Prompt: “The twins are the most difficult pregnancy. It honestly nearly kills Jesse, and after Hanzo subconsciously tries to take on all of the parent responsibilities by himself because of guilt.”
It’s a nightmare come to life. Jesse has Austin on his lap when the alarms signal, and Himari who was sat on the chair reading a book jumps up immediately and runs to her father’s side. The little boy snuggles up against Jesse instinctively, his hands over his chest, and Himari is watching the door for an intruder. The dull call of the alarm repeats for what feels like hours, and they all stay frozen to their spot.
Of course, Hanzo isn’t there to help. Jesse would be angry if he wasn’t overwhelmed by protecting the four kids under his care currently. Suddenly the alarms increase in pitch, and a second bell accompanied the first. He could hear from outside heavy footsteps in the distance running, and that’s when he shifts his weight to get up. With Austin clung to him like a koala, he waddles to the medic room and holds the handle, listening close.
“Daddy, what’s happening?” Himari asks, and when Jesse turns around to what he thought would be his daughter scared, he sees Himari with her fists clenched. Her expression is similar to Hanzo’s when he’s focused, with no emotion registered for him to read. Around her frame she begins to glow a pink light, and her spirit dragon emerges from her arm to wrap around her. Jesse watches, fascinated and a little weary, when suddenly he sees in the corner of his eye another luminous glow, and turns to see Austin’s spirit dragon slithering around Jesse’s neck, nuzzling against the scruff of his beard. Jesse watches the faint creature purr, and gently puts Austin down. As he straightens up, he places his hand flat against the small of his back and groans.
“It’ll be okay, darling. We just gotta stay put up in here, and wait for your papa to get ba-” but before he can finish his sentence, he’s struck by an internal pain that feels like a rupture through his gut. He holds his bump with both hands and tries to breath through the clenching in his belly. Himari rushes at his side, and as she gets to him, holding his arm where he’s slid down the wall, he feels a pop between his legs and a waterfall of water gushes down his trouser leg.
Shit. The worst thing to happen at the worst time. All Jesse can think is shit, along with a collection of other curses.
Gun fire announces from outside, the distant screams and calls of agents and enemies alike, and Jesse feels the most useless he ever has sat on the floor of the medical room with his two children, ready to give birth to twins that have no concept of time management. He tries to steady himself, but the second he pushes up to get back on his feet, the pain contracts again and leaves him screaming in agony. Himari’s dragon flares up as she watches him, and Austin’s does the same, more compassion than aggression. Tears begin to well in his eyes. He runs a hand through his hair and breaths heavily.
“I need the phone,” Jesse pants, waving over to the bedside table where his holographic phone sits. Austin toddles over and grabs it, nearly falling over his own two feet as he runs to hand it to him, and Jesse just about presses call when another contraction grips him. A few rings, then Hanzo’s voice comes through on a blue line.
“Jesse, the base is under attack. You need to-”
“Sorry to interrupt you, sugar, but it seems the recent rugrats thought it a good time to make themselves known!” Despite the flicker of a laugh on the end of his sentence, Jesse sounds absolutely shaken with fear. Through the line, he can hear the barrage of rockets where Fareeha has fired in the background, then a quick succession of Japanese as he finds Genji.
“Are you sure? Is it time? Where are you?” He can hear Hanzo running from the fight, accompanied by yelling that he guessed was Genji. Jesse rubs his stomach to try sooth the pain, his eyes going wide where the shape of his belly shifts more than noticeably and one of the twins begins to settle in position. God, his heart tastes like iron, he can barely breath with the nauseating lump in his throat.
“Jesus, Han, I don’t think I can do this,” His voice wavers in pitch, and the more worked up he gets, the more vibrant his children’s dragons become. The whole scene feels surreal, he’s not sure what to do or how to react. Suddenly, an ear shattering explosion bursts a few corridors away from theirs, and shakes all three of them to stumble. Jesse has spare arm around Austin where he’s fallen, and a leg propped out to balance Himari, still all the while his middle is contracting to bring him nothing but pain. Hanzo’s panicked shouts come through on the other end of the phone. “What’s going on?!”
“You are in danger, Jesse. The clan know we are here, and they’re not the only ones looking for us. You need to stay where you are!”
“I don’t plan on wandering off any time soon!” He grunts again, sitting up as his two children balance themselves. Austin rests his hands against Jesse’s bump, scrunching up his face, and slowly his dragon curls around the bump, glowing. He can feel a strange vibration coming from the spirit along with a tender warmth, and he looks down at the creature confused, chuckling weakly under his breath. “What’cha doing there, Babybear?”
Austin opens his eyes to look at Jesse, giving him a soft smile. “Helping.“
Jesse raises his brow, but then he feels the pain start to slowly subside, and it becomes more of a dull thud through his bones. It’s still recognisable, and Jesse has to grit his teeth and bare it, but the stinging continues to radiate ever so slightly. He hums in content, smiling down at the creature that continues to purr.
Himari takes the holographic phone from her father and responds to the distressed Hanzo on the other end. "Hello? Papa, it’s me.”
