Chapter Text
October 31st, 2000.
1:00 AM.
Three and a half hours of intense labor pass, and Ougai is starting to fear it may never be over. At last check, he was at seven centimeters dilation, nearing eight, and thus about to enter the transitional phase, which one would think would be cause for celebration... assuming one knew nothing about having a baby, of course.
It already hurts so much, and it's only going to be worse during transition - in fact, that's when the pain is at its worst, and when he was in the most pain in the past, with even the painkillers doing little to help - and he's so tired.
"Yukichi," Ougai finally says in a voice strained from crying, opening his eyes and looking at his husband with great effort. Though Yukichi helped him tie his hair back a while ago, a few strands of sweat-soaked hair still stick to his face, and he still clings to Yukichi's hands for dear life. "I can't do this, Yukichi. I can't. I'm so tired."
Ougai despises how weak he sounds and feels (and no doubt looks, as well) right now, but he also finds he doesn't really care that much, in the grand scheme of things. "I need him out."
"You can do this," Yukichi murmurs, reaching over and cupping his hand around Ougai's cheek and gently stroking it with his thumb. "I know you can. You're doing so well."
"You can't truly mean that," Ougai breathes out, squeezing Yukichi's hand that remains in his grasp. "Not with- how terrible and pathetic I must look right now. Gods know I feel that way."
"My love," Yukichi murmurs as soon as Ougai finishes, "you are having a baby. That alone is a testament to your strength." He shifts, then gently lifts Ougai's hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles. "Besides... you are just as beautiful to me now as you have always been."
A watery, breathy half-laugh leaves Ougai's lips as his shoulders tremble, trying to hold back larger sobs for now. "You- are far too good to me."
Yukichi smiles fondly. "I believe I am as good as you deserve, my Dove." He gently threads his hand into Ougai's hair, stroking the side of his face as he groans lowly through another contraction, and squeezes his hand tightly enough to cut off circulation to Yukichi's fingers for a few seconds.
When it's over, Ougai opens his eyes again and says, with great difficulty, "Yukichi, I- I need you to help me onto my knees."
Yukichi looks at him with concern written in his electric blue eyes. "I can do that."
His voice holds an unspoken question, and Ougai moves with him as he uses his husband's arm and shoulder to steady himself, in order to rest on his knees now. Before he can answer that unspoken question, however, a sudden, strong wave of nausea hits him, and Ougai nearly doubles over, putting his hand over his mouth quickly.
"Yuki-" He starts to choke out between his fingers, but Yukichi is already ahead of him, snatching the trash can from behind the bed and resting it in front of Ougai. He has no time to thank him as he leans over it, heaving what little remains in his stomach into it, gripping the sides so hard his hands tremble.
When he's done and can finally breathe, Yukichi offers Ougai a glass of water from the bedside table (he'd gotten it hours earlier, when Ougai had allowed him to leave his sight without panicking), keeping hold of it so that his husband doesn't have to risk dropping it as he drinks.
"Are you alright?" Yukichi asks after Ougai takes a few shaky sips, and then when he gets a glare for an answer, hurriedly adds, "I meant- is that normal?"
"It is," Ougai murmurs, still trying to catch his breath as best he can. "It happens often- usually when transitional labor starts." He pushes the trash can away from him, and Yukichi sets it back down on the floor before turning back to hold onto his husband, running his hand up and down Ougai's back. "This- was by far the worst part for me, the first time. I apologize for whatever I'll say to you ahead of time, but know that you also deserve it, for doing this to me."
Yukichi lets out a soft breathy sound in response, then says, "I understand, my Dove. Whatever you need to say, I won't hold it against you."
"You'd better not," Ougai says, a hint of playfulness in his strained and tired voice despite the current situation. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Yukichi smiles, adjusting his hold on Ougai's sides so that he can cup his hand around Ougai's cheek. "Just hold on a little longer, Dove."
1:45 AM.
The past thirty minutes have been, in no uncertain terms, the most physically agonizing thirty minutes in all of Ougai's life up until now.
It's taking every ounce of what remains of Ougai's strength to keep himself from screaming with each contraction - which now feel as though they are coming almost back-to-back, giving him barely any time to rest between them - as he clings desperately to Yukichi's arms, sometimes gripping his hands so tight he fears he may have broken his husband's wrists by now.
To his credit, Yukichi says absolutely nothing, so if Ougai has done that, he wouldn't know. Yukichi is far more concerned with Ougai's well being right now, anyway, than his own. The only thing that matters to him for the foreseeable future is making sure his husband and child are safe, so for now, he supports Ougai as he leans against him, murmuring sweet nothings into his ear and kissing the top of his head and scalp as he does.
When Ougai slumps against him after the contraction ends, Yukichi runs one of his hands along Ougai's back as his husband whispers "It hurts, it's too much, I-"
He cuts himself off, swallowing hard as he shakes and cries in his husband's arms. Yukichi swallows back the lump in the back of his throat at that, the desire to be Ougai's steady, emotional rock right now winning over his other emotions.
"I think," Ougai finally whispers hoarsely when he finds his voice, "I think it's time, Yukichi."
At those words, Yukichi swears he feels his heart stop beating for a split second as he parses them in his mind. "Are you sure?"
"I need to check, but- but it feels like-"
Ougai swallows heavily once again. "It feels like it did the first time. So I doubt- I doubt that I'm wrong."
