This fic was requested by my dear friend @ergahg as so many are lol. He asked for our CP OC’s going to church during their pregnancy. I hope y’all enjoy this one. (it got kind of long.)
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Brightly colored leaves splattered the dark road like paint splashed across a canvas as Addie’s pickup truck rumbled along. His head sagged as the roaring heater lulled him back toward sleep, his hand absently rubbing against his swollen belly. His partner glanced over from the driver’s seat smiling lovingly at the ginger man.
“You sure this is a good idea?” Addie said softly, drawing Leo’s gaze back to him for another moment. “I just… you know how…” Addie chewed on his bottom lip, not allowing himself to finish the statement. The pair was on their way to Sunday morning service at church near their townhouse and the memories of the last church he’d attended with Leo lingered in the back of his mind. “They’ll say…” again he stopped midsentence. Leo reached over and gave his fiancé’s knee a squeeze along with a reassuring smile.
Addie had attended service with Leo once since they’d moved into their own place. The chapel at Samwell had been alright when he was on campus but Leo hadn’t felt as connected with a church family there as he had with his church family back home in Savannah. The church Addie had joined him at, a Baptist church with a mostly elderly population, had been Leo’s third try since their move.
“Addie, baby, I promise you it’ll be different this time. I know the last church bothered you, they weren’t a good fit for us anyway. Besides it’s like I told you, God is love, those folks were doing a very poor job of showing that love and by extension showing God. This one is so much better, the folks here are great. They are going to love you.” Addie slumped a little and sighed.
“Addie, they are going to love you almost as much as I do.” He squeezed the ginger’s knee again. “I promise it’s going to be nothing like the last time.” He smiled brightly at his partner as the rumbling truck turned onto a short private road. On the left was a large, two story, brick building with lots of windows and a playground, the sign announcing it was a private Christian school. Ahead on the right side stood a small white building with a steeple and behind it another brick building, a public elementary school. Leo took the right turn and quickly found a spot in the half full parking lot.
“Do I look okay?” Addie looked down at his dark jeans, black t-shirt, and red plaid flannel. His round belly peeked up under his hand, his amber eyes looking first at it then to his scuffed high tops. “Aren’t you supposed to wear fancy clothes to church?”
Leo cut the truck off and swung open his own door. Crisp, damp air flooded the cab causing Adding to shiver. “Babe, do you see the way I’m dressed? Do I look like I’m all fancy? Do I ever look fancy when I leave for church on Sundays?” Addie took in his partner’s attire, a pair of paint splattered jeans, a black long sleeve shirt layered with a red SMH tee, and his beat up brown boots. Addie shook his head.
“No, you just look like you,” he whispered. Leo nodded and began to climb out of the truck. Raindrops speckled the lenses of his glasses as the wind whipped his dark hair. From the truck door he looked back across at Addie.
“Exactly, here I’m free to be myself wholly and be accepted by my church family and Addie, they are going to accept you too.”
“But I…” his gaze dropped to his belly, fingers spreading wide, fear all over his face.
“Do you trust me?” The ginger nodded slowly.
“Then trust me in this.” Leo came around the front of the truck and opened his door for him. “I know it can be scary but it’s going to be alright. These folks, they know I’m bi, they know my fiancé is a man. I promise it will be good.” Leo pressed a gentle kiss to Addie’s forehead. Once again Addie nodded, taking Leo’s outstretched hand and climbing down from the truck.
The pair made their way inside barely escaping as the rain began to fall harder. Leo shook his shaggy black hair; spraying water drops all around. Addie laughed as the water hit him, forgetting his worry for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. Cream colored tiling led into the green carpeted lobby and crisp grey walls led forward, WELCOME stenciled across one wall in flowing white letters. An elderly woman in a blue floral dress milled about in the lobby setting up what seemed to be canisters of coffee and muffled music floated through a closed door nearby. A bright welcoming smile filled the woman’s aged face as she turned and spotted the boys.
“Oh Leo! Good morning, how are you?” she asked hurrying over as fast as her cane let her. Leo smiled back at her and embraced her tightly.
