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Idri shook his head as his little sister ran off to her group of friends, paper lanterns in hand. He had a couple in his hand as well, waiting outside the restroom for Noa. It was kind of adorable the way she had to pee every ten minutes or so. Sooner, if Haji decided to abuse her poor bladder. It wasn’t quite dark yet outside, so they had plenty of time to find a good place to set their lanterns free.

The concept of seeds embedded in the paper of the lantern and the glow paste inside was something his mother would have loved. He hated that she wasn’t there now to share all of this with him, that she would never meet Ainsley, Noa, or her grandson. He had never been sure he believed in Heaven anymore, or even God, because what kind of benevolent god would take someone like his mother and leave his father?

Idri tried to shake off his morose thoughts before Noa came back out. He didn’t want her to think he was upset about anything.

Ugh….No one told her that being pregnant meant she would become a ******** gymnasium for the child that was incubating in her womb. If they did, she would have at least prepared for it (or found a way for Idri to wear condoms), that way she wouldn’t be miserable in the bathroom right now. After finishing and washing up, she frowned and gently poked her stomach, “Haji please…Mommy wants to at least walk for more than ten minutes before you decide to judo kick me in the badder alright?” She sighed, “Next time you do it, Imma kick your dad so he can go to the bathroom too. Don't test me, little boy.” Knowing her, she would do it. Idri would have to feel som sort of torture since this was half his fault as well.

Either way, she waddled herself out of the bathroom to meet up with her giant of a boyfriend and baby daddy (even though he made a face every time she would call him that), grabbing one of the lanterns he was holding. “If your son kicks my bladder one more time Idri, I'm kicking you in yours.” She gave him the angriest look she could imagine while being comically short and pregnant, wondering if she should have gotten more of these things to give to her friends.

He smiled when she came out, the sight of her belly always reminding him that yes, this is real. There were only a few months left until their son made his debut, and if his behavior inside his mother was anything to go by, he was going to be a very active little boy. At her threat, he snorted and tried not to laugh, but he couldn’t help the grin he gave her. She looked so damn adorable trying to look mean as small and pregnant as she was.

“I’d like to see you try that,” he said sincerely and leaned down to kiss her cheek. Out of everyone, he knew exactly how she could be when it came down to it. He kind of missed her coming out with him as Saleeite, but she would be able to transform again soon. Although, they’d either have to switch off patrolling or get a babysitter. He wasn’t sure Ainsley was ready to take care of a baby by herself. “Got anywhere in mind that you wanna set these off?” he asked her.

“Oh yeah?” Her tone of voice was challenging, which meant she would totally carry out that threat even if she smiled when he kissed her cheek. His question about where she wanted to set the lanterns out was something she was going to ask herself. “Mmmmn….Maybe in the backyard at home?” Ains could set hers off wherever she pleased (the little gremlin), but there was also the added benefit of using the pool and being able to just lay on one of the lawn chairs when her feet couldn't take it anymore. She had half a mind to ask if they could take one to his mother's resting place but maybe next year.

“We could also stop by my mom's, good see Bets and Sav, or my dads. Papa and dad have been asking to meet you for the longest, so it might be good to stop by there first, then head home. I don't want to ruin Ain's fun though. We can wait till she's done before heading out.” Or, they could just set off the lanterns right where they are currently, there was a bench nearby.

Idri chuckled softly at her implied challenge and slid an arm around her waist. “Well, we could do all of that, if you want.” Maybe not all tonight, but definitely in the next week at least. “Why don’t we set the lanterns off here, so you can get off your feet for a bit, then go home for tonight and relax in the backyard.” He could also get more lanterns if she wanted to set more off. “Then we can spend the next week or so visiting everyone.”

Meeting her dads was a little intimidating, purely because he knocked their daughter up before he even met them. But maybe he could make up for that by talking to them about asking her to marry him before popping the question to her. Not that he planned on doing that anytime soon, but…he was also absolutely certain she was the one for him. He didn’t believe in soulmates or any of that fate s**t, but if he did she would be his. “We can set off as many as you want, too.”

