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aventurineswife · 6 months ago

Note

Reader knitting baby gloves, hats or little baby vests without telling anything to them. And when they get suspicious that the reader wants a baby or something they learn that the reader's sister is going to give birth and all those are just a preparation for the new coming baby. Their reactions?

“Welcome, little one”

You sat quietly by the window, the soft click of knitting needles filling the otherwise peaceful room. Every now and then, you’d glance at the pattern, the yarn slipping through your fingers effortlessly as you focused on the tiny baby gloves in your lap. Your mind was calm, focused on the task, though you couldn’t help but smile as you imagined the little hands that would soon wear these gloves.

Sunday walked in quietly, his eyes flickering to the delicate, almost ethereal gloves. “I’ve noticed these,” he said in his usual, composed voice, pausing a few steps away from you. “You’ve been spending an awful lot of time on these… but why?” He tilted his head slightly, his gaze never leaving the tiny gloves.

You glanced up, a small smile tugging at your lips. “It’s nothing. Just a little project.”

He raised an eyebrow, his wings shifting subtly behind him. “It doesn’t look like nothing. Is it for us? Or perhaps…” His eyes narrowed slightly, considering a possibility. "You wish for us to have a child?”

You shook your head with a soft chuckle, setting the gloves aside. "Oh no, it’s not for us. It's for my sister. She’s expecting a baby soon, and I wanted to help out.”

Sunday’s expression softened as he stepped closer, concern and curiosity mixing in his gaze. “Ah, your sister. I see now. A new life to protect, and you’re preparing for it with such dedication. I suppose this isn’t the first time you’ve knitted things for her?”

You nodded, feeling a wave of warmth from his understanding. ��No, I’ve done this for her before.”

His serious expression was replaced with a small smile, his eyes almost glowing. "You’re always so considerate for your loved ones. It’s clear you will be a great aunt/uncle."

Aventurine, as always, entered the room with an effortless confidence, his eyes immediately drawn to the delicate baby vest you were knitting. He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Is this your work? I must say, I didn’t expect you to take up something so… cozy.” He leaned against the doorframe, his eyes following the rhythmic movements of your hands.

You didn’t look up, but you offered a quiet hum in acknowledgment. “Hmm, it’s a hobby.”

“Mm,” he replied, stepping closer with that teasing smile of his, his hands resting in his pockets. “A hobby, you say? And is this hobby preparation for… a little one? You’ve been knitting baby clothes for quite some time now. Are you telling me something, sweetheart?”

You paused for a moment, looking up to meet his playful yet searching gaze. You could see the wheels turning in his mind, and a small smirk played on his lips as he waited for an answer.

“No, it’s not like that,” you replied, a soft chuckle escaping your lips. “It’s for my sister. She’s expecting, and I’m helping her get ready for the baby.”

Aventurine’s expression shifted from playful to surprised, his smirk faltering for a moment. He raised an eyebrow, trying to process. “Your sister, huh? Well, that makes more sense. I had a feeling you weren’t planning on bringing a baby into the picture just yet…”

You smiled at his teasing, grateful for the lightheartedness he brought. “Not yet, no. But I’m sure my sister would appreciate the help.”

“Very considerate of you, as always,” he said with a softer tone, his eyes gleaming with admiration. “I suppose I’ll just have to wait for the next exciting news, then.” He winked at you, leaning in slightly. “But if you ever change your mind… I’ll be more than ready to play the role of doting uncle.”

You were hunched over your work, carefully weaving the yarn to form a small, intricate baby hat. The rhythmic motion of your hands was calming, and the thought of the new life that would soon enter the world filled you with warmth. But as you pulled the final stitches together, you couldn’t help but notice Ratio standing nearby, his sharp gaze fixed on the tiny hat in your hands.

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat, startling you slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve been quite… diligent in your knitting lately. I must say, I didn’t take you for someone so invested in these… trivial pursuits.”

You chuckled softly, lifting your gaze to meet his slightly raised brow. “It’s not trivial. I’m making this for my sister. She’s about to have a baby.”

Ratio’s eyes flickered with interest, and though he didn’t show it, there was a shift in his expression. “A baby?” His tone was more thoughtful now. “Ah, I see. You are preparing for a new life. How fascinating.”

You nodded, your fingers still working the yarn. “Yes, she’s due soon. I’ve been helping her get ready.”

