written in melancholic melodies, sculpted in stardust. feet firmly in the same place, but a curious soul who wanderers through the veil of moonlight. hearts that yearns for the unknown are always granted by hands that can gift them a reality that only dreamers can behold. đ đŠđ đđđ đŠđđđ đđđ.
Š celestemona. all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, repost, or adapt my work. unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution in any form on any platform is strictly prohibited.
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! this is a mostly sfw, family!au and main female reader blog. if i ever interact with nsfw content, it'll be tagged with #nsfw. you're always welcome here as long as you follow the basic respect criteria.
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ۜৠitâs so nice to have you here! thereâs not too much to see or peek at, but donât need to feel pressured or shy to interact, if thatâs what you want. my askbox is always open and you can come whenever you feel ready to. just be nice! though i donât show it, being an introverted myself, i love to yap and share headcanons & brainrots. if youâve your own thoughts, suggestions, or constructive feedbacks, share all of them with me.
ۜৠit isnât an exclusive topic on this blog, but iâm huge genshin men as dadsâ simp. however, if you need a push: i do love isekai & historical manhwas, shojo and shonen animes, kpop & nu metal bands. i'm a bts, xg and skz biased (yoongi, riahina, hyunin). i love fantasy contents involving witches, elves, faes, vampires, overall kind of beasts.
ۜৠi'm a yumeship enthusiast though i don't engage with it a lot nor do i talk about my self-inserts ships. if you're curious tho, i'll be glad to share.
⤡ WREA (aka wriolly, aka wriothesley + holly (oc)) & VARISSA (aka varka + alissa (oc))
ۜৠiâm a busy and 247 low energy adult but don't let it stop you.
helloo do you still write genshin dad aus? love them sm
hi there!
at the moment no unfortunately. i'm still on hiatus and to be honest with you i don't even know if i'll be back anytime soon.
thank you for your support tho âĄ
Y'know the little waddle mamas do when they're pregnant? I love it smđđŤśđť There's the careful, shy waddles, the casual waddles and the "Outta my way I'm carrying another person" waddle. I can see all of your mamas doing specific waddles when they're pregnant argjdahdksb it's so cute
Oh gosh I'm crying! This is so cuuute :(
It's funny that I can also see a specific waddle for each of them, but for me, the ones that stand out are Wrio and Cyno's wives.
Wriothesley's wife waddling furiously to some wing of the fortress to break up a fight, crossing the entire prison and even stunning her husband along the way. Wrio can't tell if he's worried or warm-hearted by the vision, but whoever it is, may God have mercy on anyone who makes fun of her walk. Can't you see she's trying her best?!
And Cyno's wife takes all the time walking with him in the desert. Not only is the poor girl carrying two slightly heavy babies at the same time, but keeping up with Cyno rhythm on those hot sands wasn't easy either, yk đ
no bc what if mama user got pregnant bc her husband saw the list of side effects of a birth control, then goes "stop taking it, i can pull out" only to get her pregnant lmao
Help! I can clearly see this happening to all of them, but the pioneer in this would a 100% be Varka đ The moment he absorbed this information, he'd assure you that there are other contraceptive methods that are less harmful to your body in the long run.
"I can pull out my ass" you'd think with two children yelling at each other's ears, one being held in arms while he stares at your growing womb lovingly.
Honorable mentions to:
Kaveh (which is mostly like a win-win situation for himâafter all, you're gifting him with more beautiful girls) WRIOTHESLEY (I mean, he has done a great job for a while. You can't blame the man for forgetting pull out just once.) Ayato. Kazuha. Heizou.
wanderer is back stealing stories, if you are tagged, just know that he has taken your work without permission. his current tumblr url is @wanderer4waffles
**Edit: a lot of these books have already been deleted, but the tagged authors have the right to know about this user and how he's going around stealing and translating works without permission.
even though this absurde has come too late for me, i still can't believe this happened to me. aren't these people ashamed of themselves? like. of course you were going to get caught at some point. no one who steals someone's work, time, and dedication can get away with it for long, especially if you're on the internet.
you should know by now: the internet is not a lawless land.
