8. Buying them something unrequested because it made you think of them. -- for Zimbits or Shitty/Lardo! Which ever ship tickles your fancy for that prompt. Thank you!

I decided to combine these asks since y’all asked for the same prompt and it is VERY fluffy! Thank you @mamashitty, @leahlisabeth, and anon for sending in a prompt! I hope you enjoy!

The Gift - Zimbits - ~1.5k - G

Jack was not a great gift-giver.

Or rather, Jack usually picked gifts that were a step in the right direction, then went absolutely overboard. He and Bitty were married now, and he was still being teased about the forty-dozen roses affair. Bitty, the regular receiver of these gifts, always accepted everything graciously, even if he was a bit embarrassed at times. In recent years, Jack had really made an effort to reign it in.

However, there was rarely a time he was able to leave for a roadie and not come back with something for Bitty.

Usually it was an interesting ingredient, a sugar or spice from whatever region he was in for Bitty to try in his bakes. Sometimes it was little keepsakes, postcards, shells or rocks. Bitty would always chastise Jack, saying he didn’t need more things, but Jack knew he kept everything.

Jack considered all of this while he unpacked his suitcase from his most recent trip. Bitty was down in the kitchen, testing a new recipe for his cookbook, so Jack knew he was safe to take out the most recent gift purchase without fear of discovery. He stared at the little paper bag from the store. He removed the gift and set it out on the bed just to look at it again and imagine Bitty’s reaction. For a moment, he considered not giving it to him at all. At least, not yet. He could probably hide it somewhere in the house where Bitty couldn’t find it.

It had been a while since Jack’s impulsive spending habits had gotten him in real trouble, but he was pretty sure he’d reached new levels this time. His only comfort was that it was entirely Thirdy’s fault.

The Falcs had been in Tampa for a game but had a rare afternoon off. The team went to the beach then out for lunch. They were about to return to the hotel when Thirdy said,

“Wait, my wife made a request. There’s some children’s boutique nearby that she usually buys from online, and she wants me to grab a couple things for the girls.”

Which was how half a team of pro hockey players ended up in a narrow, crowded store covered wall to wall with specialty children’s toys and baby items. They even had a hockey section, though it was mostly merch for the Bolts (boo!). Not one of them was immune to the cuteness. Tater had immediately picked some books off the shelf was doing a dramatic reading of The Hungry Caterpillar. Marty was facetiming his wife, to make sure he didn’t come home empty handed. Jack had somehow found himself in a corner with the baby clothes, most of which were covered in cute artwork and puns.

“Haha, Thirdy, look at this one.” Jack picked up a onesie with a picture of a kitchen-aid mixer with the text “Whip it Good!” underneath, thinking he’d just take a picture for Bitty. Suddenly, a shop employee materialized next to him.

“Oh, do you have a baker in the family?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah,” Jack said, still holding the onesie. The fabric was so soft, how did they make it so soft? “My husband. We have like three of these mixers in the kitchen now.”

“Then this would be the perfect gift for him!”

“Well, we don’t actually have—”

“Man, you have to get that,” Thirdy said, peeking over Jack’s shoulder. Thirdy’s own arms were full of toys, fairy wings, and princess crowns. Another shopkeeper came up to him and offered to carry everything up to the register.

“I mean,” Jack stuttered, “it’s cute, but—”

“Zimmboni, B would love!” Tater said.

“Sure, but guys—”

“I can wrap it up front for you,” the shopkeeper said.

And that was how Jack had ended up leaving a children’s boutique with overpriced baby clothing for a baby they didn’t have.

“When I am godfather of baby B,” Tater said on the plane ride home, “I will provide baby with many more gifts. I will babysit every weekend. As you see, I’m already very good for bedtime story.”

“Tater, there isn’t going to be try-outs for a godfather,” Jack said, already predicting Shitty’s wrath if Tater got to be the godfather instead of him. “Besides, Bitty and I still don’t have a kid. Or even plans to have a kid.”

