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Stretch found it amusing how even when Edge left the room to take a call from his recruits, it was still clear as day hearing him reprimand them for calling at such late hours and bothering him while in the comfort of his own home. Edge gave clear instruction that there were just some certain hours of the night that he ought to not be called, 10 PM on a Sunday was one of them.
While his husband was blowing off his insubordinate’s ear, Stretch was reclined back in bed, arm rested up, behind his head, while the other kneaded circles into the top of his swollen, gravid belly. Full-term, and a few days past due, he had been in and out of sleep for these few days. Contractions would come and go, sometimes getting pretty rough, but always dying down just as they would be getting themselves ready to hop in the car and rush to the hospital.
It had begun annoying Edge to no end, considering the adrenaline rush he got from hurriedly packing things into the car and the jolt of excitement to become a parent. Stretch was personally in no rush, but he did feel a little cheated out of being finally done and over with when it came to this pregnancy.
“
Okay, is this now settled?
” Edge’s voice was much calmer now, rather subdued for all the screaming he had been doing, “
... Okay, good. Now… GET TO BED AND GET BACK TO WORK IN THE MORNING!
” then a pause as Stretch counted down from three to then see Edge re-enter the bedroom.
“Yeah, you get ‘em, dad.” Stretch joked on, bringing his other hand away from his middle, to behind his head, “Why were they calling this late anyway?”
Edge waved on the question as he climbed onto the bed on his knees and fell right back down next to Stretch’s side, “Ahh, he had a question about the next drill. Which wouldn’t be the case if he’d listen, like all soon-to-be
Royal Guardsmen
should.”
The father-to-be brought his hand up to Stretch’s belly, for the guy that was just about ready to tear into a pestering rookie, he was very quick to flip the switch and immediately be affectionate to the other-father-to-be.
“Some people are just very stupid, but you’re not gonna be one of them, nope, you’re gonna be the smartest lil kid.” Edge spoke into Stretch’s belly, his nose pressed against it as his hand ran loving circles into the side of it, “Grow up strong like yer old man and grow up smart like pa.”
“Uh, hopefully, smarter than
me
.” Stretch playfully corrected.
Edge side eyed Stretch, “Hm…
What’s that?
” he then placed the side of his head to the belly, gaining a confused look from Stretch himself, “... Sounds like they’re saying… ‘
My papa’s the greatest, coolest parent in the world!’
heh, and I agree.”
Stretch rolled his eyes, “Alright, alright.”
“Oh? And what’s that?” Edge paused to “listen” to his belly, “... And ‘
papa’s also the
sexiest
monster in the world.
’ Nyehehe!”
“Eww, don’t be making our kid say that.” Stretch reached down to push Edge’s head off his midsection, earning a hearty chuckle from Edge.
“You’re right, I’ll just say it myself.” Edge’s voice seemed to notch down in bass, giving him a sultry tone, “
Cause you’re the hottest, babe.
”
Stretch was limited to moving around on the bed, pinned down by the weight of his own girth, so Edge easily had the advantage of just holding down Stretch’s wrists and having him trapped under him. He hovered over Stretch, leaning his head down to kiss his cheek and work down to his neck.
“God, you got the greatest rack, so big and plump, full’a that milk for the baby.” Edge littered kisses to the exposed collarbone, “And you’re just so perfectly round,” kissing down his sternum, which was covered with a light layer of ectoflesh, “And damn, you have such a fine ass. Perfect hips for bearing this child.”
As Edge was showering Stretch with love, he really didn’t protest much, just seemed more and more bashful as he could feel his cheeks warm up from the praise and attention, if there was anyone that made him feel good about his body despite all the changes it went through over the course of this pregnancy, it was surely Edge. Even in times not meant to be sexual, it was just how Edge called him “gorgeous” even when he didn’t bother with a shirt around the house. Made him less and less concerned with his appearance.
With all this attention, it did get Stretch just a little riled up, his hands slipped down through Edge’s so rather than holding onto his wrists, their fingers interlocked together.
“How’s about we…?” Edge looked up longingly to Stretch.
