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Onyankopon still remembers the day Levi went into labor.
It was the week before their first anniversary.
They'd celebrated the occasion over dinner with their close friends, Levi's mother, and Onyankopon’s parents. Levi had been feeling a little ill the entire day. Though Kuchel had helped them prepare food and host to take some of the strain off her son, Levi was barely touching his food, rubbing his round belly, and trying to get comfortable to no avail.
Nobody batted an eye when he excused himself to the bathroom for the second time in an hour and rejected his alpha’s offer to help him. Levi always preferred to deal with things alone, even when it was clearly a lot on him. It amazed Onyankopon how big his belly had gotten considering the omega’s small frame. But as with all things, Onyankopon knew Levi would keep his strength.
Well, until the sound of Levi's shaky voice urgently calling him interrupted him from the conversation with Kuchel, and they both stood from their seats.
Levi was holding himself up against the bathroom’s doorframe, sweat making his hair cling to his forehead, and keeping a firm hand under his sizable belly.
Onyankopon’s first instinct as both a husband and an alpha, was to pick Levi up and keep him protected and warm in his nest. His scent was full of distress and pain and nobody was going to stop Onyankpon from taking away whatever was hurting him.
Luckily, Kuchel knew the situation better.
“Levi, your water broke!” She’d hollered, alerting the whole house that an emergency had taken place. Onyankopon hadn't even noticed the wetness running down Levi's sweatpants or the puddle surrounding his slipper-clad feet.
Things started to go into motion like clockwork.
Erwin ran to the bedroom to retrieve Levi's sandals. Onyankopon’s brothers graciously took care of the mess. Kuchel gently guided her son to Mike's waiting truck, and then they sped down the highway to the hospital.
Mike had a lead foot as Levi panted and groaned in pain. Onyankopon remembers how hard and loud he yelled at the other alpha to step on it.
He did his best to comfort and soothe his precious omega, but Levi had gotten crankier than usual by then.
“Don't you dare fucking touch me!” He yelled, glaring viciously at Onyankopon through his tears, shuddering breaths spitting nothing but venom. “You put this fucking creature inside me!”
Onyankopon had never been more confused in his life. They both wanted to have kids, yet Levi seemed angry at him for successfully impregnating him. It didn't make much sense and he couldn't help feeling guilty. Onyankopon hated seeing his love suffer so much for nine months even though he'd dreamed of what their pups would look like since they started dating. Levi was his omega—he always wanted him to be comfortable and happy.
Not near tears and sticking his head out of the window to scream at anyone going below the speed limit.
And things only got worse when they finally arrived at the hospital.
Once Levi was admitted to the delivery room, a nurse informed Kuchel that Levi's blood pressure had gotten alarmingly high, even for someone going through labor. Onyankopon had been sick with nerves, especially since he couldn't really help.
The release of his pheromones barely phased Levi at all since they were both stressed and Kuchel’s hand—held firmly by her son— could only take so much.
And those weren't even the only problems.
There was trouble delivering their baby girl. Though Levi was drenched in sweat, his trembling legs spread as far as they could, and his face clenched in tremendous exertion, labor wasn't progressing.
The doctors were afraid Levi would suffer perineal tears and that their little one wasn't getting enough oxygen. They tried everything.
Levi had to change positions five times before he managed to push the baby's head out.
But then her shoulder had gotten stuck and it seemed as if Levi was just too exhausted to continue.
At that point, he was too tired to squeeze his mother's hand, and all her encouragement was fruitless because she herself started crying for her son and granddaughter.
Onyankopon felt like a monster. He sat in the corner of the room with tears dripping down his chin for what seemed like a million years.
Then another doctor with wild eyes behind spectacles was called into the room. They assessed the situation quickly, then surprisingly, started to goad Levi, who was already so spent.
They poked his belly, causing the other doctors to cringe, and Kuchel to nearly claw their head off.
“You're as round as a balloon, Mr. Ackerman!” They exclaimed, ignoring Kuchel swearing all kinds of expletives at them. Their eyes were locked onto Levi’s. “Is your baby a titan?”
Onyankopon hadn't seen the fire in his eyes since before they arrived, but the Nutty Professor got him to glare and scream at them.
