Chapter 7: Gilbaby
Gilbert paced around the house, furiously trying to put the finishing touches on the nursery. Matthew just watched him with an amused grin on his face.
"What?" Gil snapped, after catching Matthew's look. "She's in labor RIGHT NOW the nursery has got to be perfect oh GOD WE'RE GOING TO BE DADS!" he screeched, utterly freaked out. Matthew just smiled again.
"Calm down, Gil. The adoption agency already said we're good, and we've read every book about parenting in both English and German. I think we'll be fine," Matthew assured, a grin still apparent on his face.
"Easy for you to say!" Gilbert whined. "You're great with kids! Alfred's kid loves you for crying out loud!"
"Well, I am his uncle," Matthew commented dryly. Gilbert just glared. "I think it's nearly time to go to the hospital. How about I drive?"
Gilbert pouted, but in the end agreed. "Too awesome to drive right now, anyway," he muttered to himself.
"No you're not," Matthew sang from the other room. "You're freaking out, not too awesome!"
Once in the car, Matthew sat in the driver's seat with a bored expression. Gilbert was checking, double checking, and yes, triple checking, that they had what they needed. Car seat, check. Diapers, check. Adoption papers, check check check.
"Are you done now?" he drawled from the driver's seat. Gilbert nodded his head, although a bit unsurely. He looked around a couple times and finally sat in the passenger's seat. Matthew smiled softly. "Gil, you should call one of your friends. Maybe they can help you calm down while I drive."
"Yeah, yeah, okay. Since you're a total jerk and are not taking this seriously, I will call one of my friends," he pouted.
"I'm not a jerk, I keep telling you we'll be fine," Matthew protested, but was cut off by Gilbert punching in a phone number. He grumbled and turned the car on and started their trek to the hospital.
After a few rings, the phone picked up and a distinct French accent came from the other side. "Bonjour?~~" Matthew snorted, of course Gilbert would call Francis.
"Yo, Francis, I'm kinda freakin' out here. I need your ultimate French wisdom of love and family," Gilbert explained, only half joking about the wisdom.
"Well my little Gilbert, of course I can help! Is this about your adoption?" Francis inquired.
"Actually, yeah it is. The surrogate mother is in labor right now, actually…" Gilbert trailed off as they were at a stop light and he saw a dog on the sidewalk. "DOGGIE!" He screeched and rolled down the window and waved at the dog. The dog barked happily before moving on with his owner.
"Gilbert?" Francis asked, confused.
"Oh sorry, there was a really cute dog and I had to wave at it," he explained before realizing how dumb that sounded. "I MEAN I totally saw a dog fight, yeah."
Francis and Matthew both snorted at his lame excuse. They all knew he was a sucker for cute dogs.
"Anyway, what should I do?" Gilbert asked into the phone.
"Well, this is your first child, right?" Gilbert made an affirmative noise. "Ah, then, just don't fuck up and you'll be fine."
"... That is really crappy advice. What if I DO fuck it up?" Gilbert panicked. Matthew just smiled and shook his head, thoroughly enjoying the conversation. He knew that Gilbert would be an amazing dad, so it was funny to see the anxious stages before that.
"Have a second child," Francis deadpanned in response.
"Huh?" he replied intelligently.
"Have a second kid. It'll turn out better than the first. The first one's the lab rat - ya find out what to do and what not to do," Francis explained, slightly giggling. Matthew laughed as well, earning a glare from Gilbert.
He was quiet for a moment.
"WELL YOU'RE NO HELP!" Gilbert shouted into the phone, and hanging up with a pout.
"Is this a good time to tell you that we're here?" Matthew asked shyly. Gilbert huffed and stalked out of the car, Matthew following behind him.
Quickly enough, they found their way to the maternity ward and asked for the room number. Looking sideways at Gilbert, Matthew slipped his hand into Gilbert's, and squeezed tightly. Surprised, Gilbert glanceded at Matthew and all his nerves melted away with his gentle smile.
That damn smile got him every time.
They held hands all the way to the room that the surrogate mother was in. Stopping in front of the closed door, Matthew squeezed Gil's hand again. He smiled softly again, and kissed Gil on the cheek.
"Ready to be a dad?" he asked quietly.
"No," Gilbert confessed with a smile, "but if it's with you, I think I'll be fine."
They pushed the door open, and went over to Christine. She was holding their new baby girl. Gilbert nearly burst into - very manly - tears right then and there. She looked up to the couple tiredly and asked if they wanted to hold her. They both nodded enthusiastically.
Christine passed Matthew the baby, and he coos at how cute she is. He holds her tight and Gilbert leaned over them, blissfully happy. He kisses the top of Matthew's head and smirks.
"Well damn, Birdie, it's our little Gilbaby," he commented with a small chuckle. Matthew snorted and leans against him.
"Yeah, she is ours, isn't she?" he agrees with a small smile. "I love her already."
"Mmhmm," Gilbert hums happily, holding his family tightly.
End of Chapter 7
