Chapter Text
❝Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?❞
━━━━
The day that changes his life forever is a random one, and the hit doesn't come until nighttime.
He's seated in his usual place in their bedroom, the one that he shares with his beloved wife, a cushioned chair adjacent to the large window that allows the moonlight to wash over him while his fingers grab a carbon pencil, sliding it gracefully across the white page. The only sound is the quiet scrape of graphite against paper, the rhythm of his thoughts translating into slow, deliberate sketches.
He is twenty-nine years old, and he can’t believe that his life is this peaceful. Once upon a time, he believed he wouldn’t even make it past twenty-five.
To be fair, Kieran always thought peace was something that eluded him, something for other people, the kind who had figured out their place in the world long before he ever did. Yet, here it is. He catches himself sometimes, stealing a moment to just appreciate it, as though afraid it might slip away the moment he stops paying attention.
Alive. At peace. And married to the woman who somehow found him, even when he was lost. What else could he ask? It would be greedy coming from a man like him.
Kieran immediately registers the sound of Lauren's bare footsteps against the wood of the hallway floor, and he also knows that she's purposely trying to make them silent. Busted, darling. If there is someone he knows like the palm of his hand, it's his wife—he knows her blindly, reads her like a map, knows her latitude and longitude, can deduce what she's going to do even before the thought has fully formed in her head. They are woven together, inseparable.
The subtle shift in her weight as she steps onto the floorboards, the barely-there shuffle of her feet, it's all so familiar. There’s no mystery in it. Not to him.
He doesn’t even look up from the paper, but he can feel her presence as sure as if she were standing right in front of him. He smirks to himself, knowing she’s trying to sneak up on him, trying to remain unnoticed, but there's no chance. Not with the way he’s attuned to her, the way her energy hums through the room and settles into his bones. She’s close now, just beyond the door, hovering in that space where the quiet isn’t quite quiet enough to mask her intentions. He lets the silence stretch for a moment, just to enjoy the little game. Then, without looking up, without missing a beat, he speaks.
“Lauren,” he says softly, his voice calm and certain, “You can stop trying to be sneaky. It’s not going to work.”
There’s a pause, and he can almost see the look on her face—the slight furrow of her brow, the way her lips purse, probably biting back a smile. A few seconds later, the door creaks open, just enough to let the moonlight spill in, casting long shadows on the floor. Her presence fills the room, a soft energy, a pull that never quite leaves him.
"Was I that obvious?" Her voice is playful, but he can hear the trace of something else, something deeper, hidden beneath the surface. She’s not just sneaking; she’s searching for something, something she hasn’t said yet.
"I'm your husband," he responds simply, as he closes his sketchbook and throws it softly onto the desk, where it lands with a gentle thud. "I know you."
He watches her, his gaze soft, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. She stands in front of him with her arms crossed, clearly trying to hold back a smile. She's gorgeous and unbelievable, and warmth spreads across him as he takes her in once again, as if he's seeing her for the first time all over again. Her hair is shorter now, at least shorter than it was the first time he saw her, many years ago when their strings weren’t tangled forever. There’s more life in her face than there was back then—the sadness under her eyes have lifted, replaced with a brightness that tells the story of countless nights spent together, building something real. The eye bags are long gone, and in their place, color sits on her cheeks, vibrant and full of life, with smile lines that tell a thousand stories.
She's twenty-seven years old and he is going to love her forever.
Lauren raises one of her perfectly trimmed eyebrows, as though she can feel his thoughts lingering on her. “You’re staring,” she says, her voice a mix of amusement and something softer. Her lips curve upward, betraying the smile she’s trying to hide, but it doesn’t matter.
"Can you blame me? Just look at you," he says, his voice full of wonder, as he extends his arms toward her. She doesn’t hesitate for a second. Without a word, she steps into the embrace he’s offering, settling into his lap, her body fitting against his like it always has, like it always will. She wraps her arms around him, pulling him closer, the softness of her form grounding him in a way only she can. "You gorgeous woman, do you have any idea of what you do to me?"
