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"Alright, Neuvillette, Wriothesley, see you later!"
As Aether and Paimon wave their hands and exit Neuvillette's office in Palais Mermonia (where currently the Duke and the Iudex have their umpteenth meetings), Neuvillette sighs and scoots closer to Wriothesley, going straight to his arms.
The Duke embraced him tightly with both hands. "Tired?"
Neuvillette shook his head. "Not really. It's just that I don't expect that our baby will be so clingy to his father." he looked up at the man whom he can't get enough, no matter how long they have been together. "Does he have a radar on you? Because it seems like every time you're near, he always feels your presence which then he sends the signal to me as his mother to get closer to you."
Wriothesley laughed softly as his hands caressed his wife's silver long hair. "Is it really our baby or their mother who can't resist to get close to me, hm?"
"Both of us, I assume." the pretty dragon answered truthfully. "Let's move to the sofa?"
Without hestitating, the handsome Duke places each hands on his expecting wife's knees and back, bridal carrying him to the sofa.
On the sofa, they don't let go of each other. So Neuvillette sits still on his husband's lap, making himself comfortable in his protective arms.
His pregnancy hormone games is getting stronger each day, but Neuvillette has no complain at all. Their baby has been growing inside his womb for 14 weeks already, but they don't really make a fuss aside of few times making their mother got a morning sickness and has no appetite.
And, of course, an increasing level of clinginess.
Before, even if he can't get enough of Wriothesley, at least Neuvillette can still keep his yearns until he's off duty as a Chief Justice at the end of the day, till he reaches their home.
Yet since nurturing another life inside his body, some slight changes both in his physique and behavior can't be avoided.
His baby bump starts showing, so does his sensitivity.
He cries more easily than usual, even if it's only for something small, just like yesterday when he forgot where he put Wriothesley's lunch box. Actually, it's Wriothesley who forgot to bring the lunch box back home, and they do have some lunch boxes to use. But that time, Neuvillette insisted to pack his husband's lunch in that blue box decorated with a small baby wolf (in which Sigewinne and Clorinde couldn't hide their teasing smile when they saw that cute lunch box). Since he couldn't find it, Neuvillette was crying for like half an hour. Wriothesley had already prepared to get the box from his office, but Neuvillette, still sobbing, shook his head (while still sobbing) and continue prepared the lunch box, accompanied by Wriothesley's apology and soothing words.
Then when he met an injured kitten at Court of Fontaine's street. He cried while holding the poor kitten, making the Fontainians present panicked while tried to calm their pregnant Iudex. Fortunately, with the help of the melusines and Chevreuse (yes, the Captain of the Special Security and Surveillance Patrol needs to come herself because people couldn't calm the crying Iudex), the Chief Justice finally calm down and finally brought the kitten to the vet to be treated.
And also when he has to preside the trial which involved some tragic backstory. He may look composed, calm, and slightly cold as any other day. But when the trial is over and he's back alone in his office, the tears he held back comes freely, and at the same time, rain pours straight to all over Fontaine.
What a colorful journey to be a mother, indeed.
"I can tell that our son love you too much, Husband." Neuvillette inhaled the scent that emanated from his husband's body. "Everytime you're near, the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach disappears completely. It can be said that we feel safe and sound in your presence."
"Glad to be trusted so much by two most important person in my life." Wriothesley kissed Neuvillette's forehead. "Anyway, you keep addressing our baby as a 'son'. Did I miss something?"
As he remembers, Sigewinne has yet mention this matter when Neuvillette had the check up last month. Or did they talk about it randomly when he's not around?
"No." Neuvillette shook his head. "But I know he's a boy. A boy who looks so much like you, his father."
"How do you know that?"
"Mother instinct and dragon instinct." Neuvillette smiled. "I don't know how to explain; I just can feel it."
Wriothesley found this answer amusing. "What if it's a daughter?"
"Then it's a daughter. A new little sister for the melusines." the dragon chuckled. "I remember we haven't shared our thought about this yet. What do you think?"
"About what?"
"Our baby's gender." Neuvillette caressed his husband's cheek. "What do you expect them to be? Do you want a son or a daughter?"
"Ah." now it's Wriothesley turn to chuckled. "For me, it doesn't matter whether they're a son or a daughter, as they're ours. Or maybe it'll be best if we can have twins, a girl and a boy." he said as he gave another kiss on his wife's silky long hair. "However, what really matter is that both mother and baby are safe, healthy, and happy during the nine months journey."
In his arms, Neuvillette feels his eyes are getting hot after listening to his beloved husband's words.
Just as he imagines, Wriothesley is such a perfect husband and father, so lovely. Neuvillette is truly grateful to be his wife.
"How about you, as the one who's carrying them?"
"Same as you. As their mother, it doesn't matter whether it's a daughter or a son, though we already have the melusines as our daughters, and I really want to have a son who looks like you, so that I can feel like taking care of little Wriothesley and give him all the best love and everything he deserves." Neuvillette hands came to cup his belly, subconsciously protecting it.
