Archive of Our Own

Age: 2 Weeks

“Welcome, come on in!” Thame greeted, stepping aside to let the other MARS members in.

“Dude, are you okay?” Jun asked, stopping in front of Thame and resting a hand on his shoulder. “You look dead.” He handed him a box of energy drinks, then passed over a bag filled with diapers and wipes.

Jun flinched when Dylan slapped his back. “Don’t be a jerk!” Dylan scolded but added, “But yeah, you do look dead.” He handed Thame a fruit basket.

“Gee thanks for the support, guys,” Thame deadpanned, rolling his eyes as he set some of the things down by the wall. Thame sighed, knowing they weren’t wrong. He’d caught a glimpse of himself in the hallway mirror on his way to the door, and… yeah, things hadn’t been pretty. Parenting a newborn hadn’t exactly been gentle on him.

“Where’s Per?” He asked, noticing the leader was missing.

“He’s grabbing something from the car,” Nano replied as he gave Thame a few chocolate boxes.

“My favourite!” Thame sighed at the sight.

“You know me.” Nano walked backwards as he grinned at Thame.

Together, they headed toward the living room.

“Where’s my favorite nephew?!” Jun loudly announced as he entered the living room.

Thame rushed forward and smacked the back of Jun’s head. “Keep your voice down! My son just went to sleep. If he wakes up screaming, I’ll—”

“Wahhhhh!”

Thame froze mid-threat, eyes wide, as he met Po’s fiery glare from the couch.

‘You’re dead,’ Po’s look seemed to say as he bent forward to retrieve the screaming baby from the bassinet.

Thame pointed to Jun in desperation. ‘I didn’t do anything! It was him!’

“Shit sorry,” Jun mumbled, guilt written all over his face.

“Little ears!” Nano hissed, smacking Jun on the arm.

“Can you all stop hitting me?” Jun whined.

“Shh,” Po soothed, gently bouncing Wesley while rubbing his tiny back. His sharp gaze swept across the room, locking onto each person in turn, a clear warning in his eyes.

They all nodded silently, like scolded children, not daring to make another sound.

A figure approached the group, standing a little shorter than Thame, with a sturdy build and flushed cheeks. His hair was slightly messy as he extended his hands toward Po. “I’ll take him,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “Come to Grandpapa, Wesley,” he added in a sing-song tone, carefully cradling the baby, who had calmed down to soft, pitiful sniffles.

“Guys, this is Phor Jim, P’Po’s stepdad,” Thame introduced. The MARS members greeted him with respectful wais.

“Hello, hello,” Phor Jim greeted back with a wide smile, gently swaying Wesley in his arms.

“Is this your first time meeting Wes?” he asked conversationally.

“No, we visited him at the hospital,” Jun replied, stepping closer to peek at Wesley. “He’s gotten fat.”

Po’s hand immediately smacked Jun’s head. “Don’t call my baby fat,” he muttered.

Jun rubbed his head with a pout. “Come on! Stop hitting me! This brain has to create miracles for the next comeback. Treat it with care!”

Po rolled his eyes but pulled Jun into a brief hug. He then went around hugging Nano and Dylan. “Where’s Per—”

“We have arrived,” came a voice from the entrance.

Baifern walked in, Pepper on one arm and a neatly folded blanket over the other. She wore a smirk as Po gasped and rushed over to her.

“Wow,” Thame marveled. “You actually finished it!”

Fern held out the baby blanket with pride. Thame explained to the curious MARS members, “Fern started making this blanket when P’Po was about nine months pregnant, but she had to leave for a business trip and couldn’t finish it until now.”

“That’s amazing,” Nano said as Po unfolded the baby-blue blanket with intricate red details.

“It’s beautiful!” Po gushed, hugging Fern tightly.

“Finished it late last night,” she said, patting his back.

“Since we’re exchanging gifts, let’s open ours!” Jun announced, eager.

A little while later, the living room was lively and scattered with people and presents. Po sat surrounded by small plushies as Jun handed them over one by one.

