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Flambae never got what he wanted.
It was like some fucked up form of karma, something preventing him from having nice things.
He wasn't lucky enough to be born the right gender- no, he had to change that himself. He wasn't lucky enough to have an actually likeable personality, he'd tried to change, but it was so easy to fall back on his natural anger when some assholes tested him. He wasn't lucky enough to have better control over his powers. He'd burned so many people as a kid, almost killed his sister too. He'd burned so many bridges, both metaphorical and physical, because he was unfortunate enough to be born with fire abilities and too much anger in his bones.
And he wasn't lucky enough to have a functional reproductive system.
Even after his transition, when he fully embraced his masculinity, Chad wanted kids. He never thought too hard about it, labeling it as a “future Chad” thing, but deep down he'd always wanted to experience pregnancy, childbirth, having a close bond with his kids like his own parents did with him and his sister. All those things. Gender be damned.
But then the doctors told him that his powers prevented it. That all of his irregular periods were because he burned his uterine lining too often for any pregnancy to ever stick.
He'd only gotten pregnant once after learning that- while in a relationship with the biggest douchebag he'd ever met. He'd been in his early twenties, pretty early into his proper transition, and excited despite the unexpected discovery.
And then there was an accident, and Chad burned too hot, and. . .
He still had his baby boy's ashes, hidden away in a box full of baby things at his parent's house. He couldn't bring himself to take it back, to remember that night.
It had been what drove him to villainy, to letting his emotions out one fire at a time.
Committed, long-term relationships were hard to come across after that. Nobody wanted the infertile villain. So, Chad ignored his wants, and focused on his needs.
His need for companionship that led to many a night bar hopping, filling his bed with whatever man caught his eye. His need for just one more burn, which led to his arrest at the hands of Mecha Man.
His need to be good, which was what made him agree to sign up for the Phoenix Program.
And even after being arrested, and his years spent in prison, and even more years of therapy, Chad still wanted.
Something he could never have.
-~-~-~-~-
The Phoenix Program was good for him, more than good really. It got him hooked up with a damn good therapist, he was using his powers for actually good things now, he had a whole fucked up sort-of family, and more recently, an amazing boyfriend.
His attraction to Robert completely blindsided him, considering the man was Mecha Man, the man who took his fingers and tossed him behind bars. He was over all that though, it'd helped him pull his head out of his ass. Robert also just, genuinely wasn't his type. Chad preferred bigger guys, ones who could throw him around a little, not sad little twunks with pathetic wet cow eyes.
It must've been Robert's personality though, his kindness and selflessness and deep well of care, that made Chad overlook his appearance until he genuinely started to fall in love with it.
Their relationship was still fairly new, and yet it was everything Chad had ever wanted in a partner.
And it helped that his family adores Robert, only making it easier to imagine a future with him.
It led to countless conversations, talking about the future and what they wanted.
“I never really thought of kids, to be honest,” Robert admitted, voice soft and sleepy. Chad had gotten him a new bed, and they'd spent most of that night trying it out, “I mean, I think I'd like to have a kid, but I'm scared I'll fuck it up. End up like my dad, y'know?” He sighed.
Chad spent a good while watching Robert, eyeing the way he stared up at the ceiling, the tight line of his lips, the column of his throat as he swallowed, then tucked himself against his boyfriend's side.
“I wanted kids,” He murmured, voice little more than a quiet lilt in the dead of night.
“But you don't now?” Robert asked, an arm wrapping around Chad's shoulders, fingers burrowed into his thick hair. Robert may be the smaller of the two, but Chad was the one who always laid on top of him and cuddled against him. He may be a little clingy.
Chad shrugged his shoulders, shimmying himself down until his head rested on Robert's scarred, slightly cool chest.
“I think I'll always want kids, but it's not possible. The powers, they fucked up my uterus, made me basically infertile,” He muffled against his boyfriend's chest, feeling his arms tighten around him.
“I'm sorry,” Robert whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of Chad's head. He sounded genuinely apologetic, rather than replying automatically.
“S’fine, I'm over it.” Chad shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't over it.
They never really talked more about it after that, save the few times they babysat Chad's niece and baby fever hit him so hard he couldn't stop crying afterward. They'd discussed adoption and surrogacy when that happened, but Chad turned them down every time.
