Work Text:
Perhaps he should have seen it coming. Aerion had been acting strange throughout his pregnancy, but in his defense, Aerion was never exactly what people considered normal to begin with.
Still, as he looked at the sight before him, he couldn't help but think he truly had to be a fool to not even suspect that his cousin would do such a thing.
The omega who never once showed interest in bearing and mothering children was visibly happy throughout his pregnancy.
The omega, who once dared to sneer at King Daeron when reminded of his future of marrying Valarr and bearing children, spent his pregnancy eagerly answering questions from his family in regard to his pregnancy with a glint of joy in his eyes.
"I am doing extremely well".
"Yes, it's normal for me to be out of breath. I am carrying a mighty beast".
"He moves within me as if he has wings. Do not be surprised if I give birth to a mighty dragon".
"No, I do not need to wait until the birth to confirm that I have a son. I know that I carry a son. Now leave me be before I throw you out of the window, Aegon".
They had eventually stopped asking him about the child not wanting to subject their ears and minds to Aerion's answers, but Aerion still found ways to remind them of his crazed feelings and thoughts regarding the babe.
There had been one particularly nasty incident where a servant lightly brushed against Aerion when serving him dinner, and the omega immediately launched into crazed ramblings accusing her of "disrespecting two dragons".
His father, being the man that he was, had put a stop to it and allowed the trembling girl to retire to her chambers earlier than usual, but the servants that were already scared of Aerion had only grown even more cautious around him.
Valarr had grown used to the pitying looks others gave him.
"Aerion is beautiful, but no amount of beauty is worth the stress of being with such a crazed person," his younger brother once told him.
Valarr understood where they were coming from. He and Aerion had frequently clashed before their marriage due to Aerion's behaviour, but Valarr had decided to make an effort to build a loving and respectful relationship with the omega shortly before the marriage.
Unfortunately Aerion had no interest in doing this, which is why Valarr had initially spent nights wondering why Aerion was so happy to carry his child.
He didn't even seem to be genuinely mad at the great big stomach he had to deal with despite his complaints about back pain. Aerion had insisted that there was only one child despite the size of his stomach and had sneered at anyone that questioned what he said.
Valarr felt the urge to rip his own hair out. He had stupidly grown to believe that Aerion had began to feel some type of fondness towards him.
He knew he and Aerion would probably never feel any deep love towards each other, but he had truly believed that they were making progress, and now here he was watching the omega cradle a babe that was much too big and had eyes far too blue.
A child that was clearly not his.
__
"Who is the sire?"
"Excuse me?"
Valarr's face twisted into something nasty and mean.
"You know what I speak of".
Aerion simply gave Valarr a bored look and started stroking the whispy silver hair that graced the child's head.
Valarr stood in the room, hands bawled into fists, too angry to speak.
It was one thing for Aerion to be unfaithful to him, but his refusal to admit to his wrongdoing was simply insane.
"The scandal you will cause..." Valarr could barely recognise his own voice when he eventually spoke.
"I'm sure the midwives you kicked out have already started talking". Aerion spoke as if he were done with the conversation.
Valarr wanted to hit him. He wanted to snatch the babe out of his hands and throw it out of the window, but all he could do was hold back a sob and ask Aerion one thing.
"Why? Why would you do this?"
"It's actually very simple." The omega gave him a mocking smile. "I couldn't have the man I actually wanted, so I had his cock, and I just had his child."