Since I have become pregnant, I have noticed a few changes going through my body. The first one was the cravings. It started with simple things, like strawberries and blueberries. I would crave them at midnight, forcing Eros to get out of bed to grab me some. Now, my cravings consist of pickles dipped in peanut butter and occasionally some olives. Eros is disgusted with my food choices, but if the baby wants it, the baby has to have it.
The second thing I have noticed is my mood. It has been going from one emotion to the next with a simple incident like my husband rubbing my back when I am vomiting from morning sickness. It irritates me to the point where I snap. I never lose control of my frustration. Heck, I hardly get frustrated or angry! These mood swings are throwing me for a loop.
Today, I have noticed something new. My clothing. I have only been pregnant for about a month, and suddenly, I can’t fit into my jeans. Laying on the floor, I struggle to pull them up. I am determined to get these things on. I can’t be that big already.
“What are you doing?” my husband asks, leaning on the door frame.
I look up at him, frustrated and out of breath. “Putting…pants on. What does it look like?”
He tilts his head, smirking. “Aren, those are clearly too small.”
His words make my blood boil, and I flip him off. An action I never, ever do. This pregnancy was bringing out another side of me. “They fit perfectly fine yesterday.”
Eros lowers beside me, holding out a pair of my sweatpants. “You didn’t wear pants yesterday.”
He has a point, but still! I stick my tongue out at him. “The day before they fit.”
His brow furrows. “Aren, I can’t remember you wearing pants for at least a week. Does it matter?”
I stop struggling with the pants, my emotions overcoming me. A part of me wants to cry while the other part wants me to punch my husband in his gorgeous face. One percent wanted to do something a little more inappropriate, but I’m not going to delve into it.
“I wanted to wear these pants,” I whine.
He rolls his eyes. “Why?”
I slide the pants off my legs, standing up and throwing them roughly at him. “Because I wanted to!”
Eros stands up, holding his hand out for me. “Aren…”
I look at his hand, eyes watering.
“Have I told you today how much I love you?” he asks, smiling softly. I shake my head, my eyes still watering. These emotions I am having are all over the place. I just want it to go away. Eros leans forward, kissing my tears. “I love you more than anything.”
I wrap my arms around him, sniffling. His words slowly calm my raging mood swings. He kisses my ears, cheeks, nose, and eyes. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”
I shake my head, choking back a sob. My gaze drifts down to my growing stomach. “B-but I’m not. I can’t fit into my clothing anymore.”
He scoffs.
“I don’t!” I say, wiping another tear from my face.
“I love every inch of you.” His lips twitch. A frown quickly replaces his usual playful expression. “Though, it was my understanding you wouldn’t be showing yet?”
I tilt my head, placing a hand on my stomach. “Maybe I’m further along than we thought?”
“Hmm…” Eros places both hands on my slightly round stomach, leaning over and kissing it. It warms my heart, the frustration melting away. I pick up his sweatpants and put them on.
“Come on. We can’t be late,” I say.
“Late?” Eros tilts his head. “Do we have somewhere to be?”
I frown, rubbing my head. Did I mix up the days? “I know my memory has been spotty, but I thought the doctor’s appointment was today?”
“Oh, yes!” Eros’s face lights up. He picks me up and twirls me around.
After a few more minutes of getting ready, we arrive at the elevators. I hold onto his hand tightly, trying to calm my nerves. What if something was wrong? My mind keeps spiraling out of control with all the worst possible things.
“You know there is a goddess of childbirth,” Eros says as we enter the elevator. “Why are we going to a mortal again?”
“You are right, but I haven’t seen her in a long time.” I scrunch my nose. That and I have already failed as a mother once. What if I fail again?
Eros kisses me. “And you know that as soon as one god knows the gender, everyone will.”
I nod. Yup, that’s it. “Yes. I like my privacy.”
The elevator door opens to the lobby, and Eros pulls me out with him, kissing the back of my hand. “So, what are you hoping for?”
I move closer to him, needing his comfort as the anxiety gnaws at my stomach. “A boy, and you?”
“A velociraptor,” Eros says confidently. I can only giggle at my husband’s antics.
“Don’t ever change my love.” I kiss his chin.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to carry you?” He smirks down at me as we walk down the street.
“I’m sure, Lykos. I need to get some exercise.”
Eros frowns. “I think you’re perfect. Plus, I love exploring each new inch of you…and disciplining it.”
I bite my lip, looking up at him. “Soon, you will have to wait for that.”
“What?” His brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
I lean against him. “You won’t be able to discipline me until after the babies come.”
Eros gapes a little. “Okay, is there a way to unknock you up.”
I giggle as we arrive at the doctors, swinging the door open. “This is your fault. You have to deal with the consequences.”
Eros groans loudly, following behind me as we make our way to the receptionist’s desk. “Mr. and Mrs. Amor. We have an appointment for an ultrasound.”
The receptionist’s eyes fall on Eros, her mouth dropping a little. I can already feel the anger bubbling inside me. The shy little muse slips away and out comes the inner angry bitch I’ve hidden away. I take a step in front of my husband, glaring at the woman. My tone becoming harsh. “We have an appointment, and no…my husband is not available.”
The receptionist snaps out from her daze, looking down at her computer. “Appointment?”
“Aren…” Eros places a hand on my shoulder, and I can feel a lecture about jealousy on the tip of his tongue. I turn to give him a deathly glare. Don’t you dare, Eros. I spin back to the lady.
“Mr. and Mrs. Amor,” I say, making sure the message was clear to her.
The receptionist keeps her head down, mumbling, “The doctor will see you now.”
Eros grabs my arm, pulling me away from the receptionist. “Thank you.”
