Hephaestion stilled for a moment, "Pregnant?" he waited for a confirmation, watching his other half closely. When it came in the form of a bowed head and an almost imperceptible nod, he took Alexander's chin gently in hand as he grinned from ear to ear, "We're going to have a little Alexander?" was said in a whisper.
In response to that, Alexander gave his own watery smile, "I was hoping for a little Phai myself."
In a rush of emotion, Hephaestion took Alexander's face between his hands and kissed him deeply.
"I love you, so much. My heart's bursting with joy. We have to tell the men-" he had grabbed his lover's hand and was pulling him toward the door when Alexander gripped his hand tight to make him pause.
"No. The men cannot know. They already dislike me and disobey my orders. If they find out that their own king laid on his back for another man, for you in particular, we will lose our social statuses for sure."
Hephaestion stepped back, a confused frown coming over his face, "You never cared about our social statuses before..."
Alexander became angry, using his hands and arms as he spoke, "That was before! We are having a baby, and I have enemies!"
"And you think I don't? I certainly do, in this very army in fact! But do you know what? None of that matters, because I know that as this baby's mother and father we will protect her with our lives!"
The next thing Hephaestion was aware of, Alexander was standing directly in front of him, all five feet and seven inches of him teeming with rage. Then came the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and Hephaestion gasped as his head snapped to the side.
"Listen closely, Hephaestion Amyntoros. I am not this child's mother. I may be carrying him and giving birth to him, but I am just as much of a father to this child as you are..." Alexander's tone was low and vicious.
"Says the man who "laid on his back" for me..." Hephaestion snarled as he began to walk toward the locked door, "Selfish bitch," the last word was said so that Alexander could hear it.
By the time Alexander had picked up the large jade vase that stood on the bedside table and threw it in Hephaestion's direction, the man had disappeared. Alexander then sank to his knees among the glass shards and sobbed into his hands.