Together Again

When the girls finally got home from school, Andy was in the kitchen working on a late lunch, likely early dinner, while his sweetheart napped on the couch. He’d been absolutely exhausted by the time they got back from their impromptu visit with Dr. Davis, and since he’d taken his first dose of the anti-nausea medication, he wasn’t feeling quite as nauseous anymore. In fact, he was feeling well enough that he was able to have a small snack since he was so hungry before his lover’d made him go take a nap.

During the time he was napping, the younger man had kept himself busy by doing little things around the house. He’d done all their laundry and run a damp rag over all the tables and the mantle, all of which were covered in a fine layer of dust. Even though there were other things that could be done, he’d chosen the quieter activities so he could nap in peace.

Now he was quietly reprimanding Legacy and Magick, who’d been making a bit too much noise as they came in. He knew they weren’t aware of their mama napping while he could, which was why he wasn’t being too harsh on them, but he really didn’t want him woken up just yet. Poor thing hadn’t gotten much, if any, sleep the night before, and he needed what he could get, and badly.

“We’re sorry, Daddy,” the girls said sheepishly, blushes tinting their cheeks.

“It’s all right, girls; I know you didn’t know he was napping,” Andy told them, gently kissing their foreheads. “But Mama’s really tired, and he needs all the sleep he can get.”

“Is he feeling any better than he was this morning?” Magick asked, sounding and looking concerned.

“Much better,” he answered, smiling. “It took a trip to his doctor, but he’s feeling much better now. In fact, that’s why he’s able to catch a nap.”

“Good. We hate seeing Mama sick or in pain,” Legacy said.

“Mmmm,” the trio heard from the living room.

Quietly, Andy made his way into the living room and saw his sweetheart squirming a bit, somewhat like he did right before he woke up when they were younger. He knelt down in the floor by his head, gently caressing his hair to hopefully soothe him back to sleep for just a bit longer. He’d been napping for only two or three short hours, and after a near sleepless night, that wasn’t enough while he was pregnant. Unfortunately, his efforts didn’t work, and Ash’s chocolate eyes fluttered open moments later. They scrunched shut again within seconds as he yawned, but he was awake now.

The older man sat up and stretched, saying he’d slept pretty well, but between several bodily functions kicking in all at once, he’d woken up. Considering that he hadn’t eaten much and had guzzled gallons of ginger ale, Andy knew he was likely hungry and had to piss pretty badly. If the look in his eyes was anything to judge by, though, he needed another dose of his medication before he could even attempt eating dinner.

Legacy and Magick were already setting the table as he watched his sweetheart make his way carefully to the half-bath by the stairs. They’d hidden the bottle of anti-nausea medication in the kitchen since they’d been downstairs since they got back. Until and unless they told the girls about his pregnancy, it would remain hidden so they wouldn’t ask questions they weren’t ready to answer. Once they told them, it could sit out in plain sight, for all they cared, which would put it in easy reach if one of them needed to get it for the older man.

“Open up, Ashie,” he said softly, holding up a spoonful of the orange liquid.

“At least it tastes as good as Delsym,” Ash grumbled, obediently opening his mouth.

“The cough syrup?” the younger man chuckled as he swallowed the liquid.

“Yeah. I used to use it for myself and the girls all the time when we’d catch a cold,” he answered. “This stuff’s just as sweet as it is.”

“As long as it makes you feel better, that’s all that matters,” Andy said, gently kissing his forehead.

“Food almost ready, Daddy?” Legacy asked.

“We’ll be ready to eat once I get it on the table,” he answered. “I just had to give your mama more of the medicine his doctor gave him earlier.”

“So you’re really feeling better, Mama?” Magick asked.

“Not as good as I could be, but better than this morning, angel,” the older man answered, smiling as he kissed her cheek.

“I’m glad to hear it,” she told him, giving him a gentle hug.

“I’m just glad to be feeling better,” he sighed. “I want fooood!”