They weren't bad options, just not what he wanted.
Chad never brought it up again, until he began to suspect he was going through early menopause.
He took testosterone regularly, but not nearly enough, not like he used to. He still let himself have periods occasionally. But then he realized he'd gone a few months without a bleed, and dove down a research rabbit hole.
-~-~-~-~-
“‘Bae, it's not menopause,” Robert told him for the nth time, almost sounding tired with this repetition.
“It is!” Chad insisted again, burying his hands in his hair and tugging. He'd found three grey strands- three! Three little silvery streaks growing by his temples, and he hadn't had a period in almost five months. One or two months in between was normal for him, with the t-shots, but any longer was concerning strictly because of the whole- his fire burns the unused uterine lining, thing. Whatever it was.
“Chad, it might be an age thing, but it's not menopause,” Robert sighed, standing up. Chad vaguely registered the sounds of his hips and knees popping, and made a mental note to give him a massage later. When he wasn't having a crisis.
“Are you calling me old?” He hissed defensively, feeling his shoulders smoking.
“No,” Robert told him firmly. He placed his hands on Chad's shoulders, and he automatically lowered his temperature to avoid burning him, “I'm literally saying you're too young to be going through menopause. You're in your thirties, in your prime. I guarantee that won't be an issue for at least another thirty years,” Robert explained gently, trailing his hands down Chad's arms until he was holding his hands, tugging lightly until Chad obliged and leaned down for a kiss.
It was chaste, a quick peck of lips before Chad straightened again, a little more embarrassed now.
“You don't think it's weird? That I'm so butthurt by this?” He murmured, avoiding Robert's gaze until the smaller man grabbed his chin and forced him to look at him, eyes so incredibly soft and full of love.
“Baby, nothing about it is weird. This is a part of you that you love, so I'll support you through it all,” He said, endearingly sweet.
Chad grumbled, ducking his head to hide his flushed face against Robert's shoulder.
It wasn't even just that later, there were more little things Chad noticed, things that nobody else picked up, but were so obvious to him.
His powers began to act up- a common menopause symptom for supers. He'd get random hot flashes even when he wasn't using his ability, and his powers would randomly weaken throughout the day. He'd fucked up a lot of missions because his fire just wouldn't stay lit.
It was pretty fucking dangerous to put it lightly. And it happened often enough that he was rarely dispatched alone anymore. Robert claimed it was just until they figured out what was wrong, but he knew the answer already. It was something that should have him taking on lighter tasks with the risk of weaker powers, and he fucking hated it.
Prism picked up on it too- told him he's too much of a bad bitch to let whatever's going on take him down. He appreciated it, but didn't tell her his suspicions. It really put it into perspective just how young his bestie is, and isn't that just fucked? Him getting along with someone ten years his junior better than anyone else. She didn't have to know about his shit, not when it wasn't even a concern for her yet.
He was also moodier, more prone to snapping. He scheduled more appointments with his therapist when his anger issues only seemed to get worse, but there really wasn't any sort of cause to it all. No preventative measures to take.
Chad would get irritated over anything, yell at Robert about it, and then cry in such quick succession that Robert was left floundering for what to do.
Those nights were the hardest for both of them. Chad always refused any sort of affection when he knows he fucked up, so he'd end up sleeping on the couch to avoid Robert trying to cuddle him better, and wake up with a sore back and even worse mood. Sometimes when it got really bad, he'd wake up to Robert tucked between himself and the couch- the man wedging himself in there during the night for some fucking reason, and start crying because Robert was trying so hard to support him, and Chad kept pushing him away.
On one particular day where it got that bad, they both ended up taking a sick day, and spent it cuddling in bed with Chad crushing Robert and Robert not letting him up.
Chad also started forgetting things. It was just little things, like where he put his phone or what day the trash needed taken out. It almost made him feel like Robert, who still had frequent gaps in his memory from the coma.
Admittedly, Chad did find it a little funny when both of them lost the same thing. It was never funny in the moment, but later they'd laugh about the absurdity of sharing their forgetfulness.
Worse than all that though, was the weight gain.
