Work Text:
Bewitched AU
“OK, what was that?” Len demanded as they got home from their evening, dinner with his ex as he boasted about how well he was doing without Len in an attempt to bring him crawling back.
“I call it some bad weather.”
“You’re a horrible liar Raymond. I know what you did,” he said firmly and tapping his nose. Ray rolled his eyes, yes, admittedly he had wiggled his nose and used his magic to open a window and blow that idiots toupee off of his head.
“Well maybe he should have kept his hands to himself,” Ray argued back, folding his arms over his chest.
“You were jealous? Of him?” Ray shrugged.
“He wasn’t completely hideous.” He admitted begrudgingly.
“And I assume you missed me pushing him off and removing his hands before you jumped to witchy sabotage?”
“Guess it’s a little harder to break the habit than I thought.”
“Well if anyone can do it it’s you.” Len told him softly, leaning in and kissing him. Ray wrapped his arms around Len’s neck and kissed him back.
“Thanks for believing in me,” Ray replied.
“Have you ever thought about having kids?” Ray asked a year or so down the line.
“Since I met you it’s been a possibility, never before, my ex didn’t care for children, why bring it up?” Len asked as he read the Sunday morning paper.
“A lot of couples in the neighbourhood have been starting or planning to start families, Kendra and Carter for one, and well, I want a family too.” Ray told him.
“Is it possible?” Ray shot Len a look. “What?”
“It is possible that way,” he admitted, “if you’re willing for a little magic intervention.”
“Wait, would the baby be a, you know?”
“It would be a boy or a girl.” Ray said firmly.
“So it might be?”
“If we’re going about it that way then yes, there’s every possibility it could have magic. Is that a problem?”
“No, no, no, not a problem, I’d just like to be prepared.” Len said, hoping Ray would buy it, he wasn’t wholly against having a magical child, the thought just frightened him a little, especially where Ray’s brother Sydney was involved. “Is it normal practice in your world for men to have children?”
“What sort of a question is that?” Think of the devil.
“Sydney show yourself.” Ray demanded.
“Long time no see brother,” Sydney said as Ray hugged him.
“Well that’s down to you, you know you can always visit, right Len?” Len grumbled something in response.
“For your information, whatever your name is, yes, men in our world can carry and conceive children.”
“Sydney you play nice.” Ray warned. “Everything OK Len?” Ray asked concerned.
“Peachy, just trying to get my head around the fact, although it does explain a few things.” He noted, his eyebrows raised.
“Sydney can you leave us, we have things to discuss and I believe it is best left between a man and his husband.”
“Whatever you say.” Sydney shot Len a dirty look and ‘popped’ out of there.
“So, you can carry a baby, my baby?”
“If you’d like me too,” Ray replied softly.
“And would people be able to see it or?”
“Only people from my world and you, because you would have a biological tie to the baby, to everyone else I’d still look like this.”
“And how would we explain such an occurrence to our neighbours when the baby is born?”
“Adoption? Surrogate? Your choice I guess.”
“And the birthing process?” Len dared to indulge his curiosity. Ray hesitated. “Please tell me,” Len said.
“C-section in a magical hospital or,” he paused.
“Or what?”
“Magical sex change.” Len sat down. “Babe are you OK?” Ray asked concerned.
“I’m fine,” Len assured him, “can you get me a glass of water?”
“Certainly,” he said and rushed to the cabinet to get a glass the mortal way to help keep Len calm.
“Thank you,” Len said.
“Maybe you should lay down?” Len nodded and Ray looked him in the eyes, requesting permission to use magic with him. Len nodded and closed his eyes, the next he knew he was in their bedroom and Ray was placing the glass of water on the bedside table.
“Would you stay with me a while?” Ray smiled and nodded, kicking off his shoes he walked around to his side of the bed and laid down, letting Len hold him in his arms.
“We don’t have to use magic, I don’t mind using a surrogate, so long as the baby has your eyes.” Ray told him as he listened to the steady beat of Len’s heart.
“I think I want us to use magic, so long as you’re up for it. I want this baby to be me and you, and just us.” Len told him. “Would you be up for it?”
“I really would,” Ray told him and lifted his head to kiss him.
Ray’s pregnancy went as smoothly as either of them could have hoped. Sydney had a renewed sense of interest in his brother’s life, much to the annoyance of Len. It seemed it was only Sydney who had a problem with Len and vice versa. Aunt Clara loved Len, adored him. And while her magic wasn’t what it was Len didn’t mind it. Ray’s best friend Anna was a frequent visitor, she had disapproved at first but seeing her friend so happy had won her over.
Like Ray had said only Len and other witches and warlocks could see he was pregnant. They told Len’s sister Lisa they were having a private surrogacy, with a signed non-disclosure agreement, which even they couldn’t break. It seemed to work.
The baby came right on her due date. Ray called Anna who transported them to a magic hospital where Ray gave birth to their little girl. “So what’re we calling her?” Ray asked Len as he held their daughter.
“Well how about we combine the names we had in mind. Annalise?”
