This is a Markson story. It's 5.2k words long. Please enjoy. 

Jackson's hand was underneath Mark’s shirt, his side as they kissed. His thumb the skin at a consistent pace. His other arm wrapped around Mark’s back and his hand held the back of Mark’s head and neck. Mark’s arms were wrapped around Jackson's neck with his fingers laced in his husband’s hair. It was late morning on a Sunday. Sunlight streamed through the curtains and blinds. This was an example of a perfect morning the couple had been privy to over the past seven years.

As the kiss began to deepen, Mark suddenly was hit by a wave of nausea. He jerked his head back and pushed his way out of the cage of Jackson's arm. He fell out of the bed, and when he stood up, he kept tripping over his own feet as he rushed to the bathroom. He stomped over to the toilet and rested his head on the seat. Mark sat there focusing on the uneasy feeling of his stomach and they way blood pounded in his ears.

“Mark are you okay?” Jackson walked over to him and crouched beside him. Jackson rubbed his back, neck and shoulders.

“No. I got the feeling I needed to puke.”

“I'll go get you something to drink.” Jackson walked out of the bathroom to go to the kitchen. He was concerned about Mark. This wasn't the first time he'd been nauseous lately. They'd gone to dinner a week ago, at one of Jackson’s restaurants, and had poked at the food most of the time. When he did eat a small portion, he'd immediately spit it out and ran to the bathroom. A couple of days ago when Jackson woke to an empty bed and the sound of Mark puking at almost six in the morning. He poured Mark a glass of water and some anti-nausea medication. “Here.” Jackson placed the glass next to the kneeling man and placed the pill in his palm.

Jackson ran his hand through Mark’s hair, away from his forehead. He stopped for a moment to get a cool towel to put on his neck. He placed the towel on the back of his neck. “Are you feeling better?”

“A bit. I'm still feeling queasy.”

“You should eat something.”

“Okay.”

“Jackson what are we eating for dinner?”

“Whatever you want.”

Mark contemplated for a couple of seconds before answering. “Burgers.”

“Again? We had burgers three days ago. I also know you’ve had burgers without me at least three times in the past two weeks.”

“No comment.”

“Mark… I don't mind eating burgers again, but I think there's something wrong with you. You can't become addicted to burgers. There is other that just as good.”

Mark just rolled his eyes and continued to scroll through his social media pages. He wouldn't admit that maybe Jackson was right about something being wrong with him. The nausea had been occurring more often than he knew. Along with the nausea, he’d been experiencing avoidance of food that he normally liked. Normally, that word no longer applied to his current condition. He just felt off lately, and he had no idea why.

“Mark, are we going to do anything tonight?” Jackson was feeling edgy because of the lack of intimacy they'd had lately. It had been about a week since they'd had , but even cuddling had been sparse lately

“No, I'm tired.” Mark scrolled through his phone not looking at his husband's concerned face.

“You've been tired for the past couple of weeks. Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yeah, I've just been busy with work and stuff.”

“What stuff? All you have to worry about is your job, me, your family, the dog and your friends.” Jackson meant it as a joke, but Mark didn't laugh.

Mark whipped his head towards him and glared. He was not in the mood to deal with Jackson. His sense of calm snapped like a thin thread. “Don't belittle me because I'm not tied up in so much that I'm constantly busy and have no time for the people I ‘love.’ My basic obligations aren't effortless easy though. I also have other responsibilities within all of those groups. I've had a lot to do lately, and I don't need you inspecting my actions. It's not easy being a married adult you know. ”

Jackson wasn't expecting Mark to snap at him, but he decided to let it go.“I didn't mean it that way.” He gathered Mark’s hands in his and looked him straight in the eye. “I know you have a lot of responsibilities, and I don't want you to think I'm belittling you. I'm just worried. If you're not feeling better by the end of the month, I want you to go to the doctor. I'd be devastated if you were ill and I just ignored it or let is slide. Promise?”