Varka x Fatui! Reader where in the first time you met, your blade was pressed against his throat. It shouldâve been a clean strike, swift and silent, but instead you found your wrist caught in his massive hand and your smaller figure below his huge and warm body. His blue eyes lit up with surprise, and then, infuriating amusement. âMy⌠Arenât ya a bold little thing,â he rumbled, hoarse voice carrying both amusement and challenge. You had been trained to expect resistance, fear, regretânot this. Not a man who grinned as if your attempt on his life was no more troublesome than an annoying fly buzzing in his ear.
Varka x Fatui! Reader where you didnât give up in accomplishing your mission. No. Rather, you felt motivatedâas if a small flame had been lit inside you, fueled by frustration and anger at having failed so disgracefully and being easily overpowered by Mondstadt's hero. That day, you followed him and his knights from the shadows of the tall snowed pine trees, waiting for the right time he'd be alone while aiming his back.Â
Varka didnât even flinch as the weapon was thrown towards its target. He pivoted, catching your knife midair, the sheer difference in your skills almost insulting. Instead of striking you down, he chuckled and let you retreat. âYouâre persistent,â he smirked at you, eyes shining in amusement, âIâll give you that.â You didnât say anything back as you disappeared in the forest.Â
It stungânot failing again, no. But the way he dismissed you so casually, as if you were already becoming someone he was looking forward to seeing again, someone familiar.Â
You shouldâve shot him.
Varka x Fatui! Reader where your paths kept crossing even though you werenât looking for him. Every encounter you shared began to sharpen into something elseâno longer only threats and iron clashing, but quick, biting remarks that carried an undercurrent you didnât know how to name.Â
Heâd catch your blade mid-swing and quip, âStill aiming for my neck? At least buy me dinner first, kitten.âÂ
Youâd snarl back, masking the heat rising in you, âIâd rather poison it. And donât fucking call me that.âÂ
But his grin would only widen, his grip lingering longer than necessary, his closeness deliberate. The battlefield became secondary to this tensionâthe way his eyes lingered too long, the way your heartbeat betrayed you when his hand brushed your skin. What shouldâve been deadly turned into a dangerous dance you didn't know how to resist anymore.Â
Varka x Fatui! Reader where he had spotted you lurking near the town gates and, before you could vanish into the alleyways, his massive hand closed around your shoulder, warm and unyielding. âAh-ah. Iâm not letting you run away this time, kitten. You owe me a drink,â he'd say pulling you inside the tavern with effortless strength.Â
Though your scowl was clearly visible to anyone who observed you too long and your loud-whispered protests were constant, this only seemed to entertain him further.Â
But what irritated you most was how he acted and was treated as if he owned the place, like a heroic figure everyone was grateful for and flattered him over.
The moment you both sat down, a generous mug of beer was placed in front of each of you, not even ordered. And as you downed the bitter liquid, swallowing your defeat and frustration together, the mondstadian knight only seemed to grow more captivated by the vision of you.
Grinning infuriatingly confident as he leaned closer, his voice dropping low. âYa know. I always thought you're far too pretty to be plotting my death.âÂ
You'd just look away, hiding your face behind your drink and failing miserably to ignore his awful flirtingâhis booming laughter accompanied by a sense of pride and amusement at eliciting an unexpected reaction from you.
Oh. You really couldnât stand this guy.Â
Varka x Fatui! Reader where, as time passed by, you had grown used to his outrageousness, though you tried to convince yourself you despised it. When he teased, you snapped; when he laughed, you scowledâyet the rhythm between you had begun to feel dangerously comforting, almost like⌠belonging.Â
One night, your dagger finally grazed his cheek and drew the first drop of his blood. The sight should've thrilled youâyou were each step closer to end all of this, to put an end to all this cat and mouse game. Instead, your pulse spiked for an entirely different reason when his eyes locked onto yours; gleaming with something raw, something hungry, as if the cut was an intimacy only the two of you could share.Â
He leaned closer, so close you could see the curve of his smile and the heat burning in his gaze.
