bestbuddybobby

[bestbuddybobby]

[bestbuddybobby]

Bobby Nash's Retirement Musings (Part 1)

Hi there,

If you had told me ten years ago how much I'd enjoy retirement, I'd have called you nuts. But it really has been an amazing journey.

It all began with the beautiful honeymoon cruise I went on with my even more beautiful wife. The first couple of days we barely left our cabin. We later explored what else the ship had to offer. Athena even let me talk her into the occasional on-board and off-board activity.

Despite her initial apprehension, Athena decided to give snorkeling a chance and ended up loving it. Turns out she was only apprehensive because of the critters in the water. Big bad sergeant, scared of a couple little sea creatures. (Don't tell her I said that! She'll just remind you that she's the one who has to handle all spiders at home…) But once she got comfortable she was so adorable, admiring all the little critters while looking stunning in her fire-red bikini. We had a blast spending two weeks of uninterrupted time together, just the two of us.

During our last night on the ship Athena told me that she almost didn't want to go home. While I knew it was a touchy subject, I still brought up the idea of retirement again, hoping this trip would have made her see that retirement isn't just about what you're retiring from but also what you're retiring towards. And neither of us was getting any younger. Eventually we'd fail our annual physicals and then the decision would be made for us.

My wife made it very clear she wasn't ready to retire just yet but she was open to thinking about it and talking about the timeline. I wasn't ready then either, but we kept talking about it after our return to dry land. Especially when poorly timed shifts kept us from seeing each other for days at a time.

Eventually we did agree on a date far enough in the future for me to make sure my successor as captain of the 118 would be ready. (More on that later.)

Today I'm no less busy than I was when I was still running a firehouse.

Our honeymoon really made Athena and me fall in love with traveling and seeing the world. Now, every year for our anniversary we go on a big trip  to a country we've never been to. I'll never get tired of trying new foods (learning new recipes too!), exploring foreign places, and seeing my wife excited, happy, and relaxed. Up next, cherry blossoms in Japan!

The rest of the year I keep myself busy with teaching Jee's little league team (with assistant coach Chimney, who comes up with a new story about how he got his nickname for the kids every week). It's an absolute joy seeing those kids grow and learn. 

After the doctor told me that running wasn’t great for my knees anymore, I've gotten really into cycling. Athena wasn't a fan at first. She's just seen too many cyclists get injured or worse over the years. And so have I. (The nonnegotiable safety list includes: helmet, high-visibility vest, phone & battery pack, no riding tired.) By now, Athena even joins me on bike rides sometimes. And she always tells me how sexy I look in my biking shorts and how my hair sticking up all over the place after taking my helmet off reminds her of back when we still worked together. (After working up a sweat, getting clean together is our favorite part, though!)

Another joy in my life is gardening. While I naturally became the main caretaker of all outdoor areas of the house after I moved in, I've never really had the time to really do much with the place before I retired.

The first thing I did was bring back the little potted lemon trees Athena used to have on the deck. Not only are they great for cooking and baking, but they also smell really nice.

Next, I planted a couple of trees. The first one was an orange tree. I checked with Samuel to get the right kind for the lemonade they used to make when Athena was a little girl. (Despite the horrible things we uncovered back when we went to Belleville many years ago, my wife still loves those oranges.)

Then soon followed an apple tree, a peach tree, and an avocado tree. I’m still planning on adding figs, pomegranates, and olives, but there’s always so much to do and so little time.

Unlike the trees that are slowly growing and have yet to bear fruit, my vegetable garden has been feeding us for a while now. Today, I grow a wide variety of tomatoes and peppers, but after that first year, I’m no longer allowed to grow zucchinis, though. Apparently there are only so many zucchinis you can gift your family and friends before they plan an intervention… But they never say no to a nice hot sauce. Or homemade pies made with strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries from the garden.

Working in the garden always reminds me of growing up in Minnesota and helping my grandma with her yard work. While the soil and growing seasons are very different here, the satisfaction of seeing the literal fruits of your labor is the same.

And sharing the love for gardening with another woman who means the world to me is something I treasure. Athena wasn’t on board right away, but once she rediscovered and revived her pandemic herb garden, she started planting beautiful flowers all around the house that bloom almost year round.

One thing my better half would not allow me to get for the backyard was chickens. (She still pretends to be annoyed when I tell the story of how we first met due to our matchmaker, Maurice, but I know she secretly loves it.) But that’s okay, because my friend Walter and his wife Doris, who live just down the road, are raising chickens (who I take care of when the two retired teachers go visit their grandkids in Arizona). They even let me name their new rooster Maurice!

