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“I was wondering when you’d come around.” He smiled against her skin, the top buttons of her shirt undone as he pushed the sleeves off of her shoulders, biting the cotton and dragging it slowly along the curvature of her body. She shuddered against him, head falling back and pressing her body further into him. This was wrong, but at the moment, she wasn’t really thinking with her head. She wasn’t really thinking of anything except the glide of his teeth, the flat of his tongue against her collar bone, how he used one hand to cage her against the wall and the other worked to pop off even more of the buttons of her shirt.
“Took me some time,” she muttered raggedly, managing to crack open one eye. She sucked in a sharp breath as he worked quickly, her bra already hanging off lopsidedly, his unbelievably smooth hands tracing along the curve of her breast before his thumb pressed against her already hard nipple. She was slipping against the wall, her legs weak, but found herself landing against him, knee pushing between her legs to spread her thighs as she sat on him. Despite his long and lean appearance, he was strong, able to support her weight on just the one knee. He smiled at her through his half-lidded gaze, more than amused as she ground her hips against his leg.
“You’re getting my pants wet Bubbles,” he whispered, tilting his knee ever so slightly, the bone brushing against her clit. A strange swell of pride bubbled in him as she gasped, her eyes snapping wide open as she arched completely into him. She was absolutely beautiful, coming undone because of him, her skin stained red as she struggled to breathe, her eyes unfocused and hazy. He’d been completely hard for a while now, his cock straining against his slacks but he could ignore himself for now, much preferring to tease and bring her to the edge over and over again. It was his turn now, watching in fascination as she rocked her hips on his leg. She was in too deep, unmindful of the badge that hung on her belt and the fact that she was supposed to put him in handcuffs, not finding a way to get herself off on his leg. ‘But maybe handcuffs aren’t such a bad idea for next time.’
“Fuck Gaius,” she groaned, her fingers trembling as she worked on his belt buckle.
“Isn’t that what we’re doing?” He pressed his clothed erection against her bare stomach. He didn’t even remember when this started. He gazed at her eyes, lust clearly in them, and the desire to drape her in all the finery in his collection burned brighter. Maybe one day he’d take the straight and narrow path but this was far too fun, playing cat and mouse then pinning her beneath him, the pair of them clearly wanting this far more than logic dictated. When she finally managed to undo his belt, the hand that had been on her breast shoved his pants and boxer briefs down, just enough for his cock to spring free. “You ready?” He shifted her up against the wall, deftly shoving aside her panties, skirt already bunched up around her waist as he sunk inside the wet heat of her. They’d get to shedding their clothes completely later. Now he just wanted her against the wall and by the tightness of her own walls, she did too.
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“You ass that really hurt.” Robin kicked Gaius, one hand gingerly rubbing along her back. The wall wasn’t particularly smooth, her back sore.
“Sorry about that Bubbles.” He laughed, kneeling behind her as he rubbed body butter into her skin, his touch tender and affectionate. She pouted, dipping her head between her legs and exposing the curve of her spine to him.
What were they even? She had spent the better part of the last three years trying to catch him, two of which were spent sleeping around with him. She should know better but somehow couldn’t help herself. Gaius was one of the most elusive white collar criminals they’d been after and every time she had him within her grasp, something fell apart and they’d ended up fucking each other. She’d be crazy to think tonight would turn out different. “Gaius?”
“Hm?” He kissed the unmarred spot between her shoulder blades, thumbs working the lotion into her skin. She appreciated the care with which he tended to her skin.
“Why are you a thief?” Robin turned her head around to face him, regarding him with a soft, but confused, expression.
“Because I don’t know any better,” he confessed, reaching out to kiss her tenderly before concentrating on her back once more. It wasn’t the full truth, but it wasn’t a flat out lie either. He really didn’t, most of his skills were in forgery and pickpocketing. If he wanted to, he could actually make a pretty good living as an artist, surviving off his own original work but where was the fun in that? A pang of hurt crossed Robin’s face at his confession, like she couldn’t be the one to change him even with her career on the line.
“Yeah you do,” she mumbled, turning her face away as she closed her eyes. What were they to each other? Fuck buddies? More than that probably, but they weren’t dating. Neither of them could risk it.
“Maybe, but I don’t really want to think about it.” He pulled her flush against him, her back sticky but decidedly less painful now. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Like what?” She leaned her head against him, wondering if they had different… jobs, if they could go out in the open.
“How’s work?” He kissed the shell of her ear before resting his chin on the crook of her neck.
“Really shitty. There’s this criminal I’ve been trying to catch for years but to no avail. We always end up sleeping together.” Robin laughed, squirming slightly when she felt his arms rest just under her breasts and pulling her in even closer.
“Oh? Sounds like a real piece of work.” He pressed his head against her cheek, wondering if maybe he’d ever stop for her sake. Probably, he sure as hell was interested in her romantically but never really thought past their current relationship. He could spend years in jail, unless he figured out some sort of deal and maybe he had the information to do just that, but he didn’t want to pull the trigger on that plan just yet.
“The worst.” She turned around and kissed him gently, pulling away with a sad expression in her eyes. “I have to go.”
“Let me help you,” he murmured, sheets falling away as they disentangled themselves from each other. Robin felt her knees go weak at the sight of him, boxer briefs riding low on his hips, his hair disheveled from her hands, his brow furrowed slightly in concentration as he looked for her things.
They were quiet as he helped her get dressed, her hands trembling as she hooked the closure of her skirt and dragged the zipper up. Her shirt had already been tucked in but remained unbuttoned, Gaius sinking to his knees to finish up the job. He kissed under her navel and travelled upwards, fixing each button as he went along, rising to his feet after finishing one. He stopped over her breasts, pushed together by satin and lace, tilting his head just to the left to suck a bruise there. It’s not like anyone would see, she never wore plunging necklines anyway, and Robin wasn’t protesting. Otherwise he’d already be flat on his back by now.
“I’ll call you.” Gaius leaned against the door jamb as he watched Robin step out of whatever apartment he’d been using this time.
“You never do.” Robin stuck out her tongue as she tucked her hair behind her ear, whatever trace of the fact that she just had sex gone. Except maybe her hair being undone from it’s usually neat ponytail. She didn’t kiss him goodbye, she never did, taking in a deep breath as she slung her bag over her shoulders as she made her way to the stairs.
