “Shh, you’re alright baby. It’s okay.”

He bounced her in his arms as she calmed down, hiding her face in his neck as she cried.

”Hey, Bella. It’s alright, honey.” He reassured her, running a hand through her hair. He waited until her sobs quietened down into whimpers, before she lifted her head to look up at him. “Where does it hurt, angel? Can you show me?”

She sniffled against his shoulder as she pointed to her knee. He looked to where she was gesturing to, seeing a little red mark from where she had scraped it on the carpet.

“It’s only a little bump, sweetheart.” He reassured her, kissing her damp cheek. He rubbed his thumb over her knee, as if him touching it would make it magically go away. “You’re okay.”

Michael had watched the whole moment between them and he couldn’t help but smile, despite the fact that Bella had hurt herself. He loved seeing Luke in dad mode. A mode that never went away once it started. It had been rough for them all, hearing about your troubles conceiving and then trying to make a decision about how to start a family — they all wanted you and Luke to be happy. Michael knew, from what he had just seen between Luke and Bella, that he was happy.

***

“Do you think we’re gonna get any sleep tonight?”

You spoke quietly, breaking the silence that had settled over the room. It wasn’t uncomfortable — it never was with Luke, not after being in love for so many years — but it was anxious. You both felt it. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

“I think we should,” Luke replied, turning to look at you, at the other side of the bed. “However, I’m not sure we actually will.”

Bella laid fast asleep, blissfully unaware of how her parents were feeling. Her parents, who after tomorrow, would officially be just that. For some reason, the two of you needed to have her close to you — the crib at the end of your bed wasn’t close enough. She was snug, cuddled up in between the two of you, her feet pressed against Luke’s bare stomach in the awkward position she had fallen asleep in.

“I can’t believe how far she’s come.” You murmured, ever so slightly tracing your finger down her nose and over her cheeks. She squirmed a little at the contact, her hand moving up to touch her face before she settled down again.

“I know,” Luke replied. “Remember when we were scared to even go near her whilst she was asleep? In case she woke up and got upset again.”

You nodded, realising how genuinely relieved you were that she had settled in so well. The nights where she had been inconsolable and wouldn’t sleep as well as pushing you and Luke away were so painful — you were sure you’d never forget them. As she slept soundly in between you both, it made you appreciate how grateful you were for how things had turned out.

“I love her so much.” You whispered, moving a little closer to Luke and resting your head on his shoulder. Even though your lives had changed so much, and you no longer had time for the several date nights you tried to go on every month — your connection to him had never been stronger. The struggles had brought you closer together. “And I love you.”

“I love you too, gorgeous.” He replied, kissing the crown of your head. “Whatever happens, we have each other, right?”

“Always.”

***

“Okay,” You, Luke and Sarah were about to hear the words you had waited a long time to hear. “Looking at everything we have here… it’s safe to say that Isabella has settled into your family very well. Congratulations to you both, you officially are her legal parents.”

You clasped your hand over your mouth to conceal an excited squeal, trying to contain your emotions until you left the courtroom.

Isabella Hemmings.

Sarah was the first to leave the room, after thanking the judge — you and Luke being quick to follow. You couldn’t stop the tears from slipping down your cheeks as Luke wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into a tight hug. A hug that displayed all of the emotions you had felt ever since deciding you were going to adopt. It had been a rollercoaster of happiness, sadness, uncertainty, but mostly — overwhelming joy. Every emotion had lead to this moment.

“We did it.” You sobbed into his shoulder, not wanting to let go of him.

“Congratulations, you two!” Sarah pulled you both into tight hugs, trying to hold back her own tears. “I know it’s been a long, difficult process but we got here eventually. I could not have hoped for a more loving family for Bella to go to, and I know she’s going to be very happy with you both.”

“Thank you so much for everything.” Luke didn’t know how to show his gratitude. Sarah truly had changed your lives, and her support had gotten you both through the process. “I don’t know how to tell you how appreciative we are. Thank you for bringing her into our lives.”

It was then you heard Bella’s happy squeals.

“Look who’s back, Bella!” Michael exclaimed, trying to keep a hold on her as she squirmed excitedly in his arms. Harper stayed close to her dad, one small hand holding his larger one for reassurance in the unfamiliar surroundings. The court had been daunting for you all, and with not being able to take Bella in with you both — Michael had offered to watch her and to tag along for moral support. Bella had grown attached to Harper and was more than happy to play with her whilst you went through the legal proceedings.

