Chapter Text
“I know my bones will just knit themselves back together, but you are getting very close to breaking them.”
“I’m stressed, leave me alone. D’you think if they don’t have an x-gene, and I try to go through a gateway, it’ll just. Get left behind?”
“Even if they aren’t, that is not possible. There’s a million and one ways to cheat the gates, my money is on this being one of them.”
“Are there any other excuses I can use to not leave the island?”
“Gabby will be disappointed. We’re meeting for ice cream afterwards.”
“I cannot stomach dairy right now.”
“It’s good for you? And the. Smudge?”
“Slightly larger than a smudge at this point.”
“Can I call it a baby yet? We will have to at some point.”
“Why can’t we just. Skip to having a full baby I can hold? I hate this. I haven’t been able to ice up for months, I haven’t gone this long without it since the decimation.”
“If we go, we’ll confirm an x-gene, and you’ll be technically allowed to fully ice up again?”
“Yeah, but I’m still not gonna .” He grumbled. “Don’t wanna hurt it.”
“Then let’s not go.” Daken crumpled into the couch, tilting his head back.
“Ugh, but we’ve gotta.”
“Why do I even talk anymore? You would reach the same conclusion alone.”
“It’s all part of the process!”
“You’re a mess, Drake.”
–
Being off Krakoa was intimidating. It had barely been an hour, and Daken was scratching at his arm, glancing around the doctor's office stiffly.
“You gotta relax, ‘hiro.”
“There’s a lot to worry about, I’m just keeping an eye out.”
“You’re fine, you don’t need to. I could freeze the entire block if I wanted to, what could go wrong?”
“A lot.”
The doctor walked into the room, blinking at the sight of Daken and glancing back down at the papers she clutched. “You’re the mutant omega, yes?”
Bobby clicked his tongue. “Yeah. A friend told us to schedule with you, since this really isn’t her zone.”
“You’ve got a smart friend. So, you’re Robert, then?”
“Bobby.”
“Alright, Bobby, and is this the other parent? I’m assuming you’re both mutants? Either of you someone I’d know?” The doctor cracked a smile.
“I mean, I like to think I’m A-list?” Bobby offered out a hand. “Iceman, second X-Man ever, nice to meet you.”
“Oh. Good to know.” She exhaled. “So, down to business? You’d like to make sure your kid’s growing right, and from what I have here..” She scanned the papers quickly. “Yes, I should be able to tell you the gender if you’d like, provided baby is in the right position.”
Daken’s eyes were watching the doctor intensely, so Bobby tapped him on the arm.
“Daken. Buddy. Dude. Babe.” He poked him in the arm with each new title, until Daken finally blinked, glancing at Bobby.
“Hmm?”
“Do we wanna, y’know, find out the gender? If you don’t, I’ll say no, but?”
“I could care less either way, snowflake, it’s all you.”
“Yeah?” Bobby turned to face the doctor. “Yeah, I wanna. Know what’s inside me.”
They gestured towards the bed. “Well, then, if you don’t mind?”
-
“There they are. No clear issues, buddy looks like they’re doing well. Actually...” The doctor squinted at the screen. “ He’s doing well.”
Daken paled, and Bobby squeezed his hand. “That is more than a smudge.”
“Yeah.”
The doctor stepped outside the door, impressively aware of the tone of the room. “I’ll give you two a second.”
“What’s up? You look like you’re gonna puke.”
Daken leaned his head against the wall. “You know what the men in my family are like.”
“You can’t help being raised a certain way.”
“Feral mutants and XY chromosomes do not combine well.”
“We don’t even know if he has an x-gene, babe. You’re worrying over nothing, besides, he’s not gonna grow up like you do. I hang around a lot of smart people, it’s all learned behavior.”
Daken exhaled, pulling his face back into a tight nonchalance. “I think part of me was hoping they would be a girl. My sisters are so good, I was just..” He trailed off.
“Dude, this is a baby , he's not gonna be like anything for a while. We get to pick what he’s gonna be like with how he grows up, and considering how much you and your sisters are in each other’s business, there’s a decent chance he’ll be basically another clone.” Bobby brushed a piece of hair back. “Chill out.” He grinned, sending a flurry of snowflakes into the air.
“Is it safe to be doing that?”
“Yes, relax, I’m begging you.”
The doctor poked her head back in. “Is it alright if I come back in? Still got to ensure a clean bill of health.”
—
Daken clenched the ultrasound photo in his hand, right fist the only thing betraying his carefully nonchalant stroll down the street. Bobby swung their hands, clearly itching to just slide over the buildings to the nearest gate.
“If I fall off, it’s all your fault.”
“You’ll let me take the fast route?”
“Begrudgingly.”
Bobby lit up, eyes twinkling, and the pair shot into the sky, Daken in a crouch, trying to keep his balance on the ice slide. “Are you having a blast?”
“No.” Daken muttered into Bobby’s neck, teeth gritted. “I’m not scared of heights, you know? It’s just this death trap of yours.”