The Truth Is Hard To Swallow [Nine]
Title: The Truth Is Hard To Swallow [Nine]
Author: detourtoyou
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairing: Jack/Alex
POV: 3rd
Summary: Of course the one time he decided to act his age, Alex would end up messing even that up. But in his defense, it was hard to act his age when he was faced with things so entirely beyond his age and maturity level, like a one-night decision that decided to follow him into the rest of his life.
Warning: Mpreg
Disclaimer: This is sadly false and a complete lie created by my mind. Title taken from Toxic Valentine by All Time Low.
A/N: It's the first of October, and the weather here is absolutely gorgeous. This calls for an update :)
Alex didn't want to be here. More importantly, he didn't want to be here with this many people all hovering around him.
He was sitting in the waiting room of the prenatal section of the hospital. To his right was Caleb, to his left was Zack, and somewhere to the front was Jack, wandering around and possibly playing with the block set. For some odd reason that Alex would never understand, all three of them had decided that it was absolutely necessary for them to all come for Alex's first prenatal appointment. Which had been promptly scheduled by a horrified Zack when Alex had told him that he hadn't gone yet.
Out of all three of them, only Jack wasn't fussing over him, giving him ample space as he knocked down the tower he had just built. It was more than evident that the taller boy was bored out of his mind. It made Alex wonder why Jack had even come in the first place. That odd spark of hope that Alex didn't understand began to fizz up again.
Fidgeting with the thoughts in his head, Alex glanced up warily. There were three other women in the waiting room, two of them alone while the other had brought along her husband. Each of them was staring in his general direction, some curious, some disgusted, but all trying to figure out what four boys could possibly be doing in the prenatal ward of the hospital. And probably trying to guess which one of them was pregnant once they realized that there could only be one reason why they would be there. He sank back in his chair, trying to make himself smaller.
"Did all of you really need to come?" he asked, eyes counting the colorful dots on the tiles of the floor.
Caleb wrapped an arm around his shoulders, rubbing his upper arm comfortingly as he answered, "Probably not, but we wanted to make sure that everything's okay."
Zack nodded in agreement with a smile peeking from his lips.
"I can take care of myself, you know," he mumbled in a weak protest, crossing his arms with an uneasy sigh.
"Yeah, but I wanna see the baby," Zack admitted, smile growing impossibly wide.
The comment made Alex's own lips curve into a small, nervous smile as his heart fluttered in his chest. He was just as excited to see the baby as he was dreading it. Seeing the baby would somehow set his pregnancy into stone and that made Alex into a messy bundle of emotions, half of which he couldn't even properly name. He was afraid, and somewhere, he was still hoping that this was just a dream he would wake up from. But it wasn't and the second he actually saw the baby living inside of him, reality would be solidified. By no means was Alex ready for this.
"This place is boring," announced Jack loudly having finally wandered back over to them. He ignored the disapproving look the reception threw him and fell into the chair in front of Alex. "There's nothing to do here, and all the people are staring at us like they don't realize it's rude to stare," he commented, purposely letting his voice carry. It was followed by his eyes glancing over at them to further accentuate his point. The women hurriedly looked away, flustered with indignation at Jack's rude behavior.
"Jack, stop trying to pick a fight with the pregnant mothers," chided Zack. There was no real firmness behind his words, lined instead with amusement and silent approval. He had been growing tired of the insulting glares being thrown at Alex as well just because he was a pregnant teen and male.
Jack just shrugged, head tilted back as his eyes traveled up to the ceiling.
His restlessness was contagious, worsening Alex's own fidgeting. Alex circled his wrist with a nervous hand, feeling the sheen of sweat drenching his palms. Bottom lip pulled between his teeth, he tried to focus on simply breathing as his stomach churned with the hopes that it would calm him and his body down because right now, he was a complete mess and it showed.
A hand fell atop his own two, and he followed it up the length of the arm to Caleb's smiling visage. "It'll be okay, Alex. Don't worry."
