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Draken was sure he’d never become a father. His world didn’t necessarily scream safe for children. He had past deep gang association with Toman and current light (if you can even call affiliation light) gang affiliation as he ran his bike shop. His world just wasn’t the world for a baby. Too many threats, too many worries, and he couldn’t just leave anytime if he was tied down by a kid. He didn’t doubt that he would be a good dad, though. He took care of Mikey well enough. He would always make sure he got to school on time and was fed. Caretaking came naturally to Draken.
And that love to care for others grew even more when he met you. Sweet, loving, and beautiful you. If you had asked him if he believed in love at first sight, he would’ve vehemently denied that idea until you waltzed into his world. He had to do a double-take when you came into his bike shop on a sweltering summer day. You were dressed in a small tank top that fit your body just right and jean shorts that showed off your delicate legs. When the air conditioning of his shop hit your skin goosebumps pebbled all over you.
Draken had to stop his jaw from dropping at the sight of you. You fit every single thing he wanted in his dream girl and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t stop himself from staring as you moved around his shop. After a stammering and unsuccessful attempt to sell you a bike, he asked you out. He knew he had to take this chance even though he had just met you. He didn’t want to lose his chance. But when you smiled at him and said yes, he swore his heart melted at your laughter and angelic voice.
He had no idea how bright you would make his life. How you would lift him up like no one else; he felt like he could touch the sky when he was with you.
The first date he took you on would be cemented in his mind forever. It was a clear night with bright stars scattered across the sky. Since he couldn’t successfully sell you a bike, he decided to at least give you a good ride on his own. He kept his old bike from early Toman days in good enough shape that it still ran well. Of course, he had newer bikes, better ones, but this was a special occasion. And you were special too. It didn’t feel right to him to use any bike but the one he trusted the most.
Wiping down the black dragon emblem with a cloth, he hears a whistle and looks up to see you approaching. And just like the first time he saw you, he felt his heartbeat quicken as he takes in every inch of you. If he could, he would drink your whole body in. From the top of your head to your beautiful face with full lips that made his thoughts swim. His eyes followed your curves eagerly, perfectly accentuated by your tight black shirt and tight-fitting dark blue jeans that clung to your hips and ass just right. If he didn’t stop staring at you, he knew the date would end up in his loft tangled in the sheets.
“Your bike is so pretty!” Your melodic voice is filled with glee, and your eyes are sparkling like the stars hanging above you. “I love the dragon. It matches you,” you say as you meet his eyes with a quick wink.
Draken instantly feels his cheeks heat up at your cute attempt at flirting. He clears his throat and tries to play off the blush that seems to be growing throughout his cheeks. “It’s been with me for a long time now, it’s old but trusty,” he says as he steps away from his bike and walks up to you.
Draken towers over your more petite frame as he gives you a smile to match a thousand suns. You can’t help the grin that follows on your own face.
“You look so beautiful tonight,” his words come out quieter than his tone before as his dark eyes gaze into yours.
"Does this mean I wasn’t beautiful the first time I came to your shop?“ You jest with a giggle and playfully bump your shoulder into his side.
A look of horror covers Draken’s face as he scrambles for a way to tell you that is not what he meant by any means. He’s still fumbling over his words when you say, "Ken, seriously! I was just joking with you.” You give him another wink, and he swears he would be on the floor if you hadn’t started moving towards his motorcycle.
He’s not sure what’s going on with him. He’s never been such a mess over a woman before. He’s always been able to keep a clear and calm head. But with you, it feels like he can’t get his words together or his head to stop buzzing with never-ending thoughts. Fuck he really hopes this date goes well because he doesn’t know if he’s ready to let you go by the end of the night.
And thankfully, the rest of the night goes off without a hitch. The two of you climb onto his bike, your body pressed against his muscular back. Draken revels in the way you press so easily against him, if he could sink into the heat of your body he would. But he has to ignore the way your legs slotted perfectly behind him and how delicate your hold is around his torso, or else he wouldn’t ever make it to his destination.
