(no subject)

[ceria_taliesin]

.

Many Christmases to Come

Authors: ceria_taliesin and westwardlee
Rating: R
Summary: It was not a happy Christmas Eve - but surely better ones would come
Disclaimer: Don't you get it yet? They belong to JKR. We don't own their universe and we don't make any money off them. The only thing we do is subvert them to feed our twisted sense of interests.
A/N: Written for the AWDT prompt "Oh my God, you're pregnant!" In the spirit of things, we changed it to "Oh Merlin, you're pregnant!"

The index of stories



The good thing about Amelia was that Gideon no longer had to threaten to withhold sex every time the subject of dinner at Molly's was brought up. She and Kingsley had a similar outlook toward Molly and often commiserated together in the corner of the room. Yet Amelia had more of a sense of humor about it than Kingsley did, and she kept him relaxed. Not to mention Percy loved Amelia, so wherever she was, Percy was there playing with her and Kingsley. Gideon had to admit it was very cute.

The four of them Apparated to the edge of the Weasley's property as the sun set on Christmas Eve and walked toward the house, Fabian, still discussing their next mission as they approached the back porch, said "I don't think it will work, Gideon."

He shook his head, "Probably not, but shouldn't we try it Moody's way first?"

"No, not if it will cause casualties."

Molly was on the back porch, her head against the screen, breathing deeply.

"Everything okay, Mollykins?" Fabian asked, touching her shoulder.

"Just fine, dear. It's warm inside with all that baking."

"You do look flushed, Molly, are you sure…"

"Positive, Gideon, thanks for asking."

Walking slowly, she went back inside as they took their cloaks off.

"Never seen Molly sick before," Fabian said, and Amelia grinned, saying, "Maybe she's pregnant again."

"No way," Gideon said, "the Mediwitch told her absolutely no more children after she Rons birth."

"And Arthur promised to followed the directions…" Fabian said, "This time."

Kingsley snorted and spoke in a low voice, "Right. As if the Prewetts know the meaning of 'control'…and the Weasleys don't seem to be much better."

"I know the meaning of control just fine, Shacklebolt," Gideon said over his shoulder. He had heard Kingsley mumble something, but had a pretty good idea about what he said.

Kingsley made a funny face and mouthed, "Oh, yes!" with mock sincerity. He was not in the best of moods. Dinner at the Burrow with Molly was always trying for him. He and she never saw eye to eye and he was sure she blamed him for Gideon's queerness. In her mind, no Prewett could ever be bent, unless hexed by the mean wolf Shacklebolt.

Arthur was a fine bloke, though, although totally pussy whipped by Molly. The children were fun and he tried to play with them as much as possible, albeit not in a way he enjoyed. He loved roughhousing with his godson, but Molly didn't approve of that.

But now Amelia also served as a shield and a cohort. And Molly, despite being a harpy, was also a great cook.

And Gideon always paid for those dinners.

Fabian rolled his eyes at Gideon; both of them knew that Kingsley was making fun of him behind his back. Gideon held the door open for Amelia and grabbed Kingsley's arm. "Want me to hold out and prove I have some control?"

He kissed Kingsley's cheek and followed him into the house.

"As if you can resist me in bed, Prewett," Kingsley answered as soon as he walked into the house and was sure Molly could hear him. She scowled at him and he grinned widely. "Hello, Molly. Looking good," he said, staring at her midriff pointedly. He had no idea whether she was pregnant or not, but it was so much fun to tease her.

With a laugh, Gideon smacked Kingsley on the back of his head then took one of the twins from her arms. "Which one are you?" he asked, as the toddler began to cry.

"Oh, it's George," he quickly handed him back to Molly. Then ruffled his hair, "Momma's boy," Gideon said.

With a laugh, Amelia took him, "Go fetch the food from the kitchen, boys."

Looking at Kingsley, Gideon rolled his eyes, "She's as bossy as my sister."

"I heard that," Fabian said, returning from the kitchen with his hands full of dishes.

Sighing, Gideon took Kingsley's hand and pulled him from the room. "All work and no play…"

They walked into the kitchen and Kingsley pushed Gideon against the wall, whispering, "Let's play, then," before kissing him and pushing his hips against Gideon's body. He hoped that Molly would walk in and freak out. She simply hated the idea that one of her children might be exposed to deviant behavior and, Merlin forbid, be influenced into turning gay.

One day Kingsley had teased her, saying that a woman who had a lot of sons usually ended up by having at least one gay son. The result was that Molly screamed and started crying, Arthur had to console her and Gideon threatened to withhold sex for one week unless he told Molly he'd been joking. He hadn't been joking: Santini had told him that and he knew his cousin had probably read it in a bona fide publication. But he told Molly it was only a hypothesis and now he just hoped she'd walk in on them at least once.

