author’s note: thank you for the ask! i debated for a long time whether or not to write this one because i hadn’t written for DS before and i haven’t written anything involving kids/family. and the prompt itself naturally lends itself to fluff and so overall this was harder than normal XD.
copyright: all characters owned by pixelberry studios.
series/pairing: distant shores – edward x f!mc (peyton bellamy)
rating/warnings: 13+
word count: 1.6k
first vs. last prompts / 4. first kid vs. last kid
first kid
peyton gripped the white stick until her knuckles paled, her fingers purposefully covering the little window that mocked her with two pink lines. she squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears of panic prickling her eyelids to stay away, and trying to force her body to breathe.
as if on cue, the pressure on her lungs gave way and she gulped down as much air as she could, feeling it push through her body like the water pressure on a firehose. once she was done gasping, her mind wandered and led her to the poseidon ii, where she welcomed how the sun beat down on her face as she balanced her way around the rocking deck. her mind continued flipping through her memories like it was her picflix streaming list, pausing every so often to play a 30-second trailer.
she didn’t fight it when her mind took her to the bustling town square in tiburon, where she welcomed the mindless chatter of pointless gossip from the townsfolk. and of course, she pressed pause when her mind took her to that island with the dolphins and shimmering blue waves, where she let herself swim alongside a man who seemed more and more like a dream with every passing day.
she took slow, deep breaths through her nose and let her mind wander back to that island, the beach, and edward sitting beside her. and she knew, even though she wasn’t ready to really think about becoming a mother, that this baby was hers and edward’s – solid proof that he was real, that their love is real.
1 year later
peyton wrapped her arms tightly around the blankets encasing her son, holding him against her chest as he nursed. as soon as he was done, edward gently cradled their child to burp him before laying him down in a makeshift crib they built with materials on the ship.
when she appeared on the docks in tiburon only three months after giving birth, peyton didn’t expect she’d get to stay for very long. the compass had called to her frequently throughout her pregnancy, the weeks that passed in-between trips translated to months in the past. thankfully, time travel didn’t seem to have lasting impacts on her pregnancy, with the exception of amplified morning sickness from constantly being on the water. peyton was also grateful that the compass didn’t call her during or immediately after she gave birth; even though edward would’ve wanted to be there, she was relieved that modern healthcare would surround her at such a terrifying time.
“edward, can we talk?” she said quietly once it was clear their son was asleep.
“of course, my love. what’s on your mind?” edward asked, moving to sit next to her on the bed and wrap his arm around her waist.
peyton leaned into his side. “i don’t know how much longer i’ll get to stay. i want us to be prepared.”
edward slowly tucked some loose hair behind peyton’s ear before locking eyes with her. “what do you mean?”
she felt something lodge in her throat at the same time the tears started prickling behind her eyes. “edward – in case i get sent back, i want you to raise our son. i don’t want to force him to grow up in two very different worlds, it would be so disruptive and i don’t want you to be alone.”
“no, a child should be with his mother. he needs you and you will be able to make sure he grows up in a safer environment. pirating is no life for a child,” edward said firmly.
peyton shook her head vigorously, trying to keep her voice low so as not to wake their son. “a son needs his father. he needs you.”
edward looked at her with such softness, peyton felt her heart break as the weight of her reality settled in – the reality that she may not have a future with the man she loved.
“you must do what is best for you and our son. your whole future is ahead of you. and your time would be better for him,” he said softly, cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand.
“i don’t want to leave you. i love you, edward,” peyton said between soft sobs, her body starting to feel weighed down by fatigue.