Draken set up a little evening picnic in the park close to his shop. Complete with a thin blanket and light snacks for the two of you to eat under the stars. It was intimate, romantic, and had you falling for him from the moment he laid out the big forest green blanket. The two of you talked for what seemed like days, but, in reality, it was only a few hours with only the stars in the sky to bear witness to the beginning of your relationship.
The date ended in front of the bike shop just like it began. Except for this time, instead of not-so-subtle flirting, it ended in a long kiss that left you wanting more of each other. After that night, the two of you met regularly. Growing closer together with each visit, each kiss, each touch. You aren’t sure when you and Draken became “official.” Everything just happened naturally, you stopped looking for people to date, and he had eyes only for you from what his best friend, Mikey, would tell you, much to Draken’s embarrassment.
The two of you fell into a natural pattern of seeing each other daily. And that transitioned quickly into you staying the night at his place. You had a nosey roommate at home that you didn’t want in your business, so Draken’s place was the perfect environment for the alone time you desperately craved with him.
The worn-out queen-sized mattress became your favorite place in his home. Nestled in the corner of his open-air loft above the shop, you spent a fair amount of free time snuggled close together on that mattress with him. The old worn-out springs creaked anytime either of you moved, but you loved every part of that “dumb old bed,” as Draken would so lovingly refer to it.
Over time you spent more and more time at the shop, accidentally leaving things behind but never returning them home. Or forgetting your toothbrush at your apartment but Draken insisted on buying you one to stay at his place. “Just in case we ever need it,” he would say with a tentative smile, hoping you’d agree and not be weird out by the suggestion. He was elated when you told him it would be a great idea.
After a few months, you spent most of the week in Draken’s apartment. Sometimes not returning home for days at a time. Draken finally popped the question the two of you had been contemplating for a while on a warm summer afternoon. He was snuggled into your side as you lazed on the mattress that held so many of your memories. His head lay delicately on your stomach, listening to the soft gurgles it made. The heat from outside made it a perfect day to lay around and do a lot of nothing.
“Do you want to move in?” His voice breaks the comfortable silence in the room. And while his question doesn’t surprise you, it takes you a moment to answer. Your hand lays lightly on his scalp, your fingers lightly tracing the shaved part of his head, contemplating how to respond.
Happiness bubbles up inside of you as you give him your response. “I’d love to, Ken.” Your tone betrays the excitement that is threatening to spill over, you’re trying to be calm but you can’t help it. Draken has made you happier than you ever could have imagined. So living with him was the next step you were more than happy to take. You had no doubt that he would care for you, love you, and be the best partner you’ve ever had.
Draken lifts himself up to balance on his elbow and meets your eyes, smile beaming as he asks, “Really? Ya sure? I know it’s not the most extravagant home, living in the shop, I mean, but–”
You place a finger on his lips to stop his rambling. “Ken, living with you sounds like a dream. You don’t have to say anything else; my answer is yes.” Removing your finger, you move closer to him and place your lips on his to stop further excuses that he could make up.
Draken’s heart swells at your words, everything in his life finally falling into place as he returns the kiss. Slow, soft, easy–just like the feeling on this summer afternoon.
You were packing and slowly moving items over into his place by the end of your lease, which was only a few months away after Draken asked you to move in. Knowing that it was now your home felt nice. You weren’t obligated to return to your apartment so often so that your roommate could confirm you were still alive. The most exciting part of it was taking that next big step with Draken.
You’d be lying if you hadn’t imagined your future with him after that first date under the stars. Who could blame you? You had always been a hopeless romantic at heart. And even though he wasn’t the conventional man your mother wanted you to be with, he treated you better than any of the other men you had dated. And with all of that, your brain created this little fantasy about living in his little loft with him, getting married one day, and if you both wanted it, having a child. You hadn’t had that talk just yet, but you knew he would be a great father.
