A/N:: A small little thing that I wanted to do for the fun of it. Title is misleading but not? It's angst with happy ending? But like, I love responsible Ace and wanted to do that! Plus, headcanon Marco not knowing what to do with a baby XD *cackling*
(Baby actions were kind of going off my child, except she wasn't bottle fed.)
Enjoy!
Basket of Joy
'Marco, what do I do?!'
The text and picture was quickly sent out as my arms began to wail around before I quickly grabbed the basket off the porch, it being way too cold for the bundle. Soft cooing baby noises were lingering as I quickly moved the basket into the home and had the door closed. Setting the basket to the coffee table, I noticed the postcard along the side and pulled it out.
"This is for getting me pregnant, jackass."
Confusion flared through me as I gazed to the baby that was giggling with arms finding themselves out of the swaddle to wave around. My heart melted, always having a soft spot for kids, I did practically raise Luffy—though we are only three years apart—but Makino used to let me babysit her baby as a teenager a lot too. She always used to tease that I would be a great father one day and that always made me give a look to her, since I was gay and everything—though I always felt good about the words.
Flaring green eyes were there towards me and it was obvious that the baby didn't belong to Marco or me. Not only have I never been with a woman, but the baby was too young to be Marco's. We had been together for three years now and the baby wasn't past five months, at least. Someone must have gotten the address wrong and I soon had hands to my head.
I don't have any baby things!
My phone started to ring and I quickly answered it with a finger beginning to play with the baby. "No, I did not go randomly adopt a baby."
"I didn't think so, since we already discussed this prior." The words came out as I could hear chatters in the background.
"I'm sorry for the suddenness, I know you have classes. I just kind of panicked for a minute. I'll call Izo to get me some things and then call social services." The words left me as I smiled at the baby and made cooing noises back, earning squeals of excitement, legs moving in the bundle.
"Ace," a hum left me as I wiggled fingers with a grin. "Don't get attached." My smile faltered at those words and I sighed out.
"I know, stupid. I'm just making sure, um… he? Is happy." I questioned lightly, not sure on the baby's gender, and I heard a sigh.
"The only reason I say it is because I know how you are with babies and we had already talked about it, yoi." That had me scoff lightly and smiled lightly to the baby that is giggling.
Marco and I talked about it, maybe adopting one day, but he really wanted to settle ourselves before thinking of it. If anything, though, I was the one more thinking of it and made a comment and Marco was put off from the idea from the start. Even though he is older than me with a stable career, he had said it wasn't a good idea. I feel like maybe he was a bit freaked on the idea and I made sure not to pressure the subject, knowing I do get excited around kids. Plus, I also agreed that we should live a little more together before considering it, I just wanted him to know.
"Anyways, I will let you go back to your class and make some calls." I told him with fingers wiggling again at the baby.
"I love you." The sound of hooting is there and he shushed at his college students and I chuckled.
"I love you, too. See you when you get home. Bye." I pulled the phone away as I heard him return it and hung up to call Izo.
-o-o-o-o-
The baby was crying as I bounced her in a small dance around the living room with light chirps. We were informed that social services wouldn't be able to make it out until Tuesday since the weekend is a holiday where most places are closed, especially government related. Izo helped buy some grocery related things and I was even scolding him for certain things he bought. It seems like Marco's family is used to the age seven and older, so it was interesting when Marco just kind of stared to the baby in trepidation.
I was fine with it, loving the little girl as she was a good baby. Rested through the first night with no problems and eats quickly. She slept often, making it easy to do things around the home. Trying to show her to sit up the following day on the couch had her squealing and rolling around. It was night again, Marco went to bed as he still seemed a bit apprehensive on what to do with the temporary visitor in our home. The baby seemed a little crabby, but I merely coaxed her with some play to wear her out and had her squealing in delight.
I ended up falling asleep on the couch with the baby, not my intention, but I didn't move an inch as the baby was cradled in an arm while I had my upper body more where the ottoman is. Marco had woken me up and I heard cooing as I noticed the baby begin to slap at my face, making me groan before laughing lightly. Shifting around a bit, I sat up with the baby cradling to my chest like a frog and I supported her head.
"Mh, I didn't mean to fall asleep." I mention in a slight mumble and got up to walk for the kitchen, getting a bottle as I shifted the baby to be cradled in one arm. As I was getting the formula into the bottle with water, a wild foot came out and knocked it to the floor. A surprised noise left Marco as he caught himself to the counter, almost slipping in the new mess. "Ah! Don't go doing that, you little stinker!" I ticked the baby's belly and she was squealing with arms waving around and legs kicking. "Now I have to clean it up, you little jerk!" I was light-hearted in my words as I smiled and soon moved to get paper towels, but she made a fuss noise. "Right, right, hold on." I spoke out as I instead went for a kitchen towel to throw it on top whilst gathering the bottle to try again.
"Ace, you need to clean that up." Marco remarked with his coffee and a look to me as I gazed to him.
"I will as soon as I get her bottle ready."