Somehow, the elder didn't think that Caleb was talking about the same thing as he was thinking. His head dropped into a nod anyways, fingers tightening around his thin wrist. The weight of Caleb's hand was heavy and warm against his skin, and he let himself lean against the other, relaxing as the arm around his shoulders tugged him closer. He wasn't sure if he imagined the sound of a snort from the general direction that Jack was sitting in and just tucked himself tighter against Caleb's side.
"I wonder if the baby will be a boy or a girl," Zack pondered out loud, stroking his chin thoughtfully despite the obvious lack of a beard. "I bet it's a boy."
He grinned over at Alex, eyes shining with excitement. Honestly, it felt more like Zack was the one pregnant instead of Alex. It was nice having someone so enthusiastic and supportive in his stead though since Alex had trouble being either. Another thing to add on to his list of reasons to feel incredibly guilty: he wasn't as excited and positive as he should be about being pregnant. All he could think about was how frightened he was and how unfit he was to be a single parent at such a young age.
"I think it's a girl," said Caleb, turning from Zack to Alex. "Right, Alex? The baby's a girl."
Alex just laughed feebly. Frankly, he was not interested in the sex of the baby just yet. He was still having trouble swallowing down the fact that it was actually inside of him, growing and living, and that in six, seven short months, it would be outside of his stomach, crying, kicking, and living in the world where Alex could see it. His mom was going to be so heartbroken and disappointed.
"Gaskarth? Alex Gaskarth?"
Weakly, Alex got up to his feet, feeling his legs move like jell-o and threatening to give out at any minute. He brushed off Caleb's hand steadying him on the small of his back and approached the nurse who had called for him. She smiled at him, unlike the dark looks he received from behind from the other expectant mothers. The heated, venomous glares cut into his back, sharper now that they knew which one of the four to aim their disapproval and disgust at. It prickled his skin even as Caleb took a hold of his sweaty hand, squeezing comfortingly when he could not find his voice trapped in his throat.
"Are you Alex?" she asked softly, as though speaking any louder would cause him to turn tail and run. He was tempted to, but Caleb's hand in his own kept him in place.
"Y-yes."
The nurse smiled warmly at him, briefly frowning only at the other women in the room at their rude stares. She turned back to him, smile back in place. "Follow me, please. Your friends are welcome to follow as well."
The four of them trailed down the hallway as she led them into an empty, white room. Alex sat down carefully, the paper underneath him crinkling with each movement. Immediately, Caleb was by his side and Zack next to him. Jack hung back behind the two, eyeing the room with as much distaste as Alex.
"The doctor will be with you shortly."
It took only a few minutes for a pretty blonde to enter the room, charts in her hand and a friendly upturn of her lips that reminded Alex of his mother. "Hello. I'm Dr. Ferrero. It's nice to meet you, Alex," she introduced, holding out her hand for him to shake. He did so mechanically.
"Nice to meet you, too."
She turned to the other three boys, amusement crinkling her eyes as she observed them. "I am assuming that one of you is the father?"
"I am. Caleb Turman." Caleb held out his hand for a quick shake. "These are just our friends, Zack and Jack. They came for moral support."
Alex couldn't help but swallow back the vomit of words to inform all of them that the real father was standing behind them. He clutched onto the edge of the seat and turned his eyes away from where Jack stood, ignoring how his mind continuously said that it should be Jack standing next to him and not Caleb. Not that Alex didn't want Caleb here either. It just felt like Jack should be the one up front since he was the actual father, as much of a douchebag dickhead he was. On the other hand, Alex felt like the bigger douchebag dickhead for not telling the other.
"Do you know how long you've been pregnant, Alex?"
"Um. I think it's been about twelve, thirteen weeks maybe?"
She nodded, explaining to him the series of tests they would perform to make sure that everything was healthy and that the pregnancy was progressing normally. Alex could barely listen to her as he placed a shaking hand over his belly, wincing each time he thought about how close he was to seeing the baby. He almost didn't want to see it. Seeing it would make it too real, and once it became real, Alex would no longer be able to hide from it.
After the tests, she asked him to lie back on the bed and as a strange blue jelly was squirted onto his stomach, Alex hissed at the sudden coldness of it assaulting his nerve ends. His stomach dipped inward with the breath, and she smiled apologetically before moving the transducer against his belly. The picture flickered into amorphous colors and shapes.