“Go fuck yourself, Four Eyes!” He exclaimed loudly, though his voice was beyond hoarse.
”My name is actually Doctor Hanji Zoe,” they chirped, mischievous glint in their eyes. “And I'm going to need you to push that kid out, Tubby.”
“What the hell did you just call me, you shitfaced gremlin?” Levi yelled at them, then the two began to go back and forth.
He was so busy getting riled up by the snickering doctor, strength building the longer Hanji teased him, that he found the strength he needed. Through insults thrown with teeth clenched, and the sheer will of an angry Ackerman, Levi birthed their daughter.
Once she was out, Levi collapsed. A sweat-soaked, heaving heap of bones against the pillows under him.
Kuchel and Doctor Hanji's smiles brightened up the whole room and everyone got to breathe a hefty sigh of relief.
Onyankopon’s first pup cried her little heart out as the doctors fussed over her until she was placed back into Levi's weak arms. He was shaky and bloody, pale as a sheet of paper, and obviously still in pain.
But he looked so happy to see his baby.
Onyankopon lightly brushed his fringe off his face and kneeled down to get a good look at their sweet pup.
She had calmed down as soon as Levi held her against his chest and smiled down at her lovingly. She adopted Levi's beautiful sterling silver eyes and Onyankopon’s button nose—the tone of her skin was a warm combination of both of her parents.
The doctors were talking around them, but Onyankopon barely heard a word.
He was busy placing his finger in the grasp of his baby's tiny hand, then pressing a kiss to Levi's sweaty temple. Only hours before that, Levi was swearing up a storm at him and cursing him and his genitals, but then Levi was so soft and calm Onyankopon had forgotten all about it. After all, he only had the joy of bringing a child into the world because of Levi.
“Hello, my love,” Onyankopon cooed as the little pup gurgled and squirmed happily. “I'm so happy to finally see you.”
“Y'all got a name yet?” The eccentric doctor asked, throwing their bloody gloves into the trash.
They removed their mask next, then strode over to the new parents with a toothy grin on their face. Onyankopon decided then and there that he liked Doctor Hanji.
“Yes,” Levi answered softly, one trembling finger grazing the baby's soft tuffs of hair. Onyankopon looked at him and smiled as he told the doctor the name they'd chosen. “Her name is Nadia.”
It was Onyankopon's grandmother’s name.
Levi had met her once in the hospital before her passing. He’d kept her spirits high with his dry humor and shit jokes, comforting both her and his best friend's family at the time. They'd only known each other for a little over a year by then, since graduating college together, but Onyankopon was sure he was in love with Levi.
He'd helped Onyankopon through that difficult time and they both decided that it was ultimately Onyankopon's grandma, Nadia, that brought them together.
And their baby will be the one who keeps them together even if they should forget their vows or take off their rings.
Now, nearly five years later, Onyankopon is reflecting on those days with a smile on his face as he cuddles next to the two loves of his life in bed.
Nadia still hasn't gotten used to sleeping in her own room and Onyankopon simply cannot resist her cuteness when she barges in on them and asks to sleep with her parents.
Levi most definitely can resist those big grey eyes when he's close to his heat. But in the end, Nadia wins him over by placing her tiny hands together and pleading to sleep in between them. If Levi had still asked her to sleep in her own bed, Onyankopon would've walked right out with her.
But no, not even Levi can turn her away. He's not a bad parent by any means.
It's just that they don't get to spend as much time together as they used to since Onyankopon has become a pilot and Levi, a kindergarten teacher. When they were in college, they shared a dorm and could sleep together, study together, and hang out as much as they wanted to.
It's nights like these when they really need alone time.
Of course, Onyankopon will get a week off when his husband goes into heat every month. Levi will get three days off every three months when Onyankopon enters a rut and their little girl will stay with one of their closest friends, Hanji or Erwin, until it's over—yet they still miss each other a lot.
“Daddy, can I bring Teddy?” Nadia asks him now, her little body settled between her dads with her cute Hello Kitty pajamas on. Her curly black hair reaches her shoulders now, like Levi's since he hasn't cut it in ages.