His green gaze followed, unmindful of the fact that he was almost completely naked in the hallway. Never mind, it’s not like there was anyone who lived here anyway, except maybe the half-blind old lady at the end of the hall. It’s not like he lived here either, finding the short term rental appealing for his latest job. He desperately wanted to give it to her, see her eyes glow in fascination as he slipped jewelry on her, wondering if she’d misinterpret his actions (probably) but not mind in the slightest as she did so. But he couldn’t do that. Not if he wanted to stay a relatively free man. But one day, maybe he’d buy her some jewelry with the first letters of their names engraved on it, and watch in satisfaction as everyone wondered who it came from and how on earth Robin had ever kept it a secret that she was in a relationship.
That much he’d give himself, to whatever it was they were. They were in some weird relationship, where they sought each other out no matter the risks involved. Even if one day he could very well disappear from her life because they were closing in on him. Or maybe he’d whisk her away with him to some island paradise where no one knew them because of their years of complicity. ‘Yeah, maybe that’s it.’ He hated himself for dragging her into the mess he’d created, but not really because if he weren’t an art thief and she weren’t working for law enforcement, they probably would never have met.
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“You look awful. Rough night?”
Robin glanced up at her partner, her flaming red hair against the harsh white office light too bright for her.
“You could say that.” She squinted, motioning for Cordelia to sit down so she didn’t have to stare up. “Did you need anything?”
“They’re asking if there’s any new information on Candyman.” The redhead jerked her head towards the lone office on their side of the floor.
“Nothing I haven’t already reported. Why?” Robin lied, turning her gaze back to her monitor as she stared at the reports pulled up. They called him Candyman because it was always littered around the area where his latest prize was kept: lollipops, caramels, mints, all kinds.
“He’s just been quiet for a while then all of a sudden we got this.” Cordelia pulled out one of the folders in her arms and gave it to the blonde. Robin frowned as she took it, opening it as she read the notes inside.
No one even knew how he looked like, only that he existed. The only reason she knew his appearance was because she happened to walk into the room he was currently escaping from, fumbling for her gun when she realized who he was. He’d quickly crossed the gap between them, smiling like predator hunting his prey and sweet talked his way to escape. Robin had been so stunned she didn’t realize what was happening and the next time they’d met, he crushed her into a mindblowing kiss that made her knees weak.
“Robin?” Cordelia waved a hand in front of the blonde’s face.
“What? Oh. Sorry.” Robin blinked, shaking her head to remove any last thoughts of Gaius. She couldn’t even remember the first time they slept together, everything happening so fast. There was something dangerously attractive about the man, how he was calm and suave every time she’d pointed his gun at him to try and get him to surrender. Lately, she didn’t even bother because despite trying to delude herself into thinking she was just gathering indisputable evidence against him, all she wanted to do was run into his arms. She bit her inner cheek. ‘Fuck.’
“The rest of the unit thinks he’s going to hit this next.” Cordelia pointed to the picture of the diamond ring stapled to the corner of the page. “It’s called the Lover’s Promise and it seems like just the type of thing he’d go for. He has that kind of reputation and sensibility, as you well know: a gentleman thief.”
“Yeah.” Robin nodded, her eyes trained on the ring. ‘If he were really a gentleman, he wouldn’t have fucked me into the wall last night.’ She rolled her shoulders experimentally, trying to see if there was still any pain. Yes but nothing too bad. He had been really careful with her afterwards, working body butter into her skin to try and make up for the roughhousing. “It does look like something he’d strike. When is it arriving?”
“The next week or so. The gallery is being very hush hush about it, not wanting a small army of agents surrounding it. Bad for business they say.” Cordelia stood up, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Right, and then they’ll blame us if anything goes wrong.” Robin rolled her eyes. ‘Well, maybe me. I’m the one who lets him get away with all of this.’ She thought to how many things he’d gotten over the two years they’d been sleeping around, about how she was always so close to putting him behind bars but never really having the heart to. She hated how he made her care about him, how she wanted him to change and make something out of himself, but she ultimately hated herself because the line between her job and… her feelings for Gaius were starting to blur.
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“Hey you.” Gaius pulled her flush against him, both hands resting at the top of her ass but fingers pressing softly against the flesh of it. He didn’t call, what was new. “I missed you.” He turned his head slightly, nipping the soft spot under her ear. Gaius frowned at the lack of a reaction. This always got Robin to do something: squirm, laugh, punch him on the shoulder. Something. “What’s wrong? Anything I can do to help?”
“Yeah, turn yourself in.” Robin hung her head against his collarbone, her voice soft. It had been a long week, of second guessing herself and guilt eating at her alive. The fact that he was waiting outside of her apartment (how did he even know where she lived) wasn’t supposed to make her happy. Her heart wasn’t supposed to skip a beat at the sight of him casually leaning against the side of her door, flicking through his phone while he waited. She should’ve locked her handcuffs around his wrists, hands behind his back, as she read him his Miranda rights and then turn herself in right after. But now, all she wanted to do was just jump in his arms and kiss him like there was no tomorrow. She didn’t even know when she started to fall in love with him, but that she was and it was going to be a problem.
“Come on Bubbles, don’t make me laugh.” He bit his lower lip as he tilted her head backwards, pinching her chin between his fingers. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Are you going to steal it?” Robin let her head fall back, thankful that even if her colleagues knew where she lived, none of them knew how Candyman looked. The only thing they knew of his physical appearance was that he was long and lean, able to squeeze in tight spaces and escape. He had always been good at disguises, and making sure he passed only through places without any security cameras or where they couldn’t reach.
“Come on let’s go inside. You’re not making any sense.” She wasn’t even surprised when he opened the door to her apartment. She always locked it but then again, the man who was leading her by the hand was one of the most brilliant thieves they’d seen in decades. The care with which he moved made it seem like they were dating: locking the door behind him, settling her down on the couch, getting her a glass of water, kneeling down to her height as he handed her the drink. “Steal what?”
“Lover’s Promise.” She curled her fingers around the glass, throat dry but unwilling to drink.
“That old thing? Maybe, I don’t know. A man’s entitled to his secrets after all.” He grinned, expecting her to roll her eyes or shove him but she didn’t even react.
“Gaius I’m tired.” Robin reached forward and ignored him, putting the glass on the coffee table.
“Then go to bed. Want me to tuck you in? They say I’m an expert.”
“Can’t you stop?” She crossed her arms as she slid down her seat, sulking.
“Stop what? Stop this?” Gaius motioned to the space between them.
“Stop stealing.” She trained her gaze on him. ‘Not this. I actually think I’m in love with you.’