âThere it is,â he murmured, voice roughened with a satisfaction that curled low in your stomach. His thumb pressed the cut softly bringing a drop of his blood to the tongue, flicking the taste of it slow and deliberate before flashing you that wolfish grin. The air between you was heavy, charged with something unknown to you; your lips a breath away from him before you tore your eyes from him, turned sharply and ran away.Â
Flustered, heart hammering, you tried to steady your hand, control your thoughtsâbut the spark in your stomach kept burning. The pull of him lingered like the ghost of a touch you didn't allow yourself to feel.
Varka x Fatui!Reader where the line finally blurred beyond repair. It was no longer just a mission you couldn't accomplish, no longer just a duty unfulfilled, no longer about your loyalty tested and put at stake. It was about something bigger than you, something you never knew, or worseânever allowed yourself to have.
In a pathetic attempt to atone for your sins one last time, you watched everything gone wrong again.Â
The silence between you snapped taut as a bowstringâone of his hands firm at your waist, the other holding your wrist above your head. Still, you held a dagger pointed at his chest. The snowstorm outside muffled the chaos inside, leaving only the sound of your ragged breaths and the thunder of his heartbeat under your blade. His eyes searched yours, wild yet steady, as though daring you to make a choice.Â
You hated the hesitation, hated the way your hand shook not from fear but from anticipation. And then, instead of pushing him away, your grip faltered, your weapon sliding uselessly to the ground.
His grin deepened, lips curling into that smug, proud expression you hated so much, the one you dreamed of ripping off. This time, it was laced with something more dangerous, heavierâsomething you could feel in your fingertips and ignited that familiar heat in your stomach.
âSo youâve made your choice,â he murmured, hands crawling from your wrist to your chin. He leaned in closer and breathed, âThen face the consequences.âÂ
His lips collided with yours in a kiss that was as fierce as desperate. Every bite, every place your hands touched, every time your teeth brushed and tongues intertwined echoed the anger, the longing and the frustration that had been building between you for months. You clung to him instinctively, the tension between duty and desire collapsing into heat, until nothing remained but the two of youâfire against fire, burning fiercely until you returned back to the ashes.
Bea, Alhaitham and Kaveh would make the worst in-laws, weren't they?
So, how do Kazuha and Heizou feel about being in-laws?
theyâre cordial enough with each while on family gathering & etc, but behind the scenes you can always find kaveh bickering with alhaitham or biting his own nails, overthinking about his beloved daughter and hakimâs relationship.
on the other hand, because kazuha and heizou have been good friends for a long time, they rather like the idea of their families merging.
i like to think that kazuha appreciates renâs confidence and perseverance in winning his daughterâs heart. the boy is stubborn and clumsy, yes, but he means well. if he didnât, kazuha would have stepped in a long time ago.
cw: pregnancy. it may be slightly ooc to fit the plot. domesticity and fluff. not beta-read. based on that tiktok trend where husbands lift up their pregnant wives' belly. about varka: written before nod-krai.
reblogs and comments are appreciated âĄ
CYNO
The soft tick of the clock on the wall was the only sound filling the quiet house.
Outside, the early evening breeze in Sumeru rustled through the canopies of the tall palm trees, scattering leaves across the sandy ground and casting shadows across the walls.
Inside, however, you stood at the kitchen's counter with one hand gripping its edge, the other massaging your lower back with a slow, deliberate motion. Your breathing was shallow, sharp around the edges; like every inhale fought for space under the weight pressing down from within you.
The twins were restless again.
Their kicks came like wavesâuneven, unpredictableâtesting the limits of your already strained body. Your belly, stretched full and heavy, felt like a boulder strapped to your front. Your ankles ached, your hips throbbed. And your back⌠oh, your poor back!, burned as if someone had taken a blade and pressed it between your vertebrae, just to see how long youâd endure.
And you werenât even doing much. Not anymore, actually. The bag full of Zaytun Peaches you meant to put away had been sitting on the counter untouched for the past ten minutes. Your tasks had blurred into a fog of discomfort. You just stood thereâfrowning into nothing and feeling the pain running through your bones.
