𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 -> Aurelia x Yoshitsune (Natasha Romanoff headmate x Original Male Character)
𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 -> Yoshi takes care of his sleepy fiancee, and Lia comes clean about some anxieties.
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 -> 1002
𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 -> E - Mentions of postpartum psychosis and unspecific newborn illnesses, peripartum anxiety.
𝐀/𝐍 -> Check it out below, or on AO3 here! Masterlist can be found here.
Prompts -> - ‘Sleeping as Self-Care’ – @fandom-free-bingo (Madness May);
- ‘In This and Every Life, I Choose Us, Every Time’ – Fandom-Free Bingo (Reunion Edition);
- ‘Early Morning Walk’ - @flufftober 2025;
- ‘Past, Present, Future’ – Gen Prompt Bingo.
<- Chapter Five
Chapter Seven ->
My interrupted night sleep meant that Yoshitsune very affectionately demanded that I spend the day taking it easy – which largely meant lazing around while he catered to my every whim, despite my initial reluctance and reassurance that I wasn’t even that tired. He convinced me that we could both use a little downtime – with the puppy and a fifth child on the way, our life was going to be hectic for a long time, and it was a good idea to have a calm day while we could. I knew he was simply trying to get me to spend the day doing as little as possible – but, despite my denial, I really was tired, and couldn’t summon the energy to protest too fiercely.
And so I spent most of the day with my head in his lap, his fingers toying with my hair absently. When he suggested chamomile tea and an early night, I found myself nodding without complaint, letting his arms slide beneath me to cradle my body against his chest tenderly.
When he settled me in bed, disappearing briefly before sliding in beside me, a steaming mug on my bedside table, I curled against him once more, purring gratefully.
“Gonna get some sleep, sweetheart?” he murmured, tucking a loose curl behind my ear and kissing my forehead gently. I nodded, then hesitated, fingers trailing quietly over the slowly-expanding bump between my hipbones. Despite my defiance, Loki’s reappearance had me rattled – like my beloved fiancé had noted, it had been a while since that particular spectre had manifested itself in my life, and I couldn’t help but worry.
He tipped my chin up gently, his brow furrowing minutely in his concern. “What’s the matter, my sweet Golden Swan? Can you talk to me?”
I paused, chewing on my lip uncertainly before letting out a soft sigh. “What if I go crazy again?”
His thumb rose to gently ease my lower lip from between my teeth, head cocked. “What do you mean, sweet girl?”
“When we were pregnant with Artemis… Well, you’ve heard what we were like just after she was born. Paranoid, and seeing things, and… Convinced that if we let her out of our sight, terrible things would happen to her…” I winced at the memory of the all-consuming terror that led to us isolating the others from our daughter – James in particular, for no apparent reason. “We were adamant that they were going to take her from us. That they were trying to hurt us, or drug us – that they only had us around to get Artemis, and they’d take her…”
Yoshi held me tighter, fingers curling against my spine. “Oh, sweetheart…”
“It was horrible,” I admitted softly, tears pricking at my eyes. “We almost lost everything because our brain couldn’t hold itself together…”
“But you were okay with Apollo, right?” he prompted gently – not minimising my concerns, but attempting to gently remind me that I had carried a baby without losing my sanity.
“I was,” I conceded, frowning minutely. “We were fine, but…”
“But Appie wasn’t well,” he finished, a note of realisation in his voice, and I nodded weakly.
“If not me, then the baby…” My arm wrapped protectively around my stomach, and he sighed sympathetically, holding me tighter. “Or worse – both. If they’re sick, and I’m sick-”
“Then we’ll get through it,” he interjected, soft but firm. His fingers shifted to my chin to guide my head up once more, his silver eyes locked on mine intently. “You listen to me, my Swan. Even if the worst happens and both you and the baby are unwell, we will manage. We have a lot of people around who love us – people who are dedicated to seeing you live the best life you can, and who will love our little one as if they were their own.” He touched his forehead to mine, holding me close and tender. “I’m not saying it wouldn’t be the fight of our lives, or that it’s wrong for you to be scared. Hell, I’m scared too.”
“You are?” My voice was laced with surprise, eyes widening minutely, and he offered me a crooked grin.
“‘Course I am, sweet girl,” he replied softly, his hand resting gently on the back of my neck as he breathed me in. “Sammy wasn’t exactly born in a conventional way, but he was pretty uncomplicated; even then, I was scared as hell. My dad was the best. I worried I could never live up to that.”
With a shaky smile, I pressed my lips to his. “George is an incredible dad, for sure. But he’s so proud of you. He knows you’re every bit the dad he was. I’d argue better,” I added at a whisper, earning a soft chuckle.
“I don’t know about that,” he replied, jaw twitching shyly, “but I’ll do my damndest to make sure this kid has the most blessed life, just like I do with you, and Sammy, and Lexi, and Artemis, and Apollo. I’m afraid, for sure. But I also know that we can do this.”
Sighing softly, I shifted slightly to grab my mug, wrapping my hands around the warm porcelain and inhaling deeply. “You promise?”
He sat up beside me, his arm wrapping around my waist once more, nestling me against his side as his other hand found my stomach gently. “I promise. Both of you,” he added quietly, thumb smoothing my bump beneath the thin weave of my tank top. “I will never let anything happen to my family.”
With a quiet hum of gratitude, I rested my head against his shoulder, a sense of calm settling over me once more.
