The next couple days were a bit stressful within the friend group. While everyone was certain that there was no way Mei and Max would break up, especially the two in question, they would nitpick at each other constantly. Granted, it was mostly Mei who nitpicked and Max who got annoyed about it, which led to argument after argument. Finally, Lilli had enough and called everyone to her friend Jiri's apartment after school one day to settle things.

Emil was surprised at how close the apartment was to Max and Leon's houses, but he was even more surprised at how close it was to his own apartment as well. It was a two-bedroom apartment located at the end of a side street just off of downtown Iowa City. There was a train track right on the other side of the parking lot of the building, but it didn't seem like it was going to bother them too much. The apartment was located on the second floor just off the staircase.

He reached the apartment door and knocked. There was the sound of a deadbolt sliding before Lilli opened the door, smiling up at him.

"Come in," she enthused, smiling. "Almost everyone is here. We're only waiting on Natalia, but she's on her way. In fact, she'll be here any minute." Lilli grabbed his arm and pulled him into the apartment. "Go hang out in the living room. It's just off this hallway. Everyone else is there." She then closed the front door and deadbolted it once more, standing watch for her girlfriend.

Emil walked down the hallway and saw everyone when rounding the corner. A small smile made its way to his lips as he sat on the floor in front of Leon, instantly feeling his boyfriend's fingers dive into his hair and play with it as he spoke with Yong-Soo, who was seated next to him. Though they were there for pressing reasons, the Icelandic boy couldn't help but feel happy in that moment, even if it was only because of the small amount of affection he was currently receiving.

Before too long, Lilli entered with Natalia in tow, standing in front of everyone as Natalia took a seat next to Laura. "Alright, fucksticks," she began, "I think we all know why we're here, right?" She had obviously reached her maximum level of annoyance as she gestured to Mei and Max. "You two, what is your deal? I don't understand why you're always griping at each other and making literally everyone in a fifteen-foot radius uncomfortable. It's not right, and you both know it. We need to know what's going on, because honestly we're sick of all of the arguing. I know I only speak for myself when I say this, but I'm certain that I'm not the only one who feels this way. We would probably be less annoyed with the both of you if we knew why you were acting this way. But since none of us know what the hell is going on, it's pretty hard for us to be anywhere near empathetic and understanding."

Mei hung her head and sighed. "I guess now is as good of a time as ever then," she groaned. She lifted her head and looked to Max, who nodded and grabbed her hand. "About a month ago, I started feeling really weird. It was something that I couldn't explain, but I figured it would go away before too long, you know? But it didn't. Two weeks ago, I decided to just take a pregnancy test to rule out that possibility." Once more, she hung her head. "But as it turns out, that possibility couldn't be more correct. My mom found the positive tests in the trash, and the truth came out."

Laura's eyes were wide. "You mean to tell us that we are all going to be aunts and uncles, and you decided to keep that information a secret?" she finally asked. She then looked at Max. "Well, not you, Daddy." Her mouth quirked into a smile as he blushed. "Look, I know we're all in high school and everything, but baby news is always exciting."

"Not for our families," Max sighed. "Mei's parents want to kill me, and my own parents came home from their cruise to yell at me. They also laid into Tim and Char for not keeping a better eye on me."

"My mom keeps trying to talk me into getting an abortion," the Asian girl sighed. She placed a gentle hand on her stomach and sighed. "But how could I ever even think of doing that, especially when this baby isn't just mine. This baby is Max's as well, whether my mom likes it or not. And I know for a fact that I would never want to do something like that, you know?"

Lilli, still stunned over the fact that Mei was pregnant, blinked a few times. "I can't believe this is happening. This is so different from what I was expecting." She quickly crouched in front of Mei and put a hand on her stomach. "I'm gonna be an auntie twice now," she mused, smiling to herself.

"Twice?" Laura asked, eyes wide. "Wait! Are you for real? Does that mean your brother and Irunya are pregnant?"

