Time passed idly, the hours dragging, days starting to feel like years. Taking care of babies was a lot of work, but the days were beginning to feel monotonous..
After nearly a week, Kuma came back, looking exhausted. Al glanced up at him, frowning worriedly. The bear just gave him a glare and limped off.
Ouch..
Matt frowned, getting up and waddling after him. Al sat where he was.
Kenai took Al's moment of distraction to try and squirm towards the couch. Al glanced over. He seemed determined to get beneath it.
Al frowns pulling him closer. He squirmed and squeaked but settled as soon as he sensed it was Al. They were rather adventurous.
Matt came back with a rather grumpy bear nestled in his arms. *He found her.*
*I take it it didn't go so well..?*
*She's a very angry woman...*
Al frowns softly. Matt snuggled Kuma, the bear settling. Al reached over petting gently. Kuma snapped halfheartedly at him.
Al pulled back.
"Kuma..."
"His fault..."
Al sighs pulling away from them.
*Sorry...*
*Its fine..* He was probably right anyway..
Matt sat back down with his brother. "So I was telling Kuma about the fish we're going to catch him."
Al glanced over.
*Just help me cheer him up...* Matt's eyes pleaded over the smile he was forcing.
Al smiles softly.
"The lake is usually quite full this time of year.."
"We all could use a day outside.."
"We can take the little ones too!"
Al nods turning to check on them quickly. They'd settled down to nap again. Kuma hadn't met them yet either. The white bear looked ready to sleep too.
*Is he ok..?*
*Spirit travel is harder for him, since he used to be a real bear... He's just tired...*
*Alright..*
*However, he did find the woman you wanted. She refused to come in the house, so she's waiting for us by the lake.*
Al sighs softly. Matt just snuggled his bear. Al settled in next to him.
"Ow..." Matt gasped softly as Kuma moved, flinching painfully.
Al frowns. "Matt..?"
"M'okay..." he grimaced. "Kuma sat funny..."
He frowns but settles in again. Matt still seemed uncomfortable though... Al hugged him gently. He snuggled in for a while. Al nearly dozed off himself.
Just as he was about to, Matt gasped sharply, tensing. Kuma woke with a start and jumped from his arms. Al sits up sharply. Matt rocked, holding his stomach.
"Mattie..?"
He just whined softly. Al got behind him hugging him close to his chest, it helped that his own stomach was nearly normal size again.
Matt leaned back, panting slightly. *Something feels wrong...*
*W-what? What is it?*
*H-hurts...*
Al hugs him close worriedly. They huddled together like that for quite a while before Matt could settle down again.
Al pets him, nuzzling his neck. Matt just huddled against him, shivering tiredly. What was that? Matt didn't know, but he didn't want to do it again...
Al clung to him protectively.
When it settled; Matt started looking for Kuma again. The white bear had curled up elwith the cubs, keeping them warm.
Al smiles softly. *I think he likes them.*
Matt nodded, a tired smile pulling his lips. *I was worried he wouldn't...*
Al rubs his arm gently while holding him close.
*...We still need to go see the woman Kuma chased for us*
*Yeah..*
*Take the cubs to show her? Or a couple of dad's rabbits? They're stronger - up and walking...*
*Good idea.*
*I just worry the cold might get them...*
*It'll start warming up soon, summer's comin.*
*These little monsters should thrive in cold though,* he smiled at his own tummy.
Al chuckles.
*I want them out...*
*Hopefully soon..*
*They should be coming soon... I don't know, I just feel like they'll be ready soon...*
Al rubs his arm again. Matt hummed then hefted himself up. *We better go...*
Al stood up too gently gathering his boys. Kuma plodded along by their feet. *Ready?*
Al nods bundling up his cubs. They quickly get Ro to tell the others they were going for a walk before setting off to the lake. Al walked close to Matt supporting him. They hobbled along to the lake.
Matt waddled forwards, clearing his throat politely. "Excuse me...?"
She looks up.
"The spirits say you can help us with our... Situation?"
