Work Text:
Objection.
-x-
Jimmy and Sea couldn’t quite believe how articulate their son would be when he turned three. Sure, all toddlers are different, however, Cean is on another level when it comes to his talking. Sea blames Jimmy; it’s what he gets for marrying and having a child with a doctor. At the beginning it was cute, listening to Cean have full blown conversations with adults, and watching other children of the same age look at him like he had two heads because he was talking way beyond his years. However, when he learned how to argue like a full blown adult, that’s when Sea started to question everything they’ve done to raise him. Cean held himself like a 30 year old man, sometimes even older, depending on the situation. Exactly like a lawyer in court, able to twist his words just so, litigating the scenario when it came to bath time or bed time.
And today was no different. It’s Saturday, meaning Sea has no work, and neither does Jimmy, and Cean has no kindergarten. Their weekends are for family, they put their phones away, the TV stays off, and they find a family friendly activity to do, or they see friends, and today, they’re having a playdate with Tay and New, and San. But their day starts like any other; Cean wakes them up by ripping their covers off them, which is rude, but also effective because the sudden coolness of the air hits their skin brutally. “Time to wake up.” Cean states before walking out of their bedroom.
Once Jimmy and Sea are upright, and have a cup of coffee each, they do breakfast. Jimmy and Sea will have toast, and they always ask Cean what he wants to eat, and it varies from day to day, but they always start with fruit, and today, it’s a banana.
Sea hands his funny little boy a ripe banana, but Cean looks up at his daddy like he’s grown an extra head. The look in Cean’s eyes scares Sea, and he looks at Jimmy, and Jimmy has the exact same look in his eyes. They wait with bated breath, and when Cean opens his mouth, Jimmy and Sea almost choke on their mouthfuls of toast. “Before I accept this banana, I would like to discuss the terms and conditions.” Cean connects his hands together and places them on the table.
“What?” Jimmy coughs.
“Baby, just eat the banana.” Sea tells him sweetly.
Cean shakes his head. This boy! Sea thinks to himself, acting like an adult in his Spider-Man onesie. Not to mention Gibby, his stuffed giraffe he has to take everywhere. Sea really didn’t see his articulate little boy, giving out advice on life, while hugging a giraffe to his chest. “Clause one:” Sea and Jimmy gasp, where on earth did this boy learn the word clause? “The banana must be cut into seven pieces,” Cean states, pushing the banana towards Jimmy, who takes it. Peeling it and then cutting it into seven pieces, and then placing the slices on his Spider-Man plate. He pushes the plate back towards his funny little boy, “thank you. Clause two: I reserve the right to reject the fourth piece of banana because,” Cean then counts to piece number four, and frowns, “because of bad vibes.” Bad vibes? Damn, their child will be the death of them. They both try very hard to hold their laughter in. “Clause three: if I drop it on the floor, it is legally your fault.”
“Hang on-” but Sea cuts Jimmy off before he can finish that sentence. He shakes his head and smiles sweetly at his husband.
“Okay baby, terms and conditions accepted.” Sea tells their son.
Jimmy huffs, “what else would you like?” He asks.
“Toast with jam please papa.”
“No special requests?” And this is why Cean continues to talk the way he does. Jimmy allows him. And Sea isn’t stupid, he knows Jimmy takes immense pride in the fact that Cean speaks like a functional adult. Cean shakes his head, and Sea shakes his own head in disbelief. He’s proud too.
After breakfast is done, and the family of three have all got dressed, they’re ready to head out. Before they make their way to Tay and New’s home, they need to stop at the grocery store to pick up a few bits for their lunch. Once they’re there, they place Cean into the seat of the trolley and head inside. Jimmy and Sea have always made shopping a game for Cean, as it stops him from being bored, but Cean will spout facts about different items that Jimmy and Sea didn’t know, and they always wonder where their son gets these facts from.
After picking up some snacks, and dying of embarrassment when Cean looks over to a man standing near the pasta, and states, “that man has no snacks, I don’t trust him.” Sea looked at the man and bowed as a form of an apology, Jimmy was no help, laughing into Sea’s shoulder, not at all sorry for his son's behaviour. They move on, getting drinks, and some staples for their home, before they make their way down an aisle that has quite a few people around. They’re not even halfway down the aisle when Cean raises his hand, “objection, this aisle is too loud,” he shouts, making a few people turn their heads, “I demand a nap recess.”
Jimmy laughs into his fist, looking away so Cean doesn’t see him laugh, and Sea’s eyes widen, looking at the other customers before smiling, “we just need one thing from this aisle baby, and then we’re done, then you can nap in the car.”
Sea turns to his husband, pleading, “okay, lets leave daddy to finish up, and we can go back to the car so you can have your nap recess, okay?” Cean nods his head and raises his arms, Jimmy picks up his son, placing him on his hip, and Cean buries his head into the crook of Jimmy’s neck, closing his eyes. “See you in a few, my love.” Jimmy leans over and kisses Sea’s forehead before taking their son back to the car.
Sea finishes quickly and before they know it, they’re back to driving, and heading to Tay and New’s house.
-x-
“You’re kidding?” Tay laughs, looking over at Cean who is eating with San at the kids table. They’re talking nicely, they’ve been friends since birth really, they love each other like brothers. San is almost on the same talking level, but not as formal at Cean. So, their conversations are very articulate, they talk about starting school, movies, Spider-Man, and food. They’re so cute, it squeezes Sea’s heart, and he wonders what it would be like to add another baby into their family; it’s definitely something he imagined for his own family, two children, and a perfect husband who loves him. Maybe it’s time for himself and Jimmy to have that conversation.