Stretch’s face was in bliss, mouth parted and about to speak, until he gazed off a moment and got a more confused look on his face, then grimaced. Edge saw the transition on his lover’s face, he let his hands go and sat beside Stretch again, reaching over to the nightstand and fumbling to pick up his phone and tapping wildly for the stopwatch function, finally hitting it. In the meanwhile, Stretch was focusing to breathe through his nose, soon letting out a relieved sigh, which was enough for Edge to know to hit the time.
“Uhh, 12 seconds.” Edge read off his phone, “Not counting the time you started.”
Stretch tried recounting back to earlier that day, “Yeah… It’s been… What time is it?”
“It’s 10:23,” Edge read the time his phone said, “Wait, have you been having contractions today??”
Stretch’s eyes were still looking off into the distance, distracted for a moment before properly replying, “Um, yeah, but that’s the strongest one yet... “
“... Should we…?”
“Sorry, babe, don’t think I’m in the mood for sex right now.”
“Wha-no! I mean should we go to the hospital??”
Stretch groaned, “No no, you know how it is, I’ll have a few contractions for a couple hours, then it’ll stop, and things will go back to normal.”
Edge was not too convinced, but he set his phone back down on his nightstand, “Are you
certain
?”
“If it is labor, then there’s really no rush.” Stretch sunk back more into bed, “They’ll check me. See I haven’t dilated enough. Not wanna bother. And send us home to be like ‘
just wait for your water to break
’ yada yada.” Edge could pick up on the hint of disappointment in Stretch’s tone, which concerned him as he snaked his arm underneath Stretch to hold him and kiss his head, “Hm… What?” Stretch asked in response to Edge’s sudden affection.
“You know you’re not going to be pregnant
forever
, right?” Edge came down to a soothing level, something that always surprised Stretch when he saw it from his lover, and really, it made Stretch feel all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings start to bustle around in his soul.
And with that, Stretch lapped up the love by turning towards Edge, burying his face to his chest while hugging his arms around his lover, “Yeah… But it
feels
like it.” He played up being pouty, knowing full well it would garner more sympathetic cuddling from his husband.
Sure enough, Edge was pulling Stretch more into his arms and kissing the top of his head. You wouldn’t think knowing Edge’s background and how he acts in public that he could be just this loving and supportive… Really, it rarely had come about when Stretch and him first dated, but with Stretch becoming pregnant it really made Edge become one big softie.
They stayed like that for a short while, until Edge spoke, breaking the silence, “Well… You know… They do say that sex can
help
with this sort of thing.”
Annnd there goes the moment. Stretch enjoyed it while it lasted. He gave it a second thought though, and lifted his head up to Edge, “Actually...”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Stretch could not possibly stay home alone just waiting for whenever this baby decided to drop, he was practically bored to tears most of the day. Though he caught a lucky break getting a call from his good friend Asgore who was willing to treat him out to lunch. Thank the angel... If there was any friend that Stretch could rely on for some laid back conversation, and some reassuring advice, whenever it came to woeing over becoming a parent-it was Asgore . “You know, the last dinner out me and Edge had with our brothers, we jokingly said something along the lines of ‘this is the last time we get to eat out in public without a screaming toddler’ heh!” Stretch dipped a chip into the salsa and had a bite. Asgore amusingly laughed to this, “Oh Rus! You may come to find trying to take your child to public places to eat is not nearly as bad as you might be concerned it will.” Ah, ever there with the thoughtful assurance. “Yeah? How about the fact that Edge and I don’t wanna glue this kid to a tablet while we wait for food?” Stretch asked as he looked to the extra bottles of sauce sat by the salt and pepper. “Hm! That’s pretty good! You can always get them crayons and a coloring book. It’s not impossible to get through dinner in public with a child.” He pinched a chip out of the basket to scoop up some salsa, “I’m just glad I- at least -talked you down from going ‘ no pacifiers, period ’.” “That was Edge’s idea,” Stretch said as he screwed open one of the bottles, “He was worried the baby would have fangs like him which might tear up the rubber of the pacifiers. And y’know, I told Edge if that happens to be the case: I ain’t breastfeeding! Hell no!” Asgore just lightly shook his head, “Well, I can’t blame you there.” He watched as Stretch picked up another chip, this time dabbing sauce from the bottle onto it, and took a bite, “... Ah, I think I see now.” Stretch had a mouthful of chip, so he gave a curious grunt. “You wanted to eat some spicy food to try and jumpstart labor, is that it?” Asgore asked, lightly teasing in fact. After properly chewing and swallowing, Stretch chuckled as he picked another chip up, “Shucks, that obvious, huh?” This time he got a little more liberal in his dousing of the bottle onto the chip. “At least feel lucky you’re not a boss monster. Try a full year of pregnancy as opposed to *30 weeks.”
