Shane ran his hands over A.J.'s stomach, enjoying the small movements following his fingers. Glancing up at the sleeping man next to him, Shane moved closer, leaning down and pressing a kiss against soft, tan skin. "Hi you guys, did you enjoy lunch today? Daddy looked happy to be able to eat and it stay down." He let out a soft chuckle at the kick he was given. "Guess you did then. Well, what about next time? Think you guys might enjoy Greek or maybe something spicy like Thai or Indian?" Shane sighed as a small foot then a hand moved beneath his fingers. "I hope you guys are ok and happy. You and daddy mean so much to me." Shane took a deep breath before moving back and watching his sleeping partner. They had spent the better part of the day shopping after A.J.'s nap. His mom had insisted on taking A.J and Sadie to all the baby and maternity shops. By the time Shane and Stephanie had been able to catch up to them, A.J had been flushed and grinning, his arms linked with his sister and Linda's. Shane didn't know what to say to the sight of his partner so happy. Until his father spoke from behind them...
"Not very well trained is he?"
"Watch your mouth Vince. Don't think that because mom is paying for this shopping excursion that I have to listen to you."
"We all know you won't but I'm just curios Shane? What kind of life can you provide for him and children? Do you have anything to offer them?"
Shane hadn't answered Vince's question, glancing over at Stephanie before walking away. He'd wandered around the outlet, thoughts going over what his father said. What did he have to offer A.J and the children? He would do his best to protect them, to make sure they were always happy and loved. Sighing, Shane had stopped in front of a furniture store, his eyes going to a small set of baby furniture. Moving closer, Shane spotted a small, dark cherry wood rocking chair with ocean blue cushions.
"It belonged to my grandmother, she used to rock her babies and grandbabies to sleep in that chair. Said it made her feel good to be able to help us in such a small way."
"My mate...he would, umm, h-how much is it he would really enjoy it?" Shane turned to the petite woman next to him, eyes widening as he looked at the woman next to him. "I remember you, is this your shop? I didn't..."
"Honey you wouldn't have noticed me. Your eyes were only for your partner. As for the chair, come by tomorrow and pick it up, consider it a gift from one generation to the next."
Shane had tried to pay for the chair, insisting on giving her something. In the end he'd agreed to by the matching napping couch and changing table in return for the rocking chair. He'd been so engrossed in making sure everything was taken care of he'd missed the first two texts from A.J. It wasn't until his phone had rung did Shane realize he needed to go. Smiling at the elderly woman, Shane had turned, heading towards the exit as he answered. "Allen, honey I'm sorry, I..."
"Where uh, w-where are you, did you leave? What's going on, your dad said you two got into a disagreement and that you just...you left! Please tell me..."
"Honey I'm still here at the outlet, I was at the furniture shop. I needed to think, he was trying to get under my skin. I'm sorry, you were having so much fun and I didn't want to ruin your mood."
"So you didn't leave me here?"
"No baby I didn't leave you, there would be no reason to leave you."
"He said something about me didn't he? He said something and it upset you, what did he say Shane? What..."
"Baby calm down, it wasn't about you. It was about me and he was right. Look I'm on my way to the restaurant now. You sound upset, what else did Vince say to you? Did he touch you Allen?"
"Nothing, just...you swear you didn't leave me here?"
Shane had made it to the restaurant just as A.J turned around. He'd seen from the look on A.J.'s face that Vince had upset his partner with his description on how things had happened. Shane had grabbed A.J., pulling him close and they had left. Heading to Shane's truck, they decided to pick up a pizza and wings before heading out to the overlook.
Shane had done everything he could to distract his partner. Making sure to keep the conversation light and on anything that made A.J smile. It wasn't until they'd finally made it back to the house did A.J show his exhaustion. After a quick shower, Shane had dried the tired omega off, carrying him to bed and climbing in behind him. He hadn't been able to stop the chuckle that rumbled through him as he watched the sleeping man, enjoying the calm of their evening.
Running a finger over the chains around A.J.'s neck, Shane studied them. He'd gotten the necklace on a whim. Hoping, despite everything, that he would be accepted by the mate of his choice. It had been easy picking out the stones for the chain, the bracelets had been a different issue. Those were for his children, the creation of both he and his partner, and they had to be perfect. If there were a chance his mom was right...
"Shane?"
Shane looked up at the sleepy voice, smiling as hazy, blue eyes focused on him. "Hey gorgeous, how do you feel?"