"It could stain the floor, yoi." I stopped and looked to him in disbelief.
"You are worried about formula staining the floor?" I asked him and noticed a look there and I frowned lightly. "Look, I know you don't like that she is here, but it's not my fault or her fault. She didn't get asked to be dropped on our porch, especially as it being so cold. And I know we discussed it already before you reminded me again for like the twentieth time. Just deal until Tuesday." I moved the hand out and soon went back to my task as he stared to me in surprise.
"But I can already see it and I don't want you to get attached." A sigh left me as I couldn't believe this right now and got the cap on to soon begin shaking the bottle.
"She needs some type of attachment while here, I can't just lay her down and leave her. Not only is that neglectful, but it could cause damage to the back of her head since you can't let them lie like that all the time." The comment left me as I soon moved the bottle to the baby who was happy as she tried to hold it up. I put my jaw to the end of the bottle to keep it tipped and I crouched before kneeling to clean up the mess. "Anyways, what are you complaining about? I'm doing everything, like I said I would." The words left me as I shimmied to reach for the drawer to get another hand towel and cleaned up the mess some more.
"I'm not complaining, I'm just making it obvious on how much work it is and that you don't bug me more about it after this." I gave him a look and soon finished cleaning up, taking a paper towel with a foot over the spot for good measure.
"Marco, I know what it's like. I had to watch Makino's baby for a week and that little one was way more work than she has been so far. And I have already told you that I respected your wishes on not mentioning it. If anything, you keep bringing it up." I told him in a matter-of-fact tone and was now holding the bottle as she finished drinking. Marco gave an unimpressed look and I sighed with a frustrated breath. "What is your deal? The baby is leaving Tuesday! It's not killing you to last a couple more days with a baby! Stop whining." I told him, causing eyebrows to raise and his face to twitch.
"This is why we can't."
"Why exactly?"
"You would just get snippy with me, yoi." A scowl was on me at those words and I put the bottle by the sink and placed a pacifier in her mouth.
"Marco, I love you and I always will. But right now, I am about to punch you. Just because you are unsure of babies, does not mean it should affect me. I have told you multiple times that I would not push the matter on you. I did not plan for this to happen and just because you can't handle a baby doesn't mean I should act the same. Are you blind?!" I asked out in a final statement as he watched me with a scowl. "Have I once asked for your help? I sit here and even if I am even struggling with something, I don't ask. Like cleaning up that mess? Oh, sure, it would have been nice to have some help."
A frustrated huff left me as I ruffled a hand through my hair while looking away.
"Maybe it really isn't a good idea to have a child around because if you can't fucking buck up for four days then how would it be with one for years?" I snapped out before huffing again and began picking up the hand towels and tossing them towards the laundry. "If you don't want to see my fucking face then you can leave because I would, but I don't have a car seat because the baby is only going to be here until Tuesday." I reminded him without looking back and began for the living room. I soon found the remote and lounged on the ottoman.
-o-o-o-o-
"I'm so sorry they had you come out on your days off and so early." I comment as a woman from social services was at the door Sunday morning and I was holding the baby with her swaddled as best as I could from how much she wiggled.
"No, they realized that it's hard to provide so suddenly and wanted me to look so we can compensate you." She smiled whilst wiggling fingers to the baby that giggled.
"You don't have to do that, if anything you can take everything since we aren't planning anything for a long while—if ever." I comment and she nodded in understanding and I lead her inside before showing her the basket, using it as a means for the baby stuff and it had a handle. "The postcard is in the basket and she came in this blanket." I mentioned whilst she took the baby first, cooing to the bundle before taking the basket after the baby was covered properly. "She ate about fifteen minutes ago and likes to every couple hours, but she eats quickly and she seems to sleep often as well." I began mentioning to the woman as I led her back to the door. "And she seems not to like dogs, like plushie kind—so I would avoid those. I apologize for giving her a pacifier, but it helped soothe her and she looked to be trying to figure out her thumbs and that's harder to break." The woman was smiling to me as she nodded in understanding.
"Thank you, I'm glad she was put under your care, you seem to have done this before. Do you have older children now?" Surprise was on me as I laughed lightly with a shake of my head.
"I helped raise my little brother since I was around seven and I helped babysit when I was a teenager with a baby." I mentioned with a smile and she nodded and gave me a look.
"You would make to be an excellent parent one day." That kind of hurt hearing since what happened last night before bed, both of my boyfriend and I fueled from the earlier spat of yesterday.
"Thank you, I get that a lot." I told her and she nodded before I bid her a farewell as she ushered to the car where someone awaited with the door opening to put the basket in. I closed the door and felt my chest clenching at the remembrance.
"It's never happening! We can't have a child because you're practically one all the time! You would not make to be a good parent being so immature! I don't understand why I put up with this!"
