Ashton The streamer

Ashton leaned forward in his gaming chair, his swollen belly pressing against the edge of the desk. He was streaming to his loyal audience, a mix of fans who adored his skills and those fascinated by his unique situation—an eight-month-pregnant male gamer who didn’t hold back in his commentary.

"How hard is it to cover mid?!" Ashton barked into his headset, his hands flying across the keyboard. His voice carried a mix of frustration and exhaustion. "I swear, it’s like I’m babysitting toddlers who don’t even know how to—"

"Ashton!" Emily's voice cut through his tirade like a knife through butter. She stood at the doorway, her hands on her hips, a calm yet stern expression on her face. "What did we talk about?"

Ashton turned his head, his cheeks flushing. He adjusted his oversized hoodie, which barely concealed his growing belly. "Uh… not yelling at my teammates?"

"Exactly," Emily said, walking over to him. She crouched beside his chair, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "You know getting worked up like this isn’t good for you or the baby."

"But, Em, they’re terrible! Look at this!" Ashton pointed to the screen, where his character had just been defeated because a teammate failed to hold their position.

Emily glanced at the screen, then back at Ashton. "It’s a game, love. You’re supposed to be having fun, remember?" She reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "Plus, do you want the chat to see you pop a vein over this?"

Ashton glanced at his second monitor, where his chat was filled with laughing emojis and messages like:

• "Emily’s here to save the day!"

• "Daddy rage mode activated 😂"

• "Listen to your wife, man!"

He sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Fine, fine. I’ll chill."

"Good." Emily stood and kissed his temple. "Now, take a five-minute break. You need water, and the babies probably want a snack."

Ashton chuckled, rubbing his belly. "Yeah, they’ve been kicking like crazy. Probably mad at me for yelling."

Emily grinned. "Smart kids already."

Ashton muted his mic and got up, waddling toward the kitchen with Emily by his side. His chat exploded with comments like:

• "Best wife ever!"

• "Ashton’s babies are going to be pros by birth!"

And for the first time that night, Ashton felt a sense of calm. Games could wait, but his family’s health—and Emily’s steady presence—were more important than any victory.