“A new collection just dropped, so we each picked one,” Jun said, passing them along. “And we got custom onesies too. Open those!”

Po held up the first onesie and laughed, reading it aloud:

Uncle Jun Always Says Yes.

Uncle Pepper Is My Favourite.

Uncle Nano Is the Coolest Person in the Room (after me).

Uncle Dylan Says I’m Too Cool for Naps!

“You’ve got to send us pictures when he wears these,” Nano insisted.

“Of course. They’re adorable! Thank you so much, guys,” Po said, his eyes glistening. Thame patted Dylan on the back, smiling.

“Look at all the presents you got, Wes!” Po cooed at Wesley, who was now snugly wrapped in Fern’s blanket. The baby glanced briefly at him before looking away, entirely unimpressed.

“He loves my present the most,” Baifern said smugly, planting a kiss on Wesley’s tiny head.

As the group chuckled, Pepper picked up a vase filled with an array of vibrant flowers. “Since Wesley has been getting so many presents, it’s only fair that the mama also gets one,” he announced, setting it on the coffee table. “P’Gham chose the vase.”

Po’s voice cracked with emotion as he hugged Per. “These are gorgeous. Thank you so much.”

“Okay, my turn. You’ve hogged him long enough,” Jun said, reaching out to take Wesley from Fern, who tightened her grip protectively.

“I’m the godmother! I get bonus time,” she argued with a dramatic pout.

“Godmother?” Jun’s voice shot up an octave as he whipped around to Thame and Po, who were busy cooing over the plushies and onesies. “Wait-who’s the godfather?”

The rest of MARS immediately joined in, their eyes narrowing suspiciously at the couple.

“It’s true,” Thame said, standing up and getting Wesley from Fern. “Godparents get extra time. It’s the rule.”

As Baifern protested in the background, Thame walked over to Wesley’s godfather and handed him over gently. “You get extra 20 minutes, Per.”

Pepper looked up at Thame with wide eyes and a big grin. “Wow, this is- you guys-.” He sat there, stunned.

“So, is that a yes?” Thame asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because, you know, there are other applicants,” Jun quipped, lounging next to Dylan with a smirk.

“Absolutely, yes!” Pepper grinned down at Wesley, who had dozed off again. “I can’t believe I’m actually someone’s godfather.”

“Well, you’re about to be a father in a few months, so consider this a warm-up,” Po said with a wink.

Week 2: Night routine

“He needs his sleep for the check-up tomorrow, I’m not going to wa-” Po’s mom abruptly stopped mid-sentence when Po walked in, towelling his damp hair.

“What are you two talking?” Po asked distractedly, his focus immediately shifting as he took Wesley from his mother. “Hey, baby, did you miss mama?” Po cooed in a soft voice as he gently swayed with the baby in his arms, one hand firmly supporting Wesley’s head. “I missed you too, sweet boy.” He said, kissing Wesley’s tiny hands.

He turned to Thame with a raised brow. “It’s almost feeding time. Get me the burp cloths, would you?” Without waiting for an answer, Po carried Wesley over to the bed.

Thame shot Po’s mom a discreet look, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Just so you know, I’m not taking the blame for anything that happens,” he muttered before rushing off to fetch the burp cloths. Po’s mother sighed, shaking her head before she left for her own room to get ready for the night.

“Coming, boss!” Thame cheerfully said as he returned and playfully bowed before handing the cloth to Po.

Po rolled his eyes but smiled, expertly latching Wesley to his chest. The baby latched on like a champ, earning an adoring coo from Po.

Thame sat beside them and watched his small family. His gaze softened as he watched his pup feed. “He’s a hungry little guy,” Thame murmured affectionately, lying down on his belly and resting his chin on his folded arms.

“Of course he is,” Po replied with a teasing tone, glancing down at Wesley with a fond smile. “Like dad like son.”

