Here's the third chapter, and once again, thank you to all who reviewed!
Kiko cat: It is mean on Tala, isn't it? But it'll get better, I promise!
Ellen: Rei's news is...down the page! Thanks for reviewing!
Fallenangelofwater: Glad you like it! I agree, Kai was being an ass, but he's going to be a bit nicer from here on..
Skimmie: Thanks, I'm glad you like it!
Gabz: Mommy Tala? Hmm...I hadn't thought about that one... thanks for the review!
Darkangelintheshadows: I carried on: here's the next bit!
Helen: I got on, I got on! Here's the next chapter and thanks for the review!
Renanimeangel: I'm getting hyper off the sugar now! The flame wasn't for this fic though, it was for my first ever one- The Wedding...it was that total dweeb who has me on their authoralert list so they can flame me... but your review reassured me that people actually read this stuff and like it, so thanks!
Bryan woke once again to the sound of Tala throwing up. He rolled over and got out of bed, going across to the ensuite and wrapping his arms around Tala from behind as he washed out his mouth and cleaned his teeth. "You know what, Bryan? Morning sickness sucks."
"You tell me that every morning."
"Probably because it's true every morning..." Tala grumbled, walking back to their bed and collapsing onto it.
Another two weeks on, and Tala was still the same as he had always been before; hot-tempered, pushy and incredibly lovable, only with the evidence of an ever-so slight swelling marking his stomach. It was so slight that it wasn't noticeable when he had his clothes on, but at night, when Tala was asleep, Bryan would stroke the almost non-existent bump lovingly, knowing that somewhere inside there was a child. His child.
"How are you? Apart from the morning sickness, of course."
"Oh, I'm alright."
"Are you sure? You don't need anything? I mean, you know what that midwife said..." Tala sighed. He'd taken Bryan along to his last hospital appointment and now the poor guy was running around after him like an idiot, fetching things for him, carrying things for him, even carrying -him- when he really started to worry. "Bryan, I'm -fine-." He said, laughing. "But if it'll make you feel better you can come and give me a hug." Bryan obliged, cuddling up to Tala's back and laying his hands over the redhead's stomach gently.
"What are we going to call it?" Tala laughed again.
"Bryan, we don't even know what -gender- it is! I don't even have a bump, or anything!" Bryan nuzzled into the back of Tala's neck, making him squirm.
"You -do- have a bump. A little one, anyway." Tala pulled up his t-shirt and looked down at himself critically.
"You think so?"
"Definitely." Tala smiled, then turned over in Bryan's arm and kissed him.
"I've thought of a perfect name."
"What?"
"Headcase. Just like its father!" Bryan mock-frowned at him, then laughed. Tala settled down in his arms with a sigh, feeling content. "Seriously though...if it's a boy...I quite like Dimitri. And for a girl? Hm...I don't know. what do you think?"
"Irina. That's a nice name. Or Anna."
"I like Irina better...it's more Russian." He sighed. "You've got me thinking about it now, you git." Bryan smiled and said nothing.
"Rei? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Rei answered brightly. Too brightly...
"Rei, don't lie to me."
"Lying? Why would I be lying about anything, Kai?" Rei sighed. Busted. He took a deep breath. "Kai, have you ever thought about being a father?"
"What?"
"Um. Have you ever thought about being a father?" Rei repeated his question, crossing the fingers of his free hand behind his back.
"No. I'm not into babies, really."
"Oh..." Rei's heart dropped into his shoes. "Well...I'm going to go...and cook dinner..." He tried to sneak off but Kai grabbed his arm.
"Rei, what's wrong with you? Have you got a virus or something? You're all flushed, and I heard you throwing up this morning..." Rei closed his eyes.
"Kai, do you want to sit down?"
"No, I want to know what's wrong with you! You should see a doctor if you're ill!" Rei sighed again. Kai was making this so difficult...
"Kai, there's no easy way to say this but I'm pregnant." He opened his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I-I'm sorry..."
"You're...pregnant?" Rei nodded, hoping that the blank look on Kai's face would give way to joy, or even puzzlement, but no. It transformed into an angry glare. "You're joking, aren't you? Look, I told you, I believe Tala now. You don't have to do this to get your point across or-"
"Kai, I'm serious." Rei tugged his arm out of Kai's grip and fiddled with his wristband nervously. "I swear, Kai...I never meant...I thought...I don't know what I thought..." Kai stared at him, mouth hanging slightly open.
