Work Text:
"Nigel, can we please go outside to make a snowman?" Adam asks.
"Not now, doll. Wouldn't want my babies getting too chilly."
"Our daughter is perfectly warm inside of my uterus, Nigel. And I'll wear my winter coat."
"I know you will, but it's below zero."
Adam huffs, "But we haven't gotten to make a snowman yet this year, it's been too icy."
"Adam, no. Maybe tomorrow, I hate saying no to you, gorgeous, but it's too cold."
"Fine." If Nigel won't come with him, he'll go outside and make his own snowman.
Adam puts his thermal underclothes on--shirt and pants--before putting on a pair of thick socks, followed by fleece lined sweatpants, then a thick sweater, he tops it off with his snow pants--they're overalls. He puts on gloves, a wool scarf, the hat Nigel got him for Christmas last year with the blue pom-pom on top, and finally his winter boots.
Nigel is in his office doing paperwork for the club since he's not been going in lately--wanting to stay home and take care of Adam. He says it's because Adam is pregnant--he's almost to his third trimester, and that's likely the case but it also seems like Nigel just wants to spend time with him.
Adam slips out the door silently.
--
Adam has been outside trying to build a snowman for what he estimates as no less than forty minutes when Nigel comes outside.
"Star, what are you doing out here?"
"You didn't want to come with me, so I came by myself."
"It's freezing out here."
"Yes, it is very cold, but I've got my warm clothes on."
"You're going to catch a cold."
"You can't catch a cold from being in the cold Nigel. You have to be exposed to a virus."
"You could get frostbite."
"Yes, that is possible, but I'm being careful. I have all the appropriate clothing on."
"Adam, come on, it doesn't look like you're having much luck with the snowman anyway."
"No. I don't want to go inside until it's finished."
"Fuck, okay, I'll help you build the damned thing."
"Please don't speak like that to me."
Nigel doesn't respond, instead he starts poorly constructing the middle section of the snowman.
Adam doesn't start working on the snowman again. His fingers tap idly against his legs, the sound is muffled by the layers. He's trying to stay calm, he doesn't like Nigel cursing, but he especially doesn't like it when Nigel curses at him--in bed sometimes he doesn't mind, but they are not in bed and now is not one of the times when Adam doesn't mind.
"C'mon, Adam, help me finish this fuckin' thing so we can get inside. It's too cold for you to be out here."
Still Adam stands there, tapping his fingers and biting at his lips. He's not going to cry, he's not going to cry, he's not going to cry. He keeps repeating to himself.
Finally Nigel turns away from the halfway finished snowman to look at Adam, his expression changes from slightly annoyed to worried instantly. "Adam? Breathe for me, gorgeous. It's okay."
He tries to touch Adam's arms, "Don't touch me!" Adam yells.
"Calm down, Adam. It's okay, I'm sorry, I won't touch you."
"Don't touch me!" He repeats.
Nigel takes a few steps back, "I'm not touching you, Adam. But I need you to breathe for me, okay? Can you do that?"
Adam takes a few breathes, but he doesn't feel any better. He stomps past Nigel and into their home.
"Stupid Adam. Stupid Adam. Stupid Adam." The urge to hit himself and break things is there, but he doesn't, he doesn't want to hurt their daughter, so instead he repeats the same thing over, and over, and over.
"Adam, I'm sorry, tell me what's wrong?"
"I said don't speak to me like that and you still did. You didn't say sorry, and then you spoke that way to me again."
"Spoke to you like.. oh, no, Adam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I'm sorry I've been so irritable lately, I'm sorry I wouldn't got build a snowman with you. I love you, Adam. With the baby coming, I need the club to be running smooth and making profit, but Darko's messed some things up, and I've been worried. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."
"You said no and I went outside anyway, I broke the rules. My alpha said no and I didn't listen. I'm sorry I'm was bad."
"No, Adam, no, you don't need to apologise for doing something you wanted to do. I know how much you love building snowmen together, I let work get in the way of spending time with my omega, of being happy and makin' you happy."
"I am happy with you, Nigel."
"I shouldn't have gotten angry at you for going outside, you were careful, you put on all of your winter clothes, and you even took the sidewalk salt with you dropping it as you walked so you didn't slip. You are perfect, Adam."
"I'm not perfect, Nigel, no one is perfect. But I do try to be good, I should've listened when you said no."
"I should've just come out there with you and made a snowman instead of coming up with lame excuses about it being cold so I could go deal with work."
"Can we try again tomorrow? To make the snowman."
"Sure thing, gorgeous, long as it doesn't start with that freezin' rain again."
"We can watch the weather together after dinner."
"Of course we can, now let's go get some hot chocolate and some warm, dry clothes on."
Adam smiles when Nigel takes his hand and leads him to their bedroom. They'll try again tomorrow.