He closed his eyes, grateful that everyone else was crowding around the table to peer at the monitor rather than focus on his own reaction. Hearing everyone's coos of excitement sent another wave of anxiety shooting through his body. Alex still didn't know if he wanted to see the baby or not. Fingers curling into a fist, he bit his lower lip with anticipation heavy in his gut. It was foolish, but he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready for any of this. For the responsibility of having a child, taking care of it, and being a parent. He was too young and stupid. What if he did something wrong? What if he messed up because he wasn't very mature and experienced enough to raise a baby?
"Alex?"
At the call of his name, he opened his eyes hesitantly, letting them skim over to the pretty face of the doctor before guiding them up to the monitor. The black and white screen kept flickering and his breath was gone as she pointed out a tiny head. Alex could not get his lungs to inflate as he stared, certain his heart had stopped beating. Oblivious to his dire lack of oxygen, she continued to move around, finding a leg, an arm, and then a tiny, tiny hand.
There it was. The baby. No, his baby. Moving, breathing, and living. Inside of him. It was actually a baby. Alex didn't know why this surprised him so much despite having known that he was pregnant with it for at least a month now, probably longer. And suddenly, as he stared at the moving picture of his baby, all those childish thoughts disappeared. He still wasn't ready, and he was still young and stupid, but he wasn't going to just abandon his child because he was feeling overwhelmed and scared. He would step up and do everything he could to make sure it grew up healthy and happy. Even if he had to do it alone.
Next to him, he could hear Zack and Caleb squealing in delight and amazement, breathing nonsense as they pointed at the monitor before giggling and squawking delightedly. The combined volume of their excitement cut through his thoughts, and even Dr. Ferrero laughed softly at their zeal. It was hard not to join in, especially when Zack pouted when she told them that it was too early to determine the sex of the baby yet.
Alex tilted his head back slightly to catch a glimpse of Jack; he was still standing in the same spot apart from the group, hands in his pockets. His eyes were glued to the screen feeding live image of the baby growing inside of him. His face was carefully impassive, and Alex knew that the drop in his stomach was not due to the baby.
"Oh my god, look! It looks like it's waving at us!" Zack cried, waving back immediately in response. "Look Lex! The baby's waving at us!"
His lips cracked into a timid smile as Alex turned his head back to look towards where Zack was pointing. The baby's tiny hand was moving back and forth on the screen, looking very much like it was waving to all of them. His heart jumped up to his throat and with a trembling hand, he waved back as well.
When they were back in the waiting room, Alex clutched onto the photo of his baby, being careful not to wrinkle it. He didn't hear Caleb's and Zack's excited babbling, ignoring it for the picture in his hand. He felt a little sick despite the fluttering of his heart each time he looked down at the ultrasound photo, attention completely eaten by it.
"Are you okay?"
Startled by the sudden voice, Alex almost jumped. Instead, his eyes scooted up to the side where Jack was sitting next to him, the seat between them empty. The other boy was looking at him with a quiet discomfort that most resembled worry. It was a notion that Alex wanted to laugh at. If he knew the truth, Jack would be anything but worried. He would be furious.
"Yeah. I'm just really... overwhelmed," he said as his fingers idly traced the outline of the baby's hand. It was hard to imagine that in a few short months, the baby had already grown so much. He swallowed, the urge to blurt the truth greater than ever now that he had actually laid eyes on the baby.
Jack nodded, misunderstanding his words the way Alex wanted him to misunderstand, and awkwardly patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. The baby's healthy, and that's all that really matters, right?"
Glancing down at the picture again, Alex felt his eyes prickle with water as he nodded his head. According to the doctor, the baby was growing just fine and he was at the end of his first trimester and now entering his second trimester, which meant that the chances of a miscarriage were greatly decreased. It also meant that abortion was no longer a choice, not that Alex had been considering it in the first place. The baby already felt like it belonged to him.
"Can I..." Jack hesitated, perking Alex's attention and curiosity. "Can I see the photo?"
