Closed A New Adventure

[Annika Corrins]

The pregnancy had been hard on Annika. She'd gotten some help from her sister, but Mallory had needed to go back to school. Annika groaned as she waddled through her apartment, falling heavily onto the couch and placing her hands over her heavily pregnant stomach. Shane was due to be home soon, and hopefully he'd brought her some ice cream or something. She rearranged a few pillows, trying to get the pressure off of her back. "Ugh, baby, hurry up and be born, won't you?" She complained, though she couldn't help but smile softly as she felt the baby kick her hand. "Fiesty, aren't you?"

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane wasn't sure how the baby was still in Annika. Fundamentally, he understood the general concept of babies and the time it took, but he was a little worried that they had miscounted, and the baby should've been born already. He was thankful in these moments to be a man, and that he would just be able to hold his child with very little effort. He'd been looking after Annika, thankful for Mallory's help, and was just enjoying working on his and Annika's company. It had come together well and the baby was almost with him. He had grabbed some ice cream and a few other snacks that he knew she would want. He walked in and after taking his shoes and jacket off, walked to where Annika was settled. Shane conjured more pillows and sent them to her. "I brought you a selection of your goodies,"​

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika had just shut her eyes when she heard a familiar voice. She smiled softly, opening her eyes and turning her head towards Shane. "Mm, smart man. The baby is kicking, do you want to feel?" She asked, patting the seat next to her. She struggled a little, conjuring a foot stool and putting her feet up. "I feel cold, can you bring me a blanket?" She asked, not feeling up to conjuring anything else.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane handed her the goodies he had bought as he sat down next to her. He placed his hand on her stomach and felt the baby kick. He smiled, it was such a weird sensation, knowing who was kicking. Shane conjured almost lazily a thick blanket and let it wrap around her. "Rough day?" Shane asked, knowing that a rough day could mean any number of things when someone was pregnant.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika sighed happily when he covered her up, shifting and trying to get comfortable. "This active little rascal keeps moving, I can't sit still." She complained lightly, blowing a bit of hair out of her face. As if on cue, the baby shifted drastically, making her uncomfortable and causing her to shift again as well. "Ugh, not much longer," She muttered almost to herself.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane moved his hand and helped move the hair from her face. "They're just taking after their dad," he teased lightly. "Yeah, and I've read there are ways of helping it along," he said. He hadn't bought anything, but he had things to help make spicy food and everything else that it said would help it. "And I promise when they come, I'll be here to help every step of the way," he was going to be here for the whole of the baby's life, but he was mostly right now promising to not go out often in the beginning, to make sure she had time to relax.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika yawned, smiling and leaning into him. "Party animal already," She teased him. "Thanks, Shawn. I appreciate it," She pressed a kiss to his jaw. "I'll have Dimitri come by when he can too, give you some time to blow off steam." She shut her eyes, starting to drift off to sleep, comforted by his warmth. She wasn't sure why, but she always felt a bit better with Shane nearby. And she just felt so tired all the time anymore.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane appreciated Annika's suggestion. he put his arm around her and held her close to him. "Let's worry about that when we get to it," he didn't want her to promise these things now if there was then a change down the line once the baby was here. Though he knew he had said he didn't want to be exclusive even with the baby, he was here for the long haul with her and this baby. "It's not worth stressing about until the time comes," he would and had always communicated with her about these things and this wouldn't stop when the baby arrived.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika smiled softly, her head on Shane's shoulder. "Mhmm," She offered half-heartedly as she passed out against him. The days seemed to drag on after that, and more and more she found herself confined to her bed. She was sure she was going to go crazy. She was always tired, she felt like a whale. Yet somehow, before she knew it, the baby was coming. She was home alone when she felt the contractions going. She sent out a patronus to Shane, hoping he wouldn't be long.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane had been on stand by basically, the baby was due soon, so very soon. He was ready at a moment's notice to drop everything and just go. Which is what he did when he got the patronus from Annika. Shane immediately apparated to the apartment and headed quickly inside. He went over to her, where she was in the bed. "Annika," he greeted, he summoned the bag that was ready to go, and then he went to help get her up.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika winced, struggling to regulate her breathing. "There you are," She whispered, letting him help her up. Time seemed to both drag on and fly by after that, and somehow before she knew it she'd given birth to a baby boy. She felt especially weak after, unsure if Shane was even still with her, as she just lay back against the bed half awake with her breaths coming a little slower than usual.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane had honestly never see a more perfect little baby. He was perfect. He was little, his face red and all scrunched. He smelled different, and weighed so little. Shane had him in his arms as Annika seemed to be recovering, he knew she was tired and weak. So as he spotted her shifting, he quickly moved over to her. "Hey," he said, moving in close and using his magic to pull up a chair so he could sit right by her. "You okay there?" he asked.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika turned her head, eyes closed. "Mmm," She hummed, feeling a little out of it. "Tired," She offered gently, and almost as if on cue she yawned. She was half uncovered, but she was too worn out to reach for it. "Blanket?" She managed to ask, half asleep already. She yawned again. "Everything okay?" She questioned a little slowly, checking in on her boys.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane could only imagine how tiring it was to push a baby out. He was next to her, and while still holding their baby, wrapped the blanket around her. He shift to be right beside her, to provide her a little comfort as he moved his hold on the baby so she could see him. "He's sleeping, and he's all good," Shane assured her. "Just rest, I've got him," he said and kew it was time for him to step up more, to be properly involved now.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika hummed, sighing happily. She shifted a bit, dozing off. She was in and out of it for the next few days- they were keeping her and the baby in the hospital for supervision while they were recovering. Something about a rough birth and getting the baby to latch properly. Shane wasn't in the room at the moment, she wasn't sure why- she'd just woken up, after all, and with Ulysses sleeping peacefully in her basonet beside her. She stretched, settling in sitting up and looking around. She was feeling a bit stronger, honestly, she was hoping that they would be discharged soon.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane had always wondered about parenthood. About how the emotions that it was claimed were felt, and now he couldn't imagine how they could vanish. He loved Ulysses, in a way he had never loved anyone else. He knew he would do anything for him. Shane had gotten a little lunch from the cafeteria as Annika slept, she'd been getting better, slowly but surely. He walked back into the room, spotting her awake and sitting up. "Hey," he greeted. "You look like you slept well,"

