Over the Moon (Final Space) (Jackspeed and baby Gary)

Ch 3: Snapshots in the Goodspeed Household

Feeding Time

John focused the camera as he stepped into the kitchen. Little Gary sat in his highchair, his tiny hands clapping cheerfully. Jack sat in the chair next to him, attempting to coax the boy into eating his baby food.

"Come on, Gary. Eat your veggies. Yummy, yummy."

"Dada, pop! Dada, pop!"

"Yes, you're very cute. The cutest boy in the whole galaxy. But we need to eat now," Jack exclaimed, holding out a spoonful of mush.

"Bap! Bap!"

John couldn't hold in his laugh as the child's hand hit the spoon, spraying his lover's cheek with mushed up yams.

"You know, we could trade places, and you could feed him, John," Jack suggested, throwing him an exasperated, yet fond look.

"Nope, I'm good. You're both adorable." The captain leaned forward to press a kiss to the Greytrexian's cheek, then one to his son's head.

"Dada!"

***

First Comes Love, then Comes...

John sat at the kitchen table, rolling the little black box around in his hand. He and Jack had been living together for nearly 5 years now, and he was finally ready to make it official.

It had to be today. It was the anniversary of the day they had their first kiss on Greytrexia. Granted, he hadn't realized it was Jack, at the time, but it was the day that had changed everything for them. Now they could put the past behind them and make some wonderful new memories.

"John, we're home. Look at the lovely artwork that Gary made in preschool today!" Jack called out from the front of the house.

Okay, this was it. Getting to his feet, John tucked the hand with the box behind his back as he went to greet his family.

"Look, daddy! It's a macaroni picture of us. There's you and me and Jack, and we're all holding hands!" Gary insisted, holding out the picture to his father.

John smiled endearingly at his son, and reached out to ruffle his hair. "It's great, son. Why don't you go hang it on the fridge — I need to speak to Jack for a moment."

"Okay!" The little boy cheerfully raced off, leaving the adults alone.

"Is something wrong?" Jack asked, his golden eyes shimmering with concern as he gazed up at his taller lover.

"No, no... nothing is wrong. Can you come out to a patio with me?" John asked, trying, and likely failing, to keep his tone casual.

"All right," Jack agreed, suspicion heavy in his voice.

***

"Jack, I don't know if you remember, but on this day six years ago, we met on Greytrexia, and had our first kiss," John said, keeping his arms crossed behind his back.

"You thought I was a girl, and wanted to get me into your bed, you mean," Jack answered dryly, but there was an amused smile on his face.

"Yes, that. I figured it was time to make some new memories. We're living together and raising a child together, and I want to be together like this forever. Too many 'togethers,' sorry, but it's true." John took a deep breath, and knelt down on one knee. Looking deeply into his lover's golden eyes, he withdrew the box from behind his back, and opened it.

A golden ring with a single, small amethyst in the center shone up at them. "It's not huge, for an engagement ring, but I figured you'd want something more functional, than show-offish. So, um, Jack, will you marry me?" the captain asked, his stomach churning with anxiety.

"Marriage?" Jack stated, as if uncertain about the idea.

Oh my god, he's going to say 'No.' John felt his fingers tremble, but forced himself to keep his cool. Jack hasn't actually answered yet, he told himself.

"Oh, I remember reading about that. When two humans, usually of different genders, exchange vows, move in together, and start a family," Jack suddenly exclaimed. "To be honest, I thought we were already married."

"What?" John could only blink in amazement at his petite boyfriend.

"You asked me to move in with you. We're raising a child together. I guess I just figured that male couples on your planet didn't bother with the ceremony. I have to admit, I was a bit upset that we didn't really celebrate our mating with a ceremony, or friends and family, but I wanted to be open to your alien way of doing things," Jack stated, giving his taller lover a shy smile.

The captain rolled the idea around in his mind, trying to get a good grasp on what the alien was saying. "Wait, you thought we were married? Already?"

"Yes. You're my mate, John. I've thought of you that way for years — and I thought you thought of me like that, too." Jack's words trailed off, taking on a disappointed tone.

"I... we... Screw it!" John surged forward and wrapped his arms around his little lover, bending him back so he could kiss him properly.

"My daddy and pop are kissing," someone giggled from the doorway. The adults parted slowly, unable to do more than gaze at each other fondly.

"Marry me. We'll have a ceremony with our friends and family. I want to show you off to the world. Show them that you're mine, and no one else's," John whispered. If his son wasn't around, he'd have the little Greytrexian in his arms, and likely halfway up the stairs toward the bedroom by now.

"He's mine, too, daddy!" Gary suddenly insisted, racing over to fling his arms around Jack's waist.

"Of course, he is," John chuckled, putting his arms around both their shoulders.

"Of course, I am. You'll always be my little boy, Gary," Jack said, pulling their son close to give him a nose nuzzle. The little boy giggled, returning the affectionate embrace.

Suddenly, Gary stepped back, adopting a superhero pose. "Just remember that I love you MORE than daddy does." The seriousness in his voice was enough to have both adults chuckling under their breaths.

"I don't know about that, son. I think we'll just have to share Jack from now on," John stated, brushing a kiss to his lover's head.

"Fine, but he's still gotta read me stories at bedtime. And teach me to fly someday," Gary insisted.

"Gary, we're already living together. Nothing is going to change. We're just going to have a little party to celebrate our union, that's all," Jack informed him.

"Can I carry the wedding rings? Sam got to carry the rings at his auntie's wedding," the little boy told them.

"Sure thing, sport. You're definitely needed for that important job," John insisted, patting his son on the shoulder.

"And I wanna be the flower boy, too. Lily got to throw flowers at her uncle's wedding — I think she hit someone in the nose, too, but I promise not to do that!"

"That would be lovely, Gary. Not the hitting part, no, but you can be whatever you want to be. You're our favorite boy, after all," Jack insisted, giving the boy a warm smile.

"YAY!"

The adults exchanged a fond look as they followed their son back into the house.