"Alright, I think that is everything." Dreece grinned as they sat down the last box of items from their apartment in Rhett's spare room. "Rhett said the food should be here in about twenty minutes if you want me to start unpacking."
"No I'm good." I grinned. Convincing Dreece to let me move out with Rhett ended up being much easier than I thought it would. Of course, this probably had to do with their hope that we would end up falling in love with one another.
"Alright, then I'm going to pop back home to grab something to drink with our mexican. I'm thinking it's a margarita kind of night at least for me." Dreece turned to the door slipping out. Their slender form was soon replaced with Rhett's bulk.
"So... is there anything you're missing or need?" Rhett asked, watching me as I started to unpack my belongings. "I'm going to my storage unit in a few days to get the bassinet so I can clean it before Danny is here."
"I should be alright for now. I don't have a lot of things after all." I glanced at the handful of boxes and my duffel bag. "Although I've definitely accumulated more than when I moved in with Dreece."
"Alright. I've got an old dresser as well you can have. Sorry it isn't here just yet, haven't had a chance to head down to storage." Rhett replied even as I waved him off. The room was bare, just a bed and nightstand filling the space.
"Really Rhett, it's fine. It has enough space for me and Danny and you're close by so that's really all that matters isn't it?"
"Sorry..." Rhett grinned running a nervous hand through his hair as he did. "I guess I'm just a bit nervous about all of this. I really want you to be happy and I'm glad you're giving me a chance to help out with Danny before they are born."
"You're not alone." My response was muffled by the sweater I was carefully folding even though I had nowhere to store it. The urge to clean and organize things lately had been getting worse by the day. "But... for what it's worth... I'm kind of glad we are doing this. And as soon as I can start working again I'll get you my portion of bills."
"Don't worry about it. Right now you just worry about settling in and taking care of our baby." Rhett stood by the door, but I could feel his eyes caressing my stomach even from the distance. "If you want, or need anything all you have to do is ask, no matter how strange the request is."
Warmth spread through my cheeks as I thought about one of my needs that had become recurrent. The temptation to ask him to help ease my near constant hornyness was hard to push back. Miraculously I succeeded, the doorbell ringing a few moments later announcing the arrival of our food.
"Yes food!" I straightened up and startled to waddle toward the door, Rhett beat me to it. The wonderful smell of spicy tacos and burritos reached me, my stomach rumbling in appreciation. "Fuck I don't even remember what I ordered but that smells freaking amazing! Gimme!"
Rhett chuckled, lifting the bags up into the air out of my reach. Pouting I would stretch up for them, cursing silently at him as I did. A sudden sharp pain startled me as I stretched, causing my to double forward.
The shift in my center of gravity sent me stumbling, and I would have fallen over if Rhett hadn't been standing right there, his arm wrapped protectively around me.
"Shit! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Rhett shifted me, effortlessly lifting me from the ground. The action, though kind, made my sudden back pain double causing me to arch. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I bit my lip to keep from screaming
"Put-Put me down!" Tears coursed down my cheeks as my back, buttocks and thigh muscles spasmed from the sudden pain. Rhett's face was white as he hustled to obey, laying me down on the couch.
"What happened?!" The door burst open, Dreece plowing into the room flustered and panicked. They rushed to the couch where I struggled to hold still the intense pain seeming even worse now that I was laying.
"I don't know, one minute he was stretching and the next he stumbled against me crying out in pain." Rhett replied, his voice much higher than normal, hand lightly brushing my hair. Part of me wanted to tell him to stop fucking touching me, but the small, selfish part, loved the feeling of his hands on me and his concern.
"Rhett can you go to my apartment and grab the small black bag in my closet?" Dreece tossed him their keys before turning back to me. Rhett bolted from the room. It would have almost been funny if I wasn't suffering in a world of pain.
"Why... why do you want your make up bag?" I managed to squeeze out the words as Dreece gently checked me over.
"I don't but he wasn't fucking helping so I chose the distract him path instead. Now, can you tell me what hurts and where?" Dreece gently lifted my shirt and started to feel around, checking on baby Danny. They had been taking some courses in prenatal care incase baby decided to come early or suddenly.
"My-My back. I was stretching and suddenly it felt like someone had shoved a hot poker in the lowest point of my spine." I hissed between clenched teeth, another wave of pain going through me as Dreece had me sit up slowly. "Now all my muscles keep spasming, fuck it hurts!"
"I'm sure it does." Dreece rubbed my hand gently, thinking for a moment. "Thankfully, little Merfington is still very much intent on staying right where they are. I'm guessing you've got a pinched sciatic nerve is all. Hurst like crazy, but not dangerous to you or the baby."
"Danny." The name slipped out before I could help myself. I hadn't actually told Dreece that I'd named the baby yet.
"What?" Dreece frowned looking at me before standing up.
"That's the baby's name. Danny... Rhett... Rhett helped me pick the name." I shifted slightly, taking a sharp breath through my teeth as I did. "Fuck... what can I do about this pain?"
"Well let's start by getting you up and walking around. That will help to relax the muscles a bit." Dreece replied, grabbing my arm and helping ease me off the couch. They wrapped a supportive arm around my waist so I didn't topple over. "Otherwise stretching and heat are going to be the safest option."
The door burst open as I nodded. Rhett stood there, panic clearly still written on his face.
"Sorry Dreece, I forgot what you sent me over there for. Are you doing okay Ryan? Do I need it call an ambulance? Is it time?" He rambled off still holding the food and Dreece's key.
"Call down big papa," I teased unable to stop a small smile. His concern and panic were rather adorable and reassuring. "It turned out to just be some nasty back pain is all. Danny and I are fine."
"Papa..." Rhett said the word softly, as if he was tasting it on his tongue. He relaxed and smiled, moving to my other side, offering a half hug. "I like the way that sounds... Sorry I kind of freaked out didn't I..."
"Kind of..."
"Kind of? Rhett you just went into full on panic mode!" Dreece laughed as we all moved to the kitchen to set the food out. "Seriously, if you act like that when Ryan goes into labor we are all screwed! You couldn't even think to ask what was wrong!"
My own laughter soon joined Dreece's, Rhett's face darkening by the second before he joined in as well.
"And the worst part is all my pain is your fault." I quipped, diggin my elbow into his rib slightly once we were at the table. My back still ached, but standing seemed to make it somewhat better. "Don't you know you should never try and keep food from a pregnant person? That's just plain mean!"
Dreece raised an eyebrow at Rhett as he quickly emptied the bag, the smell of wonderful, greasy mexican food once more entering the air. He handed out the carefully labled boxes without looking up, a small frown on his face.
"Hey..." I caught his hand squeezing it. "I'm just joking Rhett. It's my own fault for acting like an idiot rather than just waiting."
"Still... I mean... you're only pregnant because of me... if I wouldn't... if I had been stronger then..."
"Then who knows what could have happened. My heat might not have ever faded without your help." I replied, squeezing his hand harder until he looked at me. "You aren't to blame for the pain. And the pregnancy is a gift I've always wanted. If I hadn't I wouldn't have been the idiot who took the Omega Serum in the first place."
Dreece made a soft gagging noise, but the smile Rhett sent me was all I needed to know that I'd said the right thing.