Noa leaned into Idri’s side, nodding. Bets and Sav would be thrilled to finally meet her ‘baby daddy’ in person just so they could give him s**t to see if he was worthy. It was going to be glorious and of course she was going to tease Idri as much as possible. She looked up at him with a skeptical look, “Are you reading my mind or do my ankles look that bad?” she snorted and pointed to a bench that was just a couple of steps away, “We could go sit there?” That and maybe she was secretly trying to keep track of their gremlin that could find herself in trouble at any given time. Not that Ains was hard to spot with her blonde hair.

Once they made it to the bench, Noa sat down with an exhausted huff, “Idriiiiiii….I'm only five months and I look like I'm almost seven….Why is this kid so big?” She was still able to kick her legs back and forth, and she was happy she decided to wear pants instead of a dress since it hid how big her ankles probably were. “Yes, next week would be doable. Gotta give everyone my new address and all~” Giving him a mischievous grin, “If I said I wanted to buy the entire rainbow, CYMK rainbow, AND the entire pastel rainbow…Would you do it?” of course she knew the answer but Idri’s devotion to her could be scary sometimes.

Idri rolled his eyes and smiled. “Reading your mind and trying to be a good boyfriend,” he told her as they made their way to the bench. At her next question, he gave her an incredulous look then gestured to himself. “You’ve seen me, right?” he asked as he sat down. “Ainsley definitely got her mom’s genes as far as size goes. I got Garrett’s.” He laid his arm around her shoulders and turned toward her, setting his other hand on her stomach. “And it looks like our little one is going to be big like Daddy,” he said with a soft smile.

It still made him smile when he remembered that Noa lived with them now. The house felt much fuller now even though Noa and Ainsley’s ridiculous cat were the only two new additions. Well, so far. They still needed to finish up Haji’s nursery. He looked up at her in time to see her trademark mischievous Gremlin Grin, then snorted at her question. Like she didn’t already know the answer. But if she needed to hear it again, he would tell her. Sitting up, he moved his hand from her stomach to cup her jaw and brush his thumb over her lower lip. “Bunni, I would buy you the world if you wanted it.”

Did she mention that she loved this man?

Cause she really did….God she would need to tell him at some point.

Deciding that she couldn't pass up the opportunity, Noa gently took the tip of Idri’s thumb into her mouth, brushing it with her tongue before turning to kiss the inside of his palm. “Might have to take you up on that offer one day, big guy.” For now, she was content with the fact that she somehow got lucky with Idri and he sure as hell got lucky with her. It often made her wonder what would have happened if she just walked away all that time ago in the grocery store.

Something told her some things were best left in the dark.

For now, she grabbed a lantern in one of her favorite colors (pink) and put the activating powder into it, watching with awe as it started to heat up and eventually float up into the sky. “I know I've seen more weird stuff than what's happening now, but this is so magical~” she grabbed a purple one and used the activating powder to send it floating too, leaning to the side to lay on her boyfriend with a yawn. “Incubating is so tiring…..”

His breath stuttered for a split second when she licked his thumb. Damn, she knew just how to get him… Her comment made him huff a soft laugh as he let go of her so she could light her first lantern. “It is magical, though.” The whole glow worm thing was weird, but he liked the lanterns. He especially liked the look they put on Noa’s face. He watched as her first two lanterns went up before adding the activating powder to one of his own, a black one, and smiled as it went up after hers.

There were still a few lanterns left, but they could set them off in the backyard later or the next day. He turned so she could lay against his chest, his arms going around her. “I can only imagine,” he said and kissed that spot just below her ear. “Want me to tell Ainsley to catch a ride home with one of her friends?” he asked her softly.

That might be a good idea.

Noa was already losing energy and wondered if this is what it felt like whenever she would drain civilians out on patrol. “Mmmmhmmmn….As long as they don't mind.” Another big yawn and she looked up once more with tired eyes, “Carry me to the car? I don't think Imma make it walking.” For all the energy she usually had, Haji literally sucks it from her so he can kick her in the bladder with all the force of a cannon.

Idri smiled and pulled his phone out to text Ainsley, looking up a few moments later to see her waving at him from her group of friends. “Ains will find her way home later. I’m sure at least one of her friends’ parents won’t mind.” Besides, he always made sure to offer gas money whenever someone took Ainsley somewhere or brought her home. “Whatever you need, amor,” he told her and handed her the rest of the lanterns before scooping her up in his arms to carry her to the car.