"Hey Feli, I'm back!" Alfred called as he strolled into the apartment of his next door neighbour and best friend.
"Ciao Alfredo, welcome back!" The bubbly Italian addressed his friend by his nickname and turned off the stove. "You're just in time, the pasta is done!" Feliciano hummed to himself while he set out the plates and served the pasta.
"Good thing too. Woo! Working at McDonald's but not being allowed to eat any of those succulent burgers is like pure torture dude. I'm freakin' starving!" Alfred took his seat next to Feliciano. "So, how were Libby and the others?"
Feliciano finished serving then took his own seat and called out into the other room. "Roberto, Lib-bella (Lib- buh- bella), Krystina, Lotti, time for dinner bambinos!" The four children scurried into the room and took their respective seats before chowing down. Libby only stopping to wave to her Mama before she joined the others.
"They were angels as always Alfredo! Though it seems they were rather hungry." Feli and Alfred shared a laugh before they too began to eat as well, although, in a more civilized manor than their children. This was the norm for this pair of friends and neighbours. Alfred would come home around dinner time from his 6-5 job at Mckie D's while Feliciano worked out of his home as an artist and tailor, made dinner, and watched the children when they came home from school. They really were so lucky to have such a happy life. One they could not have without each other.
It is hard to believe that just 8 years ago, Feliciano was on the verge of suicide and Alfred was fairing no better. Life was tough for men like them. Men who could not only get pregnant, but also had bastard boyfriends who dumped them before they could even break the bizarre news. Feliciano didn't know what to do. He never told anyone that he was pregnant. Not Ludwig, the man whom he would have readily died for but left him when he needed him most, not his twin brother, who had a hatred for everyone and everything, and certainly not his grandfather, who was a wealthy yet carefree Mafia boss. So the only thing Feli could do was run away. Run away and try to find some sanctuary where no one would hate him and or judge him for being a screw-up and a pregnant male.
Alfred, at the time, had been in a similar situation. He too had an older twin brother, a bastard ex-boyfriend, who he found out later was cheating on him, and a parental guardian that he couldn't tell his secret to too. When he first found out, he was a mixture of being baffled and being ashamed. His brother Matthew, bless the saint, tried to comfort his brother and find out what was wrong, but Alfred just couldn't tell him. How could he? His brother already did so much for him and he'd taken him for granted for so many years. To tell him that Al ROYALLY screwed up by getting pregnant (which was supposed to be impossible for men) would be like adding insult to a long time injury, not to mention another mess Alfred had gotten himself into that Matthew would have to help him with. No, not this time. He made his own bed, so he should sleep in it, as their father would say. So he packed up his things, dropped out of high school (he was a junior when he got pregnant), left his family a note and left the safety of his hometown and family to make his own life somewhere that he'd be accepted.
Now of course, it's not normal for men to get pregnant. A man getting pregnant is even less believable than the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. But it is real, and apparently very much so. There's actually a special website that is exclusively for pregnant males and their partners. However, anyone who should just so happen to come across this website believes that it is a hoax or some type of gag, which is probably the only reason it's never caused any unwanted attention from 'normal people' or the media.
The website even gave locations in towns and states that are gay friendly and mpreg friendly, which was even more rare. And that's how Feli and Al first met. They happened to choose the same location (given that there were only about 5 to choose from) and just so happened to move in next to each other. Being pregnant and having similar experiences, the two became fast friends and have been looking out for each other ever since.
Over the years, they became dependent on each other. Neither has had a boyfriend or a lover or even bothered to try to go out on a date since they were dumped 8 years ago. Although at one point, the friends attempted a romance, just to see if anything was there. But they didn't get very far. It was only kissing and a little light groping, but it felt so empty, not to mention uncomfortable. In fact, after they stopped their horrid attempt, they laughed about it and agreed to work better as best friends.
Which brought them back to the present. Where Feli was clearing the dishes and Alfred was wiping the children's messy faces. "So Libby, tell mommy, how was school today?"
"It was great Mama! Robby (Roberto) and I got paired up as partners during Math class and we had to do times tables which are super hard but we did so good that we got up to 6 on the times tables which was more than everyone else so teacher gave us candy!" The ashen-haired girl giggled excitedly. Her sky blue eyes that mirrored her mother's own sparkled while she told the story.
