Fic: Let Pretense Fade Away
Author: tryslora
Title: Let Pretense Fade Away
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: Derek/Jackson
Character/s: Jackson, Danny
Summary: Jackson thinks he can avoid the topic entirely, but it turns out Danny’s far more observant than he gives him credit for.
Warnings: A/B/O dynamics, mpreg
Word Count: 1073 words
Prompt: #13 - Pretending
Author's Notes: Danny was requested, and the prompt fit perfectly, so here we go. I’m running under the assumption that this takes place after high school (since it’s not underage), and Danny already knows some of the details. This is a part of the And Omega Makes Family series. As always, I do not own the characters or world of Teen Wolf, but I love to write about them.
“So, who’d you knock up? And why hasn’t Lydia killed her yet?”
It takes Jackson a moment to realize what Danny is asking. That he hasn’t asked why Jackson’s still wearing a shirt and not working out while Danny does. That he hasn’t asked why he’s getting thick around the middle. That he hasn’t asked what he’s hiding.
Well, he has. Just not how Jackson expected him to ask.
It startles a dry laugh out of him, and he shakes his head. “I didn’t get anyone pregnant.” He can’t look at Danny, and that’s what it’s been like all weekend, pretending that everything’s normal. It’s not Danny’s fault he missed the big announcement. It’s not Danny’s fault that he’s not really home anymore, with classes and lacrosse keeping him busy at college.
Besides, for all that Jackson thought he could ask Danny questions about gay sex, he really can’t. Not like this, out of the blue.
“There are baby clothes littered around your apartment.” Danny shrugs. “Speaking of, good on you for moving out on your parents, but did you have to move in with Derek?” It’s obvious from his expression when the next thought occurs to him. “Oh, hey, did he get someone pregnant?”
A flush rises rapidly to Jackson’s cheeks before he can try to play it cool. Before he can pretend to be normal. He decides that a half truth is better than nothing, so he answers the first question while ignoring the second. “Turns out I’m Derek’s type,” he says. He motions for Danny to lie back on the bench and he works to add weights to the bar. It’s like working out vicariously, staring at Danny’s abs and wishing his own were still that flat and hard.
“Finally figured that out?” Danny reaches for the bar, fingers flexing as he checks his grip. “I thought that was coming back in high school.”
Jackson almost lets go of the bar, but he wouldn’t do that, wouldn’t risk hurting his best friend. “You what?”
“I’m not saying you were pretending to be straight.” Danny lifts with great care, muscles taut. “But dude, I always knew you were bi. You’re the one who said that you’re everyone’s type, remember?”
Jackson remembers saying that. He also remembers being slammed around by Derek once upon a time, being pushed up against the wall. He remembers those moments reappearing later in some vivid dreams, but he’d discounted them as adrenalin fueled fantasies. “Well, I guess you were right.”
He should bend, even break. He should let the walls down and say something to his best friend, and just like that, it’s all too much of a weight on his shoulders. He taps the bench and Danny settles the bar back into place before Jackson backs away and sits down heavily.
Something bubbles in his gut, like indigestion with a purpose. He blinks rapidly and his hand falls to his stomach, resting there. He can’t feel anything through his shirt, but he doesn’t think he’s imagining that bubbling sensation of something moving around.
It’s real. The baby is real and moving inside of him right now.
The idea boggles him, stealing his breath away.
“Dude.” Danny sits on the bench next to him. “You okay?”
Jackson shakes his head, one quick motion, then closes his eyes and tries to remember how to breathe.
“This is some wolf thing.” Danny pauses. “Or some magic thing. Or some other supernatural weirdness that you haven’t told me about yet.”
“Some werewolves can get pregnant.” Jackson tries to keep his voice even, but it breaks at the end. “Male werewolves. When they’re mated to a male alpha.”
“So Lydia’s buying baby clothes for you.” Danny nods his head. “It explains a lot. Your kid is never going to need to buy anything cashmere. Or designer.”
Jackson twists to look at Danny. “You’re not freaked out that I’m a freak who can get pregnant?”
