Something Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter 51

Douxie was there when he opened his eyes. He had a gentle but firm grip on Carter's hand. Someone else was standing in the corner of the small infirmary ward. Carter was still shaking with panic and rage from that dream.

"Hey," Douxie whispered when he saw he was awake. "Do you feel any better, my love?"

Carter still felt like he was dreaming. His body felt weightless, his mind completely elsewhere. Slowly, he sat up, taking in deep breaths.

"Carter?" Douxie tried again, the hand covering his moving to Carter's chest. He felt warm. Solid. Real. But did Carter even know what was real anymore? "Sunshine, talk to me."

"Douxie?" He managed to get out, a headache pounding at his skull.

"Yeah," Douxie cupped his cheek, drawing him close and pressing a kiss to his temple. "I'm right here, cariad. Right here."

"I don't... feel like I'm awake yet," Carter muttered, brain woolly with pain.

"You're awake," the person in the corner confirmed. Jim. "You've been out for about four hours." He came to the other side of Carter's hospital bed, eyes worried. "We... don't really want to rush you, but we think it's not going to be ignored anymore?"

"What?" Carter blinked, not knowing at all what Jim was talking about.

"The fight," Jim clarified. "We think it's trying to get your attention, and that's why you went a little crazy today."

Carter frowned. "Nice word choice there."

Jim cracked a smile, ruffling his hair. "Do you still need a minute to get your bearings?"

Carter huffed. "Give me an hour."

Jim pursed his lips, but nodded. "If you really need an hour, then yeah. But everything is set up for the duel."

Carter's eyes narrowed. "Fun."

"Arawn..." Douxie said quietly, carefully. "Was concerned for you. He wants to help get this over with."

Carter wrestled the spike of anger that reared in his chest. He took another deep breath and nodded. "Tell him I said thanks."

Douxie's lips pressed together thinly. "Jim, can you...?"

"Uh, yeah." Jim stepped back and made his way to the "door". It was really just a heavy curtain, but Carter guessed it did the trick. "Yeah, go ahead. Talk. Chat. Make out. Whatever you need."

Carter blinked, watching the curtain fall shut again. "What the hell was that about?"

Douxie sighed, fingers finding their way to Carter's messy hair. "I need to tell you something."

Carter looked at him, stunned to find Douxie's eyes were wet with tears. But he didn't... look sad. He wet his lips, turning to him. "Let me guess?"

"Carter, it's not that kind of—"

"You're pregnant."

That clearly caught him off-guard. His eyes went wide, and he just stared at Carter. Until the half-blood cracked a grin. Then he laughed, pulling Carter towards him in a hug. The angle was awkward, but it was still a warm hug.

Carter snickered into Douxie's hair, kissing his head. "Sorry, I just didn't want you spiraling again. I figured saying the most absurd thing I could think of would help."

Douxie was laughing into his neck, and Carter was glad they still had these small moments of being absolutely ridiculous together. "No, my love. No, I'm not pregnant."