Mid-June, 1945, Small Austrian Town
Elizaveta let out a groan as she sat on a couch in the living room, book in hand. Her stomach was quite large by that point, making her feel huge. She hated it, yet she loved the feeling of having a small person inside of her. Every now and then, she would feel her child kick and would call for whoever else was home at the time to come and feel the soft thump of the baby's foot against their hands. She thought of it as a tiny miracle right inside her body.
She placed her feet on the lap of Gilbert, who just so happened to be sitting on the couch as well. "Dear, could you please rub my feet? They hurt so badly."
Gilbert sighed. "I rubbed them an hour ago, Liz. Do you really need them rubbed right this moment?"
"Right this moment," Elizaveta confirmed with a nod.
Gilbert groaned, but he grabbed her foot anyway. "How does this feel?" he asked, digging his thumbs into the bottom of it. "Does this feel good, Liz?"
She sighed out happily. "Yes, it does. I'll be sure to reward you well for your service, too." Elizaveta winked an olive-colored eye at him and licked her lips seductively. "Roderich doesn't get home until late tonight. I know his schedule by now. Plus, he gets you all the time. Don't even lie to me about that. It's my turn, right?"
Gilbert cast her a smirk. "Is it?" He continued rubbing her foot, smirking to himself the whole time. It was as if he knew something she didn't, and he wanted to keep it that way.
"Well I would like to believe so," Elizaveta huffed, crossing her arms. "You and Roderich are so secretive these days, ever since I told you I enjoyed watching you two kiss." She grumbled to herself a little. "Are you afraid I'll walk in on you two having sex or something? It wouldn't be a big deal to me. We're technically all married to each other anyway." She shrugged a little and sighed. "Why does it matter, babe? I love both of you, so why does it matter what I see and what I don't."
"Trust me, you don't want to see us having sex," Gilbert assured.
"And what makes you so certain of that?" Elizaveta pressed.
Gilbert looked up and into her eyes with a serious expression on his face. "Just trust me on this, Liz. You really don't, okay? I love you, so that's why I'm telling you that you don't." He began to massage her feet a little gentler. "It's just something I know you don't want to see, no matter how badly you say that you do. It's dirty. It's gross. It's just…"
"Just what?" she quietly asked.
"Something you should never see for yourself," Gilbert finally answered. "I don't think Roderich would be comfortable with you seeing it either. Liz, I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to hold your best interests at heart."
"My best interests?" Elizaveta scoffed. She moved her foot a little and kicked Gilbert's leg lightly. "You just don't want me to see you doing sexual things with my husband."
"Do you really want to see me sticking my Johnson up his ass?" Gilbert suddenly asked her.
She winced a little. "That sounds uncomfortable," she finally said.
"Well that's how we have sex."
Elizaveta was quiet for a few moments while Gilbert massaged her feet in silence. "No," she finally said. "I don't think I want to see that. I don't think anyone should see that."
"Well neither do I," Gilbert stated. He noticed the frown on her face and frowned as well. "Maybe I shouldn't have said it like that, but that's really how it goes between us." He let go of her feet and crawled over her, careful of the bulging baby inside of her. "I don't want you to see things like that, Liz. It's just not right to have a lady see it." His lips pressed against her temple and then her cheek. "I love you, so I don't want to see you frowning like this."
"Do you hurt him when you do that?" Elizaveta finally asked.
"No, never," Gilbert answered.
"Are you sure that you don't?" she insisted.
"Cross my heart," Gilbert answered, sitting on his knees and putting his right hand over his chest and his left in the air. "I would never dream of hurting you or Roddy in any way, shape, or form. I love you both way too much to do something like that."
"Okay," she softly said. After a few moments, she reached for him. "Now get over here and kiss me. I have to give you your reward for rubbing my feet, right?"
Gilbert grinned and eagerly accepted.
.
"You told her what?!" Roderich hissed at Gilbert that night when they were alone in his bedroom. "You told her how we have sex? I thought you've already told her that!"
"She must have forgotten or something," Gilbert whispered, careful of not waking their sleeping lover in the other room. "But I had to explain or she'd keep insisting to see. Do you really want Liz to watch us?" Both were quiet for a moment. "Which is worse, Roddy? Liz watching us have sex, or Liz knowing what we do to have sex?"
Roderich pulled at his brunet waves in frustration. "But I thought she already knew!" he groaned, struggling to keep his voice down. "You've already told her."
"That was months ago," Gilbert calmly explained. "She probably forgot about it by this point because she didn't want to think about it."
Roderich sulked for a moment before walking toward the door.
"So I take it this is one of those nights?" Gilbert asked. "You just came in here to fight with me and leave?"
The musician froze in the doorway. He didn't want it to be one of "those" nights, but he didn't really know what to make it. Sure, he was frustrated with Gilbert, but he didn't know what to do at that point. There wasn't really anything to say or do about it. There wasn't much to think. He still loved that man, but he was just so frustrated with what he had said to Elizaveta that afternoon. Why did he have to tell her that, of all things?
