Work Text:
“¡Amma, amma!”
Kate's smile was immediate as she saw her little boy leaving the classroom. He had only really been at nursery for three hours, but that was enough time to miss him. In fact, there were days when Kate was still getting used to being apart from him and having some time to herself again.
Neddy's clumsy feet struggled to keep his body balanced as he ran towards his mother until Kate caught him and lifted him into her arms.
“How's my handsome baby? Did you have a good time?” she said as she kissed her son's cheek and brushed back some of the curls that fell across his forehead.
“I'm not a baby, amma, I'm already three years old,” he held up three of the fingers of his hand for effect. “My brother is a baby. Is he bigger now?”
Kate smiled broadly, completely in love with that little person in her arms. “I don't know, sweetheart. What do you think? Does he look bigger than he did this morning?”
Neddy frowned as he looked down at Kate's pregnant bump, trying to spot any difference from the size of her belly earlier that morning.
“He's the same, amma,” Neddy finally decided with some grumbling in his tone. “Little brother coming to play with me soon?”
Lately her son seemed so impatient with his brother's arrival that she had to answer the same question almost every day.
“We just need to wait about three months. But you know who I think has grown up a lot?” Neddy looked up, his big brown eyes staring at her with intrigue. “You, sir,” she tickled one of his sides and he laughed loudly. “You're so big I can't carry you any longer. Let's walk, shall we?”
Kate lowered her son to the ground and, after taking his small backpack from his back, grabbed his hand. She sighed in relief as Neddy began to walk without complaint at her side. There were days when he would throw a tantrum, wanting her to hold him in her arms for longer, something that was becoming increasingly difficult with her almost six months pregnant.
“Did you do something exciting today?”
“Yes! A game of animal sounds,” he replied enthusiastically. “I made the horse sound. And they guessed it because I am very good at doing it. Because I know the sound. Like the sound of the horses we ride in Aubrey, amma.”
“Oh, yeah? And what's it like? Let me hear it.”
Neddy concentrated to make a sound rather like a horse's whinny that surprised and made Kate laugh. “Wow, Neddy, that was impressive. You're the best horse, sweetie.”
He smiled proudly and somewhat sheepishly as he rested his little head against Kate's arm that had his hand in her grasp. “Thank you, amma.”
Adorable.
She and Anthony had made such a cute baby, and Kate melted for him every day. And so did his father. She was really under the constant effects of some kind of spell that drew hearts in her eyes whenever she was with Neddy or Anthony. And that spell was much stronger when the two Bridgertons were together.
Kate knew she was in love with them, that much was undeniable. But sometimes her crush was so strong that she couldn't help but adore even the smallest gesture of her boys. It was madness. She'd been crazy ever since she'd met Anthony and, her sweet curse? Another adorable baby boy on the way. Probably with cute ears and a dashing gentlemanly attitude.
Kate brought her free hand to her baby bump and stroked it while Neddy kept telling her about the animal game he had enjoyed so much. She loved what a chatterbox he was and how every day he spat out new words or made them up.
“Oh, amma! I learned a new greeting too!”
“Oh, really? Did you learn how to say hello in Spanish?”
“No, I learned that last week, don't you remember? Hola, adiós, hola, adiós,” Neddy repeated in Spanish while waving his hand. “But I learned that I can say hello like this...”
And then, her lovely, innocent son raised his little hand and gave a poor lady who passed them on the street the finger. Kate almost jumped up to reach Neddy's hand and put her hand around his tiny finger in an attempt to hide his rudeness.
“Oh my God! Edmund Bridgerton!” she scolded and mouthed ‘I'm so sorry’ to the lady who seemed to have been amused by her son's gesture. “Who taught you that? You can't do that!”
Kate shook her head, trying to remain as serious as possible and not laugh at what had just happened. Neddy frowned, staring up at her. “A friend at school taught me.”
“Nonono. That's rude, Neddy. You can't just greet strangers like that,” Kate assured him, looking him earnestly straight in the eye.
“You're angry with me,” Neddy pouted, his eyes already glazing over with tears.
Kate then carefully crouched down to meet her son's eyes. “No, baby. I'm not mad at you. Don't cry, sweetheart,” she soothed him as she hugged him against her chest. “It's not your fault, you didn't know. But your friend is wrong, we can't greet strangers like that, okay?”
Kate made him look at her and Neddy nodded, still looking distressed. She wiped away his tears with the sleeve of her shirt and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Come on, we have to find a good place in the park for lunch. Daddy's coming with Newton and the food.”
