Chapter 12: The Quiet Morning
Soft morning light spilled across the kitchen, catching the edges of the marble counters and warming the pale oak of the banquette where they were curled together like a pair of tangled cats. Julian's mug of tea had gone tepid in his hands, his attention caught by the way the steam curled lazily in the golden air. Theo pressed against his side, broad and warm, one hand absently stroking the swell of Julian's belly beneath the thick knit of his sweater.
Then Julian winced. A sharp, sudden kick right against his ribs, so forceful he grunted and his hand flew to the spot, tea sloshing dangerously close to the rim of the mug.
"Careful—" Theo was already moving, setting both their mugs on the low table and shifting to his knees on the banquette cushion. He reached for the blanket draped over them, tugging it down, then lifted the hem of Julian's shirt with a gentleness that made Julian's chest ache. The morning light caught the taut, pale skin of his belly, the deep curve of it, the faint shimmer of stretch marks along his sides.
Theo pressed his lips to the spot where the kick had landed, right above his navel. "Hey, little one," he murmured against the skin, his breath warm and tickling. "Be nice to your dad in there, yeah? You've got plenty of room. Stop trying to redecorate his ribcage."
Julian's breath hitched. He watched Theo's sandy blond head bent over his belly, the tender press of his mouth, the way his thumb traced a slow circle over the curve. Something hot and tight loosened in his chest, and he let out a shaky exhale.
Theo looked up, his hazel eyes soft. "You excited for the doctor's appointment today?"
Julian's expression flickered. He reached down, threading his fingers through Theo's hair, grounding himself in the silky strands. "Nervous, more like," he admitted, his voice quieter than he intended. "We need to finalize the birth plan. And I..." He hesitated, jaw tightening. "I want to talk about a natural birth. At home. Away from the sterile hospital environment."
Theo's hand stilled on his belly. He didn't pull away, didn't laugh, didn't dismiss it. He just waited, his thumb still resting against the taut skin, patient as always.
"I know it's not conventional," Julian continued, his bossy edge creeping back into his tone. "I know everyone expects the omega CEO to check into the hospital and do what he's told. But I've spent my whole life doing what's expected. I want this to be mine, Theo. Ours. In our space, with you."
Theo's throat bobbed. He pressed another kiss to Julian's belly, slower this time, reverent. "Then we'll talk to the doctor about it. We'll make it happen." He looked up, eyes shining. "Whatever you need, Julian. I meant it. I'll fill every empty space you've got."
Julian's eyes stung. He tugged Theo up by the hair, pulling him into a kiss that tasted like tea and devotion and the terrifying, wonderful weight of being seen. When they broke apart, both breathing uneven, Julian's hand stayed fisted in Theo's shirt.
"Good," he said, his voice rough. "Because I expect nothing less."
"Good," he said, his voice rough. "Because I expect nothing less."
Theo smiled, that soft, crooked smile that made Julian's heart stutter in his chest. He opened his mouth to say something, probably something sweet and infuriating, when a small, determined foot pressed against the side of his palm. Theo froze, his breath catching. His eyes went wide, fixed on his own hand where it rested against Julian's belly.
"Julian." Theo's voice was barely a whisper. "He's kicking. I can feel his foot."
Julian looked down. Beneath Theo's broad palm, a tiny shape pressed outward, unmistakable, like a heel or a foot pushing against the confines of Julian's body from the inside. The sight made his throat tighten. He placed his hand over Theo's, feeling the push of their pup against both their palms.
"He has strong legs," Julian murmured, and there was wonder in his voice, a crack in his usual armor. "Probably from all the nonsense he hears you saying to him through my belly."
Theo laughed, a wet, shaky sound, and pressed his forehead against the spot where the foot still pushed, keeping his hand gently in place. "Hey there, little one," he whispered, his lips brushing the skin. "I can feel you. Your daddy and I can both feel you. You're so strong. You're going to be so strong."
The foot pressed once more, then slowly withdrew. Theo stayed where he was, forehead resting against Julian's stomach, his shoulders trembling just slightly. Julian's fingers carded through his hair, nails scratching lightly at his scalp, an unspoken comfort.
"Hey," Julian said, softer now. "Lift your head."
Theo looked up. His hazel eyes were glassy, but he was smiling, that open, adoring smile that made Julian feel like the most precious thing in the world. Julian cupped his jaw, thumb brushing over his cheekbone.
"Stop getting emotional before my tea even cools," Julian said, but there was no bite in it. "We still have a doctor's appointment to conquer, and I need you sharp."
"Yes, sir," Theo said, and the words were warm, not mocking. He pressed one last kiss to Julian's belly, then shifted back onto the banquette, pulling Julian against his side and retrieving their mugs.
Julian took a sip of his tepid tea and stared out the window at the city waking below. His hand found Theo's under the blanket, their fingers lacing together. His heart was still racing from the feel of their pup pushing back, answering them, present and real and theirs.
The quiet peace shattered with a kick so sharp and brutal that Julian's entire body jolted. His mug slipped from his hand, tea splashing across the banquette in a brown wave, and he choked on a gasp as his hand flew to the spot low on his right side where the blow had landed. It wasn't a gentle nudge or a playful foot. It was a full body slam, like their pup had decided to test the structural integrity of his ribs from the inside.
"Fuck—" Julian hissed through his teeth, doubling forward. Theo's arms were around him in an instant, steadying him, but Julian could feel the sweat prickling at his temples, the sharp ache radiating outward from the point of impact.
"Julian? Julian, what—"
Theo's voice was tight with alarm, but Julian couldn't answer. Another kick landed, this one lower, right against his bladder, and he let out a strangled sound that was half laugh, half groan. "Your son," he gritted out, pressing the heel of his hand into the side of his belly, "is trying to escape through my intestines."
Theo's hands were on him, one bracing his back, the other hovering over the spot where the motion was visible. Beneath his palm, the skin of Julian's belly rippled with movement, a bulging shift that pushed against the fabric of his sweater. Theo's eyes went wide, his breath catching.
"He's really going for it," Theo said, and there was a note of awe in his voice that Julian would have found infuriating if he weren't currently being used as a punching bag.
"Don't sound so impressed," Julian snapped, but the next kick stole his breath, and he leaned heavily into Theo's chest, letting out a shaky exhale. The pressure was immense, a deep, rolling ache that made his eyes water. He hated this. He hated feeling out of control. But Theo's hand was a steady anchor on his belly, his other arm wrapped securely around Julian's shoulders.
"Hey, little one," Theo murmured, lowering his face close to the swell. "That's enough. You're not even born yet and you're already giving your daddy grief. Take it easy in there, yeah? He's got important business meetings to annoy me about."
Julian huffed a wet laugh. The movement inside him seemed to pause, as if their pup was listening to Theo's voice. Theo pressed his lips to the side of Julian's belly, over the spot where the last kick had landed, and let them linger there.
"We're here," Theo whispered. "We feel you. You don't have to fight so hard to get our attention. We're not going anywhere."
Another smaller kick, more of a push, pressed against Theo's mouth. Julian felt it from the inside, a sudden pressure that made him gasp, but this time it didn't hurt. It felt like recognition. Like their pup was saying, *I hear you. I know you're there.*
Julian's hand found Theo's hair again, tugging gently until Theo looked up. The alpha's eyes were wet, and his lips were curved into that trembling, adoring smile that undid Julian every single time.
"Tell him he's grounded," Julian said, his voice rough. "Before he's even born."
Theo laughed, the sound bright and watery. "I'll add it to his file."