Alfred just smiled and ruffled her hair. "That's wonderful Libby! You make Mama so proud!" He gave his little girl a quick hug. "And what about the rest of you?" Al looked over to the Italian children. He always thought it was cute how all three of them shared their mother's stray curl on the sides of their heads. "It was good Auntie Allie," Krystina spoke first. "I liked music the best today because we got to sing fun songs!" "I liked art class because it was nice and quiet…" Lotti spoke shyly. "Yeah, well I could have gotten the candies all by myself without you Lib, cuz I actually study!" "Hey! Shut up Robby, you got stuck on the 4's and some of the 5's and I helped!" "I would have figured them out eventually…but you didn't know anything 'cause you barely study!" "I do study!" "Nuh-uh!" "Yeah-huh!" "Nuh-uh!" "At least I'm not an asshole like you Robby!"
"WHAT?!" Alfred suddenly screamed which made all the bickering cease and the children go silent. "Young lady, did you just say what I think you did?" He looked her dead in the eye, his usual goofy smile gone and he was now in full parent/serious mode.
Libby gulped and chuckled nervously. "U-uhm…no?" "Liberty Anya Jones," Oh god, her full name. "I am your mother so do not lie to me. If you think I'm going to tolerate a little potty mouth and a liar then you've got another thing coming missy."
At this point, Libby looked like she was going to cry, as most children do when they know they're in big trouble. "I-I'm sorry mommy! I did-un(didn't) mean it!" She sniffled and began to cry. "J-just I heard mommy say it when people are being mean I thought was s'ok word…-hiccup- I'm sorry mommy!" She bawled in her chair and rubbed her eyes.
Alfred blinked. He took a deep breath and his expression softened a bit. "Libby honey, that's still a very bad word that only grown-ups can use. Even though they shouldn't. But it's a bad word and you know that. Now I don't want you to say that bad word ever again or you'll be in big trouble young lady. Do you understand?" His tone was a bit softer but still just as serious.
"Y-yes mommy…" She sniffled and dried her eyes.
"Good girl." He smiled and hugged her, stroking her head and telling her that he wasn't mad anymore and that everything was fine.
Krystina and Lotti were relieved that the air wasn't so tense anymore but Roberto just rolled his eyes. 'Man what a cry baby…' He thought to himself.
"Alright, Libby, why don't you go to your rooms and gather your things so we can go back to our apartment?" Libby nodded. "Yes mommy." Libby left to the Italian children's room with said children following her. While Alfred picked up his empty dish and brought it to the sink where Feli was doing dishes and looking like he was about to burst out laughing.
Alfred cocked a fine, blonde eyebrow. "What's so funny dude?"
Feliciano couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing. He laughed till his sides hurt and dried a tear that slipped from his eyes.
"Heh heh…forgive me my friend but that was so precious! Ha ha, I know it is wrong but children swearing is always hilarious!" He chuckled and cleared his throat, getting the last of the giggles out. "Ha…I had to hold that in while you gave Lib-bella the 'serious talk'."
Alfred blinked but then laughed a little himself. "I guess it is kinda funny from an outside party. But I was not expecting that. I mean like kids fight all the time but you never want to hear them using those kinds of words, ya know man?"
"Yes, I do know what you mean. One time I heard my little Roberto use the word 'damn' in a sentence and I was stuck at half way between scolding him and laughing about it."
With that the two friends shared one last laugh before Alfred said his thank you's and good bye's as he left with Liberty to their own apartment, which was right next door of course.
The next morning, Alfred had gone work and the children had left for school. By now it was already 10:30 AM and Feliciano was hard at work on his sewing machine when suddenly he heard a knock on the door. He blinked. 'Who could that be?' He was sure he didn't have any clients coming over today. Then again, he did accept walk-ins so maybe it was a customer. He left his work station and headed to the door, opening it enough to see the other person's face. But what awaited him on the other side of the door was something that he'd never had expected in a million years. "-gasp- L-ludwig…?" Feliciano's amber-brown eyes went wide as did the bright-blue eyes of the tall, blonde, German before him. "Feliciano…?"