Summary: Ashton and (Y/N) babysit her baby nephew.
Based on Love Prompts: #14: "Let's have a baby." & #35: "This is why I fell in love with you."
(Words: 2.3k) (Request: FunnyFangirl95 )
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"Make sure the milk is not too hot." My sister says, peeking inside the stroller for one more look at her son, who is suckling on his pacifier.
"You already told me that." I remind her, sighing as I try to remain patient with her.
"And when you put him to bed, make sure you don't tuck him in too tight. He moves a lot and it is not safe." She states, holding up his little blanket.
"Honey, can we go? We are going to be late." My brother-in-law points out, tapping at his watch. It is my sister's first time leaving her son and going out for the night, and it is even worse since the wedding they are attending is too far away for them to return tonight and pick Benny up. I can partially understand her, even though this talk by the door really gets on my very last nerve.
"We have got this." I assure her. Ashton smiles and nods, rolling the stroller further into the house. This is the only way to get them to leave already.
"If anything happens..." She begins and I groan.
"If anything happens, we will let you know. Now leave. Or you are going to make it to the wedding after the couple leaves for their honeymoon." I hold the door for her and she scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"You will see him at lunch. You look gorgeous, have fun." I try to sweeten the goodbye, but I can tell she is having a hard time. My brother-in-law mouths a thank you as his hand rests on her lower back and he guides her out of the house.
"Call me before his bedtime." Is the last thing my sister says before I close the door to her face.
I make my way to the living room, where Ashton has already set up the portable playpen for my nephew.
"Alright. How is my favorite guy?" I cheer at the baby, picking him out of his stroller and holding him to my chest, bouncing him to make him giggle.
"I am alright. Just a little sore from setting this up." Ashton replies, even though he knows I am talking to the baby.
"Bold of you to assume you are my favorite guy." I tease my husband, making him fake-gasp and touch his chest in pretend offense.
"Ouch. 7 months old and he already stole my spot..." He shakes his head, walking closer to me. He leans down, planting a kiss on my forehead before he takes a seat on the couch.
"One of us will have to take care of dinner." I state, joining him on the couch. I bounce the baby as Ashton hands me one of multi-textured toys.
"Or we can order in." He suggests as I hold the toy out for the baby boy to grasp.
"I am a horrible housewife." I sigh, earning a chuckle from Ash.
"Your aunt is being funny." He says to the baby, tapping his nose. The little boy finds his hand more interesting than the toy I am holding, reaching to grasp my husband's fingers.
"You are not a housewife. And takeout does not mean you are horrible." He replies, letting the baby play with his hand.
"I could really go for Tex-Mex tonight." I mumble and he hums.
"I could really go for it too. What time should he eat?" Ash asks, picking up Ben so he can hold him and let the kid play with his fingers.
"In about 2 hours. But we will have to bathe him first." I reply and he hums.
"That means we get to play with the little dude for at least an hour..." He says cheerfully.
"You know, I kinda get my sister... I would have a hard time letting go of that dude too. I will probably have a hard time letting him go tomorrow." I sigh, stroking my hand over the soft hair on top of the baby's head.
"A bit dramatic, don't you think?" He asks and I shrug.
"He is just so cute..." I pout, taking Ben's little hand in mine.
"That he is. Come on, let's give him some tummy-time." Ash suggests, pressing his lips on my forehead.
Ashton lets Ben on the crawling mattress he has laid on the floor of our living room, laying aside him on his tummy as well. Ben quickly finds his way to the playpen, crawling the short distance without any problems.
"Good job, buddy." Ashton cheers, scooting towards him.
I test the water's temperature with the little toy duck thermometer, seeing if the water is too hot for the little guy.
"It will take us a fortnight to gather all his stuff..." Ashton sighs, undressing the baby for his bath.
"She swore she would bring only the essential..." I mumble, picking the lavender wash out the toiletries bag.
"She does realize he will only spend a night at our place, right?" He asks, slowly lowering the baby into his baby tub.
"For her feels like a century. Come on, be lenient... It is her first time leaving him." I giggle, kneeling to wash him.
"Should I go make a bottle?" He asks, standing aside to let me move with ease.
"I think it is too soon. We will have to dress him up before we feed him, and by then the milk will be cold." I reply, wetting the baby's head.
"I will go lay his clothes on our bed." He offers and I nod.
"Thank you. But make sure you are here to help me pick him out of the tub." I flinch just at the thought of picking him up and him slipping from my hands.
"I will only be gone for a minute." He assures me, walking out of our bathroom. Ben flails his hands in the water, splashing around as I use the soft-bristle brush to wash his hair. The whole bathroom smells like lavender soap and that makes me feel soft and mellow.
I sigh, thinking of how it will be when Ashton and I decide to have a baby. When we got married two years ago, we decided to just take time to enjoy one another, see the world and submerge ourselves in new experiences, so having children was not a conversation we truly ever had. At least not seriously, not taking into consideration the logistics behind it. But ever since my sister announced her pregnancy, this need of becoming a mother myself was stirred up. And it got worse since Ben was born since I got to hold my nephew in my arms.
It does not help that Ashton is so good with him. Fatherhood looks natural on him, and the sight of him holding the baby makes my heart race. I cannot help it, picturing him with our own baby, imagining how good he will be as a parent.