Draken was a natural caretaker. You saw it with Mikey and how Draken would check in to make sure the exuberant blonde man had eaten that day. You also saw it with strangers. He went out of his way if he saw someone struggling, even fitting the trope of the big tough guy helping a little old lady cross the street. But most of all, you saw it in how he took care of you. Making sure you got home safe when you didn’t live with him or cooking your favorite meal if he knew you had a tough day. He just knew how to take care of you, and you had no doubt in your mind that he would flourish if he ever became a father.
The first real night living in the loft with Draken fills you with giddiness and excitement. You feel like you can’t sit still as you flitter all around the kitchen, cleaning up the dishes from your dinner with him.
Draken is just as happy to see you in such high spirits. In truth, he never wanted to spend any time away from you. Life felt empty when you weren’t around. He recalls the mornings before you moved in, when you would have to return home with low light from the sunrise filtering through the blinds, your hand held tight to his. You would have to eventually pull away to get ready, but he would hold your hand tighter, asking you to not let go just yet. That would generally end in his favor, but now he knew you would always be returning to his–no, your home with him. The thought sends pride and happiness rolling through him. Life feels complete and content now.
The excitement in both of you keeps drawing you together like magnets as you finish up the dishes. Little pecks between rinsing the suds off a plate or a quick embrace as Draken dries the bowls with a worn towel. Eventually, the task gets completed but takes much more time than you had initially expected with all the little detours you took to connect to each other. By the end of it you find yourself grasping his larger hand in your palm and pulling him towards the worn-out mattress.
Your light t-shirt sticks to your skin from the heat and sweat of the day. But Draken loves how it clings to you, how he can see every curve of your body below the thin fabric. His eyes linger on your full lips, upturned in a smile as you coax him to the bed.
He knows exactly where this is going. “You sure you have enough energy, sweetheart?” His deep voice sends shivers down your body.
Your eyes follow the planes of his body. He’s dressed in a black shirt–stupid for the amount of heat it attracts, but you love how it lays taut across his muscular body.
Draken doesn’t miss the way your eyes linger over every part of him and it unleashes a feral part in him. “I’m going to have to come over there and take care of you myself if you don’t stop,” his low and deep voice, lust filtering its way through. You feel warmth pool deep in your core at his tone. But you want to thank him, thank him for his help with moving, and thank him for giving you the best time of your life. So without any further hesitation, you lower yourself to your knees in front of him.
Draken’s eyes widen as he sees the devilish smirk on your face. This was much more than he expected after a long day of moving. You look upward through your long lashes at him, and he swears he could burst at that sight alone. Draken feels his dick twitch in his pants as he gazes down at your eyes filled with lust.
Your hand wanders up to his pants, the rough material tickling his skin, from his knee to the prominent bulge in front of your face. Draken takes a sharp breath at the sudden feeling of your warm hand over his member. He was tired from the day, but fuck he didn’t want to turn you down when you were looking at him like that, eyes full and expectant. And you loved being in this position with him, your eyes taking in his toned stomach peaking out from beneath his shirt.
“Fuck, baby girl,” Draken lets out with a lusty rasp. His large hand comes down to cup your jaw gently. Without removing your eyes from his lust-blown pupils, you give his dick a small squeeze through the material before moving to release his belt. He’s mesmerized by your movements and can only watch your delicate hands unbuckle the strip of leather and slip it through its loops. Once he is free of his belt you bring your hands back to his black button. His eyes break away from yours to admire your breasts, the tops slightly poking out your shirt.
After finally releasing his button and zipper, you help him shift his pants down his legs. Each movement is slow and methodical. You smile, noticing his erection straining through his black boxers, eager and ready for you. Draken’s thumb starts to slowly caress your jaw, and you feel a shiver rush through you at the movement. But you don’t want to forget your goal of thanking him in one of the best ways you know how.
“You’ve helped me so much today, love,” you coo at him while tracing your fingers along his waistband. Your body was becoming more heated with each moment, each glance, and the thought of what’s to come.
“I’d do anything for you, you know that,” he coos back at you just as sweetly, but you don’t miss the rumbling inside of him–he was getting impatient.