“I told you Bubbles, I don’t know any better.” Gaius sighed. It’s not that he was hoping for a good time tonight, though he certainly wasn’t against that. He really did miss her and would have perfectly happy to have just spent the night on her couch, cuddling and drinking wine. He never told her his plans, plausible deniability. Even if she knew he was Candyman, she never had enough to arrest him. Maybe they’d give her hell for it at work but besides a stern talking down, they couldn’t put all the blame on her for letting him get away. Except maybe that first time, when he had been careless enough to let her see him. The only information she could offer was how he looked and for whatever reason, she never gave that in the two years she’d known.
“Yes you do!” she snapped, frowning as she leaned forward, dangerously close. “Gaius I’ve seen your sketches and they’re beautiful. You can be an artist. I know there are people out there who’d buy your work. You don’t have to keep doing this.” Angry tears welled up in her eyes.
“Bubbles…” Gaius tilted backwards, surprised at her outburst. Lately they’d taken to just being in each other’s presence after sex, Robin pressing herself against him one arm reached out alongside his, fingers tracing the pencil strokes as she kissed along the muscles of his arm. She blushed when she realized it was her he was drawing, her back to the world and sheets drawn up artfully to cover her nakedness, but her head tilted so that the seductive look in her eyes peered out at everyone whose gaze fell on her. “Bubbles you know I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Aren’t I good enough for you to change your mind?” Her eyes widened at the words that slipped. Too late now.
“Robin…” Gaius stumbled back, landing on his ass, hands supporting him as he stared wide eyed at her. Her heart ached as she watched him stare back at her, calling her by name.
“Please.”
“I want nothing more than to drape you in the finest silks and jewelry,” he whispered, finding his voice as he reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s what you deserve. Not… this humdrum of a life.”
“I don’t want that.” She shook her head, tears starting to fall.
“It’s the only life I’ve ever known,” he confessed, thinking back to a time where he barely managed to feed himself. He had no family to speak of, no home to go back to. He’d always admired the well dressed men in their tailored suits and shiny watches, the impeccably dressed women that walked beside them in a life of luxury.
“Then let me teach you a new one.”
“That’s sweet of you, but this is the only one that fits me.” Gaius leaned forward and kissed her softly in the center of her forehead. His heart hurt as he regarded the pain in her eyes but he couldn’t bring himself to promise to change his ways. It always called to him, no matter how many times he had tried to stop before, so he just relented. “Bye Bubbles.”
She didn’t even have the strength to reach out and ask him to stay, tell him they could talk things out. She just stared towards the direction he left in and she didn’t even have wine to drink away the pain, her hot angry tears profuse.
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“You think the information we gathered was wrong?” Cordelia frowned, crossing her arms and legs as she leaned back on her chair.
“What information?” Robin typed quickly, finishing up the report she was supposed to have handed in yesterday but she’d gone home feeling sick and sorry for herself.
“The one about Lover’s Promise. The exhibition wasn’t very long, so Candyman wouldn’t have had much time to get it but it’s not like he hasn’t done something like that before.” Cordelia drummed her fingers on her desk, nails scraping against it slightly. Robin fought down her annoyance. Almost every little thing seemed to set her off these days.
She hadn’t seen Gaius since then, the man vanishing without a trace. She was late, her breasts felt sore, she spent the good part of the morning bent over a toilet bowl throwing up. She told herself it was stress from work, a sudden spike in cases handed over to their unit. She refused to believe it was because Gaius had broken up with her. Not that they could even break up. They weren’t even dating. No, he just decided to up and disappear from her life, refusing her offer of helping him back on the straight and narrow. She would’ve waited. She wasn’t going to fall in love with someone else, not while Gaius held her heart in his hands.
“Robin?”
“Huh, what.” She snapped out of her reverie. She seemed to be doing that a lot these days. “Sorry. What were you saying?”
“Are you alright? You haven’t been looking well the past few days.” Cordelia knitted her brow, peering over her monitor as she looked at her partner. “Are you sure you should be at work?” The blonde opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by their boss calling her.
“I’m fine. Just stressed from work.” She picked up a pen and her notebook.
“Don’t work yourself too hard.” Cordelia squeezed Robin’s hand as she passed by.
“Hypocrite.” Robin smiled, squeezing back before making her way to Frederick’s office.
“Ah, Robin. Please, close the door and sit down. There’s something I’d like to talk about.” Frederick motioned to the chair in front of his desk as he sat down. “Do you want anything? Coffee? Tea?” Her stomach lurched at the idea of coffee, the usually appealing smell of it making her dizzy.
“Oh no, I’m okay.” She sat down, closing her eyes as she struggled to push down the bile rising in her throat. She gripped her pen tightly, pressing down on the cover of her notebook to steady herself.
“Are you sure you’re alright? You know you didn’t have to hurry back to work if you’re not feeling well.” Frederick frowned, propping his elbows on his desk as he leaned slightly forward.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Robin smiled weakly, turning to face her boss, pen and paper ready to take down notes.
“If you say so.” He gazed at her dubiously, picking up his mug and taking a generous swig of his coffee before setting it down. Robin’s nose twitched. It was fine where it was a moment ago but now the smell was too strong and she didn’t think she could hold it down any longer.
“Oh God,” she gagged, flinging her notebook and pen to the side as she looked around for a trash can. “Oh God, I don’t think—” She blindly reached for the trash can that suddenly appeared, sinking down to her knees as she threw up. She winced at the sound, wondering how badly her boss was going to think of her after this.
“Take the rest of the day off. I’ll take you to your doctor.” Frederick handed out a handkerchief, clean and impeccably pressed. She mumbled a weak ‘thank you’ wiping her chin as she took in deep breaths to settle herself. He sat down on the edge of his desk, crossing his arms.
“What about the thing you wanted to discuss?” Robin turned to face him, trying her best to save face.
“I just wanted to chec—” Robin raised a hand to stop him from talking, turning back to face the trash can and throw up. “Check up on you.” Frederick sighed, scratching the back of his head as he got his answer.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, limbs weak. She just wanted to crawl back in bed and sleep but she didn’t like staying in her apartment. Not when every time she looked at the couch she remembered Gaius kissing her forehead then leaving her behind. “I’ll take care of this.”
“No no, you go and get your things ready. Do you have anyone you can call to take care of you at the doctor’s? I don’t want you to be alone.” Frederick helped her up.
