loong | i want that can't sleep love

i want that can't sleep love

[ truth be told, dan feng is a little bit nervous.

they've been waiting to try this for quite a long time, after all, and with the kemmering finally approaching, well.. what better opportunity could there be? his mate's heat will stimulate dan feng's own rut, they'll both be at their most fertile, there's no reason not to at least give it a chance. no reason to be pessimistic, however low the chances might be. if they don't try, the chances will always be zero.

dan feng has made everything as comfortable for them as possible. their shared sprawling penthouse is clean, dinner is prepared, and anything they could possibly need or want is laid out. he's cleared out a space in their sunken common area, and lined it with thick blankets, pillows and cushions, like a nest, so they can be close to the kitchen and bathroom if necessary, and they can enjoy the view of the city together. there's even a bottle of white wine chilling in a silver bucket on a low table, beside two glasses.

he's dressed lightly, in simple hanfu, one pale green robe with a sash, his feet bare and his hair loose, all ornaments and jewelry removed and laid aside.

when aphelios arrives home, he will find dan feng sitting comfortably in the nest in the half lotus position, eyes closed as he meditates, eyes closed, and in his lap.. are several soft, beautiful, pearlescent eggs wrapped in silk, and kept close to absorb his warmth. he breathes deeply, calming and centering himself as he waits. ]

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[ it is indeed quite messy, and that's the point! or—well, honestly, that's not entirely the point. the point is mostly to get out of the city a little bit, and to spend some quality time together, since this is likely the last chance they'll have to take even a short vacation together before the twins arrive. they'd been given strict instructions by the obgyn when aphelios pitched the trip as an idea: no flying, no farther than an hour away from the hospital, nowhere that doesn't have reliable cell service. but, she had added, the closer aphelios gets to his due date, the more important it is for him to stay active, and spending some time out of the city where the air is clean and the roads are walkable wouldn't be entirely a bad idea.

but also, yes, part of the point is to get messy. dan feng is always so wholly put together, rarely a hair out of place except in those few precious moments when he's just woken up or in the afterglow of their lovemaking—so his willingness to roll up his sleeves and play in the creek with phel is all the more endearing.

standing on the edge of the creek, with one hand supporting his lower back and the other resting on his belly, aphelios calls back, ] Not yet, but I can definitely hear them!

[ the sun is just starting to set, painting the edges of the sky a beautiful, creamy orange and pink, and the cicadas and frogs are starting to sing in the grasses. aphelios closes his eyes, deeply content, and breathes in the cool, dry air of early autumn, the wet mud scent of the wetlands—the smell of his childhood, spent barefoot and tanned in the lunari compound not too far south of here, chasing birds and catching frogs until the elders came out to call him and alune home.

the memory makes his heart twinge once, and then again when aphelios opens his eyes to watch dan feng duck down again in search of the little mud frogs that hide in the reeds on the banks of the creek. ]

It takes patience, [ aphelios says with a laugh. he wades a little further into the creek, letting the cool water run around his ankles, although not too far, since he knows dan feng will have something to say about it. ] Come over here, watch with me for a little bit.

[ the sound, he must admit, is very pleasant to listen to. the drone of insects and the call of frogs.. these are not the noises of the city that they are accustomed to. there were no frogs on the luofu, not in the way that they are here, naturally occurring, thriving in nature, and even if there were, a young dan feng would never have been permitted to catch them.

not that that would have stopped him, had he known it was a possibility - he was rebellious even as a child, a stubborn trait that followed him into adulthood. ]

Patience, hmm?

[ not something that dan feng has in droves, but it has come to him more with age and humility. he can find the patience to wait for frogs. he can find it in himself to enjoy this moment, to cherish how special it is, despite the mud and mosquitoes. aphelios looks happy, and that warms his heart enough to know that this is worth it.

straightening up, dan feng steps from the reeds and back onto the shore of the creek, approaching his husband with a muted, easy smile. both hands lift, smoothing over the swell of phel's belly. even all these months along, he never tires of touching it. ]

We will watch, then.

[ even if it means he will get water in his boots. gently knocking their foreheads together, dan feng turns and takes in a breath of crisp, fresh air, scanning the reeds and the muddy bank with a flick of his eyes, one hand against his husband's shoulders. ]

You seem content.

