Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
I know Christmas has just passed, but in the spirit of the season, I wrote a little bit of fanfic featuring the YouTube gamers, the Game Grumps. I hope you like my little Danny and Arin story. Don't forget to visitt the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
The halls were decked, the mistletoe hung, the Christmas tree fabulous with sparkling ornaments and glittering tinsel, and yet the Hanson-Avidan household wasn’t exactly stuffed with good will to men. Danny sighed for the thousandth time. He paused in curling a bright gold bow to go on another present for his spouse, Arin. This would be their first Christmas as a married couple, although they’d celebrated many such occasions together in the past as single friends. Danny had had such high hopes for this holiday, but Arin was throwing up his yearly fuss. And what was the cause of such perturbation on the part of one half of the popular Youtubers, the Game Grumps? What else – Jingle Grumps, of course.
It’s not that Arin had no desire to play the Christmas-oriented games which Danny so looked forward to every year. It’s just that he always had to complain about the hidden object games which Danny loved, referring to them as stupid and childish. Danny had once suggested – off camera, of course – that Arin didn’t like them because he wasn’t as good at them as other games. And hadn’t that caused a kerfluffle!
Danny hadn’t meant it to come out as harshly as it sounded. But to compound everything else, he was feeling ill. It’s hard to keep your spirits bright when you find yourself upchucking first thing every morning and half the day.
The front door opened. At the sound, Danny hurriedly affixed the bow and set the completed present beneath the tree in their LA living room. He did love LA but there were times when he missed the white Christmases he’d known in New Jersey. He scrambled to his feet and fixed a smile upon his face to welcome his husband, who had run to the bakery to get the doughnuts Danny had requested.
“Hey, Arin, you’re back!”
“No, my front,” Arin replied and quickly spun around, grinning.
Danny couldn’t help but laugh. Even though he’d heard it a zillion times, the joke never grew old. “What’d you do, buy the place out?” he asked at the sight of the boxes piled in Arin’s arms.
“Just about, I think.” Arin headed to the kitchen, Danny trailing behind. “I wanted to make sure you had what you wanted. Whatever’s left, I thought I would give to the shelter.” Danny and Arin were arden supporters of a homeless shelter about twenty minutes away from their home, and often donated their time and energy to the people who stayed there, including food and clothing. This time of year was especially hard on the homeless, and the two Game Grumps realized how fortunate they were, not just to have successful careers but to have one another. And they liked to give back to the community.
Once they had eaten their fill of the delicous baked goods, and were starting to relax by the tree, Danny suddenly sprang to his feet and rushed to the bathroom. Oh no, not again! By the time he had finished worshiping before the porcelain altar and returned, Arin had his cell phone in hand and was saying good-bye to someone.
Danny gave him a quizzical look. “What’s up?”
“I made you an appointment with Dr. Rumack. I told him what’s happening, and he said to bring you in as soon as possible.”
Danny gave an exasperated sigh. “Arin, we don’t have time for that nonsense, I told you—”
Arin shushed his protestations with a firm but gentle kiss, and Danny knew the argument was lost before it had even beguns. Fifteen minutes later, he was being ushered into Dr. Rumack’s office while Arin waited, rather nervously, in the waiting room, the latest copy of Highlights in hand.
Dr. Rumack was a tall, distinguished-looking gentleman with silver hair and a blinding but friendly smile. He’d been their doctor for ages, and they didn’t trust anyone else with their medical needs.
“So, Arin tells me he thinks you’ve come down with something,” the doctor began. Danny sat on the exam table, wearing only a thin paper gown which barely covered his gangly frame.
“He worries too much.” Danny laughed, although the sound lacked its usual mirth. He just hoped he wouldn’t get nauseous here. That would be so embarrassing.
“Well, newlyweds. I know how that is. Why don’t you lie down and let me take a look, hmmm?”
Ten minutes later, Danny was dressed once more and sitting in the doctor’s office in a state of shock, having heard his diagnosis. Even with Arin beside him, Danny couldn’t believe what he’d heard.
“Surely you’re not saying that I… I mean me… I mean this guy….” Danny stammered.
“Yes, you’re pregnant,” Dr. Rumack confirmed. “And don’t call me Shirley.”
Danny turned to Arin, who seemed as delighted as he was shocked. But how was this possible? Last time he checked, Danny was a male, and men just didn’t get pregnant.
“Dr. Rumack, does this mean the baby will have to come out Danny’s poop chute?” Arin asked.
At that rather painful image, Danny screamed.
Danny bolted upright, shaking like a leaf. Wait, where was he? As he began to calm down, he recognized his own bedroom. And beside him, sound asleep was his own wife, Ashley. He began to breathe a little more evenly as he’d realized that had been nothing but a dream. But wow, what a dream. He’d have to tell Arin about it tomorrow as they worked on the latest episode of Jingle Grumps.
As he lay back down and drifted off to sleep, though, he couldn’t help but wonder what being married to Arin might really be like.
to be continued
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