“There’s our sweet girl.” Luke held his arms out and took her from Michael, holding her flush against his chest as he cuddled his daughter. She had been his daughter ever since she was allowed to go home with you both, but now, it was official.

“So I’m guessing everything went well?” Michael asked, already knowing the answer by the elated expression on yours and Luke’s faces.

You nodded, your hand going to cover your face once more as you composed yourself.

“Come here.” Michael chuckled as he pulled you into a warm hug. “I’m so happy for you both. You’re already the best parents to her, she adores you. She’s an angel and you’re going to do the best job at raising her.”

“Thank you, Mike.” You knew he truly was so happy about the situation. You knew he was worried about Luke, when your future as a family was full of uncertainty — all of the guys did, and now, they no longer had to. Your family was finally complete.

“Now, miss Isabella Hemmings,” Luke cooed, tapping her nose to make her giggle as she looked up at him. “Shall we get you home?”

Home. A place that now had a completely different meaning — one that Bella could call her own. When you first met her, she needed you, she needed a home, parents to love her like she deserved to be loved — but little did she know, it was you and Luke who needed her just as much.

Isabella Hemmings.

***

I would really really appreciate it if you could let me know your thoughts on this fic! I worked very hard on it and would appreciate any feedback you have <3 thank you so much for reading and making it this far!

Taglist: @irwinkitten @ukulelecal @wildflowergrae @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @maluminspace @fluffsshawn @xhaileyreneex @goth5sos @flowerthug @calpops @youngblood199456 @aliencal @wokeupinjapanisabop @banditocth @cashtonasfuck @5-secondsofcolor @g-l-pierce @monsteramongmgc @calmlftv @mantlereid @treatallwithkindness​ @another-lonely-heart @calumrose @inlovehoodx @mermaidcashton @everydayimfangirling @sexgodashton @b-easybreezy @ilumxna @malumsmermaid @koalacal @opheliaaurora23 @talkfastromance4 @zhangyixingxing1 @everyscarisahealingplace @mateisit-balsamic @saphseoul @calmforharry (please fill out this form to be added!)

Masterlist

[nostalgiabones]

Make a Home // Dad!Calum

A/N: I started this in August so... quite a while ago! And I finally got around to finishing it! I have a few other ideas about dad!Calum on tour (thanks to @babe-babylon​) so if anyone would like to see more then please let me know here! I hope you enjoy this ♥️

For 5 Seconds of Summer, touring had never been easy. The hectic schedules, running on very little sleep, only having a day off every so often to recoup and relax... the list was endless. When Calum only had himself to worry about, the pressures of touring were manageable, as the consequences of burning out only affected him. Now he had a wife and daughter to think about, at times, touring could be tougher than ever.

But although it could be difficult, he wouldn't change it for the world - there was no way he'd be able to leave the two of you behind at home, whilst he was out on the road for months on end.

At the beginning of your relationship, you and Calum struggled sometimes but you always made it through - it usually consisted of late night FaceTime calls, you joining the tour whenever your own schedule allowed you to, and making up for lost time whenever you could. However, as soon as your beautiful daughter, Marama, was born, things had to be different. Her name, symbolising the moon in Maori, was beautiful just like her - Calum fell in love with it as soon as he heard it. As he became a father he realised just how much he wouldn’t be able to tour without either of you, so you knew you had to make it work for him.

An alarm blaring from one of the bunks around you pulled you from sleep. It wasn't your favourite way to be woken up, but a way that you had to get used to, several days into the tour. You opened your eyes slightly, tucked tightly into Calum's warm bare chest, his arms wrapped around your waist. It was a struggle for space in the small bunks sometimes, but you couldn't complain, getting to wake up in Calum's arms every day. You knew you would miss it, if he wasn't there.

"Come on guys, time to get up. We have a busy day today." You heard the voice of their manager, hearing the rest of the bus beginning to stir. You retrieved your phone from the bed, letting your eyes adjust to the screen before seeing the time 7:15am looking back at you. You groaned quietly into Calum's warm chest, knowing that you'd be able to stay in bed a little longer with Mara whilst the guys got ready and left, and you'd meet up with them later on.

"Baby, you need to wake up." You gently ran your nails along his shoulder and down the side of his chest, trying to gradually rouse him from sleep. You planted a soft kiss to his cheek and nose, before settling back into his neck. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, resting his head on yours.

"S'too early." He mumbled, yawning quietly as he pulled you closer into his body.

