Rey had finished one of his pet projects that didn't require heavy lifting and was itching to put it to use. He wanted to make the League of Evil far superior technological wise than the League of Heroes. The best choice is to master the art of the hologram. He sent one of his bots over to the League of Evil after sending Travis a message. He wanted to test things out and had insisted that he dress up for the occasion, after all, why would you hang out at the League of Evil in your street clothes when you can be there in full villainous vestments? Unlike the Magician, Techno Mastermind could not be in his full gear. His belly was far too full to fit his belts and his tight shirts couldn't make it over the bump, so instead he went without the belt and wore a black sweater. It was less dramatic but hopefully the cape made up for it along with the upgraded gauntlets.
Once the Magician was seated at his spot, the bot that had centered itself on the table squatted low, opening the top compartment and projecting a lens. Moments later a fuzzy image of a very pregnant Techno Mastermind was becoming clearer in 3D. Rey, from his location in his workshop looked around him. He had similar holograms set up around him that projected the image surrounding his bot. It was like he was standing on the center of the table and much smaller than he actually is. Unlike the hologram that was projected in the League, his image around him was more two dimensional and if he walked away from his location, the hologram would appear distorted on his end. Still, it was cool enough to get him excited.
"You don't have to call me," Rey spoke as he waved his hand when he saw the Magician pull out his cell phone. He could see the frown on his face projected in front of him.
"Oh great, it can talk," Travis groaned as he leaned back crossing his arms.
"Well?" Rey asked eagerly, arms stretched out as he looked around himself and walked in a small circle. "What do you think?"
"I think you've been cooped up watching Star Wars too much, Princess Molly. Are you going to start calling for Obi Wan, now?"
"No, you horse's ass. I haven't been watching movies, I have been busy programming the shit out of this! Do you know how difficult it is to manifest a small, contained image through lasers that doesn't spread out until stopped by a solid object, nor harm your retinas? Or how about the fucking sweet ass hologram surrounding me? You know most companies that try to pull this off just project a 3D model on a 2D transparent plane to give off the impression of having a hologram but this is all air particles and contained lasers that records from 6 different directions. 12 more from the bot that is giving me the image info from your end all of which can track movement and displays the respective images in real time."
Travis yawned, completely unimpressed by his associate's new toy earning him a hidden scowl. "So what is the point in having me dress up for this? Couldn't you just send a text and be done with it?"
"You seriously have no sense in theatrics, do you? We are villains. We are supposed to look cool and badass!"
"Yeah, you look so badass with that yoga ball shoved under your sweater."
"Get used to this, bitch, because your man is going to be looking just like me. I might have five cooking but they are smaller than the normal human child." He rubbed his belly slowly to emphasize his point earning a groan from the reluctant father-to-be.
"So why make the fucking hologram? What's the point?"
"The point is it is cool and it is something the League of Do-Gooders doesn't have. Once I get the funds and the time to work on a larger version of this prototype then we can project 3D hologram images over the city to make announcements, threats, and what have you. It will be intimidating." Rey shifted so his hand was on his lower back for support and the other resting on his belly. The kittens were being particularly active right now, but he supposed they were picking up on his excitement.
"Ok, then why have this small one?"
"Because I will be away with the kittens and I want to be--"
"Cleaning their litter box--"
"NO! They will not go in a damn litterbox like Minion!"
"100 bucks says they will."
"100 bucks says you'll be sleeping on the sofa here to get away from your baby mama. Besides, as the leader of the League--"
"You're not the damn leader. I thought of the idea of us getting together."
"And who do you think designed most of the crap here?"
"You by ripping off every damn cartoon and comic book."
"I'm talking about the displays, monitoring system, locks and hidden infrastructure, you dipshit. I am keeping this shit running on top grade equipment that the fucking military and NASA wish they could get their hands on, so I am the one that is queen bitch of this club--" Rey paused and looked over at someone that was seated at the table and pointed at Russel before asking Travis, "How long has he been here?"
"How should I know? It's hard to hear anything over your yowling." Travis turned to Russel, surprised that he had managed to get in, but then again, he was there during the construction and installation for most of the equipment. "What are you here for? Did we not pay you enough?"
When they heard that he wanted to join the League, Travis looked like he didn't believe him to be a villain. Rey on the other hand knew that he wasn't a normal human and wanted to hear him out.
"Ok. So you know we are villains so why join us? Are you even another villain? Did the city even give you a name or are you some nobody wanting to join the club of misfits because Molly here wanted more friends since she is too much of a bitch to find her own?" Travis asked, leaning forward on the table.
