Archive of Our Own

Normally Sebastian’s room at night would be lit up only by the glow of his computer screen, either from the programming job he was working on, or perhaps indulging in a video game. However, the glow of the computer screen was absent as the source of the light on this night was coming from his bedside table. Curled up in the double bed he acquired a few months back for when Sam, his boyfriend, would stay over, his mind was racing. For the past month or so, Sebastian felt off. While Sebastian prides himself on rarely getting sick, he refused to go to Harvey’s clinic, for he thought it was just a simple stomach bug that was making him sick in the morning. But as the weeks wore on, he realized that there may be something else afoot. Worried, he made an appointment with Harvey. After telling the doctor his symptoms, Harvey did something different from his usual checkups. Wheeling over an ultrasound machine, he made Sebastian lift up his hoodie and spread the gel across his stomach. Harvey systematically moved the wand across Sebastian’s abdomen, before stopping and turning to Sebastian to say the words that he did not expect to hear.

“Well Sebastian, it looks like you were right about this being something other than a usual stomach bug. You’re pregnant!”

At that moment, Sebastian was excited. He was having a baby with his boyfriend! He happily took the ultrasound print that Harvey had given him, along with some pregnancy pamphlets and information, and headed home.

But now, sprawled out on his bed staring at the print, he was feeling incredibly anxious. First, he and Sam still live with their parents, which wouldn't be conducive to raising a child together. Second, was he truly ready? Sure, wanting a child was the first step towards having one, but he and Sam weren’t actively trying to get pregnant. Finally, he was concerned given that he had quit smoking, but from that he picked up a bit of a Joja Cola addiction for when he was feeling stressed. Guiltily, he rose out of the bed to go to his recently acquired mini-fridge and grabbed a cola before cracking it and taking a swig. Harvey told him that as long as he wasn’t drinking a cola every day, the baby should be okay. “Your health is important too.” Harvey’s words echoed in his brain.

Sebastian let out a sigh. Could the anxiety he was feeling calm down for a second? Despite his wishes, all the thoughts kept swirling around. After a while, Sebastian found himself just adrift in a sea of his thoughts, and he eventually fell asleep.

When Sebastian woke up, he was a bit disoriented and groggy. His sleep was anything but restful. One of the dreams involved him telling Sam and him yelling at him about it, storming out while Sebastian cried. With some lingering feelings, Sebastian tried sitting up, and only then did he realize that he was still fully clothed (except for his shoes, of course). He barely had any time to react to that when he felt his stomach seize up, and he dashed to his wastebasket to empty what little contents he had in his stomach.

Groaning, Sebastian grabbed a nearby tissue and wiped his mouth. Although he wasn’t sure if he could handle breaking the news to Sam yet, the anxiety he felt over it was enough for him to go over to his phone and send a quick text to have Sam come over. After seeing Sam’s text that he was on his way with “big news of his own”, Sebastian went back to lay on his bed as thoughts raced through his head. Dream Sam was just a manifestation of his anxiety after all, the real Sam, his Sam, wouldn’t react like that, right?

Just as he felt like he was about to cry, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Had it really been that long already? Quickly wiping his eyes, he sat up on the bed before Sam came in. Sam walked over and gave him a big kiss before realizing that there was something wrong.

“Seb, are you feeling okay?” Sam asked. “Doctor Harvey didn’t give you any bad news, did he?”
“It’s a bit hard to tell, really.” Sebastian said. “Depends on your definition of bad.”

“Judging by your face I’m worried. Is it anything serious?”
“I’m pregnant.”

With that, Sebastian braced himself for the yelling that the dream Sam had slung at him. But instead of harsh words, Sebastian felt himself being tackled onto the bed in a big hug from Sam.

“Seb!” he exclaimed. “That’s amazing! We’re going to be daddies!”

All Sebastian could do in response was let out a few tears, much to Sam’s concern. After composing himself, Sebastian spoke again.

“S-so you’re not mad?” Sebastian asked. “I know we weren’t actively trying since we don’t have a house yet…”
“No, I’m not mad at all!” Sam replied. “This is the best news I could have heard all day, well, besides what I wanted to tell you!”
“W-what was that?”
“Remember how the farmer, Ashton, sold some of his land to the city to be developed into housing? And how I’ve been doing his big account deliveries for him? Well your mom is almost finished with the first one, and I had enough saved to buy it for us!”

After sharing his news, Sam had a big grin on his face. Sebastian could hardly believe it. A baby and a house, with his Sam, in such a short amount of time?

“How were you able to afford it all?” Sebastian asked. “Last time I checked, houses aren’t cheap.”
“In the city or the ‘burbs, maybe.” Sam replied. “But here in the valley it’s affordable! Plus, I cut back on how much Joja Cola I drink, saved my cut from the band’s gigs, and saved a lot from what I make helping out Ashton.”

“Huh. I forgot about that. But… are we ready to be parents?”

Sam gave Sebastian a hug in response.

“I’d say so.” Sam said. “I’m doing well at my job with the farmer, you’re still making enough money from the freelancing to cover the rest, and I know in my heart that I love you a lot. It may seem scary, but you’ll have me there, right?”