"Look who's ready to start the day!" You and Calum heard Ashton's enthusiastic voice, before he pulled back the curtain to your bunk and you saw him holding Mara against his chest. She was holding onto his T-shirt, sleepily resting her head on his shoulder as she woke up a bit more, but her eyes lit up at the sight of her parents. "I went to check on her and she was already awake, I thought I'd just bring her to you guys."

"Good morning, my little moon. Did you have a good sleep?" Calum reached out for her and she happily went to him, a grin taking over her features as she settled in between the two of you. Ashton had given her a pacifier which was keeping her settled for the moment, her squishy cheeks rosy from sleep and her dark curls messy on her head. "Lucky you gets to stay here and cuddle Mama for a while. You make it so hard for me to go to work, sweet girl."

You had been worried about trying to keep her in a routine, and her having to sleep in the back room in a different crib to what she was used to. But as long as either you or Calum rocked her to sleep and stayed in the room whilst she settled, she was fine. Everyone was aware that she slept in there, so knew not to go in late at night or to make too much noise that would wake her. The band and the crew were all very considerate of your situation, and for that you were grateful.

After a few more minutes of cuddles, with one final kiss to you and Mara, Calum dragged himself out of the bunk to go and shower and get ready for the day. You stayed in the bunk cuddling your little girl, the two of you happy with the warm sleepy cuddles from each other.

“Come on angel, how about some breakfast with your dad and uncles before they leave?” You cooed at her, clambering out of the stuffy bunk and making your way through to the living space. The band were sitting around on the sofas, quickly eating breakfast knowing that they had to head out for a day of interviews soon.

“There’s my girls.” Calum smiled softly at the two of you, his heart melting as he watched Mara curl into your body, resting her head on your shoulder, content to look around the room at her tour family. You greeted the rest of the band, easily making up a bottle with your free hand, used to doing things with only one hand now you were a parent, as the other arm was usually occupied by your daughter. “Let me have a cuddle with my baby before I leave.”

He reached out for her and easily took her into his arms, her small chubby hands playing with the buttons on the collar of his shirt. He bounced her softly, aware of the fact that she hadn’t long been awake and was still sleepy. Yawns spilled out of her lips occasionally, her curious eyes looking around at her uncles crashed out on the sofas in the room.

“We have back to back interviews until 12 but then we have an acoustic show, so we thought you could meet us there and watch if you’d like?” Calum asked you, as you passed over the made up bottle and he started to feed Mara, her happily accepting it. One of Calum’s favourite things about being a dad was feeding his daughter - she’d always wrap her tiny hands around his much bigger ones, in an attempt to hold the bottle but she wasn’t strong enough to do it on her own yet. He knew it’d hurt his heart when she was old enough to eat solid foods and he wouldn’t need to give her a bottle anymore.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me babe. We'll have a lazy morning with some Netflix, huh bubs?" You cooed to your daughter, settled drinking her morning bottle in Calum's arms. Most of the time, the places where they did interviews and acoustic shows were fine for you to tag along, but sometimes, it was too busy and it just wasn't ideal.

"Boys, are you ready?" A voice called into the bus, the four band members pulling jackets on and grabbing their phones before waving goodbye to you and your daughter.

“See you soon, my little moon.” Calum passed your daughter back into your arms, as well as the bottle, with a kiss to her forehead, planting a kiss on your lips before following his band out of the bus. “Bye, babe.”

//

“Look who’s there, baby!” You cooed excitedly to your daughter, thanking the security guard that opened the back door to the venue, to let you sneak in quietly. “Can you see Daddy and your Uncles?”

You had spent the morning cuddled on the sofa, just you and Marama, trying to keep her entertained before showering the two of you and getting ready for the rest of the day.

As Calum had told you earlier, they were playing a small acoustic set to a select number of fans, who had won a competition to be there. It wasn’t too loud, but you’d slipped some small noise cancelling headphones over your daughter’s delicate ears, just in case it was too loud for her. Calum’s eyes caught yours, a smile growing on his lips as he noticed your presence.

You lingered near the back, trying not to catch any fan attention as you didn’t want to overwhelm your daughter. Mara had been around fans a few times, and all the ones that she had met were respectful, but she was a shy baby and would easily get unsettled by too many new people. She always felt safe with you and Calum - the two of you would obviously never put her in any danger - but you didn’t want to scare her.

The set continued and you swayed along to the music, trying to keep her occupied as curious eyes took in all the sights of the new environment. When they finished playing, they took some fan questions, and as you expected, one was about Calum’s family life.

“What is it like touring with a family, Calum?”

He took a deep breath, acknowledging the question before his eyes glanced back over to yours, a warm smile growing on his face yet again. He took the microphone from Ashton, before saying “Well, speaking of which...”