*Skeleton monster pregnancy is only 30 weeks/6 months long
Stretch blinked in utter shock, “Yeesh! Why the long wait?? Aren’t boss monster babies like… Still really small when born??” Asgore gave a shrug, “Just part of the distinction boss monsters have apart from most monsters.” Yeah, Stretch was thankful for that. Though honestly, if he could have just had it as simple as a moldsmal, who just lose a chunk of their form and thus forms a new moldsmal, he would have taken it. Still, that would mean losing some of the perks from pregnancy, like Edge’s unabiding attention and an excuse to eat weird combinations of food without judgment. “But, I can understand your frustration. It’s sure to come with how you mentioned the contractions were going.” Asgore spoke as he picked up his glass with three fingers to take a sip, such small utensils for such a big monster was a tad bothersome, but he was getting used to the human accommodations day by day. Stretch ate another mouthful of chip, laced with plenty of hot, hot sauce according to the rumors about these bottles sat at tables. Really, they just seemed to have an initial spice kick that only left a light heat after he had a taste. Though he politely swallowed first before talking again, “I mean, sure, like rather be overdue and have our nursery put together and all that jazz rather than early with no crib put up at all.” He picked up his glass, staring into it moment, “... I’m actually more nervous about… Having to get… Y’know… Like, they can’t induce a skeleton-which is just, insane to me, I have an ectobody and everything so-but they also say that it’s cause the ectobody can’t… Properly accept the juice?” Seeing now the look on Asgore’s face, he just went on to take a sip of his water and set it aside, “Ah, it’s no big deal, I’ll sort it out.” Asgore reached his large, fluffy paw out over to Stretch, touching his arm, “Now now, friend. It’s quite alright to be nervous about that sort of thing! I can only imagine how intimidating it must be…” Stretch could at least appreciate the pity as it was the most anyone could offer. And having Asgore listen to him bellyache a little helped alleviate it off his shoulders, “Yeah, thanks ‘Gore. You’re a really good-” The sound of a sizzling hot dish was carried in over to their table and had to be delivered in front of Stretch on a hot pad. Fresh right off the fire was the piping hot fresh fajitas. Ah, so “ served pipin’ hot ” meant actual temperature and not simply “ spicy ”. “Hot, very hot!” The server cautioned as he expertly slipped the other plate in front of Asgore, “Also hot!” Asgore waved a paw, “Oh, that’s alright by me.” He just nonchalantly touched the burning porcelain with ease to bring in front of him, much how a boss monster who wielded fire would manage, “Thank you so much!” Stretch nodded as well, picking up his fork and rather gingerly stabbing his food to pick up, when he lifted it off the skillet, steam just rolled off it and into the air, “Too bad I didn’t get it all that spicy, but hell, I can’t complain to good food.” He blew on it just to spare his mouth from being burnt and took the bite. After a couple more bites in, Stretch’s shoulders tensed. He stopped eating and even set his fork down. It was the clink of the fork that Asgore took notice and then even more worriedly saw the pain on his face, “Papyrus? Are you alright??” Stretch then swallowed, his eyes were watering and his face seemed to be getting hot too, “Mm… O-oh god…” He took a couple breaths, but then grabbed his glass and chugged at his water. Now Asgore tried his best to hold back on laughing. Oh no. It was more than hot.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was hard to focus on his paperwork when over in the living room, Edge could hear Stretch talking on the phone with
Edge’s brother
, Red. Which that, in of itself, was bizarre enough to pique Edge’s curiosity, yet he did not want to derail from sorting through the various reports of the rookie guards. The conversation bits he picked up on were just the general catch up questions:
how’re things, what’re you doing, got any plans coming up
, the standard fare. That is, when he caught an interesting word come from Stretch…
Camping.
