Written for the @steddiemicrofic prompt âthreeâ | wc: 333 | rated: T | cw: omegaverse, references to pregnancy and birth | tags: future fic, kidfic, family planning, light angst
Steve paces the nursery with Cassidy cradled against his shoulder, rubbing her back to soothe her to sleep. Sheâs been fighting bedtime lately, just like the boys had around this age. Third time doesnât seem to be the charm for avoiding the eight-month sleep regression.
It still seems unreal that theyâve been lucky enough to do this three times. Zachary will be five soon, Nathan just turned three, and Cassidy is still new enough to smell powdery and milky where she rests in his arms.
âThree is a good number, huh?â Steve muses. It doesnât sound as convincing coming out of his mouth as it did in his head. Three is good, great, amazing⊠but he canât help but want more.
Eddieâs voice comes from the doorway, low enough not to startle his mate or their baby. As always, he knows exactly what Steve is thinking. âIs she already asking for another sibling?â
Steve snorts a soft laugh, shifting Cassidy to his other side. âYou know what a chatterbox she is. Just like her dad.â The joke isnât quite funny enough to keep his smile from twisting into something more rueful.
Eddie pads barefoot across the carpet until he can wrap himself around Steve from behind and nuzzle his nose against his mating bite scar. âItâs okay to think about it.â
âI donât want to be ungrateful. Or, like, tempt fate.â He cranes his neck to peek at Cassidy, finally dozing on his chest, the slope of her tiny nose and her swirls of chestnut hair. Unlike with the boys, Steveâs pregnancy with Cassidy was difficult, culminating in an emergency C-section two weeks early. The prospect of going through that again, or even something worseâ
âHey.â Eddie presses a kiss to his jaw. âYou donât have to decide today.â
Steve sags against him. He knows Eddie is right, they have time before his next heat. But⊠âAnother girl would be nice,â he suggests, like the universe takes requests.
âWhatever you want,â Eddie vows.