The blonde's eyes widened as she realized what she had said. "Vash really wants to keep it hush-hush, but yes." She smiled lovingly at Mei's stomach. "Auntie Lilli is living for all of this."

Mei smiled at her friend. "At least I know that this baby will be loved," she said, smiling. She took a deep breath. "I'm glad you called us all here so I could tell you. I didn't feel comfortable doing it at school since there's a fuckton of other people there, and this isn't exactly something that you type in a group chat, you know?"

Max grabbed his girlfriend's hand. "And it's not like Mei and I are actually arguing just to argue. Her hormones are crazy right now, and I can't keep up."

His girlfriend took her hand back and smacked his arm with it. "Why would you say something so unnecessary?" she grumbled. "I'm sure they got it without you phrasing it that way." She groaned and hugged her knees to her chest. "Why are you like this, Max?"

"I guess that clears everything up," Raivis stated. "Now I have to think of a cool uncle name that will be easy for your baby to say once they start talking." He smiled to himself. "This is pretty exciting." His hand grasped his boyfriend's tightly. "We're going to be uncles, Neo! Isn't this awesome?"

As everyone began to excitedly talk about Mei and Max's baby and how excited they were to be aunts and uncles, Emil couldn't help but feel left out. They had all known each other for years, so of course that baby would be their niece or nephew, but where did that leave him? Sure, he was part of the group, he knew that much. But would he be an uncle to the baby, too? After all, he hadn't known any of them long enough to be considered like a sibling to them. While he longed to be included with them, he didn't know if he had gained that right. It made him wonder what he would have to do to be able to be an uncle to that baby.

"Right, Uncle Emmy?" Lilli giggled, nudging him in the ribs and bringing him out of his thoughts. "I know you tutor those little boys in your building, so you would have no problems dealing with this baby, will you?"

Uncle Emmy. Something about that name made Emil's heart skip a beat. Did this mean he was included as well? "I like kids," he said. "They're a lot of fun to be around. I've never been around a baby, though. I assume that it's a bit different than a child, but I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue."

Mei smiled warmly at him. "I don't know if I've ever expressed it to you personally before, but I know I've told many people this before, so why not actually say it to your face. You have no idea how much I love you, Emil Steilsson. At first, I was really iffy about a new person in our group. I was really cautious of you. Granted, I'm slow to trust others, which is something I'm working on, but I just want you to know that I can't imagine my life without you. I speak for everyone in this group when I say that, Em. It feels as if you've always been here with us, and I don't know what any of us would do without you." She reached out and grabbed his hand with both of hers. "I bet you sometimes feel left out in regards to how long the rest of us have known each other. I mean, I know Leon did at first. But always remember that it's never about how long you've known someone, it's about how you feel when you're with them. And I, for one, adore you, Emmy."

"I second that!" Laura chimed in. "You'll always be one of us!"

As the rest of the group chimed in with their agreement, Emil could feel his chest growing tighter and tighter. Sure, he was used to how inclusive they all were of him, but for them all to openly express what he meant to them like that was a whole new level of belonging for him. It made him so emotional. Never in his life had he bonded with anyone so quickly. He could hardly believe that this was real.

Leon, noticing how emotional his boyfriend was getting, quickly changed the subject to baby names before cupping Emil's cheeks in his hands and tilting his head back to look at him. "Don't ever doubt where you stand, okay?" he softly said so that only he could hear. "You mean more to us than you'll ever comprehend." He kissed Emil's forehead and then went back to playing with his hair, smiling to himself. Perhaps hearing what they all had to say about him would really help his boyfriend out.

.

Peter and Erland joined Emil, Lukas, and Mathias for dinner that night. Their parents were forced into shifts that night, so they would be sleeping over. No one really minded that, though, because the boys were well-behaved. To Emil, it was almost as if he gained two little brothers whenever those two were around.