He stepped closer, a subtle curiosity in his voice as he observed the delicate details in your knitting. “I see. This is rather meticulous work. A fitting way to show affection. I had assumed you had other reasons for such actions… Perhaps even to prepare for something… personal?” He raised an eyebrow, a touch of skepticism creeping into his tone.

You laughed at his suspicion, shaking your head. “No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just for my sister. A little extra help from me.”

Ratio’s expression softened, a rare hint of genuine warmth in his gaze. “I see. I apologize for my assumptions. I suppose I misjudged the situation. You are indeed a person of thoughtful consideration.” He gave a small nod of respect. “May your sister’s child be blessed with wisdom and a strong mind.”

Blade stood in the doorway, his red eyes sharp as he watched you knit a tiny baby vest. It was an odd sight, especially when considering the life he led, and for a moment, the cold edge of his gaze softened as his mind raced with possibilities. His quiet steps took him closer, his voice low as he finally spoke.

“You’ve been knitting a lot lately. That’s not like you,” he remarked, his tone just as sharp as usual, but with a hint of curiosity beneath the surface. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

You looked up, raising an eyebrow at his directness. “It’s nothing. Just a little project.”

Blade’s eyes flickered toward the baby vest in your hands, a faint frown forming on his lips. “This doesn’t look like something you’d do for yourself,” he commented, his voice uncharacteristically thoughtful. “Are you preparing for something… or someone?”

You paused, setting the vest down and meeting his gaze. “It’s not for me. It’s for my sister. She’s expecting a baby soon, and I’m helping her get ready.”

There was a brief moment of silence, and then Blade gave a quiet, almost imperceptible nod. “Ah. Your sister.” His expression softened ever so slightly, and for a moment, you could see a flicker of warmth in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “I see. I suppose that’s… good. For her.”

The words were simple, but the underlying sentiment was there—something rare for Blade. You smiled, knowing that despite his dark and fractured past, he was capable of caring in his own way.

Dan Heng walked into the room quietly, his eyes briefly scanning the contents before landing on the small baby vest you were knitting. His expression remained neutral, but there was a glimmer of suspicion in his eyes as he looked at you. “You’ve been knitting a lot lately,” he commented, his voice calm but his gaze lingering on the tiny clothing you were making.

You looked up from your work, offering him a small smile. “It’s nothing, just a hobby.”

Dan Heng’s brow furrowed slightly. “It doesn’t look like nothing. Is this… for us?”

You chuckled softly, shaking your head. “No, it’s not for us. It’s for my sister. She’s expecting a baby soon, and I’m helping her prepare.”

Dan Heng blinked, surprised. “Ah, your sister. I see now.” His tone softened, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he glanced at the delicate item in your hands. “I didn’t know you were expecting to become an aunt/uncle.”

You shrugged lightly, feeling the warmth of his unexpected reaction. “I’m not, but I’m happy to help.”

Dan Heng looked at you for a moment longer, as if weighing something in his mind, before his lips curved into a rare, genuine smile. “That’s kind of you. I’m sure your sister will appreciate it.”

His words were quiet but sincere, and in that brief moment, you felt the bond between you deepen.

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luxaofhesperides · 1 year ago

Note

For the ghostlights drabbles: “Say my name” with a favor being called in?

Duke had saved Phantom years ago, back when he was just out of high school and working to take down a branch of the government that was kidnapping and experimenting on people, targeting magic users and metas. Phantom had been working on his own to take them down, and they met in the middle, trashing a lab and freeing as many people as they could.

They had managed to shoot his back, knocking him down and making him bleed a glowing green. Phantom couldn’t move, protecting two kids with his body, and Duke couldn’t reach them in time before they were taken away by another swarm of agents.

He was able to go after them in time, free Phantom and the kids, and evacuated the victims before Phantom rained hell down on the facility.

At the end, standing in the background as they watched paramedics treat the victims and take them towards the nearest hospitals, Phantom had turned towards him and thanked him.

Or rather, he thanked the Signal and offered him a bracelet with a rounded orb of ice, glowing faintly in the dark. If you ever need me, he had said, Hold this, and call me name.

Phantom vanished once the last of the victims were transported to a safer location, and Duke hadn’t seen him since.