Chad had always been strict about his diet, something necessary for his line of work coupled with the intensity of his powers. He needed lots of calories, more fuel for the fire, so to speak. But lately he'd had trouble with certain foods that he never had before, so he'd had to change some things around. He was just assuming it was another menopause symptom, one of those ones that wasn't talked about often. His mādar had told him something similar once, about how she stopped enjoying certain tastes and smells as she got older. Chad assumed this was similar.
He also couldn't stand certain smells anymore, like alcohol. It led to many nights out cancelled, and lots of FOMO.
And then he started gaining weight. It wasn't a lot, nobody even noticed it, but Chad did, and he couldn't stand it.
He's a hero for fuck’s sake, he needs to stay fit, especially with the way he fights.
But it was another menopause thing he knew about, only adding to the seemingly never-ending tally of other symptoms that lined up.
And he absolutely made it Robert’s problem.
“It's not that noticeable," Robert told him after Chad complained, not looking too bothered by the older man's irritation.
“Then you're clearly fucking blind,” Chad scoffed. He stood in front of their full body mirror, fully naked and eyeing the little bit of pudge on his abdomen, “Like, look at this shit, my suit doesn't cover this!” He grumbled.
Robert hummed, sidling close and eyeing Chad like a predator watching their prey, then he plastered himself against Chad's back and wrapped his arms around the older's waist.
“Well, I like it,” Robert murmured, his voice taking on that sultry tone that usually implied something Chad did was turning him on.
“Really?” Chad frowned, glaring at his reflection for a beat longer.
“Mhm, it means you're loved,” He explained simply. Robert's hands trailed down the subtle softness of his abs, along the tiny pouch forming on his lower belly, and rested on the little line of padding above his hips, “Besides, I'm gaining weight too,” He added as an afterthought.
Chad scoffed out a laugh, placing his hands over Robert's as the smaller man grabbed his hips, face pressed comfortably against Chad's warm back.
“Yeah, healthy weight,” He bit back, but it was true. Robert was doing well in the gym, back to a decent muscle mass and much healthier weight. He was less scrawny now, not as sad to look at.
“Maybe so, but we're still gaining weight together. Think of it as. . . I dunno, relationship goals,” Robert said, arms wrapped more snuggly around Chad's waist.
“Dork,” Chad snorted, shaking his head. It did make him feel a little better though, even when he made the executive decision to work out a little more.
And over time the weight wasn't his biggest issue. He didn't gain much more than what he already had, apart from major bloating when he ate a big meal, which was a little embarrassing to him.
It was the random aches and pains that really began to bother him. It wasn't nearly as bad as it could be, not like with Robert, but it was distracting on a good day, and borderline debilitating on a bad one.
He'd get little aches in his back, or his abdomen, especially after a hard shift. When they got really bad, Chad would have Robert just hold his cold hands there, the chill of his fingers and the gentle pressure enough to chase the discomfort away most days. If he couldn't have Robert help, then Chad would make do with ice packs.
And his chest, it was the worst. It felt constantly irritated, like his suit was chafing him, and extra tender and swollen.
Thankfully it wasn't too noticeable of a change- they were still his pecs and he could still show off all the hard work he put into maintaining them, but his chest felt a little extra puffy, especially around his nipples.
And worst of all, sex was so painful now. He felt dryer than usual down there, leading to extra prep. Not only that, but once they finally got to the penetrative part, Chad couldn't get off like usual, and it constantly made it feel like uncomfortable pressure was building in his guts. So, they didn't fuck as often as they used to, and Chad felt like the worst partner ever.
“Chad, it's okay,” Robert murmured softly, pressing gentle little kisses all over Chad's face. He stood between the taller man's legs by the bed, cool hands rubbing up and down the sensitive skin of his thighs, standing chest to chest.
“But I can't fucking. . . Provide anymore, I'm dryer than a fucking desert down there, Robert,” Chad hissed out, irritated.
Robert pecked a few firmer kisses against his lips, hands slowly trailing paths up his body. Up the tense muscles in his thighs, up the hipbones that felt weirdly more prominent, up the barely noticeable lining of fat above it, up the sore muscles and puffy pecs, all the way up past his neck to cup his cheeks.