Stunned at the unexpected request, the pregnant boy dipped his head into a nod as his hand automatically held it out for Jack to take. Jack accepted it with brushing fingers, being just as careful as Alex had been with the photo. The other teen watched him mutely, chest swelling with a feeling he wasn't ready to place a name on.
"His hand is really freakin' tiny," Jack commented as he lightly touched the blur of white with the tip of his index finger. He wriggled the finger, waving to the baby in the photo. Alex's heart fluttered again, happy and full. A shy, wide smile teased at his lips. Alex had thought the same thing as well, frightened and awed at the same time.
"Yeah, it is," he breathed, unable to hide the smile any longer as it broke out against his lips.
"It's actually pretty cool. Seeing the baby all moving inside of you and stuff. Even though the being pregnant part probably sucks." His eyes skimmed over to Alex for a fleeting second before tumbling back onto the photo in his hands and then up again.
"It's hard to adjust," he admitted. "I wasn't exactly expecting it, and there are a lot of things that are kind of worrying, but..." Hand landing on the faint outward curve of his belly, Alex just hummed, smile softening into a gentle pull of his lips.
As a non-pregnant person, Jack did not fully understand the sentiments Alex felt, but felt it appropriate to nod anyway despite his lack of words for a response. He didn't think there was anything he could add.
The voices of Zack and Caleb carried through the mostly empty waiting room, nearing them and interrupting whatever semblance of a pleasant, casual conversation they had been on the tip of almost achieving. Sheepish, Jack was quick to hand the photo back, a hint of embarrassment revealing itself in his awkward smile. Awkward only because it was made to look as though he was not interested and had not just asked to see the ultrasound photo. "It's, uh, cute. I mean, for a blob with tiny hands."
"Thanks." The comment flushed Alex with glee and he could not hold in the giggle as their fingers touched in the exchange. He could feel a wash of giddy delight hugging him as he traced the photo fondly with his finger. Jack looked away to the approaching two boys, feigning disinterest and boredom.
Another giggle escaped from Alex's smiling lips. Cute. Jack thought their baby was cute.
Author: detourtoyou
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairing: Jack/Alex
POV: 3rd
Summary: Of course the one time he decided to act his age, Alex would end up messing even that up. But in his defense, it was hard to act his age when he was faced with things so entirely beyond his age and maturity level, like a one-night decision that decided to follow him into the rest of his life.
Warning: Mpreg
Disclaimer: This is sadly false and a complete lie created by my mind. Title taken from Toxic Valentine by All Time Low.
A/N: It's the first of October, and the weather here is absolutely gorgeous. This calls for an update :)
Alex didn't want to be here. More importantly, he didn't want to be here with this many people all hovering around him.
He was sitting in the waiting room of the prenatal section of the hospital. To his right was Caleb, to his left was Zack, and somewhere to the front was Jack, wandering around and possibly playing with the block set. For some odd reason that Alex would never understand, all three of them had decided that it was absolutely necessary for them to all come for Alex's first prenatal appointment. Which had been promptly scheduled by a horrified Zack when Alex had told him that he hadn't gone yet.
Out of all three of them, only Jack wasn't fussing over him, giving him ample space as he knocked down the tower he had just built. It was more than evident that the taller boy was bored out of his mind. It made Alex wonder why Jack had even come in the first place. That odd spark of hope that Alex didn't understand began to fizz up again.
Fidgeting with the thoughts in his head, Alex glanced up warily. There were three other women in the waiting room, two of them alone while the other had brought along her husband. Each of them was staring in his general direction, some curious, some disgusted, but all trying to figure out what four boys could possibly be doing in the prenatal ward of the hospital. And probably trying to guess which one of them was pregnant once they realized that there could only be one reason why they would be there. He sank back in his chair, trying to make himself smaller.
"Did all of you really need to come?" he asked, eyes counting the colorful dots on the tiles of the floor.
Caleb wrapped an arm around his shoulders, rubbing his upper arm comfortingly as he answered, "Probably not, but we wanted to make sure that everything's okay."