Now Edge stopped his skimming over the paper to re-evaluate that word. Did he say
cramping
? No, there was no
err
sound in there, and Stretch’s tone didn’t seem to be accompanied with anything woeful or painful. Camping… Who was going camping??
“-yeah, well, I told him that if he was gonna be making any last impulse trips to anywhere, the time might as well be now!”
The more Edge listened and thought over the context of who he was talking to… Was he… Referring to
Edge
himself
??
“Oh what,
me
? What am
I
going to be doing while he’s
away
?” Stretch was really starting to emphasize and accentuate his words now, “Well Red, I’m too gosh diddly darn pregnant that I can’t do a whole lot, so I guess I’ll stay home! All. By. My. Self.”
Alright, no more sitting and working, Edge got up and walked over to the doorway, looking sternly at Stretch who he caught eyes with, but Stretch pointed to the phone as to signify he was busy talking. So Edge simply propped himself against the doorway and waited.
“... Oh yeah, he’s right here actually.” Stretch said, walking up to Edge, “Yeah-don’t worry about me! I’ll just be here. All alone. PREGNANT-” Edge snatched the phone out of his hand, “Oh! Okay bye!” And then went on to sit back on the couch.
Edge squinted at Stretch as he lifted the phone to his head, “... This is
your
brother speaking.”
“
... Hey bro, uh… Yeah, what the fuck is going on??
”
Edge scoffed, walking back into the other room, “God knows! I’m not going
camping
and leaving my…
Heavily burdened
spouse home alone!”
“
I mean, I figured you weren’t gonna be, not like you ever showed interest in camping before or whatever… Also, was he bein’, like, facetious or somethin’? Like-does he think I’d never known he was knocked up??
”
Edge gave a silent shrug, but let his shoulders drop, “Look, I’ll go chat with him and then I’ll call you back.” He pulled the phone from his face as he re-entered the living room, catching Stretch’s deer in headlights eyes again.
“... So! You excited to be goin’ on that
fishing trip
with the boys?” Stretch asked, innocently enough, yet over annunciating some words.
The look back Stretch got was one of dumbfounded searching, “... What on earth are you talking about?”
“The boys! Hah! What a rowdy bunch you all will be out there, in the
woods
, far,
FAR
away from any
cell phone towers
.” Stretch carried on, “Just you and the lads! Catching fish all while surely, you’ll be back in time
before
the
baby
arrives!”
Edge marched over to Stretch, hand touching his forehead, “Are you alright? Did you drink enough water? You’re not delusional from dehydration are you?”
Stretch caught his wrist, pulling his hand away and leaning in as he whispered to him?? “
Just play along, I’m trying to trick the kid into believing this.
”
That… Was beyond Edge’s comprehension, giving a more questioning look at Stretch.
“
... You ever hear about how babies come when the partner leaves to do something important or just goes out of reach and it’s just such an inconvenient time?
” Stretch further elaborated.
“But I don’t like campin--”
“SHH SHH!” Stretch slapped his hand over Edge’s mouth, “
Don’t be so loud, the baby’s gonna hear you!
”
Ah, finally it made sense, which even then it took at second and Edge then gave uproarious laughter at the fact, pulling away from Stretch’s hand.
“Hey no come on, just play along!” Stretch pitifully whined.
“Wait wait wait,” Edge began to calm himself down, “You think that… That the
baby
is listening to us talk about me camping-
nyeheh
!” Stretch crossed his arms and frowned, “
Nyeheh
-and-and so the
baby
is gonna take the opportunity then to wanna come out??”
Stretch just looked at Edge unimpressed, giving him a stink eye, “... Guess not anymore! Thanks for busting the illusion for it, asslord!”
Edge doubled over laughing. Wait until Red got a load of this.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
31 weeks.
It might as well have been 40 years for all Stretch cared, he was so tired, so large (actually, nothing too above average, but he certainly was taking it hard), and so done with it all. And tonight, Stretch was determined. Which was why the moment that Edge got home from work, Stretch lept on him like a ravenous lion. And hell, Edge didn’t complain, he had been eager to get some tail(bone) for a while now. He just did not expect Stretch to have so much
stamina
.