“Heh, yeah.” Sebastian replied. “Guess I was letting anxiety get the better of me. I’ll have you.”
“I love you, Seb.”
“I love you too, Sam.”

Sebastian then leaned forward and gave his boyfriend a kiss. The two giggled with excitement at the prospect of being on their own, and starting their own families. However, Sebastian’s happiness faded away for a moment when he came to a realization.

“We still have to tell our parents!”

Naturally, the first group to tell was Sebastian’s parents, as they were just upstairs at the breakfast table. Since Sebastian hadn’t eaten yet, he was also very hungry, and figured that he would be able to knock both out easily. As he and Sam strolled into the kitchen and took a place at the table, Sebastian’s family had surprised expressions on their faces due to Sam’s presence. As Sebastian began to load up a plate with some eggs and bacon that were on the table, Robin took the initiative to ask the question that seemed to be on the table’s mind.

“Good Morning, Sam.” Robin said. “To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you this early in the morning?”
“I was just telling Seb about the new house Mrs. Robin!” Sam replied. “I’m so happy that it’s coming along so well. When did you say it would be done?”

“In the next three weeks, hopefully.” Robin replied. “Having the contractors switch out at the last minute was not what I was expecting, but I tend to forget how hard it is to work with the agencies in Zuzu City.”

Sam gave a nod in response. He then looked over at Maru, who seemed to be studying Sebastian intensely as he ate.

“I don’t mean to pry,” Maru began, “But are you feeling alright Sebastian?”
“Yeah, I am.” Sebastian replied after swallowing a bite of his food. “Why?”
“Well normally you don’t eat the eggs when you have breakfast.” Maru replied. “If anything you only eat the bacon.”
“Oh, you’re right.” Sebastian said. “Guess Doctor Harvey was right about food aversion and cravings then.”

“Wait, what was that about Doctor Harvey?” Demetrius, who had until now been ensconced in his paper, asked.
“It was part of the results he gave me.” Sebastian replied. “It’s because I’m pregnant.”

The reactions to Sebastian’s statement varied greatly. Sam was taken aback and speechless, but not too surprised by his boyfriend's bluntness. His parents and half-sister, however, were a lot more expressive.

“Sebby that’s amazing!” Robin squealed. “I see why Sam was so eager to get the house ready now.”
“I’ll make sure I’m there for your checkups!” Maru exclaimed. “It’d be interesting to get some data from you on this, if that’s alright.”
“Congratulations.” Demetrius said. “Just make sure you follow Doctor Harvey and Maru’s advice and I’m sure your baby will be a healthy one.”

Outwardly, Sebastian smiled and grabbed Sam’s hand on the table. Inwardly, he had a sigh of relief. The reactions of his family he had expected, but he was afraid of a worse outcome, but things were alright. Especially since he had Sam, his ray of light, by his side. As everyone was eagerly asking the couple questions, Sebastian finished his breakfast. He decided that once they were done here, they would head over to Sam’s house to break the news to his parents.

Sebastian underestimated the amount of questions that his parents and sister would have, so by the time he and Sam set off for his house it was closer to noon. Sam reassured Sebastian that it would be fine, and that they would tell his parents and brother over lunch just like they did with Sebastian’s family over breakfast.

But before they could cross the town square to get back to his house, they heard a familiar voice calling out their names. As they turned around, they saw Abigail running towards them from Pierre’s.

“‘Sup nerds!” she said, pulling them into a big hug. “Where are you off to?”
“Uh, my house.” Sam replied curtly. “We’ve got something big to tell my parents.”
“What kind of big?” Abigail asked. “Could I come with?”
“I’m not sure that would be a good idea…” Sebastian said.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m pregnant, Abby, it’s a kind of a big deal.”
“You’re what!?”

The voice they heard was not Abigail’s reaction, for she was still trying to form her reaction when the new voice rang out. The group turned to find Jodi behind them.

“Mom!” Sam exclaimed. “Shouldn’t you be at home?”
“I was, but I wanted to go pick up some stuff from the store.” Jodi replied, and then turned to Sebastian. “Did I hear you say you’re pregnant?”

“Y-yes.” Sebastian replied as his face turned crimson.

“When were you going to tell me and your father?” Jodi demanded, turning to Sam.

“We were on our way over to tell you!” Sam replied. “We just stopped to talk to Abigail for a second.”
“Don’t lie to me!” Jodi replied. “Now come on, we’re heading home right now to talk about this with your father.”

She then grabbed her son’s hand and began dragging him off. Sebastian, still blindsided from the interaction, gave Abigail a wave goodbye and ran after his boyfriend and his mom.

The exchange that followed at Sam’s house was awkward for Sebastian. Despite the fact that he was the one who was pregnant, one would have assumed it was Sam from the way Jodi and Kent were grilling him in the kitchen. Sebastian tried to interject himself into the conversation, but it was clear they were too focused on berating Sam for dishonesty and the upcoming responsibilities of parenthood for them to notice him.

So instead, Sebastian resigned himself to the living room, and was playing a game on his phone when he heard the door open. He looked up to see Vincent coming in from his daily tutoring session with Penny. When he saw Sebastian he ran up to him and gave him a hug.

