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iris-writes-things · 4 years

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Two Guys and a Baby: Day 14

Read on AO3, FF.net or under the cut, or read ahead as I write the story as a $1 Patreon patron!

Crowley smiled and gently squeezed her hand. “Well, credit where it’s due, your son played a significant part in me having that revelation. Might’ve gotten a bit too attached.” “He does have that effect on people, yes,” Lucy said somewhat proudly, before pausing. She took a deep breath. “You know, I formally fired Adam’s old babysitter.” “And you were right to,” Crowley added. “Do you want to be Adam’s new babysitter?”

Or, new Arrangements abound.

Chapter 19 of 20 Completed 2490 words Romance/Humor

“Remind me again why you wanted me to pick up your boss from the airport with you,” Ezra said through gritted teeth in an attempt to have a casual conversation as Anthony sped through the streets of London in Lucy’s black Toyota Aygo. His knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the door’s handle, desperately clinging to it. Adam was giggling in the back seat. “I mean, we’ve only ‘been an item’ formally for a few days. Isn’t that, you know, weird? I’m quite sure miss Ferguson doesn’t even know I exist.”

“Eeeeh…” Anthony said as he turned sharply onto the ramp to the M25. With Anthony, ‘Eeeeh…’ was a surprisingly versatile exclamation. It could be anything from denial to overwhelming joy. But in this case, it sounded more like an admission of guilt.

“She knows I exist, doesn’t she?”

“Look at it like this,” Anthony mumbled. Ezra could feel the anxiety in his voice. “Isn’t it weird that I lost Lucy’s instructions only hours after I got Adam? I mean, if I hadn’t had you, I don’t know what I would have done with him,” he said, gesturing at the little boy strapped tightly into the baby seat. “I don’t think it’s weird at all for her to meet the person who’s helped me take care of him all this time. And, you know, Stansted airport is like an hour long drive and I haven’t properly driven a car in a decade. Not one with manual transmission, anyway.”

“You don’t say...”

“I just… like your company and having an extra pair of eyes is never a bad idea.”

“Anything for you, my dear,” Ezra said, faking a smile and ignoring the twist that formed in his stomach as Anthony exited the M25 with the same ferocious speed with which he entered it.

"There's my baby!" Lucy cried as she entered the arrivals hall. She left her suitcase and her wife in the dust as she sprinted towards Adam, Crowley and Ezra, caramel curls cascading down her back and her black maxi dress billowing behind her. Belle laughed, taking Lucy's suitcase in her free hand, following her wife at a leisurely stroll.

"Thanks, I've been moisturising," Crowley joked.

"Shut up, Anton." Lucy bent down and picked up Adam from his stroller to shower his little face with kisses.

Belle smiled apologetically as she caught up with her wife. "Sorry about that. She was just so anxious to see Adam again, by the time we got into the cab in Zagreb, nothing could get in her way."

Crowley waved his hand dismissively. "No hard feelings."

The woman extended her hand to him. "I'm Belle, by the way. You must be Mr. Crowley." Belle had olive skin and a dark, wild mane, covered partly by a tan fedora* and the way she carried herself was so laidback, it would give a sloth a run for its money.

(*An actual fedora, mind you. Not those cheap things that get passed off as the real deal, nowadays.)

Lucy had mentioned she was a model and Crowley remembered having seen her pictures in magazines, but they couldn’t begin to compare to meeting the woman in person. Crowley was lucky to be exclusively attracted to men, or things might have gotten awkward.

"I am," Crowley said, taking her hand and shaking it. "Pleased to meet you."

"The feeling's mutual." Belle turned to Ezra, holding out her hand to him as well. "And you are? Lucy never mentioned a husband."

Ezra grew red at the ears, but never lost his composure. He accepted her hand and shook it as well. "Boyfriend, actually,” he mumbled nervously, scratching behind his ear. “I just helped Anthony take care of dear Adam and we kind of went from there. You see, he lost his instructions in a duck pond and--"

"He what?!" Lucy cried.

Belle only grinned. "You gotta tell us everything."

And so, he did.

As if Lucy's passenger seat driving wasn't bad enough, Ezra was recounting the last eight years of his and Crowley's relationship as well as everything that happened between the three of them to Belle in embarrassing detail. Now and again, Crowley could manage to get a word in, in order to slightly salvage what was left of his reputation.

It was around 4 o'clock in the afternoon - on Fridays, that meant the office buildings and their adjacent car parks in London were about to be vacated by their tired workers - when Crowley and Lucy had left Ezra, Adam and Belle in Belle and Lucy’s Westminster apartment and ventured into the parking garage. They were going to pick up Adam’s bag and his camping cot. There wouldn’t be room for any other passengers.