“Well, c’mon and get it while it’s hot, Mr. Impatient,” Andy laughed.

“Can ya blame me for being so hungry?” his sweetheart asked, pouting a bit as he sat down in the chair he held out for him.

“Not in the least. Granted, I know it wasn’t for your lack of trying,” the younger man answered sympathetically.

The quartet all dug into the vegetarian version of the lasagna Amy’d taught him to make years ago. He might not be the most talented chef on the planet, but at least he could serve up this one dish that was pretty damned good, if he did say so himself. Between all the vegetables and herbs he’d used, it was definitely a roller coaster ride of the pleasant variety for one’s taste buds.

After dinner, the twins insisted on clearing the table since he’d been taking care of their mama all day, and had made dinner on top of it. Andy had tried to argue at first, but caught sight of his sweetheart shaking his head within seconds. The look on his face told him that it was pointless to try fighting them on it, so he decided to desist.

While the girls were cleaning up, Ash explained that he’d raised them so that whoever cooked didn’t have to clean up, too, unless there were no other choices. Between that and their stubborn personalities, he’d known trying to fight them would’ve been futile. Chuckling as he leaned in to give him a gentle kiss, he told him he’d make sure to file it away in his memory for future reference. It was one of the little things about his daughters, but he still wanted to remember it later on down the road. That promise brought a smile to the older man’s face as they cuddled close on the couch.

Once Legacy and Magick were done with their minimal homework, they called them into the living room for a quick chat. They’d decided before Ash fell asleep for his nap that they’d tell them about his pregnancy, but only after they’d gotten done with their homework. They weren’t saying a word about the possible moving plans since the older man was still thinking about what his lover’d proposed that morning. Neither of them wanted to get their hopes up or upset them before a final decision was made.

“What’s going on?” Legacy asked.

“Well, we’ve got something we wanna talk to you about,” the younger man answered.

Both girls gave them curious looks, but stayed quiet.

“You remember how you always asked me why you didn’t have more siblings?” Ash asked.

“Yeah, we remember,” Magick answered, nodding. “Since we were so young, you always told us it was because the stork said we were all the babies you needed to be happy.”

Andy snickered as he fought laughter at his sweetheart’s explanation, which earned him an elbow to the ribs. “Ouch…not the ones I broke, damn it.”

“Oh, quiet, you,” he said. “I’ll break worse than your ribs, if you keep on.”

That made him shut up pretty quickly, although his ribs still ached worse than those of most would since he really had broken them when he was younger.

“Anyway, now that you’re old enough to understand, it was because I never met anyone I loved enough to wanna have more kids with,” the older man continued. “Ever since Daddy and I reconnected, though, we’ve talked about becoming a true family, including possibly adding to it.”

“So we might have younger siblings?” they asked, their eyes twinkling excitedly.

“There’s no might to it; you will,” Ash chuckled, gently caressing his belly.

“You’re pregnant?” they chorused, surprised.

“Mmm hmm. I had it confirmed when I went to my doctor yesterday,” he answered. “That’s why I haven’t been feeling very good.”

“Being pregnant can make you that sick?” Legacy asked curiously.

“It’s called morning sickness, baby girl.” He nodded as he spoke. “Some expectant mothers get it really bad, others don’t get it at all. It can even vary from one pregnancy to another.”

“Wow…” the twins breathed.

“It was so bad that I couldn’t keep anything down, so Daddy took me back to my doctor this morning,” his sweetheart explained.

“The medicine I was giving him earlier is supposed to help tame the nausea, that way he can keep his food down, as well as sleep,” Andy added.

“So how many siblings are we gonna have?” Magick asked curiously.

“Believe it or not, I’m pregnant with twins again,” he chuckled. “I’m hoping that I’m wrong, but that may change, considering my age.”

Both girls cocked their heads as they raised a brow.

