Friends are the people who know everything about you
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
After the run-in with Stewart and Katie the day before, Stephen was loathe to visit his other friends at their place of residence, lest he run into something he would rather not be privy to. At least they hadn’t been shagging; that would’ve taken some serious Memory charms to move past that image.
Sauntering into the Nest, he sat down on a barstool and gave Darcy a winning grin. “Darcy, love, where’s Ol’ Barmy?”
“Upstairs,” she replied, leaning forward with a pretty smile for one of her favorite patrons. “Where’s he’s been spending the majority of his time.” As far as the dark haired woman could tell, he’d been splitting it equally between his babies, but Stephen didn’t need to know that.
Stephen had to suppress a groan. “Is he going to come down here anytime soon?” Hannah was nice- the time or two he’d met her- but he didn’t want to have to have manly talk with another woman- and the baby- hanging around in the background.
“Probably.” Hannah was going through a ‘mine’ stage and her boss got broody when he didn’t get to hold the baby. “Want a pint while you wait?”
“Please.”
She grabbed one of the glasses from beneath the bar and set about pulling one for him. “So, haven’t seen you in a while? Where have you been hiding?”
“In a cave with his teenage girlfriend,” Ben replied, pushing through the swinging doors. “Cradle robber.”
“She’s twenty-one, and at least I haven’t knocked her up. Unlike others in this room, might I add,” Stephen said, throwing two fingers up at his former friend.
“My fiancee is not knocked up, Stephen. Not anymore anyway,” he replied, the ever present grin growing.
“Neither is mine,” Stephen answered, lips twitching.
Ben opened his mouth to reply, paused, and sent him a narrow look. “Your fiancee?” he asked, unsure about what he thought he’d heard.
The smirk grew. “Did I stutter?” he asked. “Yes, my fiancée.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Ben said lightly. “I know you’ve always emulated me, wanted to follow in my footsteps. I don’t blame you. I am amazing.”
Stephen snorted. “Never mind the fact that I didn’t follow in your footsteps. I’ve been with Cassie longer than you’ve been with yours, and I proposed without knocking her up. You know, like a normal, sane person does. Besides, why in Merlin’s name would I want to emulate you? You’re a nutter.”
“Details,” he replied, dismissively waving his hand.
“Important ones.”
“Not really.” Ben was happy for his friend, but not nearly as happy as he was for himself. He had a woman that he cared for in his life, and he had a son. He didn’t think he’d ever been happier.
The silence passed for a long minute before Stephen said, “What? No congratulations?” This was exactly the kind of reaction every bloke wanted to get from one of their best mates.
“Congratulations, you big girl’s blouse.” All kidding aside, he was thrilled for his friend.
“Thanks,” Stephen said dryly, taking a pull of his pint. That had sounded convincing.
“Welcome. When’s the big day then?”
His friend shrugged. “I just proposed a week ago. We’ll get married whenever Cassie wants.”
Ben nodded, falling silent.
“What?”
“What what?” he asked.
“You didn’t say anything.”
He was supposed to jabber on like a girl now? “I said congrats and I meant it.”
Shrugging one shoulder, he said, “Okay,” and took a pull of his lager. After a long minute passed, his lips twitched and he said, “So, you going to bring my nephew down or what?”
Ben snorted. “I’ll see if I can pry him from his mother’s arms.”
Stephen waved him away with one hand. “Go then, tempt the wrath of the blonde badger. Darcy will keep me company, won’t you, love?”
“Course I will.” She gave him another of those smiles as her boss disappeared into the kitchen.
“Tell me something, love. Is that bloke of yours still treating you right?” Stephen asked as he took another tug from his pint. “Or should I be having words with him about how to properly treat pretty witches?”
“He treats me just fine, though words couldn’t hurt. Couldn’t help but overhear that you’ve gotten yourself a girl.” She was happy for him, he needed someone in his life to take care of him.
He couldn’t help the small, happy smile. “Well, she’s agreed to marry me, so I guess she’s stuck with me for a while.”
“If only we were all that lucky.” There were worse things than being stuck with someone you loved.
