Blaine (Smythe-)Anderson

Private: Seeing you cry is the last thing I want. But I also need you to know how important you are to me, especially since you don’t remember these last few years.

I’ll take it as a bonus.

[Private:] It’s a good cry, at least. Five years ago I didn’t think I’d get to have any of this, so it’s kind of a lot to take in.

I was going to anyway. You may have to be up for work until paternity leave kicks in, right? So it’s only fair that I take the middle-of-the-night feedings.

We already knew I was rude. :P

It’s okay. Get all the sleep you can before the baby. 

Touche. You make it look good, though, 😉

Private: I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. I have everything I could ever want - things I didn’t know I wanted, sure, but having this life with you? That’s…everything. And, yeah, it really fucking sucks that you’re having this issue right now because I hate that it’s so upsetting for you. But that doesn’t change that I have you and I have a family with you. And I feel so grateful every day for that. 

[Private:] ...You’re not allowed to make me cry right now. I’m already enough of a mess as it is without you saying things I’ve wanted to hear for years.

Is this a ploy to get me to do all the midnight feedings for the first month? Because I’m not gonna lie, it’s working.

Private: It wasn’t a small part, Bee. You are the reason. I know I did it myself and I can’t credit you for that, but it took you coming back into my life for me to understand that that change needed to happen. 

[Private:] I don’t -- like, I know have this thing about wanting to feel needed, and it isn’t healthy, but -- you are happy, aren’t you? I mean, aside from my stupid memory issues being an extremely inconvenient and ill-timed hassle you shouldn’t have to deal with.

Oh, god… That’s true. I’d take sneaking out over the dramatics any day.

I think I can do that.

Hey. Now who’s rude? 😉

Okay… Maybe I can live with that. 

Babe, I’ve seen you - I know. I definitely will. We can curl up with some popcorn. 

Well, the alternative is that they take after me and we end up with a 15-year-old drama queen, so all things considered I’ll take the adventurous spirit, 😉

Private: Well, it’s because of you. You made me realize that I needed to change. Whether or not you took me back, I would’ve changed because of you. 

[Private:] Bas. You changed for you. I might have played some small part in the realization that you wanted to, but that isn’t enough on its own. I’m really glad for whatever small part I played, though, just because you seem like you’re happier because of it.

Wow…Rude. Valid, but rude.

Nothing has ever closed because of you. If anything, I’ve seen shows where you are the reason it stayed open. 

We’re going to call that personality quirk ‘adventurous spirit’, 😉

Private: Of course, I am definitely not the same Sebastian. That’s true. But it took years of figuring my shit out and fucking up and learning to become a better person to get here. I have to recognize that my actions could be more than just ‘a little self-absorbed’ as a teenager. Or else, what’s the use of changing?

[Private:] That’s a big deal, though. Realizing that there’s something about yourself that you want to change and actually making the effort to do just that. Whatever I don’t remember about the last five years, that’s a pretty major point in your favor, as far as I’m concerned.

Do 15 year olds keep you up all night?

Oh, god. This is going to be a quiz for me, too. Trying to remember all your coworker’s names. 

15 year olds who are related to you? Probably.

Private: Yeah. A nice kid. You were nothing like me and I think that made them very happy. Because, as you remember, I was a fucking asshole as a kid. And, as you don’t remember, I’ve been spending the last few years of my life trying to make up for that. 

[Private:] You were not. Maybe a little self-absorbed, but what teenager isn’t? I know I was. And I may not remember the past few years, but it’s pretty hard to miss that you aren’t exactly the same Sebastian I remember.

That belongs on a t-shirt. Even if it’s just one t-shirt, worn by Cooper.

(True. So true.)

...I think you might have just inspired his Christmas present this year.

Actually, yeah… pretty close to that, I’m thinking. Literally, wake up one morning? I’m starting to think you can, dude.

Well you can at least feel good about the fact that too much information has to be better than not enough, at least? One way or another I know you guys will figure this out, and everything will be great… eventually.

Kinda makes you wary of what you might wake up to next. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

It’s a double-edged sword, that’s for sure. I guess we’ll find out pretty soon -- and I’m sort of clinging to that ‘eventually’.

Well thanks dude, how do you think we look so far?  And thanks Blaine, it actually is. Nah, I think that’s more of a theater thing. Unless Sam breaks his leg, in which case I’m totally blaming you for that.

Promising, if the pass protection improvements hold. And if all our running backs can stay healthy. I’m reserving judgement on the defensive line until a little later in the season, though. If Sam breaks his leg, I’ll take full responsibility, so he better stay intact!

If only parents got off that lucky! Then again, I guess if that were the case all of the kiddos would be so spoiled!

Okay, that’s adorable. I wanna meet your mom! Is she still set with that or has it changed again?

Something to look forward to thirty years from now, I guess?

I suggested Meemaw -- you should’ve seen the death glare she shot me over Facetime.

Well but think about it - you’ve been on stage for a long time now! This is all new territory! You and Seb are gonna be naturals, I just know it.

Lord help me, I have, haven’t I? Halfway to retirement already. I hope so, though -- for the little one’s sake as much as ours.