He shrugs one shoulder. “Not really. A couple years ago, you turned into a lizard and threatened to kill me. This actually seems a lot saner in the net scheme of things. I’m more worried about you. You’re not telling me the sex is fantastic, and you looked like you wanted to bite Derek’s head off when I was there earlier. Those generally aren’t good signs in a relationship, especially with a dude as hot as Derek is.”
“We don’t exactly get along any better.” Maybe it’s not exactly the right description of their relationship, but it’s not wrong, either.
“And the sex?”
“It’s not bad.” Jackson can feel the heat in his ears, burning bright red. “It’s not non-existent, if that’s what you’re asking. We’re figuring each other out.”
Danny pushes himself up from the bench and grabs a towel. “We’re going to go get you guys some housewarming gifts. And you’re going to stop freaking out about this. Because, think about it.” He kicks off his shorts and wraps the towel around his waist. “You’re not trying to kill anyone. You have an anchor every full moon. You’re getting great sex, any time you want. And you get to have a family.” He levels a look at Jackson, the one that says he knows how at sea Jackson has been since finding out he was adopted. “So just enjoy it.”
“I’m getting fucking fat!” Jackson yells after Danny as he heads to the shower.
“So?” Danny calls back. “We’ll get you back into shape after the baby’s born. I can be a brutal personal trainer, you know that. Just remember to use protection next time so it doesn’t happen again.”
Again? Jackson hasn’t even thought about after, about what will happen with him and Derek and this little thing that’s growing inside of him. He hasn’t thought about being a family, about being more than alpha and mate. He hasn’t thought about the idea that it could happen a second time (or a third, or a fourth). It is all such an impossible thing that doing it twice seems like it could never happen.
But maybe it’s not so far-fetched.
Jackson sits on the bench, one hand pressed to his stomach, trying to feel the child within. Maybe it’s time to stop fighting this and stop pretending it isn’t happening.
Maybe it’s time to stop pretending he doesn’t like it.
Because there’s a child inside of him. He can’t ignore that anymore.
Title: Let Pretense Fade Away
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: Derek/Jackson
Character/s: Jackson, Danny
Summary: Jackson thinks he can avoid the topic entirely, but it turns out Danny’s far more observant than he gives him credit for.
Warnings: A/B/O dynamics, mpreg
Word Count: 1073 words
Prompt: #13 - Pretending
Author's Notes: Danny was requested, and the prompt fit perfectly, so here we go. I’m running under the assumption that this takes place after high school (since it’s not underage), and Danny already knows some of the details. This is a part of the And Omega Makes Family series. As always, I do not own the characters or world of Teen Wolf, but I love to write about them.
“So, who’d you knock up? And why hasn’t Lydia killed her yet?”
It takes Jackson a moment to realize what Danny is asking. That he hasn’t asked why Jackson’s still wearing a shirt and not working out while Danny does. That he hasn’t asked why he’s getting thick around the middle. That he hasn’t asked what he’s hiding.
Well, he has. Just not how Jackson expected him to ask.
It startles a dry laugh out of him, and he shakes his head. “I didn’t get anyone pregnant.” He can’t look at Danny, and that’s what it’s been like all weekend, pretending that everything’s normal. It’s not Danny’s fault he missed the big announcement. It’s not Danny’s fault that he’s not really home anymore, with classes and lacrosse keeping him busy at college.
Besides, for all that Jackson thought he could ask Danny questions about gay sex, he really can’t. Not like this, out of the blue.
“There are baby clothes littered around your apartment.” Danny shrugs. “Speaking of, good on you for moving out on your parents, but did you have to move in with Derek?” It’s obvious from his expression when the next thought occurs to him. “Oh, hey, did he get someone pregnant?”
A flush rises rapidly to Jackson’s cheeks before he can try to play it cool. Before he can pretend to be normal. He decides that a half truth is better than nothing, so he answers the first question while ignoring the second. “Turns out I’m Derek’s type,” he says. He motions for Danny to lie back on the bench and he works to add weights to the bar. It’s like working out vicariously, staring at Danny’s abs and wishing his own were still that flat and hard.