Stephen quirked a brow at her words. “I think I’ll be needing to have words with that bloke of yours,” he said, taking a pull from his drink. If Darcy wasn’t happy, or if he didn’t realize how lucky he was, then she needed to leave.
“He has a bit of commitment phobia, that’s all. But feel free to have words with him. In fact, if it will get him to this little point,” she waved in Stephen’s general direction, “then all the better.”
“I don’t know if words will get him to this point,” he pointed out, “but I’ll give it a try, if you like. Or we can have dear Benny boy glower menacingly at him.”
“Tried that, it was surprisingly ineffective.” And Ben could pull some really fierce glares when he was short on sleep.
He snorted. “Domesticity is making our Bradley soft, Darcy love.”
“Can you blame him? If I had a baby that cute, I’d be soft too.”
One brow quirked at the blonde. “Do you really expect me to comment on the cuteness of said baby when I’ve yet to meet him?” Benny-boy was taking his dear sweet time, and if Stephen weren’t half sure he’d catch him in his bird’s amorous embrace, he’d have trooped up after the crotchety barkeep.
“All babies are cute, Stephen. You need to learn that sooner rather than later.” The door was pushed open behind her and her smile grew into a grin. “Though Robbie Bradley is cuter than most, isn’t he?” she asked, turning to Ben.
“It’s true. He could win awards,” Ben returned.
Stephen held out his hands for the ickle bundle in his friend’s arms. “I’ll make my own judgement on that,” he said.
“The judgement had better be that he’s the cutest damn baby you’ve ever seen,” Ben told him seriously, handing over the precious bundle.
His friend snorted, taking the little boy into his arms and examining him. The kid was pretty cute, though Stephen knew that any and all offspring he and Cassie produced would be ten times cuter than Bradley’s spawn. “You didn’t do so badly, Benny,” he said, quirking a half-smile at the baby.
“I did better than that, admit it.” His son was the best looking baby in England, maybe even the world.
“Nah, jury’s still out on that.” Holding the baby so he could look into his blue eyes, he said, “Hey there bud, I’m Uncle Stephen. You come to me for wisdom, not Uncle Justin, kay?”
One flailing fist found Stephen’s nose and Robbie gripped, blowing bubbles and making noises. “I think that’s an agreement.”
“Of course he agrees, he’s a smart lad.”
“He is my son, after all.” Ben reached out and brushed his hand over the downy fuzz on Robbie’s head.
“He must get that from his mum,” Stephen replied with a smirk.
“Fuck off,” Ben sneered, flipping him two fingers.
Stephen shared a faux-affronted glance with Darcy, and one hand cupped little Robbie’s ears gently. “Language, Bradley. You wouldn’t want this one’s first words to be of the curse variety, now would you?”
“It’ll put hair on his chest,” though Hannah would be less than thrilled with him. Nevertheless, it was a chance he was willing to take.
“He’s what, two months old? If that puts hair on his chest now, then I’d take him to Mungo’s for testing.”
“One month,” Ben replied, glaring at one of his oldest friends for daring to suggest that his son was anything less than sheer perfection.
For his part, Stephen merely snickered and glanced down at the tiny baby in his hands. “See that? That’s your dad’s attempt at being menacing. Don’t fall for it for one second, kay? He’s all bark and no bite.”
“Undermining me already,” he tsked.
“S’what I’m here for. If you ever get arrested, kiddo, I’m the one you come to to get bailed out of jail, kay?”
That little comment had Ben snickering. “He’s a month old, don’t go putting ideas of jail into his head just yet.”
Stephen gave Ben a look. “Better safe than sorry, yeah? Besides, you’d guilt trip him to death, and I don’t even want to think about what Mummy dearest would say.”
“She’d say don’t go putting ideas of jail into his head ever.” She was quite protective of Robbie and Ben didn’t see that changing any time soon.
His friend snickered. “But what Mummy doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” he faux-whispered to his little friend.
“Or me,” Ben added.
“Stick with me, kid. You’ll go far.”
Summary: Stephen drops by to give Ben the good news- and to meet the new addition to the Barmy family.