And gods know how much you hated this feeling.
You hated the way your body betrayed you lately. You were a warriorâstrong, proud, used to pushing through pain. But pregnancy showed you it was a different battlefield. One where endurance wasnât measured by brute strength, but by how long you could quietly suffer without snapping.
Across the room, Cyno was staring at youâand he had been doing it for a while now. He never said anything. Not out of neglect, no, but caution.
He always stayed behind watching you though.
Watching the way your fingers trembled when they gripped the countertop too long. The way your shoulders sagged, tight with tension. The tiny winces you tried to hide when you adjusted your stance. The subtle war you fought in silence.
He also hated it.
He knew you wouldnât ask for helpânot out loud, knowing you.
And yet, it wasn't like you need to.
Earlier that week, while escorting a former sage through the city, the General Mahamatra overheard two older women chatting in a sunlit corner of the Grand Bazaar. One of them had been reminiscing about her own pregnancyâhow her husband used to lift her belly up from behind, and how even just a few seconds of relief could feel like heaven.
âI couldâve kissed the man to death every time he did it,â she had laughed with her friend.
The memory returned to Cyno now, as if summoned by instinct.
And then, without a word, he approached you.
His footsteps were soft, deliberate, the kind only a seasoned hunter could make. You didnât notice him until he was directly behind you. Barely turning your head, you offered him a tired glance.
âWhat is it?â you mumbled.
He didnât answer.
Instead, his hands reached forwardâslowly, respectfullyâand slid under the curve of your belly. Not abruptly, nor carelessly. But with purpose and reverence.
And then⌠he lifted.
You gasped.
Your eyes flew open, mouth parting in stunned silence as the weightâthe crushing, exhausting, soul-bending weightâvanished.
âOh praise be to Deshret, Lord of the deserts!â
Your knees nearly buckled from the instant relief, your lungs expanded like they hadnât in days, your spine, once compressed and burning, felt loose, as if the pain had been scrubbed away with a single breath.
You blinked, dazed, overwhelmed by how good it felt.
It was like surfacing from under water after holding your breath till your limit.
Cyno adjusted his hold, lifting gently but firmly, holding your bump as though it were sacred.
And to himâit was.
You let out a noise. A laugh? A sob? Something between the two, he guessed.
âWhy didnât I know you could do this?â you whispered.
âI didnât either,â Cyno said softly, his lips near your ear. âBut I heard someone mention it and Iâve been waiting for the right moment to try.â
âOh, this is definitely the right moment,â you breathed, shutting your eyes.
You stood like that, surrounded by fading sunlight and the soft murmur of the wind outside. You, once tense and withdrawn, now leaned back into him, your hands resting over his, your breath steady and light. Your whole demeanor had shiftedâlike the pain hadnât just lifted from your body, but from your soul.
âCyno, habibi,â you whispered after a while, voice low. âThis is the best thing youâve ever done.â
âBetter than challenging your uncle to a duel for your hand in marriage?â He teased gently, a smile just barely playing at the edge of his voice.
You chuckled briefly and nodded without hesitation, âAbsolutely. I felt that proposal in my heart. But this? I feel it in my spine.â
He chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to your temple.
âIâll do it whenever you need me to.â
âThen I might drag you to follow me everywhere like this for the rest of the pregnancy,â you murmured.
âThen I will.â
There was no sarcasm in his tone, no teasing. Only promises.
You turned your head just enough to see his face over your shoulder, your expression shining nowâsoft and glowing in a way that only deep love could bring. Your pain wasnât gone, not forever, but for that one perfect moment, you werenât carrying them alone.
KAEDEHARA KAZUHA
The late afternoon sun filtered through the shoji screens, casting golden squares across the wooden floor of the Kaedehara household. The smell of simmering rice and miso broth drifted through the air, warm and comforting.
You stood barefoot at the kitchen counter, sleeves rolled up, carefully slicing vegetables for dinner. Your movements were steady but slowâevery step, every twist of your back, each reach for the cutting board made your body ache. Your belly, full and round with your baby daughter, felt heavier than ever.
