Wouldn't you guys be so mad if i decided to start uploading once a week~?

SO many threats(XD) and while most were in jest(as I had expected months ago when I wrote the chapter), i feel calling me cruel without any connotation of joking is a bit much. I don't know who you are, being too lazy to sign in a what not, but please don't assume I don't know what it's like to lose someone that close to you and call me cruel for it ... sorry to have to do this ... again ... but i'd rather you guys leave signed reviews if you're going to say things that make me want to respond to you or that are controversial.

I know better than anyone here what Lovino is going through right now, so don't call me cruel for writing what I know ... I warned you all in the very beginning this story was a roller coaster of emotion and pain and joy. It can't all be sunshine and rainbows. I love my reviewers and readers, especially those of you who have been with me through all my stories, but this did not sit right with me. And, I hate doing this in front of the rest of my readers ...

Kismet

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Say Hello

Antonio glared at the door that had been locked in his face. His Lovino was on the other side, probably scared and worried, in pain … he growled. There was nothing he could do, but wait.

He slid down against the door and pressed his ear against it, hoping to at least know what was going on, instead of being in the dark.

He heard muffled words, but nothing he could actually make out. Antonio sighed and continued to press his ear against the door anyway.

"Antonio?"

He jumped and saw Femke and Savino walking up, each holding a tray for his and Lovino's dinner.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Savino asked.

Femke laughed, "Did Lovi kick you out again?" she knelt down, but noticed the look of fear and anger in Antonio's eyes.

"No … your mother kicked me out." he growled, "Lovino went into labor …"

Femke gasped and nearly dropped the food she was carrying, "He did? So exciting!"

He glared, "No! I should be in there, holding his hand or something, but they thought I was going to go berserk or something." the man crossed his arms.

Femke laughed, "Who knows? You just might have."

The king shot her another glare, but his blood turned to ice when he heard the piercing cry of a baby. Tears welled up in his eyes and warmth spread through him. He smiled, pressing his hand against the door. He could hear his baby crying on the other side. He patiently waited for the second, but it didn't come. His heart began pounding, but instead of a baby cry, he heard Lovino.

"Answer me, god damn it! What happened to my other baby? Tell me! Tell me, god damn it!" Antonio felt anger bubbling over. What had they done to his child? He stood up and grabbed the handle to the door, but it wouldn't budge. He was going to get in one way or the other.

Lovino wanted to tear someone apart. Not only were they not answering him about his baby, but the refused to answer anything about the one that did cry. Was it a boy or girl? Was he or she healthy? Could he see him or her?

Finally, another loud cry rang out through the room. It was weaker than the first one he heard, a completely different cry. The other baby was crying! He felt overjoyed and he closed his eyes, praying to whatever god heard him, thanking them for everything.

"It looks like you're all healed up now," Tino walked over smiling weakly. The man was pale and looked shaken, but he took a wash cloth and wiped up the blood and salve from Lovino's exposed stomach and removed the blood soaked cushion like blankets from the bed and pulled down Lovino's shirt. "He can sit up now, miss Tessa. I'm sure he'll be wanting to see them."

Tessa nodded and helped Lovino to sit up. She fixed up his shirt and pulled a thick, warm blanket around his waist, "I'm going to let Antonio in, now."

Lovino nodded, but his heart raced as he spotted Ray and Lukas huddled over a table. Tino picked up a pink bundle and carefully walked across the room.

"Say hello to your baby girl. She was born second." Tino smiled, handing the pink bundle to Lovino.

He stared down at her and felt his heart skip a beat. Soft tufts of dark curls covered her head, including the Vargas trademark curl. He gently touched her forehead and cheeks and bit his lip, "She's so soft and squishy!" he whispered. He felt the bed shift and looked over to see Antonio crawling next to him. Antonio looked completely dumbstruck and never removed his eyes from their daughter.

The baby girl made a grunting noise and wiggled lightly in her blanket and Lovino cried again for the hundredth time in the passed hour, "She's beautiful!" Antonio exclaimed, "She looks just like you!"

Lovino shook his head, "No, you dunce … she looks like you …" he touched the little fingers that were exposed and he felt joy bubble up inside him when she clenched her little fist.

"You want to hold her?" Antonio nodded vigorously and Lovino carefully transferred her to his husband's arms, making sure the older man supported her neck. He watched Antonio cry over how gorgeous his baby was and how much he loved Lovino for bringing her into the world, for a moment before hearing a cleared throat noise.

He turned to see Lukas holding a blue bundle, "I'm sorry we didn't answer you before. He's fine now, but he wasn't breathing when we pulled him out. We were afraid for the worst, but Tino was determined to get him breathing." he passed the first born to Lovino.

He was just as precious as their daughter, but he seemed smaller than she was. His hair was lighter than his sister's and had a red tint to it like Lovino's. A curl also bounced lightly from his head.