After the run-in with Stewart and Katie the day before, Stephen was loathe to visit his other friends at their place of residence, lest he run into something he would rather not be privy to. At least they hadn’t been shagging; that would’ve taken some serious Memory charms to move past that image.
Sauntering into the Nest, he sat down on a barstool and gave Darcy a winning grin. “Darcy, love, where’s Ol’ Barmy?”
“Upstairs,” she replied, leaning forward with a pretty smile for one of her favorite patrons. “Where’s he’s been spending the majority of his time.” As far as the dark haired woman could tell, he’d been splitting it equally between his babies, but Stephen didn’t need to know that.
Stephen had to suppress a groan. “Is he going to come down here anytime soon?” Hannah was nice- the time or two he’d met her- but he didn’t want to have to have manly talk with another woman- and the baby- hanging around in the background.
“Probably.” Hannah was going through a ‘mine’ stage and her boss got broody when he didn’t get to hold the baby. “Want a pint while you wait?”
“Please.”
She grabbed one of the glasses from beneath the bar and set about pulling one for him. “So, haven’t seen you in a while? Where have you been hiding?”
“In a cave with his teenage girlfriend,” Ben replied, pushing through the swinging doors. “Cradle robber.”
“She’s twenty-one, and at least I haven’t knocked her up. Unlike others in this room, might I add,” Stephen said, throwing two fingers up at his former friend.
“My fiancee is not knocked up, Stephen. Not anymore anyway,” he replied, the ever present grin growing.
“Neither is mine,” Stephen answered, lips twitching.
Ben opened his mouth to reply, paused, and sent him a narrow look. “Your fiancee?” he asked, unsure about what he thought he’d heard.
The smirk grew. “Did I stutter?” he asked. “Yes, my fiancée.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Ben said lightly. “I know you’ve always emulated me, wanted to follow in my footsteps. I don’t blame you. I am amazing.”
Stephen snorted. “Never mind the fact that I didn’t follow in your footsteps. I’ve been with Cassie longer than you’ve been with yours, and I proposed without knocking her up. You know, like a normal, sane person does. Besides, why in Merlin’s name would I want to emulate you? You’re a nutter.”
“Details,” he replied, dismissively waving his hand.
“Important ones.”
“Not really.” Ben was happy for his friend, but not nearly as happy as he was for himself. He had a woman that he cared for in his life, and he had a son. He didn’t think he’d ever been happier.
The silence passed for a long minute before Stephen said, “What? No congratulations?” This was exactly the kind of reaction every bloke wanted to get from one of their best mates.
“Congratulations, you big girl’s blouse.” All kidding aside, he was thrilled for his friend.
“Thanks,” Stephen said dryly, taking a pull of his pint. That had sounded convincing.
“Welcome. When’s the big day then?”
His friend shrugged. “I just proposed a week ago. We’ll get married whenever Cassie wants.”
Ben nodded, falling silent.
“What?”
“What what?” he asked.
“You didn’t say anything.”
He was supposed to jabber on like a girl now? “I said congrats and I meant it.”
Shrugging one shoulder, he said, “Okay,” and took a pull of his lager. After a long minute passed, his lips twitched and he said, “So, you going to bring my nephew down or what?”
Ben snorted. “I’ll see if I can pry him from his mother’s arms.”
Stephen waved him away with one hand. “Go then, tempt the wrath of the blonde badger. Darcy will keep me company, won’t you, love?”
“Course I will.” She gave him another of those smiles as her boss disappeared into the kitchen.
“Tell me something, love. Is that bloke of yours still treating you right?” Stephen asked as he took another tug from his pint. “Or should I be having words with him about how to properly treat pretty witches?”
“He treats me just fine, though words couldn’t hurt. Couldn’t help but overhear that you’ve gotten yourself a girl.” She was happy for him, he needed someone in his life to take care of him.
He couldn’t help the small, happy smile. “Well, she’s agreed to marry me, so I guess she’s stuck with me for a while.”
“If only we were all that lucky.” There were worse things than being stuck with someone you loved.
