[Lovebite]

Irwin was used to the words, he sighed heavily and leant against the bucket silently as his father degraded him,"I'm a good fisherman. Just like you, Dad. Just like anyone on this ship."He looked up at the older man,"I'm sorry that I couldn't be more like you, that I took after mom, but that's something I can't help."He looked down as the man left him in the storage room, he clutched to the bucket and squeezed his eyes shut to keep any tears from falling. The young man forced himself to believe that his father appreciated him in some way deep, deep down in his heart.
It took more than physical strength to drag himself to his feet again, he cleaned out the bucket as well as he could with sea water and disinfectant. Then carried himself out to the docks when they began slowing to anchor at the coast, he looked incredibly relieved and all but jumped off of the boat and onto the docks. He recognized the figure at his family store, he couldn't run but he could move pretty fast between the people blocking his way,"Max!"He called in a whorse voice, wrapping his arms around him tightly.

[bhdire8]

Max had been wondering around the market near the harbor for some time. Some women in vulgar clothes had attempted to speak with him, and he had also steppedvinto some weird place where people were either drunk or scolding, eventually, he did find a store with a lady looking remarkably like Irwin. He had past through that shopfront for as many times as possible but still couldbt see Irwin. He was thinking if he had gone to the wrong store when he heard the voice of his mate.
"Irwin!" He got an armful of his love themoment he turned around. He felt the tightness of his arms and he was surprised. He knew there must have been somrthing to be showing this in public. He rememebered how his love had said that his father despised homosexual and this was the last thing he thought he would do in front of his family. "What happened? Are you alright?"

[Lovebite]

"My friend! How have you been?"Irwin quickly salvaged the sudden encounter in the middle of the village marketplace, he hugged him tightly for a few moments then pulled away. He looked up at him with tired brown eyes, not replying to the man's other questions, though he gestured him to follow him towards his father's fishery. They had to past by the stand outside though where his mother was sitting at the ice boxes,"Mother, this is my old friend from school."He said, hoping that Max went along with it.
He had went to school as a young boy because his father had sent him away, he had come back when money was tight to help with the business. His cousins glanced back from carrying crates of fish to the back of the building, a few of them smirked and he tried to ignore them. "He's going to be staying with me now."

[bhdire8]

"Hello Madam. Nice to meet you. Irwin had always been bragging about your cooking back then. I am Max. Thnanks to your son's generosity now I get to have a roof above my head." Max extended his hanf to greet Irwin's mother, not missing a beat. He sensed something was wrong but ddint address Irwin in anyway except his hand on his back that never left, giving him support. He smiled brightly and turned to nod with the young men. "You all must be Iriwn's cousin. Well but I am afraid you would all need to tell me again your names. I need to match the names with your faces." He glanced around and wasnt able to find Irwin's father just yet, though he suspected how Irwin's devastation would be at least partially related to his father.

[Lovebite]

"Please, call me Sheila."The woman was older, like Irwin's father and her hair was a thick and curly mixture of red and silver that was pinned up. Even as some strands fell down to her shoulders, her son kissed her cheek despite seeming to be stuck at the hip with Max. The red haired man felt his heart thudding in his chest as he equivilated this to his lover meeting his family for the first time, even though no one could have known about their relationship. It seemed a few of his nine cousins had an idea, as well as his mother, the only one who would be clueless was his father and that wasn't a surprise. "You really only need to remember, these four, the other's come around seasonally."He waved his hand, the men looked between Max and Irwin with crooked smiles as they each shook his hand and introduced themselves. One blonde one pat Irwin's shoulder, he had introduced himself as Ivan,"Why don't we finish up here and then we can grab some drinks if you feel up for it."He offered and Irwin's hand went to his stomach slightly as he looked up at Max,"We'll have to meet you there, I think I'm going to have mother give me some herbs for this stomach thing."

