Home is Where the Heart is

Counting Down [Semi-Canon]

Part 3 of 5, forgot to post this part and just realized it because I was rereading this part of the au, so besides discord, Y'all get this part first

Panic attack warning
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"How long until the baby comes, dad?" Glancing over to see Ami sitting beside him on the floor of the bedroom, he could feel the silver eyed girl's twin brother fix where he pressed his ear against his middle. It was a lazy day, the five of them sitting on the floor and relaxing until Allen got back from assisting another mission. The other adult had left much earlier in the day, he'd barely been awake when he caught the other changing into uniform. Placing his hand against his middle carefully, he could feel the baby's weight on his hips, himself guessing that she was resting or asleep at the moment.

Thinking back to try answering the girl's question, he realized that it was the first time he had actually tried to remember all the way back, having usually just used the listed approximation that the nurses in the infirmary had listed. He knew that he was thirty-seven weeks along and would be due in another three, so why did he count all the way back? Freezing in place as that memory came back to him, he felt his blood run cold, stiffening up under the touch of the four kids. No, why was he remembering that now, why couldn't he just forget that battle, that mission. 

Why? Because it was ingrained in his memory. It was the last time the two of them had fought, both with each other and together. He couldn't forget the amount of blood he saw, just trying to clear out the rest of the enemy so he could get the other back to the order. The two of them barely made it back, and the week that followed seemed like hell with all the mixed messages he got. And then the weeks that followed, lasting up until and past today, including the day he was confirmed to being pregnant. Wait, the timing of everything barely lined up. He would've had to already be carrying during that mission, especially since there was no possibility of it happening after with all the injuries they had returned with.

Suddenly his baby's lack of movement terrified him.

"Dad?"

"Momma? What's wrong?" He tried to shake his head, to push the kids away from him to give himself space. He felt his legs pulling back on either side of him, almost as if he was actively trying to curl up and shut the outside world out, just like he had managed to do over twelve years ago while he had been pregnant with Isobel. But this time he didn't have Alma or Lavi to bring him back to the current time and place, to calm him down and tell him everything would be alright.

"Ryuuji, go to the gate and wait for dad to come back. Ask to send a message if he's not expected back soon." He barely tuned out his worried daughter's voice, unable to continue his struggle against the hold the three remaining kids had on him as he heard running footsteps leaving the room. He didn't know how much time had passed without any of them speaking, able to feel as the grips on him loosened up a little. Ami was still on his right, holding his arm in both of hers, Kyō having moved to take Isobel's place on his left. His first daughter had moved to hold him from behind, her long red hair barely falling over his shoulder. Not even the baby kicking again was calming him down at this point. Hearing the door to the room open again, he felt the three kids let go of him carefully, acting as if he'd disappear if they moved too suddenly. His attention wasn't on the room at large, so he didn't notice the four leave the room, but he did notice when a rough and scaley hand touched his arm.

"Try thinking about something else for a moment, you're alright, you're not alone. I may not be great at doing this, but I'm here with you, I'm here and I'm not leaving." He didn't remember when he closed his eyes, but he finally opened them again slowly, lifting his head up a little. He was sure that the other wouldn't have been back till after dinner, but even he could tell that it was only a little after midday from the light in the window. He found himself taking things in slowly, from his rushed breathing to the feeling of thin but warm fingers lightly running against his spine under his shirt. Holding his breath for a moment, he tried to calm it and his quickly beating heart in the hopes it would take his attention. Letting out his breath, he felt his shoulders relax, growing less tense the longer he was being held by the other.

"That's it, you're doing great. You don't need to tell me what happened, but I'll try my best to help you either way." Nodding silently, he pressed his right hand against the side of his middle, trying to get the kicking child to calm down. His left hand had moved to grab Allen's right, feeling the gloved appendage on his shoulder.

"What if something happened to the baby during that battle, what if she's hurt or she doesn't survive?" He heard nothing but silence for a few moments, silently willing his words to have no meaning.

"What makes you think she's hurt? Has she been kicking and moving?" The questions he got in response made him close his mouth, not entirely expecting that form of response.

"I was already pregnant during that battle, I got hurt and injured so many times during that fight and the few I went on after that, what if that caused something to happen."

"Well the good thing is that the baby got your stubbornness, I doubt we'd be having this conversation if it had all affected her. And anyway you stopped going on missions the moment it became clear that she existed, much better than either of us were with Isobel and Ryuuji and both of them turned out fine." Blinking at the words, he glanced over to the shorter, catching the calm smile the other had.

"But how can we be sure?" He felt both hands move from where they had been placed on his person, feeling them cup his face.

"Has she been moving and kicking?" Raising an eyebrow at the repeated question, he only barely realized that he hadn't answered it the first time. That still didn't explain why Allen was pushing for it to be answered by him.

"Yeah, she got really active a while ago and hasn't stopped trying to kick me black and blue since. She won't calm down either." Hearing a laugh, he narrowed his eyes in annoyance and confusion, not understanding what was so funny about what he said. "What's so funny, beansprout?"

"The baby is kicking you so much because she's trying to get you to calm down. She's trying to tell you that she's okay and that you will be too in the only way she can. You've mentioned that she acts fussy and kicks you when you start getting worked up quite a few times before now." Feeling his jaw being released from the hold it was in, he glanced away for a moment, trying to process the words. He felt soft fabric run against his cheeks after a few moments, having not realized that it had halted the track of tears until just after.

"Thank you, you're right." He let a small smile form over his mouth as he heard that soft laugh again, not fully understanding how the two of them ended up laying on the floor together, the baby calming down finally despite how she was almost squished in the process.

"You said you would think of a name for her, have you decided on one yet?" Humming a little under his breath, he shook his head a little where it rested on the younger's chest.

"Not yet, but I'll think of something by the time she comes. I've been trying to remember anything I've heard or read but it's a slow process." Feeling lips against the top of his head, he felt his shoulder being pushed against.

"I'll help if you want, but I'm pretty sure the bed is much more comfortable to lay on, let alone get up from. Come on, I'll pull you up once I'm standing." Sitting up, he watched the white haired adult hop up from the stiff floor, feeling his wrists being tugged up on as he was helped to his feet.

"Tell Ami that the baby is supposed to come in three weeks, I'm probably going to fall asleep once I lay down." His guess wasn't too far off, but it wasn't too much of a problem, especially when he woke up around dinner to find the four kids laying in bed with him and Allen. Yeah, they'd be alright.