Work Text:
With Arms Wide Open
The ache in Ghost's chest grew with each passing moon. He couldn't fathom how long he'd been gone, but the constant thrumming was a reminder of his missing piece: his love, his omega, his life.
His heart constricted when the mere thought of Johnny alone tore his heart anew. They had separated when Laswell pulled Simon into another longer recon and intel-gathering mission.
Ghost was to stay hidden and lay low, but as all carefully planned things, nothing worked correctly, and Simon had to work on his own, with almost no backing from his watcher and team.
It got to the point where he got dragged into open battle, barely coming out alive, only to have to fend for himself and heal enough to pull through and find his way back to his team, back to his lover.
When he finally managed to find his way back from the deep forest he had escaped into, he lost count of the days and how long he was stranded for.
His voice was rough as he tried his last shot, a stolen phone, in some random small town, and dialed Laswell's emergency line.
It took some time, but soon he heard the line connect, without waiting for a beat he spoke, voice cracking.
"Watcher-1. This is Bravo 0-7. How Copy?"
"Ghost, this is Watcher-1, solid copy. It's good to hear from you, Ghost."
"Likewise."
"We're tracking you now Ghost, stand by."
Ghost looked up toward the night sky and waited. He checked a place with good reception before calling, the faster they could track him, the faster he could get home.
His skin prickled with unease as the seconds passed and he couldn't hear a thing from the line.
"Bravo 0-7, do you have the package?"
"Affirmative, and a couple of more data I'm sure you'll be thrilled to see."
"Good. ETA 13 hours. Sending the location to RV to this number. Do you need medical?"
"Understood. No."
"Good. See you in a day Ghost. Expect Bravo 0-6."
"The old man worries too much."
"Tell him that yourself."
Ghost took a deep breath, he wanted to ask, but was afraid to, for some reason, just thinking about Johnny gave him strength but it also left him feeling so vulnerable his chest hurt.
"He's fine, Ghost." Laswell answered, seeming to read his mind. "Waiting for you. Has been driving us all mad."
"Don't tell him yet. Let me get there first."
"I wasn't going to. Not good for him now."
"You said he was fine, Laswell" Growled Ghost. Johnny was supposed to have the captain with him at all times. He made Price swear it before being deployed in this god-forsaken mission.
"He is. ETA 13. Get to the RV point and lay low 0-7."
"Laswell, I swear to god, if.."
"RV 0-7. Burn the phone."
Ghost greeted his teeth enough to hurt until he received the message with the RV location, a bit far from where he was, but nothing unmanageable.
He broke the phone and set it on fire, before making his way to steal a bike.
Ghost was not ashamed to say seeing Price's face was one of the best things he had seen in the last god knows how many months, but nothing could prepare him for the hug the older man gave him.
It shook him a bit, but it filled him with the warmth he had been missing for far too long. He was getting too soft.
They spent a few moments on a quick debrief over what happened as Ghost gave him the flash drives and HD he managed to snatch. John listened and inquired before telling him to get some rest. He would convey it all to Laswell when they touched down.
In no time he was up in the air, tucked in a corner with Price beside him where he was finally able to have some shut-eye, his body falling into deep sleep as his instincts recognized another Alpha he felt safe around. Safe enough to let go and sleep deeply. His dreams filled with Johnny and finally being back in the warmth of his arms.
It was not surprising when Price softly woke him up, hours later. Ghost set up from his slumped position on his Captain's shoulder.
"We're approaching to touch down. Debrief tomorrow at 700. Soap is not aware, but he is on base. Let medical look at you before going to find him, get out of the gear, and clean up. That's an order, Lieutenant."
"What the fuck is this all about, Price? Is Johnny alright? Did something happen?"
"He's fine but fail to do as I said and there will be consequences." Warned Price as he put a hand on his shoulder and pressed.
"Price..." Ghost snarled and slapped the hand from his shoulder, as he pulled him by the gear strap on his chest.
"He is fine Simon. Stand down. Do as I said and go find him. At this time, he must be on the 141 rec room with Gaz."