And as magically as ever, his son's mood flew from one extreme to the other in a second. He happily exclaimed how excited he was to see daddy, to see Newton and to eat because he was very hungry.
- - -
"Daddy!!!"
Kate turned her head to look where Neddy had started to run and where her husband came walking along with their dog. Anthony, carrying a bag in one hand and Newton's leash in the other, managed to scoop Neddy up and carry him in his arms.
Kate, sitting on the picnic blanket she had spread out with the help of her little boy, watched with delight as Anthony showered Neddy's face with kisses causing his laughter to echo across the wide park.
Newton was the first to reach her, climbing onto her legs and wagging his tail excitedly as Kate petted him.
“Oh Neddy? Who is this beautiful girl sitting on our blanket?” Anthony asked as he arrived, setting the bag and Neddy down on the blanket. Kate smiled raising her eyebrows above her sunglasses, it was a very sunny spring day and perfect for such a picnic.
“It's amma, daddy,” their son replied giggling before bringing his full attention to Newton and starting to run around with him. They really were the best of friends.
“Hi, amma,” Anthony murmured as he sat down next to Kate and gave her a peck on the lips.
“Hey,” she whispered against his lips as she tangled a hand in the locks of his hair. “I missed you.”
“Me too, sweetheart. I don't know how to sleep without you anymore,” Anthony settled in behind her so he could slip his arms around her waist and have Kate lean against his chest. “How have you been feeling with the baby? Everything okay?”
“Perfect,” Kate assured, placing one of her hands over Anthony's on her belly. “And Neddy's been taking your place in bed these two nights, so I've had restless sleeping company, but good at the same time.”
Anthony kissed her cheek and tucked his head into the crook of her neck. “I promise I won't go on any more trips until the baby is born. I want to be with you all the time.”
"It's alright, Anthony. I'm perfectly fine-"
"You are so beautiful. God, you smell so good..." he interrupted, starting to leave several kisses on his wife's neck and Kate's skin bristled hopelessly. She tilted her head to the side with her eyes closed, allowing him greater access.
It was so easy. So easy and so quick the way Anthony was sometimes able to ignite her desire. As if she had a button and only he knew perfectly well how to press it. Kate squeezed his hand as his teeth scraped the sensitive skin behind her ear and that simple gesture made heat build quickly between her legs. She let out a sigh through her lips and could feel Anthony's smile on her cheek. He was a smug little prick.
“Okay, stop that. These hormones are going to drive me crazy,” Kate broke away slightly, trying to shake off the slutty vibes her husband had awakened in her body. She took off her sunglasses and began to take the food out of the bag —simply to focus on some activity that wouldn't traumatise their son and the other people in the park at the same time.
“Hormones, huh? Are you trying to tell me that if you weren't pregnant, I wouldn't make you horny like this? I mean, if that's the case I'm going to have to knock you up nonstop.”
Kate bit her bottom lip to stop the smile that was already starting to creep across her mouth. “Clearly not this fast,” she lied as she pulled out a bowl of pasta salad.
“Shall I remind you then of that time in the theatre bathroom?” Anthony whispered in her ear, again making her lean back against his chest. “It was a work event, Kate. And you were so fucking turned on by me and my tuxedo that you couldn't wait to get home.”
Anthony ran a hand up her side and, under her shirt, lightly caressed one of her breasts. She couldn't feel his touch properly, the fabric of her bra too thick for that, but she still had to squeeze her thighs together.
“Anthony...”
Was it a complaint? A plea? She had no idea.
“Do you remember now, Kate?” his voice now husky against her ear. And hell, she loved that voice.
“If I close my eyes, I can almost feel the way you were trying to mute your moans against my neck. And guess what? You failed at that task. But I love your moans, baby. I fucking love you.”
Kate closed her eyes. She remembered. Of course she did.
“I bet you're getting wet right now just remembering it, Kate.”
That bastard. She couldn't believe she was married to him.
Kate brought one hand back to rest on the nape of Anthony's neck, trying to feel something more from him. At least a little more of his body heat. But her husband responded with a chaste kiss on her cheek.
“Let's eat,” he said suddenly and pulled away from her body just enough to get the rest of the food out of the bag.
Kate narrowed her eyes as she looked at him and ran her hands through her hair. “I could kill you right now.”
“I don't think so, my dear wife. Not when I've brought this especially for you,” Anthony said as he held out a jar of pickled gherkins.
