+/- 6 - 10 weeks – first trimester period ( = tiny bump starting up)
Had to get the pickles out of my had.

Loud crying was heard from the bedroom, making Marco run for dear life, pushing poor unsuspected sailors out of the way he made a small mental note to apologize to those who tripped later but now his Omega was his priority.

"Ace-yoi!" he barged open the door to their room, finding Ace sobbing in the middle of it. He ran up, visually inspecting him for wounds as he did, but he saw nothing.

"Darling, Omega, what's wrong? Are you hurting? Is it our pup?"

"A-alpha!" Ace cried, hugging Marco around the neck and weeping.

"I'm here, I'm here-yoi." he reassured as best as he could, rubbing over Ace's back, releasing a hopefully soothing scent without that hint of worry he was trying to contain.

It took far too long, but eventually he got Ace to pull away slightly and tell him what was wrong, wich he did sniffing.

"I-I can't- Alpha- Marco- I-"

"Yes, what is it? Just tell me, it will be okay."

"I can't fit in my pants!"

"... …. …. You can't... fit into your pants?" he gasped, their pup was growing! He laughed happily, "That's-!"

Right on the laugh Ace started weeping covering his face as he did and the Alpha was scolding Marco for makign him cry, rightfully so. "A-ace- I didn't-" he reached out arms but Ace turned away.

"Y-you hate me now!"

"I don't!"

"Y-you laughed!"

"Because I'm happyy!"

A choked out sob was there and even Marco had to hold back a gasp at the suffocating smell of betrayal, "You're happy I got fat and ugly! I-I thought you would always looooooveee meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Marco watched Ace drop to the floor, ugly crying, shit shit shit! Pushing through the scent he kneeled down, hugging his Omega who was trying to push him away, yelling to let go. He had to make it right! Also... since when did Ace cry so much!

"Omega-"

"NO!"

"Omega-yoi, Ace, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You misunderstood, I'm happy b-" fuck, that smell!, "b-but it-its for our p-pup." he swallowed a few times before continuing, "Y-you getting bigger- It's great! It means- it means out pup is growing! Omega! You're doing wonderful in bearing our pup!"

Sniffing was there, "W-what?"

Good! He was getting through to him! "Yes-yoi! If you don't get into your pants, it means your belly is bigger right? Meaning, our pup is taking up more room in your womb, they're growing! You're doing such a good job they're already getting so much bigger!"

"I-I am doing good?"

Marco smiled as Ace turned to look at him, the suffocating scent slowly ebbing away, being replaced by a vague more happy one, "Yes! So good!" he kissed Ace's forehead, glad he didn't get hit in the stomach for that as he hadn't 100% convinced the Omega yet. "You're doing so amazing, you're the best." He took a breath, this was it. Slowly he reached out a hand and put it on the belly, feeling that it was indeed a little bit rounder and he awed at it. Their little pup... "I can almost feel our pup! And it's all you who's doing it, my mate, my Omega!"

A smaller hand joined next to his on the belly, rubbing a bit, "I-I- yea- It's- our pup- I" Ace sniffed, now smiling and a small laugh was there, "Our pup is growing."

"He is. And he'll keep growing and they'll be as cute and adorable as you!"

At this the Omega blushed, nuzzling into Marco's chest and starting to purr lightly as he mumbled of their little one getting bigger inside him.

Smiling himself he kissed Ace's head, staying cuddled up on the floor for now as he talked with his now happy Omega. He would talk to Izou later, have him make Ace some more pants but with different size waistbands so this wouldn't happen again. And... he had to watch out... these mood swings weren't a joke!

XOXO

"Marcooooooooooo!"

"Coming-yoi!"

…

"Alpha!"

"Coming-yoi!"

…

"Mar-!"

"I'm here-yoi!"

On deck those on shift watched the Phoenix run up and down the deck, through the halls and back, running everywhere where he was called. Never looking put off, but happy instead.

"... Commander Marco is getting in some real activity these last days..."

"... I think I've even seen him heal his calves."

"For reals?"

"Yea, I think a muscle snapped from how fast he turned when Ace called him."

"No way!"

"I've seen it too, he even ran through a wall to get to Ace faster since the actual way to get to him was too much of a detour."

"You're kidding me, he wouldn't do that, those few extra seconds..."

"How do you think the hole got there in the hallway? He had to heal his whole face, it saw it!"

"... Love sickness... It's real."

"... If he wasn't a Phoenix... I'm pretty sure it would've been deadly."

"Happy single lives?"

"Sign me up."

