Forever & Always

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

"I know, sweetheart, I know..." Shoto mumbled as Hikari cried at the top of her lungs in the middle of the night, waking him and Izuku up from their sleep.

Tears rolled down the four-month-old infant's face as she was rocked by her father, trying to keep her crying down so as to not wake Rei and the others up who were sleeping on the other rooms.

"I know, honey," Shoto cooed over his daughter before he looked at Izuku who was settling down on the couch in their room, preparing himself to breastfeed Hikari. "You okay to handle her now?"

Izuku nodded and Shoto carefully handed their daughter over to his mate who started breastfeeding Hikari, ultimately stopping the infant from her cries.

"Ah, you must've been very hungry," Izuku whispered as he gently released his pheromones to help calm his baby down.

"Slow down, Hikari," Shoto said with a chuckle as he watched his daughter hungrily suckle on Izuku's nipple.

The alpha reached down and caressed his daughter's head gently before brushing the stray tears that rolled down the side of her face-- Izuku watched this exchange lovingly with a smile on his face.

"You know... she may be four months old now, but I still can't believe that she's already out here with us," Izuku mumbled. "Up until now, it feels like all of this... the sleepless nights of trying to stop her from crying, the countless early wake up calls to have her bask under the healthy sunlight, the numerous morning strolls, and the countless changing of diapers... all of this still feels like a dream to me,"

"It does all feel surreal, doesn't it?" Shoto said with a smile before gently grabbing Izuku's hands and kissing it. "But this is our reality now... I'm real... so is she. Our little baby girl is now in your arms suckling all the milk you have stored inside your breasts... without even batting an eyelash to her father who wants to have a taste on those plump nipples too,"

Izuku laughed at Shoto's words. "She can hear you, you know,"

Shoto chuckled. "What? It's not like she can understand me, can she?"

Izuku smiled down at Hikari whose eyes were fluttering close-- preparing the infant for her sleep.

Shoto leaned in and placed a gentle kiss at the top of Izuku's head before going over Hikari's drawer and started playing her music box, humming along to the tune of You Are My Sunshine with a smile on his face.

Once Hikari was fast asleep, Izuku slowly stood up from the couch and gently placed the bundle back in her crib, letting the music box lull her to deeper slumber as he and Shoto watched her with smiles on their faces.

"Goodnight, our little sunshine," Shoto mumbled as he wrapped his arms around Izuku's waist from behind, resting his chin over the omega's shoulder.

Izuku reached for Shoto's hands and laced their fingers together as the alpha started swaying from side to side.

"What are you doing, Shoto?" Izuku chuckled as Shoto turned him around to face the alpha.

"Nothing," Shoto said with a gentle smile as he raised his and Izuku's intertwined hands and gave it a gentle kiss before placing the omega's hands over his shoulders-- his own hands gently placed over Izuku's waist-- as the two swayed to the lullaby of the music box.

Izuku's heart warmed with love as his eyes met Shoto's and he smiled upon hearing the alpha sing the lyrics over his ear.

"I'll always love you... and make you happy, and nothing else could come between..." Shoto sang and Izuku couldn't help but fight back tears that came from his overwhelming emotion.