“Good morning Miss Marcie, I’m well. I want to introduce you to someone. This is my fiancé Addie,” he said. Her kind eyes turned to the ginger man taking in first his face then glancing lower before moving back up to his face. The smile on her face didn’t dim for a second and soon she was giving Addie a tight hug.
“It’s nice to finally meet you honey. I’ve heard so much about you.” Pink rose in Addie’s cheeks and ears at her words but he quickly hugged back before pulling away. “If you don’t mind my asking, how long?” His blush deepened.
“They um they should be here sometime in mid-October, at least that’s what the doctor says.” She nodded knowingly and gave his forearm a gentle squeeze. A young woman with curly cooper hair stuck her head out the kitchen door.
“Second pot’s ready Miss Marcie,” she called then waved at Leo and Addie. “Hey Leo.” He waved back.
“Morning, Lynne” he called. The elderly woman, Miss Marcie, smiled at the boys before excusing herself to finish helping the ginger woman in the kitchen.
“We’re a little early but that’s okay. I’m gonna go set our stuff down in the sanctuary. There’s coffee and stuff over there.” The look of dread on Addie’s face at Leo leaving his side was perfectly clear. The raven haired man smiled reassuringly before giving his partner’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll be right back, I promise miss Marcie doesn’t bite. She might try to hug you again but she won’t bite. Addie nodded slowly and began worrying his bottom lip as Leo disappeared through the closed doors.
As he stood awkwardly in the entryway Addie looked around. The hall to his left held multiple doors leading to a nursery, several classrooms, and restrooms. Half way down the hall the cool grey walls gave way to bright colors and funky shapes. Aimlessly he wandered toward the color, curiosity getting the better of him. A little boy no older than six ran through one of the open doors nearly colliding with Addie’s legs. He looked up at the man smiling bright then waved and spun around running back into the classroom. A little girl, a few years younger than the boy, stuck her head out of the door, a bright bow taking up most of her head. A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as Addie wandered back up the hall.
More people were beginning to arrive, the lobby now buzzing with the chatter of conversations and greetings. Several people said good morning to him as Addie took a seat on a plush grey couch. He was beginning to wonder if perhaps this place might truly be different. The doors Leo had disappeared through were propped open and the live music had changed to a stereo playlist. A head of raven hair weaved through the people in the lobby before Leo spotted Addie and came to join him, a slender woman with salt and pepper hair behind him. She continued down the hall, a tooth brush in her hand.
“There you are sweetheart,” Leo said sitting next to him. “How are you liking it so far?”
“It’s so different, they’re all so friendly and I swear I’ve been hugged like six times.” A happy smile overtook Leo’s features. “Are they always so huggy?” Leo’s happy laughter rang out at the question as he quickly nodded.
“Yeah, we’re kind of a huggy church,” he replied getting to his feet. “Come on, we can head in if we want. Service will start in a little bit but there’s some people I want you to meet.” Taking his hand Addie got to his feet and followed him into the sanctuary. A young woman in glasses crouched in the sound booth loading disks into a tower of drives.
“Em, who’s preaching today?” The woman’s head snapped up nearly causing her to fall into the stool behind her.
“Good grief Leo don’t do that, you scared the crap out of me. Thomas is preaching today.” She rose to her feet and turned pausing when she spotted Addie at his side. “Oh, hello,” she said pushing up her glasses in the same nose scrunching way Leo did.
“Emma, this is my fiancé Addie.” She smiled warmly and extended a hand. Addie took it and shook it before glancing at Leo.
“Nice to meet you Addie, I’m Emma but I’m sure you already got that.” Before either of them could respond a man a little older than them entered the room stepping into the booth. The man introduced himself as Christopher, an associate pastor at the church and greeted Addie warmly. Christopher and Emma began talking about details for the service so Leo led the way to a short row of green chairs down the right-hand aisle.
His and Addie’s jackets laid across two of the chairs along with Leo’s worn leather bible. The front wall of the room was layered top to bottom with pallet boards, the rest of the room an even cream color with several windows along each wall. A small stage full of instruments and mikes filled the front of the room with a large tv mounted on each side. Addie sank into the green chair as he looked around. People were slowly trickling in when the salt and pepper haired woman from before made a bee line for them.
