You know that wonderful feeling? Those unique seconds, focused on one moment, your heart falls into a canyon. Nothing springs into your mind, apart from that moment. This welcoming tune increases in your chest and stomach. Maybe a sickness, too deep in thought, as your throat urges to release a carefree scream. Blithe. The scream implying your anticipation. A feeling you'll only receive at that moment.
Gru and Lucy understand this feeling, whether they're blasted with adventurous missions or their mercurial love. Until Lucy stared at her enlarged belly, realising her days on enjoyable missions would temporarily halt.
This wasn't a flaw of pregnancy. No. Blaming her unborn child for restricting dangerous activities wasn't fair, as their welfare controlled her thoughts. Gru's mostly, if you're wondering.
"I really think you should still be at home," Gru whispered. He glanced at her stomach also, which become roomier for their baby as the months flew past. Six months now. Something about how her agile body holding a special human being - their child - filled his heart with butterflies. Lucy suited anything, including her endearing baby bump. Another reason to even compliment her every morning.
The silence kept away unwanted intruders; an advantage in Gru's case. Lucy wished to find the villains and beat them to a pulp. That bump faced potential danger with her courage, not that it was entirely bad. Gru's mind screamed horrible situations into his ears and negative thoughts and how his wife could be injured or worse...
Calm.
"It's nothing I can't handle," Lucy replied, resting her palm on his shoulder. Little actions soothed his nerves, noticing how his rapid breathing stopped sprinting and took a steadier pace. "I'll be known as the most badass mother anyone in the world!"
So, for their last mission for a few months, Lucy cherished every single moment.
Their mission: disable eight bombs planned to demolish the countryside. If the city became overloaded from the lack of shelter, these men had their lucky chance wiping out the enormous population. Their name? Operation Clear Dust. Seems odd, yes. However, when you picture an isolated city, dust becomes your only companion. But nobody was a match for Gru and Lucy.
"Oh my gosh, Grucy," Dru's voice squealed over their earpieces, "I've got news."
Unless...interruptions caught their attention.
Gru rolled his eyes. He remembered the day Lucy encouraged him to act kinder towards his brother. Hopefully, after giving him the opportunity to assist their missions, they would get along better. "What is it?"
Dru munched on another cookie, his chewing loud enough in their ears, "Your town's cookies are the best!"
Sometimes, he seemed as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Hearing the crack of his knuckles made Lucy chuckle. How the littlest actions irritated her husband, glancing at his infuriated face and clenched fists. He murmured, "When I get back there, I'm going to rip all his hair out."
"I can hear you." Dru replied. He scanned both cameras in Gru and Lucy's earpieces, attempting to be useful. Behind the walls surrounding them, smudges appeared. Heat detectors. His heart slammed, increasing the control of his breathing. They were trapped. Oh no, they had to escape! His trembling fingers grabbed the microphone, shouting, "Wait, I've got real news-"
"We're going offline." Gru stated. Ripping the device from his ear, as well as Lucy who protested at first, he continued to search the warehouse for the missiles. His brother was only cut off by one word in his sentence. Probably some irritating update on different flavoured cookies - absolute child.
Before scanning the room with X-Ray goggles, Lucy's grasped his scarf all of a sudden. The couple froze. Her finger rose to her lips. Silence followed, only a few seconds, until she punched her palm thrice with a clenched fist.
Spy signals: They're here.
Gru finally understood, as her message was supported with several clicks and whirrs from various weapons. Doors creaked. Footsteps echoed. Freeze Ray in one hand, the other clutching Lucy's waist, he adjusted his sight to multiple pairs of eyes aiming at the couple.
His mind hollowed. Nothing. Until his entire life flashed before his eyes: Margo, doodling flowers with a big grin. Edith, practising her karate moves with laughs brighter than life. Agnes, hosting tea parties with an infinite amount of teddies. Lucy, her beautiful eyes and motivating words. His unborn baby...
Their breathing synchronised. Heavy. Rapid. Yes, Lucy should've stayed at home. Otherwise, comforted by the safety of their home, she wouldn't be confined by danger.