“Nope, no one like that. It’s just me.” Robin wondered if maybe she should have just fallen in love with someone like Frederick. Not her boss in particular, though she would admit to have had a slight crush on him, he looked good after all, but no. Just someone like him. Normal, concerned, didn’t run away and leave her high and dry.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He looked up through his windows and caught Cordelia’s eye. He motioned for her to come in as he helped Robin settle back into her seat.
“You called?” Cordelia stuck her head in his office.
“Can you accompany Robin to her doctor? She’s still not feeling well and she doesn’t have anyone she can call to go with her. I can drop you off both there. Don’t worry about your work. We’ll pick up the slack for today.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Robin glanced at the two in front of her. ‘Well, at least they’re here for me.’
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Seven weeks. She was seven weeks pregnant and it didn’t click. Robin groaned, turning on her side as she hugged her pillow even closer. It had been around that long since she’d last had sex and she’d only been sleeping with one man for the past two years. They were usually pretty careful about it, one of them rolling on a condom on him before he thrust inside of her but not that night. That night was pretty hot and heavy, her back suddenly throbbing at the memory of the rough wall she had been pressed against. Before that, they hadn’t seen each other for a couple of weeks but he always left word somehow. Now was different, now there was absolutely no communication.
Cordelia had been kind enough to wait outside while she talked to her doctor. The consult was pretty routine, up until she was asked the last time she had her period. Robin squirmed under her doctor’s scrutiny but she was nice, warm, and professional. Her answer of at least six weeks ago and the fact that she was sexually active prompted a quick ultrasound, Robin laying flat on her back as she felt the cold gel against her skin. A few moments later her doctor smiled, pointing at the section of the screen where they could see the baby. All at once Robin felt happiness and terror, the latter sinking in when she was handed the sonogram.
When she had finally left the office, Cordelia stood up and asked what was wrong, her eyes widening with a mixture of shock and joy when Robin said she was pregnant. She faked a smile, the kind that looked convincing enough unless you looked into her eyes. She had to talk to Frederick about it, at least for the next couple of months because of what was apparently terrible morning sickness. She’d probably be relegated to desk duty, Cordelia working with a temporary partner in the meantime, up until she had to go on maternity leave. It sounded nice and normal. She liked nice and normal. Except maybe for the fact that the father of her child was completely out of the picture and she had no way of contacting him.
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She locked the door of her apartment, taking out her gun and putting on the table nearby before dumping her bag on the floor. She had been half paying attention to her surroundings when she heard footsteps from behind, heart racing as she lifted her gun and stared down at the intruder over the barrel. The chuckle she heard in response annoyed her. Who on earth would find staring face to face with a gun funny?
“This feels very familiar, doesn’t it Bubbles?” Gaius approached her, hands raised in the air. Next thing he knew his head was facing sideways, his cheek stinging. “I suppose I deserved that.” He turned to face her, hand cupping his cheek gingerly.
“What the hell you bastard,” Robin seethed, putting her gun back down as she stomped to her kitchen.
“I guess I should offer you some sort of explanation as to my whereabouts.” Gaius followed her to the kitchen.
“Damn right you do.” Robin filled her glass full of water, chugging its contents down in a matter of seconds. The thief raised a brow. Normally she took to drinking a glass or two of wine to relax and unwind, but he supposed water was fine too.
“Easy there Bubbles. Don’t want you choking.” Gaius took the pitcher and the glass away from her, downing some of the water before setting it down on the table.
“So? Spit it out.” She crossed her arms over her chest, eyes narrowing. She turned her back to him, not really wanting to face him at the moment.
“I… had a few things to sort out.” He closed the gap between them, resting his hands low on her belly, burying his face in her hair. She struggled to keep the gasp from coming out, the sudden contact and his hands over their growing child a bit much for her. “Almost done. Just a few loose strings left to tie and I’ll be done.”
“Done with what?” She dreaded asking the question but knew she had to.
“With all this.” Her eyes widened at his words.
“Why?” She turned to face him, cupping his face in her hands.
“You. The hurt in your eyes when I left that night. They haunted me you know,” he murmured, turning her around and brushing his lips softly against hers. She melted against him, knees weak, cheek against his chest. “I missed you, these past couple of months.” Robin was thankful her face was half-pressed against him, hiding some of her embarrassment. “Up, come on look up.” Gaius nudged his chest slightly, forcing Robin to look at him. “Turns out I like you. I really do.” He kissed her. “I think I might even love you.” Robin stiffened in surprise before relaxing in his arms. Her hands lifted the front of his shirt slightly, rubbing along his muscles slowly before snaking around his waist completely.
“Gaius… I…” She stared at him breathlessly, nudging his shirt slowly upwards. He seemed to have taken the hint as he took it off, throwing it somewhere in the living room before seizing her lips for another kiss. She missed this. More than the mind boggling pleasure, she missed the warmth of his skin, the spicy sweetness of his kiss, the smoothness of his hands. Robin yelped in surprise when she felt her feet dangle from the floor, her eyes meeting his smoldering gaze as he smiled slyly. “Gaius…?”
“I’ll have you singing my name all night tonight Bubbles.” He kissed her belly before carrying her princess style. A shock of electricity travelled all over her body. He couldn’t possibly know. He kissed her lips again as he held her strong in his arms, almost like he was making up for lost time.
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She didn’t want to go all the way today. No condoms she said. Gaius was fine with that. He quite enjoyed eating her out but it had been a while since he’d done so, the almost two months they’d been apart notwithstanding. He glanced up from between her legs, his tongue alternating between long and short strokes along the length of her and circling around her clit as he brought her down from her orgasm, Robin hiding her face behind her hands. Or she attempted to anyway, trying to surreptitiously peek down at him from between her fingers. He grinned, turning his head slightly to kiss the juncture of her hips, suckling the jutting bone long enough to bruise.
“Feel good?” He rest his cheek against her inner thigh, grinning cheekily. Robin groaned, squeezing her thighs together as she trapped him between her legs. “Hey now.” He reached up, fingers barely brushing against her breasts as she flinched in pain, letting go of him. “Do your breasts hurt? Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Gaius crawled on top of her, a flash of concern on his face.
“Yeah, a little.”
“Guess it’s almost that time of the month huh?” Gaius chuckled, kissing the hollow of her neck before settling himself down at her side. He wiped off the traces of her with the back of his hand, cleaning it against her sheets as he leaned against her headboard.
“I guess,” Robin lied. Her gaze fell onto his cock, almost at full mast and twitching. “Here let me,” she murmured, pushing her hair back behind her ear as she dipped her head between his legs.