Thame chuckled, leaning closer to kiss Po’s temple. “Touché.” He watched Wesley’s tiny hand clench and unclench against Po’s chest. After a moment, he mumbled, “Is it weird that I’m kinda jealous?”

Po’s head snapped up; his horrified expression was priceless. “Thame?! That’s-You can’t say that!”

“What?!” Thame burst into laughter at his mate’s scandalized look. “Not like that! You have such a dirty mind, Phi.” He giggled at Po’s shifting eyes. “I meant that he’s been getting VIP treatment from his mama, I feel neglected.” Thame explained in an exaggeratedly pitiful voice.

“You’ve been getting VIP treatment since the day we met. I think you’ll live.” Po snorted, rolling his eyes. “Okay Daddy. You’re on burping duty.” The Omega passed Wesley over, and Thame carefully perched the baby on his lap, his large hand supporting Wesley’s tiny body and chin.

“Burping duty? Oh, great,” Thame groaned dramatically, but his eyes sparkled with affection as he reached out to stroke and pat Wesley’s tiny back. “You hear that, Wes? Your dad is already the designated burp technician.”

Wesley let out a tiny, contented sigh, seemingly unfazed, and Thame chuckled again. “Daddy’s just here for the burping and diaper disasters, huh? Isn’t that right, Wes?” Thame teased in a playful baby voice, earning a giggle from Po.

“Wahhhh!”

“Daddy’s here, Wes, shhh,” Thame mumbled sleepily, rocking the baby gently. He glanced over at his sleeping mate and then at the air mattress where his mother-in-law was supposed to be-except she was nowhere to be seen.

This was definitely Wes’ hungry cry.

Thame rocked him a bit more until the cries softened. After a quick diaper check, which confirmed it was dirty, he made quick work of changing Wesley. Thankfully, the baby was now quiet. Just as Thame was about to wake Po to feed Wesley, the bedroom door creaked open.

Po’s mom entered holding a bottle.

“Oh, he’s awake,” she whispered, hurrying over. “Here, I warmed up some milk.”

Thame squinted at her, half-panicked. “Did you take from P’Po’s emergency milk stash?”

Po had been pumping to build an emergency reserve in case his milk supply dipped or he wasn’t available to feed Wesley. But he insisted on feeding the baby himself as much as possible, even at the cost of sleepless nights. Po’s determination to handle every feeding had left him utterly exhausted.

“I think we should wake him up,” Thame suggested, moving toward the bed, only for Po’s mom to grab his arm.

“He could barely open his eyes earlier! Tomorrow is going to be difficult for both of them. Let him rest for this one feeding. I’ll wake him for the next,” she pleaded in a frantic whisper, her eyes wide. “Be strong, Thame!”

Thame hesitated, torn between his instincts and her reasoning. He knew that she was right. Po needed sleep… and it was just one feeding. “Okay,” he muttered uncertainly, sighing in defeat.

“Hand him over,” Po’s mom said, sitting cross-legged on the air mattress. She took Wesley and checked the milk’s temperature before brushing the bottle’s nipple against the baby’s lips.

Wesley latched on immediately, sucking with eagerness.

“Yay!” Po’s mom whisper-cheered.

Thame couldn’t help but smile as he watched from the bed, the burp cloth draped across his lap.

When the bottle was more than halfway empty, Po stirred. The rustling on the bed made Thame’s head snap toward him.

Po blinked groggily, letting out a small gasp as his vision adjusted. “Wes...” he mumbled. “Thame, wake him up—I need to feed h—”

His voice trailed off as his gaze landed on his mom, who froze mid-feed, a guilty expression on her face.

“What- Mom!” Po exclaimed, his tone filled with surprise.

“Don’t panic, look, he’s doing great.” Mom desperately pointed at Wesley.

Po shot upright, his voice sharp and raw with frustration. “Mom, what are you doing? I told you I’m feeding him. That’s my job!”

His voice cracked, and the exhaustion in his face betrayed him even more. Wesley stirred at the sudden noise but quickly settled back to sucking on the bottle, blissfully unaware of the tension brewing around him.