“Sebastian!” he exclaimed happily. “What are you doing here?”

Before Sebastian could reply, the argument in the kitchen came to an end, and the three family members came out single file.

“Oh, Vincent, welcome home sweetie!” Jodi said. “We didn’t hear you come in.”
“What were you guys talking about?” Vincent asked. “It was really loud.”

“Well, uh,” Kent began. “How do I put this…?”
“You’re going to be an uncle!” Sam exclaimed.

Vincent’s eyes went wide and a big smile washed over his face.

“Really!?” he exclaimed. “Who’s having the baby?”
“I am.” Sebastian said with a wave.
“That’s so cool!” Vincent said, putting a hand on Sebastian’s abdomen.

“Uh, Vince, I don’t think you’ll feel anything just yet.” Sebastian said. “The baby has to grow some more first.”

“Aww, okay.” Vincent replied, before turning to Sam. “Does that mean I can babysit?”

Jodi went to speak, but Sam replied before her. “Of course!”

“Yay!” Vincent cheered.

He then began asking Sebastian questions about the baby. Out of the corner of his eye, Sebastian saw that Jodi and Kent were taking Sam back into the kitchen. Sebastian could only smirk as he figured his boyfriend was in for another lecture.

Over the next few weeks, Sam and Sebastian received congratulations and well wishes from the town as more people learned about their pregnancy. It got to Sebastian a little bit to have so many eyes on him, but when he was with Sam it was tolerable.

The house that Robin was building for them was finished about the time Sebastian was ten weeks along. Moving in was done primarily by Sam and both of their families, with Alex hired on for a little bit of extra muscle. Sebastian wanted to help, but everyone fussed over him since he couldn’t lift anything that was too heavy. Instead he stayed in the shade on his phone as everyone moved their stuff in.

After a while, his battery died, and he just sat watching everyone finish moving the boxes in. However, his eyes wandered down to his stomach. Although he was ten weeks along, his stomach was starting to protrude ever so slightly, but given his already skinny frame, it looked like he was bloated after a big meal. Sam liked to tease him about that, and Sebastian played along. Despite his anxiety, he was excited to be further along in his pregnancy. Every day in the pregnancy so far was a reminder that he was having a baby with not just his boyfriend, but his best friend.

Sebastian was so ensconced in thinking about the future that he didn’t even realize he was rubbing his stomach, and much less that Sam was watching him. He stopped and felt his face turning red as he turned his head away from Sam.

“Aww, I’m sorry Seb, but that was so cute!” Sam said. “I can’t wait to see you doing that with a bigger bump.”

“R-really?” Sebastian replied.

“Really. Anyway, I came to get you because we’re just about done. I wanted you to come in to check out the room that Robin said she made with a nursery in mind.”

Sam extended his hand and Sebastian took it, and he was lifted up. They kept holding hands as they walked towards the house.

“So how do you feel about dinosaurs in the nursery?” Sam asked as Sebastian let out a giggle in response. “Hey! It’s a serious question!”

Several weeks went by, and Sebastian was in the 18th week of his pregnancy. He and Sam had planned out what the nursery would look like, but left the painting and decor until Sebastian was further along. Part of them wanted to find out what they were having, but regardless they wanted to paint the nursery a nice light blue.

One of the things of being so far along that freaked Sebastian out, however, was the fact that the baby started to kick. For the past few weeks, it was just the “quickening” period where only he could feel it, much to Sam’s chagrin. It was a strange sensation, similar to that of feeling butterflies in his stomach. The first time it happened he cried because it was so different from something he had felt before, and Sam had to calm him down and reassure him that it was normal.

However, while waiting for Harvey to come in to determine the sex of the baby, it was moving once more. Out of habit, Sebastian grabbed Sam’s hand and placed it on his swollen stomach, with the hopes that Sam could feel the baby kicking. Sebastian figured that Sam wouldn’t be able to feel anything, but it was worth a shot.

“Seb!” Sam said excitedly. “I can feel it now!”

“Wait, really?” Sebastian said. “That’s amazing!”

“It is! I can only imagine how it feels for you.”

Sam flashed Sebastian one of those iconic smiles of his, and Sebastian couldn’t help but grin in return. The fact that Sam was able to feel their baby kick meant they were getting closer to holding it in their arms. Just as he was getting into a daydream of Sam holding their baby, Doctor Harvey, accompanied by Maru, entered the exam room.

“Sebastian, Sam, how are you doing?” Harvey asked.

“Great Doctor Harvey.” Sam replied.

“Ecstatic, but tired.” Sebastian added.

“That’s understandable, Sebastian.” Harvey said. “It’s to be expected at this point in the pregnancy. Maru has your current blood and urine results, so I’ll let her tell you while I get the ultrasound ready.”

Harvey then went to the corner and wheeled the machine over and began fiddling with to ensure it was on the proper settings. Meanwhile, Maru, who had been shuffling through the folder, found what she was looking for.

“I didn’t have to see the results to tell you what you already know.” Maru said. “You’re doing fine, it’s just the Joja Colas that you need to watch.”

“I know.” Sebastian said with a sigh.

