Request for @xXBerryKidXx
It had been a few years since Idia Shroud left Night Raven College, and life had settled into a routine he never thought he'd have: one of quiet domestic bliss with his wife, Y/n. It still amazed him how his life turned out. Somehow, against all odds—and through a lot of fumbling confessions and self-doubt—he'd managed to find the love of his life, someone who accepted him despite all his quirks.
Today seemed like any other day. Idia was in his gaming room, headphones on, eyes locked on the monitor. He was in the middle of a boss fight in his favorite RPG, sweat trickling down his temple as he strategized the final hit. His hair glowed faintly blue as he muttered commands to himself.
"Come on, come on... just one more hit..."
Finally, the boss let out its dramatic death roar, and the words Victory Achieved flashed on the screen. Idia threw his hands in the air. "Yes!"
He spun his chair around to grab a drink from the mini-fridge, but his triumphant grin faltered when he saw you standing in the doorway. You had that look on your face—the one that meant you wanted to talk about something serious.
"Uh... Y/n? Is... everything okay?" Idia asked, his voice a bit higher than usual. His mind raced. 'Oh no. Did I forget something? Wait, was it her turn to pick the movie last night? Did I hog the last bag of chips? Did I forget our anniversary again?'
You gave him a small, nervous smile. "Everything's fine, Idia. Better than fine, actually. But I need you to sit down for this."
His anxiety kicked into overdrive. "S-Sit down? Why? Is this bad? Did I mess something up? Oh, Sevens, did Ortho hack into something he wasn't supposed to again?!"
"No, no, nothing like that!" you assured him, laughing softly as you walked into the room. You were holding a small, wrapped box behind your back. "Just... open this, okay?"
Idia hesitated, his hair flickering pink at the tips. He reached out with trembling hands and took the box. "This isn't one of those things where a jumpscare pops out, right? Because if it is, I'll have a heart attack, and you'll have to explain to STYX why their lead developer is—"
"Just open it, Idia," you interrupted, rolling your eyes fondly.
He fumbled with the ribbon and carefully lifted the lid. Inside was a tiny onesie, white with little blue stars, and the words "Player 3 Loading..." printed across the front.
For a moment, Idia just stared at it. His glowing hair dimmed as his brain tried to process what he was looking at.
"...Wait. What?" he muttered, blinking rapidly. He looked up at you, then back at the onesie, then back at you. "Is this... is this what I think it is?!"
You nodded, tears glistening in your eyes. "I'm pregnant, Idia. We're going to have a baby."
The room fell silent. Idia's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as his hair flared from pink to neon yellow and back again.
"W-WHAT?!" he finally screeched, practically leaping out of his chair. "You're—WE'RE—A BABY?! How?! I mean, I know how, obviously, but—OH MY SEVENS! Y/N, THIS ISN'T A GLITCH, RIGHT? THIS IS REAL?!"
"Yes, it's real," you said, laughing despite yourself.
"REAL?!" Idia repeated, pacing back and forth now. "I-I'm not ready for this! I don't know how to take care of a baby! They cry and poop and need... like... food! And—and what if they hate me? Or what if I drop them? Oh, Sevens, what if I accidentally level them up too fast?!"
"Idia," you called gently, but he was too far gone.
"A-and what if they grow up and think I'm some weirdo loser?! I mean, they wouldn't be wrong, but still—what if they're embarrassed to be seen with me?! Or—"
"Idia," you tried again, louder this time, stepping closer to grab his flailing hands. He froze, his hair flickering back to blue as he stared at you with wide, panicked eyes.
"Breathe," you said softly, squeezing his hands. "It's okay. You're not alone in this. We're in this together, remember?"
His shoulders slumped as he took a shaky breath. "T-together..." he echoed. Slowly, he looked down at the onesie again, his lips twitching into a small, tentative smile. "We're... gonna have a baby," he said, as if saying it out loud would make it more real.
"Yes," you said, tears spilling over as you smiled at him. "We are."
For a moment, he just stood there, staring at you with an expression you'd never seen before—an overwhelming mix of awe, fear, and excitement. Then, to your surprise, he let out a nervous laugh.
"This... this is like an ultra-rare event, isn't it? Like, a once-in-a-lifetime side quest."
"Exactly," you said, giggling. "And you're going to be the best at it."
Something shifted in Idia's gaze. The fear didn't disappear entirely, but it was replaced by something stronger. Determination. He stepped closer, his hands cupping your cheeks as he leaned in.
"I'm still freaking out," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But... I'm also really, really excited. I mean, we're gonna have a mini-you running around. How could I not be excited about that?"
Before you could respond, he closed the gap and kissed you, his hair glowing a soft, steady pink. It was a kiss filled with all the emotions he couldn't put into words—love, gratitude, and a quiet promise that he'd do his best every step of the way.
When he finally pulled back, his smile was wider than you'd ever seen it. "Okay," he said, his voice steadier now. "Let's do this. I'll read every parenting guide, watch all the baby care tutorials, and maybe even learn how to cook something that isn't instant noodles. We're gonna give this kid the best life ever."
You laughed, pulling him into another hug. "I know we will, Idia. I know we will."
And as the two of you stood there, holding each other tightly, Idia couldn't help but think that, for the first time, he wasn't just playing a game or completing a quest. This was real life—and it was going to be the greatest adventure of all.