"I'm hungry again but..." A.J broke off with a yawn as he shifted towards Shane. "What, uh, w-why are you still up?" Running a hand through his hair, A.J hummed as a large hand moved over his stomach. "They want something sweet." He grinned at the soft chuckle from Shane. "Something with honey if..." His eyes widened as a plate of funnel cakes was moved in front of him. "When..."
"Sadie brought them back when Dre dropped her and the gifts off." Shane sat the small plate in front of A.J., watching as he reached for one. "The honey is all over them so be careful." Shane watched as A.J bit into the dessert, honey dripping over his fingers and down his chin. "Christ, is there nothing you do that turns me on?"
A.J blinked in surprise as he turned to Shane. "My eating funnel cake is turning you on?" Licking the honey off of his fingers, A.J finished the cake, a sigh of contentment leaving him before he let out a soft sound of surprise. "Shane?" He turned to the man pulling him across the bed. "You could have just said something." He grinned at the intense look on Shane's face. "Shane, what did your dad say earlier to upset you?"
Shane stiffened, not wanting to sour the mood but aware that A.J wouldn't simply let the issue go. "He asked me what I had to offer you guys and in his own way, he makes a point. What do I have to offer you three?" Shane sighed as he looked down at the upturned face. "We're staying at your family's house when I should have my own place. Your sister feeds us when I should be doing that as well. I'm not doing a very good job of taking care of you guys baby and it's a little hard to admit. Especially since the revelation came from Vince's insensitivity."
A.J frowned as he listened to Shane. Shaking his head, he pulled Shane closer. "You protect us, you love us and take care of us. The things Sai does is because of love. This is her way of trying to help. As for the place...I umm, i-if you don't mind it being in my name, I have a place. But, uh, my mom left it to me before she passed and I haven't really been back since." He watched Shane struggle with a decision, nerves fluttering in anticipation. "Shane?"
"I can't live off of you baby, it's not right and I will not ask you to give up your inheritance. It's yours and I have no right to demand you give it up." Shane pulled A.J closer. "Maybe...I don't know, maybe I can help you clean the place up, if you want to stay then we will. I'll take care of whatever you need done to fix it up but I won't let you take care of me, not like that."
A.J nodded slowly, thoughts going over what Shane said. "So, uh, you'll let me keep it? I mean if we don't stay there, I'll still be able to do what ever with it?"
"Your mom left it to you not me. Whatever you had before we got together is yours to keep no matter what. I just...I need to be able to offer you something other than protection. I have no home for you and our children and that hurts my pride." Shane let go of A.J as he moved to the edge of the bed. "It's not a good feeling knowing that you guys need so much and I don't have any means to provide for you."
A.J frowned, moving behind Shane he wrapped his arms around him. "I'm not...I-I wasn't trying to make you feel bad Shane I just...mom left the house and land to me and I've never really had a reason to go back after but maybe, um, with you it can be our place?" He felt Shane stiffen, knew the alpha hated the idea of living off of his partner. "We're living together Shane, having kids together. This won't change that, you'll always be my alpha, the children will always be your children, and I..."
"Will always by my omega." Shane finished softly, hands moving to cover the smaller ones at his waist. He let out a soft huff at the feel of the warm body pressed against him. "Let's take a trip out to see what needs to be done after the holidays. Maybe I can do some of the stuff myself." Voice soft, Shane felt his shoulders drop as he thought about his decision. "God I'm not much of an alpha if I can't take care of you guys on my own."
"You're not less of an alpha by doing this honey. You're always going to be alpha, no matter what. Just because I have one thing to help us won't change anything." A.J could feel the tension holding Shane together. Knew he was upset about the possibility of not being able to provide for them. "You're work study is going good, right, so there is income a-and Sai will help when she can with food and meals because let's face it, neither of us can cook."
Shane chuckled softly, aware that his mood was transferring to his partner. "Ok fine, I'll try my best to not be so down but I want it understood, I'm your partner not master. I need you to understand that, I will not take anything from you that I can not give in return."
A.J nodded, relieved that Shane was who he was. "We, um, we can go out and look next week if you want. I mean, Sadie has kept it clean and stuff but..." A.J moved back as Shane turned. "I'd like to go back with you beside me. It was hard losing mom, dad always insisted she was no good but I never saw that. I never saw who he was talking about but then he met Sadie and Dre's mom a-and Sadie showed me what I missed growing up without mom there." Shaking his head, A.J sighed as he sat back against the headboard. "Dad denied us both a chance at happiness. Mom said she should have fought harder for me, that she should have taken me with her. I'm kind of glad she didn't because then I wouldn't have Sadie or Dre or you."