“It’s alright!” Maru replied. “I understand it was your alternative to smoking, but just make sure you watch your intake, okay?”

Sebastian gave a nod in response. With that there was nothing else to say in regards to Sebastian or the baby’s health, and Harvey gave a cough to signal he was ready.

“Alright Sebastian, I’ve got the machine ready.” Harvey said. “Now if you could lift your shirt up please, I can get started. You said that you wanted to know the sex of the baby, correct?”

“Yes, Doctor Harvey.” Sebastian said as he began to roll up his shirt. “We’d like to know that now.”

Harvey gave a “mmhmm” in response, and then put the gel on Sebastian’s stomach. Harvey then moved the wand around his stomach systematically until there was a clear image on the screen. He called Maru over and the two talked in whispers. Once whatever they discussed was decided, Maru left, presumably to get the ultrasound print.

“Well, after some deliberation, I can say with confidence what you’re having.” Harvey said.

“What’s our baby going to be Doctor Harvey?” Sam asked impatiently.

“Congratulations, you two are having a healthy baby girl.”

Sebastian turned to see Sam’s face light up, and he could feel a smile creeping up on his own face. Truthfully, regardless of what they were having, Sebastian was just happy enough to be carrying Sam’s baby. But after hearing what they were having, it just made it all the more real for the young couple. Sam then leaned over and gave Sebastian a kiss, to which Harvey looked away to give them a bit of privacy. Just as they parted from their kiss, Maru returned with the ultrasound print, bearing congratulations. Harvey then handed Sebastian some paper towels to wipe down his stomach. Sam received the picture and was chatting with Maru as Harvey put the machine away and Sebastian wiped down his stomach.

“A baby girl.” Sebastian thought, staring down at his swollen stomach. “I know you can’t read my thoughts, but I’m really happy I’m your daddy. I can’t wait to meet you.”

And, as if on cue, Sebastian felt a kick in response.

After the discovery of what they were having, time flew by for Sebastian and Sam. They ended up preparing the nursery just a little more, such as painting it the light blue they had discussed, and were actively searching for furniture to put in it; from cribs to changing tables, to even a rocking chair (a suggestion brought up by Sam). Between the prep, Sebastian’s freelance work, and Sam’s job ramping up since summer had rolled around, the two were exhausted.

Thankfully, a break in the action came on Sam’s birthday. Ashton told Sam to take the day off and enjoy his day, and that he and Shane would pick up the slack for the daily activities since no deliveries needed to go out that day. It just so happened that Sebastian had just finished a job himself, so the two were able to spend the day having fun and playing video games.

Late in the afternoon, Sam dragged Sebastian out of the house to get some ice cream from Alex’s stand. Sebastian protested, not wanting to be out in the warm summer day since he was now 22 weeks along, nor did he want to bend over and put on shoes. With some pleading from Sam, Sebastian gave in. He threw on some flip flops and made the walk to the stand with Sam. Alex was there to serve them, and Sebastian felt as if Alex’s gaze was searing into his soul, or rather, womb. He could have sworn that during the exchange Alex was focused on his bump. The whole exchange made Sebastian anxious, and he was thankful that Sam took them back across the bridge to sit on the banks of the river. The two men had their feet in the water as they ate their ice cream, and once they finished, were talking.

“So, are you really not going to wear any shoes from this point on?” Sam asked.
“Yes.” Sebastian said. “It takes too much effort to navigate around this thing already, I’m not dealing with bending over too.”
“What about in the winter?”
“Socks and those slide on sandals. You know the ones.”

Sam gave a laugh in response, to which Sebastian was confused.

“What’s so funny?” Sebastian asked.

“Sorry, Seb, it’s just too funny!” Sam replied. “Aren’t you the one who said that a look like that is only for straight boys like Alex to wear?”
Sebastian blushed. “W-Well…! Hey, I’m pregnant, there’s a difference.”

“Aw, I know babe. I was just giving you a hard time is all.”

Sam then moved himself closer to Sebastian and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He turned away and let out a heavy sigh before turning right back to face Sebastian once more.

“Seb, is it alright if I ask you a question?” Sam asked.

“It is.” Sebastian replied. “What’s on your mind?”

Sebastian then felt a little anxious as several possibilities of what the question could be raced through his head as Sam reached into his pocket. However, they were all squashed when he saw what was in Sam’s hand.

“That’s!” Sebastian said.

Sam gave a hum in agreement. “A Mermaid’s Pendant.”

“Does that mean…?”

As Sebastian looked at Sam, anxious for a reply, Sam took a deep breath and then began to talk.

“Seb, you’ve been my best friend for years.” Sam began. “We’ve been through a lot, even that period of time where we both thought the other had a crush on Abby, even though we really had one on each other. Video games are much more enjoyable when you’re around, and every campaign in D&D is a treat when you’re the DM. It’s been a few years since we’ve been official, and now you’re carrying our baby. I just love you a lot, Seb, and I’m glad I’ve put in my time and effort into our relationship. So… will you marry me and keep doing the same?”