[bhdire8]

Max was about to accept Ivan's offer when he heard Irwin's saying. He glanced at the hand on his stomach and furrowed his brows. Now that he was looking, the belly of Irwin seemed to have grown even further now. He would have put a hand on it to feel it himself but this circumstances had made eliminated that possibility. He said instead "Wrll I would love to but since I had just got the majority of my luggage arriving I may need some time tonight to unpack so that at least I could find some pajamas for the night..." he was about to reject when he heard a voice thundering. "No real man will prefer domestic chores over a good drink. What's your name lad? You seemed a pretty good fella and should go for a drink, instead of sticking around the house like my cowardy son." Al had just been walking in with a full bucket of fish in his hands.

"Sir, I am Max, a classmate back in school of Irwin's." Max felt Irwin flinched at hearing Al's voice and he was even more convinced Al had been pressuring Irwin. "I am grateful for your offer but I think tonight may not be the best time for it. I would definitely join next time."

[Lovebite]

"I understand. Another time then-?"Ivan understood though was soon cut off by Al, he glanced at the older man and squeezed Irwin's shoulder then disappeared into the store. Leaving Irwin, Max, Sheila and now Al together, the young man shifted nervously as he dropped his hand from his middle, letting his shirt smooth over it. As he sunk down beside Max slightly, looking smaller next to the other, he sighed and looked between the two slightly,"No, Max, it's alright. Why don't you go, I'll unpack for you."

[bhdire8]

Al looked at Max and said in a quiet voice. For those who knew him it was his warning for an explosion "Max, what do you say now?"

Max smiled not moved by any of that. "Oh no Irwin you arent going to unpack for me. That would br horrible manners for me. Sir, I am quite sure I would enjoy drinking with you next time. Irwin, do you need to help out with anything? Or are you ready to leave yet?" He turned to look at Irwin focusing his full attention on him.

[Lovebite]

Irwin looked up at Max slightly, glancing at his father some from the corner of his eye and shaking his head as he looked to his mother,"Nevermind, Ma. I guess I'll just be looking up things to make this stomachache better."He mentioned and hugged her again as he kissed her head, she squeezed his arm and nodded,"Alright. If it gets worse go ahead and come on by, I'll take care of you, baby."She smiled and he flushed in the face some as he nodded,"Thank you."He said and thrn looked to his partner with a nod,"Yeah, let's go ahead and get you settled before I end up puking again."He bit his lip after, waving to his cousins slightly and glancing away from his dad when they met each others eyes. The human urged Max along.

[bhdire8]

Max smiled brightly at Irwin and almost took his hand when they went out. He met eyes with Al who had fire burning within, not used to getting rejected, especially by young men in town with how well respected he was. Al almost exploded but thrn remember he didnt know anything about Max, and he had been polite all along afterall so he just huffed and turned around to tend to the catch.
Max followed Irwin closely, knowing his mate wasnt feeling well. He couldnt get too close now that they were in public and he was impatient to gather him into his arms again. They had finally reached Irwin's truck and Max immediately held Irwin close when they were behind it."whats wrong Irwin, your stomach...?"

[Lovebite]

Irwin felt Max at his side, impatient and nervous as they walked through the crowd, people kept looking at him and his partner like they were a spectical to behold. It wasn't until they were alone on the docks that they weren't fully being watched, he leant into the others gasp for a few moments silently. "Yeah... I've just... I've been puking a lot, I can't keep much down and just really want to go home and eat bread."He grasped onto his shirt and pressed his face into his broad chest, it was taking much out or him to keep it together in front of everyone.

[bhdire8]

Max soothed his mate by rubbing on his back, murmurring sweet words to him. "I am sorry to hear that... poor little one. Let's go home then." He lifted him up and got him onto the seat, kissing him and was sad to see Irwin's eyes was watery with unshed tears. He kissed him softly and reassured him. "I will make you feel much better once we are back home ok.... well though I am sorry you will still have to drive. I dont really need my driving license in the sea you know?" He smiled at Irwin ruffling his hair before getting on the truck himself.

[Lovebite]

Irwin rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, returning the soft kiss and nodding some as he closed his eyes for a moment,"Okay."He nodded more fully now, smiling softly at him,"I'll teach you another time."He mentioned and pouted when he ruffled his hair like a child, the human took his keys and started up the truck once Max was inside. It didn't take long for the drive home and soon they were back at the quiet cottage tucked in the hills, he then laid against Max,"Carry me again?"He smiled softly, closing his eyes.

