scavenger hunt - M.S
dad!matt x reader blurb - chris is the last in the house to find out about reader’s pregnancy.
"Alright both of you, close your eyes and hold your hands out," I announce, pointing to Nick and Chris who sit on the couch.
Matt sits next to them, his leg bouncing slightly with nerves. Our eyes meet, and he gives me a reassuring smile, though I can see he's just as anxious as I am.
Chris scrunches his face and looks between Matt and I, "What's going on?" He asks, clearly suspicious.
I see Nick hiding his knowing grin, pressing his lips in a line.
"Kid, just close your fucking eyes," Matt snaps, smacking Chris' shoulder which he immediately retialites with his own shove.
"Chris, c'mon," Nick says trying to keep the peace and I let out a breath. Chris rolls his eyes before closing his eyes and Nick plays along shutting his eyes with him.
"Are we getting a puppy?" Chris blurts out as I grab the envelopes from the counter.
I walk over to them, my heart pounding a little faster.
Holding two envelopes in my hands, I pause in front of the couch, glancing at Matt again, who gives me a small nod of encouragement.
"I have a big ask," I sigh deeply, looking to Nick sitting at the kitchen table.
I twist open the fresh pickle jar I made Matt pick up today. The smell of the brine hits me instantly, making my mouth water. I spear one with a fork before I take a bite, savoring the sour crunch.
Nick glances up from his laptop, peeking over his glasses as I lean against the kitchen counter, munching thoughtfully.
“No, you and Matt cannot move into my room,” he says flatly, before looking back to his laptop screen.
I roll my eyes and shake my head, finishing off my pickle before grabbing another spear.
"Chris can't know that you know," I finally say, feeling guilty.
Nick raises an eyebrow, closing his laptop halfway, clearly intrigued by the conversation shift. "Why not?"
"You know how he is," I sigh, gesturing vaguely.
"Yes, I'm very aware how he is, he's my brother… who’s an idiot." Nick says dryly, raising an eyebrow as he leans back in his chair.
"I just don't want him to get upset that he was the last to know,"
"If he gets upset that I knew before him, he needs to grow up." He rolls his eyes and I sigh.
"Nick," My tone is firm but pleading. "C'mon, just act surprised. I feel terrible, it's been weeks and we haven't told him yet,"
It's been a little over a month since I found out I was pregnant. Matt and I wanted to wait until I was closer to my second trimester to tell anyone, including Chris.
Which has been difficult considering we all live in the same space and this was the biggest secret Matt ever had to keep from his brother.
But we knew it was safer to wait a bit.
Nick leans forward, his expression softening as he realizes how much this is weighing on me. "Alright, alright. If it makes you feel better, I’ll play dumb. I’ll put on my best Oscar-worthy performance, I promise."
"Okay, keep your eyes closed," I say as I gently place the envelopes in their hands. "No peeking yet."
I hand them their designated envelopes, Nick’s marked with the number 1 and Chris’s with the number 2.
Nick lets out an exaggerated squeal as he clutches his envelope. I stifle a laugh at his act, while Matt rolls his eyes, shaking his head with a playful smirk.
"Open them," I finally say, and Chris immediately starts tearing into his envelope.
"Wait, wait—sorry! Nick, read yours first. They're numbered for a reason," I reach out, stopping Chris mid-rip.
He groans impatiently, leaning back while Nick shushes him with a grin, rubbing his shoulder.
"Relax," He says before opening his envelope carefully and reading it aloud.
“‘Hi Nick and Chris. Welcome to your scavenger hunt! Find the five clues to uncover the surprise... Your first clue is in plain sight, in the hands of the person to your right.’"
Nick turns to Chris, still grinning. “That's you, Chris. Go ahead,"
Chris’s eyes light up, and he doesn’t waste any time. Tearing his envelope open and quickly scanning it over before reading it out loud.
"'Clue number two is being kept warm and toasty... check the spot where you'd grab something cozy.'"
Chris’s wide eyes scan the room momentarily before landing on the basket of throw blankets. He glances at Matt for confirmation, but Matt just shrugs, keeping his face neutral.
"Something cozy..." he mutters to himself before he jumps up and makes a beeline for the blankets.
He digs through the folded blankets, shaking some of them out until he finds the third envelope nestled inside.
“I found it!” he yells, waving it around. “Bro, I'm killing this already. Nick, get on my level.”
"Kid's just too good at this," Matt says dryly, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
"You better fold those back up when you're done," Nick warns, giving Chris a disapproving look.
He waves him off, "Nick, shut the fuck up," He rips open the envelope.
“‘To find the next clue, head to Nick’s keep. Near the gumball machine is where you should peek.’” He giggles as he reads it out loud.
“W rhyming. Nick, I'm so winning this," He says as he bolts up the stairs to get the next clue.
Nick rolls his eyes and shakes his head as Chris screams that he found the next clue, followed by his heavy footsteps as he barrels back down the stairs.
“Here, Nick, you can read this one,” Chris says excitedly, practically shoving the envelope into Nick’s hands, rubbing his own hands together in anticipation.