Most of the fans had caught on to you being in the room, several eyes turning around to look straight at you and Mara at the back. She remained mostly unfazed, her big eyes focused on her Dad on the stage after hearing the familiar sound of his voice.

“Can I bring her up here, babe?” He asked you into the microphone, already unplugging himself from his bass so he could come off stage and get her. You nodded, leaving a kiss on her forehead and passing her into her dad’s arms, with another kiss to his lips.

“Hi, my little moon.” He rested her against his chest as he made his way back up to the small stage. The fans squealed happily at the sight of Calum and his baby girl, a chorus of ‘aww’s across the room as he kissed her squishy cheeks. “Did you have a good morning with mum?”

Calum sat back down on his seat on the stage, Mara in his arms getting shy as all eyes turned to her. She hid in Calum’s neck, clinging a chubby hand onto the collar of his shirt, sucking harder on her pacifier. “It’s okay, bubs.” He murmured in her ear, the large headphones removed as the band weren’t playing anymore. “I’ve got you.”

“So, to actually answer your question...” Michael started, causing laughter to break out as the audience realised how sidetracked Calum had gotten.

“It’s great, I mean, of course it’s difficult with Mara being so young and I don’t get to spend as much time with her when I’m out doing interviews and such.” He explained, watching as Luke reached over to bop her nose and make her giggle. “But it would be so much harder without them here, so I’m really grateful that we can work it out and they can come along with us.”

She remained sitting in his lap for the rest of the questions, tiny hands playing with the chain around his neck as she avoided looking back into the audience. Your heart melted as you watched them, forgetting to listen to anymore answers from any of the boys, as you were too distracted by your two loves. You loved how calm Mara was - content against his chest to listen to him and her uncles talk, an occasional giggle when he looked down to press a kiss to her forehead and tickle her sides. It made you realise how glad you were that the two of you could be there with him - you knew it really would crush him, if you weren’t there.

//

Travelling on a tour bus came with its perks, but also its downfalls. It meant you didn’t have to travel by plane everywhere - which even though it would be faster, it meant packing and unpacking and having to through airports every day, which with a young baby, was not what you wanted at all. Although, being on the bus was also not ideal when it felt like it was a thousand degrees outside, and everyone wanted to stay on the bus to recoup on their day off.

“Everything okay, babe?” Calum’s voice filled the back room where you were rocking Marama in your arms, trying to get her to have her usual afternoon nap. She was hot, restless, and didn’t seem to want to sleep even though her sleepy eyes said otherwise. She turned to look at her dad from her spot in your arms, sucking harder on her pacifier as she rubbed her eyes.

“She’s a bit restless.” You replied, running a hand through her soft curls, identical to those of her dad’s before he shaved his head and dyed it blue. She whined against your chest, wriggling around uncomfortably as you rearranged her in your arms.

“Shall I take her out for a bit? I can take the stroller.” He suggested, wanting to give you a bit of a break and hopefully get her to sleep a little, knowing it would make it easier for when he had a show later that night. You nodded, as he held his arms out towards you, pulling Marama into them. “Hi, my little moon. Shall we go for a walk, huh?”

He grabbed her stroller from the back of the bus, managing to set it up with one hand whilst the other held Mara against his shoulder. He grabbed a thin blanket and a few other necessities, like her stuffed giraffe and pacifier, knowing they would help to settle her. He set her down in the stroller, shushing her whines as she tried to resist him putting her down. “I know you’re so sleepy, Mara.”

He took off with a promise that he’d be back when she fell asleep, hoping the gentle movement of the stroller would help her to settle. It felt good for him to be away from the bus for a little - to get some fresh air, and be away from his band mates and the crew for a while. He loved them, loved being on tour and spending time with them, but he needed his space every so often. He knew he couldn’t go far, in the fear of not knowing his way back, after he had reassured the security team that he didn’t need them to tag along. He decided to just walk around the huge car park, where all the buses were kept for the day.

He felt bad knowing Mara was too warm and restless to sleep. She kept crying and rubbing her eyes, her pacifier falling out every time she whined. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I know you’re uncomfy.” He cooed at her sympathetically, reaching down to rub her tummy soothingly, so she knew he was there. He placed her pacifier back in, holding it there for a moment until she accepted it.

“Calum!”

After walking a few laps around the buses, achieving his goal of getting Mara to sleep, he heard several voices shouting his name from behind the fences. It was then that he realised that fans must’ve spotted him, and a small group was building up outside the gate to the arena. He felt slightly anxious at the thought of going over, really not wanting to disturb Mara, but also feeling guilty if he didn’t say hi. He decided that as long as he warned them she was sleeping, it would be okay.

