Chapter 2 Telling Charlie

Charlie stirred slightly from sleep when he felt a gentle, warm hand tenderly brush his hair back from his closed eyes.

"Charlie, honey? Are you awake?" Manfred asked him softly.

He moved the touch of his fingers down to Charlie's right cheek since his left was pressed to the pillow where he lay on his left side in their bed.

"Mmm.. Uh, huh. I'm up, Manfred."

"Do you feel any better, sweetheart?"

"Yes. I do."

Charlie rolled over onto his back then, blinking open his eyes and turning his head to nuzzle his cheek into his husband's touch with a smile up at him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Charlie?"

"Yes, Manfred?"

"I have something to tell you."

Manfred sat down on the bed beside his husband, his thumb caressing Charlie's cheek lightly, wanting to soothe him before sharing the news.

"What is it?"

"Melanie told me what happened to you this morning."

"She did?"

"Yes. It was morning sickness."

"What?.." Charlie asked him, blinking repeatedly with his clear confusion.

"It was morning sickness," Manfred repeated, explaining it to his lover and husband patiently. "Charlie, we are going to have a baby."

"A.. baby? What- How? We're both men, Manfred."

"Trust me, Charlie, I know," Manfred replied with a slightly wicked smile. "I love to play with your pretty cock. And those sweet little balls. But Melanie would never lie about anything involving medical conditions. Trust me, lover."

Charlie blushed bright red at Manfred's words, his face burning hotly, but he nodded in reply. "I do trust you, Manfred. But how is this possible? I mean, I don't have a womb," Charlie stated, gazing down at his bare, flat stomach with wariness and awe mixed on his face.

"No, you do not," Manfred agreed. "As far as I know. I did not ask for details, yet. I thought that we should speak to her about it together, when you feel up to it. But she did tell me that it's because we are both descendants of the children of the Red King. She also said that this miracle has not happened for a thousand years. Maybe it is a sign that the old ways need to circle back around, rather then letting modern times change us and our school? She has apparently done her research on this, so I am sure that she will be able to answer all the questions that we have about this miracle."

"I'm sure you're right. Manfred?"

"Yes, Charlie?"

"Are you.. happy?" he asked him timidly.

"Of course."

"Really?"

"Yes. I am thrilled. I love you, Charlie, and I will love our child just as much. Are you alright with this, my love?"

"..I don't have much of a choice."

"..Charlie.."

Charlie was surprised at the level of pain in Manfred's voice and in his beautiful dark eyes.

"I- I'm sorry, Manfred. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just don't know if I can handle this. ..I'm scared."

"Oh, Charlie."

Manfred reached for him, lifting Charlie's smaller form up and into his arms, settling him onto his lap and holding him close. "I am right here, always. You are not alone, Charlie. I love you. Everything will be all right."

Charlie nodded silently, biting his own lower lip for a moment before asking Manfred quietly. "Do you have to go to your classes now?"

"No, honey. I will stay with you, and we will go back to our classes tomorrow. If Melanie clears you, that is. I think that we both need more rest after our honeymoon, anyway. As well as some time alone together after this news."

"Yes.." Charlie whispered breathlessly, surprising Manfred when he licked his lips and then kissed him.

The kiss was hot, burning and hungry as Charlie slid his arms around Manfred's shoulders, clinging to him and moaning softly.

"M-Manfred," Charlie panted after he reluctantly pulled back to gaze down into his lover's dark eyes from his higher position on his lap. "Will you make love to me? Please?"

"Of course. If that is what you need."

"It is, yes."

"Good. Because I need it, too."

Manfred pulled him in closer, rolling them until Charlie lay beneath him, mindful to be gentle as he removed his husband's remaining clothes before quickly riding himself of his own and pressing their bodies together.

"Oh god, Manfred.." Charlie moaned softly, wriggling beneath him with a pleading expression. "Yes, yes! Please, touch me!"

Manfred smiled, leaning down to kiss him, his hot tongue tasting Charlie's sweet lips, slipping inside his mouth as his hands lovingly stroked and caressed over Charlie's warm and silken skin.

Charlie whimpered and arched up against Manfred, clinging to him and giving back as good as he was given into the kiss.

"Charlie, Charlie.." Manfred groaned into their kiss, his breath hot against his lips, stirring Charlie's ardor still further. "I love you, Charlie! I love you, so much!"

Charlie gasped and cried out his lover's name when two of Manfred's fingers, slick with oil, pressed deep inside him slowly. "Nughh, Manfred! Oh god, I ache for you!"

"And I for you, my love."

Manfred groaned low, his mouth devouring Charlie's as he continued to thoroughly stretch him open gently before finally withdrawing his fingers.

Charlie whimpered in protest, but then he instantly quieted when Manfred lined himself up and pressed into his body deep and fast.

"Manfred, Manfred! Ahhh, yes!"

Manfred smiled, pleased by his husband's pleasured cries and soft whining sounds as he began to move, thrusting his strong hips to go deeper carefully.

"Charlie, unghh! You are so hot and tight. I love you! I love the way that your body embraces mine. There are no defenses between us."

Charlie moaned and gasped, unable to speak as he panted, overwhelmed by the emotions that always rose to the surface when he shared his heart and body with Manfred.

"No. No defenses.." Charlie finally managed to say, his voice soft and breathless, his eyes wide with their unleashed passions. "I love you, Manfred! You're my whole world."

"And our child."

"I don't want to talk about that." Charlie's face was unhappy now.

Manfred flinched and went soft inside him, and Charlie shivered when he felt it, overwhelmed by his sudden feeling of loss as his husband slipped from his body.

"..Do you really hate the idea so much?" Manfred asked him, a heaviness and pain in his low voice that cut at Charlie's heart hurtfully.

"No, Manfred," Charlie promised him, his hands moving to caress the older man's face with obvious love in his eyes, among other emotions. "That's not it at all, I promise you. I just- I'm scared. And angry."

"Angry?.." he asked Charlie hesitantly, his palms covering his lover's hands with clear gentleness as their eyes met.

"Yes. Not because we are having a baby, you understand. But because I didn't know. Because I didn't know that it was possible. I know what my choice would have been, but I would have liked the option of having a choice. I'm sorry if that hurts you, Manfred, but I can't change how I feel about this anymore then I can change how much I love you. We will get through this together, I know that. Please understand, Manfred, I'm not mad at you. I'm just mad."

"I understand," Manfred replied, gathering Charlie close again into his arms just for comfort now that it was clear their lovemaking was to be postponed for now.

Manfred rolled them so that they lay on their sides facing each other, cradling Charlie against himself and pressing a tender kiss to his mate's silken strands of hair.

"I am sorry that you had no choice in this, my love. I did not know, either. But if we had been given that knowledge and choice, would you have wanted this child?"

"I would have, yes, Manfred. Probably not for a few years yet, but I would have, believe me."

"I do, my heart."

They held each other close in their bed in loving, comfortable silence until they both drifted into a peaceful and dreamless sleep.