Right after he got home, he did it on the couch. Then took a brief break only to have Stretch coax him into a round two. After that, Edge went to make them a late dinner which ended not working since Stretch roped him into round 3. They decided to have leftovers and Edge would then go to take a shower, only to come to the bedroom and see Stretch awaiting there for round 4. It was now the messy wrap up of round 5 that Edge felt his shower was all for naught given he was hot and sweaty all over again.
“O-one more,” Stretch panted,”
c’mon!
” He clapped his hands, “Let's go!”
Edge groaned, exhaustedly turning over to lie face down on bed, “Let’s
sleep
.”
Stretch watched Edge nearly start to doze off right then and there, he pushed on Edge’s back to bounce him and keep him up, “Hey! Don’t give up on me now!”
“Are you
trying
to sex me to death??” Edge griped.
“Maybe! Whatever it takes to finally have this kid, yeah!” Stretch sat back down on his side of the bed, hands defeatedly clapping to his thighs as he huffed out, “I need to have them like
tonight
, babe.”
Now we’re getting somewhere, Edge lifted his head and looked to Stretch. He then tucked the pillow under his chest to properly lean back enough and look at him, “
Tonight
..? But we’re heading to the hospital tomorrow?”
Stretch looked back at Edge, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he scooted on the bed to throw his legs over the side, “I’m just gonna go shower-”
But Edge caught his wrist and pulled himself up, “Hey! I’m not being rhetorical! Answer me!”
Stretch tried to just pull away, but Edge only needed to wrap his arms around Stretch to pull him into his lap and with the help of the belly, he perfectly trapped him in his arms, now face-to-face, upside-down, Edge stared him in the eye and spoke sternly but softly, “Answer me now, Papyrus.”
Great, pulling out the first names and all. Stretch could not even wiggle his way to freedom, nor keep being a stubborn brat about this. He let his head rest into Edge’s stomach and softly exhaled through his nose, “... Yeah, we’re going to the hospital tomorrow.”
Edge rolled his eyes, “I mean,
that
part is rhetorical-alright, alright.” He sighed, pretty annoyed with how easily Stretch would take him literally sometimes to avoid the real question that he knew that Stretch knew he intened, “
Why
do you want to have the baby
tonight
as opposed to tomorrow when we’re at the hospital?”
Stretch played with Edge’s ring, twisting it around his finger as a fidgeting habit, “... I don’t want… I don’t wanna be
filleted
on a table like a middle school science experiment!”
With that, Edge finally leaned down and kissed his forehead, “Hey… You’re not getting
filleted
. And the doctors are trained professionals. They can’t, and won’t, leave you irreparably damaged.”
A C-section birth may not seem nearly as bad for humans, even most monsters that had them were fine too, it was elementals and monsters with ectomagic that had it rough. Their bodies weren’t made up with organs, they were just masses of magic, the “womb” that Stretch had was nothing more than a pocket to carry their baby in, the magic around it which was Stretch’s body kept it safe like a little egg. What a c-section birth for elementals and incorporeals meant was to break through that barrier of safety to remove the baby, and because their bodies don’t have different bodily systems that break down different elements that enter them… It was an unfortunately painful process. Quick though, without fear of anything getting in the way, it could be done and over with in just a couple minutes, but typically any painkillers were to be administered just a minute or more before the procedure, so not to have those drugs put the newborn at risk during those vulnerable seconds.
Edge had known this, and it worried him but… Obviously, it worried him to a much lesser degree. Seeing Stretch now getting desperate to try any tricks from the books to get this going, he was truly understanding of how much Stretch was stressing out. Hell, he was even starting to see Stretch tear up, and that crushed Edge’s soul.
“No no, don’t do that.” Edge chided, he pulled Stretch up to comfortably lean against him, “I will be there right by your side! And you’re strong, so strong! You’ll make it through just fine.”
Stretch sniffled and his mouth quivered, a small noise came from him as he was struggling to make the words finally come out, “I… I-I…” With big fat tears now rolling down his cheeks, he took in a breath, “
I don’t wanna to be
strong!
” And there opened the floodgates, he broke down sobbing into Edge’s arms where then Edge held him tighter, “
I-I don’ wanna do it!