Sebastian felt tears welling up in his eyes after Sam had finished his proposal. There was so much he wanted to say, about how he felt the same way about their relationship, or even share a memory he had of Sam being a dork. However, nothing came out other than a choked “yes” as he nodded to signify it as well. He felt Sam put the pendant around his neck, and then being pulled into an embrace.

“I love you, Seb.” Sam said.

“I l-love you t-to, S-Sam.” Sebastian said, trying to calm himself back down.

“This is all very touching, but please tell me I’m going to be a Maid of Honor for one of you.”

The two broke the embrace and turned around to see Abigail peeking out of the bush that was behind them.

“Abby!” Sam shouted. “How long have you been there?”
“The whole time!” Abigail replied. “I’ve been hiding out here for most of the day watching everyone go by. It’s amazing how much you can see here.”
“Abby! This was supposed to be a private thing!”
“Sorry! I couldn’t help it! It was very touching, though. I came very close to crying.”

Sam then got up and proceeded to bicker with his purple haired friend. As they bickered, Sebastian couldn’t help but laugh. Although it’s not how he imagined Sam proposing, it still felt right to him. He then proceeded to hoist himself up off the river bank, and then walked over to help mediate his friend’s argument.

After Sam’s surprise proposal on his birthday, a lot of the free time the soon to be wed couple had was spent on planning the wedding; along with gathering furniture for the nursery. Sam and Sebastian decided that they wanted to be married before the baby arrived, and picked an early fall date when they would get married. It allowed them enough time to plan a simple wedding, and that the date would still be warm enough that the ceremony could take place outdoors as it traditionally does. The plan they had decided on was that they would get married on the beach with a “shoes optional” theme, which placated Sebastian who was still insistent that he was not going to wear shoes for the rest of his pregnancy. To honor Abby’s wishes, she was made the Maid of Honor on Sebastian’s side, and Vincent was Sam’s Best Man. The ceremony itself would be held with the whole town, but the reception would be limited to their families and the wedding party.

Eventually, the time came for the ceremony to be held. On a warm fall day at the beach, the residents of Pelican Town were gathered to see the union between Sam and Sebastian. The two were dressed up in modified tuxes, with Sam wearing a blue vest and Sebastian a purple one, while both men’s pants were cut at a three-quarters length and were barefoot.

As the couple took their positions, Sebastian couldn’t help but feel his anxiety growing. Not only was all of Pelican Town staring at him, but his tux felt tight on him. Despite having his tux modified by Ashton one last time the previous week, Sebastian could’ve sworn the baby grew enough to make it feel like he had less room in his tux. Granted he was 31 weeks along and already felt huge, but the added pressure of being in front of the town was eating on his nerves and sense of self. However, once he caught a glimpse of Sam who was flashing him a smile, he felt a little more at ease.

Once the grooms were set, along with their wedding party, Mayor Lewis cleared his throat to begin the ceremony.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Sam and Sebastian.” Mayor Lewis began. “I, like many of us here, knew that this day was inevitable.”

Mayor Lewis paused, and the crowd laughed. He then continued with the ceremony.

“Now then, we move onto the exchanging of vows. Sam, if you’ll go first.”

Sam took a deep breath, and grabbed the ring that was handed to him by Vincent.

“Sebastian, there really isn’t too much more I can say that I haven’t said already.” Sam began. “I love you with all my might. I’m happy that you took a chance on me, and we kept putting in time together. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. You’re also giving me the best gift I could ask for, a daughter that will represent the bond between us and the start of our family. I love you, Seb.”

Sebastian could feel his eyes welling up with tears as Sam put the ring on his finger. Taking a deep breath, Sebastian then recited his vows.

“S-Sam…” Sebastian began. “I love you so much as well. Seeing your creativity in action every day with our band is something that I’ve come to admire in you, and I hope you continue to keep it up. The time spent with you never feels like enough, but living together has made it feel like it is enough and more. Sashimi is great, but with you, it’s even greater. I love you, Sam.”

With a slightly shaky hand, Sebastian put his ring on Sam’s finger. Mayor Lewis cleared his throat and began to talk again.

“Well now, if there are any objections to this union, please speak now or forever hold your peace.” Mayor Lewis then paused. With no objections raised he then said, “Well gentlemen, I now pronounce you as lawfully wedded husbands.”

Clapping and cheering erupted, and Sam pulled Sebastian in for a kiss. He then led Sebastian to the dancefloor used in the Luau, pulled out of storage for the occasion, and began to dance as Abigail cued up the first track on their playlist.

As the music played and they swayed side to side, Sebastian couldn’t help but feel that he and Sam were the only two on the beach in that moment. Gazing into his now husband’s eyes, he felt safe and significantly less anxious than he had been feeling. Other than Ashton or Abby, Sam was one of the few people who he was comfortable around, and that his anxiety didn’t bother him nearly as much when he was with him. Getting lost in the music, he could have sworn he felt the baby kick. Maybe she’s happy for her dads, Sebastian thought.

After a few minutes, the track ended. Everyone who was still in attendance applauded. Sebastian then leaned into Sam and whispered in his ear.

“That dance was spectacular.” Sebastian said. “But I’m hungry. Could we start the reception now?”