He inhales, letting the familiar scent of her—something sweet like vanilla and cinnamon, comforting, like home—fill his lungs. Her red hair brushes against his cheek, and he can feel the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against his chest, perfectly in sync with his own.
"You always say that," she murmurs into his shoulder, her voice muffled but soft, content.
He smiles, a slow, genuine curve of his lips that reaches his eyes. "I’ll say it a thousand times if I have to." His hands move to her back, gently tracing the outline of her spine, the familiarity of it comforting, soothing. "You’re the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. And you know I'm not lying."
Lauren doesn’t respond to him, only leaves a small kiss to his exposed shoulder that reaches immediately to his heart. It’s soft, simple, but the way it settles in him feels like a quiet revolution. He doesn't have to fight anymore, he is free to be loved as a man he finally acknowledges he is.
Once upon a time, the monster fell in love with the most beautiful woman in all of the lands, and thousands died for it. He had been consumed by a hunger so fierce, so desperate, that nothing mattered except claiming what he thought was his—what he thought he deserved. The world burned in his wake, the people, the kingdoms, the dreams of the innocent all destroyed by his need for something that was never truly his to take.
But the woman—she was different. She was not afraid. She saw past the twisted form of him, the rage that ran like wildfire through his veins, and she saw the man beneath it all. She saw the pain, the longing, the soul trapped beneath the monstrous skin.
And she loved him despite his sins. And he loved her when the rest of the world seemed to be against her. So the rest was just mere history.
Kieran draws his wife in a little tighter, feeling her warmth and the comforting weight of her in his arms, and he really doesn’t need anything else. They stay silent for some moments, and he closes his eyes, allowing himself to get lost in the moment, in their love. It’s just him and her, the two of them in this cocoon of shared moments, no longer needing to search for something because they’ve already found it—each other.
"Darling, I—" Lauren breaks the silence with uncertainty, her voice soft, almost fragile. She separates from the hug, just enough to put a little distance between them, but not enough to fully leave the warmth of his embrace. Her hands settle gently on his shoulders, the fingers trembling slightly, as if unsure of what to do next. Kieran’s brow furrows at the sudden shift. His hands instinctively find her waist, steadying her, grounding her, though he can feel the tension in her movements—the way she’s holding herself back, as if she’s afraid to go further. His heart skips a beat, a subtle ache blooming in his chest as he wonders what could be on her mind. She takes a deep breath and continues, "I need to tell you something. Very important"
"Is it something bad?" he asks, the words slipping out before he can stop them. His fingers flex on her waist, just enough to remind her that he’s there, steady, ready to hold her however she needs.
She shakes her head, her expression suddenly shifting, a look of panic flickering in her eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. "No! No, no, no—well, at least not for me," she huffs out a laugh, but it’s tight, strained, as if she’s trying to convince herself as much as him. Her hands move restlessly over the fabric of his shirt, a gesture that betrays her nervousness. "I mean, I suppose it’s not going to be bad for you either…"
Lauren is nervous, and Kieran doesn’t like that. Not one bit. She is never nervous. Even when she’s been faced with the hardest decisions, the toughest moments, life-threatening events, Lauren has always been steady—grounded, unwavering.
"Dear, I fear I'm not a genie," Kieran chuckles softly, the warmth of his smile never quite reaching his eyes. "What is it that you need to tell me?"
She shifts slightly, her eyes flicking to the floor, then back to his face, as if searching for something—maybe a way to make this easier, maybe for him to just understand without her having to say anything. Kieran's smile fades a little as he watches her struggle. He’s never seen her like this—this vulnerable, this unsure. It gnaws at him, the unease crawling through his veins, but he knows she needs to say it. Whatever it is, he won’t push her. Not yet.
"I'm—" she begins after taking a deep breath, her voice trembling, but with a slight smile in her face. "I'm pregnant."