Mark didn't want to understand how he was calm again after a few words after getting angry with Jackson, sh he shrugged it off. “Promise.” Mark moved his hand from Jackson’s grip. He reached up and placed his hand on Jackson's cheek. He his cheek with his thumb. “I don't want to worry you unnecessarily. I know it's important to take care of myself so I will.” He leaned forward to give Jackson a firm kiss on the lips. Backing up, “I love you.”

It was nearing the end of the month and none of Mark’s ailments had gotten better. They'd actually become more apparent. Even though it had only been three weeks since they'd made the deal about going to the doctor. Since Mark was not getting better, Jackson had barely been able to not voice his concern about his condition, but Mark had had a bit of an attitude problem lately that hasn't been in Jackson's favor. Jackson had been sleeping in the spare bedroom for three nights straight because of something trivial they'd argued about, and Mark was, and still was, royally pissed at him. Besides the pissiness, Mark had also become more tired, started consuming the same things, food or drink, frequently, rejected more than half of the food he was offered because of its smell or taste, and had even required massages for his feet and ankles. Mark hadn't even told him that he'd started gaining a little bit of weight around his midsection, thighs, and .

Since it was three days before he was obligated to go to the hospital, Mark decided to do some preliminary research. He didn't know what type of diagnosis to expect so he wanted to mentally prepare himself with the possibilities. Jackson was doing whatever at one of his clubs so Mark wouldn't be bothered while researching. He'd been really mean to Jackson lately, and he felt bad about it, but he couldn't help it. Figuring out what was wrong was the first step to solving his recent health issues. Maybe he'd find the answer and it would help him feel better and explain why he'd been so awful to Jackson, and other people, the past couple of weeks.

As he identified his symptoms, a shocking result came out as the most likely one. It was something so obvious yet somewhat scary. It was a result that shook Mark to the core. Pregnancy. Mark didn't know if he could carry a child, especially since the ability was somewhat rare and was not easily identified during routine examinations. With these symptoms as evidence, maybe he was a male carrier. The symptoms matched: swelling, fatigue, nausea, mood swings, cravings, and changes in taste. Pregnancy explained why he was having all those symptoms but it still just seemed a bit far fetched. He and Jackson had had unprotected many times during the relationship but had never had a similar situation. He couldn't even guess when it could have happened.

Mark became even more frazzled as he researched pregnancy tests and basic knowledge of the pregnancy period. He was feeling overwhelmed as he entered his second hour of research. He leaned back in the desk chair and rubbed his eyes. With his brain feeling overloaded and useless, he decided to go to bed. Contrary to his desires to sleep, his brain worked hard to digest the information and kept him up until well after Jackson had arrived at two in the morning. Even when his husband had come to bed, even though he Mark hadn't deliberately allowed him to sleep with him, Mark remained awake. Sleep didn't come to him until almost five in the morning, Mark had to wake up at seven thirty.

When Mark awoke from his sparse sleep, he felt awful like he'd studied all night and still had an important tests to take. Which oddly was the best way to explain the situation. He did have a test, a pregnancy test, to take today. As he became more coherent, he felt more and jittery, anxious actually.

Along with the nausea, fatigue, and dislike of certain foods, the morning really as it progressed. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. When he started to dress himself, his pants were tighter than a rubber band and he wasn't able to button them up. When he'd finally dressed himself in clothes that fit, which ended up being casual clothes, he'd barely been able to eat some of the breakfast Jackson had fixed. Fortunately, his husband seemed to be preoccupied with his routine and not paying attention to Mark and his issues, but Mark knew better. Jackson seemed to be letting him be, since he'd been on thin ice recently. Jackson was avoiding interrogating his husband for the next couple of days.

With a quick kiss on the cheek, Jackson left to go workout and visit a couple of his restaurants. Mark had a different plan for the day. He was going to go buy a pregnancy test. The journey to the pharmacy was strange. It was indescribable actually. Mark felt like he was watching himself drive to the store while also feeling almost mechanical while also on edge. He was a mess of mixed feeling. He didn't even think that description truly described how he was feeling. He walked steadfastly towards the pregnancy tests. Mark surveyed the selection and chose the test which seemed simplest. It also happened to be one of the most popular ones according to the forum he'd read. It was frequently accurate and easy to read; plus it also was able to detect male pregnancy hormones unlike others. With his ears and cheeks slightly aflame, Mark took the test to the counter. He couldn't look the cashier in the eye. Even though pregnancy was a natural life process, he couldn't purchase the test confidently.

