Phoning In
John woke up to Helen running for the bathroom. He rubbed his eyes warily. Could morning sickness still happen after the baby was born? Probably not, right? John felt himself fully wake up and wanted to smack himself for that bit of idiocy.
This was why he fully woke up before opening his mouth. He got up and sighed. "Helen?! Are you doing alright?"
John was treated to a baleful glare as his wife left the bathroom. He knew that she wasn't really mad at him, more at the situation at hand. "No, and I'm calling in sick."
John felt a stabbing headache beginning to come on. Well, shit. John gave Helen a puppy-eyed look as she hung up on her work. "Can you call in for me?"
Helen looked amused before she dialed the work number for his office. John watched her deadass hang up five seconds in. "I'm not asking you. I'm telling you John's going to be out."
Helen slammed the phone down. John beamed at her. Helen was amazing at that sort of thing. "I love you."
Helen walked over and put a hand on his forehead. John leaned into the touch. "You have a fever."
John gave her a slightly pouty look as she slid back into bed next to him. Helen wrapped her arms around him. John was in heaven as she curled up against him. Sure, they were both slightly too warm but this was a rare moment. He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead before slowly drifting off next to her.
"WAAAAAAAAA!"
John jumped slightly. Helen swore. "We forgot Alex."
John started laughing. Helen lightly swatted him upside the head. "I won't tell if you don't."
Helen let out a sigh and went to feed Alex. John was tempted to follow but knew he tended to walk in right as Alex was falling asleep. He had a sneaking suspicion that Helen would murder him if he woke the baby up again this week. Especially since they were all sick.
John smiled into his pillow. Half the time, he still couldn't believe that he was a father. Helen thudded back into bed next to him. "I called Ian."
John turned over. Helen looked dead serious. "Ian?!"
Helen snorted slightly. John folded his arms. While his baby brother wasn't awful. It wasn't like they couldn't take care of themselves. "Ian. We all have fevers. He said he would be right over. Your brother is a sweetie."
John put a pillow over his face. Why had Ian decided to charm his way into Helen's good graces? Now she was calling him for help. What was this world coming to?! They were calling little baby Ian for help. Helen poked him. "Don't be rude. At least your relatives are nice about this."
John snorted. They both had such charming relations. "Didn't your sister offer to pay for the divorce?"
John put an innocent look on his face. Helen hit him with a pillow. John was not going to mention that Helen's cousins had hit on him at that disaster of an engagement party. Whoever had thought of engagement parties could go fuck themselves. "Your parents tried to pay me ten thousand dollars not to marry you at the engagement party."
John scowled. He was still not speaking to his parents over that. And the whole disowning Ian for not wanting to date. In his parents' eyes, that meant Ian was just in the closet, no matter home many times the man had tried explaining asexuality to them. John didn't understand it, but that didn't mean-
BRINNNNNNNGGGG!
"GODDAMN IT, IAN! DON'T USE THE DOORBELL!"
John grinned as Helen got out of bed, flinging the covers onto him. It was kind of fun to watch his wife be mad at someone else for waking the baby, for once.
Albeit, John was usually guilty of waking the baby, but Alex was just so cute. John wanted to carry him around all of the time. And cuddle him. And shower him with plushie toys and gifts.
John was starting to drift off by the time Ian and Helen entered the bedroom. He smelled lemon and chicken. Ian had brought them soup. John felt something in his chest soften. "Room service."
John let out a sigh. He felt like death warmed over. "You're the ugliest maid I've ever seen."
Ian grinned and popped the lid on the soup. Helen just looked slightly confused. Ah, brotherly vibes. John felt like Helen wasn't the best with normal sibling dynamics. Hadn't her sister gone to jail for murder or something? Ian handed him the food and some tea that smelled vaguely like honey. "Here you are."
John gave Ian a slight grin. Ian adjusted his leather jacket. His baby brother's soft brown eyes were peering worriedly at him. "Thanks for coming by, Ian."
Ian smiled slightly. His brother ran a hand through his hair. "Well, you're the only family I've got now."
John let out a sigh. The parents were still probably giving him shit. "You know, the best part of being disowned is that you can block their numbers."
Ian looked somewhat cheered by that thought. John knew that his parents were basically stalking the man.
"WAAAAAAAAAA!"
Ian got up and smiled slightly. He ran a hand through his hair. "That's my cue. I'll go see about Alex while you two rest."
Helen finished her soup first. John would guess that was because she was hungry. "Do you want the rest of mine?"
Helen took the proffered bowl. John knew he was giving her sappy looks as she ate. She tapped him with her spoon. "Earth to John."
John grinned. Helen rolled her eyes. "I'm glad you still find me attractive but we are going back to sleep."
John scooted over so that she could get back in bed. Helen slid back under the covers. He pulled her into a light hug. Helen leaned into his chest. She let out a sigh. John felt her hands begin to card through his hair. "I'm glad you're getting a job with better hours soon."
John smiled and pulled her hands into his. Helen's hands still felt so very soft to him. "Don't worry, I'll be able to be home a lot more if this round of applications works out."
Helen patted his head. "Go to sleep, John."
John felt himself begin to drift off next to her and she pulled him into a hug.
Fin
Based on a prompt by Zyzyax (see story summary). This is the 312th work in the Winds of Change 2022 Alex Rider Prompt event, where a new prompt (plus a short 1-3K work) is posted every day. For more details, see the AO3 collection. We have an index of all the prompts used in this event so far and going forwards - join the discord to get access to the online index (and to take part in our events, chat about everything and anything, and meet a load of awesome people!