Nick clears his throat, "Feeling thirsty? Here's your tip: Check beside Chris's favorite sip."
"PEPSI!" Chris yells, sprinting for the kitchen, and I jump as he rushes past me, nearly knocking me over.
Nick stands, reaching to steady me and we both laugh at Chris’s excitement.
"Dude, be fucking careful," Matt sits up, his eyes wide with concern.
I assure him that I’m fine as Chris ignores him, yanking open the fridge and rummaging through the Pepsi cans.
“'Don’t stop now, don’t cease your strive. Your fourth clue is where you take late-night drives.'”
“Matt, toss me your keys,” Chris nods towards Matt, wiggling his fingers but Matt tells him that the car is already unlocked.
Chris darts to the steps leading to the garage before peeking his head back. “Nick, c'mon. Why am I doing this by myself?”
I nudge Nick and he rolls his eyes before getting up to follow Chris to the garage.
“Slow down, motherfucker.” Nick calls out as Chris runs ahead of him.
“How about you hurry the fuck up, goof.” Chris retorts.
Matt and I laugh at their muffled bickering as they get further away from us. Once we can't hear them anymore I let out a breath and sit on the couch.
“I might puke, I’m so nervous,” I admit quietly to Matt, who pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around me and kissing the top of my head.
“Me too. But I think it’s working. He has no clue,” he whispers back, giving me a reassuring squeeze.
We see Chris before we see Nick following slightly behind him when they return from the car.
Chris places his hands on his hips, catching his breath, and impatiently looks toward Nick, who’s carrying the fifth envelope.
"Hurry up!" Chris bounces on his heels while Nick shoots him a warning look.
Nick opens the envelope and reads aloud, “‘You've found the final clue, but there's one more stop! Your surprise waits with Mr. Wrinkleton sitting atop.'” He flashes a teasing look at Matt who just shrugs.
"Best guard dog ever," Matt quips with a smirk.
"Go ahead," I urge, getting up from the couch and gently nudging them toward the hallway leading to Matt's room.
Matt follows close behind me, so we can both see the reaction we've been anxiously waiting for.
Nick pushes the door open but Chris rushes past him, immediately spotting the white box on Matt's bed with the stuffed dog sitting on top.
Rubbing his hands together, Chris grins. "S’gotta be tickets to Disney."
He brushes Mr. Wrinkleton aside and grabs the box, giving it a playful shake like a kid on Christmas, trying to guess what’s inside.
He looks to Nick for permission who gives him a soft nod, his own excitement starting to show.
Chris then looks to Matt and I, who are barely keeping it together, both shaking with nerves.
I’ve resorted to locking my shaky hands behind my back while Matt stares intensely at the box in Chris’s grip, nervously gnawing on his nails.
"You guys are starting to freak me out... Why are you all looking at me like that?" Chris asks, his suspicion growing as he holds the closed box close to his chest.
"Chris, just open it," Nick says impatiently, trying and failing to hide his grin.
He hesitates for a second, glancing between all of us again before he finally sits on the edge of the bed, lifting the lid.
He halts immediately, his head snapping up towards me, then Matt, then back to the box. His eyes are wide and slightly vacant as shock washes over him.
Inside the box lays a folded onesie that says,
"This is a fucking prank." He says with certainty, "Nick, are you in on this or something?" Nick covers his mouth his hands, trying to hide his shit eating grin.
"No, you guys gotta be fully fucking with us, because there's no way." Chris says, pushing the box to the side as if it will explode.
"Dude, it's not a prank. Just take everything out," Matt laughs nervously, but Chris sits there, mouth slightly agape, stunned and unmoving.
Nick takes it upon himself to lift the onesie up to reveal the sonogram photo underneath. Chris' wide eyes follow the photo before he looks to us again, pale as a ghost as realization settles in.
"Swear on your life this isn't a prank," he says, his voice wavering as he tries to hold it together.
"Chris, we swear. She's due in February," Matt steps forward, placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing softly. Chris looks at me, his blue eyes welling up with tears.
He lets out a shaky breath, burying his head in his hands as his shoulders start to tremble. Matt and I immediately sit on either side of him—Matt wrapping an arm around him, while I rub his back.
I catch Nick pulling out his phone to capture the moment.
"Alright, buddy," Matt chuckles softly, his voice also thick with emotion, while I find myself tearing up with Chris.
After a moment, Chris lifts his head, turning to Matt. "You guys are having a fucking kid?" He says in sheer disbelief as he shifts his gaze to me.
He looks between my eyes, "You're pregnant?" His voice breaks.
"Yeah," I nod, emotion welling up as I manage a quiet smile.
He instantly goes in for a bone crushing hug and I wheeze at the impact, but return the tight embrace.
I rub his back and watch Matt's expression, his smile is wobbling as he attempts to hold back his tears.
"Easy, dude...how about your own brother getting a hug?" Matt speaks up jokingly and Nick snorts.
"Hey, she's the one doing all the work here, growing my nephew," Chris says, pulling back.
"Or niece." Nick and I chime in at the same time.
"Well, yeah. Niece or nephew." Chris corrects himself with a shrug. "M'putting money on a boy, though," He slaps Matt's back and brings him for a tight hug next.
