Anything For the Family
There's something about the silver light of the moon that makes Robin specially beautiful and enchanting. She's breathtaking.
She's the only thing Gaius needs to finally realize what it means when people say that pregnant women glow.
He doesn't want to wake her. She must be exhausted, if the pile of chemistry books on the bed are any indicators of her nightly activities. He is very careful to not make any sounds as he undresses himself and walks around their room, picking up a misplaced thing or two and going to close the window. He cringes as he lowers himself onto their bed and the mattress makes squeaky sounds with his added weight. He considers just going to sleep on the couch, because he really doesn't want to bother Robin and because if he doesn't wake her up now, he'll surely wake her up when he has to get up again in a couple of hours and then he'll sure have to shake off her iron grip of a hug. Something she doesn't respond to kindly.
He doesn't have to worry anymore though, when she begins to stir. Her quiet mumbles are incoherent, yet adorable.
"Shit..." he curses under his breath.
"Gaius..." she instantly recognizes him, just by the sound of his voice.
"Sorry baby, woke you up, didn't I?"
He wants to sound cool and charming, just in case she's really annoyed. But she isn't. She's just glad he's home safe.
Rubbing at her tired eyes with one hand, she reaches out for Gaius's cheek and beckons for him to come nearer.
"It's okay," she yawns. "I'm jus' glad you're home."
Gaius smiles and lets his head rest on her shoulder. It's his turn to yawn. "I'm alright."
They both sink back into the bed, books getting kicked to the floor and covers being clutched tight.
"You too." Robin complains when she sees that Gaius is giving her more of the covers, so she rearranges herself and tucks him in, like he's a small child.
"You need'em more," Gaius says as her hands tuck the edge of the cover under his shoulder. "Pregnant, remember?"
"Yes, pregnant, not terminally ill."
He'll never win an argument. Not with her. He can just imagine the kind of family they'll make: The husband who's never right, the wife who's never wrong and the little kid who idolizes his mom because she's always right and pities his dad because he's always wrong.
It's amusing to think of. But that reality is still very far away from them.
"Fine, fine. I'll take the covers... but only 'cause it's really freezing. What did the landlord say about the pipes, anyways?"
They are buried in debt. Well... he is, but Robin is his wife, so she feels they should carry whatever burdens together.
Robin snorts. "That cheap son of a... he said he'd get it all fixed. But you know he's only stalling for time. He probably thinks we'll lave him alone eventually."
But really, it's only because of him that they are in this situation. If only he wasn't such a big fuck up...
"Yah... Well, we won't."
... then maybe Robin would still be living with her old man. She hated him more than words could say, but still; that way at least she wouldn't have to deal with living like this. He is more used to crappy apartments and cheap landlords, but she used to have all her expenses taken care of. At least she didn't use to have to worry about how she's ever going to pay for college or what her stupid boyfriend(now husband, he is still getting used to the title) is doing to get the money to pay the bills: He told her he took another job as a security guard - that's a load of crap; no body wants to hire someone with no experience -, so she worries for what he has to deal with at night in those creepy industrial buildings.
"Maybe we should just move out... I've been saving some, you know. Plus, mom's still sending me those checks."
If only he had been a little more patient(less of a hot to trot, teenage little idiot), then maybe he wouldn't have gotten Robin pregnant.
"That's meant for the baby. And school, if we can stretch it..."
And maybe she wouldn't have gotten kicked out of her house.
"But Morgan isn't coming for a couple of months still. And about college..."
And he wouldn't have had to start doing all those... things.
"You're going."
Cars? Sure, he can break into cars and find what is most valuable within a matter of seconds. He's been doing it since he learned of parking lots without security cameras. But recently, that's not enough. Stolen radios and the occasional wallet forgotten in the driver's seat just aren't cutting it.
"Maybe I can take a year or two before college. I don't want to be too occupied to take care of my own baby, anyways."
"That's what you say now, but then you won't finish your education at all, and who're you gonna blame? Your baby's daddy."
People carry not only money, also watches and pendants and bracelets and necklaces. Good jewelry fetches good coin. But that's dirty work he's not comfortable with. Going around at night and pointing a knife at people always leaves him feeling a little more like a worthless piece of shit.
"Not this again," she laughs. "You silly man. I could never hate my husband."
But it's all a bit better once he gets home. When he sees Robin and her expanding belly, he knows he is not totally in the wrong with his actions.
"'Husband'." he repeats. "It's still weird."
She's all the excuses he needs. She and Morgan... He hopes his son knows how to appreciate his worthless dad.
"You'll get used to it."
Not that he'd ever tell him or Robin what he really does when he steps out of their home at night. He's sure Robin would leave him, and she's the only thing he doesn't want to lose.
"Mmm... maybe."
Morals be damned. Pride be damned. Damn it all to hell, so long as he gets to keep her by his side.
"So, how was work?"
"Boring. You don't wanna know. Now go to sleep. You got a test tomorrow."
So he'll wake up in a couple of hours and go to do some real work at the gas station before hitting the streets.
She snickers and cuddles into his side. "You're such a dad already."
Anything for his family.
"Shut up."
'Anything.' he thinks and drapes an arm over his wife's belly.
I seriously don't know what got into me to write this... Guess I just wanted to see what a Gaius that steals in the real world is like. I dunno if I did him justice, cuz he usually doesn't seem to have much of a problem with stealing, but then I thought 'But man, it must be harder in the real world... Now imagine if he got his GF pregnant... OH, I sense a plot!' And that's why this is here, for you to hate or like.
Finally! My first contribution to the GaiusxRobin world!