Bad Romance Disney Adventure Chapter 6: Bonding
Miniseries: Bad Romance Disney Adventure
Main Series: Bad Romance
Fandom: The Royal Romance
Pairings for series: Riley x Liam, Liam x Max, Riley x Max, Riley x Drake, Riley x Leo (past)
Rating: MA
Warnings for this chapter: Language
Word Count: 2,580
A/N: Thanks again to @queen-arabella-of-cordonia for the ask for Jace's birth and @nestledonthaveone for the BR gang at Disneyland ask. They launched this series. Thanks to @dcbbw for prereading a snippet or two.
A/N2: This is actually, finally the last chapter! (There will be an epilogue though).
A/N3: καρδιά μου is Greek for "my heart"
My other stuff: Master List.
Max and Liam tag teamed the diaper changing while Drake climbed into the bed with Riley and slipped an arm around her, “How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Are you tired?”
“Mmmm.” She snuggled against his chest, “I feel fantastic, I have everything I need right here in this room with me and no, not tired yet but I’m sure I will be once the endorphins wear off.”
He ran a hand up and down her arm as he kissed the top of her head, her forehead, her cheek, and the tip of her nose, “I love you. You were amazing today and he’s perfect.”
“Thank you. I love you too and I’m sorry if I’ve been a little difficult lately. Late term pregnancy will do that to you.”
Laughter rumbled through his chest, “A little? But yes, we all know what the last month of pregnancy is like. This ain’t our first rodeo you know. Frankly, I’m amazed you’re not worse. Between the swollen feet, the heartburn, the sciatica, carrying around all that extra weight….I couldn’t do it and I’m a trained solider. Leo was right about one thing, you are a bad ass.”
She sighed happily as Liam appeared at her side with Jace, “I think he’s hungry again.”
“Ok, here.” She reached out and took him in her arms, “Hey, where’s my phone?”
“I’ll get it!” Max pulled it out of Jax’s diaper bad and handed it to her.
“Well shit. It’s almost dead. And of course I don’t have my charging cord.”
“I can get you a new one.” Drake said, climbing to his feet, “They probably have them in the gift shop, and we could probably use about four of them.”
“Thank you squishy.”
Drake shook his head, but the corners of his mouth quirked up. He grumbled about her overly sweet nicknames for him, but secretly he liked them, he liked them just fine.
Liam left right after Drake, on the phone with Cordonia. “Sorry, love, I just need to take care of this real quick.”
“It’s fine, go.” She told him as she tilted her face to the side so he could kiss her cheek.
By the time Leo came back into the room, Max was attempting some semblance of their bedtime routine, settling Ellie and Xander down with a stack of children’s books that had been brought in by a hospital volunteer. Jax was already asleep on the couch.
“I guess you found the nurse?” Max greeted him.
Leo was in a different scrub top, the first one had been beige, the new one was a dark blue. “Yeah, she took me to a supply closet and got me another shirt.”
“Damn. You were gone a long time just to change shirts. What else did you do in that supply closet?” Max smirked at him.
“Mind your business, Beaumont.”
Leo scanned the room for Drake and Liam, but they were nowhere to be found. “Where’d twiddle dee and twiddle dumb go?”
Riley answered, “Drake went to get me a phone charger. I need to take pictures of this precious little nugget and send them to Hana, and Siobhan, and Olivia, and Rashad.”
“Sent your minion out to run errands for you, got it.”
“You’re one to talk, Mr. I brought you a cheeseburger, am I your favorite brother in law.”
“Ouch, Riley. You wound me.” Leo placed both hands over his heart.
“I’m pretty sure my nurse can’t wait to kiss it and make it better for you.” She smirked at him, “If she hasn’t already.”
Leo grinned at her, “Are you jealous?”
Riley laughed so hard she snorted, “You wish.”
“I do.” He affirmed, “But I guess I’ll have to make due with hot nurses.”
“You poor thing.” Riley said in mock sympathy.
“Where’s my brother?”
“Liam stepped out to fax some paperwork from the business office. He’s already been on the phone with his lawyers about the scholarship.”
“Poppa!” Ellie called out, “Come read!”
Riley smiled fondly at the way Max jumped to do Ellie’s bidding. He was an overly indulgent parent, but it was sweet and endearing how devoted he was to all of their children.
“Hey Leo, I need your help for a minute.”
“Anything for you baby, what do you need?” Leo was immediately at her bedside.
