Paint Me Blue [bxb; mpreg]

Chapter Twenty Eight

M. 18th

Reese is 20 weeks pregnant and every day he's showing more and more.  It's getting harder to hide his growing belly and he's more reluctant to go to school and pretend like another person isn't growing inside him.

He ducks and cowers, fearing a hard blow to his round belly whenever he walks down the halls.  His hoodies are starting to fit too tight and they do nothing to hide his pregnancy.  He can't even tie his shoes without Payton's help anymore.

And, of course, everyone notices.

Everybody whispers behind his back.  He doesn't know if the rumors are worse than before or not.  They're mostly just about how much of a slut he is.  He doesn't let it affect him though.  Or at least he tries.

That is, until Anderson decides to take it a step further.

He's walking toward his locker, intent on putting his books away, to meet Payton in the library.

Anderson takes the opportunity to stop him halfway there.

"Hey slut," the jock sneers.

Reese tries to ignore him, he really does, but what comes out of his mouth next pisses him off.

"Is it true you're carrying a little parasitic bastard?  Does that mean you really are a girl?  You fucking tranny."

"My baby isn't a bastard or a parasite unlike you," Reese growls angrily, face flushed, "so shove your words down your throat."

"Oh!" Anderson exclaims in shock, "so it is true, you're a fucking tranny!  A real slut ain't you.  Where's the little brat's dad?  Bet he left you when he realized what a b-"

"Shut the fuck up, Anderson," Payton quickly intervenes.

Anderson rolls his eyes in annoyance, "What the fuck do you want now?  You can't be his savior all the time, and why the fuck do you even care?"

"I care, because the person you're insulting and therefore hurting, is the carrier of my baby and I refuse to see him deal with scum like you while pregnant."

The shock on Anderson's face is priceless until it morphs into one of mischief.

Reese stares at Payton horrified.  Does he know what he just did?

"You're lying," Anderson tries.

Payton only puffs out his chest, arm wrapping around Reese's waist and eyes narrowing, challenging him, "does it look like I am?"

"Shit," Anderson laughs, "You actually took the slut to bed!  You're a fucking fag!"

Reese looks down, his belly covering the view of where his feet should be, but his embarrassment and shame is palpable.

Payton's body burns with anger.  He knew they were making fun of Reese.  He never thought that they escalated to horrible fucking names.  He strides right up to Anderson, clenches his hands and throws the first fist.

Anderson fights back and all Payton can hear is Reese begging for them to stop.

At one point he even tries to pull Payton back only to be shoved by Anderson into the lockers.

He hits hard with his hip and his knees buckle with the breath knocked out of him at the sharp pain.  He closes his eyes before impact and the first thing he thinks of is his baby.  His sweet little pea.

"Reese!"

He tries to breathe through the filling pain, but his breaths only come out harshly with his slight panic.

"Reese," Payton repeats

He looks up as Payton kneels beside him with a split lip and blood dribbling down his chin.

"Reese?  Reese, baby are you okay?"

It takes a while for Reese to react, his hand automatically on his belly as tears well up in his eyes.

"Shit," Anderson mutters under his breath.

The vice principal and a nearby teacher rush down the hallway and toward them, assessing the sight immediately.

"Reese, right?" Vice Principal Harry asks.

Reese manages a weak nod.

"Are you okay?  Can you stand?"

Payton helps him up slowly, arm wrapping around his waist and making him wince.

"Let's get you to the nurse's office, Mr. Parker and Mr. Smith, to the main office."

Reese looks panicked between the adults before settling on Payton, shaking his head quickly, "No, not Payton, please."

The teacher and VP share a look before reluctantly agreeing, "Alright, it's okay Reese, Payton can come with you."

They take him to the nurse's office and call his doctor.  All the while he holds his breath.

"Any bleeding?  Sharp pain?"

Reese bites his lip, "no blood and it hurts a little."

"Do you mind if I see?"

Payton holds his breath, keeping his own fear in check as Reese lifts his hoodie and tee.

He can make out the pink stretch marks beginning to adorn his belly and just above his hip is a nasty forming bruise.

"Just a bit of bruising and swelling," the nurse notes, relaying everything to the doctor on the phone line, "no vaginal bleeding or discharge."

They wait impatiently for the verdict with bated breath.

"Alright boys," she sighs, giving them a small smile, "for now you seem stable, but your doctor wants to see you as soon as possible just to make sure.  How are you feeling, Reese?"

"A bit nauseas," Reese admits, although the pallor of his face is being replaced with that healthy pregnancy glow he had before the incident.

"That's normal after a scare like that," the nurse hums, "here, put a little ice for the swelling."

Reese lays down on his side and places the ice pack on his bruising hip.

"What about you boys?"

Payton has an ice pack on his busted lip and Anderson has tissue up his nose. 

They both look ashamed, lying through gritted teeth, "we're good."

She tsks, but her anger is directed solely at Anderson, "now you leave the poor boy alone.  It's enough with your cruel words.  He has to worry about himself and his child, not about your silly and childish disputes and bullying.  I'm sure the principal will lecture you, both of you, and you better hope this doesn't repeat itself because that little baby can only take so much."

They nod, effectively reprimanded, and when she leaves to report to the main office, Payton hops off his bed and scurries to Reese's side.

"Hey," he whispers, afraid to touch.

"Hi," Reese sniffs, head pillowed on his arm.

Payton reaches out, but holds back.

Reese huffs and takes his hand with a wince, "it's okay, we're okay."

Payton lays his hand carefully on the warm skin and breathes in relief.

Another wince crosses Reese's face and Payton stares wide eyed.

"Is that?"

"Yeah," Reese breathes, "baby's kicking."

Payton's heart melts, "that's our baby.  Our strong little sweet pea."