"Gilbert," he softly said, turning around. "I love you. I really do." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "But not tonight."
"I knew you were mad at me," Gilbert simply said. He, too, was quiet for a moment. "Well, goodnight then."
Roderich stood by the door for a few moments before walking over and softly kissing Gilbert's lips. "Ja, goodnight." He then walked back over to the door, opened it, and left without another word.
Gilbert sat down on his bed. He knew that Elizaveta had to know, but he just couldn't understand why Roderich was so mad about it. All he hoped was that Roderich would be over it soon. He personally hated it when Roderich was upset with him like this. It was so aggravating. All he wanted was to take Roderich in his arms and snuggle and kiss all of his fears away.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to Roderich, even though he wasn't in the room. "I love you. Please don't leave me like this. I didn't mean to hurt you."
He then curled up under his blanket and fell asleep.
Though he couldn't tell how late it was, a few hours later, he heard someone enter the room and felt them crawl into bed with him. The person, whom he soon felt was Roderich, snuggled into his embrace and kissed his cheek before falling asleep as well.
"I've been thinking," Roderich whispered, thinking Gilbert was asleep. "It's not your fault that things went the way they went this afternoon. I know you were only doing it for my comfort. That's why I came back to at least sleep with you for the rest of the night. You're a good person, Gilbert. I love you." The Austrian man pressed his lips to Gilbert's. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Gilbert whispered back. "Ich liebe dich."
That night, the two of them slept soundly in each other's arms.
.
Elizaveta walked into Gilbert's room the next morning, noticing that there was room in Gilbert's bed next to him. She walked over to the bed and crawled in next to him. Gilbert was tangled in Roderich's arms, so she tangled herself into his. Her eyes drifted shut for a moment before she felt Gilbert's lips on the back of her neck. A smile played on her lips.
"I was wondering when you'd come in here," Gilbert softly whispered in her ear. "Does this mean we win?"
"Win what?" Elizavet asked, rolling over to face him.
Gilbert pressed himself against Roderich a little, making room for the baby inside of Elizaveta. "You know, Roderich and I's love."
She snorted. "You are a moron, Gilbert." Her lips met his. "You're so sweet, though." Elizaveta smiled warmly and cupped his face in her hands. "I love both of you so much."
Roderich reached over Gilbert and placed a hand on her arm until she grabbed his hand. "Good morning, darling," he greeted.
"Good morning, my love," Elizaveta chirped back. She smiled widely. "I am seriously blessed to have the two most wonderful men in my life. You two are so good to me and the baby. I don't even care whose it is. I just want our little family to be like this forever."
"Isn't that what we all want?" Roderich asked, smiling at Gilbert.
"I'm pretty sure it is," Gilbert answered, smiling back. "We all just want to be one big, happy family."
"I think it's only fair that the baby gets a special last name," Roderich said. "I think its last name should be Edelstein-Beilschmidt."
Elizaveta's eyes widened. "You were thinking that as well?"
"You two really want to give the baby my last name, too?" Gilbert asked, touched.
"Whether it's yours or not, you're still its other father," Elizaveta answered. "I think it deserves your last name as well."
"That's what I was thinking," Roderich answered. He grinned widely. "Gilbert, we obviously want to be like this forever. Why don't we include you in the baby's life as well as its name?"
Gilbert felt tears stinging his eyes. He felt so touched that they would want to include him in such a way. "Okay,' he agreed. "Edelstein-Beilschmidt it is, then."
Roderich and Elizaveta each kissed one of his cheeks, smiling with joy, and Gilbert had never felt more wanted than at that moment. He felt as if he had finally found his family.
.
Early August, 1945, Small Austrian Town
Elizaveta looked up at Roderich and Gilbert. "The moment of truth has come," she said, holding her son close to her chest. "Were you surprised to know?"
Gilbert bit his lip and shook his head as Roderich combed his fingers through his hair. "No," they both answered in unison.
"I just didn't think it was going to be whose it turned out to be," Roderich honestly answered.
"Really?" Gilbert curiously asked, looking over at him. "I knew all along." He smiled. "Congratulations on your boy, Roderich. I'm proud of you."
Roderich felt his eyes welling up with tears. "My boy," he finally managed to say before the tears flowed down his cheeks. "I created a little boy with Elizaveta. I'm so overwhelmed." He fell to his knees next to her bed and broke into sobs of joy.
Gilbert smiled at Elizaveta. "Even though you have a son together, you'll still keep me around, right?"
"Gil, we've been over this before," Elizaveta sighed. "You're part of this. He's your son, too, even if not biological. You grew him in your heart. And that's enough to make him yours as well. Who cares if he has three parents? I know you'll love him like your own, and that's all that matters to Roderich and I."