Gideon pushed him away before someone walked in. He knew that Kingsley found her irritating, but she was still his sister and there were children all around. He wondered if Kingsley would understand better if he had siblings.

"Later, Imp."

He picked up one of the plates of hot food and handed it to Kingsley, tilting his head toward the dining room, "After you."

Gideon set his dish down and looked at his brother. Fabian was staring at the table, frowning, "What's wrong?"

"Molly's in the loo - sick."

Kingsley took the plate into the dining-room with a pout. Gideon would pay doubly tonight: once for making him come to dinner and again for having pushed him away. He heard Fabian saying that Molly was throwing up and, smiling at Gideon with mock innocence, he said, "Maybe we should leave, then. If the cook herself is sick from her food, it may not be a good idea for us to eat it."

"I think your boy just earned himself some extra work next week," Fabian said without turning his head.

"I thought you were taking next week off?" Gideon asked.

"I am, but I'm sure Moody can arrange to remind Shacklebolt about his manners."

"Sounds fine," Gideon said. "And I want him to tell Molly twice how much he loves her cooking.

"Sincerely." Gideon was smiling with his lips, but he cut his eyes toward Kingsley. It wasn't like they spent that much time around her. He hated when Kingsley acted like a child.

Rolling his eyes, Kingsley sighed deeply. "You both are two bitter old ladies. No sense of humor whatsoever. For your information, Fabian, Moody's not really an expert on good manners. And you, Prewett," he jutted his chin at Gideon, "can threaten me as much as you want. It doesn’t work any more. I know you want it as much as I do. But, just to show you both how well-mannered I am, I will apologize. Now. Just as she's throwing up," he said, walking in the direction of the bathroom.

"I'm not sending you to Moody because he can teach you manners, you git. I'm sending you because you can't use the ones your mum gave you." Fabian turned toward Gideon, "You put up with him why?"

Gideon shrugged. "He's funny when he's not being an arse."

"Which is?"

Snorting with laughter, Gideon finished setting the table and they went to sit with Arthur, who had been playing with the children. Molly never allowed them in her kitchen and he was having a heck of a time convincing the five older boys to leave the shiny gifts alone.

Gideon settled on the floor with Bill and Charlie as Fabian sat on the arm of the chair where Amelia and Percy were curled up reading a book.

Kingsley ignored Fabian's and Gideon's comments and walked to the bathroom. This was something he didn't understand: he didn't like Molly at all and yet he was the only one who seemed worried enough to knock at the door and find out if she was all right. Her own husband was playing with the children, her darling brothers, who defended her against mean Shacklebolt were carrying on as if she was dancing in the room and even Amelia, the only other woman in the house was ignoring the heaving noises coming from the loo.

He knocked and asked, "Molly? Do you need anything?"

"Kingsley," she croaked, "is that you?"

There's no other man presently in this house with my deep voice, dear Molly… "Yes. It's me. How're you feeling?"

"Come in. The door's open."

He turned the knob, to find her sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. He easily pulled her up and, putting the toilet lid down, sat her gently on it. He then poured a little water on a cup and handed it to her. She sipped it carefully, thanking him with a nod.

"Do you want me to call Arthur?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. I'm feeling better now."

"You don't look much better, Molly. Why don't you lie down for a while?"

"NO! We have to eat dinner."

"We'll take care of that, don't worry. Lie down and someone'll take you a tray."

She covered her mouth with her hand at the mention of food. It was worse than he thought. She probably had food poisoning. "Was it something you ate? Indigestion, perhaps?"

She chortled. "The same indigestion I had five times already."

It took him one second to understand what she meant, and then he shouted, ""Oh Merlin, you're pregnant!"

Arthur sighed in the other room and put his hands on his head.

"You already knew, didn't you?" Fabian asked.

"She didn't want to tell anyone until after Christmas. You know Molly, pretend that everyone can't guess and then the concerns will go away."

"Yeah," Gideon said, standing up, "I know all about that." He walked toward the bathroom but stopped when he heard Molly laughing. It was very sweet of Kingsley to go in there. Gideon was surprised he actually did.

He waited outside the door.

After he shouted the news, Molly shook her head and said, "I guess the cat's out of the bag."

Kingsley smiled. "Sorry. It just…you know…"

She laughed. "That's all right. It's not something I would be able to hide for much longer anyway." She extended a hand to him and he helped her up. "I'm really feeling better, but I don't think I'll be able to eat with you."