He’s kept up with news about Phantom as best he can, but from what he could tell, Phantom is based primarily in Amity Park, Illinois, and the town is fiercely protective of their hero. News rarely leaks out of there, and with them running on their own servers and independent internet, it was nearly impossible to get in from the outside.

Phantom remained a curious and distant figure in Duke’s life. He holds onto the bracelet still, guarding it carefully and sometimes running his fingers over the ice that never melts.

But he doesn’t call in that favor. He’s never to.

At least, not until now.

Sucking in a breath, Duke prepares himself and holds the orb of ice in the palm of his hand. He’s in civies, unable to hide his identity for this, and closes his eyes. “Phantom,” he says.

For a moment, nothing happens. Duke blinks his eyes open and frowns, mind already forming new plans to contact Phantom. Then the ice goes bitingly cold, almost painful, and the temperature in the room drops dramatically. The ice lifts up from his hand, floating in the air, then cracks open.

White-blue light spills out of it, growing brighter as it seems to swallow up the room entirely. Duke hurries to back up, an arm thrown up to protect his eyes. His breath mists out before him and he shivers as the sound of ice cracking fills the room.

And then, just as suddenly as it started, the light disappears and the cold fades away like a bad dream.

Slowly, Duke lowers his arm and looks up at Phantom, floating in the middle of his living room with a crown made of ice, engulfed in blue fire, hovers above his head. He looks older, more regal, holding his head high.

He regards Duke carefully for a minute, then tilts his head and says, “Signal?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Man, I’m so glad you came.”

“You… need help with something? You’re calling in your favor now, right?”

Duke nods. He understands Phantom’s confusion; being in the hero business means that favors like these tend to be used only during the most hopeless of times, when the world is close to ending, when the chances of getting out of a situation alive is close to impossible. It’s exactly the kind of thing Duke was expecting to call Phantom in for.

Not the kid sleeping on his couch.

“You’re a ghost, yeah?”

Phantom blinks at him. “Ghost king, now. Why?”

“Well…” Duke rubs the back of his neck, nervously. “I didn’t really know who else to call, and I can’t do this on my own since I’m not a ghost. But this kid got attached to me and won’t leave, so now I’m taking care of her and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“I don’t know why you think I have any experience with kids but—”

“She’s a ghost.”

Phantom stops short. “Ah. I see.” He floats down until his feet touch the floor, and then he’s standing like any other person. “Where…?”

Duke looks past Phantom’s shoulder, and Phantom turns to follow his gaze. Chelsea, the ghost girl, looks to be around nine years old and is fast asleep on the couch, curled up under Duke’s softest blanket.

“Signal,” Phantom says quietly, “What, exactly, is the favor you need from me?”

“You can say no,” Duke starts. “I get that this is a lot. But I need help raising her. And since you’re a ghost, I figured you could help me learn about the ghostly side of things. You don’t have to raise her with me or anything! Just… I would appreciate any help you’re willing to give me.”

Phantom doesn’t say no. He doesn’t say anything. He just stares down at Chelsea, an unreadable expression on his face.

On the couch. Chelsea shifts in her sleep, brows furrowing as she makes a choked noise in the back of her throat.

Moving on autopilot after so many nights of this routine, Duke kneels next to the couch, fishing one of her hands from beneath the blanket. He gives it a few reassuring squeezes, keeping it a slow rhythm to pull her gently from her nightmare. She settles down in just a minute, brow smoothing out as she continues to sleep.

The silence grows and Duke is all too aware that his heart is the only one beating.

He doesn’t hear Phantom move. Doesn’t realize he’s right next to him until he sees Phantom’s hand reach out towards Chelsea. When Duke looks, Phantom is sitting on the floor next to Duke, looking at Chelsea with something soft and devastated in his eyes. His hand hovers about her head for a long moment, then slowly lowers to rest on her head.

The touch looks gently, barely putting any pressure on her head, but it’s enough to make Chelsea’s eyes snap open, suddenly wide awake. She stares at Phantom with wide eyes, then sits up and looks between him and Duke.

“Who are you?” she asks in a small voice that makes Duke want to stand against the world to keep her safe.

Phantom smiles. It’s casual and charming and makes him look like anyone else, as if he’s not a powerful king from a realm unreachable to humans. “Hi there,” he says, “I’m Danny. I’m a ghost like you. Signal called me and asked me to meet you.”

The Ghost King is good with kids. Who would have thought?