"Your father asked us to make sure you two shower tonight before bed," Mathias stated to the two boys. "So Peter, you're showering first. Once he's done, it's your turn, Erland. After you finish that, then the two of you are free to watch TV or play video games or whatever, but it's lights out at ten, okay?"

Peter grinned at him. "Okay, Mathias! Thanks again for letting us stay here tonight! You and Lukas are so nice!"

Lukas smiled to himself as he took a sip of his water. "We only let you because we like you," he told the boy. "Emil, on the other hand…." He sighed. "We kinda have to with him considering he's my little brother." He winked at the Icelandic boy before turning back to the two middle schoolers. "Just always remember that when you're here, our house is your house."

The redhead looked up at the tattooed man. "Thank you, Lukas," he quietly said. He finished his food and scooted his chair back. "May I be excused? I need to study for my history test tomorrow."

"Go for it," Mathias answered. "Just please put your dishes in the sink when you get up." He smiled as Erland nodded and stood up, taking his dishes with him. "Emil, how was your day? Learn anything new in school?"

"Not really," he replied before taking a bite of mashed potatoes. He swallowed before continuing. "I mean, all I know is that American history is pretty fucked, but that's a bit of a given, don't you think?" There was no way he was about to tell his brothers about Mei and Max's news. "Neo really helped clear things up for me at our after-school study session, though. Those guys all help me out with anything that I don't understand. I'm fortunate to have friends like them."

"And to think you were worried that Emil would have trouble making friends with good kids," Mathias teased his husband, which earned him an instant glare from Lukas. "It looks like all of our worries were in vain, though. Our boy is doing just fine in school." He then focused his blue eyes on the young blond across the table from him. "Peter, how was your day? Did you learn anything new in school?"

The boy thought for a moment. "Today in home economics, we were learning how to sew, and I kept accidentally stabbing myself with my needle. Other than that, it was a sort of review day because we have tests coming up, which I'm confident that I'll ace."

Lukas raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Really now, Peter? I'm glad you feel confident."

"Well, it's not like it was my effort alone," Peter replied, beaming. He looked over at Emil. "I doubt I would feel this confident if Emil hadn't helped me review everything. He even taught me rhymes to help me remember how some things go. Rhymes are catchy and get stuck in your head, which means if the answers rhyme, those will get stuck in my head as well."

Mathias reached over and ruffled his brother-in-law's hair. "Look at you, all smart and shit! That's my boy!"

Emil swatted Mathias's hands away before standing up and grabbing his dishes. "I have some tests coming up, too, so I'm going to go study." He quickly left the table and hurried off to his room after putting the dishes in the sink.

Once in his room, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, realizing that the group chat had once more exploded with messages and talk of the baby. Everyone was so excited that even Emil was over the moon about it. He had never been a part of something so exciting. All he hoped now was that he would be able to be a good role model for that baby once it was born.

.

The next day at school, Emil had a hard time focusing in his classes. He felt so sluggish and tired, even though he had slept a good eight hours. When he had woken that morning, his body felt heavier than normal, and he wondered why that was. Something seemed off in his body, but he was too drained to give it much thought. Perhaps he would take a nap after school.

"Earth to Emil," Yong-Soo said at the end of history class. He waved a hand in front of his friend's face. "You spaced out all through class. Let's go, the bell rang. Lunch is starting." Seeing as how his friend's movements were slower than normal, he grabbed his arm and helped him out of his desk. "Damn, dude, how tired are you?" he laughed. "Up too late reading or something?"

"Or something," Emil laughed, walking alongside the Korean boy. "Yong-Soo, do you ever just feel absolutely exhausted for no reason? Like, you get enough sleep and eat well and all that shit, but you're still just so fucking tired?"

"Not really?" Yong-Soo replied with an unsure laugh. "Have you thought about seeing a doctor for that? It could be a medical condition. After all, America's climate is a bit different from the climate in Iceland. Maybe it has something to do with that."

