A few weeks later...
Summer had fully settled over Starling City, thick with heat and cicadas. The Queen Manor stood serene and stately beneath the golden morning light—its marble floors cool under bare feet, the air crisp with central AC, and baby cries occasionally echoing through its wide halls like royal announcements.
Somewhere upstairs, a maid softly hummed while folding freshly laundered onesies. A butler was polishing silverware that hadn't been used since Oliver's graduation party. And in the sun-drenched living room...
"Did she just spit up on my vintage Bowie tee?"
Nova blinked, stunned as a wet, milky spot spread across Thea's shirt.
"Technically, she spit up on you," Nova offered, deadpan, bouncing baby Allison lightly against her shoulder. "The shirt's just collateral damage."
"Collateral damage?! This is original tour merch!" Thea dramatically held out her arms, staring down at the ruined fabric like she'd been personally betrayed by the rock gods.
"Your kid says rock stars are overrated," Nova said, smirking as Allison gave a small hiccup and cooed like she agreed.
Thea dropped onto the couch with a huff. "You were supposed to be on my side, mini-me."
Allison, five weeks old and full of opinions, responded by smacking Thea in the chin with her tiny fist.
Nova snorted. "Oof. Already throwing hands. Guess she takes after her mama."
"Which one of us?"
"Both."
They cracked up—exhausted, giddy, and still not used to how good this life felt.
Thea reached out for the baby again, her arms naturally curling around her like a shield. "Okay, for real though—do we think she's hungry again or just trying to destroy our will to live for fun?"
"Yes," Nova said simply.
A butler passed through the foyer just then, hands behind his back. "Miss Queen, Miss Hale—would you prefer breakfast in the garden again, or in the nursery lounge?"
Thea opened her mouth, but Nova beat her to it.
"Somewhere with strong coffee and zero judgment."
The butler didn't even blink. "Right away, Miss Hale."
As he glided off, Thea turned to her with a grin. "You're getting really good at this rich girl thing."
Nova scoffed. "If rich girl means wearing your boxers, leaking breastmilk, and surviving on two hours of sleep? Yeah, I'm killing it."
"Hottest thing I've ever heard," Thea deadpanned, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
Nova blushed, but didn't move away.
They settled into the couch, the three of them cocooned together in that giant, echoey room. Despite all the extravagance—the chandeliers, the velvet curtains, the history—it was baby Allison's little snuffles and the sound of Nova's quiet breathing that made the manor feel like home.
Nova rested her head on Thea's shoulder. "Think we're doing okay?"
Thea looked down at her, and then at the baby snoozing in her arms.
"No," she said seriously. "I think we're doing amazing."
"Lullabies & Lamplight"
The Queen Manor was silent under moonlight.
The clock on the nightstand read 2:17 a.m., casting its soft digital glow across the edge of the silk sheets. Crickets buzzed outside the window, the distant hum of city life muffled by layers of glass and luxury.
All was quiet—until it wasn't.
Waaaaahhh!
A sharp, high-pitched cry split the stillness, and Nova was up before the second wail. Her body had learned her baby's cry like a second heartbeat. She moved fast but careful, her socked feet silent as she slipped from Thea's bed and out into the hall, already halfway down the corridor before the monitor on Thea's side even blinked to life.
Thea stirred but didn't wake.
Not yet.
Thea mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over, reaching out instinctively—only to touch cool sheets.
—
The Nursery.
The nursery was dim, lit only by the warm amber of the owl-shaped nightlight by the crib. Nova moved like she'd done this a dozen times—because she had. No hesitation, no panic. Just sleepy determination and soft coos as she lifted Allison from the crib and into her arms.
Allison's wail quieted the moment Nova scooped her up, cradling the tiny bundle with practiced ease.
"Shhh, baby girl. It's okay, Mommy's here, Mommy's got you..."
The tiny infant squirmed and sniffled, her face red and scrunched, her arms flailing as if the world had betrayed her.
"Okay, okay. Hungry again, huh? You've got your mama's appetite."
Nova sat down in the rocking chair by the window, the baby already nuzzling in. She adjusted her baggy tee—Thea's, of course—and let out a soft sigh as Allison latched on. The pain was still there—a dull ache—but less sharp now. She'd gotten used to it. Or maybe it just didn't matter anymore.
Because this moment?
It was everything.
In the quiet, Nova rocked slowly back and forth, her head leaning against the chair's curve. Her eyes were heavy, but her voice was soft—singing something half-remembered, barely louder than a whisper. A lullaby her mother used to sing. A tune that still lived somewhere deep in her bones.
🎵 "You are my sunshine... my only sunshine...
You make me happy... when skies are gray..." 🎵
She ran her fingers along Allison's tiny back, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
"You're worth every ache. Every stretch mark. Every tear."
—
Ten minutes later...