You finally remove his boxers and release his member without further hesitation. He’s already fully erect. Draken’s dick has always been one of your favorite parts of his body. Long and the perfect size for you. You were slightly intimidated the first time you had been together, but you fit together seamlessly after some prep.
Leaning in, you place a small peck on the tip of his dick and end up peppering kisses down his shaft. Looking up to him you see his eyes closed in anticipatory bliss at your actions. He looked beautiful like that. Quickly you take as much of him into your mouth as possible. The shuddering breath he releases just fuels your actions. You begin to move your mouth up and down while hollowing your cheeks. The hand he previously had on your face has found its way into your hair. He wanted you to move faster, fuck your face, but he wouldn’t do it until you were ready. He was always gentlemanly in that way, he’d fuck you hard if you wanted but never without your go ahead.
Pulling yourself off of him, you drag your tongue from the base of his shaft to the tip. Draken lets out a small moan at the motion and grunts when you take your hand and begin massaging his dick in your warm palm, your saliva from earlier providing lubricant. He moans louder this time as he desperately tries to keep his hips from bucking into your hand. You take this moment to lick at his slit, taking in the salty pearlescent precum weeping from it. You move your other hand to hold his muscular thigh to stabilize yourself as you continue your ministrations.
“Mmm, fuck yeah,” Draken releases a sinful moan. With the encouragement you take him back into your wet mouth. The hand on your head tangles itself in your hair, and you can feel him pushing you forward on his length. His hips move gently to meet the warmth of your mouth, and you feel your pussy throb at the motion. It’s such a rush having him so hopelessly needy for you.
You continue moving your hand on his shaft, where your mouth couldn’t cover. And Draken takes every second to appreciate this moment even though he knew, now that you were living with him, he would have a lot more times like this. But he wishes he could memorize every contour of your mouth. He was forever amazed how quickly he would crumble for you at a simple blow job but what you did was magic to him.
Seeing this strong man unravel above you was always a turn-on. The infamous Draken of Toman was putty in your hands. The thought of him cumming only to your hands and mouth made your head hazy. The pulse in your cunt was becoming too much, and you moved your free hand to it. Pushing past your own layers of clothing, you find your clit easily.
You were ready, wet, and your underwear was already drenched with slick. Moving your fingers you start to rub your clit, slowly circling it and applying more pressure as you go. You don’t stop sucking Draken though, his length slips in and out of your mouth easily like you’re a practiced professional. Taking the hand that had been jerking his length, you move it to his balls and gently squeeze them. He lets out a low and gruff moan at your action.
You start to whine around his dick as you can’t keep your own pleasure quiet. If Draken didn’t know better he would’ve thought this must be heaven because the vibrations in your throat send him into the clouds. He brings his gaze down to meet your frame and holds himself back from cumming immediately. He loves the way you look below him. Your hand is hidden in your pants, eyes closed, caught up in your own lust. Spit is slowly dripping down your chin, falling effortlessly on the peaks of your breast.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he breathes out as he watches you continue to pleasure yourself.
“Mmm,” you hum back at him as you continue your movements. Fingers expertly bring that coil inside of you even tighter. Draken’s member continues to kiss the back of your throat, his gentle thrusts from earlier becoming harsher. The hand in your hair grips tighter, a slight pain prickling in your scalp but still enjoyable. He lets out another guttural moan, the sound going straight to your pussy, as he allows his eyes to close again.
Both of you were close to reaching your peaks. You shift your hand again from Draken’s balls back to his shaft and begin pumping his length. Your tongue caresses his dick, and then you pull back to lick his weeping tip. “Holy–f-fuck,” he stutters out as he guides your mouth back onto his member as he thrusts into it.
“Baby, how did you get so good at this?” He pants out as he continues thrusting into you. This is the moment that you love whenever giving him a blow job–you know he’s about to fall apart. This firm and feared man is falling apart at your actions, and it sends a rush through you. And right as that thought hits you, Draken cums with a low grunt; the salty taste of cum immediately covers your tongue. His hips quiver as he rides out his orgasm, holding your head so it can’t leave him. You swallow his load while continuing to gently suck at his overstimulated tip. After a moment, he releases your hair, and you pull yourself off of him, a thin string of saliva still connecting you to him.