"Maybe," Emil thought aloud. "I'll talk to Mathias about it tonight and see what he says. After all, he's a nurse. I'm sure he could come up with something."

The Korean boy clapped his friend on the back. "Yeah, good idea, Emil! I always knew you were smart!"

During lunch, Emil struggled to keep his eyes open and finally gave up, resting his head on Leon's shoulder as he took a quick nap. Leon didn't mind it too much, stroking his boyfriend's hand under the table as he napped. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary with Emil anyway. It's not like it was anything to be worried about.

.

"Hey, Mat, can I ask you about something?" Emil asked, walking up to his brother-in-law in that kitchen after dinner. It was just the two of them in the kitchen, and he wasn't feeling up to talking to Lukas about how tired he felt just yet. He felt it was better to get a professional's opinion before he began to worry his brother. "It'll be real quick, I swear."

"Even if it wasn't, you know I'll always make time to answer any questions you may have," Mathias replied, turning toward Emil. He hoisted himself up to sit on the countertop as he faced him. "What's your question?"

"So, I've been getting a good eight hours of sleep lately, right?" the Icelandic boy began. "Well, for some reason, no matter how long I sleep, I always feel tired when I wake up. I don't know why that is, though. And I also haven't really felt much emotionally lately either. It's really weird, because a couple weeks ago I could feel happiness and all that just fine, but now I don't really feel anything. Like, for some reason, I'm not as excited about things lately, and I can't figure out why. I even have a lot of trouble focusing."

His brother-in-law frowned. "That doesn't sound good at all," he commented. "How would you feel about seeing a doctor about that? I'm sure we could get you into one at the University."

"How could a doctor help with that?" Emil asked. "Nothing is broken or anything. I'm not in any pain and I don't feel sick. There's nothing that a doctor can really do for that."

"Not a medical doctor," Mathias interjected. "I just feel that, with what you told me, it may benefit you to start seeing a psychiatrist. We have excellent ones at the University who will get you feeling back to normal in no time."

The word "psychiatrist" scared Emil. Why would he need to go and see one of those? He was just fine. "I don't think I would really need one, Mathias. Honestly, I think I'm just tired."

"Have you talked to Luke about any of this?"

"No," he replied. "It's not like it's something even worth mentioning. Maybe I'll just go to bed a little early tonight. You know, it's been sunny up until now. Maybe it's the lack of vitamin D coming from the sun. I wonder if I still have any of my pills for that from Iceland. I'll be fine, Mathias. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't sick or anything. Anyway, I'm going to go lie down so I can be better rested tomorrow. Goodnight, Mat."

"Goodnight, Emil," he said, biting his lip in concern once the boy left. If Emil hadn't mentioned this to Lukas, how could Mathias bring it up to his husband without breaking all trust that he had worked so hard to build up with the Icelandic boy. He thought about it and decided that if things get any worse in Emil's case, he would bring it up to his husband. For now, he would just watch him a little more closely.

.

Emil laid in bed that night and thought about what Mathias had said. Why would he need to see a psychiatrist? It wasn't like he was bipolar or anything. There had to be other alternatives to something like that. Just the idea of seeing that kind of specialist scared him. He wasn't mentally unstable, he was just tired. That's all. He didn't understand why Mathias was making such a big deal out of it.

He rolled over and threw his blanket over his head, hoping that would help him fall asleep faster. The sooner he could fall asleep, the sooner he would stop thinking about his kind of stuff. If only he could just command himself to sleep. That would solve his problems a lot easier. He sighed and pulled his blanket off of his head, feeling as if he were suffocating under all of that warmth and darkness.

Rolling back onto his back, Emil stared up at the ceiling. Lost in thought was not a good way to fall asleep. After all, if he thought too much, he knew he would be up all night with no chance of sleep. With a groan, he rolled back onto his side and curled up in his blanket. Why couldn't he just sleep?