“and i love you from the bottom of my heart, miss peyton bellamy,” edward whispered into her ear as he held her tight.
as she drifted off to sleep, peyton vaguely remembered that edward hadn’t responded to her request that he raise their son should she get sent back to the future. it didn’t matter though, because when she woke up, she was in her own time, and alone.
last kid
five years. peyton could hardly believe that it had been five years since she last traveled through time. it was something they didn’t talk about, out of concern that speaking their fears out loud might tempt fate. superstitions aside, peyton was grateful that she was back in time with edward and the crew that had become her family. it honestly felt as though she had returned home – with charlie and ginny echoing those sentiments ten-fold.
she was incredibly grateful that their son was only two years old when she returned. time travel was finnicky but at least she hadn’t disappeared for too long in edward’s time, lest their son’s implicit memory of her fade. even though for her it had only been a few months, their dynamic had changed significantly considering edward had been raising their son on the ship as a single father. it took some time for them to adjust to a new normal with each other given the constant threat of time travel taking her away again and a son to raise.
but to peyton, the challenges and hardships were nothing compared to the pure joy she felt at being with the loves of her life. she would bend over backwards and adapt as well as she could to a pirate life as a mother and wife if it meant she could be with them forever.
for edward, he had to unlearn the hardened ways in which he kept his son close and the protective harshness he deployed to anyone who threatened those defenses. despite his nightmares and worries, their son took to peyton like a moth to a flame, a true representation of what a mother means to a son and vice-versa.
she watched from where she was sitting against a tree as edward played with their son, whose laughter was so carefree and infectious, peyton felt herself getting emotional each time she heard it. edward looked up and made eye contact with her, giving her that loving smile she knew she would never get used to seeing.
peyton didn’t realize she had become lost in thought until edward cleared his throat gently from behind her. she looked over and gave him a warm smile, noticing that their son was preoccupied with chasing butterflies a short distance away.
“what is on your mind, my love?” he asked, sitting down next to her.
she gave him a long, contemplative look. “it’s been five years since i’ve last traveled, and i… i want to expand our family.”
if she took edward by surprise, the only tell was the miniscule movement of his left eyebrow.
when he stayed silent, peyton continued, “i want to have another child with you, edward.”
“are you sure? what about–?”
peyton cut him off with a shake of her head. “i don’t think we’ll have to worry about it anymore. i can’t explain it, but i haven’t been able to sense the compass in years. i think i’m here to stay and I want to grow our family.”
edward touched his forehead to hers. “i would love nothing more, mrs. mortemer.”
3 years later
“mama! papa! can we go explore over there by the trees?”
peyton put a hand on her swollen belly. “yes, but be careful darling. and watch your brother!” she called out.
her oldest son grabbed the hand of his younger brother’s, slowing his gait down to match his brother’s waddle. edward chuckled as he wrapped an arm around peyton’s waist, tucking her into his side and giving her a soft kiss on her forehead.
“those two will be absolute terrors for the crew to keep track of in a couple of years,” he said, his voice thick with affection.
peyton turned to her husband to give him a soft kiss. “that’s why i really want this last one to be a girl.”
“and if it’s not? do you want to keep trying until we have a girl? you know i love having a family with you,” he said softly.
“as much as i’d like to have another female in our house, i think this little one will have to be our last,” she said as edward laid a hand on her belly.
the experience she had during the last pregnancy and birth, which she had to endure without the advances in medicine from the future, was more than enough for one lifetime. but she really wanted a little girl.
“let us hope and pray that this one is the little girl that will complete our family then,” edward said as they walked hand-in-hand after their two sons.
author’s note: i started writing this for the prompt request “first kid vs. last kid” and realized i was writing enough for a separate one-shot before even getting to the “first kid” part. so i just went with it as a standalone fic that also works as a prequel, hope you enjoy! i’m also trying a new thing i read somewhere to add icon warnings to mark an upcoming ns*w scene so people can skip ahead if they want. i wasn’t planning on the ns*w scene since it’s definitely more than i’ve done before, the scene did get away from me while i was trying something new, sorry not sorry 😅.
copyright: all characters owned by pixelberry studios.