Thea woke to silence. She reached over instinctively. The empty spot beside her instantly filled with panic.
No Nova.
She sat up fast, heart thudding. Her hand slapped the bed.
"Nova?" she called, voice rough with sleep.
No answer.
She shoved back the covers and padded barefoot into the hall, following the softest creaks and the faint murmur of singing.
It took exactly three seconds for her to toss off the covers and pad into the hallway, following the soft creak of the rocking chair and the faint lullaby echoing down the long corridor.
At the nursery door, she paused—leaning against the frame barefoot, wearing one of Oliver's old hoodies over sleep shorts—watching, breath caught in her throat.
There they were.
Nova was there, silhouetted in soft lamplight, rocking gently in the old chair, , hair tangled, one leg curled under her, nursing their daughter with a half-smile and bleary eyes. One hand cupped behind Allison's tiny head, the other resting protectively on her back as she fed. Her voice was still singing, breathy and sweet.
🎵 "...Please don't take... my sunshine... away..." 🎵
Thea's heart melted.
She didn't speak.
She didn't want to break the spell.
But Nova caught her.
Allison's tiny fingers curled in Nova's shirt, her little legs kicking weakly, content and full and safe.
Thea's eyes stung.
Nova didn't notice her at first. She was too focused on the baby—on being everything her daughter needed in that moment. Her messy hair framed her face, and despite the dark circles under her eyes, she looked radiant.
She looked like home.
Nova finally glanced up—and smiled sleepily.
"Hey," she whispered, voice hoarse. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you. She was hungry."
Thea stepped in, dropping to her knees beside the chair, chin resting on Nova's knee.
"You didn't. But you weren't next to me and I freaked. Don't do that."
"She was hungry."
Thea kissed her leg softly. "So was I. For you."
Nova leaned forward and kissed the top of Thea's head, whispering:
"I'm right here."
Allison let out a small sigh, milk-drunk and dozing off as the room rocked with love.
Nova chuckled, but it came out a little broken. She reached down and stroked Thea's hair.
"She's perfect, Thea."
"So are you."
Thea reached up and gently ran a thumb along Nova's cheek.
"You're doing amazing, Mommy."
Nova closed her eyes, exhaling a shaky breath.
"I'm trying."
"You're more than trying."
Nova rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
"No, I'm a hormonal, sore, milk-leaking mess in your shirt. I haven't brushed my hair in like a day."
Thea kissed her knee again. Then her thigh.
"You're hot."
Nova gave a tired laugh. "You're insane."
"I'm obsessed." Thea grinned up at her. "This scene? You feeding our baby in the middle of the night while wearing my shirt? I'm never getting over it."
Nova exhaled, voice softer now.
"I thought I'd be scared, you know?"
"I was terrified. Still am."
Thea nodded, resting her cheek on Nova's lap now, arms wrapping around her waist.
"Same. But you're not alone. You never will be again."
Nova looked down at her, heart full to bursting.
"I love you."
Thea smiled without hesitation. "I know."
They stayed there for a long while—Allison drifting off against Nova's chest, her fingers curling into a tiny fist.
Eventually, Nova whispered:
"Do you wanna hold her?"
Thea blinked. "God, yes."
Nova carefully passed the sleeping infant into Thea's arms, and Thea held her like she was made of spun glass.
"Look at her..." she breathed. "She's like—this whole piece of us, just... alive."
Nova watched them both. "You look like a natural."
"Fake it till I make it," Thea murmured, rocking her slowly. "But yeah. I'm gonna love her so hard, Nova."
"She's gonna love you right back."
After a few more quiet minutes, Thea placed Allison in her crib, careful not to wake her.
Nova stood shakily, stretching her back.
Thea reached for her. "Come on. Let's go back to bed."
They moved slow, hand-in-hand, and just before they turned out the nursery light, Nova paused.
She looked back at the crib, at their sleeping daughter.
And then she looked at Thea.
"She's really here."
Thea smiled and tugged her close. "She is. And she's perfect."
The nursery stayed quiet after that, the three of them cocooned in warmth and quiet, surrounded by soft toys and softer hearts.
And for that moment—everything was perfect.
"Pass the Potatoes & the Protection Talk"
The Queen dining room was unusually warm for such a grand space.
Soft jazz played from the wall speakers. The long table was set for four—nothing formal tonight, just a family dinner. There were roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, a massive glazed chicken, and Allison in her baby seat nearby, kicking her tiny feet contentedly while chewing on a teether.
Nova sat tucked close to Thea, stealing bites from her plate, oversized hoodie draped over leggings that hid her postpartum curves. Her hair was pulled into a loose braid that Thea had done earlier that day.
Walter poured himself another glass of wine, offering some to Moira, who politely declined.
Thea had her arm along the back of Nova's chair. She looked good—relaxed for once, grinning as she told a story about accidentally elbowing one of her classmates in fencing earlier that day.