"Son..." Pops looked down or... no just forward.. To his only son that could fly and was doing so right in front of his face, he even had to push him away a bit to not see cross eyed. "What did you just say?" because there's no way he just-

"I need to go grocery shopping-yoi."

"... We're in the middle of the sea."

"tch."

Did... DID HIS FIRST COMMANDER ROLL HIS EYES?!

"I know we're in the middle of the sea-yoi. I'll fly to an island to shop."

"... Why? We stocked up last week."

"Yes, but not on onions. Pickled onions." he added when he saw the comeback coming.

"... We got normal onions, I'm sure Thatch can pickle some for you, son..." even if he didn't know why he needed them so urgently and besides, he knew Marco wasn't the biggest fan of pickled onions, it was close to his hate for beans even. AND HE ROLLED HIS EYES AGAIN, WTH!?

"Pops, I don't have time for this-yoi. I need to get some pickled onions. You think I would come to you if we could make the right onions on board? No. I need tiny pickled onions, sweet and sour."

"... The closest island with shops is hours away."

"5.3 hour flight to be exact, meaning that if I leave now, I'll be right on time to have them ready for Ace's evening cup of milk."

Pops pulled a face at it. Ace was going to eat pickled onion with his milk?

"Are you judging my Omega."

"! No no no no!" shit, he did not need the Alpha in love mad at him right now! Not with his freshly opened bottle of alcohol hiding behind his seat!

"Hmm, I swore I saw you make an ugly fa-"

"You can go! Just give a call when you arrive and leave!"

A loud thrill and Marco was off, disappearing into the distance within seconds.

A huge breath of relief left him as he sunk into his chair, pulling out his bottle and taking a big sip. He gave a look to his kids watching him in disbelief from the deck, probably because he let Marco fly off for essentially a 10 to 11 hour journey just for pickled without too much question. "You're all welcome to stop him next time." And that did it, his kids all starting to whistle and turn around, going about their day... This was going to be a long 9 months.

XOXO

He had done something... he had done something that Ace didn't like. He had been pouting at him the whole day, the whole freaking day. It already started when he woke up and Ace dodged his Goodmorning kiss! Only to pout even more because... he didn't get a morning kiss!

He had been trying to get Ace to spill what he did wrong, but the Omega wasn't budging. He had come for cuddles at one point so he thought maybe it was just a little moodswing and all was fine, BUT! He hadn't been allowed to touch back! His Omega had come to essentially scent himself, taking his wrist in his hand and rubbing it over him, nudging him to release more pheromones which he did of course, only for his Omega to leave when satisfied, going about his day without him!

With it nearing noon and he still hadn't been able to give a single kiss to his Omega or rub his belly, it was time for the one thing he didn't wanne do... call in the big guns...

"Thatch, you need to help me-yoi!"

The cheff hummed as he was washing the counters, prepping to make lunch, "What do you need birdy?"

"Don't call m- I mean- ahem. Ace is mad at me."

"Well, what did you do? Bought the wrong type of onions again."

"No! I know which ones he wants now... and … I don't know. He was happy yesterday when we went to bed we even made o-"

"I do not need those details thank you very much... please continue."

"And this morning he avoided my morning kiss, had been avoiding me in general and pouting! I don't know what's wrong and he won't tell me-yoi."

"And you want me to do what?"

"Ask him!"

"And he would tell me?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! Just... just ask it casually or like... say I am dumb and then ask."

He grinned at that, "I can say you're dumb? So you did something dumb?"

"aaaah" marco ruffled up his own hair, "I don't know! Probably! And yes! Just- just agree with him on whatever and get him to spill it and then tell me!"

"You knoooooowwwww~" Thatch started, "That's a huge betrayal of ace's trust if I were to come tell you... I don't know if I sh-"

"I'm increasing your budget-yoi."

"20%"

"... 10"

"25."

"... 20"

"30"

"... fine."

"Your answers shall reach your ears soon good sir!"

"So." a voice started up from behind Marco and a body come to stand next to him as he was checking over those on deck-duty "I've figured out what you did."

"! You did-yoi!? What did I do?! Oh god, so I actually did something wrong!?"

A nod was there, "you did, you did something very wrong, I'm surprised he still sees you as his mate after all of this."

"w-what?" he was getting scared now. He did something so bad that his mate would leave him?! "What did I do, please Thatch, please!"

"You betrayed him."

"W- I would never, Thatch!"

"You turned your back on him."

"No-yoi! Thatch! That can't be! You know I love him! He's my fated mate, my omega, the love of my life! My little firefly! He's carrying my pup!"