“Leo, you have an introduction to make,” she said, a smile lingering in her eyes. Funky black cat eye glasses framed her face as she sank into a seat in the row ahead of them.
“Lisa, this is my fiancé Addie. Baby, this is my friend Lisa.” She smiled and extended her hand. Her short hair practically stood straight up and her energy could only be called infectious. Addie couldn’t help but like the woman. He’d heard Leo speak about her and shook her hand, glad to finally have a face to put with the name.
They chatted for a few minutes before everything got underway. Christopher came up to make several announcements including an upcoming baby dedication, a worship night, and a men’s breakfast all coming up over the next few weeks. Christopher then instructed them to say hi to someone around them, giving the band a chance to get settle on the stage. Leo exchanged greetings with several people before the music from before began and lyrics appeared on the screens at the front. The first song was upbeat and fast paced. Addie had never seen Leo get so wrapped up in music before. The second song changed the tempo a bit with words about the reckless, unending love of God. The last song was slower speaking of God being a good, good father. Leo’s eyes closed and he swayed gently to the music, even raising his hand at some point. His other hand never left the tight grip Addie had on it.
Christopher continued to play his guitar softly as a middle-aged man took the stage speaking briefly on the importance of giving with a glad heart. Leo looked over at Addie, seeing his puzzled look, and held up the envelope he’d deposited twenty dollars in. As the guitar continued softly a couple came down the two aisles holding gold collection plates. Leo dropped the envelope in as they passed.
The music faded and a young man in a Dallas Cowboy’s hat took the stage and introduced himself as Thomas, a member of the teaching team, and began his sermon. He was wrapping up a series on the prodigal son which had begun with the brother, then the son, and ending with the father. He spoke passionately on how the father never gave up on his son even after the son had effectively told his father that he was dead to him. He spoke about his own children quoting one of the praise songs from the worship set, how there was no mountain he wouldn’t climb up or shadow he wouldn’t light up for his sons, no door he wouldn’t kick down, or no lie he wouldn’t tear down for his daughter.
Leo sat quietly listening fighting hard against the tears that welled behind his glasses. After a while he stopped fighting and just let the tears flow. His hands practically trembled as he cried silently in his seat. Addie noticed Leo wasn’t the only one in the room with tear stained faces. As he listened tears began to well up in his own amber eyes. Leo gave his hand a gentle squeeze. When Thomas finished the room was quiet only filled with sniffles as the middle-aged man from before came up to the stage.
“It certainly seems like every time Thomas gets up here we end up with no dry eyes in the room,” he said with a chuckle. Leo laughed as well nodded gently in agreement. “Now if everyone will bow your heads and close your eyes for a moment. If there’s anyone in here today that is thinking can God really love me like that? Can He really want me after everything I’ve done? Well I’m telling you right now He can, He does, and He will. No matter what you might have done God will always love you. Just like the father God is waiting there watching, hoping to see you coming from far off. So if there is anyone in here today that says I want in, just raise your hand and look up at me. No one is looking and all the Christians in here are praying for you. We’ll all stand up and say the prayer together.” He paused for a moment watching, waiting. “Oh, I see you, anyone else? We’re already going to say the prayer is there anyone else who says I want in?” He paused for another moment. “Okay well for the sake of that one, will you please stand and pray with me.”
The entire room rose to their feet and heads were bowed and eyes closed. The pastor began to speak again, this time the congregation echoing him. “Father God, I’ve sinned and that’s no surprise to you. I believe that You sent your son to die on the cross for my sins and that you raised him from the dead. Come into my heart Lord Jesus and I’ll live for You forever. in your name we pray, Amen.” There were cheers and applause for that person who had dedicated their life to God. The pastor said a short prayer over the congregation for the coming week before they were dismissed. As Leo and Addie made their way through the crowd Addie remained quiet but his mind was racing a million miles an hour as he pondered on everything. He definitely had some questions to ask Leo later.
