#and it's clear from canon that Delenn does love and miss her mother

[ddagent]

If you're still accepting prompts,

I'm dying to see that idea you had where John is super anxious about meeting Delenn's parents.

John/Delenn Summer Promptathon | Read at AO3

As he paced the length of the empty arrivals gate, John Sheridan couldn’t help the stew of nerves simmering inside of him. He’d led fleets into battle, declared independence from his own government; hell, he’d faced down a Minbari war cruiser. And, yet, he felt like he was going to be sick. All because he was meeting Delenn’s parents for the first time.

Sitting patiently on one of the hard plastic seats, his fiancée was the picture of serenity. “John,” she soothed, her hand catching his sleeve on his eleventh pass across the gate. “If you do not stop, your legs will go straight through the bulkhead.”

“I know.” He stilled – for all of five seconds. Then his hands were pulling at his jacket sleeves, running through his hair. Delenn had to physically stand and take his hands, pressing them firmly against her hips, for him to actually stop. But even then, John’s hands did not remain motionless for long. They cradled his fiancée against his torso, one hand lifting from her waist to lift her chin closer to his mouth. “We should probably stop. I don’t want your parents to get the wrong impression.”

Delenn chuckled. “I am carrying your child, John Sheridan. I think they have all the impression they need.”

At that reminder, John immediately pulled away and began pacing. What the hell were Delenn’s parents going to think of him? Probably some crude Human caveman who couldn’t wait until they were married – as per Minbari tradition – to have sex. But it was the end of the Shadow War and between Z’ha’dum and the engagement ring, they had fallen into bed as easily as they had done everything else together. Shortly after her trip back to Minbar, Delenn had discovered she was pregnant. Both of them had been ecstatic: they wanted a home, a family. But in their jubilation, John hadn’t considered the cardinal sin of knocking up one of the most eminent leaders of the Minbari Religious Caste.

“They’re here.”

Well, here goes nothing. John crossed the arrivals gate to instantly stand beside Delenn, struggling to place his hands until his fiancée yanked his arm possessively around her waist. His thumb brushed the first hint of a bump – their child – that would make it clear to those who knew Delenn well that she was expecting. John wasn’t sure whether her parents figured into that category yet. Both had seen Delenn during her recent visit to Minbar but she had not gone into any details other than it was good to see them both again.

And suddenly there was a male Minbari, about as tall as John; stick-thin with wire framed glasses upon his nose. He waved eagerly at the pair of them, before crossing the arrivals gate with a quickened pace. Immediately, he gathered Delenn up into his arms. “You’re looking well, Te’fi.” Delenn’s father, Derimer, greeted. He then looked towards John and thrust out his hand. “You must be John!”

“Yes, sir.” Derimer’s grip was firm, but not unpleasant, as he shook John’s hand so vigorously, he thought he was about to have it torn off. “Delenn’s told me a lot about you; it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“And yours, John. Now, my daughter tells me that you have an interest in Earth history.” Derimer adjusted the glasses upon his nose. “So do I. I’ve been fascinated by your people since Delenn first started investigating you for the Grey Council. I have a thousand and one questions for you.” John chuckled until he caught sight of Delenn’s look and realised her father was not kidding. “Now, where do I want to start. What do you know about dinosaurs, John?”

Before John could describe the plot to Jurassic Park, Delenn’s mother arrived. She had her daughter’s regal bearing, her miss-nothing eyes. Her head inclined in favour of both John, Delenn, and her husband. “Thank you for meeting us both. It is good to see you again, Delenn, and to meet you, John. Our daughter has written often of you.”

Beside him, Delenn flushed. John just grinned but tried not to act too cocky, knowing there was a stack of letters back on Earth that described, in vivid detail, just how amazing Delenn was. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you both as well. Delenn’s told me that you are with the Sisters of Valeria. Were they okay with giving you some time away?”

Madrenn simply nodded. “They were. Of course, it helped that I told them that if I did not get to see my daughter and her new family, I would reveal certain secrets that the Sisters have kept secret for a thousand years. They quickly understood.” Delenn slid her arm around her mother’s, and the pair led the charge. “Shall we go?”

Derimer simply patted John on the shoulder as they hustled to catch up. For some reason, that stew of nerves had just hit the boil. Thank God Delenn is on my side.

#john x delenn #babylon 5 #dd: fanfic #dd: prompts #ship: john x delenn #so I have lots of thoughts about how delenn's mother has been portrayed in fanfic #and it's clear from canon that Delenn does love and miss her mother #so I've created Madrenn with this notion that she has a duty but she also misses her daughter and husband terribly #and Delenn's father is just the Minbari version of Arthur Weasley