[ it's cute, how dan feng can't stop touching his belly, how his hands seem to gravitate there whenever he doesn't have anywhere else to put them. it makes aphelios smile now, and he leans up to press a soft kiss to dan feng's cheek. it wasn't all that long ago that there was little that could bring a smile to dan feng's face at all, and it's an enormous relief to see him smile now, even if mutedly. ]

Okay. [ he closes his eyes at the press of their foreheads together, then leans slightly into dan feng's shoulder, sighing softly as he does. there's an ease to the moment that aphelios has been missing, in the wake of everything that happened with blade. ] I am content, baby.

[ phel wraps his own arm loosely around dan feng's waist, still resting his free hand atop his belly. ]

Reminds me of when I was little, before... [ before the massacre that slaughtered most of his family. ] Alune and I used to come out to the creek and play. I think the elders despaired of ever getting us clean, every time they gave us a bath we'd be right back out there getting mud in our hair again.

[ and that's why it's not entirely about catching frogs, and more about giving dan feng that little window into aphelios' childhood, the childhood he hopes that their children will have, at least in part.

with his cheek resting on dan feng's shoulder still, aphelios hums and then says, ] Thank you for coming with me. Even if we don't catch a single frog... It's worth it to see you smile.

[ the closer they draw to the end of the pregnancy, the more dan feng seems to touch his belly, knowing full well that soon their twins will be born, and his hands will instead be filled with the first young vidyadhara to be born in long, long millennia. he won't have much longer to savor the feeling, and whether or not they will be able to conceive again in the future is nebulous at best. he must enjoy this while he can.

before, aphelios says, and dan feng's smile fades a little, knowing full well where that sentence would have led. this moment is too precious to be spent aching for the past, however, and his husband goes on. ]

I would have loved to have seen you, then.

[ with a chuckle in his throat, dan feng rubs slow circles between phel's shoulders, weaving in a bit of cloudhymn with his touch, to ease the aches in his back that dan feng knows are there. it's become habit, by now. no doubt his sweet husband had been a cute and rowdy little child, digging frogs from the mud with small, curious hands.. he can see it in his mind's eye quite easily.

at the mention of his smile, dan feng's gaze flickers a little, and he turns his head to nuzzle into aphelios' soft hair, pressing a kiss to his crown. ]

I'm sorry that I have not been myself, laogong. But I have no reason to despair, not when our family will be growing so soon.

[ losing yingxing, feeling the life drain from his body - it had been harrowing, but his old friend and lover is finally at rest now. death is better than the terrible existence he had been leading up until that point. ]

I'm happy to be here with you.

[ immediately aphelios shakes his head, although only slightly, not enough to dislodge dan feng's lips from his hair. ]

Don't you dare. [ there has never been any need for apologies, and aphelios doesn't want them. he loves dan feng deeply, beyond measure—he would do anything for him, including stand at his side while he endures something unimaginably horrific. while it had been difficult, and aphelios won't pretend it wasn't, there was also never a part of him that doubted he and dan feng would come out the other end eventually, no matter how long it took. ] I know it'll take time, baby, and that's okay. It just makes me happy to see you be happy.

[ he tilts his head up then, angling to press a soft kiss to dan feng's mouth. and then another, just for good measure, and because aphelios is spoiled beyond measure and knows that his husband will give him what he wants. ]

I can't believe how soon they'll be here... [ they're coming up on full term already, which is downright impressive for twins. aphelios can only conclude it's something about their vidyadhara side making them need a little extra time to bake. ] Do you know what the doctor told me? That if I don't go into labor by next Wednesday, we should start trying to induce ourselves. Exercise, pineapple...

[ wiggle wiggle, go aphelios' eyebrows. ]

Sex...

[ they've had this conversation plenty of times now, every time dan feng has dared to apologize for his behavior, behavior that persists despite him knowing full well that he would feel the same way, were their positions reversed.

grief is not something that can so easily be overcome, he knows. it takes time, and dan feng especially is not well equipped to handle it, he never has been. it had been baiheng's death that had kicked off his great betrayal of the xianzhou, after all. but now he has aphelios by his side, and that has made all the difference. his aphelios, sweet and kind, loyal, and a complete brat. ]

I see..

[ dan feng's smile curves again, warm against his husband's lips as he kisses him, and kisses him again, slow and soft. ]

That can certainly be arranged.