The drive back, with the test in a paper bag on the passenger seat next to him, was riddled with nervousness. He was nervous. At first, he'd planned on taking the test alone but decided to call Jackson when he got home. He needed the support of his husband when he took the test. His mind raced for a way to tell Jackson without shocking him. Since that probably wouldn't happen, he decided to just tell him in person and not over the phone.

He sat on the couch once he got home and stared out to the backyard, the test sat on the coffee table in front of him. After a couple minutes of hesitation, he called Jackson.

“Hey babe. What's up?” Jackson shuffled through the papers on his desk with his phoned pinned between his shoulder and his ear.

“Hey, what are you doing right now?” Mark stared at the test.

“Going through some paperwork at the main office. Why?”

Ignoring his question, “When will you be home?” Mark nibbled on his bottom lip.

“Later. I have to go over a couple of menus for next week and go over some emails.”

“Oh…” He knew Jackson was busy at work, even though it was a Saturday, but he had hoped he would have had a lighter day.

“Why?”

“I was hoping you'd be able to come home earlier… I have something important to tell you.”

“Mark…” Jackson ran his hand through his hair, “Why didn't you tell me this morning?”

“I wanted you to get at least a little work done.”

Jackson sighed and was quiet for a while. All Mark could hear was his breathing. “I can be home for four. I'll review the menus and I'll check emails tonight.”

“Thank you. I love you. I'll see you later.”

“Love you too. Bye.” Mark hung up first.

Mark stared at the test until Jackson came home. He flipped it in his hands. He read each word on the box. He'd read the instructions at least ten times. Sometimes his mind did wander and imagine different ways the results and telling Jackson would end up. He was inclined to believe that Jackson would be excited and would accept the pregnancy, if it was one. Another scenario was that he was pregnant but Jackson didn't want to be a father. Mark could also not be pregnant and disappoint Jackson. Jackson could also be relieved that Mark wasn't pregnant and express that he didn't want children. That scenario would hurt the most but it was a possibility nonetheless. This event was so unexpected, Mark didn't know what would happen.

The opening of the front door announced Jackson's return home. Mark stuffed the test back into the bag and stood up to greet his husband. He walked over and kissed him on the lips.

“Hey.” Jackson began ing his shirt. He hadn't worn a jacket today as he was just having a day at his office to catch up on paperwork.

“Welcome back. Were you able to finish your work?” Mark hovered around him with a disconcerting, nervous energy.

“I was able to finish the paperwork and reviewing the menus. I even had enough time to start with some emails. I lost track of time; that's why I'm a little late.” It was almost four thirty.

“That's okay. Why don't you come sit on the couch so we can talk?”

Jackson followed Mark to the couch and sat down across from him. He wondered what they were going to discuss. Hopefully it wasn't something unpleasant. Mark rarely acted odd like this. “What's up?”

“I don't know how to tell you this but…” Mark looked down at where their hands were intertwined in his lap. He took a deep breath and continued, “I think I might be pregnant.”

“WHAT?!” Jackson was shocked as expected. Mark's recent illness and odd behavior hadn't made him suspect pregnancy, even though it would totally make sense.

“Pregnant. I might be pregnant… I've had a lot of the common symptoms and it's definitely possible even though I'm a man.”

“When did begin to suspect that you were pregnant?” Jackson could see all the emotions on Mark’s face so he tried his best to maintain a calm composure.

“Last night. I looked up my symptoms online and pregnancy fit. I've also gained a little weight over the past couple of weeks which is strange for me.”

“Why didn't you tell me this morning?”

“I was nervous. I still am. I'm actually more so than this morning. I didn't even know how to tell you. I only had a one track mind to get a pregnancy test.”

“Did you get one?”

“Yes. I also wanted you to come home so that I can take the test. I want you to be there.”

“Don't worry I'll be there. Let's do it right now.”