“Bubbles…” Gaius threaded his fingers through her hair, gripping it tightly as she started to bob her head up and down, switching between sucking in air and swirling her tongue against it. He groaned, head falling back against the padded wood, hips bucking. She steadied him with a hand, slowing down his pace ever so slightly as she breathed through her nose. She turned to face him, doe-eyed, stopping but not taking her mouth off of him. He groaned again at the sight as he twisted her head back so she was facing his cock straight once more. She lifted her head slowly, letting go of his dick with an almost obscene pop. The rising complaint died in his throat when she pressed a kiss to the crown of it, tongue licking off the precum before swallowing him back down almost completely in one go. “Fuck.” He dragged out the word, back arching off of her mattress as she continued her ministrations. He pushed her head down slightly, the side of her nose pressing just against his pubic bone when she finally took him all in.
She hummed, the vibrations against his length reverberating throughout him. His face grew hot when he felt her smile against his erection, her tongue giving him kitten licks while she sucked even harder. Robin glanced up at him through half-lidded eyes and thick lashes, his erratic breathing and jerking hips a sign that he was almost there. Her eyes shut fully when she felt his cock shudder in her mouth, her jaw relaxing as she let him cum, throat muscles working to swallow his seed. When he finally settled back down against the mattress, she sat up straight, gazing at him with her still full mouth.
“You don’t have to.” Gaius reached out, hand curved as he signalled for her to let it all out in his palm but she shook her head and swallowed. If his orgasm hadn’t been as intense as it was, he could’ve sworn that would’ve gotten him completely hard again. Robin was a minx when she wanted to be. He was a lucky lucky man because it was him she chose.
“I already did,” she mumbled almost sleepily, crawling back into the warmth of his arms. She’d blown him a few times, enjoying the sensation and the sounds she could pull out of him but she’d never swallowed him before. Accidentally maybe but never intentionally. She wondered if being pregnant had anything to do with her sudden change in post-blowjob attitude. “Thank you,” she murmured against his skin, curling into his side as her eyes fluttered shut.
“For what?” Gaius kissed the crown of her head.
“Not going all the way. I know you wanted to.” She kissed the skin stretched taut over his ribs.
“It’s okay. It was still pretty good.” Gaius glanced at the clock on her side table. “I have to go early tomorrow morning, maybe before you even wake up. I’m still not done tying up loose ends.”
“Mmkay.” She was really sleepy now, and content. She draped her arm across his torso, hugging him like a teddy bear. “Can you tell me what for?”
“One last job,” he confessed, honest. It was the last one, then he’d get out of the game, get out while no one but Robin knew how he looked. Her eyes snapped wide open and her sleepiness fell away at his words. She shot up straight, anger and hurt burning lowly in her eyes.
“What?” She looked up at him, pressing her hands down on her bed to support herself.
“One last job. The very last one. I promise. I just really need to do this.”
“No you don’t. You never had to do any of your jobs!” Robin felt the anger start to eat away inside of her, any tenderness shared between them gone now.
“That’s true, but this one’s different. It’s the last one, I promise. Then it’ll all be over,” he reasoned, reaching out to cup her face but she drew back. Robin knew who he was, the only one who did. So why was she surprised he’d want to do one last heist before he threw in the towel?
“Get out.” Her voice was cold and made his blood freeze.
“Bubbles?” He tried to reach out again but she just stared at his hand, Gaius dropping it at her response. “Robin?”
“Get out.” She shoved him before turning her back towards Gaius. He could hear her sobs. He sighed, climbing out of bed as he got into his boxer briefs and pants.
“It’s the last one, I promise.” He knelt on the bed, cautiously approaching her shivering form. Gaius kissed the back of her neck trailing downwards, stopping in between her shoulder blades as he pressed his forehead against her. Her once warm skin was cold now.
“Get out,” she sobbed, curling her body inwards as she clutched her stomach. She heard him sigh as he honored her request, demand really, closing the bedroom door behind him with a gentle click. She was going to ask him to stay the night and she imagined him saying yes, then in the morning, she’d tell him they were going to have a baby together. She could see the shock on his face that gave way to delight in his eyes as he picked her up and spun her around. In retrospect, it was just wishful thinking. He confessed his feelings for her so she thought her outburst that time had been enough to change his mind. Apparently not. And there was a big chance her baby would grow up without ever knowing its father.
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“Ow! Shit.” Robin sucked the tiny pinprick on her thumb, the barest amount of blood poking through. “Stupid thumb tacks.” She always pinned the most important and most relevant information to her cork board, easy to look at and make a rundown of what they had and didn’t have.
“You know you should really go home.” Cordelia continued typing away, not even bothering to look over at Robin.
“To what?”
“The father of your baby? I mean, you should work things out, at least for the next year or so. This job is stressful and we all know that isn’t good for the baby.” Robin felt the sting on her hand hurt even more at Cordelia’s words.
“He doesn’t know,” she countered plainly.
“Doesn’t know what?” This time Cordelia looked up.
“We broke up. He up and left after to God knows where.” It amazed her how indifferent she was telling Cordelia this, even about a month after the fact.
“Did you not tell him on purpose?” Cordelia walked over and sat on the chair beside Robin’s desk, legs crossed as she put a hand over top Robin’s.
“No,” she replied curtly, training her gaze on the reports that had been pulled up. Ironically enough, the day after she’d sent Gaius away, Frederick said new rumors about Candyman’s next target had surfaced. She dove herself into her work. If she couldn’t get Gaius to come clean on his own, she’d make him.
“Why do you think he’s going after Lawrence Cavanaugh? Not his usual pickings of fine art and jewelry.” Cordelia held her chin in her hand as she glanced at Robin sideways.
“Dunno. Must be some connection between them but it’s hard to say since we don’t know much about Candyman.” Her gaze never left her monitor, half-listening to what Cordelia had to say. He said this was going to be his last job, so she expected a heist of newly recovered jewelry or rare pieces in the art world, not murmurs of hitting the house of a Wall Street type. What did Cavanaugh have that Gaius wanted?
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“He left this note on my desk the other day. Signed it Candyman. I suppose you know what it means.” Lawrence pushed the card towards Frederick, leaning back on his chair as he scrutinized the brunet. “I expect you to send your best. After all, it’s my taxes that put a roof over your head.”
Robin squeezed her hand to control her temper. It was assholes that got under her skin, the ones who felt they were entitled to everything. No wonder Gaius wanted to steal something from him.