[ after all, once the twins are born, dan feng is under no illusion that aphelios will want sex for who knows how many weeks to come. they have to enjoy themselves as well as they can, while they can. before the kiss can deepen, however, dan feng spots movement in the reeds. a large bullfrog hops onto the mud. ]

Oh - look.

[ although aphelios would be perfectly content to just get carried away kissing and then head right inside to make love all evening, when dan feng catches sight of a frog hopping out onto the mud, aphelios isn't going to complain—after all, they are here for frog-catching! ]

Oh! [ he keeps his voice low, although the glee in it is obvious. he lets go of dan feng and then pats his butt encouragingly. ] Catch it, baby~

[ because they both know that aphelios is in no state to be running after frogs, even with the thoughtful application of cloudhymn to the sore muscles of his back and sides.

what aphelios isn't expecting is that when dan feng goes to chase the frog, the frog would hop—well, directly at him. and what's a guy supposed to do when a frog hops directly at him, other than take a step or two back into the much more solid mud of the creekbed before crouching down to try and catch the frog in his hands?

one hand plunges into the water, splashing all over aphelios' legs; the other wraps around the fat body of the frog to pick it up, an expression of childish excitement spreading across aphelio's face. ]

I got it! [ aphelios struggles to his feet again, groaning as he does, but holding up the frog triumphantly. ] Look, I got it—

[ at first, honestly, aphelios thinks he's peed a little. with the babies pressing on his bladder how they are, it wouldn't be the first time that a too-enthusiastic movement or overly powerful sneeze would have made him leak a little bit—but then the trickle becomes a gush of warm liquid between his thighs, soaking through his shorts and then dripping down his legs.

aphelios looks down at himself, even though he can't actually see past the size of his belly, and then looks up at dan feng, his eyes going wide. he'd been having contractions, just a little, earlier in the day, and had assumed they were braxton-hicks as they'd been for the past few days—now, with his water fully broken, it's apparent that they were not. ]

Um, baby, [ aphelios says, dropping the frog. ] Don't panic, but I think my water just broke.

[ catching frogs, it would seem, is much more difficult than looking for them, for the frog is hopping immediately away from his hands the moment dan feng attempts to swipe it. thankfully, rather than jumping back into the safety of the rushes, it instead bolts toward aphelios, likely hoping to reach the water instead.

despite being excessively pregnant, it would seem that aphelios can still manage to do what dan feng could not, crouching to catch the frog in one of his hands. it wriggles and croaks in protest, and dan feng smiles, straightening up again, making to move toward aphelios when he halts mid-step, eyes dropping to the bloom of wetness darkening his shorts. he knows all the woes of pregnancy, aphelios has not been shy in his complaints about the way he leaks all over, but this seems excessive, and it's as aphelios speaks that dan feng too puts the pieces together.

oh.

oh.

don't panic, he says, and dan feng immediately does exactly that, surging forward toward him as the frog is dropped, hopping quickly away to the safety of the water. he grasps his husband's muddy wet hands, eyes wide. ]

It's time?

[ it's time. it's really time. dan feng looks over his shoulder, heart pounding, and immediately overreacts.

in a flash of golden cloudhymn energy, dan feng transforms with a roar, a great dragon rising into the sky above the little creek, surely disturbing and terrifying any animal within a mile radius. despite his great strength, his clawed paw is incredibly gentle as he sweeps aphelios right up into a scaly palm, then leaps skyward, the force of his launch flattening the roof of their car. ]

[ so anyway, dan feng immediately panics.

which, if aphelios really thought about it, isn't actually all that surprising. although his husband is extremely calm and collected in nearly every other walk of life, when it comes to aphelios' safety and that of their unborn children, dan feng would literally stop at nothing—since the moment they first tried to conceive, dan feng has been protective and attentive and thoughtful in every imaginable way. maybe that's why aphelios isn't shocked to be gently scooped up in one huge clawed hand and borne away in the direction of the hospital, even though he does wish his silent respects to the remains of their car, now more or less a pancake of metal on the ground.

laughing, aphelios leans his forehead against dan feng's scales and then presses his mouth and hand there, affectionate. ]

I love you, [ he says, warm and amused and affectionate. and then, a moment later, ] Ow, fuck—

[ the contractions had been gentle over the previous few days, only ramping up in intensity beginning earlier this morning, and now aphelios feels the first of the stronger contractions that must signal labor is beginning in earnest: a wave of pain and pressure that starts in his upper belly and moves downward. it earns a low groan, even though aphelios is sure this isn't anywhere near as intense as they'll be soon enough.

okay, so maybe the dragon express isn't the worst way to get to the hospital. ]

[ the dragon express is certainly the fastest, most direct route to the hospital, that's for sure - within a handful of moments they've reached the city outskirts already, the boggy coast left behind.

the press of aphelios' mouth to his scaly knuckle calms dan feng, but only for a moment - the complaint afterward has him doubling his speed. ]

Soon, my heart. We'll be there soon.

