Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Run
Two hours ago...
In the Crown Prince’s room, two people sat quietly across from each other. But the atmosphere of the two was completely opposite. One beamed with the radiance of a thousand suns, merrily devouring cake while an aura of whimsical flowers danced around him.
While the other looked like he’d just swallowed a gallon of bad milk, with a face so gloomy you could grow mushrooms on it. Pale and confused, he stared at the person across from him like they’d just sprouted a second head.
The contrast between them was like comparing a glittery disco ball to an old potato sack - one sparkled with joy while the other wilted in misery.
The sad sack wanted to say something several times but kept chickening out at the last second because apparently even his tongue had stage fright. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly like a goldfish gasping for air. Poor thing couldn’t even figure out what words wanted to come out of their own mouth!
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of awkward silence broken only by slurps and chews from Mr. Sunshine across the table, that happy camper finished his cake and wiped the frosting from his face with a napkin.
"So, darling," he said with a grin that could blind you. "You got something on your mind or just enjoying the view of my handsome face?"
"Carlton, you... how did you get pregnant?" Alaric finally managed to choke out, rubbing his temples. This was the umpteenth headache he’d gotten in the past two days thanks to this confounding creature sitting across from him.
"Duh, you’re an adult, how do YOU think I got pregnant? We had sex! Your big ol’ cock slid into my tight little hole and then you blasted me with your hot sticky load! BOOM! Baby made!" Carlton replied with a lecherous grin that made Alaric’s skin crawl.
Alaric felt his face flush at such vulgar language. Sure, he was a virgin but he’d read plenty about the birds and bees. Still, having it spelled out so crudely right in front of him was more than a little shocking. He held up a hand to silence Carlton.
"A-Ah!! Stop saying such dirty things!" Alaric sputtered, holding up a hand to silence Carlton. "I didn’t mean it like THAT!!! If you were a woman I could understand... but YOU’RE A MAN!!! How is this even possible?!?!"
Carlton pouted like a petulant child, sticking out his lower lip. "But darling, I told you yesterday that I’m a man who can get pregnant! You just didn’t believe me!" he whined.
Alaric shuddered at Carlton’s childish behavior and flirtatious tone. It was still so unsettling to see such a dramatic change in demeanor from the stoic friend he’d known for years. He rubbed his temples again, feeling another migraine coming on.
"Okay, let’s say you’re pregnant... but why are you saying I got you pregnant?" Alaric sputtered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "We’ve never... NEVER had sex! The closest we came was yesterday’s kiss!!!" He gestured wildly between them. "How can that little bean in your belly be mine?!"
Alaric took a deep breath and stared Carlton down. "Look, Carlton," he said firmly, "we may be best friends since diapers were involved, but that doesn’t mean you can just accuse me of being some kind of baby daddy!"
Carlton looked utterly crestfallen, his pout deepening like a bottomless pit. His lower lip trembled as if about to burst into tears – which wouldn’t have been surprising considering the whole situation was basically one giant soap opera episode gone wrong.
"What do you mean ’accusing’? Are you saying I cheated on YOU?" Carlton exclaimed dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock offense. "I swear on my mother’s grave (who, by the way, is probably rolling in her grave right now), I’ve only ever had sex with YOU!" He sighed heavily. "Sigh... Sigh... Look, darling," he continued, his voice dropping to a weary whisper. "I told you – I think I might be stuck back in past! So the one who got me pregnant is... well... you from the future."
Carlton looked utterly exhausted despite being the one who had thrown a wrench into everyone’s reality over the past two days. "Trust me on this one," he pleaded weakly. "We’ll both get more tired if you keep denying reality." he sighed dramatically before slumping back in his chair like a deflated balloon animal.
"Carlton, the problem is that your reality is about as believable as a dragon riding a cartridge!" Alaric exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "How am I supposed to wrap my head around this? My best friend, who’s a MAN, suddenly claiming he’s from the future? And that in said future we get hitched and have enough kids to start our own folkball team?!" He shook his head incredulously. "It’s all just... absurd! I mean, come on! Men getting pregnant?! Even if I believed time travel was real – which let’s be honest it isn’t - that’s not something you see in any history book or science textbook!"
Alaric buried his face in his hands with another frustrated sigh.
Carlton stood up abruptly and then plopped down beside Alaric, gently placing Alaric’s hand on his flat stomach. "Look," Carlton said softly but firmly, "I know it sounds crazy. You don’t have to believe me about the time-traveling thing right now." He paused for effect before continuing, "But at least I hope you can acknowledge the existence of our baby. It’s your flesh and blood...and it would be pretty messed up if you didn’t want anything to do with it."
Alaric’s hand felt stiff as he hesitantly pressed against Carlton’s stomach. Honestly, his brain was struggling to process everything that had just happened – or rather, everything that was happening right now. If this whole pregnancy thing was true - which seemed impossible but here they were - then a part of him, a small tiny part deep down in the chaos of confusion, started to feel... something. A strange warmth maybe?
Even though he’d never had sex with anyone... especially not a man... well, it felt strangely mellowing...
Then his fingers brushed against Carlton’s defined abs – sculpted perfection that put Alaric’s own physique to shame – and the mellow feeling vanished like smoke in the wind. His baby carrier... had abs more impressive than his own?! It wasn’t fair!
