On the night your water breaks, the brutal labor leaves Rin terrified because of how close he was to losing you. That also makes him realize that you matter more to him than anything else— including the child he'd give his life for. Because without you, nothing exists.
It began in silence.
A week before your due date, the two of you were tangled together in bed, in your usual position— your round belly snug against his chest, his hand splayed protectively over your bump, his lips occasionally brushing your temple even in sleep.
And then— something shifts.
Rin blinks groggily, eyes adjusting to the low light. A strange dampness clings to his side. Frowning, he slides his hand beneath your thigh— and freezes.
The sheets are wet. Very wet.
"...Y/n?" he whispers, suddenly wide awake as he nudges your shoulder. "Wake up."
"Hmm?" you mumble, barely managing to open your eyes.
"I think..." Rin swallows hard. "I think your water just broke."
"What?"
You sit up so fast it nearly gives you whiplash.
"Holy sh— it did," you gasp, pressing your hands to your thighs. A mild cramp blooms in your lower back. "Rin— Rin I think it's time— oh my God it's time—"
"I'm calling the hospital— just— stay calm—!" Rin is already moving, grabbing the go-bag (which he always kept ready, just in case), your coat, his phone, your slippers. "Shit, where are the car keys—?!"
"Rin, you're the one who's not calm!"
"Shut up and breathe, Y/N!"
You waddle behind him as fast as you can manage, half-laughing through panic and pain while Rin gets you into the elevator, down the apartment and into the car. The cramps come every few minutes now— slow, deep, building. You grit your teeth.
"Do not crash," you hiss, gripping the handlebar as Rin practically slams the accelerator.
"I won't," he says but his voice is tight. "I won't. Just— fuck— breathe, baby, breathe— don't scream yet— please don't scream yet—!"
"Not screaming," you hiss. "Yet."
But the moment you reach the hospital...
All hell breaks loose.
The contractions hit like a freight train— fast, heavy, unbearable.
You're wheeled into the delivery room, Rin glued to your side, refusing to let go of your hand. He whispers to the nurses over and over, "Please take care of her."
And then it truly begins.
The kind of pain no words can properly describe.
"FUCKING HELL!" you scream, face contorting as pressure tears through your hips. "IT HURTS— IT FUCKING HURTS, RIN!"
"I know— I know— just breathe— fuck, I'm right here—"
"NO YOU DON'T KNOW! SHUT UP! GIVE ME YOUR HAND!"
You grip his hand with every contraction, clenching so tight your nails carve bloody crescents into his skin. Rin shakes. He wipes the sweat from your forehead, kisses your knuckles, whispers that you're strong—even as tears blur his vision.
"Just push, baby, you're almost there—"
"YOU DID THIS TO ME—!"
"I KNOW, I'M SORRY!"
"YOU FUCKING SADISTIC SEX ADDICT!"
"I KNOW, BABY, I'M SORRY!"
Your back arches as the next contraction rips through you like fire. You sob into Rin's shirt, tears soaking the fabric. He doesn't flinch. He doesn't care that your screams are making his ears ring.
He watches you fight for your life and he has never— ever— been this scared.
And then, after what feels like an eternity—
A cry.
Loud. Real. Healthy.
You collapse into the pillow, drenched in sweat, skin pale and trembling. Your eyes flutter open just in time to see the nurse place a warm, tiny body against your chest.
"Congratulations! You've gave birth to a beautiful baby boy."
You sob— not from pain this time, but from joy.
"Our baby..." you whisper, pressing your lips to the damp tuft of dark hair. "Hi, sweetheart... welcome home..."
Rin stares.
Frozen.
You look up at him and manage a weak laugh. "Come here, papa. Take him."
"What?" He blinks. "I— what if I drop him—?"
"I'll teach you. I'm right here."
You shift carefully, guiding him—support the head, tuck the legs, hold him close. Rin's fingers tremble as he reaches out and finally holds his son for the first time.
His knees nearly give out.
His heart swells until it hurts.
The baby blinks up at him with unfocused eyes and Rin's entire world stops.
He sits beside you, cradling him with reverence.
The baby settles into Rin's arms, warm and impossibly soft, barely heavier than a soccer ball. Rin shakes, eyes locked on the tiny face— pink cheeks, dark lashes, lips puckering sleepily as if he's already chosen his papa as his whole world.
You smile weakly, exhaustion washing over you.
"See? You didn't drop him," you whisper, your voice fading.
And just like that, the strength leaves your body.
Your head lolls to the side.
Your lips stop moving.
Your arm slips lifelessly off the bed.
"Y/N?" Rin's voice cracks. "Y/N?!"
Panic explodes through him.
But he's holding your son.
He can't move.
He can't do anything.
He can't risk the baby.