But I also know he is such a good parent because he practically raised his siblings. And then he became the father of the group, the older mentor for his friends. It is more than certain that he needs a break from that role, and I understand that.
Sighing, I grab the rinsing cup and wash the shampoo off Ben's head. I lather his washcloth with the cleanser and softly cleanse his skin, making sure I don't scrub too harshly on his sensitive skin.
"Everything ok in here?" Ashton asks, resting against the doorframe.
"Yes, we are done in a minute." I smile at my husband who picks up the baby's towel and preps it in his arms to carry him to our bedroom. I rinse the baby off and move over so Ashton can pick him out.
"Oh, you smell so good, bud." Ashton kisses the top of his head as I rinse and drain his tub.
"Can you handle dressing him up so I can prep the milk?" Ashton asks as we walk towards our bed.
"Can you handle making his bottle?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Piece of cake." He assures me, laying the baby on the changing mat.
"I think I can do dress up." I reply, picking up the lavender lotion.
I finish putting on his onesie when Ashton returns with the bottle.
"You are still struggling with dressing him up?" He asks with a soft giggle.
"If you knew all the steps in his nighttime routine, you wouldn't be that surprised..." I state, picking up the baby and sitting on the ottoman to feed him.
"Can I do it? Can I feed him?" He asks, sitting next to me.
"Are you sure?" I ask and he nods.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll feed him, you go take a shower and then you put him to sleep and I take a shower." He replies, motioning for me to give him the baby.
"Ok, I'll make sure to be quick." I hand him Ben carefully, watching him as he starts feeding him. "Go, I have done this in the past, multiple times." Ashton says playfully. I raise my hands in defeat, walking away from the two boys.
I did as fast as I could in the shower, and despite the short length, it was exactly what I needed. I walk out of the bathroom, already clad in my pajamas and ready for Ben's sleeping ritual. Ashton is humming a tune as he walks around the room with Ben in his arms, rubbing his back softly.
"I thought I was supposed to be putting him to sleep." I whisper, not wanting to disturb the little guy.
"I got carried away. Can you order food?" He asks, in the same hushed tone.
"Still TexMex?" I ask, taking my phone from the nightstand where it was charging.
"Yes. Get the usual, I think you have the order saved on the app. Ask for door delivery and pay with my credit card, so they don't ring the bell and wake the baby up. Ask for a text upon delivery." He whispers and I shake my head.
"So bossy..." I mumble, and he shoots me a look.
"I have no problem with your nephew crying all night if you don't have too..." He states, looking at Ben to see if he is asleep.
"Ok, ok... A crying baby is the last thing on my checklist for tonight." I reply, writing the instructions for delivery in the special field.
"I think in a minute or two, he will be ready for bed." Ashton announces, bouncing the baby to lull him to sleep.
"I will stay with him, you go shower." I reply, laying his bedding on my side of the bed. Thankfully, the bed is big enough for me to sleep comfortably along with Ashton on his side of the bed.
"Once he is off, we can't get out of the room. We have to watch him so he doesn't roll over." I remind him and he nods.
"So, we will eat in bed. And we will read that book you bought the other day until we are off too." He states, letting Ben on his mat.
The baby continues sleeping, sucking on his pacifier rhythmically.
"This is why I fell in love with you. You always find solutions." I say happily, making him turn his head and plant a soft peck on my lips.
"I'll be right back." He whispers, walking towards the bathroom.
I watch as my nephew sleeps, pouting over how angelic he looks, how peaceful he is. I want a baby, and I want it now. I want to have a baby with Ashton, I want to raise a child with the love of my life, I just want it. It hurts me physically being in need of becoming a mother.
"(Y/N)... (Y/N)? Do I flip the page?" Ashton nudges me, making me come out of my thoughts.
"Hm?"
"We have been on this page for a while? Did you read it? Should I change it?" He asks.
"I am sorry, give me a minute." I start scanning the page, but Ashton shuts the book and leaves it on the bedside table.
"You seem a bit off. Are you tired? Do you want to go to bed?" He asks me, kissing my temple. I shake my head, taking a breath.
"I want a baby." I admit, moving so I can look him in the eye.
"Now?" He asks, knitting his eyebrows together.
"Don't make fun of me. I want us to have a baby. I know you practically raised your siblings, and then you raised the boys, and I know you needed a break from fatherhood when we got married, but I want to have a baby. I want us to grow this family. I want a baby because..." I go on and on, but Ashton just chuckles and reaches to cup my face.
"(Y/N)... Let's have a baby." He says as if it is the simplest, most natural thing in the world.
"You are serious?" I ask and he nods.
"Very. And if we didn't have our nephew here tonight, I would show you how serious I am about having a baby with you." He winks at me, making my eyes go wide and earning a light slap on the shoulder.
"Ashton..." I gasp and he shrugs.
"What? You asked for a baby... I am just saying, we can start trying." He replies, pulling me in for a kiss.
"You are going to be an amazing dad." I mumble against his lips before I rest my forehead on his.
"Only because you are going to make an amazing mum." He kisses the tip of my nose while stroking his thumbs over my cheeks.
