BABY FEVER – MATT STURNIOLO
pairing: matt sturniolo x fem!reader
synopsis: babysitting your three year old niece with your boyfriend is not for the weak
warnings: lowercase intended, use of y/n, mentions of having a child ???, fluff!!
“auntie y/n!” ruby’s voice rang out across the yard, the little girl’s excitement practically vibrating through the air as she came running toward y/n. her tiny feet barely kept up with her eagerness, and she almost tripped over them in her rush. but before y/n could even fully step inside, ruby was already in her arms, wrapping herself around y/n’s legs in a tight, exuberant hug.
“well, hey there, rubs!” y/n laughed, grinning as she bent down to scoop ruby up into her arms, easily lifting the toddler into the air. “how’s my favorite niece doing today?” she asked, her voice soft with affection.
ruby beamed up at her aunt, holding y/n’s face in her small hands, her fingers gently pressing into y/n’s cheeks as she looked up, her eyes wide and sparkling with pride. “mommy let me have stra-bees today!” she said, her little mouth stretching into a huge, toothy grin.
“oh really? strawberries, huh? that sounds yummy!” y/n replied with a teasing smile, her heart warming at ruby’s excitement.
“i got lots and lots of stra-bees!” ruby said, her words tumbling out in a rush as her enthusiasm made her talk faster than usual. but her smile said it all, clear and bright.
“lucky you,” y/n said, brushing a lock of ruby’s hair from her forehead, her fingers lingering on the toddler’s soft skin. “you’re going to be all bouncy with all that sugar!” she teased, her eyes dancing with amusement.
ruby nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with the thrill of her treat. “yeah! i got so many, auntie!” she exclaimed, her little hands still holding onto y/n’s face as if to make sure she heard every word.
just as y/n was about to respond, a voice from behind them broke in, teasing but full of warmth. “hey! there’s no hello for me?” matt’s voice rang out, and y/n turned, laughing as she saw him standing there with his arms crossed in playful mock offense.
ruby’s face immediately lit up at the sound of his voice. she kicked her legs in the air, her little hands reaching for y/n’s shirt as if she couldn’t contain her joy any longer.
“uncle matt!” she squealed, her face lighting up like the sun. she wiggled in y/n’s arms, signaling that she was ready to be handed over to him.
y/n chuckled, lowering ruby gently to the floor. the moment her feet touched the ground, the toddler took off running toward matt, her small feet barely touching the ground as she practically flew toward him.
“hey, rubs,” matt greeted her with a grin, crouching down to scoop her up into his arms. ruby’s delighted giggles filled the room as she clung to him, her tiny hands grabbing at his shoulders with all the energy she could muster.
y/n smiled at the sight of them, her heart swelling with affection. there was something so simple and pure about the way they interacted, so effortless and full of love. watching them together made y/n's heart ache in the best way, and she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of contentment.
just then, y/n turned to her sister-in-law, who was hurriedly gathering her things as she prepared to head out. “thank you so much for agreeing to look after her,” she said with a sincere smile. “i’m really sorry it’s so last minute—my work called me in unexpectedly and our babysitter was already busy and—”
y/n cut her off with a gentle smile and a wave of her hand. “it’s okay, really. i understand.
“thank you again, both of you. i just have to rush out now, but seriously, i really appreciate it.”
y/n smiled and gently placed her hand over her sister-in-law’s, reassuring her. “hey, it’s no problem. sometimes life just throws things at us, but matt and i are always happy to look after our favorite niece. you don’t need to apologize.”
her sister-in-law sighed in relief, visibly relaxing now that her mind was at ease. “thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. and ruby…” she turned to her daughter with a smile, crouching to her level. “you remember what i said, right? behave yourself, okay? don’t make things too hard on auntie y/n and uncle matt.”
“yes, mommy! see you later!” ruby chirped happily, her voice a little squeakier with excitement. she waved enthusiastically as her mother made her way out the door, her small body practically jumping with joy.
y/n crouched down to ruby’s level, giving her a gentle smile as she brushed a stray strand of hair behind the toddler’s ear. “alright, sweetheart…” y/n began, her voice soft and coaxing. “how about we go to the park now? sound good?”
“yes!!” ruby’s face lit up like a Christmas tree at the suggestion, and before y/n could say another word, she grabbed her aunt’s hand, tugging her toward the door with all the energy she had.
“hey, hey, rubs, slow down a little, okay?” matt called from behind them, his voice warm with amusement. “we’re not in a hurry. no need to rush.”
ruby paused for a split second, glancing up at matt with a sudden serious expression. then, without missing a beat, she broke into a giggle, her tiny shoulders shaking with laughter. “okay, uncle matt!” she said in her sing-song voice, still holding tightly to y/n’s hand as they made their way toward the door.
“okay, go put on your shoes, and let’s get going!” y/n called to ruby, who immediately dashed over to her shoe rack. she excitedly picked out her favorite pair of pink light-up sneakers, practically bouncing as she put them on.
“let’s go, auntie!” ruby exclaimed, her words tumbling out in her usual burst of excitement. she was already back at y/n’s side, her hand once again grabbing y/n’s as she tugged her toward the door. matt followed closely behind, his steps light and easy as he kept pace with the two girls.
once they arrived at the park, ruby didn’t waste a single second. she immediately let go of y/n’s hand and ran straight for the swing set, her little legs carrying her as fast as they could go. “uncle matt! push me, please!” she called back over her shoulder, her eyes wide with anticipation.
