Little Prince [✓]

XXVⅠ

Max's POV

Dammit! Now he knows!

My heart hammered against my ribs as his eyes examined my entire body, as if he were mentally undressing me. He had just felt what I had spent the past few weeks in the manor hiding. Was he angry? His face was blank until a smile spread from ear to ear but I was still uneasy. Maybe he was hiding his anger- or worse, was about to snap. I knew it was stupid to think since Nathan was not hot-headed or ill-mannered but I could not help but worry as he held me in his embrace...was he trying to hold me hostage?!

At first I was in denial, I didn't think it'd be true even when the tests came back positive. Nathan thought I refused every physician but I couldn't refuse the one Father sent in the middle of my morning stroll without causing suspicion. I made a deal of sorts with the physician- I'd take the test as long as he agreed to say nothing to Father and Nathan. I did not want to hide it from him but with the pressure of wedding planning and the tension with Father I could not find a good time to tell him. I also was worried that it would not last, and I did not want to get his hopes up only to crush him with disappointment.

"Max, you're so quiet." He teased, his low chuckle making my heart race. "I already told you, I'm not upset-"

"Or are you?" I cautiously looked up at him only to jerk my head away when his gaze made my face flush, "You could be plotting right now!"

"Plotting what exactly?" Nathan leaned down, his smirk teasing my eyes.

"I...well...you see-" I gasped as he tilted my chin up, "-How am I supposed to think in these conditions?"

"Don't." His kiss was gentle, warm against my lips as my heart fluttered. "Don't think about anything but us."

I melted in his embrace as his lips moved softly against mine, my entire body coming alive as it eagerly responded to his touch. The kiss deepened as time passed, his scent making my mind fill with a low buzz. He always smelled like browned butter, fragrant and nutty. My arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer only for my small yet significant bump to keep him back. His low chuckle made my face burn as he cupped it, grinning and giggling like an immature middle school boy.

"What is so funny?!" I hid my face in my hands, my heart was still racing.

"Nothing, I'm sorry!" He wiped a tear from his eye as he smiled, "I just...it still feels so surreal."

"Oi!" I shivered as his hands gently pressed my stomach, "I s-still feel that!"

"Sorry, sorry! I'm just...making sure I'm not dreaming." He laid his head on my stomach as I leaned back, "I still can't believe how lucky I am."

I could not believe my luck either. We were going to get married in two days, I was pregnant, and Father was bedridden and unable to cause me any stress. I loved my Father and always would, but while I loved him I loathed him more. The manor was much more peaceful with him gone. I wondered how he was doing, he always seemed to tense whenever Nathan entered the room. Nathan used to be the one to get anxious but now Father seemed...paranoid.

"Am I putting too much of my weight on you?" Nathan jumped out, "Do you need anything? Cake? Blankets?"

"Nathan, I'm fine." I smiled as his pheromones rose, he was overthinking already.

"Do you know how far along you are? We still need to make your nest and I should have all the fish thrown out and-"

"Nathan!" I grabbed his face, gently cupping it as he breathed heavily. "We can do all of that later. Right now, I want to cuddle and discuss our reception."

.｡. :*☆~☆*: .｡.

I played with his hair as he hummed quietly, his face buried in my stomach as his arms wrapped around my waist. He seemed so content, a bright smile shining every time he peeked up at me. The way he looked at me always made me feel fuzzy but his current gaze made me feel warm and gooey- like a fudge brownie. I really wanted chocolate, specifically a chocolate lava cake coated in powdered sugar.

"Mon amant, can you get me a lava cake?" I whispered as his dazed eyes slowly focused. "Please~"

"Yeah, of course, do you want some warm milk to go with it?" He jumped up, laying a blanket over me. "I can bring you some juice too."

"Warm milk sounds nice," I smiled. I had gotten used to his protective side but I was still adjusting to this extremely-nurturing side.

Nathan rushed out of the room like a spy on a mission. I waited, staring at my stomach as tears stung my eyes. It felt surreal to me as well, even though I had known for a while now it still felt strange to know there was someone forming inside of me. I felt so...compressed? Maybe swollen was a better description but sometimes I felt hollow. I rubbed my stomach as a migraine cloaked over my head.

"How are you feeling?" Nathan whispered as he re-entered the living room with a tray, "I brought some fruit too."

"Thank you," I gasped as he held a raspberry up to my lips. "You brought my favorite..."

"Of course, I have to make sure you stay nice and strong for the baby." He fed me more raspberries as he sat beside me, "Do you know how far along you are? When do you think it...uh...started?"

"I think our time at the villa caused it. The physicians say I'm nearing the end of four months, but I have not had any ultrasounds yet." I felt my cheeks flush as he wiped my face, "I wanted to tell you before doing one so we could do it together."

"Thank you for thinking of me," he grinned. His smile was contagious and I found myself giggling as he kissed my cheek, "When would you like to have one done?"

"Preferably after our honeymoon. Hiding the bump has been exhausting enough but if we go immediately after marrying people will talk and I will have to kill them when they do." My jaw clenched, the thought of the gossip I knew approached us pissed me off.

"No murdering anyone, not while you're pregnant." Nathan sighed as I sulked, "Think of the stress- it's bad for the baby."

Baby this, baby that!

"Is the baby all you care about now?" I grumbled as he held a spoon of rich lava cake to my lips, "What about me?"

"I care about both of you, especially you." He tilted my chin up as my heart fluttered, "If something happens with the baby it can hurt you...lethally. I can't lose you."

"I...fine." I could not meet his stern gaze and instead focused on the spoon in front of me, "I suppose you are right."

"I'll always care about you more than a clump of cells." Nathan kissed my forehead as I sipped the warm milk, my eyes darting to the floor as my ears burned. "You're so cute when you're flustered."

"And you are insufferable when you tease me like this!"

"You'll have to get used to it, we're going to be husbands in forty-eight hours." His cheeks tinted pink, "And you have to spend an entire honeymoon with me!"

"Oh no! How will I ever survive?" I giggled as he raised an eyebrow, "I'll perish from a cardiac explosion before we even reach our honeymoon."

"Oh? Guess I better edit my vows down a little-"

"You started writing vows?!" I had not even started drafting mine and Nathan was editing his!

"I've had nothing else to do, your father doesn't like to share with me-"

We jumped as a line of servants burst through the doors, their heads hanging and eyes on the floor. Some were weeping, others were awkwardly shuffling in their stance. Nathan's pheromones bounced around the room, a chemical warning to be cautious. I held his hand, gently stroking his thumb to calm him down. His body tensed as a servant stepped closer, the servant was shaking but Nathan's focus did not shift.

This is new

"Mon amant, sit with me, I'm cold." I slowly squeezed his hand as his eyes finally glanced down at me, "They are not going to harm me...you can relax. We're okay."

"Right...sorry." Nathan quickly sat beside me as the servant stood in front of us.

"I assume what you are about to tell us is heartbreaking." I sighed as I sat in Nathan's lap.

"Young master, your father..." The servant paused, their brows furrowing as they squeezed their eyes closed.

"My father?" I sat up as Nathan held me closer. "Spit it out!"

"He's dead."