Chapter Thirteen
Bel
Sitting in the middle of the nursery, Bel folded more outfits that he had magically created. They still didn’t know if he was having a boy or a girl, as Atlas wanted to be surprised. Bel couldn’t sit idly. He needed to be doing something. Anything.
He was still pregnant.
Lucifer had told him that his pregnancy would last three months. Ninety-two days. That was a lie. A big fat swollen belly lie.
Bel was still pregnant.
And he was tired. And his back hurt. And his feet hurt. And his neck hurt. And his head hurt. So Bel was hiding in the nursery as was his right, damn it!
Atlas had stomped off earlier, saying that he was going to finish the paperwork for the day.
Stupid paperwork.
Why was the paperwork more important than how Bel was feeling?
Bel sniffed. He knew that Atlas wasn’t really concerned about the paperwork. Meaning that Atlas just didn’t want to be around him.
Bel was the problem.
His skin prickled with the alert that someone was approaching. Bel ignored it. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Especially if his mate didn’t want to be around him. Waving his hand had another pile of clothes materializing beside him. Bel picked up the onesie from the top of the pile.
Lucifer had tried to be as helpful as he could but honestly this was new for all of them.
He had called in the angel Raphael as he was the one that delivered the babies in the heaven realm.
And knew more about male pregnancy than anyone else.
It was just that his knowledge was for angels and not demons.
Even the lore that Seb and Ari had gathered wasn’t very helpful as it was apparent that while males could get pregnant, it wasn’t something that many had thought about. Or researched before Seb and Ari had come along asking questions.
Bel and Atlas had no idea if their baby would be demon, human, or a mixture of the two. Currently Bel was going off the assumption that their baby would look human with some demon abilities like Atlas’s flickers.
It would be amazing to hold a child that looked like his mate. Bel also hoped that their baby took after Atlas in his calmness and easygoing nature. Only time would tell though. So much time. Like over ninety-two fucking days.
Atlas had told Bel that they should wait on the clothing until the baby was born but it would be simple enough to modify the outfits with magic. What Atlas didn’t understand was that there was no way Bel would be welcoming his baby into the world without a room full of stuff.
Stuff was important!
His mate should understand that the baby needed everything!
Collecting should start for their child the day they came into the world.
Bel sighed, folding the purple zebra onesie and setting it beside his knee.
Ninety-five days. That was how long Bel had been carrying the future of his bloodline. He might not have known he was pregnant until ten days in but the math added up and their precious bundle of joy should already be with them. Instead of Bel hiding in the empty nursery.
What if he never had the baby?
Was that possible? Could he be pregnant forever? It sure felt like it had been longer than the three months that all the lore said.
The wall opened behind him and Bel didn’t bother turning around.
He didn’t want to talk to his mate. Atlas was being mean.
Okay, that wasn’t fair. Atlas had tried to help Bel with the clothes.
He’d also suggested they take a walk or watch a movie together.
Atlas was still being the sweet, easygoing mate that Bel loved.
Bel just wanted Atlas to be a little more concerned that their baby hadn’t come yet!
“This is where you are hiding.”
Turning his head, Bel scowled at Asmos. “I didn’t let you in.”
“It’s a good thing that your mate did then. Or you wouldn’t have these.” Asmos plopped down beside Bel, showing one hand held a bag of buttery popcorn and the other had a familiar pink box smelling of the sweet cupcakes that Dean had been sending Bel weekly.
Bel waved the baby clothes away before greedily grabbing his treats.
“You’re welcome,” Asmos told him.
He grunted while shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Bel both hated and loved the flavor and texture of human popcorn. Magic really didn’t do it justice and Bel also hated that Asmos and Cary had been right.
“Hey!” Asmos said, nudging Bel’s knee with the tip of his boot. “Want to talk about it?”
“No,” Bel grumbled around a mouthful.
“Since your mate called me and insisted that I come over here to talk some sense into you, I think you might need to talk.”
Bel set his popcorn bag down before he opened the pretty pink box. A dozen artistically decorated cupcakes were lined up. Bel eyed his treat before picking one up and handing it over to Asmos.
“Really?” Asmos asked happily. “You’re sharing?”
“One,” Bel told him. “You can have one.” And he would save one for his mate. Atlas didn’t deserve Bel’s irritation or attitude.
“Okay.” Asmos peeled the paper off the bottom before taking a big bite.
Bel selected his own cupcake, the one with the most icing, before settling in to enjoy it.
“You know you’ll have the baby any day. It won’t be long now,” Asmos said.
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” Bel replied bitterly.