"I told you we can take care of it. You just rest." He opened the door, saw Gideon standing there and said, unsmiling, "Your sister needs to lie down. Why don't you see to it?" He walked around Gideon and into the living-room. Looking straight at Fabian, he said, "I think it shows good manners to help your sister. Make her lie down." Without another word, he went to the kitchen to get the rest of the food.

Molly looked at Gideon and frowned, "I think he just defended me, is he feeling alright?"

"I've been wondering that all night, sister mine.

"Come on, upstairs with you." Gideon took her arm and guided her toward the stairs.

"But there's still work to be done…"

"Kingsley will do it, not to worry."

"If I said he's a good man, would you accept that I'm ill and probably won't admit to saying it tomorrow?"

Laughing, Gideon nodded, kissing her cheek, "Of course."

"Good."

"None of us have your talent, ya' know."

"Talent?"

"To manage the children, keep the house and cook. We all lose next to you. It takes two of us to cook, which you do every day single-handedly, and three of us to watch the children."

"Are you feeling all right, Gideon?"

After an embarrassed laugh, he nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Maybe it's just the holiday season."

In the end, he wanted to make sure everyone would be happy, and it felt like a good time to remind his family he appreciated them.

Helping her onto the bed, Gideon whispered, "Sleep, and I'll get you when it's time to open the gifts."

Kingsley levitated the dishes to the dining-room. Molly had definitely spent the whole day slaving in front of the stove. She had prepared a feast.

He set the food on the table and announced that dinner was ready. He waited for all the Weasleys to find their places; Fabian had finally realized that he had a sister and gone upstairs to see if she was all right, so Kingsley pulled the chair for Amelia and sat across from her.

He was not feeling very Christmasy at that point. He'd have loved to be at his grandfather's house, but he'd accepted that, with a relationship there came compromises. He'd suffer the dinner tonight and then they'd spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day with his family.

Fabian was a born git and would be a git until the day he died. But what really riled Kingsley was when Gideon sided with his brother against him. He looked at his watch: only a few more hours and he'd be free, until next year. With another little Weasley then. Hopefully Molly would have a little girl and stop the baby-making factory.

Bill whined that he was hungry, and Arthur replied they had to wait for their uncles to come down. He then asked Kingsley if he could go upstairs and call Fabian and Gideon to come down for dinner.

"No, Arthur. They're all bonding upstairs. I don't want to disturb them." He knew it was a harsh answer, but he'd be damned if he'd go upstairs to bring Fabian down to eat.

Amelia probably sensed the tension and rose, saying she'd get those two down immediately.

"Kingsley's downstairs acting like you two are ruining dinner," Amelia said after climbing the first flight of stairs to find the brothers on their way down.

With no need to reply to that, Gideon quietly made his way down and sat by Kingsley, not commenting on anything. He was still irritated that Kingsley complained, but it was easier to leave it for later.

Picking up the food, he helped Bill and Charlie choose what they wanted for dinner while Arthur dealt with the twins.

Gideon hoped this next one was a girl and that Molly wouldn't have any more.

Kingsley ate in silence, only answering questions briefly. The food was very good - Molly was a great cook - but he was feeling this Christmas Eve had gone down the drain. Now Gideon was looking as if he had been the offended party.

Hopefully they'd leave as soon as the children opened their gifts.

It was much easier to give the children attention than the adults. The children were all so hyper and excited! Gideon knew it was Christmas Eve and forgave them everything. Charlie refused to eat the vegetables, Bill, now ten years old, decided he didn't have to eat the potatoes. The twins were busy being cute and feeding their father their vegetables so that each time Arthur took a bite from one of them, the other boy would sneak more ham from his father's plate.

Only four-year-old Percy, sitting quietly in Amelia's lap, was eating everything on his plate. It figured that the polite one liked her.

When the children finally seemed full, even if they didn't really eat what they should have, Arthur sighed and tilted his head toward the tree. "I'll go get Molly," he said quickly.

With a smirk, Gideon knew he said it in order to stay out of the kitchen a little longer. Depositing the twins into Fabian's lap, Arthur went upstairs.

"Kingsley, take the kids, alright? We'll clean up in here," Gideon said, trailing a hand across his shoulders as he walked out of the room. Considering Kingsley finished preparing the dinner, Gideon didn't want to make him do any more in there. "Don't let them open the gifts."

He wasn't sure how things became strained between them so quickly, but it seemed typical each time they came near Molly. He still couldn't help but wonder if seeing the husband, wife and children arrangement made Kingsley regret not having a more… traditional relationship.

