"What is that?" Prince Ling Min stared at General Yu with wide eyes. The man was holding a bundle in his arms and looking very uncomfortable.

"Granny handed it to me. Here. You take it." He tried to give the bundle to his wife who backed away with a look of horror.

"Me? Why me? She gave it to you, so you can keep it." He waved his arms and tried to avoid his husband from handing him the thing. The bundle shifted with the moment and made a noise. Both of the men stopped and looked at it carefully.

"Don't be difficult. You will wake it up. Here now, you are the wife so you should look after it." He tried again to convince his wife to take the bundle, but Prince Ling Min was shaking his head vigorously.

"No no, I haven't a clue what to do with it. You are already holding it so just keep it. I will watch you and help if it is needed." He insisted with a nimble dodge to the side. His face showed an awkward awe at the fact the general had not yet woken the thing up.

He backed up to the door and glanced over to notice that Granny Yu was standing in the doorway watching them. She gave him a raised brow and he smiled embarrassed. She rolled her eyes and pointed at the bundle.

"This is yours now. You better learn how to raise it well or I take you both out of the family register." She threatened them. Prince Ling Min paled and stared at the bundle.

"But... how is this ours? Father Yu said we would raise a cousin... but I thought it would be in a few years?" He fumbled while pointing at the little thing in General Yu's arms. She snorted and smacked his arm.

"Few years? You wish. Zhi Zhi's cousin already gave birth but the mother didn't make it. Father is a louse. Might as well give it to you losers." She turned around on her heel and left them to stare at each other in consternation.

"Was that a compliment or an insult?" General Yu murmured to himself. Prince Ling Min shook his head.

"Not the point General. Point is that we now have to figure out how to raise a baby! Ai ya.... I am too young to be a father." He groaned. Yu Zhi looked at him fiercely.

"What father? You are its mother." He said sternly. Prince Ling Min scowled and shook his head.

"No way! I am the father." He insisted.

"You wish! You are the wife, so you are the mother." He said with a scowl.

"Can't be. I have a dick. Must be a father." Prince Ling Min said with a haughty look. General Yu stormed over, crowding him into the wall and the little bundle sat between them so he couldn't struggle without disturbing the thing.

"So, you need reminding whether or not I have a dick, my love?" The General asked with a dangerous tone of voice. Prince Ling Min's eyes widened, and he shook his head from side to side without a peep as he glanced at the bundle.

They stared at each other for a full minute, neither backing down and glancing at the sleeping thing between them. Why should he be the mother? It didn't make sense. Suppose it was just as hard for General to accept a "mother" role...

"Tell you what, you can be daddy and I will be father. Neither will be the mother. Okay?" Yu Zhi said with narrowed eyes. Prince Ling Min thought a minute and then nodded. This was logical.

"Fine. I really am too young to be a daddy though." His face was pouty as he looked at the thing that was sleeping soundly in his husband's arms at the moment. General Yu sighed.

"Yeah. Me too. We can figure it out though. We did promise." They looked at each other in sorrow and nodded sadly.

"Promise is a promise."

*

"Brother... is there something that you should be telling Us?" The Emperor looked at the newly arrived pair of Prince Ling Min and General Yu. They looked exhausted, like they had been through a war really, and his brother stood holding a small squirming bundle that made gurgling noises.

"Imperial Majesty, may I please speak with the Empress regarding the matter of... could we have some advice?" Prince Ling Min looked up pleadingly at the tall man in front of him that raised his brow.

"Advice? What is there to figure out? It needs to be fed, you have to change the clothes, and don't take your eyes off it or it could disappear of course. Good luck with your great gift." He made to turn around and leave the two on the doorstep of his palace, as it was.

"Wait, wait, wait... please brother. If we could just hang out for a few days with you? Grandmother Yu didn't give us any advice and we could really use your help." Prince Ling Min said in a hurry, running forward to squeeze into the palace.

If he wasn't the emperor's brother, the guards might have cared more, but he was always trying to barge in and mess around with his good brother, so they ignored the intrusion this time. The Emperor sighed and gave him a look.

"We have to keep it alive. Please help us." General Yu finally spoke up with a gravelly voice. The Emperor looked at the serious man with a mild look. "I am a soldier, so how she expected us to 'figure it out' is beyond me."

"Not given any help or instruction?" Emperor Jian Jun asked abruptly.

"None." Prince Ling Min said with a sigh.

"None whatsoever." General Yu said with almost a pout.