“alright, rubs, i’ve got you,” matt said with a chuckle, walking over to the swings with a grin. he was already getting ready to push her when y/n stepped back, watching from the sidelines, content to simply enjoy the moment.
y/n leaned against a nearby bench, her heart swelling with warmth as she watched matt gently push ruby on the swing. ruby’s delighted giggles filled the air, her hands gripping the chains as she soared higher into the sky. matt’s face was lit up with joy as he pushed her, and for a brief moment, y/n’s heart ached in the best way. she had always dreamed of being a mom, and watching matt with ruby was a constant reminder of how natural and beautiful he was with kids. sometimes, it made her wonder what it would be like to have a daughter of their own.
“auntie y/n!” ruby’s voice snapped y/n out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see the little girl waving at her from the swing. “come here, auntie y/n!”
y/n smiled warmly and walked over, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. “yes, sweetie?”
“get on the swing too!” ruby said excitedly, pointing to the empty swing next to hers. “uncle matt will push both of us!”
y/n chuckled at ruby’s enthusiasm and nodded. “alright, alright, i’ll join you.” she sat down on the swing next to ruby, and as soon as she did, she felt matt give her a push. but it wasn’t just any push—it was a little too much.
“matt–!” y/n yelped, her voice a mixture of surprise and mock indignation. “too high!”
matt laughed along with ruby, clearly enjoying her reaction. ruby giggled uncontrollably, her small hands gripping the swing’s chains as she kicked her feet in the air.
“auntie y/n, you’re so funny!” ruby laughed, her bright eyes sparkling with amusement. “okay, uncle matt, i want off now! let’s go to the next thing!” she said, pointing excitedly to the rest of the playground.
“alright, rubs,” matt said, laughing as he helped y/n down. the trio made their way toward the slides, with ruby already running ahead, eager to explore the next adventure.
when they returned home later that afternoon, ruby was practically bursting with energy, eager to tell her mom about everything. “mommy!” she shouted as she burst through the door, still riding high on the excitement of the day. “mommy, i had so much fun!”
y/n’s sister-in-law, who had been waiting by the door, crouched down to scoop her daughter up into her arms. “hey, sweetie. how was your day with auntie y/n and uncle matt?” she asked, her smile warm as she hugged ruby tight.
“was so fun! we went to the park, and uncle matt pushed me on the swings, and auntie y/n too!” ruby said excitedly, her words coming out in a happy rush.
“oh really now? sounds like you had a blast. now, how about you take off your shoes and wash your hands, okay? mommy’s going to chat with auntie y/n and uncle matt for a minute,” her mom suggested, giving ruby a gentle kiss on the cheek before letting her go.
ruby nodded eagerly and scampered off to do as instructed, her little feet pattering across the floor as she removed her sneakers and headed toward the bathroom.
once ruby was out of earshot, y/n’s sister-in-law turned to the couple with a grateful smile. “thank you so much for looking after her again,” she said, her voice sincere. “i really appreciate it.”
y/n waved it off with a smile. “hey, you don’t have to thank us all the time. we’re family. we’d be happy to look after her any time,” she reassured her, her voice warm and comforting.
her sister-in-law smiled back, her eyes filled with gratitude. “thank you,” she repeated, a soft laugh escaping her as she made her way toward the door. “i’ll see you both soon.”
“take care!” y/n and matt called in unison, waving her goodbye. as the door clicked shut, the two of them shared a quiet smile, content with the simple joys of the day.
after a peaceful moment, they both climbed into matt’s van, letting out a simultaneous sigh as they settled into the comfortable silence. the weight of the afternoon's activities had finally caught up with them, and the car felt cozy and familiar.
“do you have it too?” y/n asked, her voice soft as she turned to glance at matt. there was a slight catch in her breath, a tender look in her eyes as she searched his face for an answer.
“baby fever?” matt said with a knowing smile, his eyes softening as he looked at her. “yeah, i’ve got it. bad.”
y/n sighed, her shoulders slumping as she stared out the window. her fingers absentmindedly played with the hem of her shirt, a little frown tugging at her lips. “we’re too young though. i know we are... but she’s just so cute.”
matt chuckled softly, his gaze warm as he met her eyes. “i know, baby. i want one too. believe me. but we should give it a few more years. we’re not exactly in the right place yet.”
“but matttt,” she whined, her voice taking on a playful tone. “she’s so tiny and perfect. i just wanna take her home and keep her forever.”
matt smiled at her, his thumb gently brushing over her hand as he reached out to take it. “i know, babe. i get it. i really do. but we’ve got time. a lot of time. no need to rush into it. we’ll get there, i promise. just a few more years, okay?”
y/n let out another sigh, this one a little heavier, but she nodded, knowing deep down that he was right. “just a few more years, huh?” she repeated quietly, as though trying to convince herself.
“yeah, just a few,” matt confirmed softly, his voice soothing as he leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. his lips lingered there for a moment, his eyes closing in contentment. “we’ll be great when the time comes, i know it.”
y/n rested her head against the seat, closing her eyes for a moment. the idea of waiting was hard, but she trusted matt. they had their whole future ahead of them. “okay,” she whispered, finally relaxing into the comfort of the moment. “just a few more years.”
author's note: hai please tell me this isn't cringe ty