Jackson picked up the paper bag and headed towards their bedroom. The couple walked together with their fingers woven together. Jackson read the box when he sat on their bed. Mark sat next to him restlessly.

“Are you going in there alone?” Jackson asked after looking up from the box.

“Yeah. I don't want you to watch me pee on a stick.”

“Don't get shy with me.” Jackson bumped his shoulder lightly, “I've seen you pee before.”

“That's not the reason. I just don't want you to be in there. I'll get anxious waiting in there with you. I want you to be out here supporting and waiting for me.” Mark took the box from Jackson's hands and stood up. His hand lingered in Jackson’s.

“Alright.” Jackson was only being agreeable because this moment was nerve wracking for both of them. He didn't want to make Mark even more uneasy. His emotions were probably all over the place, and Jackson knew when to be quiet. He stood up and kissed Mark deeply on the the lips. While looking into his eyes, he whispered, “Good luck.”

Mark nodded and walked into the bathroom. He locked the door behind him so Jackson wouldn't be able to get in if he wanted to. He then took out his phone from his pocket to use as a timer. With fumbling hands, Mark took out the test and prepared himself to take it. He ped his pants and extracted his from his underwear. He positioned the stick and peed on it. Once he finished, he set the test on the counter and put himself back into his clothes. He washed his hands and then clicked the timer. He was nervous. He wanted to pace back and forth but decided to just sit on the toilet and wait without staring at the test or the timer.

Waiting for three minutes for a result that could change your life forever makes you reflect over your life. As Mark waited on the toilet with his head in his hands, trying not to peek at the test resting on the counter, he reminisced over the past years with Jackson. Their relationship had been relatively easy. Usually, when people describe their relationships, they acknowledge that it was worth the difficulties, but their relationship was not like that. Once they started, nothing really disrupted the progression of their relationship. Sure they had disagreements occasionally but nothing had stirred the idea of breaking up.

They'd met through work. What a simple yet fateful way to meet your true love. Mark was an interior designer that was hired to design Jackson’s new club. They spent so much time together at business meetings (dinners) that feelings developed. Both of them hesitated to initiate the relationship because of the distinct barrier between employee and employer. Once that line was crossed, the nail in their shared coffin was hammered.

Mark’s life was invigorated by the bright light that was Jackson Wang. He made Mark’s day brighter, filled with laughter, and a distinct stability of his presence. Jackson also surprised him often. There were other qualities that made Mark fall in love. A significant one was how attentive he was. Jackson payed attention to his feelings and expressions and listened to what he had to say. Mark had had issues in the past with partners that didn't give him their full attention; they'd dismissed him countless times.

He was also caring. This point went back to attentiveness, but it was somewhat separate on its own. Even though he was busy, he still cared for Mark. He always made sure Mark was in the best position possible. Jackson would even sacrifice himself to make others happy which led to Mark having to stop him from overworking himself. Jackson tended to get himself busy easily.

He was also very sweet. He was kind to everyone, loved his family dearly, and he loved Mark fiercely. That was also something Mark loved about Jackson. He would never doubt Jackson's feelings for him. The way Jackson expressed his love was with his entire being. No matter what, their feelings wouldn't waver.

That's partially why Mark was so nervous. He felt that he could never fully repay Jackson’s love, even though he loved him infinitely, so maybe if he was pregnant he could give him a truly great gift. The couple hadn't discussed expanding their family, even though Mark was approaching his mid-30s. They were happy now, but Mark was becoming greedy. The possibility of a baby seemed like wishful thinking. Having at least one child had been a desire of his for a long time, but he never thought he'd be able to have a biological child with Jackson. This opportunity would forever be something he was thankful for. No matter the outcome, he'd be happy.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The timer rang. Mark was snapped out of his thoughts and brought back to reality. He hesitated to raise his head from its hiding space. Even though his thoughts had been positive, the beeping of the timer had give way to negative thoughts. What if it was negative? Would Jackson be disappointed? Would Jackson want to start planning to have a child? If he wasn't pregnant, then why was he feeling so bad? What illness could he have? These questions ran through his head. Usually he wasn't overly worried about things going on around him. That was Jackson's job. He was good at receiving worries not having them.