Sam gave a chuckle in response. “Of course, dear.”

He gave Sebastian a kiss on the forehead, and then grabbed his hand. The couple then began to walk back over towards the center of the beach by Elliot’s cabin, where Gus was uncovering all the dishes he had prepared for the event.

The rest of Fall had passed by without much fuss in Pelican Town following Sam and Sebastian’s wedding. In those weeks, however, Sebastian had almost cut down his Joja Cola crutch, but he still had a few throughout the season. Sam’s duties as the farmer’s delivery driver had now expanded to some businesses in Zuzu City, but for the moment he was only doing them two days a week. During those days Sebastian would get incredibly anxious as he worried for his husband, but managed to distract himself through his freelance work or video games, barring the frequent trips to the bathroom as his baby continued to grow.

While the end of the season was upon Pelican Town, it wouldn’t be complete without the Spirit’s Eve festival. Although it was Sebastian’s favorite festival, given his current state he wasn’t up to heading into town, since by this point in his pregnancy he was 35 weeks along. Instead of going, he opted to just stay home. However, Sam said he would stay with him, and Abby promised to swing by with Leah after they had been at the festival for a bit.

For this particular year, Sam thought it would be cute if he and Sebastian had dressed up in a matching costume. The choice he went with was elves, and had bought a set of elf ears for the two of them. Sam was dressed in a blue tunic and short beige pants with no shoes, while Sebastian donned a purple tunic over his short beige pants and also wore no shoes. They were cuddled up on the couch as the two watched Vincent, who was dressed as a vampire, chase Jas, who was dressed as a witch, around the living room.

“How are you enjoying your Spirit's Eve?” Sam asked Sebastian.

“It’s alright.” Sebastian said, rubbing his bump. “Eating all the candy I want to is nice, but that’s just a fringe benefit of being pregnant. I wish I could have been at the festival though. I do really love to see the skeletons.”

“There’s always next year, right? Plus, we can dress the baby up in something cute and take her down.”

At the mention of dressing the baby up, Sebastian smiled. Not only would it be immensely cute, but he could slowly introduce her to spooky stuff. While Sam did his best to enjoy Sebastian’s spookier interests, he wasn’t always the biggest fan of them, and Sebastian did want to have someone who he could share them with.

Just then, the front door swung open, and Abigail and Leah waltzed through. Sebastian noticed that they also dressed up this year, with Abigail as a witch (which Sebastian thought was fitting), and Leah as a werewolf. Sebastian was surprised Abigail was able to convince Leah to dress up. Sebastian recalled the past few weeks up at the saloon where Abigail would pester Leah about it and she’d give a noncommittal response in reply. Perhaps Abby’s begging paid off, Sebastian thought to himself.

“We’re here!” Abigail announced. “Now we can really get this Spirit’s Eve going!”

“I brought some face paint from the festival, so we can do that too!” Leah said.

Vincent and Jas ran over to the two excitedly, and Sam got off the couch to go and talk to them. Sebastian just watched from afar, giving his bump a rub as he did so. He did notice Vincent and Jas whispering to Leah, and then the two shouting out in excitement. They then rushed over to Sebastian, and he noticed they had the paints that Leah had brought with her.

“U-Um…” Jas began. “Mr. Sebastian, could we…”

“...paint your bump?” Vincent finished.

Sebastian felt his face go red as he blushed at the idea. While he thought it would be a fun and cute thing to do, he was a bit nervous about taking his tunic off to do it. The only person he let see his bump like that was Sam since he felt comfortable around him.

“Um, well, uh…” Sebastian stuttered.

“Pleeeaaase? It’d be super fun!” Vincent said.

“If you’re worried about the paint, it’s the non-toxic washable kind.” Leah said as she walked over. “Plus, you can always wash it off once they’re done.”

Sebastian sighed. “I guess you’re right. I’ll let you do it.”

Vincent and Jas cheered and Leah gave a smile. Sebastian then maneuvered himself off the couch onto the floor in front of it, while Vincent and Jas discussed what to paint. He then took off the tunic and set it on the couch behind him. Initially he had considered just rolling it up past the bump, but even if the paint was washable, he didn’t want to deal with getting the paint off of it. A few moments later, Vincent and Jas said they were ready to paint.

Sebastian watched as Vincent dipped the brush into the paint, and then moved it towards his bump. When the two made contact, it was a weird sensation, but it felt kind of good to Sebastian. He watched as Vincent painted and Jas supervised. Sebastian then looked over towards the kitchen where Sam, Abigail, and now Leah were chatting. Sam noticed Sebastian looking over at him, and then flashed him a signature Sam smile, which helped Sebastian’s nerves a bit.

After a little while, Vincent announced that they were done. This sparked curiosity from everyone at the table, so they walked over to see what the kids had done.

“You kids sure have a knack for art!” Leah said upon seeing their work.

“It looks great!” Abigail said, reaching down to give the kids a high five.

“Seb, it’s so cute.” Sam said. “Could I take a picture?”

“Yeah, sure.” Sebastian replied.