The little baby boy squirmed and Lovino brought the child to his face and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Lovino loved both of them already so much.

Tino walked back up and Lovino looked at him, "Thank you … thank you so much for saving his life … thank you …"

The elf only laughed, "Don't worry about it … I'm only glad to see both of them healthy and well." he moved the blanket slightly to get a good look at the baby, "He looks a lot like you, you know?"

Lukas and Ray took a final look over Lovino and the babies and the room was cleared to let the new family settle for a moment before they came back to make sure everything was still okay.

Antonio looked over at their son and smiled, "He does look just like you. I wonder if his eyes will be your color, too~"

Lovino blushed, "Let's hope not …" he laughed, holding his son closely, "I want their cradles in here."

The king looked at him weird, "Why? They'll be in the next room over."

A dark glare was sent his way, "I want them by my side. If something goes wrong, I want to know immediately. It's either they are moved in here for awhile or I'm moving into their room."

Antonio laughed nervously, "I was just asking, Lovi~ I'm fine with them being in here." Lovino nodded and turned back to their son. The baby's eyes had fluttered open and his heart stopped for a moment. Up until that moment, it still felt completely unreal, they had looked like sleeping little dolls. But the baby was blinking, now staring off into space.

"-names?"

Lovino shook his head, "What was that?"

"Are we going to pick their names?" Antonio said, shifting their sleeping daughter in his arms.

"Oh, uh … yeah … I thought we decided Romana and Tristán."

Antonio smiled, "Just making sure~" he looked down at the pink bundle in his arms, "My little Romana Carriedo~"

Lovino looked down at his own, blinking bundle, "Tristán … Tristán Carriedo …"

The king leaned over and kissed Lovino's cheek, "Thank you, Lovino … really … thank you so much for bringing them into the world~ I love you so much."

He blushed deeply and nodded, "It was nothing …" he smiled, "and I love you, too, Antonio."

Tristán closed his eyes and was soon fast asleep. Lovino sat and stared at the baby he'd almost lost for what felt like an eternity. A knock at the door interrupted the moment and he angrily looked at the door. Antonio shouted for the person to come in, but got hit in the arm, "You're going to wake the babies!" Lovino hissed, cradling Tristán close, hoping Romana was also still asleep.

A small crowd came into the room, including Femke, Savino, Daan, Tessa, Lukas, Tino, and Ray. Femke slipped up to Antonio's side of the bed and cooed, looking down at Romana.

"She's adorable!" Femke whispered. Savino smiled down at them. Tessa came up to Lovino, "Can I hold my grandson?"

Lovino grinned, and reluctantly let her hold Tristán. The woman bounced lightly and smiled, "He's so handsome," she muttered handing him back.

Unfortunately, they were both taken away again by Lukas and Ray for another check up. Antonio grabbed Lovino's hand, "How are you feeling?"

Lovino looked at him and smiled weakly. The younger man swayed and shook his head, "Exhausted … but … happy … but insides are sore and feel weird, but I'm pretty sure that's the green potion doing what it's supposed to. Plus, my stomach hurts because the healing solution didn't finish the job completely."

The king kissed him deeply and passionately, "Get some sleep, now. I'll go get the cradles brought in here and placed against your wall, okay?"

Lovino shook his head, "Not going to sleep, yet … can't …"

Antonio sighed, "Don't push yourself." he got up to go get the cradles. Lovino turned his attention to Femke.

"So, proud mama, how does it feel having your babies on this side of the world?" she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Scary … and weird …" he looked down at his flattened belly and rubbed over the weird feeling mush, "It feels like I have no organs at all …" he poked inwards. Femke raised her brow, "No way! Really?"

He moved his hands for her to feel, "That is so weird!"

Lovino laughed, "I know." he looked up and Lukas handed Lovino Romana, "She's perfectly healthy, as for your son, he's healthy, too, just a little underdeveloped. Ray is currently re-wrapping the blanket. Tino will bring him right over." Lovino nodded and looked down as his very much awake daughter. She clenched her fist and opened it again. And looked around, letting her eyes wander.

He smiled and kissed her head, happy that she had Antonio's eyes. Tino walked over and tucked Tristán into Lovino's other arm and grinned.

Femke cooed at the babies one last time, "Alright, I have to go now, but I'll be back first thing in the morning … okay well maybe after noon or so. Antonio requested he take tomorrow off of everything to be with his family, so I won't be in here in the morning. Good night Lovi, Toni, babies~!" she grabbed Daan's arm and dragged him out of the room. Tino walked back up, "Oh, I forgot to give you this." he handed Antonio, whom had rejoined Lovino's side, a bag.