Matt chuckles, his voice strained from the force of Chris' embrace. "We'll see, buddy," he says, patting Chris gently on the back.
Chris pulls back slightly, still absorbing the news as he looks between us, his thoughts clearly spinning. Suddenly, his eyes narrow, and they dart toward Nick, suspicion creeping back into his expression.
"Wait... Nick, why aren't you freaking the fuck out?"
Nick freezes, his eyes widening, caught off guard for a split second before he answers.
"I am! Are you kidding me? I'm so shocked, I'm… beyond shocked. I have no words." His voice cracks slightly, but he tries to play it off, though the faint grin tugging at his lips gives him away.
Chris's jaw drops, and he points accusingly at Nick. "You are actually the worst liar, dude. You knew! You knew this whole time!"
Nick throws up his hands defensively. "Okay, hey, whoa! I was sworn to secrecy."
Chris stands up and spins around dramatically looking between Matt and I.
"He knew?!" His voice strains, eyes nearly bulging out of his head. I sigh in defeat and stand quickly, grabbing a hold of his arm to calm him down.
"Chris, relax. He only knew because he was here when I found out. You and Matt were in Chicago."
"Dude, we wanted to tell you," Matt adds, "but we also wanted to wait until we were sure everything was happening. A lot can go wrong in the first few months." Matt explains and Chris seems to soften but he turns back to Nick.
"Fuck you," He pouts, pointing to Nick, though a smile threatens to break through when Nick scoffs at him.
"Oh, grow up, motherfucker. At least you got the fun way of finding out. I found out in the middle of tragedy," Nick crosses his arms, and I nod along.
"Yeah, finding out in real time was lowkey traumatic... I was going through it," I'm able to say a bit lightheartedly now, but I still feel Nick sneak over to rub my back comfortingly.
"Let me see the thing," Chris motions to Matt, eager to see the sonogram taken just yesterday at the 12-week scan.
The baby is significantly bigger and much easier to spot.
Matt hands over the sonogram, and Chris stares at the image in awe. "I can't believe this... you're not even showing." He glances down at my stomach briefly.
I shrug, "No, not yet... I just feel kinda bloated." I feel Matt tug on my belt loop, silently telling me to sit on his lap. I oblige, settling into his arms as he rests his chin on my shoulder.
Chris continues staring at the picture, his brow furrowing in realization. "Wait… do Mom and Dad know? Or Justin?"
Matt shakes his head, keeping his chin on my shoulder. "Not yet. We're gonna tell them when we go to Boston in a couple of weeks."
"This is fucking nuts. You guys are are nuts," Chris takes a seat back on the bed, still processing everything. Nick returns with a donut in hand before plopping down into Matt's streaming chair.
"Yeah, believe us when we say we didn't plan this." Matt laughs with a bit of flushed face.
"You dirty dogs," Chris mutters under his breath, shaking his head.
"Chris." Nick says with wide eyes, slight amusement in them.
"Not apologizing for that. You guys are sick," Chris confirms, looking between Matt and me and I place my hands over my face to hide the heat rising in my cheeks.
"Okay, okay, enough. Chris, I'm sorry you were the last of us to find out. It was really hard keeping it from you," Matt says, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"We have a proposition, though. Well—actually, for the both of you," Matt adds, glancing at Nick.
"We went to the doctor yesterday for our scan, and we did the blood test to determine the sex of the baby... so we were wondering if you guys—"
"Yes! Yes, whatever you're about to say– yes." Chris blurts out, practically bouncing in excitement.
"Chris, let her finish," Nick scolds, though he's smiling.
"They want us to throw the gender reveal party," Chris interrupts again, this time with a knowing grin.
Matt and I exchange a glance, laughing softly. "Yeah, something like that," I say, amused.
"We thought it would be fun if you both planned the reveal together," Matt explains, "But something lowkey, alright? No big party. Probably just the four of us, maybe a couple friends... and no explosives or forest fires..."
"But those are the best kind..." Nick says, sounding playfully defeated.
“Dude, c’mon, I’m being for real.” Matt gives him a pointed look, though a smile still sneaks through.
“Our neighbors already hate us enough," I remind them, thinking of all the noise complaints we receive weekly.
Matt groans, pressing his forehead against my shoulder. “You guys are gonna get us evicted.”
"Fine, fine. Lowkey it is, but we're going to find a way to make it special...this is the first baby," Nick says softly and I feel Matt squeeze my hip.
“Don’t worry you guys, Nick and I have it under control,” Chris wraps an arm around Nick before stealing his donut.
“I trust you guys,” I say confidently, turning to Matt, who still looks a little weary. “Right, Matt?” I nudge him gently. He hesitates for a moment, his gaze flickering between Nick and Chris, but eventually gives a small nod.
“Sorry Matt, you’ve already relinquished full creative control to Chris and I,” Nick tells him with mock sympathy.
Matt mutters under his breath, rubbing his eyes and I cover my mouth to hide my giggle as he buries his face in my back.
“I’m gonna regret this, aren’t I?”