“Remember remember the fifth of November. It’s time for you to pay up your dues Cavanaugh. Candyman.” Frederick read the words out loud, brow crinkling as he tried to process. “Is there any significance to the date?”
“No? Maybe. I don’t know. Nothing of import anyway.” Lawrence shrugged, glancing at the desk clock before turning his attention back to Frederick. “It’ll be November 5 in two days. What do you plan to do?”
“For now, set up surveillance and then a stake out the whole of November fifth. With how precise and deliberate he is, I doubt he mentioned that date for no reason.” Frederick stood, their meeting over for now.
“Excellent. I shall see to it that my security is increased for the next few days as well. Thank you for coming.” Lawrence made no motion to move and almost shook his hands to shoo them away, until his gaze fell on Robin and her midsection. He frowned. “Are you sure she’s fit for this assignment? She looks to be currently… indisposed.” He didn’t even bother talking directly to Robin, the blonde grinding her teeth as she struggled not launch herself at him.
“Robin is one of my best agents. She’s been on Candyman’s case since she joined the unit and is the most knowledgeable out of everyone in my team.” Frederick placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Rest assured that everyone involved is part of the very best.”
When they had left Cavanaugh’s office, Robin growled angrily, kicking the few pebbles in their path as they made their way back to Frederick’s car. “You should have let me punch him or put him in his place. Three months pregnant and I can still beat his ass soundly.”
“And maybe injure yourself and the baby. Let it go. He’s not worth it.” The brunet paid no attention to her choice of words, fueled by a combination of hormones and righteous anger at how lowly Cavanaugh looked at her. “Do you know what Candyman might want from him?”
“No, not really. I mean he does have some artwork and I suppose his wife and daughters have jewelry to his liking but I can’t say for certain.” Robin frowned, making her way to the front passenger seat. Gaius usually targeted things of unusual beauty or sentimental value to one, or more, of the previous owners. Or things with a romantic story like the one behind the Lover’s Promise. She still didn’t know why he didn’t steal the ring. That had a story right up his alley, about a young knight-in-training who was in love with the noble’s daughter.
Her father wasn’t an unkind man, happy that the youth was sincerely in love with his daughter and had a promising career, but he wanted to make sure she was cared for. They were a minor family, wealthy enough but no prestige to be found either marrying into his family or sending one of his daughters to join larger ones. They had been lucky to find a match for his heir, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who didn’t mind their relatively poor stature in nobility but longed for their kind of blood in his family line.
Her father had allowed their marriage, for so long as the young man earned his knighthood, and he did. In the meantime, to let all know that she was engaged, the youth had given her a simple white gold ring he had crafted himself, her father adorning it with a few diamonds that had belonged to his grandmother, a favorite lady-in-waiting to the queen at the time. It wasn’t a particularly expensive ring, but the artistry and the romance attached to it gave the piece an allure like no other. A happy ending during a time wrought with much sadness and warfare.
“Robin?” Frederick’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Are you okay?”
“Huh? Yeah no sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts.” Robin slid into the passenger seat and buckled herself in, closing the door afterwards.
“What were you thinking about?” The engine hummed to life, Frederick turning around to see the back as he moved the car in reverse.
“Nothing really. Just wondering what G—” She paused, making a fake coughing sound to mask her mistake. “Wondering what Candyman is after.” Frederick raised a brow at her, concerned, but choosing to say nothing, what would have been a silent ride back to the office avoided by the low hum of soft jazz music from the speakers.
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“No absolutely not. You’re pregnant.” Frederick laced his fingers together, elbows on his desk, hands covering the lower half of his face.
“I’m pregnant not an invalid,” Robin shot back, eyes narrowing as she challenged her boss. She was going to arrest Gaius, finally, after all these years of chasing him down. She’d given him the chance to turn over a new leaf and start anew but now all she wanted was to see him in handcuffs. ‘Not the sexy kind.’ Robin had to stop herself from groaning out loud at her first thoughts. It seemed her body still craved him, no matter how much she wanted to hate him right about now.
“A no is a no.” But he had that quiver in his voice, the one Robin knew exactly how to exploit.
“I’ll be good and stay in the van. I promise. I just want to see him in cuffs, after all these years,” Robin reasoned, batting her eyelashes as prettily as she could without risking a lecture about office flirting and the dangers of it.
“You promise?” Frederick’s eyes narrowed, voice tired. She had to stop herself from bouncing on her heels with joy.
“Yes. I promise.” She put the best serious-looking face she could muster.
“Fine. In the van.” The brunet sighed, exasperated, rubbing his temples with one hand, shooing a triumphant Robin away with the other.
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Something was wrong, horribly, terribly, stupendously wrong. She’d never seen Gaius so clumsy before, tripping off some alarm or other that had agents clambering for their guns and rushing like mad inside. She at least got the satisfaction of knowing that Lawrence Cavanaugh would have to pay for doors broken in by battering rams (why he didn’t just let them in she’d never know), luxurious carpets scuffed by work-worn boots and rumpled askew. She could hear Frederick barking orders from outside, one of the van’s windows rolled down.
“Get him. Don’t let him escape.” His voice sounded tense, predictably so. Her stomach was doing all sorts of somersaults as she clenched the edges of her chair, knuckles turning white. Suddenly, she stood up, making her way to the doors of the van.
“Ma’am, where are you going!?” The junior agent assigned to monitoring the surveillance equipment with her stared, alarmed, but frozen in his seat.
“Bathroom. Future tip, if you ever get someone pregnant. Don’t you dare stop her from going to the bathroom when she has to.” Robin had an almost murderous smile on her face, despite how serene the rest of her expression was. He barely managed to squeak a response. Feeling around her hip holster for her gun, her fingers slid along her badge before finding her weapon secure against her side.
She wasn’t entirely sure where her feet were leading her, just not the bathroom. She really did intend to follow Frederick’s orders, see Gaius in cuffs with his infuriating smile as he gazed at her silently. Still, when it came to him, anything at all, she couldn't help herself. Robin ducked behind the trees as she moved along, her heart nearly stopping when she saw Cordelia rush forward but her partner didn’t notice her. Perhaps the heat of the moment helped hide her, pale and all glowing in the dark of night with her white hair and alabaster skin.
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“Third time’s the charm I guess.” Gaius smiled, playing with a thumb drive attached to a keychain like a hula hoop, seated on top of a desk all casual.
“What are you doing? You’re better than this. I know because I’m still the only one who knows how Candyman looks like.” Robin kept her gun trained at him, hoping he couldn’t see her trembling hands. She wasn’t nervous because she could kill someone with just a pull of the trigger. She was nervous because she may very well kill him .