Gotta run now! My lovely wife is accompanying me to my quarterly blood donation (I don’t faint anymore, but it’s still nice to hold her hand) and we’re going out for our traditional post-donation lunch afterwards.

Until next time, Bobby

[bestbuddybobby]

Bobby & Faith

+ Athena praying for Bobby

[bestbuddybobby]

Could you draw bobby carrying athena to the bedorom because she fell asleep?

I could! In fact I already did! Lemme just add some color and some hearts and... Voila!~

[bestbuddybobby]

Bobby & Athena holding on to each other

[bestbuddybobby]

Bobby's second chance at being a father

[bestbuddybobby]

The 118 as elements of Bobby's personality

+ Athena

[bestbuddybobby]

Peter Krause as Captain Bobby Nash 9-1-1, S02E04

[bestbuddybobby]

At that moment he realized it was really happening. Right here, right now. There was no more time to hesitate or hope for backup. It was up to him. Up to them.

[bestbuddybobby]

Waiting for her man to come home and play~

[bestbuddybobby]

Hi! Idk if you take requests but the vampire Bobby drawing made me think of him in bat form nuzzling against Athena’s cheek as she holds him. If you get a chance, would you consider doing that? 🥺

If not, that’s fine too. Just thought I’d ask!

*gasp* Okay i will draw your request but only because I am obsessed with Cap Drac!!

[bestbuddybobby]

You have to let me choose love

[bestbuddybobby]

Bathena looking at each other, 2x03

[bestbuddybobby]

Bobby decides to surprise Athena with a baby moon at 38 weeks pregnant. ◡̈

[bestbuddybobby]

9-1-1 s03e12 - Fools

[bestbuddybobby]

Okay hi, I wrote this baby fic a while ago, but I don't feel like putting it on ao3 because it takes place in the same universe as The Winner Takes It All, but with the same baby as Butterfly Kisses. It is a little confusing, but the story is still cute so I wanted to share it on here! I hope y'all will enjoy it. ♡

Words: 1.4k

Warnings: none

Rating: T

Read below the cut! ◡̈

Athena was sitting at her vanity table, applying the last licks of mascara to her lashes. Normally she had her team around to get her ready for these kinds of award shows, but she wasn’t feeling it today. Zuri had been extra clingy lately and Athena didn’t feel like having extra people around when her toddler wasn’t feeling like herself. Athena preferred to be by herself on these moments so she could take breaks whenever she wanted to give Zuri a little bit of extra love.

“Mama, up!” Zuri was standing next to her chair with her chubby little arms reaching up. She already tried climbing onto her mother’s lap, but hadn’t been successful yet so she tried another way to get Athena to pick her up. 

Athena put her mascara back on the vanity table and lifted her daughter into her lap where she started pressing kisses on Zuri’s cheeks. The toddler started giggling like crazy, kicking her feet out of excitement. 

“I am sorry baby. She seems to only want you these days.” 

His voice always had a calming effect on her, dissipating the last nerves in her stomach when he started talking. She wished she could bottle this feeling so she could use it whenever she was nervous on set or when she had to give a speech. 

“Da. Da.” Zuri was babbling while she started playing with a makeup brush Athena just gave her. The toddler was putting the brush on her face and giggled when the soft bristles hit a ticklish spot just below her jaw.

“You are fine. Next week she is only gonna want you.” Athena sounded amused. She met Bobby’s eyes in the mirror and she winked at him. 

Bobby walked up behind them and put his hands on her shoulders. “You look stunning. Absolutely stunning. I wish I could go with you tonight.” The couple had decided he needed to stay at home, because Zuri started freaking out when she wasn’t with one of her parents lately. Normally they would ask Hen and Karen to babysit, but even that wasn’t an option right now. Their daughter was very strong willed and wouldn’t calm down until one of her parents was back in her eyesight. 

It was starting to get on Athena’s nerves, because it also meant she hadn’t had much alone time with her husband. Something she desperately craved, but it just wasn’t in the cards for them. One of those sacrifices they had to make for being parents. 

“Me too, but maybe next time?” Athena turned her head and lifted her face in an invitation for a kiss. Bobby didn’t disappoint and immediately pressed his lips against hers, humming appreciatively against her mouth. Out of habit his hand slipped behind her neck to keep her right where she was. 

