“Let’s change the subject. You were... You had something for me?”
And now Hades looked kind of awkward and shy, nothing like Aaren had ever seen before.
Aaren sat up straight, eyes wide. “Did aliens kidnap you?”
“No, nothing like that.” Hades kissed his temple. “I bought you something. Well, maybe it’s not quite for you? You’ll see.”
He grabbed a huge package he’d set by his feet, placing it on Aaren’s lap.
It was soft and squishy, the wrapping paper crinkling under Aaren’s fingers. Aaren carefully tore open the paper, gasping at the stack of tiny clothes inside—onesies, mittens and socks, little hats and stuffed toys, and even a soft blanket.
“Oh,” Aaren whispered, looking up at Hades.
“You like?” Hades whispered back.
Aaren swallowed hard, his eyes prickling. “Y-Yeah. Of course I do. This is amazing.”
Hades perked up, looking so pleased with himself.
Aaren had to link their fingers together. “You won’t mess up, you know. Well, I mean, everyone probably does, we’re just human. Sooner or later, someone will make a mistake no matter how much they try not to. But I think it’s the way we move on from those messes that matters. As long as we do our best not to fuck up again.”
Hades looked so proud. “Like those Ballus-shaped mistakes, you mean?”
Aaren huffed. “Thanks for getting me out of that mess. I didn’t know how to dig myself out of that hole.”
“That’s what I’m here for. To help you with your holes.”
Aaren giggled. He leaned in close and kissed the corner of Hades’ lips. “Thank you for the present. I like it a lot.”
“Yeah?” Hades grinned, rubbing Aaren’s baby bump. It was definitely a bump now, half the size of a watermelon and growing a little larger every day. Hades moved Aaren around on the couch so he could tuck himself behind Aaren. They were now nestled together, Aaren’s back to Hades’ chest. Hades slipped his hands under Aaren’s shirt, stroking all over his belly. “Now, if our little one would just kick, everything would be perfect.”
Aaren had been feeling tiny flutters for some time now, but they were so faint that they were lost to Hades on the outside. Hades always wore a wistful sort of happiness whenever Aaren told him about them; he wanted to feel their baby for himself.
Hades grew more perfect every day, and he didn’t even know it.
Aaren snuggled into his alpha, picking out the little onesies one by one. There were some with baby animals, some with rainbows, lots with bright colors, and the socks even matched. “The frogs remind me of the ones by the front door—”
In his belly, someone kicked.
“Oof,” Aaren said.
Hades sucked in a sharp breath. “Sweetheart. Did you...? Did I just...?”
He peered over Aaren’s shoulder with such awe, the years falling away from his face in his excitement. Hades rubbed Aaren’s belly. To his delight, their little one kicked again.
“Fuck,” Hades whispered, looking like he’d just witnessed actual magic. “That’s our baby.”
“We should probably not say ‘fuck’ so much,” Aaren said dryly, but it was such a small thing in the face of all the other injustices in the world. “As long as the first word isn’t ‘fuck’, I guess.”
“Could be worse. It could be ‘Ballus’.”
“No!” Aaren said, so vehemently that Hades laughed. Then Aaren huffed, settling back against his alpha. “You’re right though.”
Hades rumbled, picking up a onesie and trailing his wrist over it. He rubbed it against the scent gland on Aaren’s wrist, too. “So our little one will smell like us.”
Aaren’s heart swelled. He needed to find the courage to propose to this man, sooner rather than later.
Hades had been actingsneaky for days. Aaren watched suspiciously from their bed as Hades checked behind the nightstand and under the dresser, like he was looking for something.
