The past couple months have flown by. After leaving Ezekiel's home, we came back to mine with the agreement we would visit him weekly. I wasn't sure he was going to miss most, Seraphine or Axar. Or even me. He has gotten noticeably closer to me the past few weeks, even coming to visit us instead and helping with the nursery. Often he would mess with Axar and swat a nail straight through the wall with his hand.
Seraphine continues struggling to adjust to her limitations. She often becomes aggressive after being denied the ability to mop for the third time in a day or being told not to raise the furniture up to check beneath it. She has removed every speck of dirt or lint that could have existed here. She's also removed half the food, constantly starving and never quite full enough. Her stomach has doubled now and she's quite uncomfortable.
Several times we have taken her into the city to feed from excess energy sources, and she has either became tired from walking or forced to leave because she was unable to control herself and tried for blood. In her right mindset she would never want to cause harm, so I stopped her just to preserve her clear conscience.
When it comes to her babies though, she powers through. Tolerating the discomfort and occasional contraction to buy for them or play with Axar. Or nest. Ezekiel and I joke that she is like an animal, hoarding blankets and food and obsessing over her little den. That being addressed, the theme of the nursery is the forest. My favorite childhood memories were of running through trees and tall grass, pretending to hunt Narius, who was grown by time I came along. I would scary the trees and leap down onto him. Since I do not require sleep, I hand painted the murals on each wall. Every tree or blade of grass, every hill or cloud, every animal. The plush carpet is a marble of earth tones to mimic dirt and grass.
In her little nook by the window, Sera sleeps. The sunlight from the window shines down on her resting form in her little nest of blankets and pillows. I have stalked her all morning, noticing the changes from last night. She's moving much, much slower. Her stomach has seemed to drop. She wouldn't let me fool around with her this morning, claiming that her hips were killing her and her breasts were too sore to be touched. I even notice that the child is much less active today.
I rinse my brushes out and I slide over tp her, where I can lay beside her. In the peace and quiet, I can hear Axar eating his breakfast seconds downstairs. I even hear Seraphine's breathing start to pick up as she wiggles to get comfortable. A low groan escapes her lips and she double up. Contractions? My breath hitches. Immediately I check her stomach and sides to feel how tight they are, and they release for a moment before starting back up.
"Do you need to go to bed?" She nods at me and tries to stand, but she can't fully straighten due to contracting up into her lower back.
I would pack her, but Ezekiel has lectured me to keep her moving during early stages of labor if I can. And I'm certain this is the real deal. This feels different than those false labors we have had this month. I wrap one of her arms around me and walk by her side, clutching her for support so she cannot fall. I lead her to the stairs.
"Can we go outside?" She hums in response. Axar comes out of the kitchen in time to see us beside the door.
"Where are you guys going?"
"Outside to walk. Would you like to join us?" He scans over Seraphine and quickly has an understanding.
"Of course! Are you okay mama?" He comes to her other side.
"I-I'm good." She tries to smile.
Outside we walk her in laps, both guarding her in case she needs support. The summer sun shines down on us as we make our rounds. It gets harder, and harder for Seraphine to make the laps. Her body is tight and drawn with the force of her contractions and her water breaks.
"Shit. Shit! It's baby time! I'll be in my room." He chirps excitedly. He hugs Sera gently as I cradle her into my arms and rush her inside. "I love you mama Sera! You got this!" He calls lut behind us.
"So how long have you felt like this? Becausethis is going quicker than I had been told it would." I ask her nervously.
"All...all night. It came and w-went though." She pants. A few moans escape as I take her into the nursery instead of our room. I throw down a thick blanket and pillows to sit her on. Her body trembles a little and sweat beads coat her forehead as her contractions intensify. She tosses and turns, and I coax her to relax and massage anything I think can help. I can feel her anguish, and nerves as they perfume the air. There is also a hint of excitement, as she begins to focus on meeting our baby to distract from the pain of it all.
It's hard to watch her agonize and labor. Her eyes are dark and feral when the pain intensifies, and I notice after probably an hour she begins to tire. I roll her onto her side and lay behind her, stroking and petting. Praising and comforting. The pressure starts to build, and I soon realize that the moment is here. She's about to push. She whimpers loudly and it makes my eyes water. She hurts so badly, and she's so tired. I can do so littke to help. As I watch her labor and tremble, pant and sweat all I can do is feel guilty. I love this child, of course, but I never asked Seraphine if she ever wanted kids. I never even wanted kids. Now here she lays, in excruciating misery to bring our child into the world. Never once has she complained about carrying him. Never once has she said a bad thing about him, yet I had before.
"I'm so tired. I-I can't..." She sobs. Her heart is racing and her face is both flushed and pale. Her emotions are all over the place. I'm out of my element and I'm not sure how to comfort her and left her spirits.
"You can, you have too. We need you. The sooner you get our baby out, the sooner it's over." She groans and I rub her temples. "You are incredible, little lover. You have withstood me and Yeomorah. Your father. You've survived grief, and pain. You kicked my brother's ass in your kitchen. You destroyed Livienne and made me eat my words. You fought my dad, myself, Yeomorah and Asmodeus. You were so brazen hit them between the legs and end them with their own knife. You escaped me, twice! You are more than capable of anything you put your mind to." I nuzzle her neck and knead her back and shoulders once more. "Just think of what he's going to look like. What it'll be like to hold him."