Amelia immediately divided the cleanup between the three of them and Gideon saluted her mockingly before concentrating on his chores. He charmed the scrubbers to dip the pans in the soapy water as he cleaned the counters himself.

The company of children was much preferred to that of the adults. Kingsley was seldom in charge of them alone, but this didn't bother him at all. Bill and Charlie were in awe of his being an Auror - and a rather imposing one, too, so he hardly had to voice a command to them. Just a stern look and the two older Weasley boys sat cross-legged close to the gifts under the tree. Percy followed orders anyway and sat next to Charlie without a peep. The twins were rambunctious, but Kingsley put one under each arm and walked with them, hanging from their waist, to the bassinet where baby Ron was sleeping peacefully despite all the chaos. He sat down on the floor next to Bill and put one twin on each of his legs, warning them to be still until their parents arrived. It might have been the deep voice or maybe the fact that two strong hands were keeping them in place, but when Gideon, Fabian and Amelia returned from the kitchen, there were five angelic children around the Christmas tree.

Gideon figured the children would be scared of Kingsley and was humored to find them sitting with him when he returned. It was amazing how they behaved for people they didn't know as well, but ran all over their parents. Some of his teammates with small children had complained about similar habits; apparently, it was something all parents went through.

He felt strange thinking such a thing for a minute, knowing it was something he'd never experience, but he looked at Fabian and Amelia, then Kingsley, and knew that he could live with it.

He met Kingsley's smug glance and whispered, "I love you," as he sat in one of the chairs in the room. Arthur and Molly returned, both looking astonished that the kitchen had been cleaned and everyone was waiting for them.

Fabian sat on the floor by the tree, calling out names for the children repeatedly. Both brothers had gone overboard with gifts instead of splitting the presents as they usually did. Partially because Kingsley didn't want to have his name on the things Fabian wanted to buy, and partially because it worked out better for the two couples to separate their gifts that year.

That part was fun. It reminded Kingsley of Christmas mornings at Southwood's, the Christmases of his childhood, when he and his cousins woke up at dawn and prowled around the Christmas tree until the adults rose.

Tomorrow he'll be seeing his godson and, although the family now didn't get together until all the children had opened their gifts at their own houses, he had a surprise for Giordano - a tiny toy broom. He was dying to see the look on the little boy's face.

He looked at the tree - still some gifts and then he and Gideon could be gone.

Presents all unwrapped, each of the boys politely said thank you for their gifts and Gideon kissed them goodnight. It was cute to watch them say goodbye to Kingsley as well. Fabian and Amelia took them upstairs to put them in bed, a task Gideon was glad to skip.

He shook Arthur's hand and kissed Molly on the cheek, "Congratulations, sister." They were finally free to leave.

Kingsley could hardly disguise his glee. Now that Molly was standing up, looking healthy, he had no reason to be too nice to her. The woman was a hag and hated his guts. He shook Arthur's hand, wished him a Happy Christmas and gave Molly the briefest one-armed hug ever.

He turned to the door. With a little bit of luck he wouldn't have to say good bye to the top git, too, who was still upstairs with Amelia.

He swore this was the last Christmas Eve he'd spend at the Burrow. Next year they'd travel somewhere and be alone. Happily so.

He hated taking Kingsley with him, yet he hated leaving Kingsley behind as well. Kingsley was incapable of realizing that half the problem was his own and it infuriated Gideon most of the time. Which was the reason Gideon often went alone to visit them, leaving the holidays as the exception.

In the spirit of Christmas, Gideon bit his tongue and ignored it. Overall, they had a phenomenal relationship and by tomorrow, he'd be over his anger. They reached the end of the anti-apparition field around Molly's home and he said, finally turning toward Kingsley, "Ready to go?"

"Yes," Kingsley replied. "Let's go home and have some eggnog in front of the fireplace and I'll let you open one of your gifts at midnight." He took Gideon's hand in his, to do a joint Apparition. A second later, they were in front of the door of their flat.

Kingsley started the fire and Gideon poured the eggnog. They met at the sofa and sat on the floor. Gideon threw his legs over Kingsley's lap and curled up against his side.

He wasn't much in the mood to talk, and figured that was best for them. With the wave of his wand, he turned the WWN on and put the lights out. Christmas music filled the room, barely loud enough to obscure the crackle of the fireplace. Raising his head, he kissed Kingsley's cheek and took a sip of his drink.

Kingsley put one of his arms around Gideon to pull him closer. He played with Gideon's hair while they drank their eggnog in silence. They stayed like that for a while, until they heard a distant bell chime midnight. Kissing Gideon softly on the lips, Kingsley whispered, "Happy Christmas, love. Now and for many, many more years to come, by my side."