[ the shadow of the enormous dragon passes over the streets below as he weaves sinuously through skyscrapers, the wind singing as it parts around his body. dan feng, of course, knows exactly where to find the hospital, had planned the route there a hundred times a day these past few weeks, though, admittedly, without an air path in mind.

no matter. he still knows the way. soon enough they're approaching the roof of the hospital where the stark colors of the helipad await. the great dragon slows, too large to make a landing upon the roof, so instead he hovers lower, gently placing aphelios onto the ground with claws savage enough to spear twenty men upon them. lowering his enormous head, he nuzzles his snout along his husband's back, protective and loving. ]

[ it's a damn good thing that dan feng has made a name for himself in the local community, and that their obgyn knows he's vidyadhara—otherwise, the sight of an enormous dragon descending on the hospital helipad might be enough to send the entire facility into a panic. the thought makes aphelios laugh again, a little wild with the adrenaline of being flown like this. ]

Good thing L&D isn't too many floors down, [ aphelios says with an amused hum as he turns partway, turning his face so he can kiss dan feng right on his huge scaly nose. now that he's gotten his feet under him, he feels a little bit better equipped to deal with the next contraction, which ripples through him and makes him clench his teeth for a second before relaxing. ] Are you going to turn back so you can come with me?

[ it takes effort for dan feng to turn back and forth, aphelios knows, and maybe for that reason it's selfish of him to ask, but he wants dan feng there with him in the room, wants to hold his husband's hand and try not to crush his fingers when he pushes. aphelios shivers again, this time from nervousness rather than contractions, and rests his forehead against dan feng's nose. ]

Please?

[ there's a clatter of equipment from the doorway of the hospital, a pair of nurses coming out with a wheelchair for phel, but he doesn't move towards them just yet—he's not going anywhere, not unless dan feng is coming with him. ]

[ it's not surprising when multiple medics burst onto the scene - a gigantic dragon landing atop a hospital is a bit noticeable. it's probably best that he does not maintain this form any longer than is necessary.. however much he loves the way that aphelios turns to kiss his enormous snout. ]

I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone.

[ but he's paranoid, worried that without the support of his scaly paw aphelios might crumple from the pain - so he waits for the nurses to (hesitantly) approach, before he begins to transform again. once aphelios is seated comfortably in the wheelchair, his scales begin to melt away, and in a flash of light the dragon becomes a man again, and the nurses breathe a sigh of relief.

dan feng smooths a hand over aphelios' soft hair. ]

.. my apologies for the abrupt arrival.

[ he panicked, just a little. but they're here now, and aphelios is in the best hands that he can be in. together the entire party wheels back into the hospital again, and it's a quick elevator ride to the obstetrics ward. ]

[ once dan feng has retaken his human form, it's clear that the nurses are much more comfortable—which is a good thing, because as they make their way back inside to the elevators and down to the obstetrics floor, dan feng and aphelios both are subjected to a barrage of questions for intake. some of them are to assess the state of his labor—when contractions started, when his water broke, duration between contractions and so on and so forth—and some of them are just normal admission questions about vaccines and allergies, insurance, advance directives and living wills.

in a way, all the questions are good—it helps to have something to focus on other than the contractions, which are coming just about every five minutes. eventually, once aphelios has gotten a room, changed his clothes, and completed the intake process—including having to lay back on the bed and let a doctor see how dilated he is (not very, yet)—his nerves have more or less settled, so when the nurses leave him and dan feng for a little while, he feels okay with getting up off the bed to walk around the room. ]

The contractions are still pretty okay, [ phel says, thoughtful, rubbing one hand over his belly and propping the other one at his lower back. the pressure there is more intense now, as the babies start to shift in preparation for birth. ] Is your cloudhymn going to be enough or should I ask for an epidural?

