Problem
Alice Liddell had a bit of a problem. No, it had nothing to do with numerous gunfights exploding over town, or role holders bickering, or even her beau acting like a complete child. She was feeling unwell. Up until April Season, where seasons finally came into play, the weather had been stable and temperate – very little reason to make her sick. However, after April Season had started – Alice wasn't quite sure how long after it started – Alice had started feeling tired. Or was fatigue a better word?
Regardless, her energy was draining much faster than it usually did. And then there were the headaches. They were on and off, but frequent. Alice would have a hard time concentrating on work because of them, and Nightmare, the beau earlier referenced, would pick up on it and demand she take a break. There would be a bit of back and forth before Alice would reluctantly agree, only to make sure that Nightmare would continue working in her absence.
Alice was heading to the lounge to try to get a bit of reading in when she felt an unpleasant rolling sensation in her stomach. Instantly recognizing the feeling, she turned on her heel and booked it for the nearest bathroom. She passed by several people, unable to really take in who she was passing, but she was vaguely aware of alarming them as she ran.
Alice finally arrived just in time to upend her last meal into the bathroom stall toilet. She heaved until she had nothing left to upend. After wiping her mouth and doing as best she could to expel the taste from her mouth with the sink, Alice finally felt good enough to leave the bathroom. Only to discover that Gray, Nightmare's assistant and one of her bosses, was standing right outside. Why did she feel like she was caught red handed doing something awful?
"Um," was her brilliant response to the tense silence that had engulfed the two of them.
"Are you all right, Alice?" Gray asked her, his face strained with worry. "If you're feeling that unwell, maybe you should go see a doctor. You've been looking worn out for a few time periods now."
Gray was as sharp as ever. And if Gray knew, then that must mean Nightmare knew as well. As if sensing her thoughts like he could read them, Gray added, "You can take a couple time periods to go, if you desire. Just remember to bundle up, because it's winter. It would be bad if you got even more ill. I will inform Nightmare-sama."
Then he gestured for one of the faceless workers nearby to come over and told him to take Alice to the hospital. Now that Alice was suddenly committed to going to the hospital, she sighed in resignation and told Gray that she would be back as soon as she could. Gray nodded in assent before leaving to tell Nightmare what was happening. He shot her a worried look over his shoulder as he left. Nightmare wasn't going to respond well, Gray knew that for certain. And it would be considerably more difficult to get him to work. He sighed in exasperation.
Alice told her faceless coworker that she needed to stop by her room to grab a coat, and then she would be good to go. After that was accomplished, the two of them set out towards the hospital.
"I'm sorry about this; you must have been in the middle of work."
"Not at all! I'm more worried about Alice-sama being sick."
Alice sighed again, this time in her mind. She was trying to get her faceless coworkers to stop adding that honorific to her name. However, since Nightmare held a high status and she was his lover, it was likely that it wasn't going to stop any time soon.
Idle chat interspersed with companionable silence passed between Alice and the faceless all the way to the hospital waiting room. Alice didn't have to wait long – she was getting special treatment as Nightmare's lover it seems – and before she knew it, it was the moment of truth.
"Well, it seems the tests all came back with the same result. You're not sick, miss." Alice's relief only lasted a brief moment for the length of the doctor's pause. "Congratulations! You're pregnant."
Alice, for the life of her, couldn't remember when or how she got back to her room in the tower. Via her faceless escort, she informed Gray that she would be resting in her room for another time period. She needed time to process this. How was this even possible? Her thoughts swirled in her mind, hand over her still flat stomach, as she sat on the edge of her bed. Staring blankly into space, she didn't realize that her hand moved to her arm. She pinched herself lightly and yelped, realizing that she was still awake.
How would Nightmare react? Would he be ecstatic? Worried? Shocked? Disgusted? The last thought brought her pain. Would he reject the child? Reject her? Alice knew he probably wouldn't, but she couldn't help but worry about it now that the thought entered her mind. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there worrying when suddenly the door to her room flew open with a loud bang.
Startled out of her reverie, Alice looked up to see a frantic Nightmare in the doorway, powerwalking towards her. Her heart gave a heavy thump in her chest. How was she going to tell him? Nightmare's panicked face took on a hint more anxiety as he caught her last thought.