Shane grinned as he laid down next to A.J., a soft sound rumbling through him at the feel of a small hand in his hair. "Whenever you're ready honey. I'm here to cater to you." Shane sighed as A.J massaged his scalp. He was drifting off until he remembered A.J.'s surprise. "I got something for you." Shane moved off of the bed and over to the door. "Stay right here, I've got to carry them in."
A.J blinked as the light was switched on and he watched Shane disappear from the room. He wondered what Shane was up to this time when the door opened and Dre walked in backwards. "Dre?"
"McMahon out did himself this time. I will admit to being wrong about him Jones, this is an alpha in love."
A.J frowned then felt his eyes widen as one end of a small couch appeared through the doorway. "Dre, what is..." He broke off as Shane walked through holding the other end. The smile on the alpha's face spoke volumes. "Is this why you were late for dinner? A napping couch?"
"I, uh, n-not just the couch baby, I, uh..." Shane broke off at the look on his partners face. "Honey I swear there's more than just the couch." Turning he headed back out the door and into the hall.
A.J climbed out of bed and padded over to the couch. "It's a napping couch, mom used to have one of these when I was little. It was almost this color but..." He turned as Shane walked through the door, eyes widening at the chair he carried with him. "Shane where did you get that?"
"Do you remember the elderly omega who stopped us at Rey's office a while back?" At the slow nod, Shane grinned. "She owns an antique shop on the far side of the outlet, said the furniture has been in her family for generations. I was trying to pay for everything but she insisted on you having the chair." Shane set it down near the bed, watching as blue eyes turned watery. "Baby, what's wrong, you don't like it?"
"Mom...she, uh, s-she had one just like this. When she got sick she had to sell a lot of her stuff and, um this was one of them." A.J ran his fingers over the dark wood and bright cushions. "She used to sing to me while rocking me to sleep in this chair. Said it was her greatest pleasure to be able to do something so small to help me."
Shane blinked at the statement. "That's what the owner said that her grandmother used to rock the babies in the chair. I even got the changing table a-and ottoman. I wanted the full set but the uh, the crib wasn't available." Shane frowned in frustration, watching the wide eyed expression in front of him. "Allen?"
"This is all my baby furniture, look, mom carved my initials right above hers on the couch." A.J moved over to the couch, lifting the bright blue arm covering, he scanned the wood. "Right there, look moms then mine and...dads? But why..."
"Because, despite how he acted, he did love your mother. Peer pressure is dangerous for those who can't handle it."
A.J looked up to find Sadie watching him. "How did..." He turned back to the rocking chair, walking over and sitting down A.J sighed.
"Feel ok?" Shane wanted to please his partner and if this helped then he had done something right for the day. "If not I'll find something..."
"No, Shane no this is...w-we can keep this, it's great." A.J ran his hands over the soft blue material. Could remember when his mom had made the coverings, explaining what they were for. After, they had both fallen asleep in the chair, his moms arms around him and holding him close. "She used to tell me stories about dad and her family. Her dad didn't like her choice of partner, said he meant her no good. When she got pregnant, they turned their backs on her, said she was on her own. Dad never let her live that down, how he had to help her and take her in. He never let her forget..."
Shane moved in front of A.J., kneeling until they were eye level. "Baby, if it's going to bring back bad memories..."
"No, mom loved me, I just...I-I thought I'd lost all of this. I hadn't been able to help her and dad had already remarried but..." A.J looked up at Shane then Sadie, surprised by her glassy expression. "Sai?"
"She left it all with her grandmother, said it was the only way to make sure she was able to give you anything. She was a kind lady, your great grandmother, always giving to the children. Rumors say her only son left with an alpha who mistreated him. Got him pregnant then turned him out once the second child was born. Your grandfather was a good man and did not deserve how he was treated. Your Uncle Ryan has been watching over you for years, afraid that if he came forward you would hate him for not having done so sooner."
"Wait, Uncle Ryan is still alive? Mom said he died at birth, how...where is he now? Does he want to see me, I mean I know I'm pregnant but he could at least..." A.J broke off as he tried to catch his breath. He hadn't known all of this. He'd thought up until now that his only uncle was dead and that his mom had no family left on her side. "I have a family I don't know?"
Shane grinned as he pulled A.J to him. "That's even better, now you have Sadie, Dre, me, and a whole lot of other people to spoil you."
"Be serious Shane, I only need you for that." A.J flushed at the grin Shane gave him but didn't change his statement. "Sadie, is Uncle Ryan still around? I mean I'd like to spend some time with him if he wants."