Ghost greeted his teeth as he let go and pushed past Price. He didn't want to acknowledge but Price was right, he had months of dirt and grime stuck on his skin and hair and smelled like some dead animal. Johnny deserved better. At least a quick shower and maybe some proper care for his cuts.
Something was up with Johnny, but it mustn't be something urgent, he was sure Price would tell him right away. He fought his Alpha instincts over Price's orders. Alpha or not the man didn't make empty threats, and Ghost was far too tired and weak to fight the consequences of direct disobedience.
Quickly he made his way into medical, and the nurse took one look at him before ushering him into a cot and telling him to strip the gear to check him for injuries.
He knew exactly what she would find. Too many cuts, badly healed, a couple of gunshots, terribly stitched, and several other things he didn't care to look at.
She cursed and left to get supplies and more nurses, they seemed to come in packs these days, he mussed irritated.
Price showed up sometime after, when Simon was cursing the doctor into not putting him into fluids, it would take far too long.
"Let the Woman do her job, Ghost."
Ghost showed his teeth, his smell turning right foul with anger, making the poor omega jump, and try to appease him.
His nose scrunched at her, and he actually snarled, as he pushed her to the side.
"That's enough. I've had enough of this bullshit, Price."
The Captain smiled at the nurse and nodded that she could leave. They watched as she signed and left. Price threw the bag at Ghost and crossed his arms.
"Status?"
"Fine. Cuts and gunshot wounds, nothing all those injections won't cure."
"Good. Go take a shower, in the communal showers. There's clothes in the bag."
"You better have a fucking good reason for not letting me go to Johnny or my room John."
"I do."
"Fuck you."
"Go take a shower Ghost, you reek."
Ghost was getting fed up with all the man-handling Price was doing, he just wanted to find his mate and bury his nose in his gland and feel the smell of home, but he knew he wasn’t completely alright. Normally he would just tell Price to fuck off and find Johnny, but something made him obey.
He wasn’t exactly sure if there was something wrong with him and all the time he spent on the run or if it was Price’s smell that was doing things to him. There was something different about it, and it was throwing Ghost off. It wasn’t something bad, but it got to him. It felt like his smell had changed, still had Gaz's smell all over him, but there was something else. Ghost just couldn’t put his finger on what. It wasn’t like an appeasing smell Omegas had when calming Alphas, but it felt like it was making him less volatile, less prone to outbreaks.
Shaking his head, Ghost grabbed the bag and pushed past John and marched into the communal showers. It took him only a look to get the place cleared of everyone that was inside.
Price didn’t follow him, which was a good thing. He could just wash quickly and make his way to find his mate.
He stripped and got into the stream of hot water, scrubbing himself thoroughly clean. His Johnny didn’t deserve to see or smell him like a dead piece of animal, and he had to admit, the hot water was doing wonders to his beat-up and tired body. Too long without a proper cleaning or rest, Simon was exhausted.
It took him longer than he wanted to get clean, scrubbing his nails and hair like Johnny did whenever they were back from a mission, so attentive to details, his beautiful Omega. Simon’s heart constricted at the thought of his mate. He longed for him, for his smell and warmth.
The thought made him pull the towel even before the shower was turned off completely, drying himself just enough to put clean clothes from the bag Price gave him. His own clothes, so the bastard had access to his room, but Simon couldn’t. His irritation grew a number, without Price’s smell to keep in control.
Simon pulled his pants and sweatshirt angrily, feeling his emotions all over the place. He needed his Omega, and he needed him now. He would have a nice little chat with the Captain after he got his fill of Johnny's smell and body. If he didn’t just succumb to sleep the second his mate's arms closed around him, that is.
Tossing the towel and dirty clothes into the empty bag Ghost left the communal showers and made his way through the corridors to find the 141 rec room. The Task force had a small room dedicated to them, where they had a space to rest, and eat, a tiny kitchen, and a small TV with a video game for leisure time, not that they had many of those, but it was nice to have a place they could just be. The couch was comfortable, so they at least had that.
Simon stomped until he was turning on the rec room corridor, people getting out of his way before he even got near them. He turned the last turn and found Price waiting for him, beside the door.