"Can it, Magician. Russel, what are your powers? I'm curious." Rey rubbed his belly as he listened nodding along. He had heard of the Xenobeast, however he didn't quite know all that he did. He knew he was destructive, could break down walls, melt shit with acid and gave the Ranger a run for his money. Other than that, he was lost.
"You're not the Xenobeast. Nice fucking try. Just because Molly's here fucks morphs doesn't mean you can use that as a way to gain favoritism."
"Hey! There is only one that I have sex with." He cast a glance away remembering when he gave a blowjob to his man's grandfather, or had his father fuck him with a machine. But that was not something to share with your coworkers. "There are a lot of morphs in this city, I say we should have a demonstration."
"You are just going to accept that she is that little monster?"
"I have reasons to trust his claims. Unlike you, I trust other men."
"Whatever, just prove it to us that you are who you claim to be." When they heard the options Travis spoke up, "Sure. Go ahead and spit, melt all this gaudy shit so I don't have to look at it."
"Hell fucking no! Just morph. I don't want to have to pay you more for repairs. Or you can give us a display of the web thingy you can do."
"Web thingy..." Travis muttered sarcastically at Rey's choice of words.
"Well I don't know what else to call it." Rey shrugged somewhat disappointed when he heard his suggestion of a web display get rejected but accepted the man demonstrating his morph ability. When they watched him transform, Travis cringed and Rey looked at him slightly disturbed. He had seen Lionman transform so he knew how a body could change but this was more... freaky. He felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and cringed, looking away. After a few slow breaths he straightened up. Maybe he ate something that pissed them off today. They weren't too happy to have him standing on his feet so much earlier when he felt that pain before. Maybe they should finish this up quickly so he can rest. "That's cool," he groaned as the last remnants of the pain subsided. "Sure, you're in."
"Don't go making decisions on your own, dictator! You aren't the only leader here. And I say, NO."
"Why the fuck not?" Rey asked hands on his hips and leaning as far forward as he could without being unbalanced. "What could you have against him joining? He built this damn place, it is the least we can fucking do!"
"You know my rules."
"Right, Mr. I-am-scared-my-husband-will-leave-me. I am sure you don't have to worry about Russel here taking your man."
"And why is that? Because he is a literal monster? You know I don't like uncommitted people in the League."
"I'm sure he wouldn't cheat on his boyfriend."
"I never heard of such a thing. Are you dating someone?" Travis asked and got a nod from Russel before Rey interjected.
"Fuck yeah he is, and I doubt your man will handle the shit they are into given he stuck with your boring ass all those years."
"Who is your boyfriend?" Travis asked disbelieving that someone so average and androgynous could get someone, although it is the current year and people date all kinds of weirdos. Just look at Radical Rayman for example. When he heard that it was the Ranger, Travis was completely taken aback. He stammered out some syllables before blurting out, "No fucking way. That dude is the straightest fucking bro I have ever met. Hell, he was the one person I assumed would never go after my Jacob because he always smelled like a frat house and stale pussy."
"Like you would fucking know, or does your husband not know?"
"Shut up you twat. I was being facetious."
Rey stopped his rubbing of his belly before tilting his head. "Are you even using that word in the right context?"
"You would know, poindexter. Besides, I doubt he is getting fucked by the Ranger, although she looks like a woman."
"He, you uncultured twit. Russel here is a big boy. Besides, I happen to know for a fact that it is the other way around. I don't know how or why, but our little goody-goody sheriff here likes getting probed by the alien in the room." Rey looked over at Russel to see the large image of the Xenobeast reaching over and touching the lens he was being projected over. He couldn't see for sure where his fingers were since the cameras couldn't pick it up but the lack of fingers on the image before him was telling. "Would you stop that? This isn't a toy!" Rey stomped his foot in the general area that Russel's fingers were.
Travis snorted. "You sure act like it is. And how would you know what goes on in their bedroom?"
"I walked in on something I shouldn't have when they were working on my lair."
Travis coughed and sat up confused to all the realms of hell. "What do you mean by walk in on and what the hell were you doing with a hero in your fucking lair? I know you like to fuck one hero in particular but do you just invite the whole League over for tea and blowjobs? Or is it milk instead of tea, milk tits?"
Rey gasped and covered up chest defensively. "I would fucking never show another person that shit. Besides, I am sure he was helping out because of Lionman and not me. I don't even know if he knows about us. I was careful not to reveal where my workshop was or wear anything giving away my identity around him."
Rey and Travis went down another rabbit hole of arguing over whether or not his secret was even kept safe. Rey rebutted with the fact that he was a villain and was around the League all the time because he was married to their doctor so he couldn't throw any stones. Sometime in their arguing Jacob had come down. For what reason, Rey didn't know but Travis figured it was to check in on him since he hadn't gone up to check on him or send a text to make sure he was fine.
