"So...what was that you said about us not being able to pre-order our kids, Chad?" Akiho teased. It was a beautiful day and the new parents (and Chad and Ginny) had decided to congregate at Ben and Mal's castle. Of course, such a get together had not been planned but that just made it all the more special. Had it been planned, both Jay and Lonnie would have been included but sadly both of them were off on their respective sport schedules.
All of the girls had gone off on their own while the guys had split off, though that had almost been expected since with the exception of Harry, all of the guys had been on the same school sports teams. The babies were in the nursery, watched by the world's best baby sitters in Estelle and Nyx. The only exception was Caroline since she was so little, both Jane and Carlos felt better if she was with her mother.
Plus, all of the new moms wanted to fawn over the new baby and who were they to stop that from happening?
Ben had offered to have the babies in their group but Mal had put her foot down, claiming Ben needed this time to relax and remember that he was more than just a dad. Of course Emir, Akiho, Carlos, and Harry all needed that reminder as well so Ben didn't feel as bad.
Chad shook his head, amusement evident on his face. "I should have known better when it came to you three. It's almost like you're telepathic when it comes to choosing your life events."
"Or we're just really good planners," Emir said with a grin.
"Well...congrats you guys," Chad said, his voice soft though he tried to keep the longing and jealousy out of his voice. It wasn't his friends' fault he and Ginny hadn't had kids yet.
"Thanks Chad," Akiho said, giving the other blond a soft smile.
"You okay?" Carlos asked, also looking at Chad. He couldn't help but notice that Chad had gone quiet.
Chad sighed softly. "I'm fine...really. I'm happy for you guys, it's just...Ginny and I have been having trouble having kids and we found out a while back that she...she's only got a fifty five percent chance at having a pregnancy and...if she ever does, it would likely be best if it was her only pregnancy..."
"Gods...I'm...I'm so sorry Chad," Ben said, his voice soft.
"It's not your fault Ben," Chad said with a small sigh. He knew Ginny had told Mal so he had to wonder if Mal hadn't told Ben the news...and if she hadn't, Chad oddly found himself grateful to her. It was...nice knowing people weren't out gossiping about their ability to have kids. "After all...none of us knew about the Isle's food issues. And if the Gods want to bless us with a child, I'd be happy if we only had one but Ginny...I think she thinks she failed somehow. I've told her over and over that it doesn't matter, that I've got three sisters who cold be heir to Charmington after me if we never have kids but...but I know Ginny feels like this is the one job of a Princess or Queen that she can't do."
"If it helps...Elle felt the same way before she got pregnant with Emily," Akiho said, his voice gentle. "I know it's not the same thing but if you need someone to listen while you talk about it Chad, I'll be there. And I'm sure Elle wold be happy to talk to Ginny."
"Thanks dude, it's appreciated," Chad said, giving Akiho a sad smile. "Like I said, I'm alright. It doesn't matter as much to me."
Yeah that's a lie, Carlos thought. You might be pretending Chad, but that's just it. Every VK knows what it's like to put on a tough act. Just ask Jay, he did it his whole life on the Isle.
"Well...like I said, Elle would be happy to talk to Ginny if she wants," Carlos heard Akiho say and pulled himself out of his thoughts so he could be more present in the conversation. "It'll happen for you dude, I'm sure of it. It took Elle and me years after all."
"And yet you just happened to time it so that your daughter would be the same age as Ben and Mal's kiddos," Carlos snorted.
"Like Emir said, Carlos, we're good planners. Plus I don't think you're exactly one to talk since your daugher'll be the same age as our kids," Akiho grinned before shaking his head. "Let's move on to lighter topics shall we? Anyone want to place bets as to when Jay and Lonnie join the parent club?"
"Do Jay or Lonnie want kids?" Ben asked.
Thankfully, for Akiho at least, the sound of a crying baby over the baby monitors that had been stationed in the middle of the 'guy group' prevented any speculation as to the thoughts either Jay or Lonnie had toward being parents.
How they got the monitor was anyone's guess, considering all their spouses wanted them to relax, though it was a belief amongst those in the group that either Emir, Harry, or Carlos had swiped a monitor when they were in the castle. Yes Carlos was an unlikely suspect when it came to swiping but he was a VK and he was friendly with Jay and Harry. It wasn't hard to believe he picked up a few skills from them.
"Ben, you wouldn't be interested in trading sons, are you?" Emir asked, a joking note to his voice.
"Emir, you'd be giving Maurice back to me within the hour, you'd miss Ethan too much," Ben chuckled.