“I need you to hold the baby.”
Leo froze, “Why?”
“Drake and Liam are gone at the moment. I have to go pee and I want to take a shower. Max is busy. That leaves you.”
“I’d like to help you, Riley, really I would, but I don’t know how many more shirts-“
“Leo, stop being a wuss and take him. He weighs seven pounds; you are not afraid of a newborn. Besides, I have him wrapped up in a blanket this time, if he poops out of his diaper again, that should contain it.”
“Fine.” He huffed, “The things I do for you woman.”
Riley transferred the baby into Leo’s arms with a small snicker, “Other than the burger and fries, which you fumbled by the way, what have you ever done for me, Leo?”
He gaped at her in disbelief, “Orgasms, Riley, lots of orgasms and if memory serves, I paid for the hotel room and all the food we ate, and wore, that weekend. In fact, I was out getting your favorite bagels when you ghosted me!”
She waved her hand dismissively in his direction as she stood, “You would have had to pay for the hotel room with or without me in it, you got as much out the sex as I did, and the food was the least you could do considering I talked that stripper into joining us the second night. You know she did that for me, not you, right?”
Leo’s mouth fell open. He wanted to argue, but no logical rebuttal presented itself to him.
She decided not to mention that the reason she left that day was because said stripper showed back up and asked her if she wanted to ride with her and her friends out to California for a few months.
Leo watched her shut the bathroom door then glanced over at Max, who was covered in children. His eyes went back to the infant in his arms, “Looks like it’s just you and me little guy.”
Jace peered up at him and made the most adorable cooing noises as his little mouth and eyebrows moved around, like he was testing everything out. Leo cooed at him, and Jace cooed back. Leo was mesmerized. Jace was so small and helpless yet already so aware and expressive. Leo felt an unfamiliar sensation in his chest.
By the time Riley came back in the room, wrapped in a plush robe, wet hair cascading down her back, Jace was asleep, laying on Leo’s chest, his little back rising and falling rhythmically with the occasional deep, shuddering breath. Leo’s hand wrapped protectively around him, marveling at the fact that his hand covered most of his tiny nephew.
Riley watched Leo for a moment, surprised by the tenderness she saw. “I can take him back, if you want.” She offered.
Leo looked up and shook his head, “No, I’m good.”
“This is a new side of you Leo. I like it.”
“He’s so helpless, Riley.” Leo said, emotion catching in his throat. “Are they all like this?”
“At first. They grow into tornadic toddlers like Jax and precocious preschoolers like Xander and strong willed little people like Ellie. And eventually teenagers, though we haven’t got there yet.”
Something flashed through his eyes. Guilt? Regret? Shame? She wasn’t sure. She glanced at Max, who was now asleep with Xander laying across his torso, then turned back to Leo, “Liam asked you earlier if you’ve ever met any of your children. Have you?”
Leo shook his head, “I’ve never wanted to settle down, get married or have a family. That’s part of the life I ran away from when I gave up the crown.”
“Leo.” Riley sat down in the chair next to him and laid her hand on his arm, “You can be in your children’s lives without being in a relationship with the mother. It’s called coparenting. Maybe you could try it.”
“I don’t know. You don’t think it’s too late?” She’d never seen him sound vulnerable before.
She shook her head, “Better late than never. Imagine if you had a second chance to get to know your mom. Would you take it?”
“Maybe.” He said thoughtfully.
“Ok.” She tried again, “What if she had shown back up when you were eight? Or ten? Would you have wanted that?”
“I used to dream about it.” He admitted, blinking back tears.
“Well, there’s your answer.” She patted his arm.
She started to draw away, but he reached out and grabbed her hand. Squeezing it, he simply said, “Thank you.”
She squeezed his hand back and said, “Your welcome, Leo. That’s what family’s for.”
Drake came through the door and froze for a moment as he took in the scene in front of him. Riley’s chair was pulled up close to Leo, their hands were clasped. Leo released her hand to wipe a tear off his cheek as he turned his head away from Drake’s gaze.
Drake raised an eyebrow questioningly at Riley, as he shut the door behind him, but all he said was, “Got the chargers.”
That was the thing about Drake. He could huff and he could rant, and he could be surly and gruff, and he said the wrong thing about seventy percent of the time. But he really was a marshmallow at heart. His protective side often came across as possessive but at the end of the day, he did trust her.
