Chapter Text
A call of his name and a kiss to his stomach awoke Hanzo one chilly February morning.
Yawning, he stretched as much as he could in his current state, tail and ears sticking taut and pointed to work out the kinks. He sat up then, hand naturally rising to fall on his belly, greeting the day and his child all at once. Leaning forward, he met Jesse’s lips for a chaste kiss, a simple greeting that carried more than what could have been said with words.
A growl from his stomach and a well timed kick made them laugh, Jesse planting one last kiss on the omega’s forehead before separating. As he watched his alpha exit the room to make them breakfast, Hanzo felt a calm come over him, unique in nature but commonly felt over the last few months. It was love, and it was perfect.
The promise of a warm bath coaxed Hanzo from the bed, the overnight snow melting outside chilling the air. He made his way to the bathroom, ready to start his day fresh and clean, a wave of determination washing over him as consciousness returned to him. He dismissed it when he entered the warm bath Jesse had set up for him, soaking all of his thoughts away.
By midday, Hanzo became aware that something was amiss, but still could not put his finger on what exactly. If Jesse was aware or had any idea, he kept it to himself, the alpha following in his wake and helping him with his chores throughout the course of the day.
Hanzo had been plagued by mild discomfort since exiting his bath earlier, fault falling onto the cold weather creeping indoors. The pain continued however, muted and taking residence in the back of his mind as he went about his chores. Various back rubs and massages from Jesse did little to dispel it, the omega taking more comfort from his alpha’s presence than anything.
By evening the cabin looked brand new, every surface polished to shine. Trash had been collected and disposed of, the washer worked through load after load of laundry, every dish and utensil was hand washed and shined to perfection. The pair worked through their chores together, Hanzo handing off all items to Jesse for final inspection before moving on to the next. By the time the first load of laundry had dried enough to be folded, the discomfort in the pit of Hanzo’s belly had spread to his back, aches and tenderness taking hold of his entire body. The omega paid no mind, readjusting himself where he stood over the basket full of clean clothes.
Realization hit him as soon as he moved to place the first piece of clothing on his belly to fold: his swell was noticeably lower than it had ever been.
The implications barely had time to fully form before Hanzo felt a sudden wetness escape him. He groaned through the following contraction, swaying on his feet as he realized his mild discomfort had been more than he thought. Almost immediately Jesse rushed to his side, offering his hand and rubbing Hanzo’s back as he slowly walked them to the kitchen. With no hesitation, Hanzo reached out for his emergency phone, calling the healer with the news. Hanging up after the short exchange and a promise to be there soon, Hanzo turned slowly to look at Jesse, a nervous energy surrounding them both.
Past the nervousness, past the anxiety, past the looming sense of haste, Hanzo saw resolve in Jesse’s eyes. The alpha had been committed to him for months, a constant presence and beacon of support since almost the first day they met. Hanzo felt he should have been rattled at this discovery, and yet-- he felt nothing but comfort, the safest he had felt since long before they met. He smiled at his alpha, who let out a nervous laugh in return. Their eyes twinkled as they held their stare, ready to take on any challenge that came their way.
Within seconds another contraction hit, prompting Hanzo to squeeze Jesse’s hand until he himself doubled over in pain.
The pair danced in their living room as they waited for the healer to arrive. Arms wrapped tightly around the other, they swayed to an unheard song, Hanzo’s contractions hitting harder and closer each time. Through the pain, Jesse rained kisses and soft words of encouragement anywhere he could land them, his hands settling on Hanzo’s lower back to try to rub the pain away.
Time passed both too quickly and too slowly for Hanzo’s tastes, losing track of the time between each contraction-- 2 minutes, according to Jesse. They walked laps through the house, hands and tails intertwined, Hanzo’s grip cutting into Jesse’s with almost every step. Only once did he cry out again, the knock at their door prompting a sigh of relief from them both. No sooner had the healer and her assistant walked through the door was Hanzo spirited away into his bedroom.
Despite the small crowd of people invading his space, despite the pain quickly enveloping his mind, despite the harrowing words from the healer-- you’re ready--Hanzo felt at peace. In the back of his mind, through the cloudy haze of pain, Hanzo realized that it was Valentine’s Day.
A sweet, shrill cry filled the room. For a scant few seconds, silence permeated before another beautiful cry broke the sudden hush.
Relief flooded Hanzo with every breath, the ringing cry keeping him anchored through the pain. He blinked through his tears, the fog lifting slowly when he felt Jesse take a small step away from him. The healer’s voice filtered through the fog, instructions being passed between her and the assistant, voices hushed in subdued excitement.
Another, far deeper sob pierced the air. At this, Hanzo opened his eyes, vision watery amidst the sweat and tears staining his face. There, before him, stood Jesse: usually cool, calm, and collected, brought to tears at the weight of their child in his arms. The alpha held their baby in his large hands as if he held something precious, Hanzo knowing that was not far from the truth.
He watched as Jesse tried to rub the tears from his eyes with his shoulder, not wanting to tear his eyes away from their baby for even a second. The smile never left the alpha’s face, tail wagging furiously despite the baby’s incessant crying. Another sniffle and Jesse leaned down to kiss the baby’s head, soft coos and words of comfort not foreign to Hanzo now being said to their child. Tears of joy continued to stream down Jesse’s face as he watched his alpha and baby bond, their scent coalescing into something that smelled like family.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jesse lifted his head away from their baby, and beamed at Hanzo.
The healer and assistant stepped back to let the new parents bond, quietly receding into the background, bemused at the sight. Jesse cautiously made his way over to Hanzo, cradling the baby’s head closer to himself with each step. Although on the cusp of exhaustion, Hanzo pushed through, weariness leaving him the closer his alpha-- his mate--got to him. Standing at his side, Jesse placed their son into Hanzo’s outstretched arms.
All at once Hanzo was overcome with emotion. Joy, triumph, relief--none of them compared to the feeling of love that flooded Hanzo the very moment he laid eyes on his son’s face. Tiny, red, and screaming, his baby boy stole his heart through no effort at all. Wispy dark hair covered the newborn’s head, hiding two delicate ears in its midst. Already the omega could smell his scent joining Jesse’s and the baby’s, a small cry escaping his own lips as he registered the scent as us.
Leaning down to kiss the newest member of their little family, Hanzo almost missed his mate’s question. Through the fatigue setting upon him, Hanzo grabbed Jesse’s hand, pulling him down into their nest. With both of his loves in his arms, Hanzo announced the name of their son:
“Daisuke.”