Zack nodded in agreement with a smile peeking from his lips.
"I can take care of myself, you know," he mumbled in a weak protest, crossing his arms with an uneasy sigh.
"Yeah, but I wanna see the baby," Zack admitted, smile growing impossibly wide.
The comment made Alex's own lips curve into a small, nervous smile as his heart fluttered in his chest. He was just as excited to see the baby as he was dreading it. Seeing the baby would somehow set his pregnancy into stone and that made Alex into a messy bundle of emotions, half of which he couldn't even properly name. He was afraid, and somewhere, he was still hoping that this was just a dream he would wake up from. But it wasn't and the second he actually saw the baby living inside of him, reality would be solidified. By no means was Alex ready for this.
"This place is boring," announced Jack loudly having finally wandered back over to them. He ignored the disapproving look the reception threw him and fell into the chair in front of Alex. "There's nothing to do here, and all the people are staring at us like they don't realize it's rude to stare," he commented, purposely letting his voice carry. It was followed by his eyes glancing over at them to further accentuate his point. The women hurriedly looked away, flustered with indignation at Jack's rude behavior.
"Jack, stop trying to pick a fight with the pregnant mothers," chided Zack. There was no real firmness behind his words, lined instead with amusement and silent approval. He had been growing tired of the insulting glares being thrown at Alex as well just because he was a pregnant teen and male.
Jack just shrugged, head tilted back as his eyes traveled up to the ceiling.
His restlessness was contagious, worsening Alex's own fidgeting. Alex circled his wrist with a nervous hand, feeling the sheen of sweat drenching his palms. Bottom lip pulled between his teeth, he tried to focus on simply breathing as his stomach churned with the hopes that it would calm him and his body down because right now, he was a complete mess and it showed.
A hand fell atop his own two, and he followed it up the length of the arm to Caleb's smiling visage. "It'll be okay, Alex. Don't worry."
Somehow, the elder didn't think that Caleb was talking about the same thing as he was thinking. His head dropped into a nod anyways, fingers tightening around his thin wrist. The weight of Caleb's hand was heavy and warm against his skin, and he let himself lean against the other, relaxing as the arm around his shoulders tugged him closer. He wasn't sure if he imagined the sound of a snort from the general direction that Jack was sitting in and just tucked himself tighter against Caleb's side.
"I wonder if the baby will be a boy or a girl," Zack pondered out loud, stroking his chin thoughtfully despite the obvious lack of a beard. "I bet it's a boy."
He grinned over at Alex, eyes shining with excitement. Honestly, it felt more like Zack was the one pregnant instead of Alex. It was nice having someone so enthusiastic and supportive in his stead though since Alex had trouble being either. Another thing to add on to his list of reasons to feel incredibly guilty: he wasn't as excited and positive as he should be about being pregnant. All he could think about was how frightened he was and how unfit he was to be a single parent at such a young age.
"I think it's a girl," said Caleb, turning from Zack to Alex. "Right, Alex? The baby's a girl."
Alex just laughed feebly. Frankly, he was not interested in the sex of the baby just yet. He was still having trouble swallowing down the fact that it was actually inside of him, growing and living, and that in six, seven short months, it would be outside of his stomach, crying, kicking, and living in the world where Alex could see it. His mom was going to be so heartbroken and disappointed.
"Gaskarth? Alex Gaskarth?"
Weakly, Alex got up to his feet, feeling his legs move like jell-o and threatening to give out at any minute. He brushed off Caleb's hand steadying him on the small of his back and approached the nurse who had called for him. She smiled at him, unlike the dark looks he received from behind from the other expectant mothers. The heated, venomous glares cut into his back, sharper now that they knew which one of the four to aim their disapproval and disgust at. It prickled his skin even as Caleb took a hold of his sweaty hand, squeezing comfortingly when he could not find his voice trapped in his throat.
"Are you Alex?" she asked softly, as though speaking any louder would cause him to turn tail and run. He was tempted to, but Caleb's hand in his own kept him in place.
"Y-yes."
The nurse smiled warmly at him, briefly frowning only at the other women in the room at their rude stares. She turned back to him, smile back in place. "Follow me, please. Your friends are welcome to follow as well."