Sebastian then wrapped his arms under the bump and gave a small smile towards Sam, who had pulled out his phone to take the picture. Once it was taken, Sam sent it to Sebastian, who pulled out his phone from his pocket. Opening up the message, he saw what he assumed was on his bump while they were painting it, which was a jack-o-lantern. Sebastian smiled seeing the picture, since it was one of his pregnancy wishes to have his bump painted, and it came true.

“Thank you both.” Sebastian said to Vincent and Jas. “This turned out great.”

“It’s so cool!” Vincent exclaimed. “Can we do it again sometime?”
“Sure, I don’t see why not.”

Vincent jumped up and down excitedly, while Jas laughed at her friend’s expression. The gathering then continued on for a little while longer with everyone chatting amongst themselves until it was late enough for everyone to feel tired. Abigail and Leah left, taking Jas with them to drop her off at home, while Vincent was staying over with Sam and Sebastian. As the couple bid goodbye to their guests, Vincent went off to go get ready for bed, leaving Sam and Sebastian alone.

“Seeing your bump painted is incredibly adorable.” Sam said to Sebastian. “So, did you enjoy your Spirit’s Eve this year?”
“Yeah, I did.” Sebastian said with a smile. “It was different, but I did like it. Less people to deal with too.”

Sam gave a small chuckle in response and pulled Sebastian in for a kiss.

“You should probably wash up before going to bed.” Sam said.
“Only if you’ll help me.” Sebastian replied with a wink.

Sam got flustered at the comment. “S-Seb! Vincent’s here!”
“I just want you to help wash it off! Nothing dirty, I swear.”

Sebastian put on a pouty face, causing Sam to sigh and reconsider.

“Fine, I’ll help you.” Sam said. “But nothing dirty!”

“But of course.” Sebastian said, giving Sam a kiss on the cheek.

Sebastian then took his husband’s hand and led them towards the master bath, where their joint shower awaited them.

After Spirit's Eve, the pages of the calendar seemed to turn quickly, and it was finally winter. With it brought less work for Sam, and for Sebastian it meant that he was well into his pregnancy.

One particularly snowy winter’s day before his birthday, Sebastian was working on what he figured would be one of his last programming jobs for a while. He was 40 weeks at this point, and his bump was very big. While taking a quick break from typing, he gave his bump a rub, and felt some kicks in response.

Sebastian then looked outside the window and saw the snow was still coming down hard. A pang of anxiety that he had been ignoring washed over him. While Sam didn’t have many jobs going to Zuzu City as of late, Ashton would still send Sam out, and he would have the truck packed full of deliveries. However, the weather reports called for slick roads, and Sebastian was concerned for his husband. Despite Sam’s reassurances, Sebastian was worried. What if he got into an accident? That was why he had thrown himself into the job he was working on, and with his anxious thoughts coming back, he put himself back to work.

Unfortunately, the job as a distraction was up sooner than Sebastian had thought. He had finished sooner than anticipated, and even after reviewing his work, everything was in order and did not need any revisions. Sighing, he then sent off the work to his client, and was left with his thoughts. Thinking of something to do, and feeling a bit hungry, he got up to go to the kitchen.

Waddling into the kitchen, he grabbed the cookie jar, and took it back with him into the living room. Throwing on the TV to some sitcom, he began to eat. The cookies were delicious and hitting his craving for something sweet, and the show was just interesting enough to distract Sebastian. Though, like his work, it did not last for long. He had eaten what was left of the cookies, and the show ended. Sebastian then turned off the TV and put the cookie jar back in the kitchen. He then decided to waddle over to the nursery.

Reaching the nursery, he opened the door to a wonderful light-blue room, accented with some dinosaur decorations that Sam had bought regardless of Sebastian’s input (Sebastian was mad then, but he had grown to like them). Going over to the crib, Sebastian leaned over, looking at the bedding and the stuffed animal, a rabbit, he and Sam had placed in it. Sebastian then went over to the rocking chair in the corner, and sat down and began to rock. Eventually he rubbed his bump to respond to the movement he felt from within, and started to talk out loud.

“Thank you for keeping me company.” Sebastian said with a smile to his bump. “I’m just worried for your dad, you know? I want him to stay safe because I want him there to meet you when you come, and to be there for your whole life. I’m also ready to meet you, and hold you for the first time. I’m really happy that I’m going to be your dad, because I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

There was still movement from within his womb as if it were a response, to which Sebastian rubbed his bump as he continued to rock. He stayed like that for a while, and was just about to doze off when he heard the front door open. Quickly, he got up and ran the best he could to the front door. There, he saw Sam, who had just taken off his coat and boots. Locking eyes, Sebastian ran up to him and gave him a hug, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

“Sam!” Sebastian said, hugging his husband tight. “You’re okay!”

Sam gave a chuckle in response. “I told you I’d be okay. Sorry for taking so long, I had to make a pitstop.”

“Pitstop? Where?”

“Well, I was going to wait until your birthday to give you these, but I guess now’s a good time too.”

Sam then put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small box and gave it to Sebastian. Sebastian opened it up and gasped. It was a pair of Frozen Tear earrings, the same set he had off-handedly mentioned to Sam a few months back.

