Yixing stands in the garden, admiring the flowers and enjoying the fresh air. He has been cooped up in the house for too long. Ever since his intake of… blood, he has been feeling much better, no longer permanently weak and tired. It feels good to be able to get up and walk around again.

He places his hand on the bottom of his growing belly, rubbing it gently. It never ceases to amaze him that he is carrying a life in him. Yes, he has always thought he will have children of his old, but never so soon, and certainly has never thought of having a half vampire baby.

“Are you happy inside, baby?” He whispers, hand his baby through the walls of his stomach.

He feels a soft flutter, but decides that it is probably the gas.

He was about to continue the conversation with the baby when he feels a cold hand wraps around his midriff, startling him.

“You look a lot better,” Yifan comments with a look of subtle approval on his face.

Yixing nods his head, his cheeks flushed from the intimate moment with the vampire. He realizes that Yifan is really touchy with him and he guesses it’s probably because of the baby.

Yifan caresses the bump affectionately, trying to sense the baby.

“How old are you, Yifan?” Yixing asks, in an attempt to distract himself from the arms wrap around him.

“221.”

“That’s really old.” Yixing struggles out of Yifan’s hold and turns around, such that he is looking at the vampire. He sees no lines and no white hair. No signs of aging at all, he thinks. The only sign of his age is the look in his eyes. The unwavering  eyes that seem to fear nothing.

Yifan has really dark eyes, he realizes. Really dark eyes that seem to you away into them if you were to stare at them for too long. Surely there have been many others who yearns for him, humans or vampires.

“And you have never had a child?” Yixing queries, curiousity b.

Yifan shakes his head, putting both his hands on Yixing’s tummy, “He will be my very first child.”

“There have never been any others of our kind who caught my eyes.”

“But he is an experiment.” Yixing accuses, suddenly feeling protective of the innocent life in him.

Yifan flinches at his words slightly, but manages to remain calm, “He was. All I wanted was to win the bet. The plan was to impregnate a human, pay him and that was it.”

“But that night… That night that we ed. I could feel him. The moment we joined, I knew I have succeeded. And for the next few days, it was all I could think about. It was like there was this force pulling me to you. And I realizes it’s the baby.”

“Long time ago, my father told me that he could feel the connection with both Heechul and me even before we were born. He told me it was the most amazing feeling on earth, and now I believe him.”

“What happened to your father?” Yixing asks. He has been in the house for the two months and he has yet to see anyone other than Yifan and Heechul.

“My parents do not like the world. They stay in their nest and are happy there. But me and Heechul, we want something more, we want to explore.”

Yifan smiles at him, and Yixing’s heart flutter, “Enough about me.”

“I am more curious why a young boy like you will carry a baby for a dangerous stranger. What do you need the money for? Where are your parents? They will surely be infuriated if they know about this.”

“Except that they are dead and will probably never know.” Yixing mutters, his eyes downcast at the mention of his closest family, “They died in a car accident several years ago.”

Yifan’s hand moves to the small of Yixing’s back, hoping to give comfort with the small gesture.

“I… I need the money for school.” Yixing replies, his hand tugging at his hair, feeling slightly embarrassed, “I know it sounds lame but that’s my parents biggest wish for me and I don’t want to disappoint them. I worked so hard and took up so many part time jobs, but it’s barely enough for me to pay the rent. So when Chen approached me about this I thought this is my chance…”

Yifan smiles, “Nothing wrong with this. This is hard work too.”

Yixing chuckles as he pokes at the little fellow in his tummy, “It is hard work indeed.”

Yifan looks at the sweet dimples on the pretty boy's face and feels a desire to pull him into his arms and kiss him senseless. The thought scares Yifan as he has never experienced anything like this. He has to dismiss it as his connection to the baby inside Yixing before he calms down but he wonders if it counts as deluding yourself.

"Ooof," A soft whimper from the human boy jolts him back to reality and he holds on to the smaller boy in concern, "Are you all right?"

Yixing is standing stock still, both hands on his stomach, his eyebrows raised, looking surprised.

"Yixing?" He prompts again, worries creasing his forehead. Yixing looks like he is barely breathing.

"The baby..." Yixing whispers, "I think he just kicked me."

"He moved?" Yifan asks, pressing his own hand against Yixing's stomach. Sure, he has been able to sense the baby due to the connection, but it is an entirely different thing to actually feel him physically.