She stands looking them over. Matt hugged his stomach as Al had the cubs. She frowns softly.
"Can you help?"
"I could take it away.. But not while you're carrying.."
Matt frowned softly foe a moment. "Can you take it from Al?"
She glanced over walking up to him, he watched nervously. Matt came closer, mentally encasing his twin.
She placed a hand on his stomach for a moment before yanking it away. Al gasped collapsing on the ground the same burning, twisting sensation from the initial growth filling him.
Matt gave a strangled yelp of shock, rushing to him. *Al? Alfred?!*
*Ooh that hurts..*
*Are you okay?* It must be hormones, but seeing him drop like that had scared him!
*Fine..* Except for the pain.. *Ugh.. This didn't happen to you..?* The cubs wiggled in his arms at the sudden distress.
*I ached for a while in the beginning, but I thought that was just Gil, I...* Matt cut off, flushing furiously at the memories he'd very nearly just shared.
Al sits groaning softly. It had hit him on the flight to Russia.
"Wait..." he turned back to her. "Our partners... Were they affected by this?"
"I don't think so.. You seem to be the only ones affected from what I can tell."
"Our father figure... He and his partner produced a litter of rabbits..."
She frowns softly, that old codger was in big trouble when she got home..
"He's still carrying another litter at the minute though, so..." Matt cut off, groaning again as he clutched his stomach. Al glanced up to him. He was wobbling dangerously, pain striking again. Al pulls him to the ground before he fell.
He pressed into his shoulder, fighting for breath. Coyote woman comes over kneeling next to them. Matt just curled around his stomach, pained whimpering bubbling from his lips.
"Matt? Mattie? Come on bro, what's wrong?"
*It hurts... Everything hurts, cramping...*
Al frowns setting down his cubs to hug him. Matt curled tighter, whimpering. Al held him close.
The fit slowly passed again, leaving Matt tired and weak. Al rubs his back.
*Home...* If anything, the cubs needed warmth again.
*Alright..*
Matt tried to stagger to his feet, but he was off balance. Coyote woman watched him carefully. He stumbled, doing all he could to protect his stomach. Al gathered his cubs and supported him the best he could.
They stumbled home again, but Matt had to stop at the back door, already out of energy. Al frowns trying to hold him up. He still sank slowly, though Al got him in the kitchen at least...
*Mattie I'm worried about you..*
Matt just curled up in the corner, rubbing his stomach. They could only hope he wasn't getting sick again... Al snuggles next to him. They huddled together a while. Al held him close the while time.
They slowly warmed up, heat returning. ...But it was just a little too warm... Matt tensed, whimpering, more from fear than pain this time though.
"Mattie..?"
*G-get Papa...*
Al rushed off.
By the time both men came back, Matt had worked off his bottoms, straining to force out a little furball. Al comes over hugging him from behind. Matt pressed into him, trying to push harder. Francis helps him along.
It took quite a while just to get the first one out though. Matt groaned, biting back a sob. Who knew how many were in there? Al hugs him, trying to comfort the best he could.
They had a moments rest before the next cub started coming out. Matt moaned softly, starting to push again. Francis kept him going while cleaning them off.
By the fourth, Matt was sobbing and ready to give up. Al held him tight.
Cub number five was coming to the birthing channel now, but Matt had had enough. He just wanted to stop.
"Come on bro.. Almost there.."
"I-I can't... I can't, I..." He broke off, body forced to stop and push the cub out. Al rubs his arm gently. Matt gripped tightly to Al's jeans, nearly yelling as the fifth cub started to appear. Francis helped try to work it out.
It seemed to be going well until its back legs got stuck... He frowns tugging gently. It squealed and Matt yelped. Al whines worriedly.
Matt's grip tightened, a little trickle of blood seeping from beneath the cub. Francis frowns yelling for Arthur.
It took just a few moments for Arthur to waddle down to them, but it felt like an hour with the slowly increasing flow of blood...
"Arthur I need to know what's happening, can you look inside?"