"Inside is a special solution I created when I was pregnant with my own boys," he grinned, "Since we're male, we don't produce a proper milk for the babies to feed off of, so I came up with a replacement. Just measure out the right amount I've noted and it will keep the babies nice and full, just like a mother's milk would~! I'm giving the recipe for the formula to mister Ray so he can keep a steady supply for you~ I'll see you later~!" he smiled, walking with Lukas and Ray from the room.

Tessa was their final visitor of the night, "Lovino, I forgot, did we go over how to put on and change the diapers?" she held up the square of white cloth.

Lovino blushed and nodded, "Are they wearing any?"

Tessa shook her head, "Here, I'll grab another." she set down the first one and grabbed a second from the undercarriage of the cradles.

"Oh, she's going to be so unhappy about being unwrapped again~" Tessa smiled as Antonio took Romana from Lovino and laid her down gently on the bed. He carefully unwrapped her pink blanket and she shivered lightly and kicked her legs. Sure enough, Tessa had been right. Romana opened her mouth and began wailing, which upset Tristán.

Tristán began crying as well and it only got worse after Lovino unwrapped his blanket. He quickly folded the cloth diaper around his bottom and pinned it in place and re-swaddled him. Lovino then looked up at Antonio, who was a little worse for wear. Tessa showed him how to fold up the diaper and place it under the baby's bottom and fold it over her and pin it, "There~ it gets easier over time."

Antonio looked horrified, "Are you supposed to lift her legs like that when you change her diaper?"

Tessa just laughed and swaddled Romana up, "Yes, you have to get the diaper on somehow. Now remember, Lovino, don't get the cords wet, and don't let them go too long without eating. I'm sure they'll let you know when they're hungry." she kissed his forehead, Antonio's cheek and said bye to the babies.

Lovino bounced the upset Tristán in his arms and closed his eyes sleepily. Both babies continued crying and Lovino sighed, "Maybe they're hungry?"

Antonio shrugged and handed Romana to her mama and reached inside the bag to pull out two odd looking glass bottles. Each had an odd lid. He found the note and read over it a few time to make sure he got the instructions right before pouring some water into each of the bottle and dumping a small scoop of the mixture into them. He closed them tightly and shook them, staring amazed at the white liquid in the bottles that had become warm.

"How does it do that?" he asked amazed. He took Tristán from Lovino and traded for one of the bottles.

Lovino took the bottle and held it up to Romana's lips. She instantly opened her mouth and latched on and began sucking the liquid.

Antonio watched in fascination and tried the same thing with his son. The baby also latched onto his bottle and began drinking.

When the babies were done, Antonio walked to put the sleeping baby in the cradle, but Lovino hissed at him, "You have to burp them first or their bellies will hurt …" he pointed to a cloth hanging off the side of one of the cradles and Antonio handed it to him. Lovino placed it on his shoulder and gently laid Romana on the spot and began patting her back softly.

Tristán got the same treatment from his father, whom was a little more hesitant, "How do you know all this stuff?" he asked, hearing a small burp from the baby boy.

"I had nothing else to do all day confined to my bed, except listen to Tino and mama talk about babies and Tino let me take care of his for a little bit, teaching me how to burp and change diapers, at least."

Antonio smiled, "You're going to be a wonderful parent." he put Tristán in his cradle and took Romana from Lovino and put her in her cradle. She began to cry again.

"What did I do wrong?" Antonio frowned, picking her up to calm her before she woke her brother.

"I don't know …" Lovino began to panic, "she just ate, so that can't be it … I doubt it's her diaper … she hasn't even had enough time to digest her milk …" he swung his legs over the side up the bed to stand, but his legs shook violently under his weight and he collapsed to the floor. Antonio turned and set the baby next to her brother in the cradle and rushed to Lovino's side, "Lovi!"

"I-I'm fine, b-bastard … just a little … light headed … that's all …" Antonio picked him up, "You lost blood today, you shouldn't be jumping up out of bed like that …" he tucked Lovino back into the bed and began settling everything Lovino might need next to him, within reach. Then he turned to even pull the cradle close.

Romana was fast asleep, facing her sleeping brother.

"That's it!" he grinned, earning a weird look from Lovino, "A few hours ago, they were cramped up beside each other … the babies aren't used to being separated, yet … that's why she got upset. He didn't notice because he fell asleep in my arms!"

He grinned, happy he'd figured it out. Lovino smiled, "That's a relief … I thought we broke her …" he laid down against his pillows and watched as Antonio carefully moved the babies within Lovino's reach in case he needed to get to them quickly.

Antonio climbed into the bed beside Lovino and pulled his husband against his chest, "You make me the happiest man in the world~!"

Lovino blushed and felt a wave of sleepiness take over him, "No, you make me happiest …" he whispered, letting his eyes slip closed. Antonio pressed kisses all over his face, "Sleep well, my love."

Little did he know, they were both going to need that charm.

TBC

~Lady Pyrien