"Tell me what?! Alice, are you all right?!" Nightmare exclaimed, his hands gripping her arms and his open eye staring into hers. Alice's blue-green eyes were wide and unfocused. Thinking something had to be seriously wrong, one of Nightmare's hands went to her forehead in search of a fever. He didn't feel one.
"I…" she started. She fell silent for a moment, trying to organize her thoughts. "I'm fine. I'm not sick."
It was the truth.
Nightmare's face was lit with confusion. "You're not sick? Then why did you take time off after coming back? And…"
Nightmare trailed off, catching onto Alice's jumbled thoughts. His visible eye expanded, astonishment the clearest emotion in it.
Gray, who had been there for some time, coughed. "It's good that you're not sick, Alice."
It sounded like Gray was about to say more, but he caught himself when Nightmare gently, oh, so gently wrapped his arms around Alice. The tender fragility of the movement caused Gray to smile brightly before stealthily exiting the room, softly closing the door behind him. Though he would stay right outside the door until they were done.
"Is it true? Is it really true?" he whispered in her ear, voice betraying his disbelief.
"Would I lie about this sort of thing?" Alice replied indignantly, but relieved that he didn't seem to be outright rejecting it.
That reply, and her relief, were all he needed to hear to confirm it. In the next instant, Nightmare's lips covered Alice's in a wildly passionate and heated kiss. Nightmare, who had been kneeling in front of Alice, rose up slowly, deepening their contact. He gently pushed her back onto her bed, and Alice, foreseeing where this was going if they continued, grabbed every once of willpower she had and gently pushed Nightmare's shoulders.
Nightmare, reading her thoughts, obliged, albeit reluctantly. Both were breathless and stared into each other's eyes for a moment, trying to regain both their breath and their senses. Nightmare smiled wryly for a moment before it transformed into pure, unadulterated joy. An expression Alice had seen rarely, if at all. With Alice having been stunned by the look on his face, Nightmare spoke first.
"I'm happy. I'm more happy than you could ever know."
Tears welled up in Alice's eyes, threatening to spill over from the relief and happiness of Nightmare's acceptance. When they did, Nightmare caressed the tears away, smiling so softly that it almost made Alice cry even more. For a while longer, they stayed there in silence, basking in the moment.
A knock sounded at the door, causing the both of them to jump. Gray's voice came through the door, reminding them that Nightmare still had work to do. Nightmare reluctantly pushed himself up, gently pulling Alice up with him. After removing himself from her bed, he turned to her.
"You should probably rest a bit more, Alice."
"Will you actually work without me there?"
Nightmare made a small noise at the back of his throat, hesitation showing on his face for an instant before declaring arrogantly, "Of course I can! I'm an important person!"
Alice heaved a heavy sigh of resignation. "I can't leave you alone for an instant, can I?"
Nightmare's answering smile was equal parts smug and gentle. Alice felt her cheeks faintly flush, though she hadn't meant those words with that implication. Nightmare, knowing full well that Alice intended to go back to work with him, extended his hand. Alice bashfully accepted and Nightmare tugged her towards the door where Gray waited.
End
Bonus:
"Tell me what?! Alice, are you all right?!" Nightmare exclaimed, his hands gripping her arms and his open eye staring into hers. Alice's blue-green eyes were wide and unfocused. Thinking something had to be seriously wrong, one of Nightmare's hands went to her forehead in search of a fever. He didn't feel one.
"I…" she started. She fell silent for a moment, trying to organize her thoughts. "I'm fine. I'm not sick."
It was the truth.
Nightmare's face was lit with confusion. "You're not sick? Then why did you take time off after coming back? And…"
His eye widened at the thoughts running through Alice's mind, and, true to form when caught off guard, immediately started coughing.
"Nightmare-sama!"
"Nightmare!"
Alice's and Gray's voices were in tandem as blood started spewing from his mouth. The coughing lasted a couple minutes before Nightmare was able to wipe the blood from his mouth with his handkerchief.
With Nightmare recovered, Alice muttered, "Way to ruin the moment."
"It's not my fault! You caught me off guard! And I can't help it that I'm sick!"
"Then you should go to the hospital."
"No! No way!"
And from there it devolved into the usual argument, everyone completely forgetting the news.
A/N: This may or may not be a two shot. For now it's labeled complete.