Chelsea looks at him for confirmation and only relaxes when he nods. “I’m Chelsea. What do you mean ghost? I’m not dead.”

Both he and Phantom tense, carefully keeping their expressions neutral. She hasn’t told him much at all, just that her parents were gone and forgot her and she got hurt, so she wanted to stay with ‘Mr. Signal’ because he’s a hero and heroes keep people safe and he was the only one who was Black like her. Duke hadn’t had the heart to say no, and began searching for her family, only to find that her parents had fled the state, and likely the country, after killing their only child through neglect and a dangerous environment.

It was then that he realized that her powers were not because she was a meta, but because she was ghost.

It still hurts to realize how young she is, how much of her life had been stolen from her in an instant. Duke hadn’t been brave enough to broach the topic with her, instead choosing to let her grow comfortable in his presence, get them both settled into a routine now that he was her primary guardian.

“I know it sounds scary,” Phantom says, “And you may not want to believe me, but it’s true. I’m sorry that you died so young, but that just means you get to hang out with me and other ghosts from now on!”

Chelsea crosses her arms over her chest and glares at him. “I am not dead,” she says.

“Cici, I’m sorry to say this, but you are,” Duke cuts in. “That’s why I called… Danny. You have new powers as a ghost, and he can help you get used to them.”

“I’m not dead!” she says again.

“Kid,” Phantom begins, but Chelsea shakes her head hard and hops off the couch.

“I’m not lying! Watch, I’ll prove it to you!” She closes her eyes and scrunches up her nose, concentrating. Her hands curl into tight fists by her sides, and the glow around her grows dim. Two faint, stuttering rings of light appear around her waist. They flicker and wobble in the air, as if weak and uncertain of their own existence, then split apart, one moving up towards her head while the other falls to her feet.

Beside him, Phantom sucks in a sharp breath, but Duke can’t turn to see what’s wrong when he’s trying to take in the sight of Chelsea suddenly full of vibrant color, looking more solid that he’s ever seen her, very much alive.

“See?” she says proudly, lifting her arms and doing a spin to show off her right she was. “I told you I’m not dead!”

“No, you’re not,” Phantom agrees, sounding shell-shocked. When Duke is finally able to look away from Chelsea to check on him, he looks awed. There’s the smallest smile on his face, just the slightest upturn of his lips, but it makes him look softer.

Duke turns his attention back to Chelsea before he can be caught staring. “Cici, can you come here for a second?”

She goes before he’s finished speaking, crossing the space between them in a single jump, then grins up at him. Her hair is a bit of a mess, the two buns he managed to get her hair into falling askew. He makes a note to visit the old aunties in the Narrows later to ask them to teach him how to do hair. For now, he holds out a hand and Chelsea drops an arm into it.

It seems to good to be true, having her be alive, but her pulse is steady and strong when he presses his thumb against the inside of her wrist.

“Well,” he says, leaning back and letting go of her arm. “You certainly proved us wrong.”

Chelsea doesn’t have much time to look smug before PHantom quietly says, “You’re like me.”

“What?”

“You’re like me,” he tells Chelsea. “A halfa.”

She tilts her head to one side. “What’s that?”

“Someone who is half human and half ghost. Both dead and alive.”

Duke blinks, taking in the words, then turns to face Phantom so quickly he’s worried he might give himself whiplash. Halfa, he said. Like me, he said.

And sure enough, two rings of light, bright and strong, appear around Phantom’s waist before splitting in half, moving over his entire body.

Gone is the Ghost King, all powerful and adorned in dark clothing with a crown of ice above his head. In his place is a guy who looks to be Duke’s age, eyes a deep blue and his black hair messy, feet set solidly on the floor. He looks completely normal, completely human, and no longer an impossibility.

“You still up for learning how to use all your new powers?” Phantom asks.

Chelsea grins. “Yeah!” And then, with a quick flick of her eyes going from Phantom to Duke that he almost misses, very innocently asks, “Are you going to stay with us then?”

“I… don’t know?” Phantom looks to Duke for an answer.

Already, Duke can see this going two ways. The correct way forward, the normal one, has Phantom popping in every so often, taking Chelsea out for a few hours to work on training her and her powers. It’s easy and routine and they can keep their boundaries uncrossed and be professional.

