Life as the King and Queen of Heaven and Hell wasn’t exactly simple. Ash, now a powerful ruler, was expected to manage both realms, uphold the balance between angels and demons, and navigate her royal duties—all while dealing with the chaos of being pregnant. And yet, nothing prepared her for the strange phenomenon known as pregnancy brain.

Gone were the days when Ash could balance two worlds without breaking a sweat. She’d always been sharp, organized, and determined—yet now, she could hardly remember where she’d put her crown or finish a single thought without it drifting away like smoke in the wind.

On a particularly hectic morning, Ash found herself at her grand desk in the royal study, drowning in endless stacks of paperwork. These weren't just ordinary papers—these were celestial decrees, inter-realm agreements, soul migration policies. She was responsible for finalizing treaties that would determine the future of both Heaven and Hell. It was a lot for anyone, let alone someone with pregnancy brain.

"Alright," Ash muttered under her breath, tapping her pen against the desk. "I can do this. Just focus. One thing at a time. First, sign this."

But before she could get anywhere, her mind wandered.

"I need a snack," she mumbled, her gaze drifting to the side, staring longingly at a tray of pastries on a nearby table. "Wait, no, focus. Snack can wait."

Her hand hovered over the papers, but all she could think about was food. "What was I supposed to be doing again? Focus, Ash, focus."

Her husband, the Prince of Hell, entered the room quietly, clearly amused by the sight of his normally competent wife now struggling with her pregnancy fog.

"Need some help, love?" he asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Ash blinked up at him, her expression blank. “What… what am I doing?”

“You were trying to sign the peace treaty,” he said with an easy smile.

“Right! Peace treaty!” she said, snapping her fingers as if the lightbulb just went off. “Okay, here we go.”

But then, something else caught her attention. She spotted the roses in a porcelain vase on the far side of the desk. Their deep crimson petals were captivating, and she picked the vase up, gazing at it as if it were the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.

“Who sent these again?” she asked absently.

“The staff,” he replied. “You ordered them a few days ago, remember?”

Ash blinked slowly, her mind doing its best to catch up. “I ordered roses? Oh. Wow. Pregnancy brain is definitely real.”

The prince chuckled softly and moved closer. “It’s okay, Ash. You’ve been carrying the weight of two realms and a child. You're allowed to be a little distracted.”

Ash gave a long sigh, rubbing her forehead. “I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore. I can’t focus on anything.”

"You’ve been working non-stop," he said gently, sitting down beside her. "Maybe it’s time for a break. You don’t have to do it all at once."

Ash ran a hand through her messy hair. “I can’t just leave it. I have to handle everything, especially since I’m the Queen of Heaven and Hell. I can’t afford to be a mess.”

"You’re still doing an amazing job," he reminded her. "You’re managing two realms while carrying our child. Give yourself a little grace."

Ash groaned and flopped back in her chair dramatically. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m failing everyone right now.”

“You’re not failing anyone, Ash,” he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "If you need a break, take it. I'll help with the paperwork."

“I’ll just eat something and come back to this,” she muttered, rising from the chair and pacing around the room. “Wait. What was I just about to do again?”

She picked up a random book from the table and flipped through its pages. Her mind couldn’t seem to focus for more than a few seconds.

"Why am I holding this book?" she asked herself aloud, clearly confused. She peered at the cover, then stared back at her husband. “Is this the right book? Why am I even looking at it?”

Her husband couldn’t help but smile at her confused state. “Pregnancy brain strikes again?”

“It really does,” she sighed, setting the book down and sitting on the couch. “I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.”

“You’re still the most powerful queen there is,” he said with a wink. “Even with pregnancy brain.”

Ash leaned back into the cushions, letting her shoulders relax for the first time that morning. “You’re right. I’m probably just overthinking it.”

"Why don’t you let me handle the paperwork for now? Go have a snack and take a breather,” he suggested, stepping toward the door. “You’ve been working hard enough.”

Ash's face lit up at the mention of food. "Snack. Yes. I definitely need food. Wait, what snack was I craving again?"

"Chocolate," he replied. "I’ll have some brought up for you."

“You’re the best,” she said, giving him a grateful smile.

As he walked out of the room, Ash sat back, her thoughts wandering again. “I need a break, I really do…”

Just then, the door creaked open again, and the prince returned, holding a tray piled high with chocolate. "Here you go," he said, setting the tray down in front of her.

She picked up a piece of chocolate and popped it into her mouth. "This is what I needed,” she muttered, smiling. “Maybe I can focus now."

But just as she was about to dig into the next piece, she stared down at the tray in confusion. “Wait, why do I feel like I’ve been craving something else?”

“Pregnancy brain,” he repeated with a chuckle.

“You know what? I give up,” Ash said with a laugh, sinking into the couch again, clutching the tray of chocolates to her chest. "I just don’t know what I want anymore."

The prince grinned, sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, love. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now.”

Ash leaned into him, feeling more at peace than she had all day. Maybe she couldn’t rule both Heaven and Hell while pregnant with perfect focus—but she had everything she needed. The baby, her husband, and a whole lot of chocolate.

With a sigh, Ash smiled contentedly, the chaos of pregnancy brain slipping away for just a moment as she rested in his arms.