"HELP!" he yells, voice breaking. "NURSE— SOMEONE— PLEASE!"
A nurse rushes in. "It's alright! She's just fainted from exhaustion—"
"TAKE HIM," Rin orders, shaking. "Please— I can't— she's not— just take him—"
The nurse gently takes your son and passes him to your waiting parents, already crying, overwhelmed with joy. Rin's parents stand close, stunned and tearful as they cradle their first grandchild.
But Rin can't move.
He collapses into the chair beside you.
Three hours pass.
He doesn't blink.
Doesn't drink water.
Doesn't even check on the baby.
He just doesn't leave your side.
Nurses come and go. The doctor reassures him— again and again— that you're okay. Exhausted. Stable. Safe. Your baby is also healthy.
Rin doesn't care.
He can't— until you open your eyes.
And finally... you do.
You stir. Lashes flutter.
The first thing you see is Rin— pale, unmoving, eyes bloodshot, still in the same clothes, hands clenched tightly around yours.
"Rin?" you whisper.
His breath hitches, like he hasn't allowed himself to breathe until now.
"...Hi," he says quietly, voice trembling. "You scared the shit out of me."
You smile sleepily. "Sorry... I didn't mean to."
He swallows and leans closer. "How do you feel?"
"Weak," you admit. "But happy."
You glance around, realization dawning.
"Where's the baby?"
"With our families," he says softly. "The nurse took him. I didn't want to let go, but I— I couldn't hold him and help you at the same time..."
You nod.
"I want to see him again," you murmur.
"Already?" he says quietly. "You just woke up..."
You blink, then laugh softly.
"I'm fine now, Rin. Really."
He doesn't answer. He presses his forehead to your shoulder, burying his face in your hospital gown.
His body trembles.
"...Rin?"
"I thought I'd lose you," he mumbles, voice muffled. "Even when they said you'd be fine... you weren't moving. I couldn't— I didn't know what to do. I didn't care about anything else. Not even him."
Your chest tightens.
You wrap your arms around his head, fingers threading through his dark hair.
And finally— you cry.
A soft, broken sob filled with pain, joy, and relief.
He stays tucked against you, tears silent, arms locked around your waist.
Together, you cry— for surviving, for each other, for the life you've just begun.
Returning home one day, the Knight captain ran across a small box which was hidden in the things saved from the fires that burned his mind. His curiosity would soon consume him as he would not not even be able to remove his armor other than his helmet which he rarely removed. His face seemed to gain color since the loss of his children and smiles seemed to become more and more frequent after the years he spent in bitter silence and short toleration. He found himself almost afraid to open this box however which both surprised and depressed him as he would flip it open as if he were ripping of a bandage. Within he found report cards, a small doll, a purple and gold locket, and a small folded up piece of paper.
His heart sank as he read the names from the school reports and fell into a dead silence. His breathing was silent as even his chest stopped moving from him taking air into his lungs. His hands shook, his eyes watered and his smile vanished as if they were ripped away from him by the reminders of his failure to protect his family and home. He gently grasped the doll and gently brushed the false hair from its face showing a detailed face..."This was Elizabeth's favorite. She always used to tell me she was pretty but i would just laugh and say that she...my little girl was even more so. I miss seeing her blush..." His gaze slowly went to the locket which he opened with ease revealing a picture of both her and her sister, Crystal. "I remember these...it too much effort to get them to stand still, but neither of them cried that day...they just listened and did their best not to mess up the makeup...I miss their laughs..." Finally he would turn his gaze to the folded paper which he hesitantly opened to find a letter they made for class
"MY WISH!!!!"
Was read in the title in various brightly colored crayon. He took note that the colors were the Brightstar house colors. "She was such a smart girl..she always loved it when I showed her the house colors on the armor and always tried to wear them to show me how proud she was to be of the name..."
He read on...
"My wish is that daddy isn't gone so much. He is a good daddy and I miss him...he sends me letters all the time and sometimes they have candy or little stuffed aminals in them, but I would gove all of them away if it meant daddy would come home, but daddy has an important job. He is a hero! He helps protect all kinds of people and That means daddy is a super hero! I always wish my daddy was here, but now I think daddy is where he needs to be so me and my friends can have a better future. Daddy if you ever read this I want to tell you I love you more than everything and that you should never stop fighting for everyone. You are a super hero daddy and even when I am not with you I will always be giving you all my wishes so that maybe one day all the bad people will be gone! My wish is for you daddy! I wish that you will always be happy."
...
....
.....
The Knight-captain was brought to tears of mourning and happiness seeing these words...
"I can't express how happy you made me little ones...how much I miss hearing your squee's of happiness when you played outside to hearing your little feet sneakily walking to the kitchen at night for snacks..."
He set the letter down and buried his fave into his hands "I wish you were here with me...I miss you, little stars..."