The four of them trailed down the hallway as she led them into an empty, white room. Alex sat down carefully, the paper underneath him crinkling with each movement. Immediately, Caleb was by his side and Zack next to him. Jack hung back behind the two, eyeing the room with as much distaste as Alex.
"The doctor will be with you shortly."
It took only a few minutes for a pretty blonde to enter the room, charts in her hand and a friendly upturn of her lips that reminded Alex of his mother. "Hello. I'm Dr. Ferrero. It's nice to meet you, Alex," she introduced, holding out her hand for him to shake. He did so mechanically.
"Nice to meet you, too."
She turned to the other three boys, amusement crinkling her eyes as she observed them. "I am assuming that one of you is the father?"
"I am. Caleb Turman." Caleb held out his hand for a quick shake. "These are just our friends, Zack and Jack. They came for moral support."
Alex couldn't help but swallow back the vomit of words to inform all of them that the real father was standing behind them. He clutched onto the edge of the seat and turned his eyes away from where Jack stood, ignoring how his mind continuously said that it should be Jack standing next to him and not Caleb. Not that Alex didn't want Caleb here either. It just felt like Jack should be the one up front since he was the actual father, as much of a douchebag dickhead he was. On the other hand, Alex felt like the bigger douchebag dickhead for not telling the other.
"Do you know how long you've been pregnant, Alex?"
"Um. I think it's been about twelve, thirteen weeks maybe?"
She nodded, explaining to him the series of tests they would perform to make sure that everything was healthy and that the pregnancy was progressing normally. Alex could barely listen to her as he placed a shaking hand over his belly, wincing each time he thought about how close he was to seeing the baby. He almost didn't want to see it. Seeing it would make it too real, and once it became real, Alex would no longer be able to hide from it.
After the tests, she asked him to lie back on the bed and as a strange blue jelly was squirted onto his stomach, Alex hissed at the sudden coldness of it assaulting his nerve ends. His stomach dipped inward with the breath, and she smiled apologetically before moving the transducer against his belly. The picture flickered into amorphous colors and shapes.
He closed his eyes, grateful that everyone else was crowding around the table to peer at the monitor rather than focus on his own reaction. Hearing everyone's coos of excitement sent another wave of anxiety shooting through his body. Alex still didn't know if he wanted to see the baby or not. Fingers curling into a fist, he bit his lower lip with anticipation heavy in his gut. It was foolish, but he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready for any of this. For the responsibility of having a child, taking care of it, and being a parent. He was too young and stupid. What if he did something wrong? What if he messed up because he wasn't very mature and experienced enough to raise a baby?
"Alex?"
At the call of his name, he opened his eyes hesitantly, letting them skim over to the pretty face of the doctor before guiding them up to the monitor. The black and white screen kept flickering and his breath was gone as she pointed out a tiny head. Alex could not get his lungs to inflate as he stared, certain his heart had stopped beating. Oblivious to his dire lack of oxygen, she continued to move around, finding a leg, an arm, and then a tiny, tiny hand.
There it was. The baby. No, his baby. Moving, breathing, and living. Inside of him. It was actually a baby. Alex didn't know why this surprised him so much despite having known that he was pregnant with it for at least a month now, probably longer. And suddenly, as he stared at the moving picture of his baby, all those childish thoughts disappeared. He still wasn't ready, and he was still young and stupid, but he wasn't going to just abandon his child because he was feeling overwhelmed and scared. He would step up and do everything he could to make sure it grew up healthy and happy. Even if he had to do it alone.
Next to him, he could hear Zack and Caleb squealing in delight and amazement, breathing nonsense as they pointed at the monitor before giggling and squawking delightedly. The combined volume of their excitement cut through his thoughts, and even Dr. Ferrero laughed softly at their zeal. It was hard not to join in, especially when Zack pouted when she told them that it was too early to determine the sex of the baby yet.
Alex tilted his head back slightly to catch a glimpse of Jack; he was still standing in the same spot apart from the group, hands in his pockets. His eyes were glued to the screen feeding live image of the baby growing inside of him. His face was carefully impassive, and Alex knew that the drop in his stomach was not due to the baby.
