1:03am.
That was what the digital clock on Shadow's nightstand displayed as the only source of light illuminating the nearly pitch dark bedroom that he shared with his sleeping partner. The red striped hedgehog had been awake for nearly an hour, finding himself unable to fall asleep no matter how hard he tried. A strong desire to go somewhere had been tugging at his mind and was only growing stronger and more urgent the longer he laid there trying to ignore it.
Shadow lets out a frustrated sigh and gently moves his partner's hand off of his stomach, being careful not to wake the blue hedgehog that still slept peacefully beside him as he slips out of bed and quietly leaves the bedroom without even bothering to put on his shoes or gloves, before making his way out into the slightly chilly spring night to follow the growing need that had been preventing him from sleeping. Maybe taking a walk would clear his head enough to let him get some much needed rest.
He decided to take a familiar path through the forest behind his home, one that he and Sonic often raced each other on, it had been a few months since he had last raced his partner. He missed that. Hopefully he'd be back in shape and ready to race here again soon, maybe they could even come back here as a family. The thought made Shadow smile as he moves a hand to cradle the underside of his round stomach, supporting it's weight and taking some of the load off of his spine and making it a bit less taxing to keep on walking along the forest trail. Had his baby bump always hung this low? He wondered to himself before a sweet floral scent caught his attention, derailing his train of thought as he passes through the tree line and into a sprawling field of lavender flowers. He remembered this place. This was where he and Sonic had first confessed their feelings for each other, the place they had conceived their first child. But why was he drawn back to this place now? Why did being here feel so right? So safe?
It didn't take long for his questions to be answered by a searing pain that shot through his stomach, starting in his pelvis and wrapping around his lower back to the front of his midsection before throbbing as it gradually faded away, leaving him breathless and stunned.
"O-Oh..."
That was the only sound he could muster as realization dawned on him. That was a contraction, his first true contraction. He had been in labor all night and didn't even know it. His instincts were guiding him here to give birth to his child, alone but safe among a sea of his favorite flower and their comforting scent.
"Seriously, kiddo? Right here? In the middle of the night?"
He chuckles incredulously, still cradling his belly as he resumed walking around to look for a comfortable spot to settle down and wait. He was in this for the long haul after all, might as well be as comfortable as possible until the pain really kicks in, right?
Shadow eventually finds a slight indentation in the ground after a few minutes of walking, the perfect size for him to lay in with enough space to move around comfortably. This was his spot. He starts to carefully lower himself to the ground, only to stumble and catch himself on his hands and knees when another contraction hits and something shifts within him, causing pressure to build and build until a sudden popping sensation brings both relief and a gush of sticky, warm fluid along with it to coat his inner thighs and backside. His water just broke. It wouldn't be long before the hard part really began, and that scared Shadow. This was really happening. His baby would be here in a matter of hours.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Shadow writhed and panted through each contraction in his makeshift nest as they gradually grew closer and closer together until they seemed to blend together with no breaks in between, until a strange feeling urged him to finally do something. It was finally time to start pushing.
O-Okay...I've got this. I can do this...here we g-AH SHIIIIIIT!"
Shadow mumbles to himself before another contraction catches him off guard with it's intensity, causing him to instinctively bare down hard against the pressure that was sitting low in his pelvis and making it's way down even lower at an agonizingly slow pace. He eases his efforts to rest for a brief moment and catch his breath, only for the pressure to move back up slightly as he losses a bit of the progress he had been making.
"Oh c-come on! Of course this couldn't be quick and e-easy..."
He groans in exhausted frustration, carefully shifting upright onto all fours to relieve the pain in his back and let gravity help move his hoglet along. The laboring hedgehog lets out a soft whine and spreads his legs apart as he feels the pressure and pain returning, causing his belly to tighten in preparation for another push. He takes a deep breath and pushes as hard as he can, causing his entrance to start opening up a little to reveal the tiniest sliver of wet fur before it retreats back inside him when he stops.
Shadow reaches a hand down to securely cup the small bulge and keep track of what was happening down past his belly where he couldn't see. He takes a few breaths as he feels his muscles tensing, preparing to push yet again. He bares down hard and lets out a pained cry when the hoglet's head begins to press down on his entrance, causing a stinging pain to spread across his slowly stretching skin. The hedgehog grunts and groans loudly while he pushes through the pain, eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted as he feels his hand becoming soaked and a metallic smell begins to mix with the scent of the flowers that surrounded him. The patch of wet fur reappears once more and slowly expands wider and wider as the hoglet's head rams it's way past straining skin and muscles, causing the stinging between Shadow's legs to grow into white hot burning pain, bringing tears to his eyes when the head reaches a full crown and progress halts to an agonizing stand still. At least the head didn't go back in when he stopped pushing this time.
A thought crossed Shadow's mind through the pain as he tried to catch his breath, this experience had to be one of the most reckless yet freeing things he's ever done. Nobody was around to judge him for crying or screaming, nobody was there to poke and prod and observe him while he was at his most vulnerable. He didn't have to be the ultimate out here among the now bloodied flowers, he didn't have to keep his walls up for anyone or anything. He could finally drop the mask of superiority and indifference that he wore for the world, he didn't have to be the stoic anti hero out here. He could be vulnerable, he could cry, and he sure as hell could scream and fight through any challenge thrown at him. He was strong.