A voice blared, "You're busted, now."
Weapons were drawn from jackets. Freeze Ray and Flamethrower already at ease. Whilst his hand gripped Lucy tighter, Gru counted how many criminals they had to escape. Eight. The man who yelled - noticeably the leader - stepped closer to the couple. He could almost hear Lucy scoff inside her mind. Intimidating groups couldn't scare them - they defeated much worse.
However, his wife sprung forward with the barrel of her weapon poking the leader's forehead. "Get back!"
Silence. Lucy peered at the villains who paused all of a sudden, sharing saucer eyes and gapes. Until, when Gru attempted to pull Lucy back by his side, the entire room burst with a roar of laughter. The sound pierced their ears. Clutching his side, the leader snickered, "Oh no, I'm going to pee my pants."
At first, Lucy trembled. Their laughter haunted her courageous intentions, compared to the cries that other villains released when she threatened them. But not this group: they mocked her. Unfortunately, her hormones spiked the corners of her eyes, the one reaction Lucy detested. Crying. No. Don't give in. Being pregnant couldn't prevent her body from teaching these idiots a lesson.
She took a steady breath, "Discriminating a pregnant girl, seriously?" Without focusing her aim, Lucy pointed her flamethrower towards a sturdy-looking man, pulling the trigger with no regrets. The flames lobbed through the air, landing on the man's face with a sharp smack.
"Aah! It's burning me!" he screamed, whacking his unkempt hair that now held flames. Clenching his fists, he dived straight for Lucy with a dagger in palm. She leaped to the side and gasped, clutching her belly. He aimed for her baby.
Gru witnessed this action, however. Adrenaline kicked into his blood. Oh no. That wasn't a positive sign. He couldn't fight his own mind. Those forces. Without hesitation, he drove his fist into the man's jaw, knocking him onto the solid concrete. Gru's palms shook, not from the chill but the fury, as he growled, "Don't you dare touch my wife!"
Gushes of pain rushed in Gru's fists. That couldn't stop his unbearable anger. How dare he attempt to harm his wife, and his baby?! His fists repeatedly punched the man's face, or diving into his chest to knock the air out of him.
"Gru, wait!" Her palms shook, like leaves struggling in fierce weather. She couldn't stand watching her husband transform into a killer. Not for this. Her hands grasped his arms, tugging him away from the injured man. "Gru, stop! You're going to kill him!"
His hands...blood painted them. Eyes flickered from his palms to his wife. Oh no. Her shoulders quaked, after witnessing another hidden side of her husband. A side she wanted to forget. They stared, yet the familiar emerald gleam disappeared. Mumbling her name, Gru stepped closer to Lucy, but caused her to stumble backwards. Further away from him. Noticing her widened eyes and wrapping her arms around her body, Gru realised what she wanted.
Lucy didn't want to be near him.
After sharing goodnight kisses to their girls, Gru led Lucy down to the lab. She obviously questioned him, but no response left her weary. Covering her eyes with his scarf supported her statement. Her mind recalled those moments during the mission; she thought somebody else injured that man, not her husband. Would he notice her shivering? Whilst temporarily blinded, Lucy felt Gru's hand guiding her through multiple hallways.
What was he planning?
Before Lucy could grow suspicious, they stopped. Gru's footsteps ran away from her, before returning to her side. Finally, the fabric unravelled from her head. Her husband's voice jumped in, "Surprise!"
Lucy forgot her doubts. Because, what stood before her happened to become the greatest sight she ever witnessed since their wedding day.
One corner had been secluded; painted daffodil yellow with specks of white. A fluffy blue carpet led the parents through the room. Hundreds or thousands of cuddly teddies leant against a white crib, waiting to be used by their baby. Once she stepped into the room, Lucy noticed a small mobile hanging above the crib, including miniature pictures of the family - Gru, Lucy, the girls, and a few hearts. A sign flashed above the scenery, labelling Grucy's baby.
"Gru..." Lucy clutched her heart. Just staring at an army of toys scattering the floor, baby suits hanging on a rocking chair, and even the welcoming cradle where their baby would lay. She beamed through her tears, "This is beautiful..."