“Get out of my way, John.”
“Easy there, Simon, I’m here to warn you that..”
“Warn me of what? Let me inside.”
“I will, son, but I need you to be very quiet. Understood?”
Ghost lost his patience and strode to Price, looking down his nose, the high difference giving him something, even if Price was indeed a tall man, Ghost was taller and stronger.
“I understand that you’re keeping me from my mate, and I’m getting really tired of it. I’m a very patient man, John, but step aside or I’ll make you, hierarchy be damned.”
Price had the gall to smile at him, the smell Ghost didn’t know how to explain grew stronger and Simon felt himself breathing deeply, his shoulder relaxing slightly.
“What the fuck are you doing? What is this smell?”
“That’s an Alpha-controlling smell, Ghost. It comes into play when an Alpha protects someone they love and need to protect more than anything. It serves, in this case, to slow down the ire of other Alphas that are considered part, or a close part of their pack. You’ll understand the moment you step foot inside.”
“You’re making no sense, John. I’ve never heard of this.”
“You wouldn’t. Not until now. I don’t think any of us truly understood until very recently. Go on. Go inside. Silently.”
Ghost took a good look at his Captain, his best friend, and a man he considered much more than a mere mentor. If he ever could choose a father, he would choose a man like Price. Mind you, they weren’t that far in age, but Price was there for him when no one else was. He was there helping, training, and holding him when all Simon wanted was to give up on everything. He was there when Ghost was born and helped him put the little bits that Simon still had of his heart and soul back together.
He nodded to the man and watched him step ahead, opening the door and letting him inside.
When Simon took a good look inside the room, his heart skipped a beat and stopped in his chest. The room was different. Some things had been moved and the couch was now closer to the window at the far end, with an armchair tucked beside it, turned half to the window, half to the room, which gave Simon a clear vision of the person sitting on it.
Gaz got up from his kneeled position beside the armchair, but Simon didn’t even acknowledge him, his full attention on the man still occupying the seat.
His Johnny, his lover, his mate, his life, was sitting there, calmly smiling, looking at a bundle in his arms.
The room was small, and it took but a few steps for Simon to be past its middle, stopping right in front of Johnny. His Johnny. With a baby in his arms.
His heart stopped again and watched in a trance as Johnny looked up from the baby to look into his eyes.
A baby.
Did.. did he..? It couldn’t be, how many months was he away for… Was it enough for a baby to be born? Did they…? How long had it been? Did Johnny.. with someone else? The mere thought made his eyes fill with tears, but he dismissed it in a split second. Not his Johhny, he would never.. but then how..?
Simon choked on his breath as his body rebelled against him holding his breath for so long. Then it hit him. The smell. His johnny smell. But it was the smell of the tiny baby in his arms that made his knees go weak. He staggered but came closer, kneeling at Johnny’s feet.
“Smells like us.” Simon whispered, heart pounding, eyes wide, face as white as a sheet.
“He does, Si.”
“He?”
“Yeah. Theo.” Soap caressed the fine hairs and adjusted the baby so Simon could take a better look. “Say hi to Daddy, Theo.”
“Johnny…” His voice was but a whisper, hands shaking.
“A bit after you left, I felt really sick, throwing up everywhere, the smell of coffee or eggs made me vomit in seconds, and all my body felt wrong. Ky smelled it in me before he took me to medical. He was the first to know.”
Simon hung his head, closing his eyes. His Johnny… and.. and his baby.. his pup. And he had missed it. Missed all of it, while running for his life and getting shot at.
“I’ve missed this… missed you caring our pup.. I wasn’t here..”
Ghost felt a warm hand on his cheek pulling him to look up as he slid the balaclava off of his head. Oh. Johnny’s smile, so tender and loving.
“You’re here now. None of us knew. What matters is that we have you here now. Me and Theo. He has your eyes and hair, you know? But the nose is all mine.”
Simon's eyes left Johnny's pretty face to look down again at the baby. His baby. His son. His eyes filled with tears as he lifted a finger to touch the soft skin of the baby cheek, very lightly.
“He’s not gonna break Si.”