“Maybe I wanted to get caught this time. You’re right. This life is getting very tiring.” He sighed, letting his head fall back, his view of the outside upside down. “How’d you find me anyway?” He paused, head still upside down. “Oh wait, never mind. Candyman intuition still going strong I guess?”
Robin grumbled, gun still raised. She had no idea how she even made her way to this part of the Cavanaugh mansion, her feet running to a place that just seemed to call her. Somehow she slipped past the multitude of other agents sneaking around as best they could, all of them quiet as a mouse as they entered the other rooms but not this one. Not this office tucked away in the far corner of the estate, so painfully obvious but so very plain. The door wasn’t even locked. Anyone who came in here would know that Candyman was in front of them, suave and all too confident as he sat down waiting.
“Say something Bubbles. Are you here to finally arrest me after all this time?” He lifted his head right side up and locked his green eyes onto her deep brown ones. “Finally got sick and tired of me disappointing you?” She bit her lower lip at his words, some truth to them. She was tired of it all, but she didn’t know why, despite her anger, she wasn’t disappointed in him at all. Like she’d grown used to him and the way he was even though she wanted an honest life, or as honest as can be, not just for him but for them.
“Why? Can you at least tell me why this is your last job?” This time she was sure he heard her voice crack.
“I told you my parents abandoned me right?” His voice had a nostalgic tone to it, not the usual edge it had when he talked about something painful.
“Yes.” It was all she could muster without breaking down, her resolve already breaking. It had been a terrible story, the one he had told her the first night they had actually cuddled together and relished in the afterglow of sex, not the manic fucking they had been doing up until then.
“I didn’t come from a wealthy family, but well to-do enough. Dad had invested his money into this fund but only to lose everything.” Fire crackled beneath her skin when she heard that sharp edge of anger. “I suppose you know the rumors about Cavanaugh?” He held her gaze the entire time.
Robin nodded, unwilling to trust herself to speak. He really found a good hiding place, the agents outside sweeping the place with a fine toothed comb, anything with priceless art and jewelry, but not this office. Her eyes flicked over to the thumb drive still twirling around in his fingers, to the closed laptop pushed to the side, then back on his grim face as realization slowly dawned on her.
“Yup, a fund run by Cavanaugh. My parents were ashamed and distraught, abandoning me to the system. Maybe they’ve died since, I don’t really know, but I’ve had to fend for myself from a young age.” He smiled bitterly. “Anything I could do to earn money because I bounced around from one place to another until I turned eighteen. Then it turned out I was pretty good at all these artsy stuff, so I learned to forge paintings, jewelry obviously out of my wheelhouse, and steal. The thrill of it made me feel alive.”
Robin dropped her gun to her side, confused and not sure at all sure what he was trying to say. With a sigh, she moved to holster her weapon, pushing her coat open and revealing the swell of her belly. When she turned around to look back at him, she suddenly found herself against the door, his hand pressed to the side of her ear as he looked down at her, eyes fierce and bright. She’d never known him to move that quickly. “G-gaius?”
“Are… are you…?” His gaze flicked down to the still growing bump between them. Robin nodded slowly, keeping her head bent. “Whose?” he rasped out, voice hoarse, almost mad with jealousy at the thought that it would be anyone else’s.
“Y-yours,” she whispered quietly, hands moving to cradle the underside. Her eyes widened when he pulled her close, his forehead pressed against the crook of her shoulder. She could feel the cotton get wet. “Gaius?”
“Run away with me.” His voice was barely above a whisper but she heard him loud and clear.
“What?” She could feel tears start to form, her eyes start to sting.
“Run away with me. I was prepared to let myself get caught and have them open all these files that Cavanaugh kept to keep track of his growing wealth from the Ponzi scheme but no, I refuse for our kid to see me behind bars.” He tilted his head and kissed her neck, her eyes falling shut as she squirmed against him. “Run away with me, to a place no one will ever find us. I’ll do anything you want, move the world for you and the baby just… run away with me.”
Robin pushed him away with a gentle smile, pressing a finger to his lips before he could say anything. When she was sure he’d keep quiet, she pulled her hand back but not before brushing away the tears stuck to the impossibly long lashes she was always jealous of. She unbuckled her belt, laying it across the table just beside them, taking the thumb drive from his hand and placing it just beside. She pulled a pen and her notebook out of her back pocket and scribbled a note, signing her name at the bottom and leaving it where the rest of her issued equipment lay.
Gaius looked at her curiously, breath even until she cupped his face and kissed him with all the love and affection she could muster. She finally knew why she was so weak against him, so weak against the orange haired rascal she’d been chasing after for years. Robin was so in love with him nothing else mattered, even if it meant they’d be chased down to the ends of the world. But she believed in his promise, that he’d do anything for their family. She smiled against his lips at the thought.
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“Where’s Robin?” Frederick roared, banging his fist against the side of the van. He had come in to tell her the entire place was still being searched and for her to go home. It was late and it would be bad for her and the baby to be up for so long. At least in her apartment she could lie down and rest. He’d call her when they finally caught Candyman.
“She said she had to go to the bathroom!” The agent cowered under the brunet’s dark gaze.
“That was over thirty minutes ago,” he growled, eyes turning to the mansion. “You know what, you’re both going to be on desk duty and do everyone’s paperwork for the foreseeable future.” The agent would’ve squeaked in protest but managed to bite back the sound.
Frederick expanded the search to the entire house, much to Cavanaugh’s consternation. He had allowed them everywhere of importance, the rest just personal quarters and offices, places Candyman wasn’t even remotely interested in.
“One of my agents is missing and she’s alone. I shudder to think Candyman is violent and would hurt her.” His voice sounded even and measured but Cavanaugh knew better, his feet currently dangling off the floor.
Once given permission, they had broken down all doors, Frederick and Cordelia going into the small office tucked in the back. The window was open, breeze gently flowing in, cold from the early November chill.
“Look.” Cordelia’s voice was soft but alarmed, her eyes widening when she saw Robin’s gun and badge, note and thumb drive tucked in between. She chewed her lower lip as the brunet picked up the paper and read the words out loud.
“I’m sorry. He didn’t steal anything but wanted to expose this. This is his last job. He promised. Cavanaugh. Ponzi scheme. Look at the laptop. Arrogant bastard didn’t even put a password. Please don’t look for me. Robin.” Frederick resisted from crumpling up the paper, the redhead quickly moving to the open laptop.
