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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 13:07:35 GMT -5
So. She could get predictions of buildings burning down, of car crashes and Hell rising and Colette dying and all sorts of other things. But not this? Not this. Really? Who the hell decided what parts of the future she got to see and what parts she didn't? Because she had quite a few bones to pick with that person. And maybe a few more to break. Not that this was a bad thing. Not really. She just didn't know if... If Benson was ready. He would be a great, tremendous, wonderful father; that's not what she was worried about. She was worried that he didn't think that. That she would tell him and he would freak out and...do something. Pressing her fingers to her temples, she sighed and slid to sit deeper in the couch. This was...problematic. Not a problem, just problematic. She would have to be very delicate about telling him. Make sure he was okay with this and that he knew they were totally in this together and... Shit, she was so just going to blurt it out next time she saw him. Oh, right. She was pregnant. That was the news; what she hadn't been able to predict. That, she wouldn't be able to keep that secret. Because truth was, underneath the worry, she was so, so, so excited. So excited. A little baby. Her and Benson all wrapped into one little awesome-adorable package. She rested one hand to her lower abdomen lightly, grinning. Hey. She was a mom. |
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Post by Benson Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 13:50:31 GMT -5
Eventually he was going to have to tell her that he was trying out for the team. The burden pressed on. It wasn't going to wait until tryout day when she found him on the pitch with the English spectators, judges, and managers. He wasn't good enough--that was what he told himself to keep himself from just coming out with it in front of her. Giving himself that little inkling of doubt made him second guess his decision to try his hand at the team, which made him not want to deal with it anymore, so it was easier to suppress the desire to tell Andrua. They had been married for too short a period of time for him to leave now and travel just to play football. It was ideas like this that lobbed off chunks of ample time for him to just get out with it. Today. He decided--today--while walking down the avenue to get home.
A daring, wry grin began to form on his face as he approached the door to the room where he knew Andrua would be hoarded. Trying to force it away, he pushed it open, calling out in search of her, "Baby? Dru? You home?" Useless query, but he couldn't think of anything else. Coming home was accompanied by little nuances: saying the same greetings, asking if anyone was home just out of habit.
Benson found her on the couch, huddled together with the tiniest of smirks playing around on his face, trying to decide if it was welcome there. "Hey," he sighed, dropping himself next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, but not before draping kisses over her lips for a well-deserved hello. "I have some good news."
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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 14:14:13 GMT -5
She heard his called questions weave through the air and couldn't help the smile on her lips. Well. Now or never, right? "Hey," she returned to him. He moved to her, taking her in with a kiss. She lingered in the touch, nudging their noses together. Nerves fluttered in her chest and she bit her lower lip to contain the big grin threatening to break over her face.
"I have some good news."
Her eyebrows lifted at that. Oh he did? "So do I," she revealed, giggling softly. She displayed her fist between them, clearly offering the starting position for RPS. "Rock, Paper, Scissor for who gets to go first?" she asked. Meeting his eyes, she leaned forward, dropping another kiss to his lips. Her free hand floated up from her abdomen to rest on the back of his neck.
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Post by Benson Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 14:20:11 GMT -5
She did, did she? Well this was going to be an interesting back and forth. Immediately she whipped out a fist in between them, initiating a challenge of RPS, and who was he to turn down a dare like that? He was a master. Then again, she had telepathy. "Wouldn't that kind of be pointless?" asked Benson with a raise of one eyebrow. "I mean with you reading my mind and all, wouldn't you just win automatically? What's the point of not going first if you'd win anyway?" He was severely over-thinking this process, but it was a valid question.
Throwing away his speculation, he pulled his hand from his side and slapped it over her fist in "paper." Ben smiled. "Voila," he emphasized. "Victory. Time for my good news. Please restrain all slapping, screaming, and otherwise violent, destructive, or oppressive behavior until the end of the announcement, thankyou." Sucking in air through his teeth, he hunched his shoulders, leaning in.
"England's having tryouts and I'm going for it." She'd understand what he meant by England in a New York minute. Why she didn't use her telepathy more often was still a mystery to him. |
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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 22:46:53 GMT -5
Benson brought up the point that she could just read his mind and thus find out what she was planning on putting out for RPS. She blinked a little before pulling a "darn, you caught me!" look. But honestly she hadn't even thought of that... It was a testament to how often she used her telepathy. "Well, in that case," she reasoned, "couldn't I just read your mind and find out what your good news is?" They both knew that wasn't a chance though. She wouldn't violate anyone's trust and privacy like that. Especially not Benson's. That was a slippery slope for a married couple.
He slapped his hand down over her fist, declaring victory. Not able to stop the smile over her face, she shook her head. Undoing her fingers, she looped hers through his and settled back in the couch. "All right, all right. Go then; tell me the good news." His next statement had her eyes going wide and her hand clutching at his. That didn't sound good. That didn't sound good at all. But he had said "good news." Good.
And then it came. England? He was trying out for England? But... England was far away. Pretty, very far. Far. And... And Andrua... She was pregnant! The father of her child couldn't be in another country; on another continent! Swallowing, her eyes dropped to the floor. It was exciting and awesome he would so make it, but she couldn't access that through the panic of...
