A sequel continuation of Admit it I'm the Romantic one and American Cartoons in which Jemma and Leo try to raise a child and... Clash. This is the first of the mini-series to have chapters. I'm very, very excited for it, and I hope you enjoy. Reading the other two isn't necessary but might give you some context.
"Mum? Da? Anyone home?" A little boy with a timid, thick Scottish accent ventured upon arriving home from school.
"In the kitchen buddy!" His da called, with tea on the stove and a blueprint on the counter.
The little boy shared his father's messy curly blond hair but had the eyes of his mum. And he was tiny. His da immediately looked up from the blueprint when he padded in.
"What's wrong Cam?" The Scotsman asked, surprised at the frightened expression on the little boy's face.
"W-we got report cards t-today." Cam stuttered.
"Alright buddy. Let's see it."
"C-can I have coffee?" He asked quickly, trying and failing to distract his observant da.
"Lets see your report card first." Leopold FitzSimmons prompted, pouring himself a cup of ear grey and gesturing for his son to produce the grades. Cam was visibly trembling though he had nothing really to fear, not just yet anyways.
The boy plodded over to his backpack, dragging his feet as Leo warmed his hands on the steamy cup of tea, ever patient. He came back with a yellow piece of paper that he set on the kitchen table, looking away quickly.
"These are good buddy." Fitz affirmed, ruffling his kid's blond locks with a smile. Cam, formally Cameron, looked up with a huge smile and a look of shock.
"Really? I didn't get any A's..."
"You did your best buddy I'm sure. I'm proud of you. I think you can have one cup of coffee. Don't tell your mum though." Fitz started a cup of decaf Folgers with a personal cup coffee maker that Jemma had told him at least twenty times not to buy. Cam beamed and took a seat at the table.
"What else happened in school today?"
"We did maths."
"Of course. What did you do in maths?"
"M-multiplication. Sevens."
"Those are hard." Fitz replied with sparkling eyes, setting the small, dark red mug next to his son with enough cream added to drown a walrus. Cameron took a sip and seemed to come to life, chattering on about the friends he played with and the homework he'd cleverly already completed. The conversation was so vivid that neither heard the turn of the lock or noticed a tired Jemma come in.
"How're my boys?" She asked with a yawn, leaning against Cam's chair.
"Mum!" Cam cheered, then his smile wavered as he glanced at the yellow piece of paper. She followed his gaze with interest.
"What's this baby?" She asked, picking it up and looking it over, her eyebrows arching in surprise. He trembled.
"M-my report card." Fitz stood and poured his wife a cup of the warm earl grey, hoping to distract her from the matter at hand. She took it with no complaint but was still studying their son with mild concern.
"Don't stutter sweetie." She chided, running her fingers through his hair, clearly discontent with the card's report but not wanting to trouble the boy anymore.
"Yes m-ma'am." He stuttered, trying hard not to.
"Fitz? You were supposed to start dinner." She said, turning her scrutiny on her husband.
"And did you give Cam coffee again?!" She asked, noticing the mug for the first time as Cam ran off to his room.
"It's just decaf Jemma-" Leo said, tired as well. For a moment they both looked at each other, drinking their tea very Britishly.
"Dinner?" She prompted, not wanting to start an argument, not just yet.
"I was working on a blueprint for something uh, Coulson wanted." He scratched his stubble looking embarrassed.
"I can start something right now if you want."
"Let's just go out... I'm famished." She admitted, yawning again. They'd been alternating coming home from work early so one of them could always be there when Cam got home from school. That had been Jemma's idea, but she personally missed the rides to work together. Their conversation and science babble.
"You're not upset with him, are you?" Leo asked suddenly as he got his coat.
"What? Not really. But he can do better. He didn't get a single A."
"For Heaven's sake Jemma! He's seven!" Fitz nearly shouted.
"What were you doing when you were seven Leopold?" She retorted.
"Watching cartoons!"
"And?"
"Taking apart computers..." He admitted.
"But he's not us Jemma. He doesn't have to be."
"Let's just go..." Leo went to get their son, who had seemed to be going to play when he'd left the tense kitchen minutes earlier but had actually just hovered outside the door, looking ready to cry.
"Da, are you and mum fighting?" Cameron asked, being pulled into his father's eyes.
"Of course not buddy."
"Am I st-stupid?"
"No! You're very smart buddy."
"Is mum disappointed in me?"
"Mum could never be disappointed in you. Mum loves us very much. She just wants you to reach your full potential."
"W-what's potential?"
"It's what you can do with your life. You have a lot of potential."
"Oh." Jemma was already in their sensible little car, and so Fitz got Cam buckled up and they drove off. Jemma put on a cheerful mask over her utter exhaustion, and they couldn't eat and get back home soon enough. Though she usually tried to read to Cam before bed she just had to leave that task up to Fitz, climbing into her own bed and falling asleep nearly instantly.
Fitz read until the tiny child was fast asleep as well, and then climbed into bed with Jemma.
"I love you." He whispered, in case she had forgotten. But she was already out like a light. He pulled her close, but didn't fall asleep until much later.
So Jemma and Leo don't exactly agree on how to raise their son... Which should be interesting. Don't worry, the romance is not dead.