“So small..”
“Yeah, he’s only a few days old. Almost two weeks.”
“Two weeks.”
“Yeah, and he’s so heavy already, but sleeps a lot.”
Simon smiled softly, his whole focus on the little bundle resting against Johnny's chest. He still couldn’t believe it. A son! They made this. They. Together. A tiny baby, the fruit of their love.
Very carefully, Ghost let his fingertips trace the baby's soft face, committing to memory every single detail of his beautiful baby boy. Then he traced down to his tiny hand and couldn't help the smile on his lips as the sweet boy held his finger in a strong grip.
"Strong like his dad." Johnny said as his own fingers caressed Simon’s soft curls.
"Dad..."
"Yeah, Si.. you're his dad. Oh, baby..." Johnny cooed as Simon’s eyes filled with tears and they began to slip freely down his face. "Come here, love."
Ghost let his mate pull him closer and laid his head on his lap, still kneeling on the ground, his finger secured in the baby, his son, strong grip. And he cried. Burying his face on Johnny's legs, Simon cried silently. All the pent-up emotions from months stranded and battling for his life on the mission, being away from his mate, all came out in the form of silent tears. Knowing that he hadn't been there to see his mate carrying their puppy, helping him, holding him through the morning sickness, seeing the bump grow month by month, feeling the first kicks and the first ultrasound... it hurt.
But what hurt the most was not being there when his sweet Omega gave birth and brought their love into life.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here."
"Si..."
"I'm so sorry, love.."
"Simon, look at me." Soap waited patiently until he locked eyes. "You couldn't be and it wasn't your fault. I understand the job, it's part of our life. I'm just so fucking glad you're back alive and well. I wasn't alone. Price kept his promise to you and never left my side. He got more people into the 141 so he could stay here. There are two newcomers now, you'll meet them later. Gaz has been going with them and John stayed with me as much as he could in the beginning and all the goddam time as I grew closer to giving birth."
Simon nodded, absorbing the information. It explained why Price was so protective, he needed to apologize to the man. Je saw that his son and mate were protected and had all they needed. The smell made sense then. It was Price protecting his pack. Gosh, he was an idiot. He was so out of sorts after coming back that the Alpha felt the need to rail him in so he wouldn't be a problem for the most fragile in the pack.
He hung his head again, holding Soap tight.
"Don't feel bad, love. I know you and I know you gave him a hard time. Good. He was driving me insane when I went into labor. Never seen such a controlled man lose his cool that fast."
Simon chuckled.
"He panicked?"
"Completely. I had the bag, the keys, and the baby pushing out, and had to stop to calm him down. If Gaz ever gets with puppies the man will faint on the spot, I'm telling you."
Simon smiled and wiggled his tightly held finger, watching the baby, as he imagined the scene.
"I should thank him..."
"Later maybe, but now, I need to go to the bathroom. Help me up, will you?"
Ghost pulled the finger and pulled again. His smile grew as he got to his feet, finger still stuck in the baby's grip.
"Told you he was strong like you. Don't let him get your hair, it's a nightmare."
Johnny lifted the baby and stood up. Gaz appeared at his side to help pull the blanket from his lap.
They turned to Simon as he couldn't take his eyes off of his son.
"Come on, love, sit down."
Simon's head snapped up.
"What?"
"Sit down, bruv, best to hold him for the first time sitting down, yeah? John said you had a few injuries so let’s not play with that. Sit."
"Injuries? Simon.."
"I'm fine, it's nothing too serious, promise."
Simon ignored the way Johnny looked skeptical and let Gaz push him into the armchair his mate had just vacated.
Slowly he let his arms be filled with the precious bundle. Soap helped him with the covers so their son wouldn't feel cold and Simon stood stock still for a long minute.
"He won't break, love."
Simon looked up and pulled the baby closer to his chest.
"Johnny..."
"Yeah, love?"
"I..."
"I know, my Alpha, I know... it's quite something to hold him for the first time, isn't it? Feels like we bond all over again. Deep and strong."
"He's so small... How can we make something so soft?"