“S-Sam…” Sebastian said.
“I love you, Seb.” Sam replied, leaning in and giving Sebastian a kiss on his forehead. “Happy early birthday. Now let’s go see how those look on you.”

Sam then took Sebastian by the hand and led him to their bathroom to try on his new gift.

A few days later, in the middle of the night, Sebastian had woken up to a contraction. Sitting himself up in bed, he sighed. The contractions had begun the night Sam had given him his new earrings, and had continued for the past few days. Throughout his birthday, which was the previous day, his contractions got closer. Sebastian’s family had come over for dinner, and Maru had commented that it would be very soon that Sebastian would go into labor.

Another contraction ripped through Sebastian, and despite trying to stay quiet, it had woken up Sam, who turned on a light. Seeing his husband up, he gave him a soft kiss on the lips, and then on the baby bump.

“More contractions?” Sam asked.
“Y-yes…” Sebastian said tiredly. “I think we should head to the clinic.”
“Are they that close?”

Sebastian was going to reply, but he felt his sweatpants get wet. Sam’s eyes went wide when he noticed, and jumped out of the bed.

“O-okay, let’s go!” Sam said.

Sam hurriedly threw on clothes and went to grab the hospital bag they had prepared. Sebastian also quickly put on a new pair of boxers and sweatpants, but it was harder to do with the pain he was feeling and the bump still in front of him. Grabbing a hoodie, he met Sam at the door, who was already on the phone.

“I let Doctor Harvey know we’re coming.” Sam said. “He should be ready for us, and Maru should hopefully be there soon.”
“Is it too late to say I want a home birth?” Sebastian replied with a nervous laugh.

Sam gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Seb, while that would be sweet, I think it’s a bit too late. I’ll be there the whole time, so don’t worry.”

The two then went out of the house, with Sam carrying the bag. Sam quickly threw the bag in the backseat, and then ran over to the passenger side to help Sebastian. After getting him in, Sam ran back around, and Sebastian bore through another contraction. Sam then backed the truck up, and drove as quickly and safely as he could to Harvey’s, which didn’t take much time at all. Doing the same process but in reverse, Sam helped Sebastian out of the truck and grabbed the bag.

Walking up to the clinic, the door was unlocked, and Harvey was at the desk waiting for them. He instructed the couple to go to the back where they had gone for checkups before. Harvey took Sam briefly to go clean up and scrub up, and Sebastian was instructed to change into a hospital gown that was waiting for him in the room. The couple did as they were told, and Sebastian had barely begun to tie the gown before Harvey and Sam came back in.

“Alright Sebastian, hop up on the table and I’ll check your dilation.” Harvey told him.

Sebastian nodded, and got up on the table. It felt weird to have Doctor Harvey looking down there, but knew it was necessary for a safe delivery.

“You’re progressing faster than I thought.” Harvey stated. “I think by the time Maru gets here; it’ll be time for you to start pushing.”

Sebastian nodded tiredly, and Doctor Harvey got up to go wait for Maru. Sebastian looked over at Sam, who flashed him a signature smile.

“I can’t believe she’s almost here.” Sam said. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m tired and it hurts.” Sebastian replied, almost whining.

Sam then stroked Sebastian’s bump, before holding and stroking his husband’s hand. The two stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, with Sebastian dealing with contractions every so often. Eventually, the door swung open, and both Harvey and Maru entered the room.

“Alright Sebastian, let’s check that dilation again.” Harvey said.

Once again Harvey went in between Sebastian’s legs, and then reported out.

“Looks like you’re fully dilated. Listen to your body, Sebastian, and you can start pushing.” Harvey said.

“Okay Doctor Harvey.” Sebastian replied.

The cycle of pushing and pausing then began, and Sebastian thought to himself that it had hurt more than anything he had felt before. He grasped Sam’s hand so hard throughout the process that Sebastian wasn’t sure if he had broken it or not. The whole time between Sebastian’s pushing and screaming Harvey was giving updates, but to Sebastian he sounded as if he was a world away.

Eventually with a final push, Harvey declared “she’s here!” as cries filled the room. He then called Sam over to help cut the cord. Once that was done, Harvey handed the baby off to Maru for her to get cleaned up and weighed. Harvey then enlisted Sam’s help to clean up the afterbirth, as Sebastian had also pushed it out.

Sebastian laid on the table exhausted. For as much as he wanted to sleep, he at least wanted to see his daughter. Sam then came over, holding a blanket in his arms and smiling. Sebastian figured that the blanket contained their daughter, and he was right as Sam gently put it into his arms. Sebastian smiled as he saw his daughter as she yawned.

Sebastian chuckled. “You must be tired too, huh?”

“What do you want to name her?” Sam asked. “Maru needs it for the birth certificate.”

“Violet, like we talked about.”

“Got it. That is a really nice name, Seb. I’ll go tell Maru.”

Sam then left to go tell Maru, leaving Sebastian and Violet in the room alone. Sebastian was still overjoyed and cooing over his daughter. His and Sam’s daughter. He smiled again as he looked at her. While marrying Sam was the start of their family, having Violet was another milestone of their family’s journey, and the start of his and Sam’s journey as parents.

Still smiling, Sebastian couldn’t have been happier.