Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
Iago had gotten the text around three p.m..
He’d, of course, said sure. He’d offered to meet Xander at his place, but the immediate negative text back had shaken him.
Was Xander breaking up with him? Was something wrong? Did Xander have someone staying at the house that he didn’t want Iago to meet?
It just seemed so weird.
So, he wandered around his rooms, hiding out, nibbling on graham crackers.
So fucking weird, but they were what he wanted. He left crumbs everywhere, but he just didn’t have the oomph to clean them up.
He wanted chicken soup from Xander.
Iago found himself near tears. He didn’t know what was wrong with him, but he wanted it to stop.
Immediately, if not sooner.
A soft knock at the door sounded, and he moved to answer it, not wanting the other guys to come out and see them until he knew what was going on.
“Come on in. Do you want to go up to my room or talk down here?” He was going to barf.
‘We can go up. I, uh, brought you soup.” Xander held up a bag. “So, if you’d rather eat here.”
Oh, God. Consolation soup. “I’d rather not share with the guys.”
“Cool.” Xander moved close to kiss him, lips warm and lingering.
His eyes filled with tears. “Are you breaking up with me?”
Mason and Law burst through the kitchen door, eyes wide. “What the fuck?”
“We thought he was going to ask you to move in!”
“Or propose!”
“Or at least offer to pay child support!”
“Shit, man, we thought you were the good guy…”
“SHUT UP!” Iago had had enough. He headed out of the house, running for either Colton or Gent’s place.
He staggered a little when he stepped off the curb, which let Xander catch up to him, still holding his bag of soup in one hand. He caught Iago around the waist with the other arm, steadying him.
“Baby. Slow down. Please. I’m not breaking up with you.”
“No? I love you. I don’t want to break up. I really love you, like for real.” He was a mess, a sobbing idiot.
“No. No, baby. I love you, too. So much. I just think you’re pregnant.” Xander turned him so they were facing each other, the soup clunking Xander’s elbow.
“Me? Really?” His world screeched to a halt. “You do?”
“I do. I was gearing up to tell you I got you a test. I was going to feed you soup first.” Xander smiled so wide his freckles all scrunched up.
“Yeah? And…and what if I am? Also, is it chicken noodle?” He didn’t know what to think.
“It is chicken noodle, and if you are, we need to talk. About more serious stuff than what’s for supper. I didn’t want to do it at my place because…” Xander sighed. “I worry it’s not safe. Shit is going down.”
Iago blinked, because what? “What shit?”
“Well, remember how the blueprints disappeared?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Stuff like that. Windows and doors slamming. Stuff getting broken.”
“Damn. What do the guys say? Maybe we should go—”
“No. You might be pregnant. If you are…no…”
Iago stared at Xander as if he’d just lost his mind. Because he had to have. “I don’t know if I am, but what if I am? You let Sebastian stay in his house.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Iago’s let his eyebrows wing up. “What? Colton was there. I’d be with you. It’s your house.”
Xander took a deep breath, then held up his hands as if trying to bring down the energy. “Are you trying to use logic on me? I brought you chicken soup.”
He had to smile at that. “You have an excellent point. Let’s go in.”
“Let’s.” Xander wrapped an arm around Iago, steering him back inside.
When the guys crowded around them, Xander held up the hand holding the bag. “I made soup enough for all. And bread. But Iago and I are going upstairs to eat, and we’re not taking questions until later.”
Like he was some grand public figure and they were reporters.
Iago didn’t argue. He just nodded, holding Xander’s hand. “We’re not breaking up. It’s important that they know that.” Because he didn’t want to worry his family. Any of them. The big thing was they were together.
“So, come on and get some food before we head upstairs.” Xander seemed to find a smile for everyone, then led them all to the kitchen.
The sound of the front door slamming open made them all flinch, and soon Gent stormed into the kitchen.
“You’re breaking up with him?” Gent demanded.
“You called him already?” Xander rolled his eyes toward the guys. “No. I brought soup and a pregnancy test.”
“A preg—You’re pregnant, Iago?”
“Now, Gent…” Somehow Colton was there with the kids and Sebastian in tow. “Bastian says—”
“I don’t care!” Gent poked Xander in the chest. “What are you going to do about it?”
“Boss! You can’t—y’all.” Iago tugged at one of his braids. “You’ve got to stop. You’re freaking me out.”
Xavier rubbed his temples. “This is why I wasn’t going to do it at my place, because I thought the ghosts would be grumpy. Instead, I get real-life people grumpy!” Xander looked like he might blow a fuse. “You know what? This is none of your business, none of any of your business.”
“He’s our family—” Mason started, and Xander cut him off.
“He’s my lover, and if he is pregnant, it is my baby.”
Oh, he didn’t think so. Iago cleared his throat.
“Our baby,” Xander corrected. “It is our baby, and I will do what is right by my omega.”