It was just the two of them now. Childhood friends. Head of Marketing and assistant. Employer and employee. Crowley took a deep breath and said “Lucy, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“I think I know what you’re going to say,” Lucy answered. “But tell me, anyway.”

Crowley took a deep breath. Of course, someone at the office had notified her about his resignation. It would be foolish to think otherwise.

“I turned in my resignation last Monday,” Crowley mumbled. “Not because of you, mind, you’re the best boss I’ve ever had. It’s just… everything around it. The work wasn’t fulfilling anymore and I was so, so done with Hastings and Liggett’s constant harassment.”

“I can only imagine.” A glint in Lucy’s eyes said she would be Having Words with people next Monday. “Quite honestly, I’m glad you made that decision.”

Crowley frowned. “What? Why?”

“I’m not blind, Anton,” Lucy said as she carefully took hold of his hand. “I could see that the job wasn’t right for you anymore. Who knows, maybe it never was… I know you came from the arts and that you can’t fully give yourself creatively as a marketing assistant. So yeah, I was hoping you’d have that revelation.”

Crowley smiled and gently squeezed her hand. “Well, credit where it’s due, your son played a significant part in that. Might’ve gotten a bit too attached.”

“He does have that effect on people, yes,” Lucy said somewhat proudly, before pausing. She took a deep breath. “You know, I formally fired Adam’s old babysitter.”

“And you were right to,” Crowley added.

“Do you want to be Adam’s new babysitter?”

“I… What?”

“Belle and I discussed it when we heard about your resignation, and we both want Adam to have a positive male role model in his life. Someone creative, and accepting, and without too much toxic masculinity, because God knows he’ll learn that at school, and well, both you and your boyfriend fit the bill.”

Crowley laughed and waved his hand, interrupting Lucy’s rant. “We’ll do it. It’d be our pleasure.”

“But Anton, I won’t be able to pay you what head office paid you. Not even close. I want you to really think about this before you make any rash decisions.”

“Lucy, listen,” Crowley said, laying his hands on Lucy’s shoulders. “I knew I was going to have to down-size when I quit my job. I’ve made ends meet with very little, so if I can get by doing something I love, like my art and looking after Adam, I’m happy.” The corner of his mouth quirked into a smile. “My mind is made up.”

Powerful arms wrapped around Crowley’s chest as Lucy crashed into him. As she squeezed, his spine popped in two places. “Anton, you’re the best!”

“So,” Crowley wheezed, “going to my place to pick up Adam’s stuff during rush hour would be a massive waste of time?”

“It would,” Lucy agreed, letting go of Crowley. “Shall we go and give Belle and Ezra the good news?”

Crowley grinned and turned on the heel of his snakeskin boot. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Crowley and Lucy came back to sounds of laughter coming from Belle and Lucy’s flat. They exchanged a quick, questioning glance before Lucy opened the front door to peek in.

“Honey, you’ll never believe it!” Belle all but shouted at Lucy. Crowley looked around for Ezra, only to find him with a pen and a copy of his latest book in hand, blushing to the tips of his ears. Adam was on the floor, playing with his blocks. “Mr. Fell is the guy who wrote my favorite book! He’s even signing it for me, isn’t that amazing?”

Ezra smiled and looked up from the book. “My, you’re back quickly. What happened, dear?”

“Lucy and I decided picking up Adam’s stuff would be a waste of time,” Crowley said as he walked up to Ezra, scratching behind his ear. “Seeing as I’m going to be looking after him during office hours, starting Monday.” He nervously glanced at Ezra, who was beaming at him.

“Oh, but Anthony, that’s wonderful!” Ezra said, handing the book and pen back to Belle before hugging Crowley.

Crowley firmly returned his embrace. “How about you? Getting used to the feeling of signing books?”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, dear,” Ezra mumbled, pulling back. “It’s just so… so nice to get recognition for all of the hard work I put into this.” He gazed at the book lovingly. Crowley wasn’t jealous at all.

Ezra closed the book and handed it back to Belle, giving it a last loving pat before stepping back. “Thank you, dear madam. I suppose I needed this,” he said, smiling brightly.

“No, Ez, thank you. And thanks for helping Anthony take care of Adam. You’re about to do a lot more of it,” Belle said, bending down to hug him. Ezra laughed heartily and patted her back before pulling back.

“Well, until then we’ll leave you to catch up with your darling boy.”

