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Caesar is not a fan of this waiting.
He has patience, and he learnt early that often waiting gives greater rewards, but this is different. His mate is lying in their bed, hooting in pain, and Caesar has been barred from coming closer by the midwives. He wants nothing more than to go to her side, hold her hand, smooth a soothing touch across her forehead, but when he had attempted one of those helping his mate had gestured at him and his fur, ruffled and dirty from a patrol out in the woods.
Dirty. Not good for baby, not good for mother. Stay here. She had signed, before loping back to the bedside. Caesar had attempted to protest but she had barked firmly at him. In this, he did not have authority. These chimps had seen births before, had helped troop-mates care for youngsters in zoos or sanctuaries before their freedom – they had far more experience or knowledge in this rite than Caesar did.
There is one more pained grunt from Cornelia, and then soft hooting from the chimps accompanying her, sounds of praise and happiness. Then, in amongst these sounds, a tiny squeal, the squeak of a newborn.
Caesar shifts between one foot and the other. He has been hastily picking leaves and dirt from his fur, trying to clean himself suitably, and he is impatient to see his mate and child. Finally, after a few moments more, one of the midwives comes over. She looks over him critically, taking in the hurried grooming job he has done, but grunts her satisfaction.
Come. See baby. She signs, and Caesar follows her as she nudges some of the other apes aside to make room for him.
The baby is tiny, still a little damp, Cornelia and one of the nurses still grooming its fur of blood and fluids as it nuzzles its face to Cornelia’s chest, making small hiccupping cries. Caesar makes a soft noise, and Cornelia looks up at him. She is exhausted and still pained, he can see it in her eyes, but she smiles.
Son. She says to him. Baby boy. Our son.
Our son… Caesar signs back with soft, gentle motions, his awe showing through. He had helped make the tiny life that is now squeaking as he tries to find his mother’s breast to nurse. Cornelia guides him and holds him, and he starts to suckle greedily. Caesar pads close, sitting beside Cornelia and reaching a tentative hand to brush over his son’s fur. He is unspeakably gentle – he cannot shake the fear that the baby is so fragile even the slightest error in his touch might hurt him.
He smiles a little and looks to Cornelia, brushing her cheek equally gently. How are you? He asks.
Tired. Cornelia signs. Hurt. But happy. Very happy.
Caesar presses his forehead to Cornelia’s briefly. Good. Nurses will help with hurt.
Cornelia makes a soft noise of happiness, pressing close to Caesar. When he pulls back they spend a moment just looking down at the infant, who seems to have had his fill and is curled close to his mother’s chest, tiny hands clumsily gripping onto her fur. Cornelia puts a finger against her son’s palm and he holds tightly to it, cooing softly. Caesar smiles down at his son.
Want to hold him? Cornelia asks, a little stilted with one of her hands held captive by the baby. She must see the surprise and fear that goes through him, because she laughs softly. Is alright. Won’t hurt him. She signs to him. Promise.
Sure? Caesar asks, nervous in a way he hasn’t been in a long time. For a second he remembers his first trip to the Redwoods, the excitement and the hesitation that muddled together as he offered a palm to Will for permission.
Cornelia nods. Strong baby, like father. She tells him with a small smile. She gently plucks the infant up from her chest and holds him out to Caesar. The baby gives a few soft hoots, unhappy to be lifted from the safety of his mother, and Caesar gathers him up close. The baby grips tight to the fur of his chest and Caesar is sure he can feel something within it swell with love as he strokes over the baby’s head to comfort him.
“Son.” He murmurs softly as he looks down at the infant. His son coos and blinks up at him, curious about the new noise and new smells his father presents, and Caesar grunts in surprise.
The baby’s eyes are a bright blue, and they stand out from his dark face.
Caesar glances over to Cornelia, who tilts her head at him. He does not know what to say, so he looks down again at his son. The baby is starting to explore him curiously, strength starting to come into his little arms as he does his best to climb up Caesar. He looks as any other young chimp does, but his eyes are blue. Caesar gently stops his son from climbing over his shoulder, and hands him back over to his mother.
Both should rest. Caesar signs. Has been a long day.
Cornelia nods, but she looks up at him with some concern. She has noticed that something is on Caesar’s mind. Caesar leans down to press his forehead to hers, and brushes a hand over his son’s back. The tiny baby squeaks a yawn and snuggles into Cornelia’s fur. Cornelia wraps her arms around him and settles to sleep, a nurse watching over them, and Caesar strides out to the upper level of the house to sit and think.
~
Caesar is staring out over the city when Maurice clambers up and sits beside him. He grunts softly and Caesar turns to look at him.
How are Cornelia and the baby? He asks.
Well. Baby is healthy. They are resting. Caesar replies. He gives a small smile. Son.