Iago cleared his throat again and gave Xander the hairy eyeball.
“Which will be exactly what he wants, because consent is sexy.”
Good man.
They pulled out the soup, and everybody got themselves a bowl, which still left him plenty because Xander had brought probably an entire stock pot’s worth in that big reusable grocery bag he’d been carrying. The two of them headed upstairs, armed with bowls and spoons and a third loaf of bread.
He would bet Xander was hungry after working at the banquet all afternoon, and his belly was rumbly because it was chicken noodle soup, and he’d been out for a couple of days.
Xander gave him a sideways kind of grin. “Sorry if I got a little possessive there, baby. You kind of do that for me.”
“You pulled it back in the nick of time.” He sat on the edge of the bed, tugging over his little side table for the food. “Do you really think I could be pregnant?”
He hadn’t considered it, although obviously everyone else had.
“Yeah. I mean, either that or you have stomach cancer. Or an alien parasite.” Xander shrugged. “I know which I would prefer.”
“Jesus! Xander! Cancer? Really?” He stared at his lover. “Never say something like that. Also, a baby is, yes, better than cancer.”
“Is an alien parasite cooler, though?”
He whapped Xander’s chest.
“Sit, baby.” Pouring them both a bowl of soup, Xander handed him a spoon and also a piece of bread on a paper towel. “Eat up. I’ve been so worried, and then I thought, oh… And I told Bastian you hadn’t had a heat, and he was like, how would you know? You guys are like bunnies.”
“I always want you. There’s nothing wrong with that.” The soup smelled perfect, and his tummy rumbled again.
“Cheers.” Xander clinked spoons with him, which made him huff out a laugh.
“Love this. Thank you.” He slurped soup, and oh, it was so savory and perfect, the veg soft yet with a bit of a bite, and the broth homemade, the noodles not too mushy.
He was in heaven, except for that whole ‘omg I might be pregnant’ thing.
That was… scary.
“Are you okay?” Xander scooped up soup with bread, watching him closely.
“A little nervous, to be honest.” He wasn’t sure he was ready to know if he was pregnant.
“Okay. Do you want to wait a few days and think about it?”
“No. You brought soup. And a test. And we might as well start the ball rolling.”
“Eat first, love. Your stomach keeps growling.” Xander reached over to touch his hand.
“You’re right. You make the perfect soup. Like seriously.”
“I make it just for you. It has to be right.” That little grin made his heart beat faster. It truly did.
“Do you think we’re having a baby?” Iago thought it would be--it could be--amazing.
“I hope so.” Xander’s cheeks were red as apples.
“I always thought it would be amazing to have a family, but it was an abstract thing until you. I admit when I met you, I panicked. That was why I was such an asshole sometimes — because deep down I knew you were my omega. If we’re going to have a baby, I want that.
” Those callused cook’s fingers just kept rubbing over the back of his hands and holding on for dear life.
He felt good. Iago decided he felt supported, which was great. He had the guys; he always had. They were such good friends to him, starting with Gent and Colton and working down to Mason and Law, and now the rest of Hot Springs Junction seemed to be his family, but Xander was special.
Xander was only his.
Wide eyed, he nodded. “I would love to try making a family with you.”
Xander squeezed his hand. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”
“Okay. I should take the test before I finish my soup so I have something to do with my hands, huh?”
Xander chuckled softly and nodded to him. “If you’re cool with that.”
He didn’t know, but he knew he couldn’t wait. “I’ll be right back. Save my soup.”
His fingers were shaking as he peed on the stick, put the test on a washcloth, and washed his hands.
Then he went to finish his soup.
“Okay?” Xander asked, watching him again. There was this uber-protective air about him, which was sweet.
“Well, I didn’t puke.” He winked.
“Good deal.”
“Also, I didn’t cry.”
“Also amazing.” Xander pulled a face and ate a big bite of bread.
“My hands shook.”
“Well, that’s okay. It’s bound to be nerve-wracking. I’ve had days to think on it.” Xander fed him a bite of bread.
“Days? Really?” Iago blinked at him. “And you didn’t say anything?”
“I wasn’t sure. At first I thought you had a stomach bug.” Xander dipped more bread into the soup, then sat back to munch. “But then all you wanted to eat was soup. And you went well beyond the time period for a bug. And then I realized you only got sick if you overheated…”
“Or in the morning. Or when I smell perfume.” Lord.
“Yeah. But that’s not the stomach flu. But then I didn’t know how to bring it up, and you didn’t seem to be thinking the same thing…”
He gave Xander a look. “You’ve have more pregnant friends than I have.”
“No, I have a friend who was pregnant twice. I was here for both. You only got to deal with one.”
“True.” He held Xander’s gaze. “Is it time to look?”
“Yeah.” They stared at each other for long moments. Then Xander stood and held out his hand. “Come on.”
They went into the bathroom and stared down at the little plastic wand, both of them holding their breath.