Elias's ears rang. The word 'pregnant' kept bouncing around inside his skull like a pinball, loud and impossible. His hand stayed glued to his stomach, fingers pressing hard against the soft fabric of the hoodie as if he could feel something already changing. His knees buckled again, and this time Viktor didn't just catch him... he held him up completely, arms locked around Elias's waist.
"Hey, hey, breathe," Viktor murmured, voice low and urgent against Elias's ear. "I've got you. Just breathe, okay?"
Elias tried. He really did. But the air felt thick, like he was sucking it through a straw.
"I'm twenty-one in two months," he rasped out, the words scraping his throat raw. "I still have med school. I have Lila. I have plans. I'm not... I'm not ready for a kid, Viktor."
Viktor's grip tightened, but not in a possessive way... more like he was the only thing keeping Elias from falling apart. Also, hearing what he said made his heart crack a little.