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika smiled warmly as Shane came in, shifting in her bed and patting the spot beside her. "Hey you," She greeted him. "I think so, I feel so much better," She reassured him. "How is everything?" She questioned him, shifting a bit. "I'm sorry I haven't been more help to you."

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane moved to sit next to her and went to put his arm around her. He nodded. "Everything is good," he replied, "It's okay, Ulysses and I have been bonding," Shane didn't want her to feel bad for taking the necessary time to recover. He didn't want her to feel like she needed to immediately bounce back. "We're both glad you are feeling better though,"

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika smiled and snuggled into him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "How is he?" She questioned, her hand slipping to rest comfortably on his knee. "I haven't spent much time with him. How are things going? What's he like?" She asked him, curious. She knew he was still little, but there were so many thing that could be noted even now about his behaviour.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane kept his hold on Ulysses as Annika snuggled into him. "He's good," he said. "Mostly he sleeps, eats and he poops," Shane told her with a subtle enough smile. "He has very bright blue eyes, and I think he looks like you," Shane added though of course he was too little at this point for there to be any discerning features. "He's sweet though, isn't crying too much,"

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika hummed, laughing a bit at Shane's words. She hated how she still felt so tired, and being tucked into Shane's side was lulling her back to sleep- as if she hadn't spent enough time sleeping already. "How are you liking being a daddy?" She murmured, her voice tired even as she snuggled her nose against his neck. She knew that this- this life, a baby, them- it was all new ground, new territory, and she wanted to make sure he was alright with everything.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane would've had any number of jokes about her question, on any other day. But given how tired she seemed to be, he didn't bother. "I love it," he said simply, because it was new and it was messy but he couldn't imagine not loving it. Not doing anything for his son. Sure he wasn't about to marry annika, but Ulysses, he'd do pretty much anything for. Shane hadn't realised how much he would enjoy being a dad after he spent so long being against it and being as safe as he could, when he remembered.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Alyssa chuckled. "Well, I'm sure that Ulyssess is going to absolutely adore you," She chuckled, slipping her hand over his knee and yawning. "Is everything in the nursery ready? I can't remember," She murmured, starting to doze back off again. "Have we had any visitors while I was asleep?" She was hoping that her siblings had been by at the very least, unsure if Shane would have had any guests himself.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane laughed quietly. "He will," he said, though he would do his best to be a good day and give Ulyssess a reason to adore him. He nodded. "Yeah, everything's perfectly ready," he assured her with a little smile. "Your siblings have been by, but you've been dozing a lot. My aunt and uncle will be coming later, once you feel more up to it," he said, "Just rest still, this little guy took a lot out of you," he said, his voice still fond.

 

[Annika Corrins]

Annika took in everything he said, making little noises and hums of affirmation as he spoke. She tried to guide his hand into her hair, unsure if it would work, but also too tired to argue much about it. She was asleep again soon, snuggled in against him and savoring his warmth.