The other path is what Duke wants most that he shouldn’t impose onto the literal Ghost King. He could have Phantom living with them while he’s on Earth and out of Amity Park, having a place at the table, a section in the closet for his own clothes, a quietly domestic night together while Chelsea sleeps where they can get to know each other more, get to know each other outside of news reports and texts on a screen.

“You can stay with us if you want,” Duke offers, casually, “It might keep my apartment safe from her powers acting up on their own again.”

“Are you sure? I could always just fly in on the weekends or something.”

“I’d appreciate having you around. So you can help Cici.”

“If you don’t mind,” Phantom says, looking away. Like this, fully alive with a beating heart, it’s easy to see the blush steal away across his cheeks.

“I don’t.”

“I don’t either!” Chelsea pops in, looking far too gleeful by their awkward conversation.

Duke can’t help but laugh, feeling lighter than he had in ages. The relief of knowing that Chelsea is alive, for the most part at least, eases the guilt of thinking he had been too late to save her, that there was no chance she could have made it out and had a future, makes him feel weak. All the exhaustion of the past few weeks hits him all at once and he wants nothing more than to collapse in bed and sleep for twelve hours.

“Alright, squirt,” he says, reaching out to pat her head. “It’s late. We can talk more in the morning, so go to bed. In your actual bed this time, not on the couch.”

Chelsea stands up taller, ready to argue, but Duke gives her a Look™ and she quickly shuts her mouth, nods, and drags her feet back to her room (the former guestroom he can never give any of the other Waynes ever again, once they find out about her).

Sighing, Duke collapses onto the couch once he hears the door shut behind her. Phantom joins him after a few seconds, sitting tentatively on the edge of the couch. The cushion moves beneath his weight, another reminder of how solid and alive he is right not.

Duke wants to touch him, to reach out and feel for himself his pulse, the warmth of his body, his chest lifting with each breath.

He doesn’t move. He stays where he is, hands carefully still, and tries to think past the dizzying thoughts of she’s still alive, I’m not too late, he’s still here, he’s alive.

“Rough week?” Phantom asks, voice purposefully light.

“Something like that.”

“You should get some sleep too.”

“I don’t think I can. Not after everything. My mind’s too loud right now.”

Phantom shifts closer to him, hesitant in a way that Duke has never seen before in him, and asks, “Want me to stay with you until you mind quiets down some?”

“Yeah. I’d like that. Thanks, Phantom.”

“You know, if I’m going to be around so often as Chelsea’s halfa mentor, then you might as well call me Danny.”

Truth be told, Duke didn’t think that was his real name. He’s glad to know it’s not.

“Then call me Duke.”

“...Are you sure? You could still hide your identity from me.”

“Nah, I trust you. A name for a name, yeah?”

Danny smiles. “Duke,” he says, testing out the name, and it’s never sounded better than when it falls from Danny’s mouth.

“Danny,” Duke returns. He belatedly realizes that they’ve leaned towards each other, drawn together like gravity, stuck in each other’s orbit. It feels natural. It feels like this is where they’re meant to be.

Maybe he should be more cautious. They’ve only meant once before, after all. But he’s read all he could on Phantom and has seen how Amity Park loves him. He’s stressed and exhausted and trying to figure out how to look after a half-ghost child that’s already been dealt a bad hand in life. He should be keeping Phantom at a distance, watching over him carefully to ensure he isn’t a threat to Chelsea.

But Duke saw how he acted with Chelsea, so gentle and understanding and kind. That’s all he needed to see.

He may not know much about Danny, but he knows this: he is trustworthy.

Enough to entrust his identity to him.

Enough to entrust Chelsea to him.

It’s more than a favor; it’s a promise to walk this road together.

There’s no one he’d rather do this with.

“Thanks,” he says again, “For all of this. I know it’s a lot.”

Danny shrugs. “I don’t mind. Really. It’s nice to know there’s another halfa out there, no matter how she came to be one. Makes things feel less lonely.”

“Will you tell me more about halfas?”

“Later. Once you get some proper rest. We’ve got time, haven’t we?”

“We do,” Duke agrees, affection settling warm in his chest. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

Learning how to control her new powers won’t be easy for Chelsea. Learning how to take care of her won’t be easy. Learning how to do things together, as Duke and Danny rather than the Signal and Phantom, won’t be easy. But Duke knows with a certainty he feels in his bones that they’re going to be fine.

So long as they’ve got each other, they’ll be fine.