[Open - Gathering - Baby Shower]

[just_another]

They're actually having a baby shower.

Joel is fairly certain his mother wouldn't have let them get away without something, even if he had insisted it be small and consist only of family, but for some reason he and Spencer have allowed themselves to be talked into a real shower. With invitations and food and little baby themed games to play. It's sort of strange, looking at it from his position, given that Erin is the one who's going to be giving birth and therefore is the one in the glowing pregnant woman position at this entire gathering.

She'd sweetly agreed to attend and had even whispered to Joel that she would take the brunt of the attention if she could manage it. He had whispered back that he knew they had picked her for a good reason.

But here they are. Several weeks have passed, the invitations have gone out and the decorations have been put up all over Joel and Spencer's living room. He had agreed to lift the enchantments on the house for the extent of the party, which means that anyone can open the door to their guests, they don't all have to be invited in by either Joel or Spencer, and it makes him a little nervous, but he understands the usefulness of others being able to answer the door. At least for today.

It's the decorations that keep getting to him. Sweet little ducks and zebras and monkeys, little jungle animals all over the walls. The bottle and rattle shaped cookies are pretty cute, but those aren't going to be left when the baby gets here. The animal theme, though, is fairly close to the nearly finished nursery Joel has been working on upstairs and he can't help but grin at the decorations.

Spencer, on the other hand, can't stop coming back round to the center of the living room to stare at the enormous sign that's been strung up above a table already stacked with gifts when a majority of their guests haven't even arrived yet. He'd been worried this morning that the day would overwhelm him, that knowing so many people would be coming into their home would be daunting when just a year ago, he'd never even once invited company over before meeting Joel; but so far, he feels calm, in spite of having had to watch Joel remove the enchantments that act as their security on the house. If someone wishes to crash a baby shower--which he doesn't imagine will happen anyway--then they'll have to face not only the wrath of a room that will be filled with witches and sirens, but the wrath of his mother- and sister-in-law, as well. That's not a sight Spencer thinks would be very pretty to witness.

Still, he feels light, perhaps a lingering effect of the having the chance to fall in love with Joel a second time during the spell that had taken over the town. Certainly, a great deal of his contentment has to do with the fact that he won't have to worry about losing his husband in a crowd but even beyond that, he's excited.

So much has changed in the course of the past year and weeks from now, they'll be holding their newborn in their arms for the very first time without another care in the world but for who they've been looking forward to meeting since they'd decided to take this journey together. There's something a bit strange about realizing that it's all coming to a head, that the waiting will soon be over and they'll be fathers at last, but when the first knock on the door comes, Spencer can't help but smile.

[Baby shower for Joel and Spencer's wee one. Erin, their surrogate, is present and is currently 31 weeks pregnant. If you're even a little friendly with either of them, Joel's mother sent an invitation, but the enchantments have been taken off the house for the event and so it's not an impossible party to crash. If anyone wants to crash a baby shower...]

Comments

[asharpertongue]

"You look like someone stole your favourite toy." Lara said. She'd seen Bach deliberately avoid looking at her and she couldn't help going to see why he was so grumpy. They hadn't interacted at all in a while...not since he'd announced himself back with a child in tow. It was about time she rectified that. He was one of hers, despite him not wanting to be.

She smiled. "How are you, Bach?"

[bachjones]

Great. Bach thought he exuded enough of a Leave Me Alone vibe, but of course Lara Quinn was the one that didn't pick up on it that. Or enjoyed it, probably.

"You don't have to do this." He turned to her. "Just here to drop the presents and say goodbye. For tonight, I'm not leaving town."

[asharpertongue]

Lara smiled. "I just wanted to say hello and ask how you were. And the boy." She looked around. "He's not here?"

[bachjones]

"Alfie's. Stuff happened, I want him in some calmer surroundings for a long time. Or at least until Monday, when he can go to kindie again. He likes it there."

He stuffed some more candy in his coat pocket. "Was hoping to find some real food here, but we can use candy for special days."

[asharpertongue]

"I hope whatever happened wasn't anything serious?" She asked, frowning slightly. "If you ever need babysitters, I'd be glad to help if I can." The offer was meant kindly. She might not have children, but she knew a sensitive siren child could be a handful. Sometimes the parents just needed to be alone in their own heads.

[bachjones]

"Just this fucking town and the moron shit face that wanted to turn it into a Grimm story."

"Still have to find the bitch. I thought sirens were special, but witches are shit as well, who knew." He looked at her. "Now you're offering a hand? I finally got him to talk and to stop humming at everyone. And there's.. There a people for him."