"I don't know... " Soap pulled closer and let Simon sink into his chest, his arms pulling him close, as he sat on the arm of the chair. "All I know is that we did, no matter what we are or what we do, we created this sweet little thing together and I found out I can love more than I ever thought I could."
The Alpha pulled from the arms holding him to look back to the baby. Yeah. His Johnny was right, he could feel his chest fill with such deep and strong love it took his breath away.
For long minutes he sat there tenderly caressing the little face, smelling his and Johnny’s scent mixed in a tiny little person. When he looked up it was to find Soap fast asleep, head on Price's lap, as the man sat reading something on his phone. Gaz over the microwave warming a bottle of milk. Then he looked back to his arms and pulled his son to give him a soft kiss on the forehead.
Never in his life had he felt so grateful, so complete.
He wasn't there before, but he was here now and he would take this with his arms wide open.
Gaz came a few moments later with the bottle right before the baby started to get fussy.
Old memories kicked in, as Simon put the bottle to his son's mouth to feed him, memories of so many years ago when he first held Joseph. The same and yet so very different.
He watched as Theo drank the milk, taking in how he moved, his tiny hands coming to hold his finger and the bottle. His little feet kicking around, and the cute sounds he made.
The amount of love that filled him at the moment was surreal.
In no time the bottle was finished, and Ghost got up, pulling the baby onto his shoulder to burp him, old memories of Beth teaching how to hold Joey to burp him and him getting covered in burped milk the second she stepped away. He smiled as he patted his son’s back and heard a big and loud burp.
"That was a big one, mate." He whispered as he heard Gaz snickering behind him.
"Just wait and see the farts, I keep telling Soap he's too small to fart that loud and foul."
"I will get worse when he gets into solids..."
"Oh don't remind me of that... not my kid, no sir, you can have that, thank you very much."
Price snorted at that from the couch as he looked up from his phone.
" Says the man that has been waking up at night to do just that, not even letting me help. Careful Simon next thing you know your son will be sleeping on his bed with 300 teddy bears and completely spoiled."
"Shut up, old man, I've only bought three."
"Three plushies and the baby is not even 2 weeks old."
Simon shook his head, between the four of them his boy will definitely end up spoiled rotten, no questions asked. He smiled again at another burp and a bit of milk on his shoulder. Gaz came forward with a baby cloth to wipe it away and they stood there just watching him move and make little noises.
"He looks so tiny in your arms..."
They looked up at Soap, still lying down on Price's leg, cozy under a blanket, a sleepy smile on his face as John petted his hair calmy.
Simon stared. How? Just how everything has changed... When he left, they were all hardened soldiers, never actually touching or being open, and now, Johnny was cuddling their captain as Gaz carefully cleaned baby burps. It all seemed so unrealistic. There was no jealousy, no bad feelings, no worries. Just them taking care of an Omega and his little baby.
Was that what it was to be really in a pack? He always assumed packs were just a less derogatory name that some people use to hide the orgy going on. In retrospect he should have known his views on a few things were distorted by the life he's seen over the years. Never a good example, never a good experience.
Until Johnny.
"He is tiny.."
"Nah, he's normal size, you're just too big."
Soap got up to sit and Simon drifted closer without thinking, their eyes locked. He more felt then saw Price getting up and pulling the baby from his arms. Johnny’s smile and smell clouding his mind. Oh, how he missed his mate.
Once more he dropped to his knees and pulled Soap into a hug, burying his nose on his stomach, and breathing in deeply. He smelt slightly different, still full of pregnancy hormones, but somehow even more intoxicating.
Soap closed his arms around him and pulled him up on top of him and onto the couch, and Simon finally dropped, burying his nose on his neck and taking a deep breath. The smell of home and security washed over him, making all his body relax instantly. Strong arms pulling him impossibly closer, holding on for dear life.
"I've missed you, Si... I... was so scared..."
"I was too... just wanted to come home to you."
"The day he started kicking was the day we lost communication with you. I went feral, they had to sedate me so I wouldn't hurt myself or Theo."
"I'm sorry..."