“Hi, guys. Thanks for coming out.” He greeted them as he reached the gate, keeping one hand slowly moving the pushchair back and forth smoothly to keep Mara asleep. “I just got her to sleep, so if we could be a little quiet i’d really appreciate it.”

“Of course.” The fans agreed and tried to keep their excited squeals to a minimum, as they all tried to catch a glimpse of Mara. He posted photos of her occasionally, but he didn’t want to plaster her all over the internet - she was his baby, your baby, and he wanted to keep his family mostly to himself. “Do you mind if we get a photo?”

Calum agreed, working his way through the crowd of fans that had accumulated near the arena, all hoping to meet him. He glanced over at Mara every so often, anxious that the situation would wake her up again. He wanted her to get a good nap so she wouldn’t be grumpy for the rest of the day - it wouldn’t make it any easier for you, when he had to leave for the show later.

“Can we see Marama, Calum?” One fan asked apprehensively, not wanting to intrude but also wanting to see Calum with his baby girl. He knew that the internet would explode with a photo of him and his sweet daughter, like it did every time he posted one of her himself. He thought about it before answering. He didn’t really want to disturb her, but knew since she was usually such a deep sleeper, she’d probably just fall back asleep against him.

“Sure. She’s sleeping though, if she gets grumpy, it’s your guys’ fault.” He joked with them, a sarcastic chuckle leaving his lips as he spoke. The fans laughed at his response, watching as he reached down into the stroller to scoop her into his arms, making sure she had her pacifier, and shushing her softly before she had the chance to cry. “Here she is.”

A chorus of “awww” and “she’s so cute!” broke out among the girls, a few of which had put their phones away to respect her privacy. There was bound to be a few photos, but he didn’t really mind, since she had her face mostly pressed against his neck anyway.

“She’s so sweet.” Another fan cooed quietly, as Calum patted Mara’s back softly as she adjusted to get comfy on his chest. She still felt hot against his skin, but he was satisfied that she’d managed to get some sleep. “She looks just like you.”

“Do you think so?” Calum asked, his heart warming as she slept against him, making the sweetest sounds and snuffles that he loved so much. He always felt calmer with her in his arms; there was nothing he loved more than to feel her sleeping on him. “She definitely got my curls, that’s for sure. I’m not sure she’ll thank me for it when she’s older though.”

He spoke with them a little longer, grateful that he could chat to them calmly whilst Mara slept. He didn’t mind taking photos, but enjoyed having actual conversations and making connections with people instead. He found it inspiring to meet the people who supported the band and came to the shows.

He headed back to the bus, Mara still sleeping contently against his chest, her head tucked into his neck. Your heart clenched, like it always did when you saw Calum and your daughter together.

“Look who’s back!” Luke announced as he stepped onto the bus, quickly slapping his hand over his mouth as he realised how loud he had been, forgetting Mara was asleep. “Oops.”

“It’s okay. We met some fans, actually. She slept though the whole thing.” Calum informed them, as he sat down next to you on the semi- comfortable sofas of the back room. He pressed a kiss to your lips as a silent hello, linking his free hand with yours as you rested your head on his shoulder.

And as he sat there, like he did most days, it felt so normal and so familiar. His baby girl sleeping on his chest, his beautiful wife sat close to him, his brothers scattered around him in the room. He got to live his dream of being a musician, all while bringing up his beautiful family at the same time. All of the sacrifices and hardships were worth it - no matter where he was, as long as he had his family, he would be at home.

Taglist: @irwinkitten @i-calumhood @gorgeouslygrace @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @fivesecondsof-mee @maluminspace @fluffsshawn (message me to be added!)

Masterlist

[nostalgiabones]

hi pumpkin, can you 9 and 14 from the dad!sos prompt list with like any kiddo from the family of 8 pls? i wanna cry lmao thank you lauren❤️❤️

09. “I think it’s broken.”

14. A child getting injured whilst under one parent’s supervision and then needing reassurance that they aren’t a bad parent.

Luke was confident in his parenting skills. After 13 years of being a parent to six different children, he felt like there was nothing that would faze him or surprise him, as he’d literally experienced everything that he thought he could as a parent.

But one thing that never got easier as a parent, was seeing any of his children in pain. Especially if it was something that he couldn’t easily fix, and all he could do was reassure them that he was there. And this was made even worst when he was taking care of the kids alone, as he didn’t have you to help him when he was freaking out about them being in pain.