Well, well, well... Alaric does have a respectable six-pack, but Carlton here has an envy-inducing EIGHT-PACK! And not only that, but he’s apparently been through this whole pregnancy rodeo before - multiple times at that! What kind of crazy pregnant man perk is that?
Is there some secret prenatal workout routine for pregnant men that I don’t know about? Some kind of evolutionary advantage for baby carriers?
Alaric shook his head, trying to make sense of it all.
Carlton watched Alaric’s mood swing faster than a hummingbird on espresso. His heart sank; it looked like young Alaric wasn’t quite ready to embrace the reality they were living in - or their future family.
"Do you still have doubts about all this?" Carlton asked softly, concern lacing his voice. "I know it’s a lot to take in... but please don’t doubt our baby or push me away." He placed a comforting hand on Alaric’s knee.
Alaric felt awkward under Carlton’s gaze and slowly withdrew his hand from Carlton’s stomach as if it had burned him.
"I... I don’t know," he stammered, feeling utterly lost in a sea of confusion. Even though logic screamed ’impossible,’ there was something about Carlton’s earnestness, the way his hand rested on his stomach, that made Alaric doubt himself. "Even if this is really my baby... I don’t know what to do."
His usually sharp mind felt like it had been replaced with cotton wool. As crown prince, he prided himself on making calculated decisions and strategizing every move – but right now? He was completely blank. Every path forward seemed riddled with potential disaster.
He placed a hesitant hand on Carlton’s shoulder, feeling the tension in those sculpted muscles beneath his touch. "Give me until tomorrow," he pleaded, desperately seeking a moment of clarity amidst the chaos. "Or maybe two days... It’s not that I’m rejecting this child," he added quickly, as if afraid of upsetting Carlton further. "I just need time to think - figure out what’s best for all of us."
"Okay, okay, I get it," Carlton replied with a nod, trying to mask his disappointment. He understood Alaric needed time to process this mind-blowing revelation. "Take all the time you need."
As they both started to relax a bit, Alaric’s brow suddenly furrowed in thought. He studied Carlton intently - the man looked so carefree and happy-go-lucky now, hardly resembling the usually stoic and serious past version of himself that Alaric knew.
"Darling?" Carlton asked quizzically at the intense scrutiny.
"Ahem." Alaric cleared his throat awkwardly before broaching the subject that had suddenly occurred to him.
"Speaking of our future..." Alaric began slowly, as if piecing together a complex puzzle. "If you go back in time while pregnant... will your timeline still be the same? Will our children... even exist after this?"
Carlton’s smile faltered for just a moment before vanishing completely replaced by a look of stark terror. He had been so caught up in the present, enjoying this unexpected second chance with a younger Alaric, that he hadn’t even considered the potential consequences of his actions. The thought of jeopardizing his future – his husband, their children – sent a shiver down his spine.
Carlton leapt to his feet, panic rising in his chest. He bolted for the door, desperate to find answers or at least a moment alone to process this terrifying new development.
"Darling!" Carlton called over his shoulder as he fled. "I... I need some air! I’ll be back soon!"
Alaric jumped up as well, concerned by Carlton’s abrupt departure. He took a step to follow but Carlton held up a hand to stop him.
"No, darling," Carlton said firmly, even as fear shone in his eyes. "Please... let me handle this on my own for now. I promise I’ll explain everything when I get back."
"Carlton, you’re pregnant!!!" Alaric shouted after him, his voice laced with disbelief and a hint of panic. "Don’t be rash!"
But Carlton was already halfway down the hall, his usual calm demeanor replaced by an almost manic energy as he sprinted towards freedom.
"It’s okay, darling!!!" He called back over his shoulder, still running at a breakneck pace. "When I was pregnant with our triplets we even managed to defeat 23 bandits on our way to the Kingdom of Reatia! Me and the babies are always strong!"
Alaric skidded to a halt right in front of his chamber door, utterly speechless. His mind raced trying to process this unbelievable information. He muttered under his breath more to himself than anyone else: "How can I trust he’s actually pregnant if he acts like this? Defeating dozens of bandits while carrying three babies...are they normal children or little demons?"
The royal guards who had overheard Carlton’s outburst exchanged bewildered glances. They tried their best to maintain composure – professional soldiers didn’t gawk at impossible scenarios – but their faces betrayed them with an array of question marks that would have made Shakespeare proud. They all simultaneously thought their ears must be playing tricks on them, however the words "pregnant" and "triplets" hung in the air like a bizarre punchline.
Their internal monologue was a symphony of disbelief:
Did we just hear that right? A man... pregnant...
They couldn’t help but chuckle awkwardly inside their heads. It would make more sense if it were Prince Alaric who was expecting! The thought of Duke Carlton, renowned for his strength and masculinity, carrying children seemed utterly preposterous!
Alas, the guards remained blissfully unaware of the truth! They stood there with their stoic faces, convinced they’d just witnessed a collective hallucination brought on by too much mead and not enough sleep. They’d never guess that the mighty Duke Carlton, a pillar of masculine strength and virility, was indeed sporting a bun in his oven – courtesy of Prince Alaric himself.
Meanwhile, Alaric retreated to his own chamber, deciding to bide his time and wait for Carlton’s return. In truth, he had a pretty good idea where his vest friend had gone off to in such a tizzy. Alaric wanted to see if Carlton would stumble upon some clue or portal back to his own time...or if he’d come up empty-handed.
Little did our crown prince know that the unexpected was about to rear its head once more when Carlton finally returned mere tens of minutes later!