You exhaled through your nose as you shifted your weight from one foot to the other, the dull ache in your lower back stubbornly pulsing.
Kiyomi had been a whirlwind from the beginning.
Unlike Kazumi, who had been much calmer while in the womb, this little one seemed to never stop. Kicks, rolls, stretches, hiccups. Constant movement, vibrating every cell in your body.
You loved your daughter with all your heart, you really do, but Kiyomiâs restless nature had taken its toll. Every morning, you awoke with stiffness in your hips, and every night you collapsed into bed aching and sore.
And now, just standing here, chopping carrots, you could feel the strain pulling at your spine.
You paused, your knife hovering in midair, and closed your eyes. Your hands went instinctively to the underside of your belly, fingers curling under the curve, as if to hold it upâjust for a second. Just enough toâ
Suddenly, a familiar presence moved behind you.
Without a word, warm hands slid gently beneath your stomach, lifting it just enough to take the weight off your tired frame.
You inhaled sharply at the unexpected sensationânot from pain, but from instant, glorious relief. Your back relaxed. Your shoulders dropped. Your knees, which had been quietly trembling, felt steady again.
âOhâŚâ you moaned, eyes fluttering shut. âOh, Archons. Kazu⌠that feels amazingâŚâ
Kazuhaâs chuckle was soft against your ear. âI thought it might.â
You felt him behind you fully nowâhis chest pressed to your back, his arms cradling your belly with the utmost care. It was a tender, reverent hold, not just of the weight of your child, but of you.
âIâve been watching you,â he whispered after a long pause. âYou hide it well, my love. But I see the way your legs tremble at the end of the day. How you try to stretch out the pain in your lower back when you think no one is looking. The way you wince when you stand up too quickly.â
You opened your eyes slowly, blinking away tears you hadnât realized were forming.
âI didnât want to worry you,â you admitted softly, your voice thick. âYou already do so much for me, for Kazumi. I can manage this.â
âI know you can,â he said, smiling gently into the curve of your shoulder. âYou always manage. But you donât have to carry all of it alone.â
He adjusted his hold slightly, lifting your belly just a bit higher. The change made you sigh in relief again, the tension unwinding from your spine like a string being gently released.
âI wish I could carry her for a while,â he murmured. âGive you a day of rest. Even if just an hour. Just to feel what you feel. Youâre incredible, (Y/N).â
You laughed softly through your tears, leaning back into him, letting his warmth and his scentâmaple leaves and rain-dampened woodâenvelop you.
âI feel like she is going to come out running any time, at this point,â you joked, one hand resting on Kazuhaâs where he supported your belly. âShe never stops moving.â
âShe takes that after you,â he replied, the corner of his mouth curving. âStubborn. Determined. Full of will.â
You turned your head to look at him over your shoulder, your eyes meeting his. âThen I'm glad she has someone like you to teach her that it's okay to stop and breathe,â you whispered.
You stayed like that for several moments. The stove ticked softly, and outside, Kazumiâs voice could be heard giggling faintly in the garden as he played with his kite. Time paused for just this moment. A rare, quiet breath of peace.
Eventually, you exhaled again and said, âI think I could stand like this forever.â
Kazuha chuckled under his breath and placed a couple of kisses on the edge of your warm skin. âAllow me to stand here forever.â
You smiled, eyes soft with emotion, âThank you⌠for everything.â
âAny time, dove.â
SHIKANOIN HEIZOU
The rain outside tapped gently against the windows of your home, soft and steady, like a lullaby. Steam curled from a nearby teacup left forgotten on the table, and the low hum of the kettle on the stove whispered in the background.
The late afternoon air smelled of matcha, petrichor, and fresh inkâfrom some of your notes and case files still scattered across the table where youâd been working earlier.
Now, you stood at the kitchen sink, carefully washing a stack of dishes, your sleeves damp from the splashes of soapy water.
Your back ached. Your ankles throbbed. Your belly, round, full, and ever-growing with the life of your son, felt like it had doubled in weight overnight.
And to worsen, Ren wasnât a still baby.