The day was going smoothly so far; he had been alone with all six children for at least three hours, and nothing had gone wrong yet. Theo was down for his usual nap, and he’d managed to get all of the children in the garden to burn some energy. It helped him out that Grayson and Poppy were a little older and they could take charge of the games too, as it took a little pressure off of him, so he could also keep an eye on Theo.

They’d taken to playing a game of tag, which was fairly harmless, but Luke had already warned the twins to be careful with Willow, as they tended to forget that she was little and didn’t like playing games as rough as they did. But he trusted them, and knew they’d never intentionally hurt their little sister. At the same time, Theo’s cries had started up through the baby monitor that he had brought into the garden with him. He knew he shouldn’t really leave them unattended, but he trusted Grayson to keep an eye on them, and he’d only be gone for a minute.

“Hi, Teddy. Did you have a good nap? Come here, bubs.” He cooed to the sleepy bundle, lifting him into his arms and resting him again his chest. He kissed his temple, grabbing the blanket from the crib to wrap around Theo’s back, making sure he wouldn’t get too cold when they went outside. “Shall we go see what your brothers and sisters have got up to?”

It wasn’t until he heard a cry of pain, that went straight to his heart and made his blood run cold, that he was suddenly very concerned.

“Daddy! Willow’s hurt!” He heard the voice of Oscar, making him look over in the direction of where his children had ended up, at the other end of the garden, and it was then he noticed that Willow was curled up on the floor and crying. With Willow being his softest baby and the biggest Daddy’s girl out of all of the children, Luke’s heart broke as he made his way over to her, still with Theo in his arms.

“Hey, what’s happened, baby girl? Come here, it’s okay.” He tried to soothe her, even though his heart hadn’t stopped racing since he realised she was hurt. He hoped so badly that it was minor, that he could easily fix it, and that he wouldn’t need to call you and distract you from your day out with a friend. “Gray, can you take Theo?”

He passed his youngest baby into the arms of his oldest child, as he tried to focus on seeing what was wrong with Willow. She was sobbing, almost hyperventilating, and it made his heart ache as he panicked at what could be wrong. “Show Daddy where it hurts, baby.”

“Ouch, daddy.” She kept crying, and his heart hurt more with every word. It wasn’t until he sat her up properly and she yelped out in pain as soon as he touched her arm. She was holding it close to her body, and wouldn’t let him look at it.

“Can I see your arm, Willow? It’s okay, bubs. Just let me look at it.” His stomach turned at the sight when she reluctantly held it out to him. He wasn’t a doctor, but he didn’t need to be to know that her arm definitely didn’t look right, and a feeling of panic took over him, knowing she’d need to go to the hospital.

He could just about handle looking after six children when he was at home. But taking six children out to a hospital alone, when he knew they’d be waiting around for a long time, was just not going to happen.

“Okay, sweetheart. I’m gonna call Mumma and your Uncle Ash, then we’re gonna go and make sure your arm is okay, yeah? Come here, we’ll go sit inside.” He tried to stay as calm as he could, trying to ignore the sick feeling that had taken over his stomach. He couldn’t help feeling that if he hadn’t gone inside for Theo, and would’ve been watching, it wouldn’t have happened. Kids always had accidents, and he knew that, but he couldn’t ignore the guilt knawing at his mind.

“Is she gonna be okay, Daddy?” Arlo asked, as the rest of his siblings followed Luke back to the house, with Willow in his arms, crying against his shoulder.

“She’s just bumped her arm Arlo. But we’re gonna go get it all fixed up, and she’ll be just fine.” He reassured his son, as much as telling himself that she would be okay.

He got them all settled on the sofas inside, Willow still whimpering into his chest, her uninjured arm wrapped around his shoulder and playing with the curls at the back of his neck to distract herself. Luke pulled out his phone, first dialling Ashton, hoping he was available to watch the kids whilst he took Willow to hospital.

“Luke? Hey, what’s up?” Ashton’s familiar voice came through the phone and it calmed Luke down a little immediately - he felt less alone. He explained the situation, that you were out for the day and he was in charge of the kids, and that Willow had gotten injured. Ashton agreed to head over as soon as he could, leaving Luke only one job, to call you.

“Babe? There’s been a bit of an accident.” He admitted, as soon as you answered the phone.

“An accident? Who? What do you mean, Luke?” You asked, your heart rate increasing immediately at his words.

