i see my future in your eyes

"You're gonna milk it for all it's worth," Michael teased lightly, kissing the top of her head, though he sighed quietly, pressing his forehead to the top of her head gently. "I wish I could just drag you there and have you there where I can keep an eye on you. It was hard enough leaving you alone before, now it's just going to be so much worse. I'll be calling and texting every five minutes, freaking out to make sure you eat and stay hydrated and that you're comfortable, the whole nine yards, I just know it."

"I know, but I'll be fine. Really," Anette murmured quietly, offering a smile up at him, and she nodded. "Of course I'll call if anything's wrong. But, I may also call just to hear your voice, so don't freak out if I call, okay?" She grinned and leaned to kiss his cheek. "And we both know you'd be getting Petunia for yourself, you miss her so much," she teased lightly, though she was glad that Luke cared so much. She didn't want him to stress, though. "I know. But you'll be back at night and we'll get to cuddle and relax and everything."

Nora smiled weakly. “Oh, babe.” She shifted so she was facing him, kneeling on the mattress. Pulling him to her chest, Nora ran her fingers through Michael’s hair. “I love you. We’ll be okay, me and bean. I promise.” She kissed the top of his head. “I promise to eat three meals a day and drink everything non poisonous.” She teased. “As for comfortable... Michael, I don’t have a bump or a waddle yet.” She laughed softly. “I’ll be okay.”

“But night is too long to wait.” Luke grouched. “I leave at seven, get home at seven... it’s going to be murder.” He sighed, kissing the top of Anette’s head. “I just want you to know how much I love you and how I want you to be safe. Any bad vibes, call me.” He warned her, having an idea with a smile. “Who knows, I might come home with a gift.” He grinned. “A gift that isn’t Petunia.” He laughed. “Just something to bring you comfort when I’m not here.”

Michael shifted, resting his hand on her stomach as he rubbed her tummy gently, just taking comfort in knowing that she seemed to be fine right now. "You may not have a bump or a waddle yet, but I don't know, you may end up with cramps or pains," he reminded quietly, "And I just hate the thought of not being here to help with it if it happens."

Annette's expression softened and she leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I know how much you love me and how much you want me safe," she assured him quietly, "And I love you, too, even when you're being crazy neurotic protective. And I'll definitely call if I feel anything's wrong." She blinked, though, arching a brow as she watched him. "What? You don't have to do that, Luke."

Nora smiled. "Look at how amazing you are, Michael Clifford." She murmured into his hair. "I'll make you a deal. I'll call a few times, okay?" She asked. "Because I'm gonna be clingy, blame it all on baby, just so I can hear your voice." She admitted. "If any cramps or pains happen, I'll call you, and apologise to Calum three hundred times." She teased. "I love you. And we've got nine months to look out for one another."

Luke smiled. "I know, but I'm going to remind you at least five times a day." He told Anette softly, smiling, taking in the feeling of his hand on top of her own, using Anette to ground himself. "I do have to do that. I know I'm being a little over bearing right now, but I want you to be alright." He murmured, not even embarrassed by his protective nature.

Michael smiled with her words, cupping her face with his free hand to lift her face to kiss her for a moment. "Call as many times as you want, I promise to answer every single time, regardless of Calum's complaints or how often he tries to steal my phone," he told her with a broad grin, drawing her closer. "I love you, too, Nora, with everything in me. And these next nine months are gonna be the lead up to the best times of our lives, I just know it."

Anette laughed quietly and shifted, curling up to him, her hand still over her stomach. "Well, I will gladly accept each reminder," she promised, shifting to press her forehead to his shoulder as she relaxed. "I don't mind you being overbearing. I just don't want you to stress yourself out."

Nora smiled, pressing a sweet kiss to Michael's lips, groaning as she heard a knock on the door. "They always ruin a moment, seriously." She complained with a slight pout, standing up to get their food, stroking her hand through Michael's hair as she disappeared out of the bedroom, accepting the Chinese food. Going back to the bedroom, Nora sat on the edge of the bed to make sure she didn't spill any food on their sheets. "I'll remind you of what you just said when I'm about to rip your head off and crave something stupid." She teased.