“Annalise Palmer-Snart. I like the sound of that.” Ray smiled at her.
“So is she a?” Ray smiled at his husband.
“We won’t know that until she’s older.”
“OK, I mean it’s OK, obviously but you know.”
“I know, you would like to be prepared. They usually kick in within the first year, it’s rare for them to develop after age one.” Len nodded.
Annalise’s first birthday came and went with no sign of powers. Len was secretly relieved, though so was Ray. He at least chose to live the mortal way, but a baby didn’t know what it was doing, no way of controlling their power.
Then it happened.
Sydney had dropped by while Len was at work. Ray was preparing party food for that night when they would have guests over for their anniversary. Ray turned to see Sydney feeding Annalise a cookie. “Sydney please don’t you’ll spoil her appetite, I’m making her lunch.”
“Fine, fine, sorry kid, no more cookies.” Both adults turned their backs for mere seconds when a cookie floated by in front of them. They followed it’s path into Annalise’s hands.
“Please tell me that was you.” Ray said, remembering he’d told Len after the first birthday they should have been in the clear.
“No such luck. Isn’t this interesting, you acquired your powers late too,” he reminded Ray.
“Damn, why tonight?” Ray muttered. “Sweetie, I know you want a cookie, but I’m making your lunch. Maybe it was a fluke,” he said hopefully to Sydney who gave him a look. “OK, yeah, I heard that, that did sound stupid. Oh why tonight. Honey, if I let you have a cookie will you try and not use your gift tonight?” Annalise reached for the cookie. “I’m taking that as a yes.” He said giving it to her and kissing her head.
Thankfully nothing noticeable happened during the party and Ray thought he was in the clear. Until the next morning that was. Ray was making breakfast for Annalise and himself while Len got ready for work. Ray went to pour her juice when a knock came at the door. It was a package. He signed for it and when he returned Annalise was drinking juice from a sippy-cup. “Annalise, come on, be on my side here, daddy needs to be told gently about this, please try not to-“
“Try not to do what?” Len asked entering the kitchen.
“Try not to drop food, daddy just cleaned the floors.”
“Babe babies make mess, they can’t always help it,” Len said kissing Annalise goodbye and then Ray. As he hugged Ray he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Ray turned and saw that the spatula was dancing on the counter top. “Is that you or her?” He asked urgently.
“You know what, I think it’s me, I haven’t felt too good this morning and you know how my magic acts up when I’m under the weather.” Len bought it. Just.
“OK then, feel better” Len kissed his cheek. “Take it easy on your daddy today young lady.” He said to his daughter and went to work.
That evening Ray knew he had to tell Len. When he got home from work that evening Ray greeted him with a beer. “What’s the occasion?”
“Can’t a man spoil his hard working husband a little?”
“Well I won’t argue with that logic. Ray are you OK?” He asked.
“Maybe you should sit down?” Ray suggested. “You know that thing that happened this morning?”
“With the spatula, yes, I remember.”
“Well, I lied, it wasn’t me.”
“Was it your brother?”
“Nope.”
“Aunt Clara?”
“I wish.” Ray muttered.
“Anna?” Len asked.
“No such luck. It was Annalise She’s a witch,” Ray said twitching his nose for emphasis.
“Oh I know.”
“What do you mean you know?”
“I saw her using powers last week. That night you went out with the guys?”
“And you didn’t tell me? Do you have any idea how nervous I’ve been trying to work out how to tell you? And you already knew?”
“Ray, calm down, it slipped my mind.”
“Our daughter being a witch slipped your mind?”
“OK, that was the wrong thing to say, remember that day I walked in and found her walking using the couch for support?”
“Yes.”
“And I called out to you and you were upset because you wanted to notice it yourself?”
“I remember,” Ray said understanding.
“I thought you’d want to see it for yourself.” Len said softly. “Sorry.”
“No I’m sorry, I guess I was just worried about your reaction.”
“Witch or not she’s still my little girl, even if she had green skin and blue hair. She always will.” Ray smiled and hugged Len.
“I’m glad you feel that way.”
17 Years Later…
“Well daddy how do I look?” Annalise asked Len who was sitting in their living room.
“You look beautiful,” he told her, “Ray come see her.”
“You look lovely Annalise,” Ray told her tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. The doorbell rang.
“That’s Tommy and the others with the limo,” she told them. “Can I have a later curfew maybe?”
“Just for tonight,” Len said before Ray could. “1AM.”
“Thanks daddy,” Annalise grinned and they watched her leave, Tommy Queen escorting her to the limo where their friends were waiting to go to their Senior Prom.
“You took that rather well given your dislike of Tommy Queen,” Ray remarked, “are you feeling well?”
“Raymond our daughter is a witch and a powerful one at that, mortal boys are the last thing I feel the need to worry about where she’s concerned. In fact I almost feel sorry for them.”
“Mmhmm and why’s that?”
“Because if she’s anything like you they won’t know what hit ’em.” Len smiled leaned over and kissed his husband.