Sea and Jimmy shake their heads, while Tay and New look at them like they’re crazy. “Nope, full on lawyering us with his clauses this morning, over a banana.”
“Strange little boy.” New giggles affectionately.
Their family day continues, they play games, put the boys down for a nap, and while their babies are sleeping, the grown-ups enjoy a glass of wine each on the terrace, as to waste such a day would be a crime. Once the boys wake up, they can play outside for the remainder of the afternoon until it’s time to leave. The adults talk about everytime, mostly about Tay and New renewing their vows for their tenth anniversary. “Just family and a few friends, plus San, who is so excited; probably more excited than us two.” Tay tells them.
Jimmy and Sea laugh, “bless his heart, it’s not everyday you get to watch your parents renew their vows, especially since he wasn’t there the first time.”
After an hour is up, Sea and New go to wake up their precious babies, holding them close as they start to wake up properly. “You boys feel like playing outside?”
That makes the boy’s heads shoot up and wriggle out of their daddy’s arms. Sea and New place them down and they run off, leaving Sea and New shaking their heads fondly.
-x-
After bidding Tay and New goodbye and wrestling Cean in his carseat, they’re finally on their way home. It’s close to bedtime for Cean, no need to cook dinner as the families all ate together, delicious BBQ, cooked by Tay and Jimmy.
Cean had fallen asleep in his carseat, exhausted by the day he’s had and the talking that he’s done. And Jimmy and Sea sit in comfortable silence with the radio on low. Sea really wants to bring up having another baby, he starts to play with his fingers and gives Jimmy gentle looks every now and then, and even though Jimmy’s eyes never leave the road, he notices, “Sea, tell me what’s on your mind.”
Sea looks at him with sincere eyes, and he bites his lip, “how would you feel if we maybe had another baby?”
Jimmy doesn’t say anything at first, and the tension rises, and it starts to make Sea panic. Jimmy contemplating is either a good thing or a bad thing, and because Jimmy is facing the road, Sea can’t tell what he’s thinking by just looking at his face, or looking into his eyes. Jimmy is about to open his mouth but from the back of the car, Cean shouts, “objection!” making Jimmy and Sea jump, Sea looking back at their son to find him still fast asleep, grasping Gibby like a lifeline.
Jimmy and Sea look at each other before bursting into laughter. Jimmy looks at him like he hanged the stars and moon in the sky just for him, “we can talk about it later, okay?” Jimmy tells him and leans over to grab Sea’s hand, and he places a kiss to the back of it. Sea blushes and looks away, biting his lip. After almost ten years, Jimmy still has that effect on him.
-x-
Bathtime and bedtime.
It’s the time of day Jimmy and Sea dread, because Cean hates taking a bath, and even a shower. Sea is waiting for his son to grow out of it and he hopes he will because he doesn’t think he can stand Cean’s dislike towards them when he’s older. Getting him in the bath takes both of them, and sometimes, even gentle bribes. They make quick work of bathing their son, wrestling him like a scared cat, but they manage and before they know it, Cean is brushing his teeth, wrapped in towel, singing as he does. Jimmy rubs copious amounts of lotion into his son’s skin.
After they’re done in the bathroom, Jimmy scoops Cean up, tickling him as he does so, making him giggle. Sea follows, proud smile on his face, phase one, complete. Now, phase two, getting their son to sleep.
“One story please papa.” Cean says as Sea tucks him in and settles next to him on the bed.
Jimmy nods his head and picks out a book, sitting down on the floor next to the bed and starts to read. Sea makes sure Cean has Gibby tucked into bed with him and strokes his dark hair out of his face. He has Sea’s eyes and lips, but Jimmy’s nose and facial structure. Making him look so much like Jimmy. But he has Sea’s hair so, it’s not all bad. After the book is done, Jimmy closes it and puts it to one side, but Cean is no closer to falling asleep.
“Time to sleep baby.” Sea tells him.
Cean huffs, and then does something he and Jimmy don’t believe. Cean pretrends to open what they believe is a glasses case, puts on imaginary glasses and then says, “I will be going to sleep, yes. But I am doing it under protest.”
Jimmy and Sea stare at their son and then look at each other, completely shocked. They don’t comment on it, only nod their heads; if it makes their son go to sleep, they'll take it. “Goodnight baby.” Sea whispers, placing a soft loving kiss to their son’s forehead. He stands up and makes his way towards the door, waiting in the hallway for Jimmy. Moments later, Jimmy comes out and closes the door, and grabs Sea by the hips and pulls him closer.
“What?” Sea whispers.
Jimmy is looking at him with a hungry look and it makes Sea blush. “Yes.”
Sea blinks, tilting his head, “huh?”
“Yes.”
“Hia, I don’t get it.” Sea tells him.
Jimmy laughs and then slowly walks them to their bedroom. He kisses Sea softly, and when the back of Sea’s knees touch the bed, he falls down and swallows when Jimmy looms over him, the hungry look in his eyes never faltering. “Let’s have another baby.”
Sea smiles, “really?” Jimmy just smiles back and nods his head. Sea giggles and then pulls Jimmy atop of him. No time like the present to start.
-x-