HOLLOW

•TWENTY-ONE•

•Natalie's POV•
•

Ever since the mall incident, Athanasios has assigned Socrates and Orion as my bodyguards- if you could even call it that. I know Athanasios was just looking out for me but right now, this was anything but a blessing. The only place I truly felt safe was in his arms.

A few pieces of popcorn fell on me and I wasn't surprised. "Oops, sorry, I missed!" Orion shot me a nervous smile. I could only shake my head. "Socrates is literally sitting right next to you! How did you miss?" The movie was forgotten long ago when Socrates started a popcorn war.

"Bad aim?" I sent him a glare. I was tired of the games these two would come up with. I got up and snatched both of their bags of popcorn. "Is this bad aim?" I emptied the contents of the bags onto their heads. "That's fair." Orion nodded, starting to brush the popcorn off of him.

"Wait, wait, shh!" Me and Orion exchanged curious looks as Socrates listened for whatever it is he was listening for. "Do you hear that?" Orion shook his head as his eyebrows furrowed. "Listen." Orion looked just as confused as I was until his jaw dropped. "Oh my Goddess." He looked to Socrates with wide eyes. "What is it?" I questioned.

I obviously couldn't hear whatever it was due to their developed hearing. "I'm gonna be an uncle!" Orion took off running as my eyes grew as wide as saucers. "What!" I knew what Orion was hinting at but I needed confirmation. "Athanasios, put a baby in-" I flicked Socrates' forehead. "You didn't have to say it like that!" He rubbed his forehead as Orion returned, sporting a large grin. You would've thought that he was the one expecting.

"I'll mind-link Athanasios!"

I felt my heart my heart rate increasing as the seconds passed. There's a living thing inside me. One that me and Athanasios created. I would soon be responsible for a child while I am a child myself. No matter how many times I replayed the words in my head, I couldn't believe it.

What if we weren't ready for children. Me and Athanasios hadn't even talked about that yet. "Natalie?" I snapped my head to Athanasios who stood in the doorway. "Athanasios." His name left my mouth in a whisper as he approached me.

Before I knew it, he was standing right before me. His large hands slid to my waist where he would rub circles. He leaned his forehead against mine and inhaled. "Thank you." He says.

"For what?"

"For carrying my children."

My eyebrows furrow. "Children?" I question. He chuckles and kisses my forehead. "There's three." My eyeballs almost fall out of their sockets. "You said th-three?" When he nods, my worry grows. I was worried about one child, what will I do with three? He pulls me closer and wraps his arms around my small frame. "You'll be fine. I know you'll be a great mother."

I smile at his words and run my hand through his locks of hair. "And I'm certain that you will be the best father."

_____

From then on, Athanasios was extra attentive to everything I did. He made sure that I was filled with food while explaining that he wanted chubby kids. That only earned a snicker from Socrates. And even that was followed by Orion asking what type of décor I wanted at the baby shower.

"What genders do you think they are?" Orion asks. He seemed more excited than anyone in the room- with the exception of Athanasios. They were both acting like giddy schoolgirls at a sleepover. "I don't know. I want at least a boy and two girls." Athanasios says. I took a glance at my belly that has yet to grow. I felt like my perspective on everything has changed knowing that I was to be a mother soon.