I know I should be working on my other stories, but this was just so easy to write! I couldn't help myself! I wanted to finish this last night, but of course it had to be 5 in the morning and I was actually tired for a change...Meh, I don't like the feeling. :) Anyways, hope you enjoy a little futurefic from me to you!
Disclaimer: IMAA doesn't belong to me, I swear! It belongs to nicktoons, Marvel, it's creator. NOT ME!
More and more often these days, he found himself in this same position, at the same time, and for the same reason. Whenever he'd roll over to look at the time, it was always generally around the same time. It wasn't like he was like this the entire time, but for a rather large portion of it, he was.
Just like the previous few nights, it was basically silent. For the most part, the air was cool, thanks to the weather being perfect as of lately. Not too hot, but not too cold either. It wasn't dead silent, but it was for the majority of it. And that majority has been just slightly uncomfortable to lay in silence in.
Although, he supposed that it could be worse and he could be getting no sleep at all, which was an experience he knew too well. Losing an hour of sleep every so often wasn't so bad compared to none at all. Plus, at least this time, he had a perfectly good reason for it. All he had to do was roll over to look at the other side of the bed and look at a certain angle, and he'd be staring straight at the cause of his lack of sleep. Some would wonder why it was that specifically that kept him awake at night, and not the fact that his pillows were almost always missing, or the incessant snoring that could be compared to a car motor, or that fact that he was practically hanging halfway off of the bed.
None of this bothered him that much. Well, not anymore, at least. Now he couldn't care less even if he was forced to sleep on the ground both pillowless and blanketless. Though he might complain if it became a consistent thing, because to be honest, that would drive him nuts before he could appreciate why he had to do it in the first place.
Just as he was thinking this, he felt the weight on the opposite side of the bed shift a little and he worried that he was really going to have to sleep on the floor. But much to his relief, the other person that lies in bed with him, was only moving into a more comfortable position. A position that was perfect for what he likes to do during these moments when he just can't sleep.
Calmly, he scooted over the other side of the bed trying to be as silent and as careful as possible as he practically climbed over the mountain of pillows between himself at the woman that was his wife. He checked to make sure she was still sleeping, before he slowly and gently pulled the blankets down just below her stomach, which was 7 months pregnant.
He wasn't particularly worried about waking her up, because she slept harder than a rock these days. He was the one that got stuck with the inability to sleep properly because he was too concerned about something. Whether it be about the baby, his wife, or the fact that he was almost positive that he was going to be a horrible father, he didn't know nor did he care. Either way, it ended with him no sleeping at night.
He tossed those thoughts behind and placed both of his hands over her swollen stomach, that she claimed made her look fat. But she didn't see how beautiful it was, because it was carrying much more than fat, it was carrying life. Which he found completely amazing, by the way. How two people create a whole new being, was amazing beyond words. He was sure she understood that as well, but she was more focused on how that beauty made her look fat.
With a light shake of his head, he placed his lips directly onto the exposed skin of her stomach and kissed it ever-so-slightly. "I'm back," he whispered, "miss me?"
He almost instinctively shushed the stomach when the life inside made itself known by kicking, but stopped himself when he realized that it would be pointless to do so. Thankfully, this time, his wife, Pepper, didn't wake. The last time he tried this, the baby kicked so hard Pepper woke up and didn't hesitate to punch Tony in the face. Not on purpose, at least.
"Daddy's still awake of course," he whispered some more, "you're keeping me awake, you know that?"
This time there was no kick. Though, he wasn't expecting a kick every time he spoke, because that's got to be exhausting for the little guy.
"Do you think I'll be a good daddy?" he pondered aloud, but ended up sighed just as the baby kicked. Hard.
He instantly looked up to his wife, who paused her snoring to groan slightly as she placed her own hand on her stomach. But other than that, she didn't move. Her snoring returned to normal and she looked sound asleep once more. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
It wasn't that he was scared of her waking up, but he was scared of her waking up. At least if it was in the middle of the night, because of him. Thanks to the major mood swings she's on, she's not very kind to those who wake her up at night. So, he was grateful that she decided it wasn't worth waking up for.
"That was really close," he whispered back to the baby, his lips were just barely touching the skin of her stomach, "you almost woke her."
Almost as if one purpose, the baby kicked hard once more. Almost as if the baby was trying to scold him for laying the blame on him. This time, he was really worried that Pepper was going to wake up. One kick was probably normal, but a couple hard kicks? Would that wake her up? Luckily, she barely even moved.