"No Si... I told you it was not your fault. I'm not telling you to make you feel guilty. I'm telling you so you know what happened. After that Price pulled me completely from the Task Force. I'm still part of the paper, but I'm not even on desk duty. All I knew was that they couldn't contact you. They helped me so much, but all I wanted was my Alpha back..."
"I'm here Johnny."
Soap just hugged him tighter to the point he almost hurt, and he hugged back just as strongly.
"Price wanted me to go to his house here. Those ones they have on base, but I refused. He tried to get me into our flat too, but there was never home... not alone."
"You've been staying here then? Your whole pregnancy? Johnny, this is no place for a baby."
"I know, but I couldn't leave. I needed to stay here, where I still had something of you."
"Oh Johnny..."
Simon was quiet for a long while, just feeling the warmth and soaking up on his mate's presence as they listened to Gaz and Price coo at the baby. There was so much they needed to talk about, so much they needed to discuss. Having a child wasn't just giving birth, it was an immense responsibility and they had so much to organize. Especially for men like them on the job they had. None of them had a close family, and it was a liability, it could easily put all of them in danger.
"Johnny...? How... We were on birth control like two maniacs, how did we miss...?"
"We didn’t... the doc said it was because we were far too long with those suppressants, on the last couple of long missions we did, so when we got out of those no birth control could take... remember that last rut and heat before you left? It was the hardest heat I've ever had; all of my hormones were completely out of control."
"I remember it being particularly difficult, and lasted far longer than normal too."
"Yeah, my exams were a mess too... They had to put me on a bunch of medications so I wouldn't affect Theo. Right after you left it was so bad even Price was affected. He went into Rut with half of the base because of it."
"Jesus... I remember being out of sorts, but the suppressants kicked in when I left."
"That will be a problem. I can't take them anymore. I'm still on some medications, and the doctors said I won't be able to take another dose of suppressants without some big side effects."
"So the job..."
"It's done for me, at least fieldwork. And we've got Theo now, I won't leave him."
"Yeah..."
The silence was heavier this time, with so much uncertainty and too many doubts. The job was their life, it was all they had, all they knew. Ghost knew that Johnny leaving for their son was the right thing to do, but what about him? Could he leave? should he stay? he just found out he was a dad, he didn't have the time to process all of it like Johnny had, but he needed to make a decision nonetheless. He was the Alpha, it was his job to keep them safe and protected, even if Johnny right scoffed at the idea, being just as capable as Ghost was and incredibly mode than so many other Alphas they knew. Still, Simon felt like he needed to step up, and be there for them in any and all capacity they needed, even if it was just to be by their side and change a dirty diaper.
"We'll figure it out..."
"We will, but for now, I just want to be here for a little bit, having you back is the greatest thing since his birth. oh! Gaz took lots of pictures, you have to see them! you're gonna have a lot of blackmail material on Price, the old bugger cried more than me when he held Theo for the first time."
"Always knew he was a sap."
"That he is."
"We need a house..."
"oh, umm... about that, I have one."
"You do?" Simon looked up from his place on Johnny's neck. "How the hell do you have a house and you never told me?"
"It's a family house, my childhood home. Haven't been there since I was Sixteen. It’s probably run down and broken, but it's there. The only problem is, it's up in the Highlands... and I... I want to be closer to Price and Gaz... and you... I know you're not ready to drop the job and I understand that. So maybe we can sell it? It’s a big piece of land, enough to buy a big house here and shape like we want."
"You thought about all this..."
"Yeah... I had time for that, love. With all that happened during the pregnancy, I was in a lot of bed rest, lots of time to think."
"Right... Leave it to me. I’m home now.”
And he was. Finally, home. In his mate’s arms, with his son making a fuss over a wet diaper and Gaz helping Price change it like it was the most common occurrence in the life of war-hardened soldiers. Home.
Ghost looked down at the seven-month-old baby fussing at his crib and smiled.
“Couldn't sleep a bit more, yeah? You early bird. Come here, luv.” He cooed at his son while picking him up, scrunching his nose at the foul smell. introducing food was a mess and his nose agreed. “Jesus, how can someone so cute smell this bad! You’re taking a bath you stinky creature, yes Mister, there’s no escape.”
