Title:
Summary: One plump stomach and a batch of hormones can bring out the worst in a dog.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Duke
A/N: Okay, so I guess I fell in love with Duke. giggles And I had to make another Jess and Duke drabble. He's too cute to turn down.
Thank you so much Red, for being my beta!
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One plump stomach and a batch of hormones can bring out the worst in a dog. And a woman. Honestly, after all of the talks with my uncle and after the books Rory made me read, I thought having a pregnant wife would be a simple task.
But, after the first trimester, I learned the reality in caring for a wife and the child in her stomach. Want to know something even more amusing? I learned the reality in caring for a wife while she was carrying my child along with the safety tips I would need for a protective dog.
When she started showing, around five months, Duke became even more territorial than he was before. Snapping at me when I put my hand on my wife's stomach, growling when Rory would yell at me about something that was totally not my fault, and worst of all tackling me to the ground if I so much as talked to Rory.
I began to find ways to avoid him. When he was napping, Rory would sneak over to me and nestle into my side on the couch. And when he would wake up, he'd simply grunt as Rory scolded him. Yes, she's gotten better at punishing the damn thing.
Putting together the nursery was the most difficult thing to go through with a one hundred and fifty pound German Shepherd watching your every move. I worked on the room every time Rory was out or sleeping and Duke was just determined to ruin my surprise. Everything I did, he messed up.
I thought he was bad when we first got together. That was just the beginning.
"Can we go to the park?" She asks me, watching Juno for the eightieth time and resting her popcorn bowl on her round stomach.
I sigh, tapping my foot against Duke's leg to move him from in front of her, "Why?"
"Because, it is so pretty outside and Duke needs the fresh air." She smiles up at me from her place in my chair, "and we can have a picnic."
"Oh god," I can feel my face scrunching up in distaste, "do we have to?"
"Fine, if you don't want to please your pregnant wife who has to sit in the house all day while you get to go out and experience the working world, then fine," she folds her arms across her chest, a slight pout forming on her face.
When I hear the low rumble from Duke's throat, I bite the inside of my cheek and grit my teeth, "Okay."
"Okay?" She grins, honestly thrilled, and I can't help but smile back.
I just nod, walking to the kitchen to pack the dang picnic basket she likes so much. A white and blue cloth on the inside. And a yellow flower on the handle. I tried to get rid of it for her, but it has memories, she says.
"Thank you so much!" She squeals from her spot and I hear Ellen Page's voice cut off. "Duke! We're going to the park!"
Do you know how hard it is to not roll your eyes?
I sit with my back resting against the rough bark of the tree trunk, running my hand through Rory's short hair as it rested in my lap. She cut it once the heat came. I believe her exact words were: 'When it's ninety-five degrees, you're a planet, your feet are swollen, and you have sweat dripping from you even in a room that is properly conditioned, you'll cut your hair off too!'
She reaches her hand up to my mouth and tosses a grape in while her other hand rests on Duke's back. I'm praying he stays this calm the whole time.
I look down at her solemn expression and chuckle when she looks up, "What?"
Shrugging, I just smile, "You're looking mighty intently at those love bugs."
"They're annoying," Rory mutters, swatting at them.
I just shake my head as she grabs the two bugs connected and tears them apart, putting them on different sides of the blanket.
"Hey!" I look back down at her, "That was rude! What if someone were to come tear you away from your mate during sex?"
"Oh my gosh! They were having sex? I thought they were fighting!"
I laugh, staring down at her, "So you were doing it to make peace in the world, huh, baby?"
Pouting, she nods, looking at the two bugs crawl over blades of grass to get back to each other, "It was for the best!"
"I know, Ror," I laugh and move her head so I can get up, "I need to walk a bit."
Rory nods to me, glancing at Duke, "He's asleep, try to get up slowly so you won't scare him."
"Anything for Prince Duke," I mock, standing up and dusting off.
She glares at me, kicking my foot, "Be nice to him, Jess."