[bhdire8]

"Of course. Rest assured in my arms love." Max lifted him up in his arms and easily got off with Irwin in toll. He kept his steps steady, not wanting to upset hisvmate's delicate stomach anymore. While they were walking Max had felt Irwin's stomach nudging inyo him, he moved a palm over it and felt it had grown significantly. If the shirt hadnt been this loose, it would be obvious that he had developed a little belly. This combined with the puking had alerted Max and the unthinkable crossed his mind. He tensed up a bit while walking into the house, half relieved by knowing why his mate was not feeling well and half spooked by not knowing how his mate would react to this. He placed him gently on the couch and said "I will get you some water and bread to settle your stomach. Do you want the water to be hot or cold?"

[Lovebite]

He left the keys in the car as he was collected into his lovers arms, he draped his arms around the others neck and his legs wrapped around his waist. He looked down slightly, nodding some as he rested his head on the others shoulder,"Yeah, I know."He muttered,"I must've been something I ate."He sighed, laying back on the couch, curling up on his side,"Warm, just grab a bottle from the pantry."He replied, his eyes drifting shut for a moment, he laid there in wait, even drifting to sleep, his body wasn't handling this sickness that well.

[bhdire8]

Max returned to find Irwin with eyes almost closed. He decided he could just let him rest. If he was indeed in the delicate condition as he had suspected, he would need that nap. He went out to get back the keys, getting the water to boil to get Irwin's warm water as he had requested , and returned to sit beside him, trying hard to remember the symptoms and process that had started to show on Irwin. The matter of keeping it a secret would be increasingly hard, he would have to figure out a way to rationalize Irwin disappearing for quite awhile.

[Lovebite]

Irwin shifted his head to lay it onto Max's lap, his arm wrapping around him slightly as he curled into the back of the couch,"I'm sorry this place isn't the best for us."He murmured, he didn't have that much money and subsequently he didn't have that much food or firewood to take care of the house with. "I need to try harder if you're going to be staying... It was okay with just me, but now it's us..."He pressed his face into the others warm torso with a heavy sigh, he barely noticed his steadily growing middle himself, it was getting fuller and fuller with each passing hour. It was in the expansion phase and little did he know that this was just the beginning, he took the cup of water and held it to his middle so the warmth spread throughout him, making the dull ache better.

[bhdire8]

"Money isnt a problem, I am a better fisherman than even the best of you and would be able to harvest more than fish from the sea. Though there is another pressing matter.... let's get you something to eat first before we discuss on that." Max ruffled the soft curls of Irwin, gently coaxing him to sit upright after awhile. He had bread ready and watched as Irwon munched on it hesitantly, both of them cautious on the possibility of another bout of nauseousness. Luckily the brrad went on fine and Irwin started taking bigger bites. Max held him the whole time, his warm hands stroking gently on his belly.

[Lovebite]

"Better than my father?"Irwin snorted as he looked up at Max slightly with his fingers intertwined in his shirt fabric,"He would blow a gasket if he heard you say that and you even proved him wrong."He laughed softly and shook his head, pressing his lips together for a moment, he kissed at the others collar as it showed from beneath his shirt. Irwin laughed again softly as he noticed the well fitting clothing was his own, grinning and sitting back to let Max lift him up. Then shifting onto the other's lap when he came back with the bread, the cup soothed his middle and the bread stopped the nausea somewhat as he laid back against his chest.

[bhdire8]

Max watched as Irwin got the bread down and held him close. He waited awhile until he was sure Irwin was settled and comfortable. Still putting his hand over his belly, Max tried. "Irwin.... have you thought about having children?" He aounded hesitant and he dared not see Irwin's face. Even if Irwin was fine with having children, he would probably not accept bearing children himself. They had just established their relationship and everything seemed to have developed too fast and getting out of control. He wasnt sure how Irwin would react. The worst he could think of was Irwin withdrawing and not wanting to be together with him any longer, and getting rid of their children, who are still very vulnerable at this stage.