[open - baby meeting!]

[just_another]

Dane has been home for exactly thirty-seven hours and a few minutes, give or take, when Joel looks at the clock on the wall as he paces the length of the library, the baby in his arms. He's been fussing today, more than he has yet, and he and Spencer have been taking turns walking with him around the house once they've established that he doesn't need to be changed and he isn't hungry. They've been given their space after the initial invasion, his parents choosing to stay at a hotel for the duration of their time here rather than taking over the house. As much as he loves having his parents here, as much as he's loved seeing them with their grandson, he's also extremely grateful for it.

Ellie, though, had called that afternoon and suggested Joel try flipping Dane over onto his stomach. She'd said something about colic, told him that holding the baby on his stomach might help, and since then Joel has been carrying a peaceful Dane around the house, his little cheek resting against Joel's wrist. He's fast asleep for the time being and Joel can't imagine putting him down. He's a warm, comforting weight on Joel's arm and although he's tired, although he knows there's still a lot of adjusting to be done, he's also never been this happy.

Spencer is napping. At least he hopes he is. Joel had all but forced him to go upstairs and lie down. They sleep when Dane sleeps, that's the way their lives are meant to go now, and now that Dane actually is sleeping, Joel is debating heading upstairs and joining Spencer. The thought of crawling into bed with his husband, settling Dane comfortably on his chest and just lying there for a little while is somehow even more appealing than actually getting to sleep.

If he sleeps, he's bound to miss something, and Joel doesn't want to miss a moment of this.

That's exactly what Spencer is thinking as he lies wide awake in their bedroom. He'd tried more than once to close his eyes and keep them shut, force himself into a sleep that just won't come, but for once he's not being kept awake because of the nightmares he fears might plague him; it's because he knows that just downstairs are the two people he loves more than anything else in this world.

It's only been a day and a half since they've been allowed to bring Dane home, since they'd been overly careful in placing their baby, their tiny, beautiful baby, into his car seat for the drive home while Erin and her husband tried to hide their laughter behind their hands as they'd watched.

"Definitely brand new parents," her husband had commented, and it hadn't been with any ill intent. Spencer had only smiled and shrugged, as if there was nothing that could be done about it and really, there can't be. He's a father now, he's partly responsible for someone's life for the rest of his own, and as daunting as that may be, Spencer has never been happier. The only comparison he could possibly make would be to the day he and Joel had gotten married, and it's with that thought that he finally gives up and rolls out of bed to join his family.

They'd texted friends earlier in the day to mention when a good time would be to drop by to meet the baby. It's getting to be just after noon now, and he's absolutely exhausted, but the promise of getting to see Dane again gives him a burst of happy adrenaline. He'd be happy to stay this way for the rest of his life, at home with just his husband and their child; but he supposes having company over wouldn't be so bad.

After all, there's something appealing about being able to say that today, he and Joel are going to be introducing their son.

[Time to meet the baby. Tag Joel or Spencer or BOTH, but just indicate in your tag what you'd prefer. If both, the order will be your pup, Joel, Spencer.]

Comments

[just_another]

Raleigh probably should have been called to come over earlier and Joel had entirely meant to, especially when Charlotte was here buzzing around, but it had just slipped his mind. He's not usually forgetful like that and he doesn't know if it's due to the fact that he's tired -- he feels like he hasn't quite caught up on sleep since the night Dane was born -- or if this is just something that happens to parents, they forget everything that isn't the baby, but either way he feels a little guilty about it.

But there's a knock at the door and Joel has only just settled onto the couch with Dane in his arms, so he looks up at Spencer with a sheepish sort of grin. They'll be trading off duties all day, he's sure of that, but right now he's the one with the sleeping baby on his arm and he's only just gotten comfortable, so he offers the cutest face he can possibly muster -- which he realizes probably isn't all that cute, he probably looks more like he's sick than anything -- and looks at Spencer sweetly.

"Can you get the door?" he asks. "I'm far too lazy to get back up again right now."

Honesty is key, he thinks. Honesty is the way to get what he wants, even though he's sure Spencer would open the door or do anything for him right now without a second of hesitation.

[doublethepain]

"You couldn't have offered me the baby instead?" Spencer teases, already pushing himself to his feet and planting a firm kiss to Joel's cheek, followed by a much softer one to the top of Dane's head. He doesn't expect a legitimate answer, mostly because he already knows what it is and besides, if their positions had been reversed, there'd ben no way Spencer would be willing to give up the weight of their baby in his arms in favor of seeing who's behind the door.

This is his life now, he thinks, glancing over his shoulder for another glimpse of his husband and son before he reaches the main hallway. This is what life is going to be like, falling in love over and over again with this gift, this baby who's made him happier than he ever thought possible in just a few days' time. He never would have imagined that things could get better after Joel, after marrying him and promising to spend the rest of their lives together, but this... This isn't something he could have understood until it'd happened and now, everything is different. Everything feels perfect.

When he sees Raleigh behind the door, all Spencer can do is beam for a moment before making room for her to come inside. "I'm glad you made it over," he says, keeping his voice low, and he knows there's not a chance Raleigh would have declined the chance to meet the baby, but his words are genuine all the same. "He's been fussy all morning, but Joel finally got him to sleep. It's actually such a good time to meet him, and they're in the living room. Follow me."