“Mark, I heard the timer.” Jackson said through the door after knocking a couple of times. “You haven't looked have you?”

“No.” Mark said weakly. He was a bit ashamed of his lack of nerve.

“I know.. I know you're nervous. I am too. I'll be okay if you're not pregnant. We'll be able to expand our family another way, if you want. I love you regardless the result.” Jackson leaned his head against the door. He really wanted Mark to be pregnant. He hadn't mentioned his desires to him because he didn't want to be disappointed if Mark didn't want children. Jackson didn't know why Mark was nervous, but he's hoping he was nervous because he wanted the test to be positive. “Mark please look at the test. I don't want to wait anymore.”

Mark took a deep breath. He was about to look at a stick that could change their lives forever. He lifted his head. His hand crept towards the pregnancy test. As he felt around for the test, Mark opened his eyes; apparently he'd closed his eyes. He lifted the test into his line of sight. There was an apparent sign on the test. Mark believed his eyes were deceiving him. He sighed. The results were out.

Mark took the test in one hand and stood up. He unlocked the bathroom door and opened it. Jackson was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands.

“Gaga…”

Jackson's head shot up and he stood up immediately. He grabbed Mark’s wrist tightly. “What did the test show?” His voice held nervousness and hesitation. He didn't really even want to ask.

“Positive.” Mark looked at his husband with tears eyes. He jumped into Jackson’s arms and wrapped his legs around his waist. “The test is positive. I'm pregnant.” He wrapped an arm around Jackson’s neck and kissed him. Pulling back with a wide smile, “Jacks I'm pregnant. WE’RE GOING TO BE PARENTS, BABY!!!”

Jackson was quiet for a long time. It was only a couple of seconds, but for Mark it felt like hours. He'd thought Jackson wanted children. They hadn't talked about it specifically, but they was the vibe he'd gotten. What if Jackson had wished for the test to be negative. Mark was starting to freak out. Especially when Jackson set him down on the floor and sat on the bed.

“You’re pregnant? L-let me see the test.” Mark passed the test to him. Jackson was honestly in shock. He couldn't grasp what was happening right now. Mark was pregnant? “How did that happen?”

“We had Jackson. That's how it happened.” Mark really couldn't believe what was happening. Jackson's reaction was weird. He wasn't visibly excited. The normal, easily excited Jackson wasn't the person he was standing in front of. “I didn't know I was able to carry a child. I don't know how to further explain it to you.”

Jackson placed the test on the bed. He stretched his arms out and took hold of Mark’s wrist, pulling his husband toward him. He brought the slender hands toward his face. Jackson kiss the palms of his beloved. He kissed them repeatedly. Unexpectedly, he started crying.

Mark heard a strange noise from Jackson. He could tell he was crying, but it sounded more like sobbing. This wasn't the reaction he expected. Mark suddenly didn't know how to react. He wanted to give Jackson a hug and console him, but he also felt that he should wait for his next actions.

“I-I-I’m s-s-so happy. Mark I'm so happy. I haven't been this happy in a long time.” He hadn't been this happy since their wedding. He kept kissing Mark’s hands. His darling Mark. He continued to cry in his husband's hands as he kissed them. After a couple of minutes and a final kiss on the right palm, Jackson looked up into the eyes of his beloved. “I love you. I love you so much. You've blessed me with a child. I'm so happy that you love me, that we got married, and that you are you. I can't believe this is real. I must be dreaming.”

“You're not dreaming Jacks.”

“I can't believe we're going to be parents. I can't believe you're pregnant. Honestly I feel like my soul has escaped from my body.”

Mark smiled and stepped closer to Jackson. His wrists had been freed from his grip so Mark wrapped his arms around Jackson’s neck and played with his hair. He pulled Jackson's head under his diaphragm and laid it there. Mark hadn't expected Jackson to be so emotional. He definitely hadn't expected him to cry. It was unexpected but also a welcome reaction.After a few minutes,  “Are you okay now?” He pulled Jackson's hair so that he'd look at him.