"Yeah, I wouldn't trade my strong willed little guy for anything. But seriously Ben, your twins are the calmest babies I've ever known," Emir said, shaking his head as he pulled out his phone to text Emma.
"You forget who their father is," Chad teased. "Ben is the calmest guy we've ever known."
"Not when I was a baby, though," Ben chuckled. "According to mom, dad, Lord Hades, and Lady Steph, the twins get their calmness from Mal."
"Oh that's right, mom said once that I was calmer than you were when we were babies," Chad said and shook his head.
"That's possible?" Carlos asked, tilting his head.
"Mal asked the same thing when she heard that," Ben said with a slight chuckle. "And yep, it's possible. Emir, everything alright with Ethan?"
"Yeah, Emma texted back," Emir nodded. "Little guy's just hungry is all."
"Good," Ben said with a small smile before biting his lip. "Um...I hate to ask this but...should Ginny be in a room with five other mothers when she's the only non-mother there?"
Chad sighed. "It's...it's a tough call. I know it's probably hard for her but at the same time, what do I do? Take her out of the room?"
Besides...I'm the only non-father here in a room with five other fathers and no one seems concerned about that, he couldn't help but think before he had time to hold the thought back.
"You're right," Ben said with a small sigh, unaware of Chad's thoughts.
"Besides...at least Ginny's got Mal in there so she'll have another VK girl with her." Chad said.
"Yeah, Mal really took Ginny under her wing after you two got engaged," Ben said, giving Chad a small smile.
"Yeah she did," Chad nodded, a small smile pulling at his lips at the memory. He had been really grateful for Mal in that regard, he knew Ginny had been worried about navigating royal life.
"I think Mal was just happy that she'd have another 'VK Queen'," Carlos chimed in, using the nickname the press had given the two VK royals.
"Ginny's not a Queen yet though," Chad shook his head. "Mom and dad are still happily ruling Charmington. I think dad said they'd retire when all the kids gave him grandkids though I'm pretty sure he was joking. Though I know Gin's pleased about having Mal's ear, she really was worried about navigating royal life."
"And Mal could sense that," Ben told him before chuckling as another baby's cry could be heard over the monitor. "That would be my girl."
Emir shook his head as Ben pulled out his phone to text Mal. "You know you've got four people ready to act as baby sitters if you need it. Why didn't you ask one of your parents to watch Stephanie and Maurice for the day?"
"That's not what VKs do," Carlos said softly. "When something's valuable to us...we don't let it out of our sight."
"Plus I'd rather not let my father and Lord Hades have unsupervised access to the kids while they're still in their 'spoil the grandkids' contest," Ben said as he looked up from his phone.
"Everything okay?" Harry asked.
Ben nodded. "Stephanie had a dirty diaper. Mal says she's got it covered."
Carlos chuckled. "Now we just need Helena, Caroline, Emily, and Maurice to cry and we'll have the full set."
"Don't jinx it Carlos," Akiho said, shaking his head.
"Hey, let's just be grateful that all our kids are decent sleepers for their age," Emir pointed out. "Ethan may be stubborn about it but once you get him to sleep, he sleeps well."
"Yeah, I've heard some horror stories. Granted they're all from Elle's cousins...of which there are many," Akiho nodded. "Some kids just won't sleep so we're some of the lucky few who got kids who will."
"I'll agree with you there Akiho," Emir chuckled. "Emma will deny it but Ethan definitely gets his stubbornness from her."
"Mal thinks the twins take after me but Stephanie's definitely taken after her," Ben said with a grin.
"Helena's looking to be a mini Uma," Harry grinned.
"It's too early to tell who Caroline's taken after," Carlos said with a small smile.
Chad couldn't help the slightly sad smile that pulled at his lips as he listened to the discussion. One day, he told himself. One day I'll be able to be a part of this group, this father group, and not be an outsider. After all, there's over a 50 percent chance of Gin getting pregnant. I just need to think positively. It'll happen. We just need to be patient is all.
"Sorry," Ben said, his voice soft as he looked over at Chad.
Chad shrugged slightly. "Not your fault Ben. I can't expect you guys to not talk about your kids. That wouldn't be fair to you...besides your kids are great. You should be very proud. "
"Well I can't speak for the others, but I am," Ben said with a small smile.
"I couldn't be prouder of my little girl," Akiho said.
"My little guy's the light of my life," Emir nodded.
Chad smiled at that before turning to Harry and Carlos. "What about you two? Not disappointed you didn't have sons?"
"If the day ever comes where I say I'm disappointed that Helena's not a boy, I want you to chuck me straight into the Straight of Ursula, Charming," Harry said.
