I'm rusty and this is so cheesy, but I needed my Naley fix so here we go:
. . .
"This is the stupidest fight we've ever had," Haley huffed before biting into a pink and blue frosted cupcake; she was under strict orders from Karen not to touch a single thing until the party started but the row of delicious food spread along the table was taunting her. When Nathan's eyes narrowed knowingly, she scrunched her eyebrows in a mock glare. She was pregnant! What did they expect? The baby was hungry. "It's a boy."
"No, it's not," Nathan firmly retorted. "First of all, our stupidest fight was when you claimed you love me more than I love you— which everyone knows is not the case— and we're having a girl. I can feel it."
"I'm not going down that road again," Haley finished swallowing the cupcake in all but one bite and placed her hands sternly on her hips. A few years ago, she and Nathan had gotten into an argument about who was more in love with the other one. It went on for days. Their friends thought they were insane, but Nathan was so damn adamant that a relationship always has someone more in love with the other. Haley was pissed about the accusation that she could possibly love him less than she did. Brooke rolled her eyes when she listened to Haley's huffing and puffing the day at the cafe. She would be honored, but no, Haley had to complain about how she loved him more— as if it were a competition! Only 'Naley', as she so aptly dubbed them, would fight about something as outlandish as that. If it was any other couple, Brooke would have gagged and walked away, but after all the tumultuous ups and downs that Nathan and Haley had been through over the years, she'd give them this. If their biggest issue was fighting about how much they loved each other, then so be it. They could be fighting over much worse.
Today's fight, Brooke would soon learn, was now a leading competitor of showcasing their stubbornness: Nathan and Haley were arguing over the gender of their baby.
"And I'm telling you, Nathan, it's a boy!"
"No it's not," he childishly whined, "it's a girl." He was two seconds away from stomping his feet like Lydia does when she doesn't get her way.
"Whatever," she narrowed her eyes at him from across the table. His blue stare met hers unwaveringly. A row of chills fell down her spine. Dammit. Now she wanted him. Stupid pregnancy hormones. Stupid blue eyes. Stupid white t-shirt that clung to his muscles… she felt the tip of her tongue trail the edge of her lips. Her body was betraying her.
Nathan didn't notice the shift in his wife's mood. His stubborn streak had a way of clouding his judgement sometimes. "We'll find out soon," he smirked, "and when we do, you'll see that I'm right and you're wrong."
"Are you guys still fighting about the gender?" Karen walked into the kitchen through their back doors where she and a few other of the women were helping set up for the gender reveal party. She was the only one who knew the gender and she was keeping her lips sealed until Nathan and Haley opened the box of balloons set up on the lawn.
"Yes," Nathan replied, "tell her, Karen. It's a girl."
"I'm not saying a word. That's the whole point of this party, isn't it?" Karen chuckled at their antics. They've been like this for fifteen years- nothing came as a surprise to her anymore. Nathan and Haley's bickering, while some may think it's childish or ridiculous, was part of what made their love so real and admirable. Because at the heart of it, they were best friends who knew how to get a rouse out of each other- to keep their ever bright fire burning. And, well, the baby growing inside of Haley for the past four months was just another testament of their love. "And why does it even matter?" Karen continued. "You've already got one of each and I'm sure this won't be the last. So long as that baby is healthy, the gender doesn't matter."
Haley raised her lips in triumph, "Hah! Nathan, listen to her. She's trying to soothe your ego because she knows it's a boy!"
Karen sighed and dropped a plate of cookies onto the counter, "that's it. I'm walking away. I'm not getting involved. Crazy kids," she mumbled and retreated back into the yard where a bunch of the children were playing. She laughed. All of the kids were under fifteen and yet, acted more mature than the thirty-one-year-olds inside. Even Lucas and Peyton's one-year-old son, Keith, who didn't even have all of his teeth and couldn't form a complete sentence yet, was more mature.