Wriothesley can hear the trembling of Neuvillette's voices. To prevent any tears come out, he puts his finger under Neuvillette's chin and starts kissing those cherry lips, nibbling on it slowly but steadily, then playing his tongue inside that sweet mouth until the Iudex has to pat his husband's chest lightly as the signs that he needs some oxygen.
Wriothesley does as he told, letting their entangled mouths apart, only to see his dragon wife greedily inhaling the oxygen, panting heavily with a flush on his slightly chubby cheeks, thanks to the craving he has lately.
"Feeling any better?" he moved his mouth to Neuvillette's forehead, placing a lingering kiss there.
"Uh-uh." Neuvillette nodded. "Apologies, I just-"
"No need, Beautiful" Wriothesley hands cupped that pretty face. "What's there to be forgiven, hm? Your feelings is valid, but still, I don't want you to feel guilty for something you can't control."
Neuvillette looks into the icy blue eyes that make him falls in love every time their gazes meet.
"Do you know how much I love and adore you, Mon Amour?"
"I do, Beautiful. I really do." Wriothesley brought Neuvillette's hands to his lips. "It can be seen clearly from the way you look and treat me, as I also see myself doing the same thing to you. I love and adore you as much as you do to me, Neuvillette."
Neuvillette smiled lovingly. "Thank you for having me as your wife and letting me be the mother for your child, Husband. I love you."
"I love you more, and also our little one." Wriothesley put their hands on top of Neuvillette's small baby bump.
Neuvillette moved their hands together, caressing their little one who's sleeping soundly in his belly. "Your son also love you so much."
Wriothesley laughed. "Of course our son loves me, and loves you for sure. We're his parents, after all." but somehow, his smile faltered a little. "Anyway, if in the end you give birth to a daughter, you'll also be happy, right?"
The Chief Justice pecked his handsome Duke's lips. "That's a sure thing, Husband. I love them regardless it's a girl or a boy. They're the proof of our love, how can I not be happy to have them in my arms?"
Finally, Wriothesley sighs in relief. Looking at how Neuvillette keeps insisting that their first unborn will be a boy, he can't help but feel a bit worry.
What if their first unborn is a daughter instead of a son?
Will Neuvillette be sad? Disappointed?
Yet not long after, Wriothesley curses himself for being too simple minded.
Neuvillette is the most loving person he's ever met. He respects and cares for everything and everyone, even if he does it in his own way.
How come he will be disappointed in his own child, the child he carries in his womb, the life that forms from their love?
Neuvillette's kind soul could never.
"Ah, I forgot to mention a thing that I certainly will do if our child is truly born as a girl."
Wriothesley's raised an eyebrow. "What would it be?"
Neuvillette's brought his face closer to his husband. "If I give birth to a girl in my first, second, third, and next pregnancy, then you must take a responsibility to impregnate me again and again until we get a boy."
Hearing this, Wriothesley thought of something. "How many children do you plan to have, Beautiful?"
"Until we get at least one son, I won't mind getting pregnant every year." answered Neuvillette in all honesty.
The handsome Duke's almost got speechless. "That would be quite exhausting for you to have your womb carries a baby every year, no?"
"Not at all." Neuvillette's chuckled. "This wife of yours is a dragon sovereign, if I must to remind you, Your Grace."
Wriothesley closed his eyes. "Still..."
Pregnancy is not something that can be taken lightly. It takes a toll on the mother's body. While it's a happy moments for some people, but the tiring process of the pregnancy is still here.
"Three."
"What?"
Wriothesley gently played with his wife's blue rhinophores. "We'll be trying until the third child. If we still don't have a boy at the third pregnancy, then accept it as our fate."
"Can we make it to five?"
"Huh?"
"Five children." Neuvillette tried to negotiate. "We'll stop trying to get a boy after my fifth pregnancy. Please, Husband?"
The Administrator of the Fortress of Meropide sighed. "Let's talk about this later, since we have to adjust it according to the condition that time, okay? Besides, we already have something more important to focus on, which has been living in your womb for several weeks now."
As if just remember, Neuvillette hugs his belly in protective way. "You're right, Husband. Now is the time to focus on our little one here. As for the other matters, let's save it for another day."
"Agree." Wriothesley nodded. "And how about if you really give birth to a son?"
"Then he will be our one and only child." Neuvillette held Wriothesley's hand. "Do you mind if we only have one child?"
"Of course I don't mind, Neuv. Actually, having one child sounds right for me, because I can give him everything without worrying that I'll be partial to his other siblings." Wriothesley shrugged. "It's just my thought, anyway. If we really end up with more than one child, I'll make sure that they get the same love."
Neuvillette leaned more comfortably into his husband's embrace, rubbing that sturdy chest with his slender fingers. "I believe you'll be the best father that our child ever have, Husband."
Wriothesley smiled softly. "And you'll be the most beautiful, kind-hearted, loving mother that our child ever have. I'm really lucky to have you as my wife, Neuv."
They spend the rest of the day cuddling in Palais Mermonia, until it's time to go home.
Both soon-to-be parents have a tacit understanding to enjoy every moments together to the fullest before the little one is born. Because when he's coming, they know their life will never be the same, since there'll be another love that will accompany them until the end of their adventure, and completing their journey of love.