Stephen quirked a brow at her words. “I think I’ll be needing to have words with that bloke of yours,” he said, taking a pull from his drink. If Darcy wasn’t happy, or if he didn’t realize how lucky he was, then she needed to leave.
“He has a bit of commitment phobia, that’s all. But feel free to have words with him. In fact, if it will get him to this little point,” she waved in Stephen’s general direction, “then all the better.”
“I don’t know if words will get him to this point,” he pointed out, “but I’ll give it a try, if you like. Or we can have dear Benny boy glower menacingly at him.”
“Tried that, it was surprisingly ineffective.” And Ben could pull some really fierce glares when he was short on sleep.
He snorted. “Domesticity is making our Bradley soft, Darcy love.”
“Can you blame him? If I had a baby that cute, I’d be soft too.”
One brow quirked at the blonde. “Do you really expect me to comment on the cuteness of said baby when I’ve yet to meet him?” Benny-boy was taking his dear sweet time, and if Stephen weren’t half sure he’d catch him in his bird’s amorous embrace, he’d have trooped up after the crotchety barkeep.
“All babies are cute, Stephen. You need to learn that sooner rather than later.” The door was pushed open behind her and her smile grew into a grin. “Though Robbie Bradley is cuter than most, isn’t he?” she asked, turning to Ben.
“It’s true. He could win awards,” Ben returned.
Stephen held out his hands for the ickle bundle in his friend’s arms. “I’ll make my own judgement on that,” he said.
“The judgement had better be that he’s the cutest damn baby you’ve ever seen,” Ben told him seriously, handing over the precious bundle.
His friend snorted, taking the little boy into his arms and examining him. The kid was pretty cute, though Stephen knew that any and all offspring he and Cassie produced would be ten times cuter than Bradley’s spawn. “You didn’t do so badly, Benny,” he said, quirking a half-smile at the baby.
“I did better than that, admit it.” His son was the best looking baby in England, maybe even the world.
“Nah, jury’s still out on that.” Holding the baby so he could look into his blue eyes, he said, “Hey there bud, I’m Uncle Stephen. You come to me for wisdom, not Uncle Justin, kay?”
One flailing fist found Stephen’s nose and Robbie gripped, blowing bubbles and making noises. “I think that’s an agreement.”
“Of course he agrees, he’s a smart lad.”
“He is my son, after all.” Ben reached out and brushed his hand over the downy fuzz on Robbie’s head.
“He must get that from his mum,” Stephen replied with a smirk.
“Fuck off,” Ben sneered, flipping him two fingers.
Stephen shared a faux-affronted glance with Darcy, and one hand cupped little Robbie’s ears gently. “Language, Bradley. You wouldn’t want this one’s first words to be of the curse variety, now would you?”
“It’ll put hair on his chest,” though Hannah would be less than thrilled with him. Nevertheless, it was a chance he was willing to take.
“He’s what, two months old? If that puts hair on his chest now, then I’d take him to Mungo’s for testing.”
“One month,” Ben replied, glaring at one of his oldest friends for daring to suggest that his son was anything less than sheer perfection.
For his part, Stephen merely snickered and glanced down at the tiny baby in his hands. “See that? That’s your dad’s attempt at being menacing. Don’t fall for it for one second, kay? He’s all bark and no bite.”
“Undermining me already,” he tsked.
“S’what I’m here for. If you ever get arrested, kiddo, I’m the one you come to to get bailed out of jail, kay?”
That little comment had Ben snickering. “He’s a month old, don’t go putting ideas of jail into his head just yet.”
Stephen gave Ben a look. “Better safe than sorry, yeah? Besides, you’d guilt trip him to death, and I don’t even want to think about what Mummy dearest would say.”
“She’d say don’t go putting ideas of jail into his head ever.” She was quite protective of Robbie and Ben didn’t see that changing any time soon.
His friend snickered. “But what Mummy doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” he faux-whispered to his little friend.
“Or me,” Ben added.
“Stick with me, kid. You’ll go far.”
Summary: Stephen drops by to give Ben the good news- and to meet the new addition to the Barmy family.