“And that's okay. We don't have to have sex every night, you know I'm more than happy to cuddle,” The man whispered against Chad's lips, kissing him again before he could protest, “I'm serious, Chad. You're like my personal weighted blanket, just cuddles are more than alright with me.”
“You're such a sap, goddamn bitch,” Chad grumbled without any heat behind it. He was mad at himself, not Robert. Never Robert.
He leaned out of Robert's hold, shuffling back to pull his legs onto his bed and lean forward against his knees to bump his forehead against his boyfriend's chest, enjoying the sound of his heartbeat.
This angle- the way he hunched over himself, pushed his stomach out more, and Chad stared blankly at the bloating. In a perfect world, he could almost imagine it as a pregnancy bump, but this wasn't a perfect world, and he was just gaining stupid weight because his stupid body fucking hated him.
Even still, he couldn't help but caress the sore stretch of skin with one hand, couldn't help but want.
Always wanting.
“Alright,” Robert spoke up after a long few minutes of peace, leaning down to kiss the top of Chad's head briefly before he climbed into bed. He laid back against the pillows, arms spread out, “Now get over here and suffocate me.”
“Azizam,” Chad laughed, “Babe, seriously. Is this some weird, fucked up kink or something? You enjoy me crushing you way too much to be normal,” Chad snarked, but crawled over obediently. He settled between Robert's legs, lowering himself until he was laid comfortably along the lean line of his boyfriend's body.
“Not a kink,” Robert chuckled, wrapping his arms around Chad, “You're just warm and comfy.”
-~-~-~-~-
Chad woke up feeling fine. Far from perfect, but slightly more okay than in recent months. Even still, he was fucking tired, and briefly considered taking a sick day to get some extra sleep.
He and Robert were trying to save up for a vacation later in the year though, so he'd rather not miss any days. So, Chad dragged himself out of bed and trudged through his usual morning routine, just as groggy as Robert got before his first coffee of the day.
Chad got an ice cold shower, which helped to wake him up, went through his morning skincare routine, then worked the fireproof gel into his hair as he pulled it up for the day.
While he was getting into his costume, it felt a little extra snug on his stomach, but nothing too extreme. Chad checked himself out in the mirror, muttered his usual daily affirmations, then stretched his arms above his head to work the lingering tiredness out of his bones. He hissed and stopped mid-stretch when a sharp, stabbing pain ground through his lower back.
Chad dropped his hands, pressing them against the spot as the intensity ramped up, then all at once it faded, leaving him more than a little confused.
It felt a little like some of the period cramps he used to get, when his hormones were still out of whack and the testosterone hadn't dulled them yet. Maybe he was getting a very, very late period? It'd been a while since his last one, like, ten-ish months he's pretty sure.
Chad shrugged it off and wandered into the kitchen to make a quick breakfast, only to find that Robert had beat him there.
They shared a quick, light meal, trading playful quips since Chad was in a much better, less snippy mood. When food was eaten and dishes done, Chad drove both of them to the office. The sharp stings in his back were persistent, but not bad enough for Chad to worry about.
They shared a quick goodbye kiss, then Robert was off to his desk with Beef in tow, and Chad was putting his stuff away in his locker.
Another, more insistent pain lanced through him, and Chad took a moment to breathe through it until it faded.
“You good ‘Bae?” Prism asked, eyeing him from where she stood by her own locker. She'd been applying some gloss to her lips, but turned her full attention to Chad when he stood still for a little too long.
“Mhm, might be my period? Inconvenient fucking cramps,” Chad huffed, rubbing at the more painful spot near his tailbone.
“Ugh, feel you there,” She winced sympathetically, bumping their shoulders together, “If you need a tampon, I got plenty. Just let me know, Boo.”
Chad agreed, and they chatted about random other bullshit while regrouping with the rest of the Z-Team.
The others proved to be a decent enough distraction from the sharp pangs torturing Chad, as well as the hero work keeping his mind off of it.
It was still there though, angry and coiling in his lower spine, almost down to his ass. The longer it went on, the more the pain seemed to shift, and the more intense it got. It slowly spread over his hips, settling at his lower abdomen in sharp stabs.
By the time lunch break rolled around, the pains were more consistent, leaving Chad vaguely nauseous.
He stood at Robert's desk, too out of it to really focus on what the man was saying. Chad leaned forward, bracing himself on the desk while trying to stretch his back, as if that would help the pain building back up.