He kicked constantly, stretched, squirmed, pressed tiny feet against your ribs like he was testing your patience from the inside. Your body felt foreign, heavy, overworked. You prided yourself on your independence, your strengthâbut lately, even standing for ten minutes had become a challenge.
You shifted your weight, arching your back slightly to ease the pressure, and let out a breath that was more contained irritation than relief.
âMm-mm⌠is this the part where you finally admit I was right?â a familiar, teasing voice said behind you.
You startled slightly and glanced over your shoulder. Heizou leaned lazily against the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his lips. His shirt was half-buttoned, hair a little damp from the bath, a white towel still around his neck and his eyes sparkled with mischief.
âAbout what?â you asked, raising an eyebrow despite the ache in your back.
âThat youâre doing too much,â he said, pushing off the doorframe and walking toward you with measured, cat-like steps. âIâve been telling youâsit down, rest, let me handle it. But no. Shikanoin (Y/N)âs gotta finish the dishes because it's just a few plates.â
âThey were just a few,â you said, though your hands were trembling slightly from fatigue. âAnd you were reading. All afternoon. Then went straight ahead for an even longer bath.â
âWell, yes. But I was reading because someone told me not to hover while she works,â he shot back playfully.
He came to a stop behind you, and his teasing tone softened as he looked at the curve of your back, the slight way you winced when you reached for another plate. Without another word, he gently placed his hands on your hips, stepped in close, and then slowly, carefully, slid his hands beneath the swell of your belly.
âWhat youââ you began.
âShh. Just trust me.â
His hands cupped and lifted your bump upwardâjust slightly, just enough to take the pressure off your spine.
You gaspedâactually gaspedâbecause the relief was immediate. Your whole body relaxed, your shoulders drooped, and your eyes fluttered shut with a breathless âOh...â that made Heizou chuckle low behind you.
âThere it is,â he murmured, pleased with himself. âThatâs the sound of a woman realizing her genius husband is, in fact, full of good ideas.â
You let out a shaky laugh, tilting your head back slightly to rest against his shoulder. âOkay, okay... you get one point.â
Heizou's smile softened, and his voice dropped to a quiet murmur. âYou carry him all day, every day. Rely a little bit on me, (Y/N).â
His grip stayed steady, lifting the weight of your son off your tired frame. For once, you allowed yourself to truly melt into it. Into him.
âI hate that I need the help,â you confessed after a moment, voice barely above a whisper.
Heizou leaned down and pressed a kiss to the curve of your shoulder, then another just behind your ear. âNeeding help doesnât make you weak. It makes you human. It makes you mine to protect. To support.â
You smiled faintly, your fingers brushing over his as they supported your belly together. âYouâre right⌠Heâs getting heavier every day, you knowâŚâ
Heizou chuckled. âThatâs because heâs obviously building muscle. Kid must be training for his first case already.â
âHeâs probably training because he wants to kick his annoying dadâs ass.â
âHey! Now, that wasnât very nice of you, loveâ he said, mock-defensively. âHe adores me already. You shouldâve seen how excited he got last time I read him that thriller romance.â
You laughed loudly and felt your body relax even more in his arms.
âI mean it,â Heizou murmured after a beat. âYou donât have to prove anything to me, (Y/N). Not strength, not stamina, not toughness. Youâve already done the impossibleâyouâre bringing our son into this world. Let me be the one who takes care of you.â
You turned slightly to look up at him, eyes glossy, lips curved. âYou already do. Even when youâre being a pain.â
Heizou grinned and kissed youâsoftly, sweetly.
âI love you,â he whispered against your skin.
âI love you too.â
VARKA
The kettle was whistling.
You moved to take it off the stove, slow and steady, as you often had to be these days. The baby had been sitting low todayânot uncomfortably so, but enough to pull a soft sound from you when you moved too quickly.
You exhaled as you poured the hot water over the tea leaves, steam curling around your face like a silken veil.
From the next room came the sound of boots being unbuckled and shrugged off. The ones that usually thudded into the floor with impatience, with fire, with purpose. But today, they moved carefully, slowly as if their owner didnât want to wake something fragile.