Moving your hands back on you to finish off yourself, Draken lifts you up and pulls down your pants and underwear in one swift motion. He picks you up and throws you over his shoulder as you let out a little squeal.Dropping you on the bed, and you meet the worn soft cushion with an oomph.
“Turn around, baby,” he growls as he towers over you. You oblige quickly and poke your ass up with a wiggle of your hips. Draken’s large hands find purchase at your hips as he drags you towards the edge of the bed.
You can’t stop the moan that erupts from you as you feel his tongue slide up your slit. Draken greedily sucks at your swollen clit, face buried in your cunt. It’s an automatic response when you push yourself back into his face trying to get as much friction as possible from his talented tongue. He continues his ministrations, tongue flicking at your clit while his hands harshly grip the globes of your ass. You can feel your orgasm approaching again, knowing you’re about to spill over.
“Yes, Ken!” You can’t help but yell out as you bury your face in the comforter. They smell like him, and home, a comforting scent. Draken dips his tongue inside your sopping cunt, and you can’t stop the whine that escapes your lips.
The coil inside of you feels seconds away from exploding, bound tighter than you think you’ve ever felt. Your back arches as your orgasm rips through you. Body shaking, you ride it out as Draken continues to lap up every ounce that pours out of you. As you calm down from your post-orgasm shakes, Draken plops down on the worn old bed you love so much, the bed dipping under his weight.
“I love you, ya know that,” he says softly as he gently caresses the side of your face with his knuckles.
“I love you too, Ken,” you whisper back, still trying to catch your breath. “That was amazing; I can’t wait to see what else we can do now that I’ll have so much extra time here.” You waggle your eyebrows at him as he lets out a deep laugh.
“Oh yeah? Then let’s see what we can do right now,” he growls playfully as he situates himself on top of you, caging you in. You squeal as he places kisses down your neck.
Needless to say, it was a very eventful night for the two of you.
You lived with Draken a little over a month and a half when you noticed a change. It seemed like out of nowhere, your mood shifted. You didn’t want to get out of bed some days, and tears came quicker than they ever had before. Draken tried to be as supportive as possible, holding you when you weren’t sure what was making you so upset. Letting you know everything would be okay as he rubbed your back.
But you were concerned. This wasn’t like you. Sure, you got emotional at times but nothing of this magnitude. You wondered if maybe things would stabilize after you had your period. Perhaps it was just a bad case of PMS. But the day when you were supposed to start your cycle came and went without a single drop of blood, which again wasn’t a huge concern–you had been late before. But after three days with no sign of Aunt Flo showing up, you decided to stop by the convenience store on your way home from work.
Holding the little white stick with the dark blue cap and waiting for a result was maddening. Three minutes seemed to take three hours. You watch the little display anxiously, willing it to go faster. And you almost drop it when a single word flashes up on the screen. Your stomach drops, nausea rising up your throat. That tiny single word changed your future forever. You were sure that you had just been late and just overthinking everything. But the little black letters glaring up at you solidified that you should have been more careful.
You had no idea what you were going to tell Draken. The two of you had discussed a future before. But he had always expressed hesitancy with children because of gang affiliation. He never wanted a child to be used against him because it wouldn’t be fair for the child to go through any trauma like that, he would always say. Draken once shared a story about how one guy’s girlfriend was beaten so severely that she went into a coma for days and how he didn’t want his child to be a victim of that treatment either. The memory of that story stings your core and has you grappling for any idea of how to give the news to him.
Draken was finishing up in the shop when you finally emerged from the bathroom, after stuffing the test deep in a cabinet. You couldn’t bring yourself to throw it away just yet. The loud sound of the metal gate to the shop being closed makes you realize the time is coming quickly. Heart racing and nausea setting into your body, you try to pull yourself together to give him this news. No matter his response you were keeping this baby, you just hoped he wanted to as well.