"I'm pregnant." she blurted out. There was a moment's pause before she slowly raised her hands to cover her mouth. That wasn't how she meant for that to go... Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she dropped her hands to her lap again. Kept her eyes on her feet.
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Post by Benson Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 23:09:50 GMT -5
He knew traveling would be a problem, but this was disastrous. Nothing could have prepared him for the statement that blew him clear out of the water. "Across the pond" suddenly seemed like being on another planet. Realizing that was her news, he also knew that it was her ploy to get him to stay. It was her plea to not be left alone, her tactic to tell him that he was bound here, not because the baby was his responsibility, but because she was scared and needed his help. His heart couldn't decide on a settled, steady rhythm. In fact, he was fairly sure it stopped for a moment.
Benson started, looking over at her and noticed how she wasn't meeting his eye. How she'd wanted to tell him in a different way, and he'd spoiled it. His breath got caught in his throat, and worries riddled his brain, but fuck! He couldn't believe it. He was going to be a daddy.
Not a father. A father was merely biological. Daddy was what this baby would be calling him for the rest of his life.
A short spurt of air left him, and he wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry. Either way, tears welled up in his eyes. Then he started to laugh. Hysterically. "Why aren't you smiling, then?" he asked amid laughter, gently pulling her hands from her face and clutching to them. "Andrua! We're gonna be parents! Come here, Momma!" He shot his arm around her, holding her tight, close, secure. More than anything, he was proud of her. Not because she'd achieved some fantastic feat, but she was a mom. That was reason enough to love her that much more.
"Wow," he breathed out. "Sorry I ruined that moment for you. I just can't believe it... H-how long? I mean, how long have you known?" |
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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 23:30:49 GMT -5
Suddenly, finally, he reacted. He was laughing...crying? And then hugging her close and she was burrowing into him, tucking her face against his neck. Her arms went around him, holding him as close to her as she could manage. He was happy. He was excited about this. It was okay. She was relieved that he was all for this. Relieved that he wasn't freaking over being a father.
"I'm glad you're happy," she murmured into his skin, not really talking to him. Pulling back a bit, she smiled into his face, laughing with him. "I'm smiling, I'm smiling!" she insisted geniunely. "All right, Daddy," she said back with a soft scoff. Momma. Daddy. She liked the sound of that. She could get used to hearing that.
"You didn't ruin anything," she promised, cuddling back into him. Turning her legs over his, she held his torso and rested her head against his chest. "I'm just psyched you're psyched." Her fingers stroked over his wrist as she calmed herself. Giving a little contented sigh, she let her eyes slipped closed. "Mmm. Twenty minutes or so?" she answered his question. Chuckling softly, she went on, "I just took the test; right before you got home." The soft smile on her face grew to a wide grin.
"Hey," she said, pulling closer to him. "We're gonna be parents. We're gonna have a baby." God, was that ever thrilling."
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Post by Benson Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 23:41:21 GMT -5
What was even worse, he was going insane. Innerly. Nothing to upset Andrua's balances, knowing she wanted him to share the joy of the moment with her. Holy Christ, he had not been prepared for this. His hands were shaking, but they were sweaty so it was reason enough to hide them from her as he wiped them against the sides of his shirt. He couldn't be a father, let alone Daddy to anybody. No child needed to be tortured like that.
Joining in her chuckles, he asked, "Really? Only twenty minutes? Guess I really ruined it, then. Sorry. My mistake. If I had known you were gonna just pop it out like that, I would've kept my own news to myself." Joking, of course. This was a topic they needed to discuss right now. Before doing that, however, he swept in to give her a well-earned kiss to her mouth. She toyed with his wrist, then, and he wondered how his pulse was doing.
"Hey. We're gonna be parents. We're gonna have a baby."
Aww, fuck.
"Yup," he answered with a genuinely accepting nod. "Yes, we are. And you're going to be the best Mommy there is. Got that? I have high expectations for you." He rubbed noses with her before leaning back again.
Benson added warily, "So about this tryout..." He imagined the idea itself was erased now. He'd give up football for his kid any day, every day, but... |
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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 26, 2010 0:12:52 GMT -5
She smirked at his apologies, shaking her head. "Please. whatever. I'm just sorry I told you in such a lame way... Although, honestly, it probably would have been totally lame either way." Yeah, it was probably best that she had just blurted it out and gotten it all out there in the open. Otherwise she would have stumbled all over the announcement and it would have been a terrible mess and... Yes, this was actually the best way, probably, to have told him.
She giggled as he rubbed their noses together. Fitting a hand to the side of her face, she bit her lip and met his eyes. "And you're going to be wonderful father. Terrific, you know? Positively..." she trailed off, not even able to quantify the perfection that would be within his paternity. Well, that worked well enough, didn't it? "Positively perfect. I'm already jealous of how much more this little thing is gonna love you than me." And that was no lie. But how to convince Benson of it...