Bobby finally let her go after a minute and lifted the toddler from her lap. “Come on Zuzu, Mama has to change her clothes before she has to go.” He was eyeing Zuri’s hand suspiciously, because he had been hit before and he wasn’t feeling a brush to the face if he could help it. Zuri wrapped her free arm around his neck and dropped her head to his cheek. 

The toddler was fresh out of the bath, her brown curls still a bit wet, because the girl absolutely hated it when they tried to dry her hair. Her pajamas for tonight were a bunny themed footed sleeper, one of Zuri’s favorites. She liked to point out all the bunnies to her parents when they tucked her in, babbling incomprehensible stories about all of them.

Bobby sat down on his side of the bed against the headboard with Zuri on his chest, watching his wife walking around their bedroom in her silk robe. Any other day he would try to get her out of that same robe, but that was not in the cards for today. Bobby would have to be satisfied with just watching her, knowing she would come back to him later that evening. 

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Athena sounded amused when she caught him looking at her. She dropped her robe and got her dress from the hook on their door. The urge to tease him a bit more was strong but she remembered Zuri’s presence so she just got into her dress without a fuss. She zipped herself up, adjusting the dress a little before she turned around to them. 

“Mama pwetty.” Zuri mumbled around her thumb, her big chocolate brown eyes tracking her mother. She was lying comfortably on her dad, but she never lost Athena out of her sight.

“Mama is very pretty, Zuzu.” Bobby’s voice rumbled softly and he stroked her back gently. If he played his cards correctly she would be asleep before Athena put her heels on and applied her lipstick. He might be able to sneak another kiss, sending her off to her big award show.

Athena smiled softly and walked around the bed to sit next to Bobby’s hips. She put her hand on his and looked at their daughter who had closed her eyes by now. “Zuri is very pretty too.” Carefully, she bent over and pressed her lips gently against Zuri’s temple. The little girl didn’t move, indicating she was well on her way to a, hopefully, restful sleep. 

“You look good with a baby.” Athena shamelessly flirted with her husband over their sleeping daughter. Whenever she saw him with Zuri, her stomach flipped in a good way and she couldn’t wait to get him alone to show her appreciation for him being such a good dad.

After a few minutes Bobby moved a sleeping Zuri very slowly from his chest to their bed and put two pillows on both of her sides before he got up and could kiss Athena the way he wanted ever since he saw her in the bathroom. Once again Bobby put his hands on her neck to not mess up her hair, but still be able to keep her right where she was. Athena on the other hand could mess with his hair all she wanted so that is exactly what she did. Her fingers tugged softly on his strands while deepening their kiss, her tongue plunging into his mouth. 

They made out for a couple of minutes before Athena remembered what she was supposed to do and broke away from him, panting softly. Her legs felt weak but she had to move quickly to apply her red lipstick and put on her heels before her driver would be here. 

“You are making me so late.” Athena grumbled at her husband while she slipped on the second heel. She grabbed her purse from the bed, blew him another kiss before she rushed out of the house.

Bobby lifted Zuri from their bed to put into her own room down the hall. He started cleaning the house before he sat down to watch the award show. It didn’t take long for Zuri to wake again and cry loudly. Bobby got her out of her crib and brought her back to the living room to watch the show together. 

“You are okay, baby.” Bobby whispered in her ear and wiped her tears away. “Look, there is Mama.” He pointed to the tv where they showed Athena’s face when naming the nominees. She looked nervous and he wished he was right there to hold her hand, because there was no way she wasn’t winning this thing. Zuri laid against his chest, staring at the tv screen. 

Bobby shot up when they indeed called Athena the winner, jostling the toddler on his chest. Zuri got scared and started crying again when Bobby got way too loud in his enthusiasm. 

“I am sorry, Zuzu.” Bobby cradled the toddler to his chest and pressed his lips to her crown, gently bouncing up and down in an attempt to calm her down. It didn’t take long for the toddler to stop crying, wiping at her eyes to get rid of any tears before she looked up at her dad. 

“No loud.” Zuri furrowed her brows at him, which made her look so much like her mother when Athena was displeased. It made Bobby smile, pressing another kiss to her crown. They looked at the tv for a bit longer before Bobby turned it off and went back to their bedroom, getting ready for bed while Zuri laid on Athena’s side. He climbed into bed, pulling his daughter more to the middle of the mattress so he could put another pillow behind her. 

“Go to sleep, Zuzu. Mama will be home soon.” He whispered into her hair, laying down on his side and putting one arm around the toddler.

That was exactly how Athena found them sleeping a few hours later when she came home.

[bestbuddybobby]

Athena didn't ask for forehead kisses.