“Himari, are you all safe? Me and uncle Genji are coming for you. Where’s Angela?”
“I don’t know, papa. Austin’s helping daddy with the pain. Shall I go look for Angela?”
“No!” Hanzo says. Another loud crashing cracks through the phone, making Himari flinch. Hanzo groans before coming back to her. “It is not safe out there. Bad people are looking for you and your brother’s. You must stay with daddy.”
“But the babies are coming? I can help-”
“Listen to what I say, Himari. You are not to leave the room.”
She frowns, irritated by the harsh tone in his voice, and without thinking she hands the phone back to Jesse. The tranquility and unstable powers of Austin’s dragon clouds Jesse judgement and leaves him dizzy. He takes the phone and smiles at her with a goofy grin, only straightening out when she places a hand on his chest and nods.
“I will get Angela. Austin will protect you.”
Jesse groans, grabbing her hand and pulling her close. The sound of Hanzo’s angry voice calls out between them but they pay it no mind. “No, no, you gotta st-” but he’s cut off by an agonising pang through his belly, radiating down to his legs and up his spine. Himari leans in and holds his face in her hands, watching as he cries, and squishes his cheeks softly.
“Trust me, daddy.” And with a soft kiss to his forehead, she runs out the room to find someone who can help Jesse. Austin watches her in confusion, and his anxieties begin to effect the strength of his dragon. As the power fades, Jesse feels the true wrath of his contractions render him, and he bolts forward holding his bump, practically screaming to the point of his lungs bursting. Austin stumbles backward, whimpering at the sight of his dad in such pain. Hanzo’s voice still calls through the holographic phone, but no one answers him. All there is is the distressed cries of Jesse, explosions slowly getting closer and closer, and Hanzo desperately calling for someone to answer him…
It’s all a daze after that. Jesse falls in and out of consciousness with little time to comprehend what’s around him, and the few sights he beholds distort alongside his sanity. Through the thick of his pain, he sees flashing orange lights wrap around him like a blanket, and as a fiery explosion shakes the floor, a thunderous roar calls out louder. Pink beams shine through the windows faintly, then blue and green, and the last thing he remembers is Austin’s voice as he whispers “It’s okay”…
Hanzo doesn’t know how to calm himself when he finally gets to the medical bay. Him and Genji are both drenched in the blood of their enemies, and despite the sounds of war dying out around them, Hanzo is still filled with unnerving rage as he runs up the stairs. Time may as well slow down the closer he gets.
He throws himself at the room Jesse was in and freezes to see the back of a woman over his body. He pulls out a bow and holds it at her head, cursing in Japanese. Luckily, Genji grabs the weapon and lowers it.
“It’s Angela.” He says. The two men stare at her as she turns around, carrying two children in her arms, and suddenly any sound that there was falls silent. Hanzo’s body goes weak at the sight. There, in the flesh, are his twins, nuzzled up in Angela’s arms. Both fresh faced and tiny, they practically glow in a wholesome shade.
As Hanzo steps forward, a loud yell comes from behind and a man dressed in black emerges, wielding a sword. Hanzo reacts by raising his bow, but is beaten to the kill when Himari bolts through his legs and stabs the man in the leg with a Kunai. Her dragon wraps around her arm and strikes the assassins limb alongside the weapon. He stumbles to the floor in pain, and before he can grab his weapon again, Hanzo has his foot on his hand, a bow aiming between his eyes. The lock eyes, and the stranger grins, chuckling darkly.
“Why are you coming for my family?” Hanzo asks, pulling back the bow. Another dark chuckle, going on and on with no resolution, prompting Hanzo to fire his bow straight between his eyes, killing him instantly. An erie silence, a clutching tension, and then he takes a deep breath.
“Hanzo, Jesse’s not doing too well.” Angela says, and that makes him turn around and rush to his husband’s side. Jesse is a wreck - his hair matted and his skin ghostly white, the sweat that drips down his face glazes him with a horrific shine. He drops to his side and takes his hand, holding it to his lips.
“Jesse? Jesse, speak to me!”
A light groan, Jesse rolls his head on his shoulder and smiles deliriously. “I’m okay, sugar tits. Just a little,” he gags, “woozy. Think I lost a loooooootta blood.” He giggles, squeezing Hanzo’s hand. “But at least the love bugs are fine and good and dandy. Hay, you wanna know the name I picked?”
Hanzo cups his hands and nods. “Tell me.”
Jesse bites his lip and weakly nods at the twins. “The little guy with the most hair? And the one blue eye? That’s your son, Reo.”
And before Hanzo can celebrate, Jesse passes out. He shakes him vigorously, practically crying, and Himari tugs on his leg to pull him back.
“He’s okay, papa. Just needs rest.”
Hanzo doesn’t know how to register the moment. He holds his head in his hands and cries at Jesse’s bedside, his body shaking. There was too many emotions soaring through his body, he would have to save his celebration for the birth of his sons when Jesse recovers. What a way to welcome Reo and Nash to the world…