Fluffy WangXian Oneshots Book Two

Tied To The Ocean Part 9

Wei Ying doesn't remember anything about how he reached the ocean. He knows the first contraction wasn't so bad, just a tremor in the lower half of his body, and how funny it was that neither he nor XiChen-Ge knew his water had broken, though perhaps XiChen had twigged faster than himself.

Lan Zhan had flown out of the house in a flash and barked instructions at his brother before scooping Wei Ying up like he weighed nothing (super hot action!) And running all the way to the beach without breaking a sweat (also more super hot action!). Wei Ying would have been really into it had he not been in so much pain, because boy! No one ever said anything about how each one of those stupid contractions felt like his body was ripping in two.

It was even luckier that this late into the evening, people had left the beach after witnessing the sunset, but Wei Ying was wracked with another contraction just then, and he really couldn't give a fuck if anyone saw them.

The moment they hit the water and Wei Ying was submerged in it, he understood why the healers had insisted on him giving birth In the sea - the undulating waves somehow made it easier to bear.

Lan Zhan had made him wear a pregnancy watch to time the contractions, how far apart they were and to check his breathing so that he could control his pain, and now he could tell that things were speeding up.

He's hot and sweaty and the sudden cool water is a balm on an injury. Even in the water, thankfully, Lan Zhan won't let go of him, holding him tight every time he thinks the pain might make his soul leave his body.

"W-who s-said this w-was a g-good idea?" He snarls, stuttering as his body begins the process of ejecting the baby out. "T-this is you- all y-your f-fault!" He wheezes, looking down at his body where the foreign-feeling slit is fluttering and to see it like that feels surreal, as if this is happening to someone else. Lan Zhan might be apologising but right now, it's background noise.

Meanwhile, Wei Ying's vaguely aware that XiChen is following them, but Lan Zhan is like a rocket under water, shooting through the currents like they're nothing, his powerful tail propelling them forward like a cannonball.

In no time at all, Wei Ying is surrounded by the mer-healers giving him a thorough check up and smiling at him like everything is alright.

No, it fucking isn't!

Each contraction is just five minutes apart, and the healers are whispering among themselves that normal sea births don't last more than two hours, but this is pure agony.

And then, Wei Ying feels a ripple of shadowing energy, and he looks up to see the ocean floor darkening. His body is still shaking from pain, but he knows this is something different, something dangerous and it's coming straight for them. He turns to warn Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan who is gazing back at him with the intensity of a thousand suns, Lan Zhan, who won't look away, and another cry rips out of Wei Ying's throat, and he's registering the flash of pain on his beloved's face.

A hundred black-tailed warriors descend upon them and fighting breaks out, even while Wei Ying is in the throes of agony but he's in no position or state to help anyone else.

Through slitted eyes, he sees the newcomers, their crude weapons; arrows made of teeth, scythes formed from rows of shark teeth, pincers with unnatural handles, and spears...and he recognises one in particular.

Wei Ying had seen that spear so long ago, and his eyes now lift up in shock. A conch shell blasts a ripple of energy across the water, and silence descends.

In that one moment of blissful clarity, Wei Ying feels a weight leave his body and then he hears a cry. That's his baby!

His eyes are drawn away to the Healer who brings him his child.