[ the last thing phel wants, after all, is to exhaust his husband on pain relief when he could just as easily get drugs from the doctors—not least of all because dan feng just used some power to fly them here, and because he knows that dan feng has only just recently reached the same strength that he'd had before his fight with blade.

after a second, phel turns so he can walk over to dan feng instead, then takes his husband's hand and presses it against the side of his belly. ]

You should feel, [ phel says, smiling. ] It's like feeling them kick but way crazier.

[ dan feng isn't the one experiencing contractions, but even still, the questions are good for him, too - they give him something to focus on beyond his nerves. their babies are coming.. at last, they're coming. it'll be fine, dan feng must remember that - that even should something go wrong.. he always has his cloudhymn.

which is why he frowns thoughtfully, after a moment. ]

An epidural, perhaps. I'd rather save my cloudhymn in case it is needed for.. something else.

[ he won't say the words, but if something goes wrong with the birth, if there are complications - well, he was the best healer the luofu had ever known. if he can't use it to keep his husband and children safe, then why have it at all? extending both hands, he smiles as he presses his palms to phel's belly, feeling the activity beneath, their squirming babies ready to push their way to freedom.

but labor is not a quick process, especially for a first pregnancy. time passes, hours, and dan feng does what he can to help ease aphelios' pain without tapping into his cloudhymn. he holds his hand through the worst of the contractions, helps him to walk and move, brings him ice to chew on, and as the labor progresses he begins to fuss more and more, pacing back and forth, his tail lashing behind him in distress. ]

I'm going to call for the doctor.

[ the contractions are so close now - it has to be time, doesn't it? ]

[ dan feng doesn't have to say it aloud for aphelios to know what he means—and as much as aphelios hopes that it won't come to that, he knows in his heart that it's the wise choice. he leans over slightly to press a kiss to dan feng's temple. ]

No, you're right. I'll let the nurse know when she comes back.

[ not long after, alune arrives, and while aphelios doesn't want his twin sister to actually watch him push babies out of his body, he's glad for her presence while he's bouncing on his yoga ball and trying to be patient with his body doing its thing. she'll wait in the hallway during the actual birth, she says (even though she gives aphelios a look that says remember i can literally see the future, you dweeb), but she's there for the both of them in the meantime, a quiet and unintrusive presence except for when she makes aphelios laugh to take his mind off a particularly strong contraction.

the one thing that surprises aphelios, as the hours pass and his labor progresses, is how intuitively he seems to know what his body is doing. he can feel the changes in how the twins are positioned, the increased pressure on his lower back and between his hips; he can sense the contractions getting closer together, little by little. and for the first six or seven hours of labor, aphelios can tell it's not quite time, even though the pain is intense and it takes increasingly more focus to breathe through it.

but then, strangely, a contraction comes that feels different—lower, more intense, accompanied by an almost unconscious desire to push, and that's when aphelios grips dan feng's hand urgently and nods at his intent to call the doctor. ]

Yeah, I think—I think that's good. [ his eyes widen, briefly, almost panicked as he looks over at dan feng. ] They're coming, aren't they? They really are...

[ but there's no time to get caught up in freaking out about the imminent arrival of their children, not when the doctor and nurses are sweeping back into the room to bring aphelios back to the bed. alune slips out into the hallway, and aphelios climbs back into bed, first on his back, and then when that's uncomfortable, on his hands and knees, clutching dan feng's hand with one of his own and pressing his sweaty forehead against the mattress. ]

We're going to start pushing now, [ the doctor says, her voice kind but firm. ] Dan Feng, if you think you'll need to sit down, I'm going to ask you to get a chair now so we don't need to split our attention later.

[ the moment he feels that iron grip on his hand, dan feng knows it's time.

he leaves aphelios' side for only the briefest of moments to snag the nearest nurse, and then he's right back there again, giving alune a tight look and a nod as she passes him to leave the room. he helps aphelios to lie back, then helps him turn over as well, when the time comes, onto his hands and knees.

they really are coming. dan feng's heart is in his throat, but he's entirely focused, fully prepared for whatever is coming. he's seen as much blood and gore in his long life as can be expected for being born to a nation at war, this cannot faze him. so he shakes his head. ]

I'll be fine. You have my word.