“Speaking of which, when do you want me to pick up Adam?” Crowley asked, leaning towards Lucy.

Lucy leaned back towards Crowley. “Monday morning at ten? I have to be at the office at nine, but Belle has a brunch meeting at eleven.”

“I can do ten. I’ll be there. I mean, here.” Crowley patted her shoulder and walked up to Ezra. “Come on, angel, let’s leave these ladies with their son. You’ve got a chocolate mousse to make at my sister’s place and I can’t wait to see it.” He linked his arm with Ezra’s.

“We’ll see you soon then,” Ezra said, waving at Belle with his free hand.

“You boys have fun tonight,” Lucy said as she saw them out.

“And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Belle called from the living room.

The sun was starting to set by the time Anthony opened the front door of his sister’s house. They had been well on their way to Brixton when Anthony had come to the realization that he left the ingredients for dessert in his fridge, resulting in a mad dash to Mayfair and a small detour to Soho, to pick up a bottle of wine from Ezra’s personal collection as a peace offering for their tardiness.

“Tony, is that you?” a woman that sounded about Ezra’s age, Anthony’s sister, he guessed, called from inside the house.

Anthony quietly slunk to the end of the hallway and peered through the crack of the door to the living room. He gestured for Ezra to come over and take a look as well.

Ezra followed in Anthony’s footsteps and took a peek as well. His niece, Anathema, was laying out the table. Four plates, no high chair. This was for real.

“Tony?” Angela called again from what Ezra could only presume was the kitchen.

Anthony gestured to Ezra to be quiet and hold the bag of ingredients, which he did. He watched on as Anthony quietly opened the hallway door and crept up to Anathema from behind. As soon as she put down the final wine glass on the table, he hugged the girl around her waist and lifted her off the ground. “There’s my little witch!”

Anathema burst in giggles and kicked her legs. “Hi uncle Tony!” she squawked as Anthony carefully returned her feet to the ground.

Angela leaned against the door post to the kitchen. “I will never not be surprised that you’re still able to lift her like that. Look at you, you’re literally a toothpick.”

Anthony smiled and walked up to his sister. He hugged her and kissed her cheek, smiling his dazzling smile.

“Don’t you have someone to introduce to us, mr. Good Old-fashioned Loverboy?” Angela asked, patting his cheek, the same devious smirk Anthony wore so often gracing her features.

Ezra forgot for a hot second that she was talking about him. “Er, I… hello. I’m Ezra Fell,” he heard himself stammer. “I’m… er… Anthony’s boyfriend?”

A slender pair of arms wrapped around his waist and a head full of frizzy hair pressed into his chest. “You did good for yourself, bookshop man. He’s a real catch,” Anathema said.

“I know,” Ezra whispered, petting her head. “I plan to hold on to him for as long as I can. If you’ll have me, at least.��

Another pair of arms wrapped around his and Anathema’s shoulders. “Trust me, Ezra,” Angela cut in. “We plan to hold on to you for as long as we can as well.”

Anthony finally joined the group hug. “What they’re trying to say, is ‘welcome to the family’.”

“I don’t know what to say, but thank you,” Ezra sniffled, barely fighting back tears. Wait. That wasn’t right. He sniffed the air again. “Er, I’d hate to intrude, but…”

Anthony caught on and sniffed as well, letting go of the embracing cluster. “Angie, it smells like your roast is toast.”

Angela pulled out of the embrace as well. “Shit!” She ran into the kitchen and must have opened the oven - if the waft of smoke that left the kitchen was anything to go by - before immediately opening the kitchen window as well. “Yeah, no, this is unsalvageable,” they heard her mutter to herself. “Annie?” she called to her daughter.

Anathema pulled away from Ezra as well. “Sorry uncle Ez, sounds like someone’s gotta call the kebab place.” She patted Ezra’s shoulder and walked away in search of a telephone and a takeout menu.

“We’re hectic.”

Ezra’s gaze snapped upwards at Anthony. He was beaming down at him.

“We’re messy and sometimes we’re a downright disaster,” Anthony continued as he took Ezra’s hands in his own. “But we’re a family. And we may not be anything like your family, but the girls love you and they’re happy to have you.”

“How about you?”

“Huh?”

“‘The girls love you and they’re happy to have you’?”

Anthony barked a laugh and draped his arms around Ezra’s shoulders. “Of course I love you, you silly angel.”

Ezra smiled, wound his fingers into the collar of Anthony’s shirt and pulled the man down to his level to kiss him. “I love you too, silly Anthony.”

#Good Omens #Ineffable Husbands #Human AU #fanfic #EN

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