My heart felt like it tore when he yelled that at me and every bit of me felt so unsure for the first time with kids—and resulting with being dragged down by my self-worth again. I know I was a carefree individual and acted childish somewhat, but I always made sure to push that aside with catering to kids. They need someone there to be an adult and I made sure to provide it, but it hurt hearing Marco yell at me and I soon pulled on boots. I was still dressed in pajama pants and shirt, so I merely pulled on my thick jacket. As I went for the door, I paused and looked to the side table and let myself find the notepad to write on it before placing my phone carefully next to it.
Then I left with nothing else with me.
-o-o-o-o-
My pants were soaked and I was cold as I merely sat with legs dangling on the bridge. It wasn't much of a height, being something we jump during the summer. Cars passed by once in a while and I had arms on the railing as I rested my cheek to my forearm, watching the sun begin to set. It had been early morning when I left the home and I was knowing that if I didn't do anything then the night would freeze me, but at the same time—I didn't have the heart to move.
When we got into arguments, we would just separate for a couple hours to cool off, but Marco has never said that. Claiming on not understanding on why he put up with me. It hurt because at the beginning of our relationship he knew I had self-esteem problems with being with someone. Being someone who was never held high and there wasn't a lot of guys in the area with the same preference without it just being sex and running.
Marco had actually wanted a relationship and provided me a security blanket that I needed since I had been used so many times, dragged in with a promise of being together—only to be coaxed into letting them have my body. That was their main goal, getting me in bed and then left like I was a mere toy they got bored with. I had feared for months that Marco would get tired of me and the reassurance he gave was enough to the point I didn't worry anymore.
But… was I wrong?
I knew I was overbearing, I knew I had my own issues that I tried not to burden anyone with, but it seems I pushed it over. I truly respected Marco's wish on the whole baby/kid thing since I know his family hasn't dealt with babies. It wasn't like I was in a rush either, but liked to talk about things for the future. In a way, it's like another reassurance that we had a future together. That's why I had decided to just do him a favor and leave.
'I'm sorry for being a burden on you. I love you.'
A clench was in me as I watched as the sun finally settled below the horizon and the cold night air was beginning to drop drastically. Puffs from my breath were made and I soon heard a car hitting along gravel and then a car door after it parked.
"Ace!" I heard the worried, but relieved tone as I didn't move, hearing feet move quickly. "O-oi, are you okay?!" The concern was there and I shifted to look towards him, but not meeting his face.
"What are you doing here?" I asked lightly and I could see him as the street light made a silhouette of him coming my way.
"You are not a burden, don't ever think that!" He first claimed out while I notice him next to me with a hand going along my face to have me look up. "Fuck, you're so cold. Come on, yoi." He was tugging on my jacket and I merely followed to stand as he soon cupped my face with confusion. "Where's the baby?"
"She was picked up this morning… I was trying to tell you that last night…" I mention lightly and this guilty expression was there as he moved to grab my hand with a light hiss.
"Come on, let's get you in the car." I was dragged along as he finally got me into the backseat of the car. It was still running and was heated up as he soon began tugging on my jacket to get it off. "Ace, I'm sorry about last night… I didn't… I didn't mean any of it."
"Marco, you become bluntly truthful when angry…" I mention plainly and this guilt was there before he got the coat off and was noticing more on my clothes. Hands pulled on me as soon hugged onto me and that made me cringe lightly.
"No, this time I was just being irrational, yoi." The words came out as he held me with lips kissing to my forehead and I was still cringing lightly. "I was… I was just a bit jealous because I don't know really… how to take care of a small child. You were right… you were doing everything and did amazing and I feel awful I didn't help." That had me soon gripping to his shirt and pressing into him to take in his warmth.
"Marco, I'm not pressuring you at all… I want to have time with you first… I just kind of… I don't know, wanted to place it there as an option later on? So, you would know I was okay with it and open to the thought, but I know you aren't ready." The words left me as he held onto me tightly with a breath leaving him and rubbed my back.
"I'm sorry that I said those things… I love you so much. I couldn't have asked for better." Hands moved me so he could kiss my lips and I hummed as I was still chilled. "Fuck, Ace, you're so cold. Have you been outside all day? Did you eat anything? I need to get you home, you are too cold and need a warm bath, warm clothes, and I might give you some elderberry so you don't get sick…" A light laugh left me at seeing him fluster a bit and then he gave a confused look.
"You would make to be a fine parent, too, Marco." I looked to him with a smile and I noticed a flush to his cheeks. "But, of course, when we are more than ready. I still want to do some travelling with you before I most likely will be tied to the house. And plus, we could always go for older kids, they don't get adopted as much." That part was most definitely true and I could see the passionate look in blue eyes.
"I love you." A smile was there and I moved to tug him closer so he could kiss me. "And I so don't deserve you, but I am glad you decided to forgive me even though I was an idiot."
"You do put up with me."
"I love putting up with you, every day and until I die will I enjoy it." This snort left me and we laughed lightly. "Want some more corny words? Or do you want to go home to warm up?"
"As long as you are joining me in the bath." A groan was there as he pulled me closer to kiss me and this wiggle left me as I enjoyed it.
"I love you so much."
"I love you, too, stupid."