“But you’re the one pregnant,” Asmos said.
Bel nodded. He finished the first cupcake and bit into a second.
“I get it, man,” Asmos told him. “Okay, I don’t get being pregnant, because that hasn’t happened to anyone but you. I do understand everyone constantly giving you advice even if you don’t ask for it. Like you couldn’t possibly live your own life without their input.”
“Yeah.” Bel rubbed his hard stomach. Just a few hours ago his belly had been swollen and soft but now it felt like his skin would stretch and peel apart. And it hurt. He groaned again.
“Are you okay, really?” Asmos asked. “No bullshit. No jokes. How are you doing?”
“Atlas is mad at me.” The confession hurt his soul.
“I can assure you that Atlas is not mad at you,” Asmos said. “He’s worried.”
“He is?” Bel questioned. That was not the feeling he’d gotten from his mate.
“Of course I am.”
Bel scowled at Asmos as Atlas strolled in to sit behind Bel. He hadn’t even known that Atlas was in the room. All his senses were off. All Bel could smell was the sweetness of the icing on the pretty cupcakes and the heavy butter scent of the popcorn. He hadn’t even felt Atlas coming closer.
“Mate.” Atlas kissed the back of his head. He tried to wrap his arms around Bel’s stomach but with Bel as big as he was, Atlas’s hands only reached the sides.
“You’re not mad at me?” Bel asked softly.
“No, I feel helpless that I can’t do anything to make you feel better,” Atlas assured him.
Bel leaned back against his mate as Atlas rubbed the side of his belly. That felt amazing. “You help me. You’ve done nothing but help me.” And Bel was beginning to feel bad about everything Atlas did for him.
He was the big bad demon yet Atlas practically waited on him hand and foot. Mostly because if he didn’t have magic, Bel wasn’t sure how he would manage anything. How did human women and female demons do this?
Atlas’s phone chimed. He shifted around, bumping Bel, and Bel grumbled.
“It’s Seb. He and Ari want to come over. They said they found something on my heritage,” Atlas told him.
“Fine. I’m not sharing my popcorn or cupcakes though.” No matter how nice Seb and Ari were. He waved a hand to float another cupcake to him.
Atlas kissed the back of his neck again. “Of course, my mate. No one would try to take your sweets.”
That’s right. He was the one pregnant after all.
There was a prickling of his skin before Seb, Ari, and Ash appeared in the nursery.
“Oh! It’s so pretty!” Seb gushed.
Bel started to preen a little. He was very proud of the gorgeous nursery done in simple yet warm colors and furniture.
After seeing some pictures online, Bel had fallen in love with the earth tones and natural woods.
Even the touches from hell that Atlas had insisted on so both realms were represented came from the realm itself and not magic.
Another lightning-quick arc of pain shot through him. Bel gritted his teeth so no one else would notice. He was a tough demon. It was fine.
“It really is a beautiful nursery,” Ari said.
“Thanks, guys,” Atlas replied. “Sorry for not getting up. Bel really likes this carpet.”
The nursery was the only room in the house with carpet. Instead of black stone throughout the rest of the house, Bel had insisted the nursery had soft carpet for when the baby started to crawl. Or roll. Whatever.
“We don’t mind!” Seb plopped down across from them then pulled Ash to sit as well.
Ari knelt before settling on his ass. “How are you doing, Bel?”
Ignoring the pulses of pain, Bel smiled. “Pregnant.” It had become his go-to answer.
Ari laughed. “I see that. Sorry we aren’t able tell you more. All the material I found that mentions male pregnancy, most just theorize it.”
Bel shrugged. “Luci is basing his intel on angel pregnancies so we were just guessing anyway. Raphael has been visiting daily as the doctor for the angels and he thinks I’m only a few days past labor date and that’s natural for a first child.”
“I’d love to pick his brain,” Seb declared.
“After he helps deliver our child,” Atlas said.
“Of course.” Seb waved his hand. “But we did come with news.”
Ari perked up, leaning forward. “And we’re glad you’re here too, Asmos.”
“Me?” Asmos pointed to himself. “I didn’t do it!”
Bel snickered. “You probably did something but I don’t think you’re Atlas’s grandfather. That would just be too weird for me.”
Asmos hummed. “But you would be giving me my first great-grandchild, which would be cool. I’d make the best great-grandpappy!”
“Great-grandpappy?” Atlas repeated. “That’s what you would go with?”
Asmos shrugged. “I’ve been reading baby books. With names. Trying to decide what your baby should call his favorite person. That’s me, by the way.”