Work Text:
January 1st, Year of the Metal Snake, 5 AM, Màito's house.
"Qīn"
Dài, just waking up for morning training, looked at his wife.
"Yes, Aì."
"I need you to go to my family and get Mà, the baby is coming."
Panic Dài running from one point to another of the house getting his things.
"No need to panic, Qīn, just go and tell Mà the baby is coming, ok?"
Dài runs as fast as he can to the Lee family estate on the other side of Konoha.
Arriving there, he doesn't stop; he keeps running to the main house. The family is already awake, so he ignores everyone and goes straight to Yǎ Jìng.
"Honorable Yuèmǔ, please you have to come with me the baby is coming."
Yǎ Jìng calmly looks at Dài
"Calm down, will you? Xiǎo Wàng, teleport to the Màito house and bring your Mèimei here."
“Shì de”
And he goes. And Yǎ Jìng keeps going:
“Okay, everyone, you heard—my grandchild decided it’s time, so get the women here and prepare the bedroom. Men get out of the way, you're all useless, someone bring tea for the future Bàba before he passes out.”
The entire Lee family springs into action, the women bring water, towels and making the room ready, the men being pushed aside, someone brings a complete tea set and offers it to Dài, little Xiǎo Xīng and Chén Hào (Fāng Huā’s father), they got seated at the far wall from the bedroom.
Xiǎo Wàng arrives carrying his sister, Fāng Huā. Yǎ Jìng asks her daughter:
“Nǐ hǎo ma?”
“Hěn hǎo, Mà. I told Dài that there's no rush.”
She says with tranquility and a smile and then a pained face.
“Ah, another contraction.”
Xiǎo Wàng carries Fāng Huā to the bedroom, lays her on the bed and is pushed by the women to sit with Dài, Xiǎo Xīng and Chén Hào, he is offered tea.
Inside the room, the women moved like one, they were all experienced, and they knew what was coming. Incense is burning, making the room calm and aromatic. Fāng Huā is smiling and talking like she was just in a family reunion, not giving birth. She only pauses briefly when a contraction comes.
Outside the room Dài is panicking, almost breaking his teacup looking at the bedroom door, questioning whether it’s too quiet.
Xiǎo Wàng looks tired already.
Xiǎo Xīng looks happy; he is seven and totally excited for his nephew to be born.
“I know that it’s your first, but calm down, will you?” Chén Hào says
“Honorable Yuèfù, Fāng Huā is giving birth, she is in pain!” Dài cries
“You saw her when she arrived. She is taking giving birth as a walk in the park; calm down and wait, soon you will be a father. You need to be calm, or the kid is going kill you with worry.” Chén Hào continues
Dài looks at the bottom of his teacup, he’s on the verge of tears. He starts murmuring to himself:
“Okay, it’s okay. I’m Strong. Youthful. Spirited. I am not panicking. I am filled with springtime.”
He drinks all his tea, serves more and keeps going:
“I am strong. I am youthful. I will not break down in tears again.”
Xiǎo Xīng, smiling softly. “Hěn hǎo, dear Jiěfu. Keep at it—and don’t forget to breathe. Soon you’ll be a Bàba. Isn’t this exciting?”
Dài really wants to be as calm and happy as Xiǎo Xīng. That boy seems to have been born already understanding the perfect balance of Yīn and Yáng—and the meaning of life.
Dài gets up to get more tea, but then…
A scream, a powerful one, but not from his wife, but from a baby that is announcing its arrival.
Inside the bedroom, one of the women cleans Fāng Huā's forehead. She looks tired but totally at peace. Yǎ Jìng holds the baby.
“It’s a boy.”
She walks over to Fāng Huā and gently places the baby in her arms. She looks at her son for the first time; she sees her husband’s eyes, nose, and eyebrows, and she laughs.
“I hope you get my personality then, since you look just like your Bàba. Màito Gāi”
The air is still warm with candlelight.
Fāng Huā is lying down, peaceful, holding their newborn wrapped in soft green cloth.
Aunties are quietly cleaning around them, like respectful ghosts.
Yǎ Jìng nods to the door and says:
“Someone let the husband in before he combusts outside.”
The door creaks open.
Enter Dài — sweaty, wild-eyed, and vibrating at the speed of panic.
He sees Fāng Huā glowing. He sees the baby.
He freezes.
“I… I have a èr zi…?”
Fāng Huā smiles, exhausted but smug.
“You do. Come here, Bàba.”
She holds out the baby toward him.
Dài steps forward.
Very slowly.
Like he’s approaching an active explosion.
Which, in fairness… he is.
He kneels. Trembling.
Fāng Huā places the baby in his arms.
Silence.
The baby gurgles.
He looks at Dài with eyes that seem to be sparkling already.
“He’s… he’s beautiful. He’s bright. He’s—”
He blinks.
His face flushes.
He looks up at Fāng Huā.
“I think I’m going to—”
He faints. Full collapse.
But he cradles the baby perfectly on the way down.
He doesn’t drop him.
It’s the most honorable faint in Konoha history.
The room: silent.
Then—
Yǎ Jìng deadpans, “And this is why the women handle childbirth.”
The door opens again.
Xiǎo Xīng pokes his head in.
“Can I hold him now since Jiěfu fainted?”
Fāng Huā smiling, “Yes, Dìdi. You may be the first Jiùjiu he meets.”
She gently lifts the baby from Dài’s chest and hands him to the eager seven-year-old.
Xiǎo Xīng beaming. “Hi, baby. I’m your Jiùjiu, and you’re gonna be amazing.”
Yǎ Jìng sips her tea in the background like a queen and says quietly:
“Màito Gāi… born with fire in his lungs and love in his blood.”
Xiǎo Wàng and Chén Hào enter, give one look at Dài and Xiǎo Xīng, then look at Fāng Huā.
Xiǎo Wàng tiredly: “Mèimei, your husband passed out.”
Fāng Huā happily answers, “Yes, but he didn’t drop the baby, Gēge.”
Chén Hào: “You’re going to be a widow before this baby walks. He is too nervous.”