Step-Brothers

~Chapter Thirty-Nine~

("Mm. The frog and the rooster boy.")

"Fuck- Rich. D-Don't just... go away-" He throws up again.

("No, my host believes himself with child. ....What do you mean? ....Yes, I do think you should tell him, if only to get him to back down a bit, Jeremy doesn't need the stress.") he's talking to Rich's Squip, but Jeremy can only hear one side. Rich's squip tells him what's going on and Jeremy isn't ready for it. Rich isn't either. His eyes widen.

"Oh fuck- oh fuck, oh fuck, Jeremy!"

"I don't know for sure Rich.."

"No, but fuck if it isn't a slim chance you aren't if you're getting fucking morning sickness!"

"Rich please, calm down and stop yelling..."

"Fuckin- Okay, okay, yeah, I know, I know it's bad for- Okay! I get it, jesus, shutdown."

"Just.... you need to leave. Michael's on his way."

"Uh... yeah. Totally. Sure." He leaves and thirty seconds later Michael is rushing in.

"Jer, you okay??"

"Do I look okay?" He heaves over the toilet.

"Shit, I know, I know... Fuck, baby." He reaches out to him.

"I feel like I'm dying." Michael kneels down and takes his hand.

"I bet. Maybe... Maybe there's medication for..?" he doesn't want to say morning sickness. That makes this all too real.

"I don't even know if I am yet Michael. for all we know, there's a possibility that I'm not pregnant and there's just something really wrong with me."

"I don't know which is worse... Probably the second one."

("either way, there ARE medications that can help with your condition.")

"We need to go get me tested...."

"Definitely... we could skip tomorrow? Do it then?"

"Yeah... yeah I need to do it as soon as possible."

"That's what we'll do then." At lunch, it's actually Jeremy who approaches Rich this time. He's sitting with Jake.

"Hey, uh, Rich....." He looks up, but is unusually quiet.

"I... I need to talk to you.."

"..... who are you?"

"Jeremy."

"............" Jake remembers smelling him on Rich. Rich nods.

"Like alone, or what? Can we talk in front of my Bro here?"

"Well I mean.., I don't think either of us would want to talk about IT in front of anyone. And frankly I'm kinda scared of Jake."

"Well whatever you have to say to Rich you can say to me."

"Wait, Jake, I don't - I know what he's talking about, I don't... I don't know if I want you to hear, dude."

"Why not? It can't be as bad that time you did the thing with my house."

".... Okay. All right, you're right."

"Well, um..... I am going to get tested.. tomorrow... and I just wanted to know if you would come with me.. instead of Michael..."

"... You don't want him to go?"

"He just... gets too anxious. I don't want him to have a panic attack at the doctors."

"... All right. Yeah, I can go. Guess I won't be here tomorrow, Jake."

"O..... okay.."

"...So... So you really think you are?"

"I mean, what else would explain the morning sickness?" Jake knows what they're talking about. Did headphone kid get this guy preggo? Rich sighs.

"Yeah. Yeah, I figured."

("He feels incredibly bad. He didn't mean for this to happen. He would not have let it get this far had you not asked him for what you did.")

("I KNOW. It's all my fault.")

("You both are to blame. He feels entirely responsible.")

"Thanks Rich..." then he's walking back to Michael. Jake looks at Rich.

"So, you think Headphone kid got him preggo?"

"...." he doesn't want to lie to him.

"No, actually."

"Who do you think?"

".... Me." Jake's smile fades.

"What?"