A Way Around Indecision (An ER Fic)

That's Our Baby

Rather than sleeping, they stayed up talking. This time, actually discussing what they needed to. Dennis had popped in a frozen pizza for a late dinner while they chatted.

John did most of the talking. Finally, putting everything out there, he explained how it happened, how he didn't know it could happen, how he wasn't entirely sure if he should go through with it and that, if he did, he wouldn't expect anything from Dennis unless he truly wanted to be involved. John waited for what felt like forever for a response, but none came.

Dennis sat in front of him, an expression of utter stupefaction that was stamped on his face, now leached of colour.

"Dennis?" He waved a hand in front of the man's eyes. Still no answer. The timer on the oven went off, snagging his attention for a brief moment, then returned to his friend. He didn't want to be rude and walk away to get the pizza, but he also didn't want it to burn. Plus, he was starving. So, he decided. "I'm just gonna..." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. Without finishing his sentence, he slapped his knees as he got up and hustled over to the stove.

Pregnant. He couldn't believe it. It was roughly a one in eighty-three thousand chance for John to be intersex, to begin with. Being intersex and getting pregnant? There weren't any statistics for that, but he figured it was nigh impossible. Until now, that is.

Pregnant? It started to make sense; the mood swings and the way he was eating earlier, and Dennis wouldn't swear to it, but he thought he saw a bit of a bump starting to show when he saw him naked earlier. He just thought it was the usual bloating he'd get occasionally. Dennis knew him well enough to know his lower GI tract was not in the best shape.

Dennis couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "Pregnant?"

After setting the pan down on the counter, John eyed the back of his head with a straight face. "Yeah," He laid both hands beside the pan, fingers spread out. He could see the look on Dennis' countenance in his reflection on the television screen. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't know how to exactly."

"Pregnant?" he asked again, still trying to wrap his head around it.

John sucked in his lower lip and bit it. As he nodded his reluctant and unseen response, his eyebrows raised. "Either that or I've had some pretty weird food poisoning symptoms," he joked with a wide grin. It faded quickly as soon as Dennis shifted to face him; he didn't find it so funny. He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "Sorry. You know me. I get... you know..." Feeling as socially awkward as a child trying to talk to their gigantic crush, John rubbed his knuckles against the palm of his hand. He released one finger, long enough to point at pizza. "Can I get you a slice?"

Before he could answer, John already grabbed two plates and started cutting the pizza into sections. Once he was done, he dished up. One plate had a single slice, the other, clearly John's, had five, leaving two behind on the pan. Dennis was handed his plate, which he stared at while John wasted no time in chowing down.

John forgot the conversation wasn't over until the moment he noticed Dennis and his dismayed silence. He stopped chewing and swallowed audibly. The fact he couldn't tell what was going on in his head troubled him. John took Dennis' plate and his own and set them on the coffee table, then gave him an attentive stare. "Tell me what you're thinking right now."

A lot of things, he thought to himself. The biggest worry was whether they should do this. It was John's choice, of course, and he would respect his decision, whatever it was.

"I-I don't–" Dennis' words fell short, struggling to find the right thing to say.

"It's okay. I'm still trying to figure it out myself."