"I can see if he wants to come out for the holidays, maybe he will bring your great grandmother. Your grandfather, sadly, is dead, killed in a boating accident I believe."
A.J looked up at her sigh, saw the tension around her eyes and mouth and frowned. "I'm not going anywhere Sai, you're not going to lose me to them."
"I have no right to say different however. I am only your step sister, we have no blood claim to you or the children. But I do not wish to lose either of you. I love you as if you are my own flesh and blood."
A.J felt his eyes fill with tears as he watched his sister's face. "Sadie?" She gave him a small, watery smile before turning and heading towards the door. "Sai wait, don't..."
"I will be back later young one. Do not stress so much. You and your alpha deserve this time to enjoy your surprise and forgive me for having told so much you did not know. I should have told you sooner but..."
A.J watched as bright, emerald green eyes focused on him. "It still doesn't change how I feel. You and Dre are the only siblings I've ever known. But I, umm, I would like to meet my uncle and obviously my great grandmother." Turning to Shane he frowned. "Did she look sick to you, we never did figure out why she was at the doctor's office that day?"
Shane shook his head, rubbing A.J.'s stomach absently. "She never said at the store either but I'm sure we can find out, especially now that we know who she is and why she's so interested in you."
A.J nodded as he thought about the elderly woman. "I've seen her on campus too. About a year ago she showed up at orientation for the team. She was...she is one of our sponsors."
Shane frowned as he looked up at A.J. "You mean like a booster?"
"Yeah but I'll have to ask Christian after break to be sure. He knows the sponsors better than I do." A.J stood up, grinning at Shane's soft protest. "Come on big guy there is a plate of funnel cakes on the bed and I just found out I still have family left. Let's enjoy a movie and cuddle or, umm..."
Shane's grin turned wicked as he glanced back at the bed. "Or umm sounds interesting." Turning to Sadie, his smile softened. "You know you're not getting rid of us that easily, right?"
"Good because I am quite fond of you both."
"We're not going anywhere but you may want to leave. I love you sis but I need to have sex with my alpha and if you don't want to see that then..." A.J broke off with a breathless chuckle. He glanced down at the hand between his thighs, shivering as Shane teased him with his fingers. "Stop being an asshole Shane, you did that on purpose." He panted once Sadie had left the room, her soft laugh followed her down the hall, fading on the night breeze. Pulling Shane down, A.J groaned as a large hand wrapped around his cock. "You're an asshole for making me wait all day."
"Making you wait all day?! Baby, I've been doing my best not to fuck you every time you smiled at me. Do you have any idea how difficult it's been watching you today? I've never seen you look so happy and every time you would look at me..." Shane kissed A.J., aware that this had been building between them for the better part of the day. "You have no idea what you're doing to me do you?"
A.J shook his head, eyes drifting close at the feel of Shane's lips moving across his skin. He wasn't sure what Shane was talking about, as far as he could tell his partner was still the same. Maybe a little more possessive, far more protective, and hornier than usual but... "Jesus, Shane, what..." A.J stuttered as he was picked up and carried back to the bed. "I could have walked you know." Breathless and excited, A.J looked up at the man looming over him. "I love you just as you are Shane, you know that right?"
Shane grinned as he leaned down. "Of course, that's not something I doubt. My ability to make sure you have everything you want or need is the problem." Brushing his lips over A.J.'s, Shane sighed. "I want to focus on you tonight. Nothing else matters but that."
Shane spent the rest of the night making sure that A.J was satisfied. He couldn't erase his father's words out of his head, the mocking tone ringing with a semblance of truth. The only thing that muted the words was the sound of his partner...his soft gasps and cries of pleasure echoing around the room were enough to push back his worries, at least for the time being.
By the time Shane let A.J cum, the desperate omega was flushed and breathless. When Shane finally pushed A.J over the edge, he held the small body back against him. Stroking the small cock, Shane whispered words of praise and endearment, watching as A.J gasped softly, body going limp against Shane's. Pressing kisses along his sweaty neck, Shane sighed. After a few silent moments, Shane ran a hand over A.J.'s stomach. "Anything you want I will do my best to give to you and the children." He smiled at the sleepy hum, aware that A.J was more than likely drifting back to sleep. Running a hand through sweat dampened hair, Shane held A.J close. Despite the ring of truth to Vince's words, Shane knew that if A.J were truly unhappy he would tell Shane. Sighing, Shane closed his eyes, relaxing behind the soft body pressed against him. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his new family, even if it meant accepting what ever help was offered.