Luke grinned. "Me? Stress myself out? When has that ever happened?" He teased, kissing the top of Anette's head, relishing in the smell of her shampoo, shifting so she was leaning into his embrace, and he could still place a hand over her stomach protectively. Luke smiled as he thought of everything that was to come, knowing that his life was already so surreal, and it was going to be made better by a tiny human. Hearing the doorbell, Luke groaned and gently got up to grab their pizza, returning after a short while and handing Anette her breadsticks. "For baby." And then handed her the box of pizza to share. "For Mommy."

Michael pouted slightly when she'd left, having wanted to get the food for them so that she wouldn't have to go out of her way to do things like that, regardless of how simple they were. When she came back, he smiled as he watched her but he moved over behind her a bit, sliding his arm around her to rub her tummy, resting his head on her chin. "Well, whatever you start craving, I'll be sure to provide, no matter what it takes," he promised with a grin before kissing the top of her head and moving back to sit beside her, taking his own food.

Anette perked up when Luke came back with the food, having not really been aware of just how hungry she was until the aroma of the pizza filled her senses and she grinned, taking the breadsticks and pizza before she leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You're the best," she hummed out happily, shifting to place the pizza more towards the center for them to share, and she grabbed a slice to start eating almost immediately.

For the moment it lasted, Nora leaned into Michael's embrace, laughing at Michael's supportive nature, absolutely adoring it. "Michael, when my Mom was pregnant with me, she craved coal." She pretended to frown with worry. "What if I start eating the fireplace?" She teased, opening her box of Chinese food, using the chopsticks perfectly. Looking to Michael, she smiled, watching him for a moment, absolutely loving his smile, knowing it was a sight she would never tire of. "He or she needs to have your smile. Are we doing those bump progress photos?" She asked.

Luke frowned with worry. "Babe, you were starving." He said sympathetically, taking a slice as he settled back down, his gaze never once leaving Anette, making sure that she was taken care of and content. Smiling as he watched her, Luke gently tucked a stray strand of hair from Anette's face. "Okay, so I'm thinking the spare room by the balcony can be the nursery." He said, wanting to talk about it, already having so many plans for their future arrival.

"If that ends up being the case, we're gonna head to the hospital and see if you're anemic," Michael told her, rubbing her back gently as he smiled, watching her, glad she was getting food on her stomach. Leaning, he kissed the side of her head before he began eating, though he listened to her. "If the baby gets my smile, then he or she should get your eyes." He grinned, looking over at her but nodded. "I think we should, as long as you want to."

"Not starving," Anette tried, making a slight face at him, but she smiled as she ate, grateful for the food, for him, for their baby, just all of it. Smiling, she watched him and nodded slightly. "I think that's a really great idea." She grinned slightly with the idea. "Maybe do a sea creature theme?"

Nora laughed at Michael's seriousness, trying to disguise it with a cough. "Oh my god, Michael." She spoke softly, absolutely so in love with Michael. "You're such a nerd, I love you." She shook her head with a smile. "Kiddo's gonna have blonde hair, my eyes, your smile... both of us have button noses." She shrugged, unable to stop herself from thinking about it. She put her food on the bedside table when she was full, stealing some of Michael's food too, climbing back onto the bed, watching Michael. "Tonight's been amazing."

Luke's eyes lit up at the sea creature theme suggestion, nodding in approval. "We could paint it different shades of blue, get darker as we go down the wall, you know, like deep sea." He suggested. "The guys and I can paint people swimming, sharks, dolphins, octopuses, it'll be awesome." He smiled widely. "White accessories, white crib, changing station, everything we need." He couldn't push his smile back as he looked at Anette. "Holy shit, I'm excited." He finished his slice of pizza, waiting for Anette to take her second.

Michael grinned slightly and shrugged. "What? If you actually started craving the coals in the fireplace, we'd definitely need to check it out," he teased, but smiled as he watched her. "I love you, too, though." His expression brightened with her later words and he grinned broader, his heart swelling. "Our kid's gonna be perfect." Watching her, he finished off his food before he leaned to kiss her forehead and stood to take her leftovers to the kitchen, putting it in the fridge, and threw away his trash before he returned. Climbing back in bed, he pulled her back to himself gently. "It really has." Smiling, he kissed the top of her head. "I can't think of any better way this night could have gone."

