Love Him Like He's Yours [FPJones] [JugheadJones] [O.F.C]

2000

The first time Nerys Miller realized she could not only love someone other than FP, but grow to love them even more, she was a mere fourteen.

Upon her older sister marrying and leaving the family home, it wasn't long before Nerys had packed a bag and followed Gladys across the tracks to Sunnyside Trailer Park.

In a small spare bedroom that FP had always made available to her in his time living there, she began her permanent residence and would help out around the house when her sickly, hormonal sister could no longer manage.

Contrary to what everyone had told Nerys throughout her sister's seemingly eternal pregnancy, the "morning" sickness and the nonstop rollercoaster of mood swings did NOT subside.
If anything, her condition appeared to only worsen.

To top it off, despite enduring the traumatic emergency birth together as a family, neither Gladys nor Nerys were particularly taken with their family's newest addition.

Gladys, as it would later come out, was suffering through the start of a long bout of postpartum depression and in turn, would miss her chance to truly bond with her son.

Nerys on the other hand, couldn't bring herself to look at the child without choking back sobs of resentment and heartbreak.

FP however, had taken a real shine to parenthood. He was overjoyed with his son, and leapt at every chance to smother him in love and affection.

FP repeatedly told himself that if he did it enough for the three of them, soon the two girls would have to come around.

More so than he let on, FP was well aware that the engagement and pregnancy had been hard on all of them. Their lives had changed drastically and the trio had been given quite the shakedown.
FP knew they just needed time to settle in and get comfortable with their new situation.

But Nerys honestly didn't think such a thing was possible. She was still happy for FP though.
Whenever she watched him play with the baby, she savoured the joy that would light up his tired face.

But as for peace and normalcy, Nerys knew the man would be in for some major disappointment. She knew her sister well, and even better yet, she knew FP.

It wouldn't be until Nerys herself, finally got fed up with FP being the only one to care for the infant. She was done pretending she didn't hear the immature couple hurling insults back and forth as their child went unchecked.

It was the middle of the night, like it had been every other night for the past four weeks, when instead of putting her headphones on and rolling over, she launched herself out of bed, threw open her bedroom door, and marched across the trailer.

She stomped haphazardly through the living room, kitchen and hallway, and only after pausing briefly to catch her breath, she barged right into the master bedroom located at the trailers opposite end.

The shrieking baby was red faced and kicking up a fuss inside his bassinet, which was placed right in between a shirtless FP who clutched an empty bottle against his sweatpant covered leg, and a scowling Gladys who hadn't showered in days and was wrapped up in all the beds blankets.

"Jesus Christ, just let me!"

Nerys ignored their matching slack jaws and wedged herself in between the couple to begin dragging the bassinet out of their room.

"Don't worry, just shut up and get some sleep. I'll take care of it." She shut the door behind her without waiting for a response.

Once the bassinet was settled into her room on the other side of trailer, Nerys ran through the checklist of possible causes for this level of volume.

Fresh diaper, check.
Recently fed, check.
Seemingly warm and comfortable, check.

The eardrum shattering battle cries had simmered down to hiccups and gurgling.

She looked down at the baby and met his eyes for the first time.
They were a bright bluish green.
Just like Gladys, go figure.
But even with how small and new he still was, he also seemed *so* obviously made from FP.

Nerys picked up the boy and held her arms out to really look him over. The kid had some funny ears. Nerys knew that was definitely a trait from the Jones side.

She chuckled lightly to herself and brought her arms in closer to rest him against her. Silence spread throughout the trailer for the first time in over a month.
She couldn't believe it.

He was warm and soft, and nestled right into her without hesitation. From the way his angled face was looking up at her, she could almost swear the kid was smirking.
Yeah, definitely his father's son.

Suddenly it all felt so real to Nerys.
She was an Aunt.
She had a nephew and he was right there. Just so content.
Laying into her chest and neck, completely relaxed in her presence.
It wasn't so bad.
It was actually kind of nice.

To be fair, Nerys thought to herself, it wasn't like it was the kid's fault that he was half Gladys.

She decided the moment was long overdue and she addressed the boy directly for the first time.

"Uh...it's okay Bud. It's just us now, alright? We're in our room and everything's going to be fine. You'll see."

She found herself curling into her nephews embrace and gently running her fingertips along his tiny back.

FP's words came back to her then and she realized that she really had had enough time to settle in and accept the situation.
She wouldn't let him feel alone in trying to love his son enough for the three of them anymore.
He wouldn't have to.

Somehow carved out of all the space she had reserved for the boys father long ago, Nerys was able to re-evaluate territory lines and update the map of her heart.

There were two Jones' men now, and they would both have her.
No matter what, come what may.