Arthur nodded softly, eyes glowing unnaturally as he looked inside. "...From what I can see, the cub panicked and dug it's claws in..."
Francis frowns rubbing the small body gently trying to ease it. It squeaked in distress, squirming. Why was it so tense? Francis tries petting it softly.
It slowly settled, calm enough to remove. Francis eased it out gently. It finally came out, back end covered in blood. Francis bundled it up cleaning, Al grips Matt tight attempting to repair the damage.
Matt barely had a minute to catch his breath another cub starting wanting out. Arthur assured them it was the last one. Al fed into him, giving him a final boost and closing up the claw marks.
The last cub slipped out without much of a problem. Matt curled into his brother, sobbing quietly. Al holds him close rocking gently as the older blondes handled the cubs.
Arthur handled the one that got stuck, frowning softly. Another of the cubs had scratched its back, leaving deep gashes across its hindquarters. No wonder it got upset.. Poor thing must have been in agony when it got smushed into the birthing channel.
They bundled them up, setting Al's forgotten duo with them as well. They now had eight cubs, though the injured one looked a lot weaker than its siblings...
Al sighs softly nuzzling Matt. Matt just buried into him, wanting nothing more than to sleep after that experience. They take them all up to the nest to rest.
Arthur stood at the door, rubbing his stomach sadly. "That didn't go well at all, did it..."
Francis hugged him gently.
He leaned in. "I'm worried about the one that was trapped..."
"We'll make sure to keep an eye on it.."
Arthur sighed softly. "At least the rest look healthy enough..."
Francis kissed his head gently leading him out and letting the twins rest. He helps him to the kitchen and starts up some tea. Arthur sat, picking an apple from the fruit bowl.
Francis sets the kettle and sits with him, holding his free hand gently. Arthur gripped firmly, eating out of necessity rather than want. Francis rubs his knuckles.
He was worried now... He still had little ones growing inside of him... What if the bad luck kept running...?
Francis could see it in his face. He shifts hugging the Brit. He turned and buried in, shuddering lightly. Francis sings softly, rocking slowly. Arthur huddled in, hugging his stomach protectively.
They sat gathering themselves until the kettle rang. Arthur got up to make tea; needing to move and be productive. Francis watched him carefully.
Despite being quite heavy, Arthur showed no signs of dropping just yet...
At least he was healthy.. Matt had been quite sick through his pregnancy... In a way, they were lucky his cubs were breathing...
But it was over now at least. Matt could gather his strength again, recover. The cubs could be cared for by everyone now... All that was left was Arthur and the eggs.
Out of all of them, Arthur was having the easiest time of this. There again, he seemed to be having the biggest litters too.. Francis would need to go shopping soon, all these new mouths needed feeding, (or Matt in the newborns case) and the rabbits had been weening off Arthur.
The house was filling up very quickly...
Francis takes his cup from Arthur with a soft smile.
"Getting hectic," Arthur sat beside him, snuggling in.
"We'll manage. If you managed to parent a dozen colonies at once surely we can handle a few babies."
"Doesn't mean it was easy though," he chuckled.
Francis smiles slyly.
"Yes, I admit the Empire was exhausting, happy?"
Francis chuckles kissing him gently. He leaned in, humming lightly. Francis held him there a moment before smiling gently. Arthur chuckled tiredly. Francis hugs him as they settled with their drinks.
Upstairs, Matt was finally starting to wake up again. Al had kept watch over the cubs with Kuma. They had been getting restless and hungry though... Al was still worn from his womb disappearing too.
Matt just took off his shirt, nudging the cubs over to feed. Al sat petting his hair gently. Matt just lay there, eyes heavy.
*You okay..?*
*Everything hurts...*
Al grips his hand. He gripped weakly, just wishing he could pass out and hibernate. Al hums softly holding tight. The cubs took their fill them snuggled in to sleep. Matt wasn't far behind.
Al rubs his back gently. He snuggled between brother and babies. Al settles in next to him with a sigh.