“Okay, but the librarian is going to ask where’s the book you checked out, and if you say you burned it-”
“He can suck my dick.”
Jaime jabbed the tip of the flaming sword at the book which had caught. Once it was burning well, he let the fire go out from his sword, sheathed it, and tossed in a couple of logs and kindling. After a few good stabs with the poker to get the kindling lit, he was satisfied. Hopefully, the book would be pure ash soon.
“It couldn’t have been that bad,” said Aleric.
“If you’d read it, you’d see why it’s bad. I don’t care if you want me to fetch things downstairs or whatever, I’ll do it. You’re to rest as much as you want and eat whatever you like, okay? I don’t care if you get bloated, and I’m not going to fantasize about a skinnier version of you.”
Aleric’s expression was priceless. “Why are you telling me this?”
Because Jaime wanted to take care of him. Even though they weren’t in love, and they hadn’t been planning anything, he didn’t know how to suppress the urge. Maybe he was one of those guys who is simply meant to be a Father. He hadn’t expected the urge to happen so fast, but there it was. Shouldn't all men want to take care of their husbands or future husbands especially when they’re pregnant?
His Father had doted on Mother when she was pregnant.
Aleric was still watching him. “Listen, I guess I’m not one of those men who think they need the whole pregnancy to get used to the idea of a kid coming. The other has to get used to it right away and deal with everything from day one. That never made sense to me anyway. Why would I need so long anyway? The baby doesn’t only exist after someone pushes it out.”
“Okay…”
“I should be caring for you the best I can because no matter what I do, you’re going to be dealing with the problems that come with pregnancy, including giving birth which I’m sure is quite painful. I can’t shoulder everything for you, but there are things Icanshoulder, and it’s not my place to keep you skinny or to ignore you because of-whatever. I guess it’s just how I was raised.”
Uncle had slid into the parental spot pretty easily when Jaime first came. As for his Father, instead of letting Mother do everything, like some parents, he’d also been a proper parent. It hadn’t always been Mother bathing, dressing, and putting Jaime to bed or getting him up and ready in the morning. She hadn’t always been stuck watching him. There had been no nanny, and Jaime was pretty sure Father hadn’t been afraid of changing his nappies as a baby.
Aleric paused. “And the book?”
“It was written by an asshole who acts like a pregnant abundant male is a thing to deal with. He thinks they’re like women in some ways who get all weepy and manipulative. You can tell he looks down on women too with that attitude, and all he cares about is putting his dick into a body that still looks young and thin. He’d probably get along great with Gautier. I’m sick of it, and nobody needs to read that nonsense.”
“Fine.” Aleric started for the door. “Be more careful with what you take from the library so you don’t have to burn more books. I don't need the librarian shuffling around to see where missing works have disappeared to.”
Jaime straightened his coat, followed him into the hall, and put out his arm once Aleric locked the door. “Here.”
“What?”
“Do you want to take my arm? To keep you steady?”
“I’m pregnant, not deathly ill and incapable of walking.”
“I don’t know if you’re going to get dizzy on the stairs again-”
“I ate, and it’s not necessarily something that will happen every damn day. Besides, people are going to wonder why I’m hanging onto you like I'm helpless. We do have to announce it, but not right this second.”
“Oh.” Of course, he wasn’t going to blurt out that he was pregnant at dinner. “If you do need it, tell me. Fuck what everyone else thinks.”
Jaime had to keep himself from clenching his fists or showing any anger when they entered the Hall. Gautier was at a round table with Zacharie and other courtiers. Looking at his face was even harder.
Seeing him there, smiling and talking with another courtier while completely uncaring that he’d beaten Aleric, infuriated Jaime. He was absolute scum and needed to be dangling from a noose. Even better, he needed a beat down in the Hall. See how he liked it. Except Jaime knew if he got started, he wouldn’t stop until Gautier’s face was smashed into a pulp and completely unrecognizable.
It wasn’t fair that Aleric had to come down to meals every single day and see his abuser sitting with his brother all clueless and in love.
Chapter Twenty-One
Dinner was fine, and Aleric retreated to his bedroom afterward. Jaime left for a bit to find new, better books to read that weren’t full of crap, and Aleric was bathing when he heard him return.
“It’s just me,” he called from the sitting room.
“All right.”
Aleric dunked his head under the water to rinse his hair. Jaime was being so nice, one might say he was the sort who had a lot of paternal instinct and grew particularly protective of their lover while pregnant. Some men were like that.