series/pairing: distant shores – edward mortemer x f!mc (peyton bellamy)
rating/warnings: 18+; ns*w explicit smut between the 🔥⚡ (heating up) and ❄💧 icons (cool down)
word count: 2.6k
based on/prompt: “first kid” prompt fill efforts (see a/n).
summary: peyton struggles to find her place in her own time, waiting and hoping for the compass to send her back.
flying
peyton was exhausted. it had been two years in edward’s time since they defeated the admiral and discovered she could continue to travel back and forth in time as long as she was in proximity of the compass. time seemed to pass slower in the future; what felt like a matter of hours or days ended up being months in his. the first time she found her way back only took two days but the weeks they translated to were visible in the way edward’s shoulders seemed more rigid.
she was still high with adrenaline from the final battle and moment she finally got to be with edward when she returned the first time. edward was more weathered, but they both fell back into each other as if no time had passed, twisting and tangling, feeling and squeezing, equally giving and taking – until every part of her was wholly his and every part of him was seared into her body. they knew that this thing between them was something they had to grab and take as much as they could.
living in the moment was for those who knew where things could go; peyton was going to steal every moment she could.
it wasn’t enough. she knew it was never going to be enough and she tried to navigate her own time as if she had never left. there were too many moments to count, as she half-heartedly searched for auditions and part-time jobs, wandered around the grocery store, or took the bus down to the beach only to sit in the sand without a bathing suit, where she felt out of place, as if she had never really returned to her physical body. not that she could ask anyone, but she wondered if this was how spirits who had unfinished business on earth felt – wandering in a haze and trying to navigate the feeling of being in-between places.
so when she found herself back in time after several weeks, she felt relief escape her body with each exhale and warmth from the salt air fill her lungs with each inhale. never mind that she was alone and lost – not physically at least, she knew where she was, but not when.
charlie found her wandering in the port of tiburon, trying to remain hidden until she could change into something more period appropriate. after a too brief, but tearful, reunion and confirming that it had been almost a year since they saw her last, charlie brought peyton to the poseidon ii; she couldn’t help but smile at how the new ship looked almost the same as its predecessor.
and then she saw him – standing against the edge with his back to her, but peyton knew he felt her presence. it was the little details – the way his shoulders tensed ever so slightly, the way his hands that were clasped behind his back fell to his sides, and the way the breeze danced through the hair tucked behind his ear, visible only because he turned his head ever so slowly to the side – that made her heart skip and her breath catch and before she even realized what she was doing, she was flying across the deck into his waiting arms.
“miss bellamy, is it really you?” edward murmured, pulling back slightly to look at her face. his hands moved from her waist to cup her face.
peyton leaned into the familiar warmth of his calloused hands. “oh edward. call me peyton,” she said softly. “i’m home.”
edward gave her a long, conflicted look that finally softened into desire. he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb and pressed his lips into hers, softly at first. peyton closed her eyes at the feel of his lips against hers, revisiting the familiar taste of salt and the ocean that always seemed to accompany him.
“miss peyton,” edward whispered as if he was practicing the sound of her first name on his lips, punctuating each try with featherlight kisses on her cheek and jawline. “peyton.”
she pulled back slightly and felt a smile start to make its way onto her face. she didn’t think she could explain what it felt like to hear her name whispered with such reverence that she could almost feel it caress her skin.
the bit of reverie they found themselves in was quickly broken by the sound of shouts from around the deck as the crew appeared from the nooks and crannies of the ship.
“peyton! you’re back!” ginny’s voice rang out loud and clear, followed by the sound of running footsteps on the deck.
peyton looked up just in time before ginny’s frame barreled into her, her head now coming up to chest height. “ginny! it’s good to see you – you’re so tall now!”
“it’s good to see you, lass,” jonas said, coming up behind ginny, followed by kendrick and maggie.
before peyton could say anything, she was engulfed by the crew and surprised at how quickly tears started falling down her face. she had missed this crew, her family, more than her own time.