[ harder than seeing the blood and mess, honestly, is seeing aphelios in pain. but there's little enough to be done about that. the epidural will do what it can, and the rest is up to his husband to endure, to bring their beautiful children into the world. but dan feng will be here beside him, talking him through it as best as he is able to. phel's grasp is like iron, but surely it is nothing in comparison with what he's feeling. ]

I'm here.

[ he says gently, his free hand rubbing between aphelios' shoulders while the doctor and nurses do their work, instructing him when to push. ]

You can do this. You're the strongest person I know.

[ the epidural definitely helps, but as the doctors tell aphelios to push and he does his best to obey, it's patently clear that no amount of drugs is going to be able to mute all the pain. he groans, bearing down when the doctors tell him to and relaxing when the contraction passes; the only thing that soothes him, really, is his grip on dan feng's hand and the warm, reassuring pressure of dan feng's palm between his shoulderblades, a constant reminder of his presence.

it feels like it takes hours, but in reality, it's probably only 40 minutes. aphelios pushes—clutches dan feng's hand—groans in combined agony and exertion—relaxes again, in cycles that repeat at increasing speed. he hasn't eaten anything since he was admitted, and that's probably the only reason he avoids throwing up, but he definitely doesn't avoid crying, which is what he's doing when the doctor tells him to push one more time and he pushes until he feels the pain crest between his thighs. ]

There's the head, [ the doctor says, ] give me one more big push—

[ and through gritted teeth aphelios does, muffling his wail into the pillow as he pushes again, until the pressure lessens and a sharp cry that isn't his own splits the noisy air of the birthing room. ]

Congratulations—you have a girl, [ says one of the nurses, glancing up to meet dan feng's gaze with a smile before she busies herself cleaning out the baby's mouth and checking all its fingers and toes.

phel, naturally, bursts into tears. ]

We have a girl, [ he sobs, craning his head back over his shoulder so he can try to catch a glimpse of her. most of what he can see is her tiny, wriggling little limbs, but aphelios can make out the tiny nubs of horns protruding from her head, and the sight is for some reason enough to make him well up with tears all over again. ] Baby, she has your horns!

[ this is, of course, just a lull between contractions, and it won't be more than a minute before aphelios has to start pushing again, but at least for this short moment he finds himself utterly captivated by their newborn daughter. ]

[ it's so incredibly tempting to use his cloudhymn healing to help to ease his beloved's terrible pain, but he refrains for now - there's still more to come. aphelios' grasp nearly breaks his fingers, but dan feng won't complain, not when his husband is experiencing one of the single most agonizing experiences one can possibly endure, all for the sake of their family. he stays firm, dipping his head to press his brow against phel's sweat-dampened temple.

and then he hears it - the sharp, healthy wail of their firstborn. dan feng's head snaps up, and he feels his heart clutch in his chest when he sees her.. their daughter, a bloody mess screaming her way into the world, the most beautiful thing that he has ever seen. tears mist his eyes, his breath catching as his heart soars. his horns.. she has horns, the smallest little nubs he has ever seen, and a fat little scaly tail, as well. ]

She's beautiful..

[ he whispers, swallowing thickly. it's taking everything he has not to immediately go to her, to want to hold her - but aphelios still needs him by his side. ]

You're amazing, Aphelios.

[ he whispers, as the tears gather at the corners of his eyes, his palm at phel's shoulders rubbing in deep circles. and here he remains while the second baby comes squalling into the open air, with the same little nub horns and chubby tail as his sister. dan feng's breath rattles as emotion threatens to overwhelm him, thick in his throat and tight in his chest. ]

And a boy! [ the nurse announces with a smile, and dan feng can't help it - he chokes a laugh, his heart slamming against his ribs. ]

[ there is, admittedly, a brief moment of panic when the next contraction hits and aphelios realizes he has to do it all again—but the second twin comes even more quickly than the first, and before long, aphelios is pressing his face into the blankets as he listens to the beautiful, healthy screaming of their babies. their babies, whole and alive and with all ten fingers and toes each (he heard the nurse say it), plus little nubs for horns and fat scaly tails that they most certainly inherited from their father because they sure didn't come from aphelios. ]

We did it, [ aphelios manages, squeezing dan feng's hand as he pushes himself up a little bit off the mattress. it's on the strength of his adrenaline and euphoria alone that aphelios manages to turn himself over onto his back (not to mention a significant assist from a nurse), but once he's leaning back against the bed, all he wants is to hold their babies.

and by the time the nurse comes to settle both of the little ones on his chest, aphelios is already crying again. it's not even emotion so much as it is just—the release of it all, of having done the thing, of finally meeting their children for the first time, these two little tiny dragons laying on his chest, covered in towels and alternating between screaming and gurgling their discontent at being evicted from phel's womb and thrust out into the world. ]

Look at them, baby, [ aphelios manages, sniffling, his eyes wide and disbelieving. ] We made these, can you believe it?