Anette grinned broadly as she listened to him, nodding slightly with excitement. "I love it," she declared happily, "It'll be the perfect nursery. Kiddo's gonna have a cooler room than us." She laughed with the thought, though she was excited about it, too, eager to give their child something amazing from the moment he or she was born. "I am, too. It'll be amazing." Grinning, she watched him but she shifted to grab another slice of pizza, eating it before she focused on the breadsticks.

Nora laughed at Michael's remark about the coals in the fireplace, shaking her head. "They are gonna be so perfect." Nora nodded with a smile when Michael returned from the kitchen, shifting so she was cuddled into Michael's side, nuzzling into the space between the base of his neck and shoulder. "Me either." She promised, her arm around his middle as she settled down, watching the movie contently.

"Does baby like the bread sticks?" Luke asked, half amused and half hopeful, taking another slice of pizza. "I can't wait to get started." Luke confessed. "You can just sit there, growing the baby, gotta be baking for nine months and we need you as relaxed as possible. Michael and Ashton are pretty good with art, Calum's good with colours. All hands on deck." He grinned happily. "Life couldn't get much better, and now that this is out, it's perfect. Life's perfect."

Michael grinned, holding her close, his hand returning to her stomach as he rubbed there, kissing her temple gently. "I'm looking forward to all of this," he murmured quietly. He was still worried about her being alone, but he was already formulating a plot to fix that; he decided to keep that to himself, though. He'd leave it as a complete surprise and, hopefully, it wouldn't end up being too much of a hassle for her. "Just thinking that we're actually starting a family - every time I think about it, I just get this incredible rush of happiness."

"Baby loves the breadsticks," Anette assured with a broad grin as she watched him, "I feel like I'm gonna use this baby as an excuse to constantly say 'Nobody puts Baby in a corner.'" She laughed at her own thought process but she grinned broadly to his words and nodded. "You guys will do amazing, I just know it." And she knew the guys would be busy, both with the music and with having to do the nursery for hers and Luke's baby, but also Michael and Nora's baby. She could feel her heart swelling, eager for their babies to be friends, and even more so for Nora and Michael to tell the others so that she didn't have to hold the excitement inside. "Everything will be perfect."

"It's crazy, in a way." Nora started, relishing in the feeling of Michael rubbing her tummy, loving how protective he was already. "We got together when we were sixteen - well, you were nearly eighteen." She teased. "And this one of the first things we spoke about when we got together; starting a family of our own." She smiled as she remembered the conversation, how much they'd both matured and changed since then. "Here we are now, actually doing it." She bit her lip. "And I couldn't ask for anyone better to be by my side throughout all of this, and our baby couldn't wish for a better Daddy."

Luke laughed at Anette. "Moving the crib into the room? Nobody puts Baby in a corner." He teased, kissing Anette's temple. "I can't wait to tell the guys." He admitted. "I don't know how I'm gonna shut myself up." He confessed. "At this point, Anette, I just wanna scream it from every rooftop in Australia." He laughed, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "Papa Bear mode starts from here on out." He kissed the top of Anette's head. "How do you wanna tell everyone?" He asked. "You wanna get creative, or are we going to do it the traditional way?" He asked, wondering if he needed to buy a baby name book.

Michael smiled slightly as he listened to her. "Who would have thought we would have come this far already?" he murmured quietly, happily, and he pressed his forehead to the side of her head, just loving having her there. "Our baby couldn't wish for a better Mommy, either." He rubbed her tummy with a grin. "And there's nobody in this world I'd rather start a family with. The fact that we're finally doing it, that we're at that point in our lives, is honestly mind-blowing and I love it. I love you."

Anette laughed with the mention of it, glad she wasn't the only one. She grinned, chewing on her lip. "Our baby's gonna have amazing uncles and the best aunt ever, and parents who just love him or her to bits," she hummed out happily, though she grinned, so happy to see Luke as happy as he was, and so happy that they were getting to create a little tiny human being together. "Mm, we could maybe be sneaky about it? Post pictures with hints, like a list of names we like, or us reading baby books?"