“enough hugs, it’s time to celebrate properly,” charlie said, holding up a bottle of rum in her hand. as she poured out some for peyton, she winked. “welcome home.”
it didn’t take long before the entire crew was drunk and starting to dance and sing songs that didn’t make any sense to peyton, mostly because kendrick tended to mumble a lot when he was inebriated. peyton looked around at the group with a smile on her face and knew that the warm feeling settling in her chest wasn’t from the alcohol.
she caught edward’s eye and felt herself blink at the intensity she found there. the sun had all but gone to bed beyond the horizon, but the remaining glow was enough to still cast a halo around him. the only thing peyton could see clearly were his eyes, not because the color, size, or shape stood out in the shadows, but because the intensity of his gaze called out to her.
he turned away and headed to his cabin, not looking back once. peyton glanced around at everyone who was too drunk to notice edward’s departure before landing on charlie’s knowing look. peyton felt her cheeks warm under charlie’s teasing gaze and she quietly followed after edward. his eyes never left hers as she closed the door behind her and stepped toward him.
“miss peyton, do you know when you might leave next?” edward’s gaze was still intense but tempered with a pained longing that peyton recognized as something she saw most days in the mirror.
she shook her head sadly. “no… if and when i go back… i don’t know how long it will take for me to return. the compass seems to have a mind of its own and i constantly have to compromise with robert.”
edward chuckled, but it sounded hollow to peyton. “seeing you now… has made these past months endurable, but not knowing if i might ever see you again is almost unbearable.”
peyton’s heart clenched. there was always that tiny doubtful voice in the back of her head that feared one day edward would decide she wasn’t worth waiting for, or worse, that they would be apart forever, without knowing that it was forever. but she had always refused to believe either scenario would come true because it was just too heartbreaking to think about.
but here she was about to experience that heartbreak. a tear slowly trailed down her cheek, followed by another. she watched through blurry curtains as the water droplets started the beginning of a puddle on the wood floor. edward quickly closed the gap between them and lifted her chin with his finger so she was looking up at him. he slowly, and gently, cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs.
“please don’t cry, miss peyton. i did not mean to hurt your feelings. i would bear all the burdens of the world if it means i have your love.”
“you have it, edward. forever,” peyton promised. he had wiped her tears away and was hovering just a breath’s distance from her lips; so close that peyton was ready to beg.
as if he read her mind, edward leaned down and pressed his warm lips against hers, and the soft, happy sigh that escaped her naturally gave his tongue the opening it needed. she could taste the subtle sweetness of the rum on his tongue, further intoxicating her senses. she bit his bottom lip, eliciting a low growl from his throat that made her spine tingle. in retaliation, he started kissing down her neck until he reached her collarbone. peyton couldn’t help the gasp that escaped at the tingling sensation traveling down her spine.
🔥⚡🔥⚡
edward worked his way back up her neck until he was kissing her again relentlessly, giving her no room to breathe. he gently pushed her back until she felt the bed behind her knees. not willing to give up control just yet, peyton hooked her leg over his hip and pressed herself against edward, gripping his hips to create as much friction as she could; the layers of fabric he was wearing was too much against her thin summer dress. if he took another step, they both would go tumbling on to the bed.
he pulled back slightly to give her a mischievous look before he grabbed her ass and lifted her up so she had no choice but to lock her legs behind him. peyton wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he laid her on the bed, covering her body with is and making her crave skin-to-skin contact.