Congratulations. Maurice replies with a small smile of his own. Caesar looks back over San Francisco, and he can feel as Maurice watches him in the pause.
“Caesar… worried.” Maurice says, very softly. He is an ape of very few words, and they are always quiet. Caesar grunts a little, considering his reply. Maurice is a close friend, he knows well when Caesar worries and when Caesar rejoices, mourns or rages. There will be no point denying – and besides that, Maurice offers confidence, and Caesar trusts him with his true thoughts.
Baby’s eyes are blue. He signs. Maurice looks at him with a little surprise.
Blue?
Caesar nods. I am worried for him. Green eyes are sign of smart ape. Blue eyes? I do not know. He sighs, scratching the fur on his chest. I worry he may be like apes before. Apes before were… stupid. He grimaces. It feels bad to admit the worry.
Baby is son of Caesar. Baby will not be stupid. Maurice signs, shaking his head. Caesar was first smart ape. Caesar is smartest ape. Son of Caesar will be smart also.
Caesar smiles a little. Maurice nudges him, a friendly gesture.
Perhaps blue eyes mean even smarter ape. He says. Caesar laughs softly.
Perhaps. He nods. Thank you, Maurice.
Maurice waves his hand in a ‘don’t thank me’ gesture. Go be with your mate and son. Now is a time for celebration, not worry. He tells Caesar.
Caesar nods. Maurice bows his head a little and swings down from the balcony. Caesar sighs, and decides to heed Maurice’s words and set aside his worries. For now, he has a tiny son whose life he should celebrate. He makes his way down into the main room of his home.
~
Cornelia is still asleep, resting on her back, her head tilted to the side and relaxed in slumber. Caesar smiles a little, just looking at her for a moment. She is beautiful, and seeing her at peace like this reminds him of that.
Their son, however, has woken up and decided to explore. He’s clambered off his mother’s chest, and is poking and pulling at the branches and soft bracken that make up the bed. His bright blue eyes are curious as he grabs at a leaf, sniffs it, then sticks it in his mouth.
Caesar gently tugs the leaf away from his son, who hoots his annoyance at the new plaything being taken away. Caesar makes soft noises at him to soothe him, but the infant pouts and grabs for the bedding again. Caesar scoops him up to his chest, huffing softly into his fur. The baby quiets, starting to pat at his father’s face in curiosity. Caesar chuckles and lets him.
Cornelia blinks her eyes open at the noise, looking around dazedly. Caesar sits down beside her and strokes the fur on top of her head.
“Sleep.” He says softly to her. Cornelia looks like she might ask something, then spots the baby tugging at the fur on Caesar’s chin. She smiles softly. She nuzzles her head against Caesar’s side, resting against him gently, and he takes one of her hands in his. She holds it softly and lets her eyes close. Caesar watches her for a moment as her breathing slows, then turns his attention to his son. The baby is poking at the birthmark on Caesar’s chest, seemingly interested in why there is no fur.
He is curious. That is good. Caesar thinks to himself. He thinks that perhaps Maurice is right – that there is no need to worry. Looking down at the baby, he cannot imagine that he does not hold the intelligence of the rest of the troop. There is bright curiosity in his blue eyes, in the way he grabs and smells and feels everything he can. Caesar thinks back to his early years and remembers similar times of exploring anything and everything he could see and reach. There were many times Will had shouted and been frightened, because Caesar had climbed up somewhere Will couldn’t find him, or he had tried to put something in his mouth that he should not have because he was curious.
The thought of Will makes something in Caesar’s chest hurt a little, even as it warms him. He still misses the human who had raised him. But there is a warmth in his memory, and the thought of being a father to this infant as Will was a father-of-sorts to him is nice, like it will keep him closer. He can use the lessons he learnt to teach his son, as he has taught many apes – but this time, it will be different. His son will grow with these lessons, like Caesar had, will not know cruelty, will be surrounded by family and love from the very first moment. His life will not be shadowed by mistreatment, or a time before he could comprehend the things that happened around him.
A tiny yawn pulls Caesar from his thoughts. He looks down at his son, who is nuzzling into the fur of his chest and gripping tightly to him. He smiles and shifts to lie beside Cornelia, cradling the baby to him and rubbing his back softly. The baby cuddles closer at the same moment Cornelia presses to his side, and Caesar chuckles softly.
There is no need for worrying, not now. Right now, he has a beautiful mate and son, and a warm bed. Tomorrow, they will have a celebration, the best feast they can manage and a time to be joyful, to celebrate the new life. Then Caesar can worry about the shifts for patrols and the organisation of hunting parties, about leading his troop and their future in this world.
For now, he will sleep, warm and content with his family close to him, worries set aside for happiness and love.