We head over to the empty room, anger still vibrating off my body. I didn’t like it when people hit on him. Maybe I was afraid that Eros would get bored with me and want to find something new. We spent years trying to find each other. What if I was just a disappointment?
“Aren, they can’t help it,” Eros begins. I don’t turn to face him, still frustrated that someone could have been thinking all the ways to… Breath Clio breath… I wait at the door while Eros takes a seat on the stool. “I think you’re supposed to strip.”
I close the door, turning to glare at him. “I am not stripping in front of you.”
Eros sputters. “What?! I’ve seen you naked before, Aren.”
I roll my eyes, “Yes, but I’m mad at you.”
“What?” Eros drags out the word, holding his hands up. “What did I do?”
“Allowed the mortal to check you out,” I answer, indicating for him to turn around with my hand.
He slowly turns on his stool, and I start to take my clothing off. “I did not allow her to! It’s… It’s a side effect.”
I throw my clothing at him, jealousy still making me frustrated. “I don’t like it.”
“I haven’t been around mortals in a while, I forgot.” He sighs, slowly folding the clothing on his lap. “Can I turn back around now?”
I finish clipping the apron. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry,” Eros says, slowly spinning back around. “It’s a curse.”
I sit on the table, crossing my arms. “It is.”
The door swings open, and I sit taller in my chair, the nerves returning. I anxiously start to chew my bottom lip as he prepares his things.
“Hello, looks like we are here for an ultrasound?” he asks.
“Y-yes.” I nod, stuttering. I’ve always stuttered when I am in a nerve-racking situation, and Eros knows this. He is already by my side, taking my hand. His touch is one of the only things that calm me.
“Could we possibly find out the sex today?” Eros asks.
The doctor shakes his head, putting on his gloves. “If I am correct, you are seven weeks pregnant? You find out the baby’s sex earliest at eighteen weeks.”
Eros groans, his head resting on my arm. “I want to know if it’s a velociraptor!”
My face flushes red with embarrassment. He knew our children wouldn’t be dinosaurs…right? The doctor looks at my husband oddly, and I shake my head. “He is a special one…”
The doctor puts some ultrasound gel on the scanner before placing the cool liquid on my belly. I squeeze Eros’s hand hard as the doctor moves the scanner around.
“That’s odd,” the doctor says, and my heart instantly drops.
“W-what?”
Eros gulps. “Is something wrong?”
The doctor pauses. “You said you were seven weeks pregnant?”
I look at Eros, my heart thumping. “Yes…”
“We might have to do a DOC test.” The doctor hums again.
“DOC?” my husband asks.
“Date of conception.”
I look at Eros, my hand shaking. “O-okay…”
The doctor grabs the test, and after a few minutes, he is smiling brightly. “Aha! That explains it. You are much farther along than we thought. According to this, your DOC was twenty weeks ago.”
My jaw drops, and I turn to look at Eros, confused. We weren’t together twenty weeks ago. That was before the titans broke out…I got pregnant at Christmas? How?! I hadn’t had intercourse in years, not after my life as Psyche. It always felt wrong. So, how could I be twenty weeks along? “That’s …that’s impossible.”
“Aren… is there something you need to tell me?” Eros’ voice is a little broken.
My heart is pounding in my chest. Eros has to be the father. He has to… I was with no one else other than him. Tears start to sting my eyes. “No…”
Eros tilts his head. “Because… I’m pretty sure we were not together then? Or I one shot one killed?”
I mumble, “We weren’t together.”
Eros’s brow furrows. “So, how is this possible?”
The doctor looks between us, sensing the difficult conversation that is about to happen. “I will give you guys the room.”
I wait until the doctor is out of the room before spinning on Eros. The tears start to roll down my face. He had to be the father. “I don’t know, Lykos…I don’t know.”
Eros frowns at me, his hand drifting to my stomach. As soon as he places his hand on me, a wave of electricity flows from me to him. His arm hairs standing on ends. “Did you feel that?”
I look at him, my hands shaking again. “Y-yes. Eros, what is…what is going on?”
He presses his hand on my stomach again, frowning. “They’re…I can feel them.”
A shiver runs down my spine as I focus on the little life growing in my stomach. That’s when I feel it. A heartbeat. A soul. My eyes water more. “Why is this happening?”
Eros kisses me. “Well, they’re definitely mine.”
My jaw drops. Even though the math was off, he considered for a moment that I could have had children with another. “Did you doubt me?”
“I mean…” He smirks, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Never…I can feel two.”
My eyes widen, and I place a hand on my stomach, focusing on feeling what he feels. A second heartbeat. Definitely his children. I can feel it in their bones. “Twins?”
Eros presses his forehead to mine. “Twins.”
I kiss him hard, wrapping my arms around him. Happiness floods me. Our little family was growing by two. I couldn’t be any more excited. The life we have always wanted was actually happening.
“Twins,” Eros repeats, kissing my neck. “How are we going to explain this to the mortal?”
I tug at his shirt, an overwhelming sensation of lust taking over him. It was probably from all the excitement, but all I know is that I need him. Pregnancy hormones. I swear. “What do you think, Lykos?”
Eros growls. He never missed an opportunity for this. He wraps his arms around me, teleporting us to the elevators in the GC. “I have a feeling my pregnant wife will be even more demanding with twins…”
I giggle, kissing him hard. “You’re right.”
“I always am.”
Clio is portrayed by Alice Callisto. Alice Callisto is a pen-name she goes by to share her fiction writing with the world. Callisto is also a streamer who loves to play games like Skyrim to Call of Duty. She is a big fan of ancient history and enjoys learning new things. Callisto has been writing since the age of sixteen on various different platforms, but only started taking it seriously recently. She is currently working on a project for #NaNoWriMo which involves dragons. Follow her on Twitch and Twitter to make her day.
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