Thatch just kept going, ignoring the panic as he spoke on serious voice. "You turned your back on him last night."

"I-"

"When he tried to cuddle you."

On the verge of tears to try and figure out what was going on he stopped, "Yoi?"

Solom nods were there. "Yeap. Ace woke up through the night to use the bathroom and when he got back into bed and was about to cuddle up to you, you turned around. You turned your back on him when he tried to get some of your scent and nuzzle you." Thatch tutted, shaking his head while inside he was wheezing, this was freaking hilarious, "Yea, without any remorse you turned your back to him, shutting him out. Preventing him from those cuddles. He was heartbroken and tried to get you to turn, but then..."

"t-then?"

Thatch look straight into Marco's eyes, "you nudged his hand away, even grumbled." Oh god. Marco looked on the verge of tears, this is- he's proud of himself for staying so serious. He also had to stay serious as Ace was telling it to him, also almost crying, scratch that, the omega cried telling the last part. But dear Pops, this is comedy gold. Before his friend could cry, he smiled, "So Marco, nothing to worry, it's just his hormones overreacting, you don't control what you do in your sle-"

"ACEEEEEEEE I AM SO SORRRYYYYYY-YOI!"

Thatch eyes widened as Marco started yelling, honesty somehow in his voice as he did and running inside, voice echoing though growing smaller.

"I NEVER MEANT TO TURN MY BACK! ACE! OMEGA! I LOVE YOUUUU. I AM SORRYY! DID MY NUDGE HURT YOU!? ACEEEEEEEEE!"

"... They've gone absolute nuts..." Thatch murmured looking to the closed door. Though... it did seem they've met up if Ace's crying now joining in was anything to go by... and.. Okay... okay... they're making up... okay... good... good...

XOXO

The first thing he registered was soft sniffing and then a little later a sob. Crying! Opening his eyes he saw Ace sitting next to him on the bed, wide awake and wiping his eyes. He was up and next to him in seconds.

"What's wrong, Omega-yoi? Does your belly hurt? Do you want some honey tea?"

"Pickles..." Ace sniffed, grabbing Marco's arm.

"Pickles, I'll get you from pickled, dear." Marco smiled kissing Ace's cheek. One of his craving moments, nothing he couldn't deal with.

"I-I ate them."

Raising a brow he noticed a jar between Ace's legs, an empty one. "That's okay. I'll get you a new one-yoi."

To his confusion Ace shook his head, wiping over his eyes as tears started up again, "T-there's no more!"

"Omega, I want shopping yesterday." He reassured his mate, "I bought 7 jars. So, you have 6 more!" He said happily only for Ace to sob louder.

"N-nooo!"

Smiling softly he kissed Ace's freckled cheek, he was adorable like this too, "Just wait for me-yoi." and turned around to sit at the edge of the bed. However, when he slipped his legs out from under the sheets and put them on the floor, there was a clinking noise and … something rolling?

Lighting his hand on fire he hovered it over the ground to see. "What was tha- oh..." Jars... empty pickle jars... One, two, three, four... five... six... glancing back to Ace's lap... "s-seven."

"I ATE THEM ALL!" Ace cried, letting the jar roll out of his lap and onto the floor, joining the others.

When did Ace eat all of the pickles and how did he not notice!? "I-it's okay! Omega, it's fine!" he got back onto the bed, hugging his raven mate. "You'll be okay! I'll get some for you as soon as the shops open, okay? The island is close, I can be back soon, I promise."

He reassured his mate, petting his back as he released pheromones to calm him, blinking when Ace was suddenly calming down and... he heard munching. One careful glance and he saw Ace eating from a brand new jar of pickles. What the hell?

Still holding Ace he glanced around, counting the jars, yes those were the seven jars he bought yesterday plus Thatch standing in between them, THATCH?! "w-"

A Shushing motion was there, instantly shutting him up as he watched the chef sneak in further, avoiding the jars. Showing him a small tray containing another three jars of pickles, they looked a bit different though from the ones he had bought. How? He had gone out to buy some because they were out?

He glanced at Thatch in question, because what the hell? His eyes widened reading Thatch's lips, home-made. Thatch has been pickling cucumbers for them!

'Emergency stash, don't tell Ace. Takes awhile to make.'

Marco nodded to it, mouthing a few very grateful thank you's and watching Thatch leave after he got a thumbs up.

Smiling he focussed back on his munching mate, smelling the satisfied scent as he rubbed his back while his Omega ate. He could cry right now from happiness, Thatch was so getting that extra budget and scratch the 30% limit! That chef is getting whatever his silly chef-brain wants!