Both of them look like two little angels that Onyankopon will protect for the rest of his life.
“Sure, baby,” Onyankopon makes room for the little girl to hop up and jump off the bed.
She giggles as Levi reminds her for the hundredth time not to, but she has a bit of a rebellious streak. Just like Levi.
With the extra space, Onyankopon pulls Levi closer and smacks a kiss to his soft cheek. Levi's arms wrap around him and he tilts his face up—Levi's way of saying give me more nonverbally. He's given just that as Onyankopon pecks both cheeks, watching them dimple as one of Levi's sweet smiles begins to show. Then he gives the omega what he really wants, kissing his lips once, twice, and deepening it.
Levi is an amazing kisser. He moves his lips against his alpha’s in such a smooth, fluid motion, that Onyankopon fails to remember that they have a little visitor tonight.
And she interrupts right as Onyankopon lifts Levi's thigh.
“Papa!” She stomps a foot, pink pillow in one hand, teddy bear in the other as she frowns. “Daddy was hugging me first!”
Levi wraps his arms around his husband tighter, barely keeping the grin off his face as he challenges his daughter.
“He was mine first.”
“But he likes me more now!” Nadia climbs up onto the bed to attack her dads, assaulting them with her fluffy pink pillow, until they raise their hands in surrender.
Onyankopon gives Levi one more discreet kiss to his temple as the omega rights himself for his daughter. She takes his spot and sticks her little tongue at Levi as Onyankopon hugs her tight.
Both men sit through a few episodes of Paw Patrol, supplying Nadia with as many cuddles as she wishes, until she falls asleep.
Onyankopon tests the waters first, pausing the cartoon to see if she wakes up. She doesn't.
Levi does a riskier test: he shifts his body, then gently moves Nadia into a safer position beside him. Always hyper aware of how she tosses and turns in her sleep. She got that from the alpha.
Once both men are sure their little girl is sleeping, their bodies meld together. They might not be able to jump each other tonight, but that doesn't mean Onyankopon won't cuddle his husband for as long as he's allowed.
He encircles the omega in his arms and Levi tucks himself into his warmth. He will probably never say it, but Onyankopon knows that having Nadia has softened Levi's rougher edges. It used to be like pulling teeth to be able to cuddle Levi—he used to be so prickly around it. But now, Levi almost purrs in contentment as Onyankopon nuzzles his face into the side of his neck, nosing his scent glands.
He smells clean and sweet, like new flowers in Spring. The alpha doesn't mind that they can't have sex at all when he gets to have these precious moments.
They share soft kisses to keep the noise down for the little one, until Levi breaks away first.
Onyankopon almost asks why, but then he sees one curly head pop up behind Levi, illuminated by the moonlight.
“Can you turn on the light, Daddy?” Nadia asks groggily. She is still afraid of the dark.
“Of course, pumpkin.”
Onyankopon turns on the nightlight that shines blue butterflies onto the ceiling. However, that isn't enough, and Levi and Onyankopon patiently sit through more cartoons until Nadia’s grey eyes can barely stay open to watch one more episode.
She's chosen Levi as the one she clings to this time, and Levi doesn't seem to mind at all. He's cradling her in his arms like Onyankopon does to him, with her head against his chest.
Neither man moves the girl once she falls back asleep. Everyone is comfortable—even Onyankopon whose bicep serves as a pillow for Levi's head—and Nadia’s soft snores are music to her parents’ ears.
Despite her delivery being anything but peaceful and relaxing, Nadia has a certain way of making everything better. Happier. He doesn't remember the last time he cried or that Levi's been depressed where Nadia's presence didn't make things okay.
And again, Onyankopon just wants to thank Levi for making it possible.
With the cartoons casting a light on Levi's face, Onyankopon can see him looking down at their daughter, smiling.
Then as if he read his husband’s mind, Levi catches his gaze and holds it.
“Thank you for this,” Onyankopon whispers, tucking a lock of loose hair behind Levi's ear, then caresses his cheek.
Levi doesn't ask what he means. Instead, he nods and places his warm lips against his alpha’s palm.
“Let's have another.”
Onyankopon decides that's a brilliant idea.