"Oh my god, look! It looks like it's waving at us!" Zack cried, waving back immediately in response. "Look Lex! The baby's waving at us!"
His lips cracked into a timid smile as Alex turned his head back to look towards where Zack was pointing. The baby's tiny hand was moving back and forth on the screen, looking very much like it was waving to all of them. His heart jumped up to his throat and with a trembling hand, he waved back as well.
When they were back in the waiting room, Alex clutched onto the photo of his baby, being careful not to wrinkle it. He didn't hear Caleb's and Zack's excited babbling, ignoring it for the picture in his hand. He felt a little sick despite the fluttering of his heart each time he looked down at the ultrasound photo, attention completely eaten by it.
"Are you okay?"
Startled by the sudden voice, Alex almost jumped. Instead, his eyes scooted up to the side where Jack was sitting next to him, the seat between them empty. The other boy was looking at him with a quiet discomfort that most resembled worry. It was a notion that Alex wanted to laugh at. If he knew the truth, Jack would be anything but worried. He would be furious.
"Yeah. I'm just really... overwhelmed," he said as his fingers idly traced the outline of the baby's hand. It was hard to imagine that in a few short months, the baby had already grown so much. He swallowed, the urge to blurt the truth greater than ever now that he had actually laid eyes on the baby.
Jack nodded, misunderstanding his words the way Alex wanted him to misunderstand, and awkwardly patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. The baby's healthy, and that's all that really matters, right?"
Glancing down at the picture again, Alex felt his eyes prickle with water as he nodded his head. According to the doctor, the baby was growing just fine and he was at the end of his first trimester and now entering his second trimester, which meant that the chances of a miscarriage were greatly decreased. It also meant that abortion was no longer a choice, not that Alex had been considering it in the first place. The baby already felt like it belonged to him.
"Can I..." Jack hesitated, perking Alex's attention and curiosity. "Can I see the photo?"
Stunned at the unexpected request, the pregnant boy dipped his head into a nod as his hand automatically held it out for Jack to take. Jack accepted it with brushing fingers, being just as careful as Alex had been with the photo. The other teen watched him mutely, chest swelling with a feeling he wasn't ready to place a name on.
"His hand is really freakin' tiny," Jack commented as he lightly touched the blur of white with the tip of his index finger. He wriggled the finger, waving to the baby in the photo. Alex's heart fluttered again, happy and full. A shy, wide smile teased at his lips. Alex had thought the same thing as well, frightened and awed at the same time.
"Yeah, it is," he breathed, unable to hide the smile any longer as it broke out against his lips.
"It's actually pretty cool. Seeing the baby all moving inside of you and stuff. Even though the being pregnant part probably sucks." His eyes skimmed over to Alex for a fleeting second before tumbling back onto the photo in his hands and then up again.
"It's hard to adjust," he admitted. "I wasn't exactly expecting it, and there are a lot of things that are kind of worrying, but..." Hand landing on the faint outward curve of his belly, Alex just hummed, smile softening into a gentle pull of his lips.
As a non-pregnant person, Jack did not fully understand the sentiments Alex felt, but felt it appropriate to nod anyway despite his lack of words for a response. He didn't think there was anything he could add.
The voices of Zack and Caleb carried through the mostly empty waiting room, nearing them and interrupting whatever semblance of a pleasant, casual conversation they had been on the tip of almost achieving. Sheepish, Jack was quick to hand the photo back, a hint of embarrassment revealing itself in his awkward smile. Awkward only because it was made to look as though he was not interested and had not just asked to see the ultrasound photo. "It's, uh, cute. I mean, for a blob with tiny hands."
"Thanks." The comment flushed Alex with glee and he could not hold in the giggle as their fingers touched in the exchange. He could feel a wash of giddy delight hugging him as he traced the photo fondly with his finger. Jack looked away to the approaching two boys, feigning disinterest and boredom.
Another giggle escaped from Alex's smiling lips. Cute. Jack thought their baby was cute.