“Po, baby, calm down.” His mom said softly. “Look at yourself. You’re barely functioning. You need to sleep.”

“I don’t need a break!” Po snapped back, but the tremble in his hands and the deep shadows under his eyes told a different story. “He’s my son. It’s my responsibility, not yours!”

Thame winced at the rising tension and stepped in gently. “Honey, she’s not saying you’re not doing enough. She’s just trying to help. You’re amazing, but even you can’t do everything on your own all the time.”

Po turned to Thame, his expression raw, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and something deeper. Fear. “Thame.” Po said with gritted teeth. “You don’t get it. I have to do this. He needs me. Me. Not a bottle, not someone else.” Po whimpered.

Thame reached for his hand but hesitated before touching him. “I do get it, Phi.” He said softly. “I know how much you love him, how much you want to be there for him. But look at him.” He nodded toward Wesley, who was happily guzzling the bottle. “He’s okay. He’s fed. Letting someone else help, just once, doesn’t change that you’re his mother. It doesn’t make you less of one.” Po’s shoulders sagged slightly, his cracked lips trembled.

His mom chimed in, making sure that her voice was cautious. “Sweetheart, no one’s questioning how much you love Wesley. But you’re stretching yourself thin. If you burn out, what happens then? He needs you to be rested and healthy. Let us do this for you, for him.”

Po’s gaze darted between his mom and Thame, his walls finally cracking under the weight of their words. His voice wavered as he whispered, “I just... I want to be the best for him and I know that it’s me. I’m scared that if I don’t do this myself, I’ll...”

“You are the best for him.” Thame cut in, his voice steady. “You’re his mother, baby but one bottle won’t change that.”

Po’s eyes filled with unshed tears, and he let out a shaky breath. After a long pause, he nodded, his voice barely audible. “Fine.” He sat down on the bed and place his head in his hands.

His mom let out a soft sigh of relief, her smile warm. “Thank you, Po. You’re doing amazing, and it’s okay to let us support you.”

“It’s okay,” Thame said softly, sitting beside Po and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I know it’s hard to let go of this part, but it’ll get easier with time.” He pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Po’s head as the older man let out a shaky breath.

“I’m being so irrational, aren’t I?” Po whispered, lifting his head to meet Thame’s gaze, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“No, you’re not,” Thame said firmly, shaking his head. “There’s nothing irrational about it. You and Wesley have this special bond, and feeding him is part of that. It’s your time together, something just for the two of you. It makes perfect sense that you’d want to hold on to it.”

“But you have to let us help.” His voice carried a quiet authority, the protective instincts of an Alpha woven into every word.

Po sighed and nodded, resting his head on Thame’s shoulder as they both watched Wesley settle peacefully in the bassinet.

“Alright, you two, go to sleep now,” Po’s mom said gently, gesturing for them to move along. “I’ll handle the rest of his feedings tonight.”

Thame gave her a grateful nod before helping Po lie back down on the bed. “Thanks, Mom,” he said softly.

She smiled warmly, leaning over to press a kiss to Po’s head. “You’re welcome, sweetheart. Now get some rest.”

As she returned to her air mattress and lay down, the room fell into a comforting quiet, save for the occasional soft sounds from Wesley in the bassinet. Thame slid under the covers beside Po, pulling him close. “Good night.” He whispered.

Po let out a contented sigh, finally allowing himself to relax. Surprisingly, he felt a little weight lift off his shoulders.

“Thame! Don’t forget the diaper bag!” Po called out as he stepped outside. He kept a careful eye on his stepfather as Phor Jim strapped Wesley into the car seat.

“Careful now,” Phor Jim said gently, helping Po settle into the backseat beside Wesley, with his mom sitting on the other side of the baby.

“Thanks, Phor,” Po replied gratefully as the older man closed the door gently.

From the window, Po watched Thame locking the gate. His mate looked effortlessly good-wearing a baseball cap pulled low, black sunglasses, faded jeans, and a simple black shirt.