Yixing takes hold of his hand and presses it right on top of his belly, just beneath his chest. They stood in silence for a second or two, waiting for the baby to move again. A while later, Yifan could feel a soft kick just underneath his hand. He looks up at Yixing, looking amazed.

Yixing can feel tears in his eyes and he thinks it's ridiculous. He didn't even want the baby. He was just the part of the deal, but now... But now he can actually feel him, right inside, and he thinks he understands what other parents feel when they talk about their children.

But the thought of leaving the child right after birthing him saddens Yixing, knowing that he will never see the child grow or ever hear the child calls him daddy (or mummy, since he is the one expecting). Tears trickle down his cheeks unknowingly. Yifan seems to have sense his feeling as he gently pull him into his muscular arms, trying to soothe the emotional boy until his tears subsided.

“You will take care of him, wouldn’t you?” Yixing whispers, his lips barely moving but emotions welling in his throat, “Even though he is just an experiment, but you will love him?”

Yifan holds him tighter, “He is my son, I will love him to the best that I can.”

Yixing feels relieved at the reassurance and he turns his head to look at Yifan, “I am sorry. Must be the pregnancy hormones.”

Yifan laughs lightly as he looks at the beautiful boy. And he wonders if it’s normal for him to feel equally upset at the thought of Yixing leaving in a few months time.

--

“Yixing!” Yixing grins as he looks up to see his best friend bouncing towards him.

“Tao!” He hasn’t realised how he missed his buddy until now the boy settles down opposite him.

Heechul has decided that both he and the baby are well enough and he can stop being cooped up in his house, much to the boy of him. The house is beautiful and both Heechul and Yifan have made it a point to make it as comfortable for him as they can but he needs to get out, to see his friends, and to feel some warmth. Really, it is ridiculous how cold the place can get even after Yifan installed a heater for him.

“What happened to you Yixing? I haven’t seen you for so many weeks!”Tao grumbles, “I almost made a police report.”

Yixing chuckles, he missed Tao’s protectiveness and dramatic reaction.

“But really, what happened to you?” Tao asked, genuinely concerned.

Yixing sighs, “Remember the deal Chen approached me about?”

Tao’s eyes widened, “Don’t tell me you...”

Yixing nods as he pushes his chair slightly behind, revealing his rounded tummy.

Tao gasps,”You... You are really pregnant.”

“But... But how? It has only been two months...”

“Vampire fetuses grow faster, Tao. In human terms, I am already 5 months pregnant.” He places a hand on his rounded stomach.

Tao stands up and squat down beside him, reaching out to touch the baby bump in amazement, “This... This is crazy. What’s going to happen after this?”

“I will give birth to him and then I will leave.”

“Gosh, Yixing. This is the craziest job you have ever taken up.”

Yixing laughs, “I guess.”

“Is... Is he treating you right?” Tao asks, albeit cautiously, he has heard horrific stories about vampires, how cruel and merciless they are and his heart swell with worries for his friend.

Yixing smiles reassuringly, “He is nice, Tao. Hard to believe, but he loves the child a lot, and I am sure he will never do anything that will hurt me or the baby,”

Tao sighs with relief as he went back to his seat. The two spent the day catching up and Yixing feels more relax than ever since he has conceived. But time passes quickly when you are enjoying yourself and Yixing knows he has to head back soon. It’s time for his daily dose of... Blood. But he doesn’t want to frighten or disgust Tao with his new favorite food.

As if on cue, a car pulls to a stop outside the small cafe and out comes Yifan.

Tao peers outside, “Is that him?”

Yixing nods as he stands up, already feeling the thirst at the back of his throat.

“He is y.” Tao exclaims, looking at the striking man.

Yixing hits the back of his head gently, “Is that all you can think about?”

Tao looks down sheepishly before standing up and giving his best friend a hug, not forgetting to give a pat to the baby too,“Keep me updated on things, ya? I worry when you don’t.”

“I will.” Yixing says with a smle on his face before he walks out to meet Yifan.

“That is Tao?” Yifan asks as he passes Yixing his “drink” before starting the engine, his expression stiff.

Yixing nods as he greedily at this bright red substance.

Yifan says nothing for the rest of the trip home, deciding that he doesn’t like the Tao guy who hugs Yixing and pats his baby without his permission.

--

Thank you everyone for the comments! Hopefully the chapter doesnt disappoint you. Muacks.