"Y-you're serious?" Rei nodded, and Kai sat down suddenly on the nearby sofa, legs unable to keep him upright. He blinked a couple of times then stood up. "You're really-?" Another nod, and Kai laughed, taking Rei into his arms and hugging him tightly. "I'm going to be a father?"
"Yeah." Rei whispered. He felt something wet soak into his neck, and realised that Kai was crying. "Kai...why are you crying?"
"I just...can't believe it! We're going to be parents?"
"Yeah."
Kai was silent for a few moments then drew back, still holding Rei tightly around the waist. "I know how Bryan feels now..." He kissed Rei deeply, the pulled away, laughing. "Can I tell everyone?"
"Well..." Rei blushed. "Not everyone. I never thought... I mean, when Yasu had twins...it was great, but I never thought one day I'd have my own!"
"Own twins?" Rei's face fell again.
"Neko-jin males always have twins..." He said quietly, thinking Kai would be less than impressed with the idea of two babies. Kai just laughed again.
"Twins?" Rei nodded, and Kai kissed him again, ecstatic before becoming serious again. "Rei...I don't know anything about children..."
"I don't! Not really! But we can learn, Kai!" The two of them babbled on excitedly, caught up in their own personal euphoria.
"Tala?"
"Yeah?" Tala lifted his head from the sofa cushion.
"Rei and Kai are here!"
"Alright." Kai and Rei whirlwinded in a few seconds later, gabbling. "Agh! Shut up! Headache!" Tala moaned. Rei and Kai fell silent, then Rei started speaking.
"Tala...I-I'm pregnant."
"Hm?" Tala hadn't been listening, he had been focusing on the blinding pain that throbbed through his head.
"I'm pregnant!" Bryan leaned in the doorway, grinning.
"Congratulations. Maybe you and Tala will end up in hospital together..."
Tala groaned and Bryan smiled. "Tala, are you listening?"
"No. My head hurts and there's no aspirin!" He rolled over onto his front and clutched at his head. "I hate this baby! It's torturing me on purpose!"
"Tala, how can you blame it on the baby? It's barely developed, you've only been pregnant two and a half months!"
"Shut up midwife Kuznetsov and tell me whatever it is I'm missing!"
"Rei's pregnant."
"Very funny, v- hold on a second, what did you say?" Tala sat up, leaning heavily against the sofa back.
"I'm pregnant Tala. Some neko-jin males can get pregnant naturally. I guess I'm one of them! We've...just been to the hospital to sort all the stuff, but they've had a neko-jin in like this before so everything's okay and I'm going to be a dad!" Rei said quickly, voice low for the benefit of Tala's head. Tala sat up further and put his arms around Rei, hugging him tightly. "Welcome to hell, Rei."
"Is it that bad? Mine'll be twins!" Rei looked worried.
"It's not that bad, I'm exaggerating, but my head hurts and where's my aspirin?" Tala said, turning his head and saying the last bit to Bryan. Bryan laughed and came over, kissing Tala on the forehead. "I'll get you your aspirin you whinge. I'll just go and find that list of stuff you can actually have..."
"Aspirin, aspirin, aspirin!" Called Tala. He groaned and rubbed his head. "Come on, sit down, ignore the groans. I'm just being temperamental..." Kai sat in the armchair and Rei sat down next to Tala, who leaned against him, closing his eyes. "You not exactly Bryan, but you'll do as a substitute till he comes back." He smiled a bit. "I'm a really bad example. Every other day's been bearable, except that one time when I nearly fell down the stairs when I got dizzy, but today I just have this headache and it's -refusing- to go away! It's been two and a half months, though...ten weeks. I'm nearly at the end of my first trimester." He said proudly. "And Bryan says I'm getting a bump!"
A small note: Tala wouldn't actually have a bump, it's just Bryan being imginative! Aww, Daddy Bryan...
Next chapter: Tala and Bryan discuss baby names, Rei suffers, and Kai and Bryan try to get used to the idea of fatherhood.
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