He blinks at her.
Pregnant.
As in... pregnant.
Like there is a baby inside of her belly in the moment... a baby that has both their genes because it's theirs.
He is going to be a father.
Oh, God.
Suddenly, the room spins, his heart pounding so loudly in his chest that it's all he can hear for a moment. His throat feels tight, like he can’t get a breath past the lump that’s suddenly lodged there.
"Lauren," he breathes out, blinking at her again like she might suddenly disappear. His mind, overwhelmed, grasps at anything to latch onto. "You...?"
Lauren nods, her fingers still pressed to his shoulders, her eyes wide but gentle. "Yes..."
"Oh, my God," Kieran breathes out, his voice a mix of disbelief and wonder. Serotonin floods through his entire body, a rush of warmth, light, and something more, something deep and primal that he can’t quite name. His heart is racing, and his chest feels like it might explode with everything that’s happening inside him. Before he even realizes what he’s doing, his hands find her waist, pulling her close, and he stands up in one swift motion, lifting her off her feet as he spins her slightly, both of them laughing—her laugh shaky but bright, his deep and wide, like the sound of someone waking up to a dream they never expected but always wanted.
Kieran sits back down with Lauren still firmly in his arms, his body shaking with the weight of everything he’s feeling. He can’t quite believe it, even now. His chest tight, his breath uneven, he feels something hot and wet trail down his cheek—tears. His fingers tremble as he pulls her closer, his forehead resting against hers. He tilts his head, pressing his lips softly to her forehead, lingering there for a moment as he whispers, "I love you so much."
Then he kisses her again, this time gently on her eyelids, his lips lingering there, feeling her warmth, knowing that nothing in this world could be more precious than this moment.
He kisses the tip of her nose, then the curve of her jaw, his lips trailing slowly, reverently across every inch of her face. He doesn’t leave a single part of her untouched, his lips worshiping her like she’s the most sacred thing in his world. And she is, she truly is.
"But... how? I mean, I know how," he stammers, a bitter laugh escaping his lips as he shakes his head, trying to process the absurdity of the moment. "I know how it happens. But why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
"I had my suspicions, but I wanted to be completely sure before I told you. Today I went with the doctor, and she confirmed it," she smiled. "We're going to be parents."
His hands, still resting on her waist, tighten just slightly, grounding him in this moment. "We’re going to be parents," he repeats softly, the words feeling like they’ve never carried such weight. He can feel the gravity of it, the joy, and the overwhelming flood of emotions rising in him again. "A baby."
Lauren laughs, the sound rich and full, almost like she’s surprised by the sudden wave of emotion that’s overtaken him. "Yes," she says, gently resting her hands on his chest. "A baby. Our baby."
It's scary and beautiful just how much Lauren reminds him that he is capable of loving a little bit too much.
Kieran’s lips curve into a smile, but it’s shaky, like he can’t quite believe it yet. His eyes search her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek as if he’s memorizing the feeling of this moment. "How are you feeling?" he asks, his voice quiet, filled with concern. "Are you okay?"
Lauren nods, her fingers grazing his jawline, her smile softening and her eyes shining against the moonlight. For a moment he can imagine their child inheriting them, and he feels like bawling his eyes out of happiness at the thought. "I’m scared as fuck. I’m nervous, too. But I’ve never felt more sure of anything in my life. Kieran, we can do this. I know we can."
He presses his lips to the corner of her mouth, then the edge of her jaw, again and again, covering her face with kisses like he wants to imprint his love on every inch of her. She’s everything to him. She’s his everything.
"I don’t deserve you," he breathes, his forehead resting against hers again, feeling the warmth of her skin and the gentle rise and fall of her breath. "I don’t deserve how much you love me."
She smiles, softly, tenderly, wiping away the last of his tears with her thumb. "You do, Kieran. You do."