Draken ascends the staircase, his heavy boots clinking on each step. You meet his face the moment he ascends into the loft, a small smudge of grease on his cheekbone. The tears you are desperately trying to hold in spill out almost immediately when he gives you that warm smile. When he sees your tears, his face instantly falls, and he rushes forward to you.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” He asks, concern laced in his tone as he pulls you into a hug. You bury your head into his chest as the sobs come through. He smells like leather and grease, both scents that linger on everything in your tiny little loft.
Trying to pull yourself together, you let out little sniffles as the tears run down your face. Draken rubs slow circles in the middle of your back that always does wonders to calm you down. You take in a shaky breath and pull back to face him. His face is filled with worry, his brows furrowed, and his mouth set in a tight line.
You were never one to beat around the bush; so you let the words tumble out as you move your gaze to the ground, “I’m pregnant.” And then you wait for the inevitable negative response from him that you’re sure is coming. But instead, you are met with shock when you’re lifted off your feet and up into the air. Your shocked expression meets Draken’s broad smile and bright eyes.
“Why were ya crying? This is exciting news!” The joy in his voice radiates through all of you, and you can’t help more tears from falling as he sets you down and cups your face with his hands. “It is mine, right?” He adds jokingly with a wink trying to lift your spirits.
You giggle and tap his broad chest lightly with your palm. “Of course it’s yours. You know I’m addicted to that thing,” you jest back and gesture towards his crotch. “I thought you didn’t want kids,” your tone becomes a little more serious as you stare into his dark eyes.
“Well,” he chuckles, moving one of his hands to rub the back of his head. “I never wanted them to be a part of my lifestyle because of Toman, but once I met you, I knew if it was going to happen, you’d be the one to convince me. Just never expected it to just happen.” You can see the joy in every bit of his face though, from the crinkle in his eyes to the broad smile. Your heart swells at his words, anxiety melting away. He wanted this, and he wanted to go on this journey with you.
You can’t help but laugh at him, “You know how babies are made, right?”
A blush appears across his cheeks as he nervously laughs, “Well yeah, but-”
“Well then, my love, we do a lot of that,” you say to him in a sultry voice.
Draken grins at you devilishly and pulls you into a deep kiss, soft lips moving perfectly against your own. This was the start of an exciting but scary new journey for the two of you, but you couldn’t wait to see Draken as a dad. You had no doubt he’d be perfect.
The next nine months were filled with every emotion you could possibly name. Happiness, worry, joy, sadness, and the list goes on and on. You were one of the lucky mothers who didn’t have to deal with the dreaded morning sickness; you did however, have food aversion, specifically to meat. Draken was always there, rubbing your back when the tears from nowhere would sprout, making multiple trips out to get you something that wouldn’t upset your stomach, and reassuring you this moment would pass. He was your rock.
But the most exciting part of your early pregnancy was receiving your blood test results–well, it was technically the baby’s blood test. But when you saw the name of your clinic pop up on your phone, you rushed quickly to answer it. Draken was downstairs in the shop talking to a customer, so he would have to wait to hear the news. Even though the call was short and sweet it had your heart pounding loudly in your chest. Thankfully, the test came back negative for any indication of abnormalities that they could pick up at ten weeks. Before your doctor gave you the information you were dying for, she confirmed that you wanted to hear the sex of the baby, and you could hardly let her finish the question before you blurted out a “yes!"
The moment she told you, you couldn’t stop the grin from coming across your face. You and Draken had made a little bet at the start of your pregnancy, and you had officially won it. Satisfaction pulsed through your veins. Even though you would have been elated with either a boy or a girl, it was such a good feeling to know you were right. A little victory from all the havoc your body was currently putting you through.
You were waiting not so patiently for Draken to finish up with his customer, leaning over the metal railing you look down into the shop. It sounded like they were finishing up, the customer saying he would return this evening with a down payment for a bike Draken had been trying to sell this whole month.
As soon as the bells on the front door signal it has shut, you call out to Draken, "Ken! Can you come up here, please?” You try to keep your excitement down, but you could hear the quiver in your voice as you called out to him.