[callmeemily]

Raleigh smiles when she sees him, and she sets down the casserole as she looks down the hall in the place she'd called home for more than half a year. It's bizarre, now, that she doesn't live here any longer. It was best - she knows that already that it was the best choice, since Dane's here, and Spencer and Joel are just fine, and she's living on her own and she's got a dog and it's just a really different life than she'd originally expected, and she sort of loves it.

"Of course I made it over. You guys are pretty much my number one priority, now that you're up for company." She can't help the way she's smiling - mostly because of how Spencer's smiling, how he's talking about his son. "We'll put the casserole away later - just something to tide you guys over until you can get enough sleep to cook," she says as she follows Spencer into the living room, and she can't stop the sudden breath she pulls in when she sees Joel sitting on the couch, with Dane.

"Oh, my god," she breathes, because he's perfect. Even now, even from across the room... he's perfect.

[just_another]

"Hey," Joel says, brightening when he sees Raleigh and Spencer enter the room. He's been waiting for the first chance to call her and have her over to see Dane, knowing she's been one of the people who's most excited about this. She's been here for a lot of things, though, and he understands. She's lived with them both, she's called this house her home and it's just different for her.

"Come see him," he says, nodding at the place beside him on the couch so she can meet Dane. It's only been a few days, but he already feels like it's been this way forever. He can't imagine his life any other way and he knows not that long ago Dane hadn't been here at all, but he just can't quite remember what that had been like.

"He's asleep now, but he might wake up for you," he tells her, then looks across the room at Spencer and he knows he's never been this happy before.

[doublethepain]

Spencer sits on the other side of Joel and the baby, immediately draping one arm over his husband's shoulders and using his free hand to rest gently on the baby's back. It's what he's been trying to do in one way or another since Dane had joined them in the world, make sure that he has as much physical contact with the two great loves of his life as much as he can, because he doesn't want to miss a single moment if he can help it. He doesn't want to stop feeling the rise and fall of their baby's back as he breathes--as he breathes and even that in itself is such an incredible thing, as far as Spencer is concerned--and Spencer is certain that he'll never know a better contentment than this.

"I feel like that might be apt for any one of us at any given time, soon enough," Spencer says with a soft laugh, tilting his head to smile at Joel before glancing back up at Raleigh. "Don't get me wrong, the lack of sleep is worth it entirely, but I wouldn't be surprised if we find each other sleeping in some strange places soon, even if it's just for a few minutes."

He suspects the corners of the bookstore most and usually, the idea of shelving and organizing is something that Spencer likes to do but when he thinks about it now, it seems more like a good opportunity for a standing nap than anything else. Granted, they won't be getting back to work together for awhile, not until Dane is old enough to take with them to the store; but they still plan on taking turns checking in on everything, just to make sure Charlotte isn't feeling overwhelmed with running the show for the time being.

"Anyway, yes, do come closer," he insists, beckoning Raleigh over with a grin. "You think he's cute from across the room? You'll be done in once you get closer."

[callmeemily]

"Oh, my god," she repeats as she sort of creeps closer - she's trying to walk quietly, even though she's doing that thing she did sometimes when she lived here, kind of coasting from piece of furniture to piece of furniture without thinking because her leg's giving her trouble. Settling herself on the edge of the sofa, barely perched because she doesn't want to somehow disturb the baby, she can't help but look between Joel and Spencer, everything she could have said clear in her expression. Is this even happening?

"I mean, I saw Erin and everything, but I sort of can't believe you have a baby." Looking between Joel and Spencer, finally Raleigh just sort of stares down at Dane and it's like her heart skips a beat. "But man...." She just sort of sighs the word as she looks down at the sleeping baby. Normally, there'd be some sort of congratulations coming from her, a bright stream of words-- but right now, she just stares at him. He's so small, so delicate, and even now Raleigh can just see him breathing and it's almost like magic.

It's moving, really. That Dane's here. "It's so weird that I've known you both for a year, and you have a son," she finally says, and she has to blink and look up at them. "Good weird. Overwhelming. He's beautiful. And perfect."

[just_another]

"I know," Joel says and he laughs softly again, careful not to wake Dane. "We were so involved and we were expecting it, but the first time I held him was possibly the most surreal moment of my life." It's so different than just waiting for it to happen. Having him here now is easier, he's already adjusted to this tiny presence being such a huge part of their lives together, but that first day in the hospital, those first moments of being able to hold their son, he remembers every last minute detail, but also feels like it was something out of the dream.

He's so perfectly content here, Dane asleep on his arm, Spencer's arm around his shoulders. It all feels so natural and he also sort of feels like he can't stop smiling, which isn't his default expression at all. Even with as happy as he is being married to Spencer, when it comes to most other people, he tends to look relatively neutral, but not anymore. It's impossible not to smile. He feels so much love in a way he'd never once expected.

"Do you want to hold him?" he asks, because he figures everyone wants to hold the baby. Then he grins over at his husband. "I might be persuaded to give him up for a little while, but I can't promise Spencer won't snatch him right back."