"Ah, that's just cruel. I must say I am shocked it is still alive to this day. No offense, brother." He said with a grin. Prince Ling Min just shook his head.

"No offense taken. Just help." He shuffled into the palace and flopped onto the couch in the outer room with a sigh, shifting the squirming thing so it was facing out. The General came forth with a strange bag and the arms began waving around at him.

"We are running out of these." He uncorked the end and gave it for the bundle to gnaw on.

"What is in that?" Du Fen had just walked in to see the awkward feeding of the bundle that Prince Ling Min held.

"I think it's milk and grains mush?" Was the reply from the Prince.

"You think?" The Emperor said, nonplussed. General Yu shrugged.

"The kitchens gave us a bunch of these in a cooling chest to take with us. This is the last one. The kid seems to like it fine." He explained to them.

"When they run out, we have no idea what to feed it." Prince Ling Min said after. Du Fen scowled at him.

"It? It's a baby. What is the name?" He gestured at the wide-eyed babe that was eating.

"More important though, where did you get it?" Emperor Jian Jun asked faintly.

"Grandma Yu gave it. Not sure what the name is, actually. It is a boy though, and his cousin." Prince Ling Min rejoined with a wave at the General.

"Ah. So, he is your heir? You should probably name him." Jian Jun said with humour. Du Fen shook his head at the two men trying to feed the baby.

"I think I want to keep it alive for at least six months before I name it." Prince Ling Min replied. General Yu looked at him with shock and then glared.

"What? You have that little faith in yourself to keep a child alive? Are you so irresponsible?" He shot back at him.

"You are right, maybe I should wait a year." He adjusted the number after a pause.

"Oi! Just hire a nanny you stupid Prince. As if I don't have enough money to keep a wife and kid. Are you making fun of me?" General Yu shouted. The baby looked up at him in surprise and then laughed, making a mess as the milk and cereal dribbled out of its mouth.

"Ah! Right. Hire a nanny. Good man." The Prince said with a smile. Du Fen rolled his eyes at the two of them. The baby clapped and squealed as the General tried to clean it up.

"I think the baby is making fun of you. You really didn't think of getting help from your staff or your parents? Get out of here." Du Fen mocked them with a superior look.

"Does that mean if I hire more help you will have more children with me?" Jian Junn asked suddenly with bright eyes. Du Fen looked at him speechlessly.

"Where did you get that from?" He protested.

"If children are fine with help, then let's have more. Okay?" He replied with a grin. Prince Ling Min and General Yu exchanged a glance and got up hastily.

"We should take the baby to see the grandparents now." General Yu said quickly.

"Yes, yes. Good idea. Du Fen is right. We should ask them for help instead." The two hurried out of the palace just as quickly as they had entered. Du Fen and the Emperor did not notice as they were still arguing.

"Easy for you to say, bastard! Who has to carry the baby and get it out? Two is not enough? Bullshit!" Du Fen hollered at him.

"Ah Fen, it is not about that... I love you and would be so happy to have more of the little ones around. They are part of both of us. A symbol of our love..." Jian Jun argued back with a helpless look.

"Bullshit. Symbol of your beast prowess! I know what you are after. Don't think I am stupid. You are thinking with your beast. I am a man too, you know?" Du Fen looked at him with a pout, his face a little reddened.

"Ah Fen, does that mean that you have been thinking about it too?" Jian Jun got a crafty look on his face. Du Fen looked abashed and then got angry.

"Aiya, don't you turn this around on me!" He pointed at the Emperor with a strict finger.

"But Ah Fen... I really ache for you. If you feel the same as I do then can't we solve it together? Let me show you my love." He coaxed the young ger with a seductive smile. Du Fen gave him a half-hearted shove when he approached to hug him.

"Hmph, show me your love? I doubt it. You just want to show me your..." He was stopped as Jian Jun claimed his lips with a passionate kiss. He moaned at the delicious feelings that flooded his body as his husband ran his hands over him.

"Won't you let me please you for your next heat? I cannot bear to think of you in pain or discomfort." He persuaded with light kisses along Du Fen's jaw.

"Jian Jun... you are too dangerous. If I say yes, then you will work me to death again. If I say no, then you will nag me to death. Can you please me in moderation this time?" He complained with an exasperated look.

"Yes, yes... I promise to let you sleep more this time. I am not so desperate as last time. I promise." Jian Jun enticed him with nips on his ear shell that made him shiver. Du Fen sighed and Jian Jun smiled widely.

"Alright, fine."

1952