Draken doesn’t even question you as his heavy footsteps clink against the metal stairway. He greets you with a bright smile, and before you can say anything, he says, “I heard you on the phone; it sounded like the doctor. What did she say?” The words rush out quickly; it’s cute to see him so excited.
“Well, first and foremost, everything is fine,” you pause for dramatic effect, loving the way Draken’s eyes light up at that. “And, wait, are you sure you want to know what the baby is?” You ask, knowing he’s going to want to hear the news; you just can’t stop yourself from playing with him.
“Come on now, babe, just tell me!” He whines as he approaches you, placing his large hand on your non-existent pregnancy bump. Warmth radiates through you at the little action. “I’m dying here,” he pleads as his eyes make contact with yours.
“It’s a girl,” you squeak and then squeal as Draken lifts you off the ground in a tight embrace much like he did the night he found out you were pregnant. He’s laughing, loud but beautiful. You aren’t sure if you’ve ever seen him so joyful. His reactions bring joyful stinging tears to your eyes.
As he puts you down gently, you notice he’s tearing up himself. Your heart flutters at sight; there is no doubt in your mind that he’s going to be a great father to your little girl. A perfect girl dad if you say so yourself.
The two of you spend the rest of your time together until the evening discussing possible names, what she’ll be like, and who she will look more like. You can’t think of a time you’ve ever been happier. Here with your little growing family was exactly where you were meant to be.
You aren’t sure if you would’ve survived those first three months without Draken. It felt like your body was changing daily, and only amplified more when the second trimester hit. Around this time, you finally noticed a slight bump poking out from your previously flat abdomen. It’s almost impossible not to lay your hand on it–on her, waiting for the tiniest bit of movement that you wouldn’t feel for at least a few more months.
Draken couldn’t resist either. His hand always found your little protruding bump every night as you lay together, back snuggled into his broad chest. It felt safe and comfortable, the three of you so close together. Your heart ached pleasantly whenever you realized this was going to be your little family.
Your second trimester was a breeze; food aversion was gone, you were sleeping better, and you didn’t feel so fatigued that you might fall over. Your little bump was growing every day, and you loved watching her development through your pregnancy app. Everything felt right with the world and you stupidly thought your last trimester would be a breeze.
And then it hit you like a train. All that energy you gained during the second trimester you were sure was to help you power through these last three months. Everything ached; you felt like a whale even though Draken assured you that you were the most beautiful person he had ever seen. You couldn’t wait to get your intruder out of you but also realized that you would miss this time. Things would be so different once she was out in the world. A melancholy feeling overtook you if you thought about it too much.
It’s your thirty-ninth week of pregnancy as you are processing all these feelings, laid out on your tiny beat-up couch, trying to get the swelling in your ankles to go down when you feel a rush of wet go through your underwear and soak right through your leggings.
Immediately you call for Draken in a panicked tone, knowing that either your water just broke or, much less likely, you lost control of your bladder. He comes bounding up the stairs, boots clanging on the metal you can hear the concern in the stomp of his footsteps. His wide eyes meet your form as you begin explaining your water just broke.
In a frenzy, both of you jump into action. You change your clothes and confirm that your bladder was not the cause of your damp leggings. Draken grabs your hospital bag, and the two of you hurry (more of a quick waddle for you) to the car to rush to the hospital.
And what seems like a lifetime of waiting and pain that you can’t accurately describe, the two of you welcome a screaming baby girl into the world. Little Hoshi Ryuguji burst into the two of your lives, and unbeknownst to the two of you, would change your lives forever. You can still remember the moment Draken got to hold her. His tall, imposing figure awkwardly cradled her tiny one. His eyes fixated on her as she grips tightly onto his long finger. You wish you could have got it on camera but the memory will be stuck in your mind forever.
As you lay in the hospital bed, entirely spent, sleep begging to pull you away, you watch them with heavy eyes and don’t miss the moment Draken whispers to her, “I’ll do anything to protect you and mama."
Your heart is so full at that moment that you can’t even imagine anything else that would make your life complete. Your perfect little family.