Leo might annoy the crap out of him, and had since childhood, but he wasn’t really threatened by him, he actually cared about the guy and as hampered as he most often was at expressing his emotions, he managed to show them in a million little ways that counted more. Like not calling Leo out when he’d interrupted what had clearly been a moment. And she loved him for it.
While he might rage when Leo flirted inappropriately and outrageously with Riley, that was all bluster borne of annoyance and impatience with Leo’s antics and his protectiveness of the woman he loved. He knew Leo was only half serious, he also knew it didn’t matter how serious he was, Riley would never actually entertain the notion. It still irritated the shit out of him, but that’s half the reason Leo was doing it. Snark and insults were exactly how Drake and Leo bonded and always had been.
He’d leave dealing with whatever that emotionally charged moment had been about to Riley, content in the knowledge that he could ask her about it later and she’d fill him in privately. In fact, he probably wouldn’t have to ask, she’d volunteer the information. Mostly to reassure him there’d been nothing romantic about it. Not that she had to. He knew that. But she understood that he still sometimes struggled with feeling worthy of her and she went out of her way to show him what he meant to her. And he loved her for it.
“Thanks, babe. I’ll get my phone for you.” She told him as she made her way back to the bed and grabbed her phone off the nightstand.
“You didn’t have to get up.” He said as he unwrapped his purchases, “I’m capable of putting your phone on the charger.”
“I know. But I’m about ready for some sleep anyway.” She answered as she climbed into the bed.
“Li’s not back yet?” He asked.
“No. You know how he is when he’s working. He loses complete track of time. The lawyers probably got all excited to have him on the phone and started faxing him other documents while they have his attention.”
“Hm.” Drake hummed, “Ok, I’ll text him and remind him that we all still exist.”
Riley laughed softly. It was a running joke with all of them that Liam went into some time warp when he was working and forgot their existence. It had become part of his personal guard’s job to remind him to stop working when he had dinner plans with his family.
“Snuggle with me?”
“Thought you’d never ask!” Drake put both his and her phone on chargers and climbed into the bed with her.
“Thank you.” She whispered as she snuggled into his embrace, resting her head on his chest.
He smiled in response; he didn’t have to ask for what. He brushed a kiss across her cheek then whispered in her ear, “Anything for you, καρδιά μου.”
She looked around the room at Max sprawled out asleep with Ellie, Xander and Jax over to Leo still completely taken with Jace back to the man whose arms she was resting in. The only thing missing was Liam but that was rectified as the door creaked open and he stepped back into the room apologizing for taking so long.
“You’re fine.” She told him as she scooted closer to Drake, “Hop in here.”
“Are you sure we can all fit?” Liam asked. The bed in the VIP room was a double, not a twin like standard hospital beds, but three people was still a stretch.
“Maybe not all night, but just for a little bit. Please?” One of them would have to get up soon enough to take over baby duty anyway.
“Who am I to deny my queen anything she wants?” Liam slipped into the bed on the other side of her and ran his hands down her back.
Riley kept one hand on Drake’s chest and reached back for Liam with the other. She sighed in contentment. She knew that Jace would be demanding her attention soon. The fullness in her breasts told her that. But for the moment, everything was serene, blissful and perfect.
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Two months later, she hugged Leo as Max and Drake herded the three older kids out to the waiting SUV and Liam oversaw the loading of their luggage.
“I’m really gonna miss this little guy.” Leo said a bit wistfully as he tucked the blanket around Jace in his baby carrier.
“So, you’re going to take my advice and reach out to those baby mamas, right?” Riley asked him.
“I’m seriously considering it.” He told her.
“Can I make one more recommendation?”
“Sure…”
“Get a vasectomy.”
“What?” He squeaked.
“You heard me. Vasectomy.”
Leo’s hand flew to the front of his pants, “But Riley! The crown jewels!”
“Then learn how to wrap it up, buster or you’re going to have a dozen more kids!” She poked a finger into his chest.
Leo audibly gulped, “I’ll look into it.”
Goodbyes were said and they headed to the airport, making plans for Jace’s first public appearance once they returned to Cordonia.
Disneyland had been fun despite the giving birth part, and now they had an amazing story to tell Jace someday. The two months at the LA mansion had been a nice change of pace, with no royal advisors or members of the press underfoot as they bonded with their new baby.
But they were all ready to get back to Cordonia and resume their normal lives. Riley snuggled into Max’s chest as the plane taxied down the runway, happy and ready to be home.