[ the rest of it, it seems, passes in a blur. the babies get handed back so aphelios can deliver the afterbirth, and then almost immediately he has to feed them both, and then there's the vitamin k shots and a topup of the epidural and nurses and doctors flitting to and fro with paperwork and questions—but eventually, when aphelios has been cleaned up and the flurry of activity has lulled and the babies have fallen asleep in their bassinets next to the bed, aphelios turns his head to look at dan feng, who is gazing adoringly at their sleeping twins, and smiles so widely his cheeks ache with it. ]

We're going to have to name them, [ phel says softly, reaching out for dan feng's hand again. gently this time, not the punishing force with which he'd been squeezing earlier. ]

[ even the luofu's greatest poets could not find the words to describe these moments, the beauty of their children, the momentousness of this occasion. not only are these the first vidyadhara children born in an incalculable amount of time, they are theirs, the sweet, beautiful babies that they made together, that aphelios dutifully carried for him for nine long months.

they wail and squirm, their voices strong for how delicate their chubby little bodies are, eyes squeezed tightly shut against the brightness of the world. do they even know how extraordinary they are? ]

Mm.. you're right.

[ it's difficult to look away from their babies even for a moment, and dan feng keeps his opposite hand on the bassinet while he does, his eyes settling on aphelios' beautiful, exhausted face with a smile. ]

I have a few ideas.

[ he's been considering for some time now, but settling on names for these perfect little bundles seems a difficult task. how could anything measure up? but he's spent some time thinking. glancing toward their daughter, he places his hand gently against her. ]

What do you think of Dan Qiuyue? Red autumn moon.

[ they're so tiny, is what phel keeps thinking as he looks down at their babies. he had felt huge, particularly for the last few weeks of his pregnancy, but now that he sees their babies out in the world, they seem impossibly small. it's hard for him to draw his gaze away from them, too, except for sneaking glances at dan feng to watch the absolute, unfettered love in his gaze as he looks at their children. ]

I think that's beautiful. [ something about the size of dan feng's hand in comparison to their daughter's body makes aphelios well up with tears again, and he laughs, lifting his free hand to wipe the tears away. ] Oh, gods. I thought I was going to get a break from crying over everything.

[ jokes on him! it's going to take at least three weeks before that part wears off.

rubbing his thumb idly back and forth against dan feng's, phel's gaze slips over to their son, who makes a soft little newborn noise and shifts in his swaddle. phel's face softens immediately, utterly adoring. ]

What do you think about Ruilin, for him? [ after ten years together, aphelios is at least proficient in the language of the luofu, although obviously not as fluent as dan feng is—he'd put real thought into the name, but isn't sure it'll pass muster for a proper vidyadhara. ] He really would be his father's son, then.

[ she is quite small beneath dan feng's long fingers. twins, as he has come to understand it, tend to be on the smaller side than single birth babies, and their children are no exception. aeons, they're the most beautiful things that he has ever seen.. it's still unbelievable. from the day they first attempted conception to this very moment, this entire journey has felt almost surreal. he had been so sure that he would never be a father, that the eggs would not take, that their children would not arrive..

.. but here they are, healthy and fat, full of milk and happy to sleep in their swaddles. there is so much life ahead of them now, so much wonder, so much to learn. ]

Ruilin.. [ he turns the name over on his tongue, then looks back to his sweet, crying husband with a smile. ] Auspicious forest?

[ it works well, he thinks, pairing with dan feng's own name. ]

I love it.

[ ruilin, and qiuyue.. perfect names, for perfect little babies. dan feng gives phel's hand a little squeeze before releasing it, so he can have both hands for the children, carefully lifting up their little boy into his arms. he knows full well that he should let sleeping babies lie (they're like to not get much sleep themselves in the coming months), but he can't help but want to hold them as much as possible. still, he turns, and gently places ruilin into aphelios' arms so he can scoop their daughter into his own. ]

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i want that can't sleep love

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