“Oh my God.” The details were all there, pulled up and plain to see. They had a warrant, allowing them to confiscate everything involved with Candyman and this laptop certainly was. He dumped his signature sweets all over the keys, the excel file showing just how much money Cavanaugh had siphoned over the years.
‘Be safe, Robin.’
Frederick had no leads, no trace to follow. He’d have everything bagged, sure that all the fingerprints he’d get were Robin’s, Cavanaugh’s, and Candyman’s if they were lucky. Besides a partial print, they didn’t have any of the thief’s details on record. They were as good as gone.
Cavanaugh had been quickly arrested after everything in the laptop and thumb drive were verified. Not by his team but by the ones that dealt with financial crimes. They’d been trying for more than a decade to nail the bastard down, thankful to Candyman despite the thief’s own crimes.
“You think she’s with him?” Cordelia crossed her arms as she watched Cavanaugh duck his head, surrounded by reporters everywhere, as he entered the car, hands cuffed behind his back.
“Probably.” Frederick looked toward the horizon, gaze steely. Years of camaraderie and friendship wouldn’t mean a thing if he ever caught the pair of them. He silently prayed he’d never find them because he didn’t want to see her behind bars, her child lost to the system because she chose to run away with Candyman. Whoever he was.
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“Daddy!” A young boy raced up to him, as steadily as he could, small arms outstretched as he flung himself into the arms of his father. He smiled, burying his head into his son’s hair, the same burnt umber color as his. “Daddy!” he giggled, pushing himself off of Gaius’ chest as he leaned back, contemplating the slightly sunburnt skin of his father. “Daddy up, up!” Gaius grinned, standing up as he held his son in his arms, a spitting image of his mother but with his hair. He nuzzled his son’s cheek, one eye taking note of their path, feet sinking into the sand as they walked towards Robin.
“Hey.” Gaius bent down and kissed the crown of her head, setting Morgan down to play.
“Hey yourself.” She peeked at him from behind her book, covering the bottom half of her face to hide her smile. She always seemed to break out into a big one whenever she saw them play, Gaius running around and making a fool of himself, Morgan squealing as he ran away. Life was good. Or as good as can be, hidden away in an island paradise. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss the hustle and bustle of city life, but she had Gaius and they had their son and that was more than enough for her.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, sitting down on the sand beside her, Robin propped up on the beach chair. Normally they took to sharing the space on their blanket, watching as Morgan collected shells and chased the dying waves as they crashed on the shore, but that had been impossible recently. He pressed his head against her side, one hand reaching up to caress the swell of her belly.
“For what?” Robin snapped her book shut, setting it down on the small table beside her.
“I know this isn’t the life you had planned for yourself, a life where we can never go back to the people who knew us.” He didn’t want to believe her when she said that she was willing to drop everything and run away with him, run to a place where no one would ever find them.
“That’s what you think,” she murmured, resting her hand on top of his, letting it be guided the movement of his along the growing bump.
“What do you mean?” Gaius looked up at her, an amused smile on his face. “You mean you’ve always dreamt of living life with an art thief and leaving everything behind?”
“No one’s going to miss me at home. There was nothing that tied me down there, so it wasn’t hard,” Robin reminded him, eyes closing gently as she leaned back, lulled into comfort by the warmth of her husband’s hand on her belly. “What I mean is the only thing I ever planned for myself was that I wanted a future with the man I loved, hopefully children too if it was in the cards.” Gaius’ eyes widened at that. “And it seems it is.” Almost four years in hiding may have lulled them into a sense of complacency but he stopped stealing, stopped doing things that would attract attention to him and his small family.
“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Gaius pressed a gentle kiss on her stomach.
“Sometimes I ask myself that too,” Robin laughed, letting her free hand gently massage his scalp.
“Mommy, Daddy! Look what I found!” Morgan yelled, running up to his parents with broken shells in his hand.
“Shells honey?” Robin sat up and patted the space in front of her, the young boy eagerly climbing in. “Let me see. Oh! There are four pieces?”
“Yup! See this big one is Daddy.” Morgan pushed the piece to the center. “This next one is Mommy.” He slotted it in just beside the first shell. “This one is me.” He picked up the third piece, half the size of the first two, and put it right underneath. “And this one is baby!” He grinned triumphantly, fitting the smallest piece in the gap that remained. It all fit together like they were pieces from the same puzzle.
“Good boy.” Gaius smiled, eyes crinkling as he ruffled Morgan’s hair. She gave birth their son a few months after they moved to the island, their small but comfortable house by the beach. They named him Morgan, sea defender, and by how taken he was playing by the water it was the perfect name.
“Thank you, Daddy!” Morgan beamed, smiling widely as he looked at both his parents. “Will baby come soon? I want to show!”
“Soon, baby will come soon,” Robin whispered, taking her son into her arms as she peppered his cheek with kisses. “Just a little while longer okay? Then you’ll have a playmate. Will you be a good big brother and protect baby from all harm?”
“Yes Mommy! I love baby.” Morgan clung to her neck, snuggling against her chest as he yawned. Robin kissed his temple, rocking him gently as he fell asleep.
“Come on, let’s go home.” Gaius stood, helping his heavily pregnant wife up from her seat, picking up her book along the way. She smiled sweetly, holding onto their son as they walked home, the breeze cool and gentle, Gaius’ arm slung protectively over her shoulder. “I love you,” he whispered, dipping his head down to her ear as he kissed her cheek. She kissed him back, gentle and sweet as she leaned against him, warm with contentment. Whatever she left behind couldn’t compare with her life now: a husband who would move the world for her and their two children.
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“Have you thought of a name for our girl?” Robin asked, voice soft as she carded her fingers through their sleeping son’s hair. They lay quietly in bed, Morgan between them, Robin lying on her right side and Gaius on his left as they stared down at their rambunctious wonder of a boy.
“Ileana.” He reached out and cupped her cheek. She leaned into his palm.
“Sounds pretty.” She kissed his heart line. “What does it mean?”
“Answered prayer.” He smiled, a shiver running down her spine.
“And what’s that?” Robin gazed at him all doe-eyed, a shy smile on her lips. “What prayer’s finally been answered?”
“You and the kids,” he said simply, gaze soft as he looked down at Morgan and the still unborn Ileana. “Of a family of my very own.”
Robin leaned forward, kissing Gaius gently on the lips, eyes closing. He kissed her back softly but fiercely, content with everything in his arms.