His eyes stay locked on hers for a moment, and then, without a word, he reaches for her hands. His fingers curl around hers with a tenderness that is so common to them, and he brings her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles and her fingers. He kisses them all—one by one, from the pinky to the thumb—his lips brushing against each finger with devotion while he feels the life flowing through them. Then, he quickly changes their positions, sitting her in the chair and letting himself kneel in front of her, gently separating her legs for him to settle in the middle and being able to pepper her pregnant belly with kisses.
"You know, I wish it’s a girl," he murmurs softly, his voice thick with warmth and longing as he plants another tender kiss to her belly. Lauren’s fingers gently comb through his hair, a soft smile tugging at her lips. He’s always been someone who carries the world on his shoulders, but in this moment, with her, with their child, he’s lighter somehow.
Kieran knows Lauren can feel the warmth of his breath against her skin, and the love in her touch sends a shiver of something deep inside him. It heals him. "It could be a boy too, you know," she says with a playful smile, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw.
"I don’t care," he says with a grin as he looks up at her. He presses another kiss to her belly, as if marking his claim. "It’s going to be a girl, I know it. There's no other possibility. Call it father intuition."
"I wish for a girl, also," Lauren murmurs, looking up at the ceiling with a soft, wistful smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her fingers gently trace circles on her abdomen, a gesture of quiet connection, as if she’s already imagining the little one growing inside her.
Kieran sits back on his heels, his hand gently resting on her belly, as if he can already feel the tiny life inside. This all too surreal. He never had a family, but now, here he is, sitting on the floor in front of the woman he loves, imagining their child growing inside her, and he’s overwhelmed with a quiet sense of awe. His heart swells with emotion, the realization settling over him like a wave. He’s creating something different. Something good. With Lauren, the woman who has shown him what it means to truly be loved, he’s building a future that is rooted in love, not fear.
"Can you believe this?" he whispers, almost to himself, though he knows she’s listening. His voice is thick with emotion, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. "I never thought... I never thought I’d have this."
Lauren’s hand comes to rest over his, her fingers warm against his skin. She smiles softly, her eyes meeting his with that unspoken understanding. "I can," she replies quietly. "I always knew, Kieran. I always knew you'd be a father. You’re going to be amazing at it."
He shakes his head, a small, disbelieving laugh escaping him. "I don’t know about that. I never really... had a role model, you know?" His voice falters for a moment, the old ghosts of his past briefly rising to the surface. "But with you, with this, I feel like I can do anything. I want to be the kind of father who... who makes them feel safe. Loved. Like they’ll always have a place to turn to."
Lauren’s gaze softens, her thumb gently sweeping across the back of his hand as if to anchor him back to the present. "You already are a father, Kieran," she says, her voice firm yet tender, as though she’s speaking the truth, and he needs to hear it. "You’ve always been one. Even before we knew. Even since we were Lune. You’re already protecting them, loving them, with every part of you. You’re going to be everything our child needs, Kieran. "
His chest tightens, his emotions threatening to spill over, but he holds it together, blinking against the sudden rush of tears. He swallows hard, feeling something close to relief, but also something that feels like the deepest kind of love. "I love you," he whispers, and it really is the unfathomable truth.
"I love you, too," she murmurs, her voice gentle, but the depth of it is clear. She brushes her lips across his forehead, her breath warm against his skin. "And I always will, Kieran. Always."
The dam he’s been trying to hold breaks, and the tears come flooding out of him, faster than he can contain. He doesn’t even know when they started, just that suddenly the pressure inside him is too much to bear, and it all spills over. He collapses into her, his head falling into her lap as he begins to sob—quiet, choked breaths that feel like they’ve been locked away for years. His body shakes with the force of it, the tears, the release, the overwhelming weight of everything he’s feeling. The love, the fear, the hope. It’s all too much, too beautiful, and he feels like he might break in a different way entirely. But Lauren holds him, and the weight of her presence is the anchor he needs.
And he knows, that from now on, everything will be okay.