At the mention of his try-out, she went on; still in support-the-husband mode. "You're gonna be fantastic. And they'll all bow down before you and Stevie G will get in a bar-fight in your honor and David Beckham will go cry to his super-hot wife and... Rooney will be all 'Oi. I'm Wayen Rooney. You's a good footballer, mate.' And it'll be awesome and you'll get on the team and...." her voice petered out a moment as she gave a sheepish grin. "And I just realized you mean 'about this try-out' in the capactity of my pregnancy." Rolling her eyes at herself she gave that a thought.
"Well," she finally began. "We still have something like nine months to use to figure out, you know. In the meanwhile..." Fuck, she would miss him. But... But he was, after all, conveniently a mutant. "Well, you can teleport, can't you?" She tried a smile and mostly managed it. "You'll never be too far away."
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Post by Benson Thomas on Jul 26, 2010 0:21:55 GMT -5
((You're WELCOME for giving you the teleporting idea. xD))
"I don't want to wait the whole nine months to finally have something panned out," he insisted with a shake of his head, still having her in his arms, wanting to be closer to her. Wherever their skin touched he felt nearer to their baby. It almost wasn't fair that each of her cells were connected to that little thing, but he could definitely settle for not going through what she would. She was doing all the hard work. His job was done for now. Physically, anyway.
Shaking his head, Benson tried to come up with a good excuse not to leave. Now that he knew she was pregnant he couldn't leave her, not even if he was a teleport away. He didn't know whether or not he'd have the nerve to leave her--his obligations here--and the baby just for his own interest. He couldn't be out for his own good anymore.
"This is what I really want, Drua," he mumbled against the side of her head, eyes slipping closed, "but I don't know if I can do anymore, now that I know what I do." |
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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 26, 2010 0:34:48 GMT -5
[[XD thaaaaaanks! lol also; Inception reference, woo!]]
She nodded, understanding that completely. She would probably feel better knowing they had something figured out right then as well. She just wasn't sure she wanted to give it the thought it was due. She'd rather just cuddle close him and let them enjoy their time as a pregnant married couple. This was important though, she knew. They needed this to be figured out and then they could revel and celebrate.
Sucking on her lower lip, Andrua shook her head. "Honey, if it's what you really want, you have to go for it," she told him in a soft, gentle voice. "I want you to go for it. I don't want you to be sitting here a year from now, two years, three years, wishing you had taken the chance. I don't want you to be an old man living with regrets." Shifting, she turned and rested her chin on his shoulder. She didn't want him to go through that regret but she also didn't want him to grow to resent her, for being the reason why he hadn't pursued anything.
"Do it, Bennie. Please," she requested. "If I ever need anything I can reach out to you telepathically and you can be back here in the next second. I trust you to do that, okay?" She swallowed carefully, thinking it all over more. "And then there's off-season and you can take breaks and... It would be fine, Benson." She offered him a steady smile as the fingers of one hand traced the perimeter of his shirt-collar. "You can totally do it. You just have to not let yourself get in your own way, you know?"
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Post by Benson Thomas on Jul 26, 2010 0:49:12 GMT -5
((Haha, I caught that.))
Her insistence wasn't as helpful as he'd hoped it would be. Maybe that was the price he had to pay for fishing like that, but he'd needed her opinion on the matter. As of five minutes ago, she was the first priority and he needed to ensure her short- and long-term wellness. If he did go through with the tryout (God willing he made it) then he didn't want to be worrying about her. He wanted to know he could trust himself to leave her alone, trust her to take care, and trust their plan to make certain nothing would go awry.
He'd given up trying to get her to stop calling him Bennie eons ago. Smiling at the pet name now, he pressed his mouth against the crown of her head, pursing his lips into a long, thoughtful kiss. "You can count on that one," he sighed, hoping his apathetic, pensive tone wasn't lacking sincerity. Then he scoffed, adding, "It's not me I have to worry about getting in my way. It's this little bugger!" He rubbed at her stomach affectionately, nuzzling his face into her neck with shakes of his head.
Another heavy sigh left him. "I don't know. I don't know if I can do it. Leave you. But...oh, fuck it. Fine. Tryouts are next week. I'll teleport there and teleport back. Maybe I won't even make it." |
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Post by Andrua Thomas on Jul 26, 2010 21:41:58 GMT -5
[["Quick; gimme a kiss."]]
She laughed openly, shaking her head at this nuzzles. "Yeah, yeah, all right. Blame the kid, huh?" she joked. Putting a hand to the back of his neck, she held his face there a moment. She loved the feel of Benson pressed close to her. Made her feel...not safe exactly, though that was there too. Just...comfortable. Warm and neat and all together and good in general.
At the self-doubt again, Andrua dropped a solid kiss to his lips. "Shut up. You'll do wonderfully and you will make the team and then I'll be a footballer's wife." She grinned a little, dropping a hand to her abdomen. "And then we'll have a little mini-footballer running about and we can teach him...or her everything in the book and a few things not in the book."
The smile softened as she met his eyes. "You are okay with this, right?" she asked. "I mean...this." She looked down, gesturing to her lower stomach and the life that was apparently growing there.
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