Robert made a concerned noise, and his cold hands settled on the hurting spot, dulling the sharpness of it a bit. Chad breathed out, then grabbed one of Robert's hands and moved it to his front, holding it over where the pain was gathering in his belly. The muscles there tightened and released with the next cramp, strung with tension, and twitching with the pain, almost like something was moving beneath his skin.
“Are you okay, Chad?” Robert asked. He gently massaged his fingers into both of the hurting areas, which helped a little bit.
“Mhm,” He hummed, closing his eyes.
“You need to eat,” Robert insisted.
Chad just grunted, shaking his head.
“M’not hungry,” He said, “I might go take a nap instead.” He pulled back from Robert's soothing hands.
“Okay, but you need to eat later. You get on my ass enough about skipping meals,” Robert tried to joke, but there was a worried shine in his pathetic puppy eyes.
“We'll see,” Chad sighed. He hesitated a moment, then glanced around to make sure nobody was watching before dipping down for a quick kiss. When he walked away, he went straight to the bathroom to check for any bleeding, but there was nothing.
It was partway through second shift that the pain really began ramping up.
Chad could barely breathe, feeling like any amount of movement was making it worse. It was so bad apparently, that when he and Prism were supposed to be sent off to deal with some sort of riot, his bestie took one look at him and told Robert no. She then grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hall- further away from the flight pad, and closer to the med bay.
“What?” Chad frowned confused.
“You ain't workin’ like this ‘Bae. If it is just your period, then you can get some painkillers and sleep it off, but something's wrong,” Prism told him, voice firm but laced with concern.
Chad felt his blood heat at that, heat pulsing in his chest and out to his limbs. Fuck, she was right. This shit wasn't normal.
He barely processed the change in scenery when they reached SDN's small medical center- they only had a few doctors and nurses employed there, and three rooms. One equipped for supers, a normal exam room, and an office for the on-site therapist. He almost felt numb when he was deposited on an exam bed and Prism was forced to leave.
He was asked questions, and answered without really thinking too hard, but couldn't help but panic at the lack of a certain person.
“Where's Robert?” He asked, voice sounding strange to his own ears.
“Robert Robertson? The new dispatcher?” The nurse asked, pausing their note-taking when Chad nodded his head, “What relation does he have to you?” They continued, and Chad glared at the dumb bitch, anger overriding the numb fear.
Fucking everyone knew they were together, what the fuck?
“My boyfriend,” He answered anyway, past grit teeth. The pain wasn't really helping his anger, sending sharp agony through his hips. It made him all too aware of the pressure building in his pelvis, the feeling so strong he was convinced his bones were about to crack apart.
“We'll notify him shortly, but he might not be down until his shift is over,” The nurse warned.
Chad's glare deepened, smoke hissing off of his skin.
“Fuck that, if something's wrong then I need him here!” He snapped, standing up.
The pressure increased, and Chad froze when it burst, a liquid gushing down his thighs and splattering on the floor. Immediately the pain ceased, petering off before returning like a crashing wave.
Chad gasped, bracing himself on the table as it built, getting worse and worse while some hard shape shifted in his gut, like a weight dropping.
The nurse flagged the rest of the medical team, and in Chad's panic he barely processed the rushed physical exam until he was being guided out of the exam room, down the hall and into the room better suited for supers with strength or elemental abilities.
Chad stumbled over his own feet, the heat of his core spiking alongside his stress.
“What was that? What's going on? Why-” He cut himself off with a groan, resisting the hands trying to push him onto the almost-everything-proof mattress.
“Sir,” One of the nurses tapped at his cheek, and Chad glared at them for the fucking audacity of the bitch, “You're in active labor.”
He's what?
Chad laughed, sharp and bitter and half delirious, and gestured to his hurting body half-heartedly.
“Fucking look at me bitch, do I look pregnant to you?” He snapped, fed up with these assholes.
“Well I'm sorry, but you are very much pregnant and you have to push, like, now,” The nurse said, guiding Chad into leaning over, arms braced on the bed while another nurse removed his costume.
Chad had half a mind to yell at them, to make them stop touching him and stop taking his fucking clothes off, but then the nurse's words sank in, and his brain screamed at him to push.