He could do this.
Shadow shifts to lean back on his elbow, legs still spread far apart to accommodate the head that was bulging from between them, straining his stretched entrance nearly to it's limit while his trembling hand still delicately cradled the emerging hoglet's head to control it's progression while his body adjusted to allow it to pass through safely. He panted heavily through clenched teeth while he fought against his body's urges to push until it was safe to continue doing so again. This was it, he had to put every ounce of his remaining strength into this final effort. It was now or never. He was finally going to meet his sweet little baby or die trying.
An ear splitting scream rang out through the once peaceful field as Shadow bared down harder than he ever thought he could, the pain now so intense that stars blinked across his vision and he feared passing out. He couldn't let that happen, his child needed him. He had to keep going even though every muscle in his body begged him to stop, begged for relief as the hoglet's head finally burst forth in a rush of sticky fluid and blood, it's shoulders quickly following until everything suddenly stopped. Shadow pulled the infant up onto his tuft of white chest fluff and flopped onto his back, for a tense moment that felt like an eternity everything was completely silent besides the sound of the exhausted hedgehog's ragged breathing...
Until the sweet sound of a newborn's first cries filled the air, leaving Shadow in relieved tears as he cuddles his hoglet close. He nuzzles and kisses it's small face, not caring that it was still covered in blood and amniotic fluids.
"We...we did it, kiddo...we're okay..." He sobs joyfully, just laying there with his wailing baby held protectively to his chest while he mustered up the strength to sit up and cut the umbilical cord with his claws. The new parent then checks his newborn over, grinning through tears when he makes a discovery about his little one.
"Hello my precious baby boy, I'm your Papa. I'm so glad that you're finally here"
Shadow whispers, grinning at his son until a sudden sound causes his head to shoot up, ears swiveling as he quickly glances around to spot any danger.
"Shadow?! What are you doing out here?! I've been worried sick! Are you okay? Is the baby...okay...?"
Sonic calls out to his partner as he rushes to his side, only to freeze in shock when he sees the hoglet in Shadow's arms and the proud grin on the darker hedgehog's face.
"Is that...?"
"Mmhm, it's a beautiful little boy"
"When did you...?"
"About five, maybe ten minutes ago, I lost track of time. Do you want to hold your son?"
Sonic nods in response to his partner's question, letting the other hedgehog place the now sleeping hoglet in his arms.
"He's perfect, Shadow. Absolutely perfect!" The blue hedgehog beams proudly "Hey there, little buddy. I'm your Daddy!"
Shadow watches with a tired smile on his face, his expression soon shifting to pained look of concern as he feels that all too familiar pain and pressure returning.
"S-Sonic...another one is coming..."
"What?!"
Sonic's eyes go wide and he glances down to his partner's entrance just in time to see it starting to spread open yet again to make way for their unexpected second child, this delivery progressing much faster than the first due to the second twin being smaller than it's brother. Although this time felt different somehow. Shadow slips his hand down to feel around at his aching entrance, only to feel a tiny pair of feet emerging instead of a head.
"Shit, it's breech!" He yelps when the contractions pick up again, urging him to start pushing.
"Wh-What can I do to help?" Sonic asks, looking worried for his partner and child.
"Just...just hold our son and...k-keep him calm...I've got this!" Shadow replies, already baring down like he had done with the first baby. He heaves himself up into a sitting position, gripping at his bent leg to stay upright as he pushed. The hoglet's hips and torso quickly squeezing through until only the head and arms remained still inside, Shadow stops to catch his breath before pushing once more and delivering the arms. Only the head left now, he had to be careful. The exhausted hedgehog breathes deeply, still squeezing his thighs as the hoglet's head began to slowly emerge on it's own.
"C'mon...a-almost there...that's it...just a little more... AH! HOLY SHIT!"
He mutters softly so he wouldn't wake his firstborn, only to cry out in surprise when the second hoglet finally slips out onto the bloodied and flattened lavender flowers and begins to cry. Shadow carefully lifts the child into his arms and cuts through the cord that connected them.
"It's a gorgeous little girl" He announces to his stunned partner, smirking at the look on the blue hedgehog's face despite feeling like he might pass out due to sheer exhaustion at any moment.
"That was the most badass thing I've ever seen" Sonic says with a totally love struck look in his eyes as he very carefully passes their son to Shadow before scooping up the black and red hedgehog to carry him home bridal style "I love you so much"
"I know" Shadow replies, relaxing in Sonic's arms and shutting his eyes "I'm going to sleep for an entire month once we get back home"
"At least let me clean you up first, you're soaked in blood and Gaia knows what else"
"Fine, but only if you carry the next kid"
"I don't think that'd be possible, love"
"Hmph, then I'll make it possible, biology be damned"
"I'm sure you will, faker"
"Hey! Who are you calling a faker? Do you have any idea what I've just been through?"
