The Check Up

It started with Orm watching Lingling from across the room.

Lingling, effortlessly elegant, was seated at her desk, skimming through reports on her laptop while absentmindedly sipping tea. Her brow furrowed slightly in concentration, her fingers moving with precision over the keyboard.

Meanwhile, on the couch, Orm was a mess.

She was buried under five strategically placed pregnancy pillows, cocooned like a gremlin queen, absentmindedly munching on an unreasonable amount of mango slices. But instead of enjoying her snack like a normal person, she was overanalyzing everything.

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became.

Lingling was exhausted.

Not just from work, but from her.

Her cravings. Her emotions. Her breakdowns.

Orm's throat tightened.

Was she annoying?

Was she too much?

Lingling deserved peace. Stability.

And right now?

Orm was neither of those things.

Her bottom lip wobbled as she blinked rapidly, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest as the self-doubt crept in.

"I don't deserve her," she whispered to herself.

But apparently, not quietly enough.

Because Lingling's head snapped up instantly, her eyes sharp with concern.

"Babe?"

"Nothing." Orm quickly wiped her eyes, aggressively rubbing her face like she could physically erase the evidence of her breakdown. "I'm fine."

Lingling's eyes narrowed.

She shut her laptop.

And stood up.

Orm barely had time to react before Lingling marched across the room with purpose and lowered herself onto the couch beside her.

"Orm," Lingling said, voice firm but gentle. "What's wrong?"

Orm swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of how dramatic she was being, but the emotions were already bubbling over.

She sniffled, staring down at the nest of pillows. "You're tired of me, aren't you?"

Lingling blinked. "...What?"

Orm took a shaky breath. "You're tired of my mood swings, my tantrums, my cravings..." Her voice cracked. "I keep making your life harder."

Lingling stared at her.

Then let out a deep, exasperated sigh.

And without hesitation, pulled Orm into her lap.

"Oh, baby." Lingling pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Orm's forehead, wrapping her arms securely around her. "Is that what's been going through your mind?"

Orm sniffled into Lingling's shoulder. "Yes."

"You think I'd get tired of you?"

Orm nodded weakly. "Yes..."

Lingling leaned back slightly, tilting Orm's chin up with gentle fingers. She met her wife's teary gaze with unwavering warmth.

"Orm. My love. My precious, chaotic, ridiculously dramatic wife. Do you know how much I love you?"

Orm sniffled harder. "A lot?"

"More than a lot." Lingling kissed her again, slow and deliberate. "Yes, you are emotional. Yes, you are dramatic. Yes, you have very specific food demands at ungodly hours. But baby, you are also carrying our child. And I would do anything for you."

Orm hiccupped. "Even if I cry over documentaries?"

"Especially then."

"Even if I demand cake at 3 a.m.?"

"I already have three bakeries on speed dial."

"Even if I throw a tantrum about something ridiculous?"

Lingling smirked. "That's literally just called 'being married to you,' sweetheart."

Orm giggled through her tears, snuggling closer. "You really don't mind?"

Lingling cupped her face, thumbs brushing away the last traces of wetness. "I. Love. You. I love all of you. And nothing—not a single craving, mood swing, or tantrum—will ever change that."

Orm sniffled one last time before smiling softly. "You're the best wife ever, you know that?"

"I know."

Orm pouted. "That was supposed to make you blush."

Lingling raised an eyebrow. "I am unshakable."

"Liar, you literally melted when I said I love you just now."

Lingling rolled her eyes. "Go to bed, Orm."

Orm grinned, wrapping her arms around Lingling's waist and nuzzling into her warmth. "Only if you stay with me."

Lingling sighed, pressing another lingering kiss to Orm's temple. "Like I'd ever leave."

Orm hummed sleepily, already melting under Lingling's touch.

And just like that, she finally let herself relax.

Because Lingling wasn't going anywhere.

Not now.

Not ever.

Lingling had been anxious all morning.

She wouldn't say it out loud, of course, because she was Lingling Kwong—CEO, ice queen and a woman who did not, under any circumstances, "spiral."

Except when it came to Orm.

And more specifically, Orm's pregnancy.

Which was why she was currently sitting in the waiting room of their OB-GYN's office, gripping Orm's hand like she was about to receive news that the stock market had crashed.

Orm, meanwhile, was perfectly calm.

Too calm.

"Babe," Orm said, squeezing Lingling's hand. "You're squeezing my fingers into dust."

"Sorry." Lingling immediately loosened her grip—but only slightly. "I just... I need everything to be perfect."

"Ling, it's a check-up. Not a high-stakes merger."

"Same level of stress."

Orm rolled her eyes. "You do realize people have been doing this for centuries, right?"

"Yes, and yet, I remain the only person qualified to ensure everything goes exactly as it should."

Before Orm could respond, the nurse called out, "Mrs. Kwong, please come in."

Lingling immediately stood up first, helping Orm like she was an elderly woman crossing the street.

Orm stared. "Babe. I am fully capable of walking into this office."

"We are taking no risks."

"Lingling, I am not made of glass—"

"SHH. STEP CAREFULLY."

Orm groaned but let herself be manhandled into the exam room, because fighting with Lingling over her overprotectiveness was about as useful as arguing with gravity.

Inside the exam room, their doctor smiled warmly. "How have you been feeling, Mrs. Kwong?"

Orm beamed. "Oh, you know, just the usual. Mood swings, cravings, Lingling acting like I'm a national treasure that must be protected at all costs."

Lingling nodded seriously. "Because you are."