"It doesn't matter," his voice dropped and he walked over to Haley to drop a kiss on her forehead, "but I like to be right."
"I know," Haley grinned up at him and folded her hands around his, which currently rested on her protruding baby bump. "I just don't want you to be upset if it's a boy. I know you and Lydia are really hoping for another girl."
"I won't be upset if it's a boy, Hales, I'll just be upset if I'm wrong. But I won't be because I know I'm right."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, honey."
"Do you not want another little girl?" She could tell by the way his shoulders slumped against her back that he was dejected. She secretly found his love for having mini-versions of her, endearing. But she wanted another mini-him, so she understood why.
"You know I'd love another daughter, Nathan. Maybe one with your eyes this time," she said dreamily. He was always going on and on about how much he loved her big, brown eyes. He was thrilled when Lydia peeled her eyes open for the first time and those same brown eyes stared at him. But Haley loved Nathan's eyes. The blue was nameless and beautiful. So clear and crisp. Jamie, thankfully, had those eyes and now she wanted the new baby to have them too. The color should be made into a crayon so that the world would have the pleasure of seeing it.
"Nuh-uh," he mumbled into her silky auburn hair, "she'll have your eyes. Like Lydia."
Giggles escaped from her throat, "if you wanted another Lydia, you should just start cloning her."
"A boy with your eyes would be pretty cool, too," Nathan mused, his hands starting to wander behind her.
"Nope. Regardless of the gender, he or she will have blue eyes."
"Hales," Nathan groaned as his head fell onto her shoulder, "we can't start fighting about eye color now!"
"Guess it's a good thing we don't have control over that then, huh? Our baby would have two different eye colors." She laughed at the thought.
"We should've had twins," he said before laying a kiss against her shoulder blade.
"I guess your sperm isn't that strong after all," she teased with a playful grin. He growled lowly in her ear and she felt his fingers lightly pinching her butt cheek. She squealed in response, only for it to be silenced by his lips moving across hers.
"God, I love you."
"I love you, too," Haley whispered. "And I'll love this baby, even if it has purple hair and six eyes."
Nathan's snickers filled the house, "me too."
As they were about to lean in for another kiss, a loud cough interrupted the moment. Haley craned her neck and blushed. Though it certainly wasn't the first time someone caught them kissing, it always left her feeling embarrassed— and okay, a little pissed. She'd wanted to run her hands over husband's body since he'd walked in shirtless from his morning run, but people kept getting in the way.
"No wonder you're pregnant," Brooke winked, "anyway, everything is set up. We're ready whenever you are."
"Boy or girl?" They both asked Brooke who merely groaned in response.
"Nice try, Scott's. Karen already told me not to get involved. Now let's go. People are getting antsy and your stupid fight can finally end."
Nathan threaded his fingers through Haley's and they walked hand-in-hand into their backyard. Blue and pink streamers were hanging from trees, another buffet of food was spread on a picnic table by the pool, and a large box waited on the grass, ready to be opened.
A bunch of their family and friends were spread throughout the large yard waiting patiently to find out the sex of the new baby. Whatever they thought, no one dared say a word. Getting between a bet among Nathan and Haley was like getting between a lion and a tiger. Not a good idea.
Even Jamie knew not to voice his opinion (no matter how desperately he hoped his mother was right). Lydia, on the other hand, was the only one who insisted it was a little sister. She and Nathan talked about it all the time.
Haley hoped for a girl simply so that her daughter's hopes wouldn't be crushed. She'd leave her husband to be the one to explain it.
"Ready guys?" Deb called out from across the yard. She waited by the large box and ushered her son and daughter-in-law over. She didn't care about the gender, she was just ecstatic for another grandbaby. She'd really straightened out over the years and took her responsibilities as a mother and a grandmother seriously. Nathan and Haley were eternally grateful for all that she did for them.