"Pull some energy from me. You've gotten great at feeding. Pull from me to keep your strength up." I ease away from her back and go to her feet. She seems more comfortable on her side, so I just fluffed her pillow and left her there. I pull her top leg up with my hand, massaging the foot as I hold it for her. "Take a deep breath and concentrate now. On the count of three, push for me."
"One. Two. Three. Good work!" She catches her breath and I smile down at her, excitement starting to peak in us both.
"One. Two. Three. There we go. Come on lover, you got this." I kiss her trembling foot. The baby is close to crowning!
"Seraphine, I want you to give the biggest push you have yet. One. Two. Three!" She whines and I can feel her powerful body bearing down with her contraction, working together to deliver her most effective push yet. I stop caressing her feet and my eyes widen as I see the head. The head. I laugh and grin and coo to Seraphine, completely mad with my excitement.
"The head! The head is out. He has dark hair Sersphine! You are amazing!" Her body is still squeezing, a low rumbled groan escapes and her nostrils flare. Her sides jump at the force she bears down with and she cries out in a low voice. I realize she is trying to keep from scaring Axar, and I almost shake my head. In seconds, he is out to his shoulders, and I rest her leg on mine so I can hold to him.
"Oh look at him! His eyes are already open. They are green Sera!" She tries to laugh over her labored breaths and she looks down at me as I hold the top half of our boy in my outstretched hands.
Another powerful push and he is out! I panic, realizing I have never held a child. I scoop him up,, awkwardly with a grin on my face. I can't help but place him against my chest. His head turns a little and his tiny hands bump into me as I clutch him protectively there, stroking soothing patterns on Sera's legs and assaulting her with a barrage of praises and encouraging words as she finishes her work. It kills some small part of me to release my boy, but he roots at my chest and I know he is attempting to find a nipple. I can give him the world, but I can't give him milk. I shudder at the thought and thrust him towards his mother who takes to him immediately.
Greedy like his father, he wastes no time in latching and getting his tiny stomach full. She stares at him in awe and nuzzles the top of his head. His little fingers find an emerald lock of hair to grasp while he nurses.
"He's beautiful." She whispers as she goes over him carefully. Checking limbs and toes, studying his face. My chest swells up everytime I look at him. Long and broad shouldered, head full of hair and so alert. He can't take his eyes off Seraphine.
"I know. He looks just like me." She grins and rolls her eyes at me.
"He really does. Now, he needs a name." She winks.
I sit behind her, pulling her head into my lap as we enjoy our first few minutes as an almost complete family. I cut the cord, finally and I check Seraphine over. I heal some tears for her and I help her to her feet with the baby. I'm honestly amazed she is able to walk so soon.
I guide her into our room where I run her a shower, and I hold our son while she cleans and takes a moment to enjoy the water. She's more than earned it. A knock on the door gains my attention and I welcome Axar in. He smells of food and has an armload of water bottles. He sits them down and runs to the kitchen to retrieve the food he's made for Sera. She exits the shower, refreshed and dressed in clean pajamas. She immediately smells the food and goes to hug Axar, pulling him down beside us as she eats and he holds his brother for the first time.
I'm a bit nervous, and I over correct him, but Axar is almost a natural at this. He gentle and timid. He makes fsves and plays with the baby's hands, gaining a few faces from the baby that make us all giggle. I keep turning names over in my head. We've been over names millions of times, and Seraphine and I almost always agree on the same ones, but it's tough.
"Noxodion." I speak. The baby raises his head to stare at me. "Noxodion-"
"And Noxodius. A perfect replica of his daddy." Seraphine finishes. Axar pulls the toy slingshot out of his pocket and we all lose it. Alexavier's prediction has became a reality, the boy looks just like me. "Thank you both for everything. For your care and encouragement, for the food, for everything. I don't think I could have done it without you two."
She nestles in between us to eat and feed Noxodion. We sit should to shoulder with her on the bed, just watching how effortlessly she can feed herself and the baby with only a free hand. Axar's heart is still thudding, excitement still coursing through him.
In this room, is our completed family. I know that I should contact Ezekiel to share the news, but I want to enjoy this day together. If Seraphine is able, we can surprise him with a visit tomorrow. For now though, I want all the kisses and hugs, and praise from Seraphine all
to myself.
"You were meant to be a daddy, just look at you. Already wrapped around his finger. And you're hogging him already!" Seraphine teases as I pull my sleeping boy away and lay back onto the bed with him snuggled onto my chest.
"I cry unfairness." Axar whispers. "I've only gotten him twice now." Axar crawls up beside me and curls unto my side as I groan. "If I can't hold him, I'll just have to hold you while you're holding him." He tries to wrap me in his arms and I give a low growl, to startle him. It fails, and he kisses my cheek as he throws a leg over mine, always mindful of the sleeping baby. A flash nearly causes me to jump, and I see that Seraphine has stolen a picture.
"Perfect." She smirks.