“They were just playing in the garden and Theo was crying so I went to get him, and I was only gone for a minute, but then I came back and Willow had fallen and landed on her arm.” He explained, his heart heavy as he recalled the events of the last 10 minutes. “I think it’s broken, babe. I’ve called Ashton to take care of the kids whilst we take her to get it checked out.”’

“Oh my god, we need to take her to the hospital. I’m closer to there than home, can I meet you there?” In your heart, you knew they were only children and accidents happened, but you were upset knowing Willow was injured and you weren’t there. The tone of Luke’s voice broke your heart, knowing how guilty he would feel that this happened under his supervision. “She’ll be okay, Lu. And bring Theo with you, we don’t want to end up taking Ashton to hospital too.”

Moments later, Ashton arrived at the door, sensing the stressed atmosphere in the house. “Look whose here, guys! It’s your favourite Uncle.” He was greeted with lots of hugs from his nieces and nephews, but he felt sad seeing Willow hiding against Luke’s shoulder.

“I’ll keep you updated, Ash. Thanks for coming over.” Luke told him the main things he needed to know, but as the twins were old enough to know where everything was and there were no babies left in the house, he knew they’d be fine. He bundled Theo into his car seat, making sure he had everything he needed as well as balancing Willow in his arms, trying not to move her anymore, to avoid causing her anymore discomfort.

She cried more as he settled her into her car seat, gently shushing her and promising that they were going to fix her arm. He felt uncomfortable and anxious the whole car journey, knowing she was in pain, and hating that he couldn’t do much about it. He couldn’t wait to see you - although he felt awful that he had ruined your afternoon with your friend, that you much deserved. He hoped you’d understand, and that you wouldn’t be annoyed at him, even though he felt annoyed at himself.

“There’s my baby.” You felt relieved seeing them enter the hospital waiting room, where you had already signed in to tell them why you were there. It was just a waiting game. Luke handed Willow to you, letting you comfort her as he got a better grip on Theo’s car seat, in which the baby had remained unfazed and managed to fall asleep in. “I already told them why we’re here, Lu. We just have to wait.”

It wasn’t long before her name was called, and the four of you made your way through to the doctors room. She confirmed it was broken, and after painkillers and many more tears, Willow found herself with a yellow cast fitted onto her arm.

“It looks funny, Daddy.” Willow commented, not taking her eyes away from the bright yellow cast that adorned her broken arm. “It feels funny too.”

“I know, baby. But this will make it feel better.”

***

A few hours later, all of the commotion was over, and after the children’s excitement of “wow Willow! Your arm is yellow!” and finally releasing Ashton, you’d managed to get everyone into bed. Luke had wanted Willow to sleep in your bed for the night, wanting to keep an eye on her, and mainly just wanting to hold her - so he knew she was okay. Her pain medication had worked and she had crashed in between the two of you, her head in Luke’s neck.

“She’s okay, Lu.” You reassured him, answering all of the worries in his head, without him saying a word. You could see it all over his face. He felt so guilty, that under his supervision, she had gotten more injured than she had in her whole little life.

“I should’ve been watching them.” He replied quietly, running a hand through her soft curls that were tickling his jaw.

“We have six children, Luke. That’s a lot of kids to handle when there’s two of us, never mind on our own.” You told him, trying to ease the guilt in his mind. “Theo was crying, so you went to get him. If you’d have stayed to watch them, no one would have got Theo. You can’t be everywhere at once, love.”

Your words eased his anxiety, reducing the fears in his mind that he was a terrible dad, and Willow would blame him forever. He felt much better now that she was calmly sleeping against him, no longer in pain.

“We’re both doing the best that we can, Lu. She loves you. She won’t even remember this, I promise.”

He reached over, careful not to jolt Willow, who was using his chest as a pillow. He kissed your lips softly, several times, which always calmed him down. “I love our crazy family. Even if we can’t handle them a lot of the time.”

You laughed softly at his words, and it made you happy to see him smile a little, the worry seeming to leave his expression. “Goodnight, superdad.”

Send me a number (and whether or not you want a blurb from the hemmings family of eight AU) from this list!

(gen!! I love you so much, thank you for requesting this!!♥️ @i-calumhood)

Taglist: @irwinkitten @i-calumhood @gorgeouslygrace @luckyduckydoo @letstaketheups-and-downs @jazzyangel242 @cashworthy @babylon-corgis @norawashere @monsteramongmikey @late-nightdevil @ashtonsghoul @fivesecondsof-mee (message me to be added!)