“There are certain risks that crop up starting at thirty-five; those risks get even higher at forty,” Ash explained sadly. “Considering that I’m two days away from turning forty-four, those risks are pretty high for me.”

“You’re really turning forty-four, Mama?” Legacy asked. “You look so much younger.”

“I was twenty-six when I had y’all, so do the math,” he chuckled.

“No way…our brains hurt after all that class- and homework.”

“Anyway, so long as I don’t miscarry one or both of the babies, you’ll be having twin siblings in a few months,” Ash told them with a grin.

“I find it kinda funny that you had twins with us—” his older daughter gestured between the two of them “—and now you’re having twins again.”

“I blame Daddy,” he laughed.

“How is it my fault?” the younger man asked with a mock pout.

“Hey, you put ’em in me!” he laughed.

“True, but you’re the one who split them up, or however twins are made,” Andy returned, a bit of a snarky smirk on his face.

All of them cracked up when he said that since they didn’t know if the twins he was carrying were identical again or not. They honestly didn’t care if they were or not, considering that they were just hoping for healthy babies, when it was all said and done. So long as they were safe, happy, and healthy, little else mattered to the two men or their daughters.

It was soon time for Legacy and Magick to head up to bed since they had school once again the next day, but thankfully it was Friday. They both gave their parents good-night hugs and kisses before smiling as they headed upstairs, leaving the pair alone again. Now it was just the two of them, something that hadn’t happened often, even back when they’d first put Black Veil Brides on the musical map. It was something they really enjoyed, considering all they’d missed out on before.

Before long, though, Ash was leaning heavily on his lover, yawning so hard he had tears streaming down his cheeks. Cooing to him softly, his lover gently picked him up bridal-style and started up the stairs, telling him he’d come back down for his medicine once he’d gotten him settled in bed. Of course, the older man didn’t want him to leave him, as evidenced by the whine he let out as he snuggled closer.

With soft words and gentle movements, Andy gently laid his sweetheart on his bed and gently kissed his forehead. He knew better than to pull the covers over him just yet since he still had yet to strip down, so he left him to do that while he went back downstairs. In addition to needing to grab his medicine, the younger man continued his habit of locking up before heading to bed. He might not be in the heart of LA right now, but it was a habit he’d gotten into long ago that he couldn’t break. Then again, with his family in the house, he didn’t give a damn where they were; he didn’t want their lives put on the line.

“I’m back, Outlaw,” he said softly, closing the door to the master suite.

“In the bathroom,” Ash answered, his speech sounding funny.

When he walked into the room, he saw that he’d been brushing his teeth. “Ah, I was wondering why your words sounded muffled.”

“Yeah, foamy toothpaste does that,” the older man chuckled once he’d rinsed his mouth out.

“Lemme get mine brushed, and I’ll come join you,” Andy said, smiling.

“All right, Batman,” his sweetheart answered.

As quickly as he could manage without choking, he brushed his teeth and rinsed his mouth out, then quickly wiped the counter. As pretty as the soapstone looked, he didn’t think it would look as nice with white spots from toothpaste that’d fallen out of their mouths. With the counter cleaned off and everything put away, it was time to head off to bed.

The smile already gracing his lips got even wider when he walked back into the bedroom. Already settled on his right side, Ash held his pillow in a loose grip, his legs curled up not quite in the fetal position as he slept peacefully. It was obvious that he’d tried staying awake for just a few more minutes to await his lover, but he was just too tired. Considering his sleepless night and that pregnancy was draining, he didn’t really blame him for finally giving in to his body’s demand for rest.

Before he crawled into bed behind him, Andy turned off the lamp on the nightstand, engulfing the room in darkness. He kept his movements gentle as he snuggled up to his sweetheart’s back side and rested his hand on his hip. The older man released a soft sigh and scooted backward in his sleep, enjoying the warmth he provided. His smile softened as exhaustion took over, and it wasn’t long before he, too, was sleeping peacefully.

Notes