“Really?” Marty said, turning around in his seat. “He hasn’t brought it up?”

“Bitty loves kids,” Thirdy added.

“I know he does! But I’m away so much, and he’s busy too…we haven’t talked about it.”

“Then why did you buy a baby onesie?”

“Because you guys told me to!”

Now Jack was home, still without a game plan for the gift. Jack got as far as taking the bag to the closet to find some tall shelf that Bitty couldn’t reach to hide it before he realized that would be a stupid idea. Jack had never hidden anything from Bitty, he wasn’t about to start.

Jack walked downstairs to the kitchen, holding the handles of the little paper bag tightly in his fist. Bitty, appropriately, had two of the stand mixers going at once while he squinted at his laptop, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth. Bitty had already showered Jack with plenty of kisses when he had arrived home, but Jack still felt that pang in his chest when he looked at him. They could never get used to being away from each other, even though Jack’s career had always demanded it. Jack missed him every time.

“Oh, good, honey,” Bitty said when he saw Jack on the stairway, turning the mixers off. “I’m about to pull these cookies out of the oven, I need your opinion.”

“Which ones are these?”

“We are on version 3.7 of the Trash Can cookie. The last one had no flavor, it was all sugar, so I added more coconut.” Bitty put on his oven mitts and turned around. “But now I’m concerned about texture and…honey, what’s that in your hand?”

“Um, just a little something I picked up in Tampa.” Jack placed the bag on the counter. “I wanted your opinion.”

“Oh, sure thing. One sec.”

After Bitty had retrieved the cookies from the oven and set them out to cool, he inspected the present.

“Sweet Pea Boutique?” Bitty read the print on the bag. “Is that why you had to get something here, ‘cause you’re my sweet pea?”

“Well. Just open it.”

Bitty removed the tissue and unfolded the onesie. His face lit up, delighted, immediately followed by his mouth twisting in confusion.

“Sweetheart, this is so cute! Of course you’d pick out something with a silly pun, but it’s adorable. Who is it for?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Is Gabby pregnant again? Or, oh my goodness, did Shitty and Lardo finally decide to—”

“It’s for us!”

Bitty stared, mouth agape.

“I want a baby.” Jack shrugged. “Surprise?”

“You can’t surprise someone with a baby! Jack!”

“I know, I didn’t mean – the guys just got me thinking and I was like, why not?”

“Why not?” Bitty put both elbows down on the counter. “A baby! Why not a baby?”

“There’s a lot of logistics to discuss, of course—”

“He comes home and says to me, ‘a baby!’” Bitty looked up, arms raised to the sky. “How long have you been planning this? Have you just been buying things for this hypothetical child all this time? Is there a nursery upstairs I don’t know about?”

“What? No! I haven’t planned anything, I just…I had to buy this onesie.”

At this, Bitty doubled over laughing, his face in his hands. Jack was not sure how to read any of these emotional responses.

“So, do you want one? It doesn’t have to be soon.”

“Jack, honey.” Bitty placed both of his hands on the side of Jack’s face. “Yes, yes I want a baby with you. I want a hundred babies with you.”

“I was thinking like…two. Maybe three, tops.”

“Jack!”

“Right, we’ll start with one.”

Bitty rested his forehead on Jack’s chest, shaking his head with laughter. Jack pressed a kiss against his temple.

“Or twins?” Jack teased. Bitty snorted, lifting his chin to peck Jack on the lips.

“Jack Laurent Zimmermann, I swear one day I will get a step ahead of your surprises.”

“I hope you never do.”

Jack wrapped his arms around Bitty’s shoulders as Bitty picked the onesie back up off the counter. Jack was suddenly thrilled at the prospect of having someone else around to spoil with gifts and told Bitty so. Bitty pulled Jack down for a real kiss, lips soft and warm.

“However many babies we may end up having,” Bitty said, “I know they’re gonna feel just as loved as I do.”

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