"I trust you know much more about this than I do, Dove," Yukichi assures him. "I am here, and I will be right here, for as long as you need me to be." He leans forward a bit to kiss Ougai's forehead, and then gently brush a few of his sweat-soaked bangs from his face. "It will all be over soon, my love."
That is what they are both hoping for, at least.
2:45 AM.
An hour goes by, but it feels more like a whole day to Ougai. If he'd thought he was tired before, then now, he's beyond exhausted. He and Yukichi both know he's reaching his limit.
"I'm tired," Ougai chokes out, leaning most of his weight on his husband as he does. "I need him out of me, fuck, cut him out if you have to."
Knowing his love's words are driven by exhaustion and desperation, Yukichi shakes his head, leaning over to kiss Ougai's cheek just below his eye. "I couldn't put either of you in danger like that, Dove. He's almost here, too."
"I know," Ougai whimpers, sniffling as he rests his head against Yukichi's collarbone for a moment. "I'm scared."
Yukichi feels his chest tighten at Ougai's words, and he presses another kiss to his cheek. "I know, my Dove, I know. It's going to be alright, I'm right here with you."
The minutes tick by like hours as another contraction hits, and when Ougai cries out "Yukichi-" in a trembling voice, his husband adjusts his position just a bit, knowing instinctively what he's trying to tell him.
"I'm right here, Dove, I've got you," Yukichi says quickly, gently pressing his forehead against Ougai's. "Breathe, Dove. Breathe. Just for a moment."
Ougai heaves in breaths as best as he can, all while Yukichi murmurs every comforting word he can think of to him. "There's- so much pressure, it's awful."
"It will be over soon," Yukichi soothes him, tilting his head to kiss his forehead, then pressing them together again. "Take a moment to rest through the next one, love."
As much as Ougai wants this kid to be out of him already, his body needs to rest, if only for a short while, so he relents, leaning against Yukichi gratefully as he does. His husband doesn't move an inch, staying right where he is, murmuring comforting words to him as he does his best to breathe through the next contraction, gripping Yukichi's forearms tightly as he holds on for dear life.
"That's it, Dove, you're doing well, you're doing so well," Yukichi murmurs, gently pressing the tip of his nose against Ougai's. "You can do this. Just one more, love."
"I can't," Ougai whispers hoarsely, his voice strained, sounding as though he and his voice will break at any moment, "I can't, I can't, Yukichi-"
"Yes you can," Yukichi soothes him, presses his lips to his temple once more, "I know you can, you are so very strong, you have been for so long, too. You can do this, I love you so much."
At his words, Ougai's grip tightens on Yukichi's arms as he first lets out a choked sob, then a hollow, strangled scream, which is loud enough to leave his own ears ringing and feels like it could've shattered any windows if this room had any. All at once, the pressure in his body is relieved, and he fights the urge to just pass out immediately, because he needs to know, he needs to know what's happened and if he's safe and-
The sound of a loud, angry little cry cuts through the air, and it feels as though Ougai comes crashing back to Earth just like that.
"Oh-" Ougai's shoulders slump, and he starts to lean back against the pillows stacked against the head of the bed, extending his trembling arms, mumbling out "Give him- give him here, to me-"
"Of course, Dove, easy, easy," Yukichi murmurs softly, shifting his body and carefully resting the bundle of towels on Ougai's chest, his own arms trembling as he does. "Here, love."
Ougai's arms wrap around that bundle immediately, still feeling like he isn't totally aware of what's happening, or what's happened, until—
Until he tilts his head down just a bit, and his eyes fall on something he thought only a few short months ago that he'd never be able to have in his life again: his child- no, their child, still crying on the bare skin of his chest where his shirt had been unbuttoned earlier, in preparation for this moment that now feels so real because it is.
"He's here, love," Yukichi murmurs, watching as Ougai's eyes fill with tears, little sobs escaping through his lips. "We have a son."
Ougai manages a choked little laugh. "I was right. I told you I'd be," is the first thing he can think of to say in response, and Yukichi chuckles softly a little, punctuated by him taking a shaky breath as he wipes at his own eyes.
"You did, and you were. It was my mistake for possibly doubting you, it seems." Yukichi wraps his arm carefully around Ougai's shoulders, staring down at their son with awe and disbelief in his eyes. Just a few minutes ago, they had been alone in this room, and now...
Now, they share it with their son, their little boy who represents everything they've fought for until now, their son who, against all the odds, was born of love. In the span of just a few seconds, their whole world has changed forever, though neither of them would or will ever want to go back.
"He is the most beautiful person I've ever seen," Ougai says, his voice still choked with emotion, but far less pain now, as he strokes his finger across the newborn's cheek and murmurs "It's alright, little one, Papa's here, I've got you" to soothe his cries.
"Of course he is," Yukichi murmurs, leaning his head gently against Ougai's as he rests his fingertips against their son's soft skin, "He is perfect and beautiful, because he is ours. And the two of you are safe, most importantly."
When Ougai offers his finger to the newborn, his tiny hand curls around it immediately, squeezing with a surprising amount of strength, and he smiles weakly. "He is safe and healthy, isn't he? And strong, too."
A bright smile spreads across Yukichi's face as he leans in to kiss Ougai's temple, then murmurs, "He gets his strength from you, my Dove."
At 3:03 in the morning of October 31st, 2000, Junichi Fukuzawa is born, and for Ougai and Yukichi Fukuzawa, their future has never been brighter, nor more exciting.
the dog days are over.