” Stretch blubbered between hiccuped, “
I-I jus’ wanna be
done!
I’m
sick
of this! I wanna be
home
and-and don’t wanna be
heavy
-I don’t wanna
hurt
anymore. I wanna
sleep!
”
All Edge could do was let Stretch cry and vent out his frustrations, rubbing his back as he did his best on easing the hurt Stretch clearly was feeling. There were plenty of pent up emotions that Stretch was finally getting to release, yet from all the things he was talking about, none of them were resentful towards the baby or to him (phew!) but rather just the negative sides of pregnancy and the anxiety around tomorrow’s visit.
And the longer Stretch cried now…
The more impatient Edge got.
Sure there were times he understood needing to vent and cry and grieve, it was only natural and healthy to do so. What aggrivated him was the fact that… There had to be some sort of solution. His mind searched for answers, something to say, something to
do
.
Finally, Edge started to just push words out through his mouth, to spark something, “..mmh… If… This is… If this is… If you don’t want to do this… Then… D… Don’t…?”
Stretch had been hiccuped back a sob, sniffling as he lifted his head up to Edge, “mh...w..what..?”
Taking a sharp inhale, Edge stiffened his shoulders, “Let’s just… Not go! We can wait a little longer and see if the baby arrives! What are they gonna do? Come barging down our door and take you? No! They can’t and they won’t! And if the doctor is upset with us and our decision… We’ll find a new doctor!”
Stretch’s sobbing seemed to halt all together listening to Edge, as he stared at him in perplexion. The growing silence started to concern Edge that maybe he was saying the wrong things, and started backpedaling, “W-well, maybe not a new doctor, that’s… Impractical in our position now. But… But still! We don’t have to go! We’re the adults here, we can make whatever calls we want! So… If… You’re not comfortable with the option for… The surgery then we’ll just… Wait some more for it to happen naturally.”
Edge was breaking into a cold sweat, was he digging a deeper hole for himself? Are they going to get a divorce now? Did he grow a second head? Because Stretch just kept staring at him and it was not giving him confidence in anything he just said.
Finally, Stretch cracked a chuckle, breaking into a full, wet laugh as he dropped his head to Edge’s shoulder.
“... Are you alright?” Edge dearly hoped Stretch had not just cracked under all this, sobbing one minute, laughing the next.
The laughter then dissolved back into sobs.
Well, so much for that.
Though Edge listened to them, and they weren’t the once despaired sobs of someone at the end of their rope, it seemed like… He was relieved?
“
T-thank-mm-you-
” Stretch mustered out, lifting Edge’s soul off the ground. He quickly embraced Stretch.
As they hugged, Stretch was finally starting to calm down, maybe it was not best to go against the doctor’s orders… But at least maybe for a day or two more wouldn’t hurt anything.
“How about this? You get showered, we get dressed for bed, call it a night… And by tomorrow… I don’t know, more sex? Go for a walk? I don’t know, don’t pineapples help?” Edge got a short chuckle from Stretch, who finally pried himself away from Edge.
“Yeah, pineapple sounds good…” Stretch scooted off the bed, standing upright and pressing his hands against the small of his back, “Hm… This is what I think,”
sniff
, “We wake up, have some mornin’ sex, walk to store… And get a pineapple.”
Edge amusedly shook his head, “Good god… Alright, sure, sounds like a plan.”
What a night this had been, Edge finally flopped back down in bed as Stretch walked off to the bathroom.
Edge felt his shoulder being shaken to rouse him awake, and as he came to, he heard Stretch whispering out his name. From the dark room to the dark window, Edge could best assume that it was still night, and as he sat up and rubbed his eyes he grumbled out, “
wh’time issit…
”
“Like, two in the morning,” Stretch whispered back, he sounded wide awake.
Edge’s hands dropped to the blanket as he barely could make out Stretch’s head in his grogginess and the dark room only lighted by the dim moonlight, “... Kin’a hoped the sex woul’ come a lil’ later…”
“Wha-no, shut up!” Stretch chided him, “My damn water broke!”
There were some seconds of silence there in the darkness before the light flicked on and Stretch saw the very awake, very startled look on Edge’s face, “... Come again?”