The doctor chuckled. "I take it she's been extra cautious?"

"She made her assistant do a full background check on our OB-GYN before agreeing to the first appointment."

Lingling crossed her arms. "And? That was the responsible thing to do."

"Babe. We are in a renowned medical facility."

"Which does not exempt them from being double-checked."

The doctor, clearly used to their dynamic, smiled reassuringly. "Well, let's ease some of your nerves today. Let's do a quick ultrasound and see how everything is progressing."

Lingling immediately straightened like she was about to witness an executive presentation. "Yes. Let's."

Orm, however, just smirked at Lingling. "Bet you're going to cry when you see the baby."

"I have never cried."

"You did last time."

"That was one tear."

"A single, dramatic, perfect tear down your CEO cheek."

"It was an allergy reaction."

"Liar."

Before Lingling could continue her denial, the doctor turned on the screen—

And there it was.

Except.

Not one.

Two.

The doctor smiled. "Well, well, looks like we have a surprise today."

Orm blinked. "Wait. What?"

Lingling leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"

The doctor pointed at the ultrasound screen, where two tiny, flickering heartbeats were visible.

"You're having twins."

Silence.

For exactly five seconds.

And then—

"WHAT?!?!"

Orm sat up so fast that Lingling had to physically hold her down. "TWINS?! TWO BABIES?!"

Lingling, who had been gripping Orm's hand so hard she might have cut off circulation, just sat there in stunned silence.

"I—" she finally managed, voice slightly shaking. "There are two?"

"Yes," the doctor said gently. "Congratulations! You're expecting twins."

Orm clutched Lingling's hand, eyes wide. "Babe... We're having two babies."

Lingling, for the first time in her entire existence, was speechless.

She just stared at the screen, heart pounding, brain completely short-circuiting.

Two.

Two little heartbeats.

Two little lives growing inside Orm.

Their children.

And just like that, Lingling's entire world shifted.

Orm, watching Lingling's expression soften into something breathtakingly vulnerable, smiled softly. "Babe."

Lingling finally turned to her, eyes slightly misty. "...I think I'm gonna pass out."

Orm laughed through her own tears. "I told you you were gonna cry."

"I AM NOT CRYING—"

"CEO tear incoming in 3... 2... 1—"

And sure enough, one perfect, dramatic tear slid down Lingling's cheek.

Orm grinned. "There it is."

Lingling sniffled aggressively, wiping her face. "This is just—a lot to process."

"Tell me about it! I thought we were getting one baby! Now we're outnumbered before they're even born!"

Lingling exhaled sharply, finally breaking into a teary laugh. "We're having twins."

"We're having twins."

Orm squeezed Lingling's hand. "Ling, I'm so happy."

Lingling, still recovering from the mental overload, just nodded. "I am too."

Then, suddenly—

Her eyes darkened.

"...We need to double the security team."

Orm groaned. "Babe, please."

"No, because now there are two. TWO potential escape artists. We need a plan. We need—"

"LINGLING, PLEASE LET ME ENJOY THIS BEFORE YOU TURN IT INTO A CORPORATE STRATEGY MEETING."

The doctor laughed. "Well, I'd say both babies are healthy and growing perfectly. You're doing great, Mrs. Kwong."

Lingling squeezed Orm's hand again, smiling warmly. "You're doing amazing, baby."

Orm smirked. "I better be. I'm carrying two mini-us's, after all."

Lingling paused.

Then slowly, her face shifted into something terrifying.

"Oh my god."

Orm blinked. "What?"

Lingling turned to the doctor, dead serious. "Doctor. Quick question. What are the chances these babies will inherit their mother's chaotic energy?"

The doctor barely contained their amusement. "Very high."

Lingling leaned back, looking utterly defeated. "We're doomed."

Orm cackled. "Oh, babe. You have no idea.

Just as Lingling thought the appointment was wrapping up—just as she was beginning to mentally process the "we are having twins" revelation—Orm struck.

Like a predator lying in wait.

With eyes full of mischief and absolutely no shame, Orm turned to the doctor and sweetly asked:

"Doctor, could you maybe... tell Lingling that it's completely safe for us to be intimate?"

Lingling's entire soul left her body.

Her grip on reality wavered.

Her CEO brain short-circuited.

"ORM—"

The doctor, far too amused by the situation, chuckled before nodding professionally.

"Yes, it's completely safe."

Orm smirked. The type of smirk that said, "Checkmate."

"See, babe? No excuses."

Lingling's face combusted on the spot.

Her entire existence imploded.

There were no words.

No retorts.

No lifeline to escape the sheer public humiliation of having this conversation in front of a medical professional.

Orm was basking in her victory, grinning like she had just closed the biggest deal of her life.

Lingling, meanwhile, was visibly perishing.

Her entire body stiffened.

Her hands flew to her face.

"This is the worst day of my life." she muttered, muffled behind her fingers.

"No, babe." Orm beamed, utterly unrepentant. "It's the best."

The doctor, who had clearly seen worse in their career, simply gave Lingling a knowing smile before handing over some medical documents.

"Here's your next appointment schedule. If you have any other questions—"

"Oh, I do!" Orm interjected, far too gleeful. "Do you happen to have any pamphlets about—"

Lingling shot up from her chair like a spring-loaded cat.

"WE'RE LEAVING."

She grabbed Orm's hand so fast, it was a miracle she didn't teleport them both out of the building through sheer force of will.

Orm laughed the entire way out, utterly delighted.

Lingling, on the other hand, was 100% sure she was never winning against Orm.

Ever.