Masterlist

[fangirlingpuggle]

(Unexpected pt 3) So all the other skeksis are like 'a Grottan, really?' but they don't actually say it and just force smiles when skekSo shows off his baby and then skekSa comes bursting in with her herd of childlings and is like "I HEARD YOU ADOPTED LEMME SEE." and just melts over adorable little Grottan Deethra with her big bugly round eyes and her Sifa children sing songs for the new princess and they leave gifts and skekSo's all proud and it's UGH SUPER ADORABLE??? SKEKSA IS BEST AUNT.

Yesss!!!

SkekSo getting super jealous after like a minute and trying to grab her back but SkekSa is so much taller and it’s just

“GIVE ME BACK MY CHILD I AM YOUR EMPEROR”

“OH SHE’S ADORABLE”

“GIVE HER BACK!!”

He tries ordering SkekVar or someone to get her back but they take one look at SkekSa and yeah no...no one wants to mess with SkekSa.

Also anyone tries to say anything and just getting a look like ‘I will end you before you can even finish that sentence’

Bonus: ‘...does this mean the child outranks us?’ ‘...FUCK!’

Extra Bonus: SkekSil being a bit more hesitant to mess with Deethra because if SkekSo even thinks anyone is messing with her they’re dead.

[fangirlingpuggle]

How do rian and deet get together in your dadmal au

Hey!

So not sure which Dadmal AU you mean so here’s how in all of them.

Normal Dadmal (where Rian is adopted but all the others are raised by Gelflings like canon) - Angry tag along Hunter and then later his dad join the party, Deet is just her normal ball of sunshine curious self and little hunter Rian is like ‘what?’ and is very confused by her but very protective...it’s a lot like a beauty and the beast style thing I think (SkekMal also get’s super protective of her when he meets her but gives awful advice kill her enemies for her give their skulls to her how about necklace out of their teeth? UrVa gives slightly better advice but skill not great)

SkekParents (with DadSo) aka Dark AU - So in this AU Deet is like the Princess they’ve known each other most of their lives but Deet is kept separate as very overprotective Skekdad, case and point she’s not allowed outside. Rian and her always have a friendship but as they grow older (and especially once they’re on the run, but even before that Rian would bring back flowers and plants for Deet after hunting trips (which are the only one she’s ever seen) as well as stories about animals (the ones they didn't murder). This is just clueless little princess and overprotective best friend/bodyguard slowly realizing each of their feelings (the figure it out when the 2 of them finally dreamfast with each other and have an ‘oh’ moment)

Skekparents (with dad GraGoh) aka the less dark AU- So in this Deet is raised by SkekGra and UrGoh and is just this extra ball of light and joy and completely catches Rian off guard from the first time they meet, he’s initially a little suspicious especially when he finds out she was raised by the heretic but slowly warms up and then becomes super protective, it takes him longer to figure out what he feels for her (probably SkekGra and UrGoh give him a push in the right direction) again I think it would be when they dreamfast and fully realize feelings. (SkeGra helped though he knows what to say to make edgy murder child realize his feelings...he was once that edgy murder child himself)

Hope this was ok Anon and covered the dadmal you meant, thank you for the ask =)

[fangirlingpuggle]

(Pt1) If I may add a bit to The Dark Skekdad AU (let's just call it that it's kinda funny) I've been imagining that baby Deet was captured by the Arathim but was saved by a Gelfling who brought her to Stone-in-the-Wood or somewhere and for whatever reason skekSo's there with skekVar (maybe skekOk has Brea at this time and the emperor decided he wanted a baby too and came looking for one to steal-- I mean, adopt) and saw baby Grottan Deet and just fell in love and was like "MY KID NOW let's go."

Hey!!

Yes please add away =)

This is brilliant I’m just imagining SkekSo just looking at this tiny Gelfling and is like “Mine” “wha” “MINE”

[fangirlingpuggle]

BRUH SKEKSO AND DEET!! i’m just like, Imagining how that even went down like no one dares to speek badly of Skekso’s Childling but there totally are whispers of like “a grotten? Really? He chose a grotten?” But they don’t see what Skekso does, hoe Deet’s not only kind, but brave and thoughtful and for some reason he just feels better after talking to her, even if she asks so many odd questions and doesn’t understand that he’s basically the king of Thra.

HA!YES!

I’m so glad other people like this idea to =)

Yeah that’s what amused me about it just like the Skeksis all staring at this tiny little smiling thing and wanting to say something but then SkekSo is right there glaring and they just slowly close their mouths and walk away because nope I don't feel like dying.

Just evil maniacal speeches having the effect lessen with tiny ball of sunshine standing off to the side.