Chad clenched his teeth and bore down. The pressure of pushing was almost a relief, lessening the pain as it rushed over him. He didn't know whether to feel fear or mortification though, because something was coming out of him and he didn't believe a damn word these people said.
He couldn't be having a baby, he wasn't pregnant! He'd been taking testosterone this whole time, he'd been doing dangerous, active hero work this whole time, using his fire often enough to prevent something like this.
But then the pain heightened to a burning agony between his legs, and Chad screamed with the next push, and he was struck by the reality that they were telling the truth.
Oh fuck, they were right.
His panic heightened, breaths increasing in intensity as all his worries and fears came crashing around him.
What if he fucked them up? What if the testosterone ruined their health? What if his fire damaged them? What if they came out like his son had, all those years ago? Burnt beyond recognition, skin melted and no breath in his lungs.
Despite his efforts to control it, Chad's flames reacted to his heightened emotions, roaring to life along his back and evaporating whatever sweat had gathered there.
He was just so scared, and in so much fucking pain.
Chad slumped forward, gripping fistfuls of the sheets beneath his hands, heaving. Any tears that gathered in his eyes were whisked away as steam, but it didn't stop him from crying, from freaking out at the idea of killing another baby.
Because he wanted so fucking bad, but he wasn't allowed to have it.
With the next wave of contractions, Chad continued pushing, pained cries accompanying the sound of crackling flames. The horrible burning between his legs increased, stretching until he swore he'd tear, and then- relief.
Chad couldn't stop himself from collapsing, legs weakening and sending his knees crashing into the tiled floor. He pressed his face against the mattress, feeling his heart preemptively shatter into a million tiny pieces as a few people quickly shuffled out of the room.
He messed up, he messed up again, it was gone already.
Then his thoughts were interrupted by a shrill cry.
His breath caught in his throat at the sound, at the little spark of life that he was half convinced he was hallucinating.
Chad was helped onto the bed, one of the nurses thankfully having the decency to get him into some sweatpants once the afterbirth slipped out while Chad was distracted. It was only when he was settled against the pillows that the doctor approached, holding a hastily wrapped bundle out to him.
“Congratulations, you have a healthy little girl,” They said as Chad accepted the pile of fabric.
Her weight settled against his chest, and Chad felt his heart stop when he finally saw her. A perfect little clone of his partner. She had a little puff of brown hair- still slightly damp, pale skin and pouty little lips. She was beautiful, and completely untouched by his flames, unblemished and not a speck of ash in sight.
His little girl's crying slowed to soft hiccups and huffy breaths, and Chad instinctively adjusted the blanket around her, covering her little body, her ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, her angrily flushed cheeks. She settled snuggly against his bare chest, calming as she was returned to the warmth she was familiar with.
“Oh my love, my Setara, my little Star,” He crooned to his daughter.
And then he was ugly crying.
That was how the others found him later, with his face tucked against his daughter's head, breathing in her newborn smell while tears dripped onto her blanket.
The door slammed open unceremoniously, and Chad heard the nurses yelling something about “you can't be in there!” while Robert marched in with all the determination of a charging bull.
Robert crossed the room, climbed right onto the bed with Chad despite further protests from the nurses, and sat on his knees as he gathered Chad into his arms. Chad slumped into his hold, a few more tears escaping his eyes.
Robert pressed a handful of firm kisses to the top of Chad's head, breaths stuttering out of him in a way that Chad knew meant he was about to cry, but was too stubborn to let it out.
Robert spent a few moments just breathing and holding Chad, before his tight hold relaxed and he tucked his chin against the taller man's head, peering down at the peaceful bundle on his chest.
“You’re holding a baby,” He mumbled, very intelligently.
“Yeah, she was just in me apparently,” Chad snorted, shaking his head. Robert seemed like he was still processing it, which was fair. Neither of them really planned out what to do if they suddenly gave birth outta nowhere.
Robert hummed, “She doesn't look like you,” He whispered, something sad in his tone.
“Bitch, you better not be disappointed, I made her,” Chad protested, tilting his head back to glare at his boyfriend.
Robert chuckled, kissing his cheek. He raised a hand to support the napping baby, feeling the weight of their whole future.