I smirk, holding my hand out, "Only if you ditch Sleeping Beast and walk with me."
Laughing, she grabs my hand and I help her up, "Since you asked so nicely."
And finally I was walking alone with her without a wet nose at my tail and a deep rumbling noise piercing my ears.
Truthfully, I'm surprised I had time to get my wife pregnant. That damn dog trails my feet everywhere I go. I think we actually had to lock the door that night and ignore the whining and scratching coming from the other side.
Those noises are not something that could get you easily turned on.
I smirk at her and nudge her arm with mine, "Do I finally get my wife to myself? You know, most guys would hate being the 'other man.'"
She laughs, shaking her head, "Quit being dramatic."
I just smile at her, stopping to lean down and feel Rory's stomach. I'm not really one for baby talking to my wife's stomach like everyone else in our family enjoys doing. I usually just simply tell it good morning, goodnight, and occasionally place a kiss on her bare stomach.
I can feel her eyes on me as I'm placing a kiss on her swollen stomach. "Hey buddy," I mumble to the baby underneath all of her porcelain skin. I look up at her and she's smiling brightly.
"Here," she says as she grabs my hand and places it right below her stomach, "feel this."
Never in my life have I felt something cooler than a small thumping on her stomach, created by someone that I created. The baby has never kicked for me before. It's the first time I've felt it.
"Isn't that the coolest?" Rory smiles at me, true excitement in her eyes.
I just nod, smiling up at her.
I feel her fingers run through my messy hair, that I didn't mind putting gel into this morning. Damn it. "You know, next time my grandma talks in a baby voice to my stomach … can you not lecture her on how bad it is?"
"It could totally decrease the child's IQ," I sigh, "I want a smart child."
And as she opens her mouth to argue, I cringe, hearing a chipper bark followed by the thudding paws against grass.
"Hey honey!" She squeals, squatting down to scratch his ears, "Have a good nap?"
"God, Rory," I roll my eyes, standing up, "he can't answer you, baby."
And again a small growl emerges from Duke's mouth. Rory stands up and places her hand on his head, "Duke, bad dog." I smile and she hits my arm, "Immature."
I sit on the couch, flipping on the TV and turning it down so it wouldn't wake Rory or the dog. However, it didn't work, I hear shuffling come down the hall behind me and not a minute later Rory was snuggled into my side.
"Have you thought of names?" She mumbles, covering her mouth to stifle a yawn.
I shrug, honestly, I had. But, I never give my suggestions because she shoots them down or that stupid dog growls.
"I'm serious, Jess. If you have a name, then tell me."
"I have, you don't like them," I smile and kiss her forehead, "It's okay though, you pick out names."
She looks up at me, "Well, if I knew the gender I might be able—"
"No, no, no," I shake my head, "we will find out on the day our baby is born."
"Ugh! Jess I want to know what my child is going to be, please!"
I frown, honestly, the woman can't take surprises. "We promised we were in this together. You agreed we'll find out when he or she is born."
She huffs, "Who does that anymore Jess? Really?"
"Hey, I like to do it old fashioned. Think of the old days when women gave birth in their beds and they had no clue what the kid was going to have."
"Those were sick, sick days," she mumbles and I roll my eyes.
After silence, I realize I should probably make her smile again. "If it's a boy, I was thinking about naming him James Christopher," I mumble to her and she looks up at me with a smile.
"My dad and your dad," she kisses my cheek, "See? I like your names."
I chuckle and pull her closer to me, "And how about if it's a girl you pick the name?"
"Fair enough," she smiles, softly. I kiss her shoulder and she giggles as I lean her back on the couch, pressing my lips to hers. My hands slowly inch up her back, under my t-shirt she was wearing.
She tugs at the shirt that is snug against my chest and pokes out her bottom lip, her way of asking me to get it off. I just smile and begin to pull it over my head, when I hear the hated jingle and clacking of nails against a hard wood floor.
"Shit," I mutter and she laughs. I rest my forehead on her stomach and feel the baby kick as Duke jumps up on our legs.
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