[asharpertongue]

Lara huffed a laugh. "Yes. That was a bit of a change. I take it that wasn't all that great an experience for you?" She ignored the bit about magical creatures being shit and moved on. "It sounds like you and he are making progress despite all that. That's good, no?"

[bachjones]

"Why are you asking, even? Weren't we doing completely fine, not being part of each other's lives? Or is it Isaac? Am I not raising him right and did your siren al-" fuck, he was so pathetic that he couldn't even give a damn about using that word- "go off?"

"Because unless you're offering to blow me, I don't think we can do anything for each other. We get by, girls at kindie says he's catching up. I won't know if I did something right until it's too late, right? Parenthood, hurray."

[asharpertongue]

Rolling her eyes, Lara sighed. "Are you ever going to get over yourself? Because you have a son now. He's supposed to be the petulant one, not you. You're a grown man." She let her eyes flash. "I'm asking because you and your son are sirens in my enclave and fall under my responsibility. I'm also asking because I give a shit. Does that suit you or are you going to keep acting like a spoiled brat?"

[bachjones]

"You could get under me, that would certainly help." It's absolute shit, the things Bach was saying, and yet it is so much easier than acknowledging all the mess inside his head. "I'm a bastard, he's a double bastard. I'm sure you won't get hurt by ignoring us. It's a jail free card or am I going to get home visits now?"

"The only thing Isaac needs to learn about that side of himself is how to control it and not let it control him. He's going to be as ordinary as possible, in a satisfying way. Nothing like the mess his father is."

[asharpertongue]

Lara would have glared at him but what would be the point? She waved a hand. "His father wouldn't be such a mess if he behaved like a decent human being." She said with a sweet smile. "But do bring the boy by if he ever expresses more enthusiasm for accepting his reality than you ever did."

[bachjones]

"What a grown up thing to say. We're not going to be living here forever, Lara. He needs to know that he's more than a nice tune and an easy invite."
Bach set his jaw. "I think that's reality enough, to have him liked and loved for his character and not his -" Dick. "Sorry to not worship at the ocean altar."

[asharpertongue]

"Well yes obviously he does. And he will be, if you stay here or not." She gave him a more genuine smile. "You might hate it here and you might hate me, but I honestly do just want the best for you."

[bachjones]

"I don't hate it here. That much. There's like ..three people here that don't hate me and talk to me on a regular note. Fucking heaven, almost." He pondered the bowl of baby food, decided against it. Both of them were too old for it.

"But just drop that, please. I don't need a fairy godmother and I don't need a scaly godmother that can turn me into a drooling ass. Thanks."

[asharpertongue]

"Why must you take everything I say to mean something to do with being a siren? I couldn't just want to be a decent human being?" She asked.

[bachjones]

"You're not a human being, for starters. Just part time look like one. And with all we had happening, there's no reason for you to be decent to me without getting something out of it. Maybe in the long run. It was more than twenty years with my mother, it was five years with Mariska and hey I'll be here for at least five more years so why not write you on there."

He scratched his throat. "Let's say it's trust issues."

[asharpertongue]

"Well the only way to rectify is to attempt to actually trust me with something and see how it goes." She said reasonably.

[bachjones]

"Oh fuck-", he lowered his voice. "fucking hell. You're never going to give up."

[asharpertongue]

She smiled and shook her head. "Honestly, if it was just you, I'd have been civil and that'd be it. But with the boy...there's a reason to at least attempt it once more. You might not like it, but sirens like to group together, and so might he."

[bachjones]

"No." He felt something rise in him, spiky and hard edged. "Leave him alone. He's a silent one, a too soft one. The more people you have, the more that can lo- and you have to stop claiming him as one of yours. He's mine. Barely even any scales and can't stand baths. He can create his own group, if he ever wants one."

[asharpertongue]

She held up her hands. "Then I guess we'll see." Lara nodded at him and shrugged. Maybe the kid wouldn't want anything to do with Lara or any other siren, but tonight she'd sing for a while and see if the boy responded. Not because she wanted to undermine Bach, but because she was genuinely interested. "You know where to find me."

[bachjones]

"We can just carry on meeting like once a year, yes, exactly." He would have to talk to Isaac about scales, although Bach had yet to find them on the boy. "Better for everyone involved."

[asharpertongue]

"As you say." She said. "Have a good time at the party Bach." Lara nodded at him again and then went back to looking for Spencer. Bach could be miserable on his own. She was here to have a good time with her friends.