Ghost took the kid to the bathroom and started a warm bath, leaving Johnny to catch a bit more sleep, he had stayed up at night with Theo crying from cramps. Slowly he checked the temperature and smiled at the fusing baby as he was immediately splashed with water. At least this time it wasn't piss, the menace had an aim that rivaled his with a sniper.
In no time he had the baby clean and dressed and was heading to get some breakfast ready for Johnny. Maybe something different today, bread, eggs, some juice and fruits? Yeah, that would do. He sat Theo on his comforter and put him on top of the counter so he could talk to him while he peeled and cut the fruits.
Theo was in a mood today to make his little baby noises, so Simon indulged and talked to him about all that came to his head, about all he would do that day, the window he was fixing, the room he was painting, and how he still had to clean the stain on the floor where his papa had knocked the paint bucket over. Suck a clumsy papa he had.
“Hopefully you won’t be like him, not that I’m having much hope there, not with your last stunt, I’m still picking mashed potatoes from my hair.”
The baby gave a little scream and a laugh, like he could understand all of it, and was very happy with his food-throwing shenanigans. The aim!
“Yeah, you menace, that’s what I get from having a kid with another snipper…” Simon stopped his peeling to look at his son. “Please don’t blow things in the house…”
Theo laughed and threw his toy at him.
“Guess that’s too much to ask then. I’m dropping you at Price’s, I’m warning you.” He scoffed at himself as he set the table, letting everything ready for when his Omega woke up. Always so hungry in the mornings.
“All set. Come on, let’s get some morning sun, shall we?”
Simon picked Theo up from the comforter and headed outside, leaving the French door wide open behind him. They had sold Johnny’s old family land and bought something closer to Price and Gaz, still in the countryside, with good land space, where they could raise their little one and still feel secure. Ghost had wired the whole thing, cameras everywhere, bunkers, and good spots to escape to. He wasn't taking any chances.
Johnny never said a thing about it, only checking the plans with him and helping him childproof the complicated things a child should never get close to.
Calmly he walked a bit from the house, pointing things to his son and talking to him silly things about the trees and birds around them. How his life had changed, and how he was grateful for it.
Theo yawned and closed his eyes, he was a good kid, never fused too much, never cried too much, slept the whole night, and was always laughing. For the first time in his life, Simon felt he was truly blessed. brushing his son’s hair with his fingers, under the morning sunlight, Simon began to hum a song, something that never actually made sense to him until he held his own son in his arms.
Bit by bit he let his voice sound, only a murmur to get his baby boy to sleep, cradled in his arms.
“…I close my eyes, begin to pray.
Then tears of joy stream down my face..”
He smiled and kept going.
“With arms wide open.
Under the sunlight.
Welcome to this place.
I'll show you everything”
And he would, he would show how the world could be a beautiful place, even if he just very recently started to believe in it himself.
“Well I don't know if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be
I'll take a breath, I'll take him by my side
We stand in awe, we've created life”
And he would, he would be the best man he could ever be, for his lover and his son. Take their hands on his own and guide them into the best life they could ever want.
“If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he's not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open”
He would make sure of it. Make sure his baby boy never came marginally close to seeing the things he and Johnny saw in their life. He would make damn sure his baby would never experience a loveless family like his when a kid. He would make sure his son knew love above all, and would never turn out to be like himself, this broken excuse of a man that was only now healing because of a man he loved more than life itself. He promised that his son would be able to see beauty in life, and never see the horrors he had gone through.
He didn’t startle when a hand touched his hip and Johnny hugged him, resting his face on his arm as he brought his hand to caress their son's hair lightly.
“You’re a good man, Simon Riley. A good father.”
“We’re not good men, Johnny.”
“For him? Yes, we are.”
His eyes were so full of tenderness when they met his mate’s, that he was sure Johnny could feel it.
“I love you.” He whispered.
“I love you too.”
Simon smiled and kissed his head as he pulled Johnny into his arms, holding all that was most dear to him in his entire life.
“Come on, John and Ky are coming over for breakfast.”
“We’re gonna need more eggs..”