“Finally figured that out?” Danny reaches for the bar, fingers flexing as he checks his grip. “I thought that was coming back in high school.”
Jackson almost lets go of the bar, but he wouldn’t do that, wouldn’t risk hurting his best friend. “You what?”
“I’m not saying you were pretending to be straight.” Danny lifts with great care, muscles taut. “But dude, I always knew you were bi. You’re the one who said that you’re everyone’s type, remember?”
Jackson remembers saying that. He also remembers being slammed around by Derek once upon a time, being pushed up against the wall. He remembers those moments reappearing later in some vivid dreams, but he’d discounted them as adrenalin fueled fantasies. “Well, I guess you were right.”
He should bend, even break. He should let the walls down and say something to his best friend, and just like that, it’s all too much of a weight on his shoulders. He taps the bench and Danny settles the bar back into place before Jackson backs away and sits down heavily.
Something bubbles in his gut, like indigestion with a purpose. He blinks rapidly and his hand falls to his stomach, resting there. He can’t feel anything through his shirt, but he doesn’t think he’s imagining that bubbling sensation of something moving around.
It’s real. The baby is real and moving inside of him right now.
The idea boggles him, stealing his breath away.
“Dude.” Danny sits on the bench next to him. “You okay?”
Jackson shakes his head, one quick motion, then closes his eyes and tries to remember how to breathe.
“This is some wolf thing.” Danny pauses. “Or some magic thing. Or some other supernatural weirdness that you haven’t told me about yet.”
“Some werewolves can get pregnant.” Jackson tries to keep his voice even, but it breaks at the end. “Male werewolves. When they’re mated to a male alpha.”
“So Lydia’s buying baby clothes for you.” Danny nods his head. “It explains a lot. Your kid is never going to need to buy anything cashmere. Or designer.”
Jackson twists to look at Danny. “You’re not freaked out that I’m a freak who can get pregnant?”
He shrugs one shoulder. “Not really. A couple years ago, you turned into a lizard and threatened to kill me. This actually seems a lot saner in the net scheme of things. I’m more worried about you. You’re not telling me the sex is fantastic, and you looked like you wanted to bite Derek’s head off when I was there earlier. Those generally aren’t good signs in a relationship, especially with a dude as hot as Derek is.”
“We don’t exactly get along any better.” Maybe it’s not exactly the right description of their relationship, but it’s not wrong, either.
“And the sex?”
“It’s not bad.” Jackson can feel the heat in his ears, burning bright red. “It’s not non-existent, if that’s what you’re asking. We’re figuring each other out.”
Danny pushes himself up from the bench and grabs a towel. “We’re going to go get you guys some housewarming gifts. And you’re going to stop freaking out about this. Because, think about it.” He kicks off his shorts and wraps the towel around his waist. “You’re not trying to kill anyone. You have an anchor every full moon. You’re getting great sex, any time you want. And you get to have a family.” He levels a look at Jackson, the one that says he knows how at sea Jackson has been since finding out he was adopted. “So just enjoy it.”
“I’m getting fucking fat!” Jackson yells after Danny as he heads to the shower.
“So?” Danny calls back. “We’ll get you back into shape after the baby’s born. I can be a brutal personal trainer, you know that. Just remember to use protection next time so it doesn’t happen again.”
Again? Jackson hasn’t even thought about after, about what will happen with him and Derek and this little thing that’s growing inside of him. He hasn’t thought about being a family, about being more than alpha and mate. He hasn’t thought about the idea that it could happen a second time (or a third, or a fourth). It is all such an impossible thing that doing it twice seems like it could never happen.
But maybe it’s not so far-fetched.
Jackson sits on the bench, one hand pressed to his stomach, trying to feel the child within. Maybe it’s time to stop fighting this and stop pretending it isn’t happening.
Maybe it’s time to stop pretending he doesn’t like it.
Because there’s a child inside of him. He can’t ignore that anymore.