“Oh my God, Anthony! I love you so much,” she giggled, already grabbing the jar from his hands, and pulling him closer to kiss him more fiercely than was necessary for a thank you.
Cravings. There were days when she really thought her son would be born green as wicked from so many gherkins she ate.
“I love you too,” he said when they both forced themselves apart.
Anthony called out to Neddy, who was still running and laughing alongside Newton, and completely unaware of how close his parents' displays of affection were to crossing the line of social acceptability. Their son approached them breathing heavily as Newton obediently followed.
“Hello, Mr Bridgerton. Lunch is ready,” Anthony said sweetly.
“Hi, Daddy,” Neddy giggled and then gave his father the finger.
Kate could see Anthony's eyes almost pop out of their sockets and she couldn't help but laugh this time, covering her mouth with her hand to muffle the sound.
“What was that?” Anthony looked at Kate, eyes and mouth wide open.
Kate cleared her throat and bit her bottom lip as she tried to get serious. “Neddy, what did I tell you about making that gesture with your finger?”
“You said I can't say hello to strangers like that. But we know daddy, amma,” their son affirmed as he came over to sit on her lap. “Can I have one?” he asked before reaching into the sausage roll bowl.
Neddy was actually right, she had said that he could not greet strangers by giving them the finger. A very poor explanation on her part perhaps and a little too much precise attention from her son.
“Oh my God, you're so smart,” Kate murmured as she pressed a kiss to Neddy's head and stroked his curls.
“Smart? Is that so?” Anthony looked at her blankly.
“I mean... Yes, but... Amma said you can't greet strangers with that gesture, right, sweetheart?” Neddy hummed as he ate and Kate continued with her explanation. “Well, what amma meant was that you can't greet people like that, not strangers or people you know. No one. Because that gesture is a bad thing, Neddy, and you're rude if you do it.”
Neddy pulled his head back so he could look at his mum. His face showed confusion, with that wrinkle between his eyebrows that he had inherited from his dad to perfection.
“Promise you won't do it again?” Kate asked as she brushed the crumbs out of his mouth with her thumb.
“I promise, amma. Can I have another roll?” he replied, clearly more interested in eating than the topic under discussion.
“Sure,” Kate smiled and tilted her head to look at Anthony. “A friend at school taught it to him saying it was a greeting,” she shrugged.
“That's a lot of learning for our little boy,” Anthony shook his head smiling.
“I know, right? My baby's growing up too fast,” Kate said wistfully as she watched Neddy feed Newton a piece of his sausage roll.
“I was thinking... Maybe I can let Neddy have permission to give some people the finger. Just in case someone winks at you sometime... I can use him as a secret weapon when I'm on a trip or something,” Anthony joked and gave his son a kiss on the head.
Kate smiled sideways and shook her head. ”You think anyone's going to pick me up when I'm all round and with these dark circles under my eyes from the little sleep I get?”
“Oh Kate, you have no idea, you little ravioli. No idea how beautiful you look and I know everyone is jealous of me,” he kissed her shoulder and made a kissing trail up her arm all the way to her wrist. “And you know what? I want to spend the rest of my life greeting you over and over again,” Anthony gave Kate the finger just as their son had done to him and they both chuckled.
“Daddy, you can't do that! Amma said so,” Neddy complained as he caught his father making the gesture.
“That's right, Neddy!” Kate said as she grabbed Anthony's finger in her hand. “We have to teach daddy not to be so rude, don't we?” she purposely lowered the tone of her voice and brought the tip of his finger between her teeth to suck on it softly.
Anthony pursed his lips as he stared into her eyes. “You know what you do when you call me that,” his voice husky, revealing how Kate's simple move had affected him.
She slid his fingertip across her lower lip and smiled mischievously. “Oh daddy, would you shut up and open my pickles, please?” Kate asked sultrily.
Anthony's gaze was fixed on her lips and Kate kept from laughing victoriously as he licked his lips. “I can do a lot more than open your pickles.”
“I can't wait to find out,” she bit her bottom lip as she pressed her hand on Anthony's thigh.
“Fuck, Kate, you're-“
“He said a bad word, amma!” Neddy yelped at hearing him and turned to point at Anthony.
“Yes, he did,” Kate said with amusement.
“Oh my god, this isn't fair,” Anthony complained.
“You should save all the cursing for later maybe, with me...” Kate winked at him and Anthony grunted dramatically.
“Let's eat, viscount.”