"Speaking of your husband, here he is." Rey pointed out when he saw Jacob giving the man a wave. He could see the smile on his face that had been ever more present since he had given the one thing he wanted. A part of Rey hated it. Pregnancy wrecked havoc on his life and all he can think of during it is how swollen his ankles are, the back pain, the odd food cravings, irritability and emotional instability. And then there was Jacob looking happier than a fucking clam on ecstasy. "Your man simply doesn't appreciate what I do here. I swear I contribute more to this fiasco than he does and I'm pregnant! Tell him that he should stop being a salty bitch and just accept the new member already." He pointed to the transformed Russel.
Rey watched as Travis listened to Jacob's little lecture to 'play nice.' The whole time, he wore a smug look on his face beneath his mask as Travis just hid his face in his hands knowing there was no way he can win the argument. After a heavy sigh he gave his husband a kiss and made a back handed comment about how he should be on his side since he put a baby into him here.
"What do you mean by 'here'?" Rey asked. "Did you two fuck in the League? GOD DAMN IT, I wanted to do that first!"
"Oh yeah. We crissened the League and later the new clinic." Travis smirked as he leaned back and put his feet on the table. "Right. In that chair. Over there." He pointed with his cane to Rey's chair. Rey turned to where he was pointing and gasped.
"You fucking, whore!" Rey shouted. "In my damn chair?! I bet you picked that on purpose!" He growled when Travis gave a nod with a chuckle having finally found a way to defeat his nemesis in bitchtitude. Rey began whining about how he was going to do the same to his chair only to be shot down with the revelation that Travis too thought of that and had another round later on in his own chair. Throughout the tirade the pain occurred again and Rey doubled over. It was slowly getting worse. "I... I think I need to go sit down." Rey muttered through heavy breaths. He heard Jacob speak up and he looked at his doctor who gave him a concerned look. Yes, it is getting close to that time. Although the kittens were supposed to be born a couple days earlier, since he hasn't been through this before, they expected it to be not for another few days. "No... I haven't been keeping track of time. I have been too busy arguing with Travis here." Rey pointed accusingly at the man in question who just held his hands up as if he didn't do anything wrong or know why he was upset with him.
Rey listened to what Jacob had said about calming down and any other signs he should be looking for. Where was the pain? Was this the first time he felt that pain? No, he had been feeling it off and on since that morning but it always dissipated and wasn't so bad after a moment. Were they more frequent? How the fuck should he know, he isn't a clock. Did his water break? No, he thinks that would have been obvious given where it would be coming from. Was he leaking? Rey flushed under his mask and he thought for a moment before tentatively feeling himself back there. Travis started to laugh but got a sharp elbow to the side. This was serious after all. After a moment of silence of patiently waiting he gave a slight nod.
"I-Is that bad?" Rey asked nervous, all the vicious wind that was in his sails before was now gone. He had forgotten about what he was told about being observant for when he was going into labor because of the distance. Now that Jacob was giving him serious looks, the reality hit him again just as hard as his contractions. Shit. They really were contractions weren't they? He groaned when he felt them again slowly getting more intense. After he got the time apart they were, he was told to get to the clinic. Rey nodded and ended the transmission before waddling to his phone. Full blown panic hit him as he hit speed dial for his husband's work phone. The more he heard it ring the more he began to freak out until he heard him answer.
"V-Ven, honey?" Rey spoke quietly, voice cracking as he began to shake. He heard him ask to speak up louder and muffled voices on the other end. Great, he must be busy. "I need you right now." He held his belly as he made it out of his workshop and had to take a seat in the chair that Ven had moved there for when he wanted him close but not too close. When he heard him ask what was wrong on the other end, Rey held the phone in front of his face and yelled. "Because I am having these fucking kittens and I don't want to be alone! I don't want to give birth in my fucking workshop! So get your ass here, now." He looked back at the doors to his workshop. Being outside of it felt like he was in danger. There were no bots to protect him or the kittens. No lasers, no traps, no brick wall of a husband. A sudden feeling of vulnerability hit him and he muttered that perhaps he should have them in the workshop because it is safe. But if he had them there, it would be all natural and he wasn't ready for that. "I-if you don't get here and stay by my fucking side and protect me and your litter, I will fucking. kill. you."
Once he was off of the phone he made his way to where Ven had told him the bags were and went to lift them. As he tried another contraction hit him and he doubled over, bracing himself on a nearby wall. There was a sudden flood of fluid that burst from him that he barely registered until he heard the splash. He looked down at his feet only to see his belly. He looked over his shoulder when he saw his husband and he just grumbled "about time" and gave him a tight hug. He clung to his arm the whole time they were making their way out of the lair.