“I'm not, promise. You did a good job, darling, she's perfect.” Another kiss punctuated his words, and Chad hid his face against Robert's shoulder when more tears slipped free.
“I'm sorry,” Robert murmured suddenly, and Chad huffed a laugh.
“For what? You did the impossible, you gave me a baby. I love you so fucking much right now,” He told his idiot boyfriend.
He couldn't see it, but he guaranteed Robert had a silly grin on his lips.
The door opened again, somehow more aggressively than Robert's entry, and the nurses outside sounded overwhelmingly disappointed in everyone.
“Oh my god!” Prism announced her presence, voice choked with sudden emotion, “Is that a baby ‘Bae?”
Chad sniffled, dried his tears, and looked at all their friends falling over themselves in the doorway, Alice fighting to be front and center.
“Surprise bitches, the oven isn't busted,” He joked weakly. Most of the team knew about him being trans, after one too many drunken rants. Only Alice knew about his fertility issues, how he always wanted a baby, how he almost had one in the past.
Alice pushed past everyone and slipped into the room, perching herself on Chad's other side to snap a quick selfie, then focused all her attention on the little family.
“She's so precious, ‘Bae. Your genes didn't even try though! All that work and she looks like daddy number two,” She teased, softening as she hugged Chad.
“You should sue, for uh, genetic interference,” Sonar piped up from the doorway, yelping as Malevola swatted his arm.
Chad snorted inelegantly, jolting Setara and pulling an angry whine from her. He stroked a finger down her itty bitty nose, calming her.
“Maybe I should, he's lucky I love him,” He murmured, to the teasing jeers from the rest of the team, Then added to Alice, “Send that picture to my sister, I don't know where the fuck my phone went. . . Shiiit, and ask her to get formula and bottles, I don't have any supplies.” The realization sent a stab of panic through his chest, but Robert tightened his hold on him in a nicely grounding way.
“We can help with that,” Golem spoke up from the very back of the group, still outside the room.
“Oh feck yeah, shopping trip for the little babe! All those little socks,” Punch Up wiped an imaginary tear from his eye.
Coupé rested a hand on top of Punch Up's head, nodding in agreement, “We will get everything set up for you, don't worry,” Her sharp gaze dropped to the bundle in Chad's arms, then back up to his face, “She is very small, I will dedicate myself to protecting her.”
It was oddly touching.
“Thank you guys, really,” Chad said, voice uncharacteristically soft.
“Don't mention it babes. Rest up, we'll put together a pretty kickass nursery for junior over there,” Malevola said, hefting her sword up in preparation to open a portal.
Alice tucked her phone in her pocket, quickly squeezing Chad again and lightly booping Setara’s nose before getting up.
“I should go with the peanut gallery, make sure they get only the best for my niece,” She sighed, adding before she reached the doorway, “Nora’s on her way with some essentials and clothes.”
“Oh thank fuck,” Chad groaned. He very much wanted a shirt right now.
“Mhm, see ya' ‘Bae and baby ‘Bae. And Roberto, if you do this to my boy again, I'm castrating you,” Alice warned, then followed the others out.
He felt Robert shudder, and eased a hand out from under Setara to pat his shoulder.
“Don't worry babe, I like your balls too much to let her do that,” He teased.
Robert chuckled, pressing a handful of kisses to Chad's face like he wasn't allowed to when their friends had been watching.
“She's remarkably calm,” Robert commented as they watched their daughter snuffle against Chad's hairy chest.
“That's just because I'm warm and familiar,” Chad pointed out, taking a minute to realize what Setara was trying to do as she rooted around, “Oh, jigaram, there's nothing there. You have to wait for Auntie Nora to get here,” He cooed, moving her away from his nipple before she got any ideas. He had no way of producing milk naturally, not after getting full top surgery so long ago.
Star cried in protest, kicking her little legs valiantly against the blanket swaddling her.
“Feisty,” Robert chuckled, reaching into the blanket to hold one of her hands between his thumb and index finger. Their daughter squeezed his finger, blinking open warm brown puppy eyes as her sobs calmed for the time being.
Chad leaned in to kiss her forehead, laughing when she squeaked at the texture of his stubble.
He settled back against Robert, content as he held his whole world in his arms.