Everyone was laughing, even Nova, who was in the middle of taking a bite of potato when—
"By the way," Moira said calmly, reaching for the bread basket, "it's been over six weeks, so if you two haven't already, it's safe for you to resume sexual activity."
Nova choked.
Hard.
She coughed once—then again—clutching her napkin as her eyes went wide.
"I—what?!"
Walter looked up sharply from his chicken. "Moira."
"What?" Moira replied innocently, buttering a roll. "It's perfectly normal to have this conversation. She's my daughter. Nova's my daughter-in-law in every meaningful way. And I'd rather they be informed and prepared than reckless."
Nova looked like she was about to melt into the chair.
Thea, meanwhile, smirked and casually reached for her water.
"She's not wrong," Thea added, eyes twinkling. "We're basically the safest house in Starling, but I still plan on wrapping it up. Just in case."
Nova turned, glaring at her through watery eyes.
"You're enjoying this."
"Deeply."
"I will smother you in your sleep."
Moira sipped her water, unfazed. "Nova, I assume you'll be talking to your doctor about birth control? I'd recommend the IUD—less margin for error and you won't have to remember pills."
Walter cleared his throat loudly. "Can we maybe not talk about uterine devices over dinner?"
"It's not like I'm describing insertion, Walter."
"Please don't."
Nova groaned into her hands. "Why is this happening."
Thea patted her thigh under the table. "Because my mom loves us and want to make sure we don't accidentally make Allison a big sister next year."
Nova turned red.
Moira leaned in, deadly serious.
"And you are waiting until your OB clears you for birth control, right? No funny business until then."
"Yes, Moira," Nova muttered like a scolded teenager. "I'm literally terrified of getting pregnant again. I'm not even thinking about sex."
Thea shot her a look. "You weren't saying that when I came out of the shower this morning."
Nova elbowed her hard. "Thea!"
Walter pushed his plate away.
"I'm done."
Everyone burst out laughing—including Nova, even as she buried her face in her hands again.
From the corner of the table, baby Allison squeaked loudly.
Nova looked over and smiled through her embarrassment.
"Even she's judging me."
Thea reached over and kissed her cheek. "She's proud."
Moira raised her glass. "To informed parenthood, and condoms with every cuddle."
Nova groaned.
Thea clinked her water against Moira's.
-SMUT YOU CAN SKIP if you want but read the last few sentences or the next chapter you will be so confused.
"Yummy"
The door clicked shut behind them like a soft lock on the rest of the world. Thea didn't even have to say anything. She stood there, back against the door, arms folded, watching Nova as she hovered uncertainly a few steps in.
Nova glanced toward the hallway. Couldn't help it. Could still hear the soft lullaby being hummed by one of the maids in the nursery, the faint creak of the rocking chair. "She's probably not even asleep yet."
"She will be," Thea said simply, stepping forward. "They know her schedule. If she fusses, Marie'll know what to do. Allie needs to be able to be cared for by others, as much as we want to we can't be there with her 24/7."
Nova's shoulders slumped. "I know. I know... it's just our first night—without her. I feel like we should've waited. What if she cries and doesn't stop?"
"We did. Six and a half weeks," Thea said, eyes gleaming now with something darker, hungrier. "Then they'll earn their fucking paychecks, baby girl. You earned your break. You've earned me."
Nova snorted and turned, the tension breaking just enough for her to breathe—until Thea slipped in close behind her, hands coasting along her waist. "You're mine tonight," she whispered. "No baby monitor. No bottle warming. Just you. Just me. And that weird-ass sex talk from my mom still ringing in both our ears."
Nova laughed, flushed from neck to cheek. "Oh god, Moira. She said condoms like it was a public service announcement and what birth control I should be taking. I thought I was gonna die."
"And you blushed so hard I thought your skin was gonna peel off," Thea murmured, mouth against her ear.
"I wasn't the one who asked if there were glow-in-the-dark ones," Nova shot back, cheeks heating.
"I was trying to break the tension!"
"You broke something," Nova murmured, reaching between them to grip the heat pressed against her belly. "My self-control."
"You're still nervous," Thea murmured, stepping closer.
Nova bit her lip, her heart jackhammering. "Not about Allie."
Thea's hands slid to Nova's hips, tugging her in gently. "Then what?"
Nova exhaled slow, almost shaky. "It's been a while. And I'm not... I'm not as tight as I used to be. Not as... everything. I feel different. I am different."
Thea's thumb traced the edge of her jaw. "Nova." Her voice was a velvet knife, firm but aching with want. "You could've come to bed tonight in a burlap sack and I'd still be ready to bend you over it. I've wanted to fuck you since that safe-sex conversation this afternoon."
-SMUT-
Nova didn't answer. She didn't need to. She just turned and kissed her.