Carlos nodded. "Yeah, boy, girl, doesn't matter to me. I'm just happy Caroline was born healthy and both she and Jane are doing okay. Besides, something tells me Harry and I can just spoil Maurice if we really need a 'nephew' to spoil."
"Please don't," Ben shook his head. "Mal and I are still trying to curb our parents' spoiling of the kids. We don't need honorary Uncles doing it as well."
"Your dad and Lord Hades still in that 'best grandpa' contest? Emir asked.
"Yep," Ben nodded. "And of course mom says she's helping us but she also asked me what colors the twins would like in their private libraries. Plural."
"Ben, it's your mom," Chad said. "Does this really surprise you?"
"Well no..."
Chad shook his head. "Heard from any of the other guys on the team?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.
"I heard Conner and Rowyn got engaged," Ben said with a smile.
"Oh, congrats to them," Chad said. "Is Conner the first quote unquote lower ranked team member to get engaged?"
"I mean technically no," Carlos chuckled. "Conner's a Lord when he inherits that from his mom Lady Charlotte LaBouf. Jay and I never had any titles."
Emir chuckled. "I think the only princes who were on the team were us four Li, and possibly Miguel though he always said he wasn't a prince but a chieftain's son."
"What about Brenden?" Akiho asked.
"I...I don't know," Emir said, looking over at Ben. "Ben, do you?"
Ben shook his head. "We were only on the same team with the guy for who knows how long? But he's not a prince. His mom's Boo...err Mary I mean, but she goes by Boo. You know her story with the monsters?"
"Ah, right," Emir nodded.
Chad couldn't help but smile. "...Did you guys ever picture our lives would be like this?"
"Honestly? No," Akiho said. "If it hadn't been for Ben's proclamation—."
"Which we are very grateful for," Harry and Carlos cut in.
"Yes well, if it hadn't been for that, Emir and I figured we'd act as Ben's guards when we grew up," Akiho shrugged.
"Which would have surprised no one most likely," Emir said. "Well, at least for me. Akiho's heir to his own kingdom, he'd have to stop with the shadowing at some point whereas I'm only the second born and therefore have all the time to devote to making sure Ben is safe."
"You're insane you know that?" Ben asked.
"Thank you!"
"Not a compliment!"
"We know," Emir and Akiho said with a chuckle.
Ben shook his head and looked back over at Chad. "How're your sisters doing?"
"Good," Chad said with a small smile. "Mom's been loving being a grandmother, she spoils Elliot whenever she gets the chance, and there's talk Lucy and Bobby might be trying for a kid themselves soon."
"Oh congrats to them!" Emir grinned.
"Yeah, we're all excited for them," Chad said. "And...if Lucy does have a kid, I'll look forward to meeting my future niece or nephew. Plus Elliot gets a new playmate so he'll love that."
"You know, speaking of kids, I just thought of something," Emir chuckled. "What if our kids ended up together?"
"That wouldn't surprise me in the slightest," Chad said. "After all, you guys seemed to time them being born."
"Pure accident, I assure you," Akiho said with a smile as a third baby's cry was heard over the monitor.
"Should we head in?" Carlos asked. "I know we were told that we didn't have to be fathers today but...I'm going to admit, it feels weird not being around Caroline right now. Maybe it's just because I had Cruella as a mom growing up but...I don't want to do anything she might have done."
"DeVil, you haven't made your lass a blanket of Dude's fur so I think you're in the clear so far," Harry chuckled before nodding. "I'm with DeVil though. Plus, it's not fair for us to just laze about while the Captains and shadow wranglers and DeVil's lass have to juggle relaxing and being moms."
"Shadow wranglers?"
"Is that not what your wives are?" Harry asked, looking at Emir and Akiho.
"...The man has a point," Emir nodded.
"Well then, let's head in," Ben said and the group of guys got up and made their way inside the castle.
"I thought we said you guys didn't have to be 'papas' today?" Mal asked as the group of husbands found their wives.
"Yeah well it was decided that it felt strange," Ben chuckled and kissed Mal on top of her head before taking one of the twins from her arms for ease of holding. He couldn't help but smile as he saw Chad pull Ginny into an embrace.
Don't worry you guys, it'll happen, he thought. After everything the Fates put you through, put both of you through, it would be too cruel to not give you something good. And if they don't, well then I'll just have to ask my father in law to have words with them!
Though Ben really hoped it wouldn't come to that. If for no other reason than because Lord Hades still terrified him and he was not ashamed to say that!