You didn't turn when you heard the door creak, nor when a large, loud silhouette made its presence known. Instead, you smiled softly, your eyes still fixed on the steam rising from the mugs.
âIf this is how you sneak around enemy camps, then I'm not surprised why you always end up in conflict situations.â you said.
A low chuckle answered you. âWas I that loud?â
âYouâre like a lawachurl, babe.â
A few slow steps later and he was behind you, arms slipping gently around your waist. The embrace was familiar, steadying. Warm breath stirred the hair behind your ear.
âIâve only got a week,â he murmured. âAnd yet you still find a way to point out the mistakes on my espionage methods. Tsc. And here I was just wanting to make every minute count, ya know.â
You chuckled and leaned back slightly into the contact, your hand brushing his along your side. âI know,â you said simply.
There was always a weight to these moments â not sadness exactly, but something quieter. You were a knight, just like Varka. You understood the call of duty, understood that when he left again, it wasnât because he wanted to but because people were counting on him.
Still, the house always felt colder when he was gone.
âLet me see you, pretty girl,â he said, already sliding a hand down to your hips.
You let him, shifting your weight slightly as he help you to turn around to face him. His touch was slow, reverent, his expression lines drawing together in something close to admiration. He didnât rushânot when it came to you.
His hands, broad and sure, settled beneath the curve of your belly. Then, gently, he lifted.
A soft gasp escaped your lips, your body instinctively relaxing as the pressure eased from your back and hips.
Varka looked down you immediately.
âBetter?â he asked, voice hushed.
You nodded, your eyes fluttering closed. âMuch better.â
âWhy didnât you tell me it was weighing on you like this?â
You smiled, just a little. âBecause if I told you every time I was uncomfortable, youâd carry me around in a damn wheelbarrow.â
âI would,â he said with complete seriousness. âOr Iâd build you something better. With velvet cushions, a crystal awning and maybe a little bell so you could call me whenever you want.â
You laughed loudly this time, then wincedânot from pain, just from the small strain of laughing while held like this.
âIâm not that helpless,â you said, but there was no biting to it.
Varka leaned in, pressing his forehead to yours as he continued holding the bump, relieving you of the weight like it was second nature. âNo. Youâre not,â he murmured. âBut even the strongest of knights deserve to rest.â
His fingers shifted slightly, still cradling your belly with steady care. Then, as the baby movedâa soft flutter just under the skinâhis entire expression changed.
He went still as his eyes widening and his voice lost its capacity to make a sound.
âThat wasââ he started, then paused, breath catching. âI felt them.â
âYou did,â you giggled.
He looked at you as if he had just discovered where stars were born: behind the sparkle in your eyes, in your smile.
âI missed so much already,â he said softly. âI hate that.â
You lifted your hand to his cheek. âYouâre here now, Var. Thatâs what matters to me. To them.â
He leaned into your palm for a moment, then dipped down without a word, kissing the curve of your belly with reverence.
âHey there, little one,â he murmured. âItâs your old man. Iâm sorry I canât be here every day but Iâll be back as soon as I can. I swear it.â
Your hand settled over his, grounding you both.
âYouâre doing your job, babe,â you said. âSame way I'd if it were me out there.â
He stood again, toweringâstill keeping you close. His hands remained on your belly, protective and steady. You rested your head against his chest, the beat of his heart strong beneath your ear.
âIâve never wanted to stay more than I do now,â he said into your hair.
âI know.â
He held you a little closer, and you didnât stop him.
You stood like that for a long while; held in silence, and something stronger than time.
WRIOTHESLEY
The fortress was quiet, for once.
A rare lull between reports, inspections, and the ever-rotating roster of maintenance work. The iron hum of the lower levels had softened into a low, distant murmur, like a tired sigh easing into sleep.Â
Wriothesley had been reading something at his deskâwell, attempting toâbut his attention had long since drifted to the sound of soft footsteps padding across the duke's office.
