Punk looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Elijah,” he breathed.
Elijah smiled. “You remember me,” he murmured happily. “I was hoping. I stopped by to return this to you.” He held up a little bag with an earring inside.
“My earring!” Punk looked delighted, taking the offered bag and gazing at the piece inside. “Thank you.”
“I remember how upset you were when you couldn’t find it,” Elijah explained. “I found it a few months ago, stuck way down in my car cushions. I didn’t have your phone number or your address, so I figured I’d wait until the conference in Chicago this year and see if I could find your apartment again.”
“Thanks.” Punk’s hand closed around the treasured piece of jewelry, and he looked up at Elijah, his eyes showing a mix of happiness and nervousness. “I - ”
Before he could say more, a baby’s cry emanated from inside the apartment. Punk glanced back inside, swallowing hard. “One sec,” he muttered, disappearing from view for a moment, and returning with a baby in his arms. He rocked the infant gently, cooing to him softly.
Elijah stared at the baby; the infant was very young, but he already had a head of short fluffy black hair, and skin several shades darker than Punk’s own. “Tell me that’s not…” He swallowed, staring at Punk with wide eyes.
Punk looked away from him, gazing down at the baby. “Do you wanna come in?” he whispered.
Elijah nodded, his throat feeling too tight for speech. He swiftly entered and closed the door behind him, still staring at the baby.
“I didn’t have your number.” Punk leaned the baby up against his shoulder, still rocking him gently. “I didn’t even have your last name. I would’ve let you know…” He shrugged, nervously watching Elijah’s reaction.
Elijah was floored. “How old is he?” he managed to get out.
“Three months.” Punk’s hand rubbed the baby’s back protectively. “I - he and I, we’re doing ok. My brother Shan helps out a lot. I - I’m not going to, to ask you for anything.”
Elijah shook his head, hardly hearing Punk’s words. He was still staring at that curly little head. “Can I hold him?” he asked softly.
Punk looked reluctant, but he slowly stepped forward, placing the baby in Elijah’s arms. Elijah gazed down at the delicate infant, still in shock that this little miracle was actually his. “I named him Luke,” Punk told him. “Lucas Elijah.”
“Hey Luke,” Elijah whispered, cuddling the baby in one arm and raising his hand to stroke the baby’s cheek with the other. He let his fingers trail down the child’s soft arm, blinking back tears as the baby’s tiny fingers curled around one of his. “I’m your daddy.” He gave a shaky laugh, one tear escaping and slipping down his cheek. “I’m a daddy.”
Punk stood awkwardly before him for a moment, then he took a deep breath, and moved to Elijah’s side, their arms touching as they both gazed down at the baby’s happy little face. “What do you wanna do?” he whispered to Elijah.
Elijah glanced at him briefly, then tilted the child up, letting the little one rest against his chest. “Punk,” he whispered, “I always thought about you. Ever since that night we had. I was hoping, when I returned the earring, that - well, that it would be more than that. And that I could at least get your number this time. Now - ” He shook his head, stroking the baby’s soft hair. “I wanna give him a family.”
Punk’s heart was beating so fast, he was afraid it would jump right out of his chest. He had accepted being a single parent. It wasn’t easy, but he managed it. He had never expected Elijah to come back into his life. The thought of Elijah coming back for him and discovering the baby had been just a fantasy, which he had tried not to let himself dream.
“You’re not…seeing anyone, are you?” he inquired.
“No.” Elijah was still captivated with the little child. “You?”
Punk swallowed. “I haven’t been with anyone since you,” he confessed softly. “I did miss you. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Elijah looked up at him with eyes that were still wet with tears. “I’m so glad you lost that earring,” he whispered. “I have a baby.” He laughed in happy disbelief, lowering Luke into his arms so he could gaze down at him again. “I have a baby.”
“Do you wanna come sit in the living room?” Punk offered.
Elijah nodded, striding carefully as he carried the baby into the next room, taking a seat next to Punk on the couch. “The Chicago office has been hinting that they’d like me to transfer for years,” he revealed, his mind working in overdrive as he saw his entire future rearranging. “I guess I can finally take them up on that. I wanna be here, with you and the baby.” He looked up at Punk. “Would you be ok with that?”
“Yeah. I want him to have both his daddies.” Punk’s hand found Elijah’s, linking his fingers with the other man’s. “I would love to have you here.”
Elijah just nodded, still overcome with shock as he stared down at their child.
“I wanna stay here,” Elijah affirmed.
“I can get you some sheets for the couch.” Punk turned to leave again, but Elijah caught his wrist. He pulled Punk against him, setting his hands on the other man’s hips as he drew him into a kiss. Punk was unsure of the touch as first, then he let his eye slide closed, wrapping his arms around Elijah’s neck and giving himself up to the kiss.
Elijah drew back after a moment, but only a few inches, enough to look into Punk’s eyes. “I know this is really fast,” he whispered softly, “but we have a baby together, Punk. I want us to be a family. I want us to be together. I’ve been dreaming of doing this again for a year.” He leaned forward for another kiss. Punk responded gladly, allowing Elijah to back him towards the bedroom.
His heart was pounding. As if Elijah’s reappearance hadn’t instantly altered his life enough, now it seemed that they both wanted to be more than parents with each other. He was about to have sex, with a man he’d known for a grand total of two days. But that man had also fathered his child. It had been a year since that one amazing night with Elijah, and he had gone through the horny stages of pregnancy without any real release for those drives. He was crazy for it, especially if it was with the man who had given him both the best sex of his life and his baby.
“Oh Elijah.” Elijah was all over him. They were kissing, and touching, and undressing each other. Punk was swooning. In a fleeting thought, he hoped that Luke wouldn’t disturb them. Then Elijah was on top of him, and he couldn’t think of anything else.