~.: Wally's POV :.~
I pouted with a sigh while Aria pulled away from me to check on Amelia who was now napping on our shared mattress.
"Aria, seriously," I murmured, following her to the bedside as she sat down carefully, silently tucking the blankets around Amelia, "You could get really hurt during the performance especially since you're already straining your pregnancy limits.. please listen to me, babe..." I pleaded softly, slipping one of my hands into hers while she chewed her bottom lip and stared at the ground for several moments.
"Wally, you know I would stay if I could, but my cheer team needs me for this big performance. We need all of the squad members to be present in order to get a good score so that we can land a spot in the finals," Aria grumbled, using her free hand to move her hair out of her face so that she could look at me, "If I don't go, my squad will fail and our team can't handle that kind of a disadvantage right now, okay? I promise I'll be more than careful while on the trip. You don't have to be so scared for me," She murmured, leaning in and resting her forehead on my shoulder as I pulled her into a loving embrace.
"Alright... fine," I huffed in defeat, closing my eyes as I held her close to me, "But Amelia and I are going with you no matter what because I want to be there to support my amazing girl~" I chuckled softly, placing gentle butterfly kisses along her cheeks affectionately as she giggled amusedly.
"How are you gonna do that, dork? You can't just sneak onto the flight~" She purred quietly while leading me out of the room so we wouldn't wake up our sleeping daughter. I grinned, shrugging.
"Who says I can't? Nobody is going to stop me~ I know Dick wouldn't, especially once he finds out what's going on," I chuckled softly as I followed her into the kitchen.
"Once I find out what?" Aria freezes in her footsteps as Dick walks into the room with De at his side, both dressed in their suits. Aria shoots me an irritated glance while Dick raises an eyebrow inquisitively at us.
"Aria's friend Chelsea is making her come to a cheer performance about seven hours away. She'll be gone for almost a week," I replied, wrapping an arm around Aria's waist as she facepalms.
"What?" Dick coughs, "Aria, you're way too pregnant to even go on a mission, what makes you think it's okay for you to go to some stupid cheer meet up? You need to stay home-"
"My cheer squad is not stupid, thank you very much!" Aria snapped back in annoyance, her ice blue eyes flashing as she frustratedly balled her hands into fists, "and you can't make me stay here. My cheer squad needs me and I already told you that you're not our dad so you can't tell me what to do! I'm going and that's final."
Dick looked like he was about to argue in response but De stepped forward, her eyes rounded with anxiety, "Look, we can talk about this later, right now we need to meet up with Lexie and Acacia's team and figure out what the distress signal they sent means," She hurriedly explained, fixing the Grayson twins with an unamused stare when they both glared at each other briefly.
"Fine," they both snapped while I rolled my eyes and let go of Aria.
"We're not finished with this discussion, though, Aria Michelle," Dick mumbled before Deanne slipped a hand into one of his and led him towards the zeta platform. Aria scowled after them before huffing agitatedly and turning on her heel towards the refrigerator. As she yanked open the fridge door, I came up behind her and reached over her shoulder for the last chocolate pudding cup before she could grab it.
"Why is my brother such a pain in the ass! And THAT WAS MINE!" Aria whined, settling for a vanilla pudding instead before closing the fridge once more, "Why can't he be more understanding and let me do what I want... I wish he was like you, Wallykins," She whimpered, pouting as I pulled two spoons out of the silverware drawer before handing one to her. I laughed at her response as we walked toward the kitchen island and sat down together.
"I think one of me is just fine, babe," Aria rolled her eyes as I opened my pudding cup and started digging in, "Plus, Dick is just wanting to protect you," I mumbled in between bites, "Can't exactly blame him after what happened..."
Aria sighs, stirring her vanilla pudding absentmindedly with her spoon while she frowns in distaste, "I know...but still. I just thought I got my point across to him about wanting to be more independent after the whole putting Blake in jail thing..." She huffs while lifting a spoonful of her pudding up to her lips just as I finish mine off.
"Blake belonged in jail, babe, no matter what those people said at your school," I murmured gently, reaching out and taking her free hand hand in mine as our eyes met, "I promise everything is going to be okay. For now, let not think about that right now," Aria nodded reluctantly before forcing a smile at me as she leaned forward and stole a kiss from my lips as I got up to throw away my pudding cup.
"I love you, Wallykins~" She giggles softly as I press another kiss to her nose and then one more to her forehead before tossing my spoon in the sink.
"I love you most, babygirl," I chuckled, coming back to her side once more, "Also.. you gonna finish that vanilla pudding?" Aria's ice blue eyes flash in indignation as I swiped the pudding cup and her spoon away from her.
"Hey!! You big dummy!" She giggled, rolling her eyes as I sheepishly smiled at her before finishing off the rest of her pudding.