You moved with that gentle rhythm heâd grown to adoreâpart grace, part stubbornness. Even now, belly rounding with the growing weight of your next chapter, you carried yourself as lit fire; quieter but still burning.Â
However, there was the occasional pause, he observed. A tiny wince at your lower back, the momentary press of a hand just beneath your ribs, a deep and soundly breath like you've been trying to contain something within yourself.Â
You were trying to hide it, as always.
âYouâre pacing again, sweetheart,â Wriothesley called from his seat, his voice low and edged with amusement.
âIâm thinking,â you replied simply, not looking his way.
âYou think best when youâre sitting down.â
You gave him a look. That look. The one that always dared him to try you, and never failed to make his lips curl into a knowing smirk or his heart stutter like a fool.
With a huff of a smile, he stood and crossed the room, long strides swallowing the distance between you before you could object. His hands, warm and calloused from years of fighting and metal, settled gently at your sides.
âLet me guess,â he murmured, ducking slightly to meet your eyes. âYouâre not tired. Youâre not sore. Youâre just⌠what? Restless?â
You tilted your chin up, defiant. âIâm fine. Perfectly fine.â
âYouâre lying.â
âYouâre annoying.â
He grinned. âMaybe. But that proves Iâm not wrong.â
Before you could get another word in, your husband slipped one arm around your waist and the other beneath the swell of your belly, palms spreading wide to support the gentle curve. He liftedâcarefully, easilyâjust enough to ease the pressure off your spine.
You let out an involuntary breath, eyes fluttering half-closed.
âOhâŚThatâsââ you exhaled, briefly losing your train of thought. âYou did that on purpose.â
âSure did, maâam.â
He leaned in, brushing his nose along your temple, lips grazing the edge of your cheekbone with the barest pressure. âYou hide it well, but I know the signs. The shift in your stance. That little crease between your brows. We've been through this before, (Y/N).â
âShow-off,â you muttered, but the way you melted into him gave you away.
His large hands splayed protectively across your bump, thumbs absently stroking slow, lazy circles as if your child might feel it from within. He loved doing thatâtouching you there, holding the proof of your shared future like it was made of gold and light.
âYouâre heavier than you look,â he teased gently, lifting just a touch higher before settling back into a better angle.
âExcuse you?â
âI meant the baby,â he said, chuckling against your ear. âI swear on my life, darling,â he emphasized as his eyes met your narrow, razor-sharp gaze.Â
Saved by the bell, you guess.
âThough youâve always packed more punch than people expect.â
You rolled your eyes, though it came with a faint smile. âYouâre lucky I like you.â
âIâm lucky you love me,â he corrected softly, his voice a low murmur now. âAnd that you let me help. Even if you pretend you donât need it.â
You stayed quiet for a momentânot resisting his hold, nor pulling him away. Just letting him lift the weight, the literal and the otherwise, like you finally believed heâd always be there to carry it with you.
When you did speak, it was quieter. Almost reverent.
âYou make all my burdens feel smaller.â
Wriothesley melted.Â
Though so simple, that admission of yours unspooled something tight inside his chest.Â
He lowered you slowly, letting the bump settle back into place, his hands never fully leaving you.
âGood,â he said as he helped you turn around to face him. âAs your husband, thatâs just a small of my many duties to you.â
Then, Wriothesley leaned in and kissed you, slow and tender. Thereâs no rush. Just warmth, just love. One hand at your back, the other still resting against the place where your baby slept. Your own hand placed on where his heartbeats played as a soft lullaby.
And for a long, quiet moment, the Fortress of Meropide held nothing but the sound of your soft laughter, the feel of his hands, and the quiet rhythm of a life you were building.
Wait I havent asked or maybe I havenr your post on it but is varkas child a boy or a girl? (Also i imagined his wife and his kid visiting him whenever hes near and hes still in camp and everyone has just swooped over this cute little baby)
i didnât because i donât know yet. at first iâve imagined a girl then halfway through i pictured a boy. in the end, i couldnât decide đŤ
oh heâd absolutely freak out seeing them around military camps but inside he is sooo happy to meet them again. heâs a familyâs man no one can proves me otherwise!