Roderich looked up at Gilbert and rose to his feet. He smiled warmly and embraced his lover. "There's no way we'll let you leave us now," he said. "And who knows? Maybe the next one will be yours, hmm?"
Gilbert smiled. "Maybe," he answered with a smile. He grinned down at the baby. "Leo's pretty cute, though. You two make beautiful children."
"And so will we," Elizaveta assured, smiling. She looked down into Leopold's eyes that matched Roderich's. "Leopold, you will make a wonderful son and big brother. We love you so much." She snuggled him close. "But let me make one thing clear," she said to both men before her. "We're not having another one for a couple years. Not until I know I can handle this one."
"Understood," Gilbert and Roderich said in unison before sitting down on either side of the woman they loved and admiring their son.
.
Late September, 1948, Small Austrian Town
Elizaveta rubbed her pregnant belly and sighed. "We're going to need a bigger house soon," she sighed to Roderich.
"Don't worry, Gilbert and I are working on it," he assured to her as they watched Gilbert roll a car around on the carpeting with Leopold. Roderich placed a hand on her stomach as the baby inside kicked his hand. "This one sure does kick hard."
"What do you expect?" Elizaveta laughed. "This one is Gilbert's for sure."
Roderich grinned. "After this one, we're leaving it a surprise like Leopold, right?"
Elizaveta nodded. "Right," she answered. "The rest will be surprises as to who their father is. I just wanted Gilbert to know that one is his for sure before it was born. It was only fair after we had Leo."
Her husband nodded. "You're a good woman, Eliza."
She sighed out happily. "Oh, I love it when you say that to me."
Roderich chuckled at her. "You're wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better spouse." He gazed out at Gilbert, who was smiling at a giggling Leo. "And I couldn't ask for a better partner that Gilbert."
"That's for sure," Elizaveta agreed. She fondly rubbed her pregnant belly and smiled in Gilbert's direction. "We have a great family, don't we?"
"We sure do," Roderich agreed. "Gilbert and Leopold make wonderful playmates."
"You can say that again," Elizaveta laughed. "I love what we have here." She kissed her husband warmly. "I'm glad that we can all be a happy family." Her gaze went down to her bulging belly. "And with every child we bring into it, it'll only get happier."
Gilbert walked over, holding a giggling Leopold. "This boy is so smart," he told him. "He knows his colors. I can tell you that!"
"Vati!" Leopold giggled, smiling up at Gilbert. He then looked at Roderich and reached for him. "Save me, Dad!"
Roderich chuckled and took Leopold from Gilbert's grasp. "What is Vati doing to you this time?" he asked, smiling at their son.
"He beat me again in cars," Leopold grumbled, crossing his arms.
"There is no real way to win at cars," Gilbert scoffed, crossing his arms in defiance as well.
Roderich chuckled once more as his wife snorted. "That's what this boils down to? Cars? What did he do to beat you at it?"
"His car was fast," Leopold said. "He cheated."
"I didn't cheat," Gilbert grumbled.
"I know you didn't," Elizaveta said as Gilbert sat at her feet. She ran her fingers through his silky, white hair and grinned. "We know you didn't cheat, Gilly. You were playing fair. Roderich and I were watching the whole time."
"You're turning into a child," Roderich scoffed to Gilbert.
"Bite me," Gilbert said to him with a grin.
"Later tonight, I just might," Roderich said, voice nearly a hum. "I just won't tell you where." He winked at Gilbert who grunted in desire.
Elizaveta giggled to herself. "You two, I swear. At least let me get Leo to bed before you start fooling around."
"Yes, ma'am," Gilbert said, laughing.
"I don't want to go to bed!" Leopold whined out as tears filled his violet eyes.
Roderich snuggled his son closer in his arms. "Oh, Leopold, you don't have to go to bed right now. We're talking about later when it's bedtime for everyone."
That seemed to calm the fussy toddler down as he smiled and leaned into Roderich. It was almost naptime and his eyelids were getting heavy. He began to tug at his long, blond hair, a habit of his whenever he was tired. That was how Elizaveta could tell he would fall asleep within the hour.
Elizaveta smiled. "Are you excited about being a big brother, Leo?" she asked her son.
"I want a baby brother," Leopold answered.
"What if you get a sister?" Gilbert asked him, cocking his head to the side.
Leopold frowned. "He has to be a brother," he insisted.
Roderich laughed. "Then let's hope this one is a boy."
Elizaveta giggled. "I have a feeling that it's a girl, though," she softly admitted. Her fingers rubbed her pregnant belly softly as she smiled to herself. She wanted a daughter this time. It would be nice to have a little girl as well.
"Whichever you have, I know I'll love it," Gilbert assured.
"I second that," Roderich said.
Elizaveta smiled. "Our family is so perfect. I want this forever."
.
The End
(But wait! There's more!)