"We are so lucky, little guy. I'd be sleeping on the couch if I woke her up!"
He took a chance and decided to rub his hands across her stomach and topping it all off with a kiss right above the belly button. "Daddy loves you, so much and I can't wait to meet you! Even if I'm horrible at it, I'm your daddy. That's what I've got to tell myself. No matter how horrible I am, I'm still your daddy and unless I'm really that horrible, you'll still love me, right?"
It wasn't like he was expecting a response, because for the most part, those kicks were probably anything but responses in the first place, but that didn't mean he didn't feel bad when there wasn't even a light kick. He had to tell himself multiple times that it was only by chance that the baby responded all those other times.
Though as he thought this, he started to feel a pressure underneath his hand grow and grow until he was almost sure the little guy was stretching with all his might inside its little safety area known as the stomach. Again, he was sure that it was just luck that he was responding, but he couldn't help but let a wide smile light his face. Especially when he moved his hand just slightly to see the little indent under the skin of the stomach, which was underneath Pepper's shirt—duh.
Speaking of Pepper, her snores suddenly turned into startled snorts, which would have been funny if she hadn't woken up moments afterwards. Tony didn't even have time to pretend to sleep to escape her wrath, let alone remove his hands from her stomach.
"Tony?" she asked, tiredly, rubbing her already wild hair.
She stared at him for a few moments, and he was just waiting for her to get angry once more because honestly, this was his third time waking her up in the middle of the night that week alone. But after those moments had passed, she was laughing. Lightly at first, but slowly building until she was full on laughing.
"Why do you look like you've been caught robbing a jewelry store?" she asked, when she finally stopped laughing.
It was slightly true, though. He was staring at her like a deer in the headlights as he almost possessively held onto her stomach as if it was the 'stolen jewel' he was caught stealing. It didn't help that he was also trying to use her own stomach as a hiding place, his eyes being the only thing visible above her swollen stomach.
The two sat/laid in silence for almost a minute. Tony was just silently waiting for her to kick him onto the couch like she had the previous night, because this is almost exactly how she caught him last time. But maybe she had only done that because it was too late to fall back asleep for her. He wondered if it was the same case tonight as well.
She broke the silence with a groan, "I have to go to the bathroom…again."
"Oh," was Tony's genius response as she dug herself out of the mountain of pillow she surrounded herself with, his own included. He gave her stomach a pat just before Pepper was out of arm's length, which earned him a tired smile from his wife.
He rested his head onto one of the many pillows and watched her form disappear from the room and into the bathroom. He smiled to himself, when he realized that Pepper had no intention of kicking him to the couch. She didn't have to say anything, but maybe that's because she had to go to the bathroom. Huh, saved by a bladder…
He yawned, finally feeling tired enough to go back to sleep. Quickly, taking advantage that Pepper wasn't in the room, he stole back his pillow and placed it on its rightful place. Under his head. Though he knew as soon as Pepper came back, the pillow would be gone. One of the downsides to her pregnancy was the fact that he hardly ever got to sleep with a pillow. Instead, he'd find himself using his arm for a pillow, or his one blanket that was spared to him.
Pepper returned from her bathroom stop and laid back down next to her husband. She rested on her side, rearranging the pillows around her body as she did so. She smiled at him when she noticed him looking and rubbed her belly.
"Two more months," she whispered excitedly.
Tony tiredly placed his own hand over hers, "Yeah, two more months of the best sleep we'll ever get before the baby is born," he whispered back, "According to Roberta."
Pepper laughed and yawned, "It'll be worth it, Tony, you'll see."
"I know," Tony responded, "I know, Pep."
He saw her yawn once more as her eyes closed, he smiled as he decided to finally join her once more in the state of sleep.
Moments later, his pillow was gone.
Short but sweet, eh? Hope you guys all liked it! I guess it's not that long...
Fun Fact: I listen to a song over and over again until I'm sick of that song, but you know you really love a song when you don't get sick of it after replaying for days on end...
I have a lot of work to get done here on fanfiction, and I'm hoping to get some of it done soon, but knowing me, that'll probably never happen. At least nothing much. But I'll try! :)
Hugs and Love, SilverPedals! Review! ^_^
...Don't forget my contest... -_-" ...Please...