Haley squeezed her husband's hand as they approached the box. This was their first time doing a gender reveal. With Jamie, the gender slipped out by accident, and Haley and Nathan were too eager to wait to find out about Lydia. With the third child, they knew they wanted a fun way to find out and with the new craze spread over the internet, what better way than to open a box of balloons in front of friends and family?
They'd wanted number three for quite a while now, and although they had no troubles conceiving, it took a bit longer than it did with the first two. Haley suspected she was pregnant when she missed her period, but due to her busy schedule, it slipped her mind and she forgot to take a test. It wasn't until she started having morning sickness that she went to the doctor to confirm it; as soon as she got the results, she drove straight to Nathan's office and surprised him with a teary smile. If Clay hadn't walked in on them, they would have celebrated right there on the desk. Nathan was still holding a grudge about that.
"Okay, so if the balloons are blue it's a boy and if they're pink, it's a girl," Haley announced to the throng of people now gathered around the box. Quinn was already snapping pictures while Julian filmed everything with his camera. Lydia stood next to Nathan and began to jump up and down on her tip-toes.
"You excited?" Nathan turned towards the almost five-year-old.
"Yep! If I cry it's because I'm happy. Even if it's a boy."
Nathan and Haley traded big smiles. "That's sweet. I'm probably going to cry, too, Lyds," he hugged Lydia with the arm that wasn't wrapped around Haley.
Jamie stood on the side of his mom and pulled out his phone, ready to capture the moment on Snapchat or whatever social media he was using these days. Nathan whispered something in Haley's ear, and whatever it was, had her blushing and giggling like a sixteen-year-old.
"Open the damn box, already!" Somebody called out from the group. It sounded like Skills.
"Okay, okay," Nathan chuckled and briefly kissed Haley before they put their fingers on the edge of the box cover. "On the count of three!" He shouted.
A chorus of "3, 2, 1," sounded through the yard and the couple eagerly tore off the lid, freeing the balloons that were inside.
Pink.
A bunch of pink balloons floated through the air.
A full-blown, beaming grin exploded over Haley's lips as she watched her husband jumping up and down, like a, well… like a little girl. It was the cutest sight she'd ever seen in her entire life.
"It's a girl!" He shouted and picked her up, spinning her around. "We're having another little girl!"
"You were right," she laughed as their eyes met. They both had streaks of happy tears running down their cheeks. Nathan leaned in for a searing kiss; her hands were wound tightly around his neck and she nearly forgot the people standing around them as her tongue seeped into his parted lips.
"I'm so happy, baby," he whispered when they pulled away. He was vaguely aware of Lucas' protesting gags in the background.
"Me too. I can't believe it," she wiped at her tears, her smile never faltering as she untangled herself from around him. The pink balloons were still bobbing around them in the sky. The sound of cheering enveloped them and Nathan instantly turned to pick up Lydia, who was also jumping around with pure excitement.
"You're gonna have a little sister!"
"I knew it! I knew it!" She flung herself at Nathan and he twirled her around. Haley and Jamie soon piled in and it turned into a family group hug.
"I guess you and I are out numbered now, buddy," Nathan laughed as he ruffled his son's hair.
"That doesn't sound so bad," Jamie grinned, "Scott girls are pretty awesome."
Haley and Lydia both hugged him. Nathan nodded in agreement, "you're right. They are pretty awesome," he winked in Haley's direction. "And I have a feeling your new sister will be just as cool."
"How does it feel to be right, Mr. Know-it-All?" Haley teased as she slid her hand over his chest, rubbing it softly.
He shrugged, but his smile said it all: "I just really wanted another girl."
She popped a kiss on his scruffy beard. "I'm glad I was wrong."
"Me too," he held her close. "A girl," he squealed. His excitement was infectious. Haley giggled. "I was right."
She'd let him have this one. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning who'd just been told he'd was given an entire toy store, a puppy, and a million dollars.
Sometimes, it was right to be wrong.
And another little Scott girl wrapped around Nathan's finger made everything right in their world.