Jackson gave his heartwarming and blinding smile. He'd released so many emotions already, so what were a few more? “When you were in the bathroom,” he started as he wrapped his arms around Mark's midsection, “I regretted not speaking about expanding our family earlier. We've been together for seven years and haven't had a real conversation about expanding our family. I had no idea about your feelings of having children or being pregnant, and you could not have wanted children or to give birth. Now we're in this situation and you could be pregnant against your liking. This could have caused a rift in our relationship. I want to apologize for this situation being so uncertain for both of us. I wish we had been better prepared.”

Mark continued carding his fingers through Jackson's hair. He let his words sink in before he spoke. “I accept your apology, but it's not solely your fault. I'm at fault as well so I'm also apologizing for not communicating properly. I think we were wrapped up in our romantic fairy tail and now we're in the real world. Luckily, we both want this baby… We need to have a deeper conversation about children and our expectations of each other, but that would be better for a later time.”

Jackson nodded and and wriggled himself out of Mark's arms. He then suddenly exclaimed, “WE’RE HAVING A BABY! MARK TUAN AND JACKSON WANG HAVE CREATED A CHILD TOGETHER! WE’RE GOING TO BE PARENTS!” He jumped on the bed and ran around the room.

Mark shook his head and kissed him softly on the lips after catching him. He then sunk down into his lap after Jackson sat himself on the bed again and wrapped himself around him. They kissed deeply before relinquishing themselves to their emotions in a passionate and deep kiss.

“Before we continue, I want to talk to the baby.”

Mark nodded and untangled himself from his husband. He stood up and moved the pregnancy test to one of the nightstands. He then sat on the bed and scooted backwards until he was leaning on the headboard, his back supported by pillows. Jackson crawled over and placed his head on Mark’s stomach after moving up his shirt.

“Hello, little baby. I don't know what to call you since we've just met, but that's okay. I'll just talk to you anyway. I'm very happy that you've made a surprise appearance in our lives. Even though you are a surprise, you’re exactly what we needed in our lives. I wish we were better prepared, but we'll do the best we can. We will prepare diligently for your arrival. What else can I say? I'm usually so good with words and talkin. Well I'll keep talking until I'm satisfied. I promise I'm going to be very loud for the rest of your life and please don't think I'm annoying because of it. I’m also going to make a promise for both of us, your parents. We promise to: entertain you, care for you, protect you, love you, and listen to you. We will love you with everything we have. Our lives will be devoted to make you the best person you possibly can be. I'll do my best and more to be a good father for you. Now I need to talk about the person who you're growing inside. Mark Tuan is an awesome person, and I know you'll love him a lot. He's really special to me. He's literally the second best thing happened to me, you being the first, and will be a terrific mother. Now about you. You are now the best thing that has happened to me. I already love you. I have no knowledge about you yet but I look forward to getting to know you for the rest of my life. I want you to grow to be a kind, patient, loving, caring, and imaginative person. I believe we're going to have a great life together. I'm looking forward to you becoming apart of our family. I love you. Grow well.”

Jackson removed himself from Mark’s abdomen after kidding it. He pushed himself up to be even with Mark and was surprised to see him asleep. Jackson couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed to be drained, it'd been an exhausting afternoon. He kissed his forehead and then rolled out of the bed. He tucked Mark under the covers and into a more comfortable position. As much as he wanted to stay and watch his husband sleep, Jackson had work to do and was more motivated than anytime before. He had a new addition to support.

He Mark’s head before going to his office. “Markiepooh, I'm really relieved that you're not seriously sick. Please rest well… I'm very thankful that we're having a child together. I promise to take good care of you until we die… Thank you for dealing with me everyday even though I might not express it often. I really feel like I'm lucky to be able to spend the rest of my life with you and to raise a family with you. I hope that we can continue to be happy forever… I love you.”

He kissed his temple and walked out of the bedroom door. When the door closed softly, Mark opened his eyes. When he'd been moved, his light sleep had been disturbed. As he got ready to fall back asleep he reflected a little more on the change that had happened in their lives and their impending future. They had completed one of the first steps in their journey as a larger family. It would lead to an unprecedented happiness that neither had experienced before.