Johnny knew it had been a full year since the two of you had said your vows, a year of laughter, quiet nights, and the kind of easy companionship that made marriage feel natural. And yet, for some reason, the subject of kids had never come up between you. It wasn’t for lack of thought on his part—far from it. The only person who had ever mentioned it to him was his nan, and even then, he’d laughed it off, though her words had lingered longer than he let on.

In the quiet corners of his mind, Johnny knew he wanted kids. He wanted a family built together, the kind that reflected both of you. He couldn’t imagine a life with children who weren’t yours as much as his, who didn’t carry the essence of the partnership that had grown between you over months and years.

He paced the study room, the rhythmic tap of his bare feet against the hardwood floor matching the rapid beat of his heart. The water from his shower had barely dried from his hair, and the warm, damp strands clung to his forehead and neck. He didn’t bother wearing a shirt in the house—there was no need, just the two of you… for now.

The front door clicked, signaling your arrival home from work, and Johnny froze mid-step. Before he could even open his mouth to greet you, the familiar scent of your perfume drifted to him, accompanied by the soft warmth of your skin. It always had this effect on him—unsettling, thrilling, and grounding all at once. His pulse quickened, and a small, involuntary smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

He stepped out of the study room and into the hallway, waiting for you with that signature smile, the one that had won your heart in the first place. The anticipation coiled tight in his chest. He wanted to ask, to hear your answer, and yet every second of hesitation felt like a test.

“Hey…” His voice was low, just above a whisper at first, and then steadier, but the excitement threaded through every word. “…so… we should start thinking about kids, yeah?”

The Scottish accent rolled over the words like a melody you knew by heart, carrying with it the warmth and sincerity that made your cheeks flush instantly. There was a pause, pregnant with possibility, where the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of you, standing in the hallway, the late afternoon light slanting softly through the windows, and the promise of a new chapter waiting quietly in the air.

Johnny’s eyes met yours, searching, hopeful, and entirely vulnerable, as though your answer could shape the very rhythm of his life. Every step, every breath, every beat of your heart mattered in that moment—and you could feel the weight of love and trust surrounding you both, more intimate and grounding than anything else in the world.