"The girls helped me make this," Gru shrugged. His hands entwined behind his back, avoiding her endearing expression. Whenever she beamed, a stupid grin would appear and his cheeks glowed to the colour of shiny tomatoes. "I would've loved to make this with you, I do have some ideas I could invent with-"
Gru yelped all of a sudden, as Lucy squeezed his large form in a swift hug. At first, he stared like a statue, but embraced his wife knowing that his achievement and hard work paid off. She interrupted him, "I love it...I couldn't ask for anything better..."
"Sweetie, this is our baby," he noticed how cold her hands became. At least there was an excuse to take her hand, stroke his thumb across her palm. "We don't need to ask to give them the world."
"Of course, I knew that."
That was all Lucy ever wanted. To give their daughters and unborn baby a future that everyone dreamed about.
Gru released a nervous laugh, pulling his itchy sweater collar. Her face lit an infinite amount of stars. Then, something inside him, a lamp of reassurance, lost power. Something flashed before his eyes.
That man he almost killed.
His mind grasped his villainous side once again, shoving his fury towards someone who threatened Lucy. If he didn't, they both knew who would be injured instead. Glancing at his hands, Gru shivered whilst noticing specks of blood staining them. Except, there was no blood. He hallucinated. The sheer thought of murdering a man poked his fear, but why was he so afraid?
His hand moved up to her cheek, making sure Lucy listened to every word he said, "Do you see me as a monster?"
Lucy paused. Her eyebrows knitted together, "Wh-What?!"
"I didn't listen to you when I was hurting that guy," he admitted. That moment flew into his mind, just as he remembered his wife's words brushed over him. He ignored her. All for the benefit of protecting his family. But, finally realising, Gru knew he frightened her instead. "Your face...you were frightened of me."
Once he attempted to disconnect their gazes, Lucy clutched his cheeks and shook her head, "No, no, don't say that," How could she fear her husband? Never in their life has he dared harming her. Everyone knew that Gru would rather slice his own two hands than injure his wife. "I'd never be afraid of you, no matter what you do. Yes, we're both agents who kick ass when we see each other get hurt, but that'll never change the way I look at you in the morning."
Gru sighed, resting his palm on her belly. He wished he believed her. Yet, that little bug inside him repeated over and over, Monster. Knowing he couldn't shake off these feelings alone, he gulped, "I don't want our baby to see me as...a monster."
Halfway through his sentence, Lucy swore Gru's voice broke. Oh no...she couldn't handle her husband breaking down. That's his enclosed side that crept out of its cave from time to time. Poking his anxiety when it came to their baby, Lucy couldn't accept. So, she caressed his cheek gently - an action that always soothed his nerves, "We don't see you as a monster, honeybear. We see you as Gru. The best father and husband. Why do you think I jumped out of that plane?"
Lucy was right; he knew it. The girls wouldn't be safe and sound in their unique beds right now, slumbering away until another eventful day. Neither would Lucy, the woman who slept by his side, betray him for his traumatising past. They admired him. His beautiful family wouldn't exist if he never gave up his villainous intentions. Nothing would be perfect otherwise.
Straight away, knowing her touch was his remedy, she grasped his scarf and closed the distance between them. He kissed her with equal passion. Two comets colliding, forming one strong asteroid built from their fears. Hips were clasped by his warm palms; lips owned by his only, as he gently broke away before placing another on her cheek.
Noticing a work bench beside the couple, Gru snatched a grip on Lucy's thighs and lifted her onto the desk. One hand caressing her leg, he shifted the other around her hip and pulled her closer to him. They could've continued into the night. When Gru pushed further, shoving his hand further up her dress, that triggered - once again - an interruption.
"I appreciate your affection, I really do," A voice echoed. Gru and Lucy snapped their sights to the intruder, only to find an awkward Dr Nefario stood there. Fortunately, they freed him from the carbonite he accidentally trapped himself in during a weapons test. Hands behind his back, aware of the situation before him. "But please, no intimacy on my work desk, Gru."