It wasn't soft. It wasn't shy. It was hungry.
Thea pulled her in with both hands at her hips, fingers digging just hard enough to claim. Nova's sleep shirt dragged up, caught between their bodies, until she was squirming to lift it off. It hit the floor. Thea stepped back and stared—like she hadn't already memorized every curve, every change, every shift in Nova's body since the birth.
Her gaze dipped to Nova's breasts—fuller, heavier, nipples visibly taut, the faintest bead of milk already rising to the tip.
"Ohh... yummy," Thea growled.
Nova's eyes widened. "You're not—"
But Thea was already sinking down, her mouth latching to one breast, suckling hard. Nova gasped, her knees buckling as milk squirted into Thea's greedy mouth.
"Thea—fuck," she hissed, hand in her hair, moaning as heat surged through her, her body still so sensitive. "That's not—*ahh—*that's not what they're for!"
Thea growled something incoherent, her tongue circling the nipple, mouth latched tight as she nursed, licked, sucked every drop. Then she switched to the other, biting just hard enough to make Nova gasp.
"I missed this body," Thea murmured, her voice husky, chin wet with milk. "You taste like heaven baby."
Nova shivered, pushing Thea gently back. "If you don't stop, I'm gonna cum just from that."
"Maybe I want you to."
Nova didn't even reply. She reached out, grabbed Thea's shirt, yanked it up and off. Bare skin. No ink. Just those lean muscles and that cock straining in her boxers, visibly leaking against the fabric.
"Take those off," Nova whispered.
"You first."
Instead of answering, Nova turned, bending slightly toward the nightstand, cheeks flushed, lips parted. She opened the drawer, reached in, and pulled out a foil square. She held it up with two fingers. "This glows in the dark."
Thea's eyes narrowed like a predator's. "Fuck yes."
She pulled off her boxers in one fluid motion, her cock springing free, flushed and wet at the head. Nova's eyes dropped to it, lips parting instinctively. It was so obscene, so thick, the curve of it almost indecent. Her thighs pressed together.
"Lie back," Thea said, voice low. "And spread."
Nova obeyed, crawling onto the bed, tossing her panties to the floor. Her thighs opened slowly, her pussy slick, lips swollen and needy, glistening even in the low light. She tore the condom open and waited.
Thea crawled over her like a shadow, took the condom, and rolled it on. It did glow—faintly, eerily—almost comical if Nova wasn't already dripping for it.
"Ready?" Thea asked, breath warm on her neck.
Nova nodded, legs wrapping around her. "Fuck me slow," she whispered. "I want to feel all of it."
She did.
Thea pressed in agonizingly slow, stretching Nova open with the head, letting her feel every inch sink inside her, hot and thick and so goddamn deep. Nova moaned, head thrown back as her body fluttered and clenched around that perfect cock.
"You're still so fucking tight," Thea groaned, hips flush now, buried to the hilt. "Like your pussy missed me."
Nova whimpered, arms tight around Thea's neck, heels digging into her back. "It did," she whispered, voice cracked. "Please move. Thea—please..."
Thea obeyed.
She started rocking into her with that same grinding rhythm, hips rolling, cock dragging in and out slow and heavy, stretching her open again and again. Nova gasped with every thrust, body arching, tits bouncing, milk dripping onto her stomach.
Thea bent down and licked it off, moaning like she was feasting.
Nova was gone.
She clung to Thea, whimpering into her shoulder, babbling—"fuck me," "don't stop," "oh god"—over and over as Thea thrust harder, faster, her thumb rubbing circles on Nova's clit.
Nova shattered, convulsing around her, cunt spasming as the orgasm ripped through her. Her cries were sharp, helpless, drowned in Thea's mouth as she came hard, gushing onto the condom, slick coating their thighs.
Thea didn't stop. She fucked her through it—pinned her down and gave her every inch again and again until Nova couldn't even speak. Her second orgasm hit like a freight train. She was trembling, wrecked, her fingers white-knuckled in the sheets.
"Again," Thea whispered against her lips, pushing in harder. "Gonna make you cum again before I even think about finishing."
Nova whimpered. "Thea—I can't—"
"You can," Thea growled, fucking her faster now, that tempo picking up, sweat dripping between her breasts. "You'll do it for me. Cum again, baby. Cum on my cock."
Nova screamed when it hit the second time—messier, louder, more guttural, her whole body locking up as her pussy convulsed hard, soaking the bed under her.
Thea came with a growl, jerking hard as her cock pulsed inside the condom, filling it with thick, hot cum. Her whole body trembled. She stayed buried deep, panting hard against Nova's throat.
They lay there, tangled, soaked, heaving.
Thea kissed her cheek. Her neck. Her jaw. Then she whispered it soft against her lips.
"...Nova. Give me the bite."
Nova's eyes fluttered open—widened just slightly.
But she didn't hesitate.