“you have too many layers on. take them off, please,” she winced internally at the sound of her voice begging, but the embarrassment disappeared as soon as she saw the desire in edward’s eyes.
she immediately regretted her request when he stepped away, the heat from his body suddenly disappearing. she sat up on the bed as edward slowly unbuckled his belt and let it drop to the floor before shrugging out of his coat. his fingers moved to undo the buttons on his shirt one-by-one, mesmerizing peyton who wanted his fingers to undo hers.
peyton found herself pressing her thighs together for some semblance of relief from the heat pooling at her core as edward finally undid the last button and shrugged his shirt off his shoulders. she let out a frustrated sigh, which only made edward’s smirk grow bigger. she stood up and leaned into him, leaving his arms now trapped by the shirt. with the fabric taut against his lower back holding his arms in place at his sides, peyton placed her hands on the inside of his thighs and started trailing her fingers upward.
she grinned as edward’s smirk faded, only to be replaced by the sounds of heavy breathing, as her fingers stayed the course, curling firmly over the fabric barely containing his cock. she grinned at the change in his expression now that she was in control. she tucked her fingers into his waistband and pulled his pants down just enough to free his cock. she brought her hands back to caress the inside of his thighs, massaging it gently with her fingers while avoiding going any higher.
“enough teasing,” she said, stepping to the side and pointing to the bed. “sit.”
edward stepped out of the rest of his clothes and did as he was told. “i don’t think this is quite a fair trade, miss peyton,” he said, his eyes twinkling in the dimly lit cabin.
peyton kept her eyes trained on his as she lifted her dress over her head and threw it on the floor alongside his discarded clothes. seeing edward swallow at the sight of her bare breasts gave peyton the remaining courage she needed to slip off her panties and climb over him, pushing him back down on the bed so he was looking up at her. his hands immediately came up to her hips and she lined herself up over his cock before sinking down slowly with a satisfied moan. just the feeling of him fully inside her was enough to bring tears to her eyes, especially after realizing that her body still had him memorized.
“miss peyton—” edward grunted before peyton interrupted him with a kiss. she bit his lower lip before tangling her tongue with his, simultaneously moving up and down and rolling her hips to generate as much heat as she could between them.
as she felt the pressure start to build in her abdomen, her mouth started moving less intentionally over his. her moans started becoming audible and ragged; edward held her hips tight against him, stopping her mid-movement, so he could sit up and flip them over. he pinned her arms above her head as she wrapped her legs around his back.
“edward, i’m close—” she strained to get out, the feel of him moving above her was beginning to be overwhelming.
“i have you, let go,” edward coaxed, taking advantage of the angle to thrust harder and deeper.
peyton arched her back as she came, the pressure that had been coiling in her abdomen releasing and sending her flying. she cried out as edward urged her on, ignoring the fact that the crew were right outside the cabin. her back continued to say elevated as edward held her firmly through his own climax, their simultaneous grunts and moans drowning each other out. he held her lovingly through her climax until she was ready to touch back down.
❄💧❄💧
he left slow, patient kisses on her neck and collarbone as she breathed heavily, placing a hand over her heart in a subconscious attempt to slow down her rapid heartbeat. edward continued leaving kiss after kiss down her chest, on each of her fingers, before nudging her hand with his nose so she’d flip it over, allowing him to kiss her palm. peyton tangled her fingers in his hair as she opened her eyes, feeling her body flush under his loving gaze. he moved so he was laying beside her and peyton lifted her head so edward could slide his arm under it. she turned toward him, folding both her arm and leg over his so she could be as close to him as possible.
“get some sleep, my love,” edward said softly, pulling up the blanket to cover them both.
“i’m afraid to,” peyton whispered, moving her head to rest on his chest so she could listen to his heartbeat.
he lifted her chin with his finger so she was looking into his eyes. “i’m here. there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“what if falling asleep means i get sent back to the future? what if we wake up and i’m not here anymore?” it wasn’t the only way it happened, but waking up alone in the future without edward the first time she traveled back wasn’t something she was going to forget.
edward reached behind her to gently massage her neck and against her will, she felt her body and mind start to relax. as sleep started to seep into her body, she tucked her head under his chin and heard him murmur against her hair, “even if that happens, our story is still far from over. i will still love you with every breath until you return to me again.”
they knew their time was limited. she might disappear tomorrow, in a week, or years later, but for now, they were together. for now, that would be enough. it had to be.