"Not just us, either." Nora smiled. "Little bub has some cool Uncles and a cool Aunt to love them, too. I'd say this family is pretty perfect." And as much as Nora wanted to tell Michael that their best friends were in the same boat, she kept herself quiet, knowing it was up to Anette and Luke to tell anyone. "I love you too, Michael." She smiled as she felt his forehead against the side of her head, relaxing with him. Stroking through Michael's hair, Nora settled against their pillows, smiling every time she saw Michael's hand on her stomach. "Are we doing the whole gender reveal thing?" She asked.

Luke smiled. "I think that posting a photo of us reading a baby book and looking confused would be hilarious." He admitted with a grin. "Just have as much fun with it as we can." He saw Anette was full, closing the pizza box and reluctantly standing. "Just gonna keep the leftovers. You need anything?" He asked gently, leaning to kiss the top of Anette's head, smiling. "Because once I'm back, I'm not letting go of you until I absolutely have to." And as much as Luke dreaded the thought of the morning, at least he had all night to make the most of her being beside him.

Michael chuckled with the mention of it. "That's true," he admitted, "I can only imagine how they'll all react. I bet Calum and Ashton will fight tooth and nail to be the favorite uncle." He laughed at the thought, finding it the most hilarious vision in the world. Hearing her return his words, he could feel his heart swell in the same way it had since the first time they confessed their love for each other; he'd never get tired of hearing her say that she loved him, or of telling her that he loved her. "Oh, we're definitely doing a gender reveal party, as long as you want to. I've seen some cool ones where they had crop duster planes drop dust in the color of the gender. We'll go all out, do something fun like that. Hell, I'd even let you shoot me with a paintball gun with the color, or let somebody throw cake at us to reveal it." He laughed with the thoughts, eager to just make it all as enjoyable as possible, for both of them, but mostly for Nora.

Anette grinned slightly. "Then, that's what we'll do," she hummed out happily, glad he liked the idea, finding herself looking forward to it. As nervous as she'd been earlier, now that she knew they could enjoy this, she planned to enjoy everything about it that she could. "It'll be fun and amusing and we'll have a good laugh with it." She grinned, watching him, but shook her head. "Nope, I'm good. Thank you, though, it really was a great meal." She smiled with the feeling and peered up at him. "I'll try to be patient, waiting for you to come back and keep that promise." She grinned jokingly but shifted to relax, looking forward to relaxing with him for the rest of the night.

Nora laughed, her head falling back as she did. "I am not shooting you with a paintball gun!" She protested, shaking her head in false dismay. "I don't want you to be bruised, you're too perfect." She laughed, watching him fondly. "I gotta admit, I like the idea of someone throwing cake at us." She told him. "Playful and silly. Us in two words." She grinned. "I love it. I'm hoping for a boy, though."

Luke grinned, pressing another kiss to Anette's head before he left the room, being quick to sort out the leftovers. Putting them in the oven, Luke went back to their bedroom, smiling as he saw Anette relaxing. "You are just the most perfect thing in the world, you know that?" He asked softly, climbing into bed beside her and pulling her into his embrace, protecting her as he placed his hand back on her tummy once more.

"I thought you'd like that cake idea. I can imagine you smearing it all over my face already," Michael said with a laugh as he held her close, though he grinned. "Yeah?" He arched a brow, running her stomach gently. "Any reason why? Or just because you want it to be Mommy's little boy?" He grinned teasingly, kissing her temple.

Anette blinked but she grinned, leaning into his hold, glad he was back. "Mm, there's that bias again," she teased lightly, though she smiled, resting her hand over his as she ran her thumb over the back of his hand. "I think that title will belong to the baby. God, I just know it's gonna be gorgeous." She smiled, happy with the thought, and pressed her forehead back to his shoulder.

Nora laughed. "Hey, you look hot with cake smeared on you, remember Calum's twenty first birthday?" She grinned, pressing a sweet kiss to his temple. "I just think that having a mini you running around would be incredible." She admitted quietly. "And because he'll be a Mommy's boy, duh." She teased.

"I'm happily bias." Luke grinned. "But our baby, with a perfect Mom, is going to be so perfect, the world won't be able to handle so much perfection." Luke grinned, knowing he was being cheesy, but meaning every word as he rubbed Anette's back gently. "Best day of my life." He told her gently. "The next best day will be seeing him or her on scan.