“Ready?” Thame asked as he settled into the driver’s seat, pulling off his glasses and setting them on the dashboard.

A chorus of hums came from the backseat, and with a satisfied nod, Thame started driving toward the hospital.

True to his mother’s promise, Po had slept soundly the previous night. Though Wesley had woken up twice with his usual cries, his mother had been quick to handle it, allowing both Po and Thame to get a full night’s rest. For the first time in weeks, they woke up with clear heads and refreshed bodies.

Wanting to repay the favor, Po had let his mother sleep in that morning until it was time to leave for the doctor’s appointment. He’d even woken her up with a special breakfast, a small token of appreciation for her selfless support.

It had become their routine: Po’s mom cared for Wes at night, while Po and Thame looked after him during the day. Now that Po had finally agreed to let his mom feed Wesley at night using the emergency stash of pumped milk, he was determined not to bother her during the daytime.

She only had two more weeks with them before she had to return to her own life. Po and Thame appreciated every second of her help, and soon they’d have to face the sleepless nights on their own. Hopefully, they’d manage just fine. Hopefully.

“That was a lot of questions,” Thame muttered close to Po’s ear. “The colour of the poop? Seriously?” His words were muffled behind the mask he wore.

“I’m sure they’re standard questions, babe,” Po replied distractedly as he watched the beta nurse weigh Wesley and then measure his height. “Good job, Wes!” Po cheered when his baby was handed back to him. “You didn’t cry once, I’m so proud of you, baby.” He swayed Wes around gently, his voice full of affection.

“He did cry at the beginn—”

“Oh, shut it. That wasn’t crying,” Po interrupted, switching to a baby voice. “You just got a little nervous because Mama wasn’t holding you anymore, right love?”

“Sure, sure.” Thame rolled his eyes fondly as they waited for Wes’ doctor to arrive.

“Perfect weight and height,” Doctor Min, Po’s OB/GYN and Wesley’s pediatrician  announced as he entered the room with a warm smile.

Po smiled back at Doctor Min, a male Omega in his 40s. He was the same doctor who had delivered Wesley, and at Po’s request, he had agreed to be Wesley’s pediatrician.

“Hello, little Wesley,” Doctor Min greeted, bending down slightly to address the baby. Po raised Wes’ arm to make him wave.

“Hello, Doctor Min.” Thame stepped forward to shake the doctor’s hand.

“Now, let’s continue the exam,” Doctor Min said. He carefully took Wesley and began the check-up, examining his general appearance: skin colour (in case of Jaundice), muscle tone, alertness, and reflexes. He then inspected the umbilical cord stump to ensure it was healing properly.

“It honestly makes me nervous,” Thame admitted in a whisper when the doctor mentioned the cord would fall off any day now.

Doctor Min chuckled softly, setting Wesley back in Po’s arms. “It’s a common concern for new parents, but don’t worry. Everything looks great.”

Doctor Min then talked at length about what to expect next and answered any questions Thame and Po had.

"Alright, little Wesley is thriving," Doctor Min said as he handed a fussy Wes to Thame. "Now it is your turn, Po."

Po nodded and sat down on the examination table, adjusting his position as Doctor Min slipped on a fresh pair of gloves. The doctor began with a few questions about his recovery.

“How’s your pain level?”

“Bearable.”

“Are you feeling more energetic?”

“Better with each day.”

“And how is your milk production coming along?”

“Steady.”

As Doctor Min gently examined Po’s abdomen, he nodded in approval. “Everything is healing nicely. Just make sure you’re getting enough rest and keeping up with proper nutrition. It’s just as important for you as it is for Wesley.”

Doctor Min smiled warmly as he finished the last notes on their charts. “You’re both doing great. Just keep listening to your bodies and don’t hesitate to reach out if anything feels off.”

“Thank you, Doctor Min.” Po warmly said as he cradled Wes, who let out a frustration cry.

“See you in a few weeks.”