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Description
Othadious stared at her anxiously for a moment. He listened as Arandor spoke to her.

"I know Autumn, I've been there three times before, but, I promise, he's almost here, just give me a little more."

"N-No, I can't."

His ear twitched as he heard the Pure Light sigh again. "I know it's hard, but really, just one more big one and..."

"Stop!" Othadious cried suddenly. "How can you talk to her that way?"

Autumn gazed at him as tears spilled over her eyes, causing them to shut. She fell backwards, panting for dear life. The little Star Spirits around her tried to cool her off with a wet cloth, while at the same time they dotted the sweat away from her brow.

Arandor's eyes flashed. "Othadious," he hissed, "I know it's hard to watch, trust me, but, we're not here to tell her to stop. We're here to encourage her to go forward. If you start saying, "Stop it," she might lose faith that she'll ever make it through. You have to make her finish."

Othadious wanted to get angry at Arandor, as was his inclination when somebody was pissing him off. But he couldn't. His ear twitched again when Autumn moaned.

"I just...can't."

He looked back to her, then to Arandor, who crossed his arms and shook his head. "I won't do it for you," said the look on his face.

Othadious sighed. He would have to be the bad one. He had little choice.

He took Autumn's hand, squeezing it once or twice until she opened her eyes again. She was so tired, so stressed, so sad and full of anguish. But there was only one way to bring an end to it, and though it was in her hands, he'd take her in his own if he could.

Nodding once, he said, "Yes you can, and, you will."

Her lip quivered. She wanted once more to refute them both, but she realized the only cause she had to do so was the immense pain ravaging her. If she listened, and believed in them, and herself, she wouldn't have a reason to refute them anymore, because the pain would be gone.

And the little boy that she had defied so much to bring into this world would be here.

The child she stood up to the father that she loved to defend, would be here at last.

Whether this hope, or the secure hold of Othadious' hands around her own, something inspired her to sit up once more. It wasn't easy, but she would do it.

She had to.

And yet, though thoughts of proving her father wrong had inspired her to give it her all, she thought of him, as the biggest wave of pain rolled through her at last.

"I wonder...if you'll love him, Daddy."

******

The room was empty. The cries of a baby had replaced the screams coming from Autumn. Othadious had only seen him briefly, before Arandor whisked him away to clean him off. The Star Spirits went about attending to Autumn, not saying a word to the new father.

He turned back to Autumn. She still cringed, whimpering as the last of the labor pains left her, and the after birth in their wake. He cautiously took her hand. He wished he knew what to say.

He didn't know what he would say even if he were just a witness, let alone the father.

She opened her eyes a little. He noticed she was looking at him. Perhaps she didn't know what to say either.

Maybe she felt too miserable to say anything.

"...Autumn," Othadious murmured helplessly. Wasn't he supposed to be happy? He only felt numbness.

She looked that way too, until, whatever strength she had left pushed the corners of her lips into the smallest of smiles.

He found his did the same.
Then those cries returned.

Arandor held a bundled up blanket in his arms, bright blue with yellow stripes and stars on them. He looked somewhat flustered, but had his usual grin on his face. He sighed as he returned to Autumn's bedside.

Both adults stared at him anxiously. "What?" Autumn asked, her voice frail.

Arandor sighed, still grinning. "UnDark and UnLight may hate it, but, they'll never be able to look at him and not see each other, as well as themselves." He handed the bundle Autumn.

Othadious steadied her as she sat up, unsure if she had strength enough to manage this. She was leaning back against the bed, opening her arms as Arandor eased her baby into them. The infant continued to wail, crying for whatever reason his little heart could give him to.

The smile on Autumn's face strengthened. She pulled the blanket back. She saw the face of her son, one she had already named Matikai, for the first time.

Othadious leaned forward and saw this. His eyes widened as he pulled back. "Matikai...the mark of the spade...it's right on his face."

Arandor chuckled. "Poor baby. He had to get something from you though didn't he?"

Othadious narrowed his eyes at the Pure Light. He could see why his father continued to hate him so.

"He's perfect," they heard her whisper.

Arandor and Othadious looked back to the new mother. She brushed the baby's cheek gently. Tears were forming in her eyes again, out of joy, instead of anguish. Feeling her finger on his skin, Matikai opened his eyes.

Instead of the usual baby blue's, it appeared he already had his permanent eye color; green with a swirl of orange.

Othadious' eyes widened. "Is that...normal?" he whispered to Arandor.

Arandor shrugged, still grinning. "When you consider both of his grandfathers were born with permanent eye colors, I'd say it is. Perhaps if UnDark and UnLight could see how beautiful they can be when they come together, they wouldn't have to fight anymore."

"They'll never stop fighting," Othadious murmured, hanging his head. "What she and Matikai went through will mean nothing to them."

Arandor's smile wavered. He glanced at the sky outside the window and saw the moon had passed the midnight hour. "Hey," he murmured, "It's Mother's Day."

Othadious looked up. "Matikai was born on Mother's Day?"

"No, not really," Arandor replied. He was born right before it, but, his birthday could be on Mother's Day one year. It depends on when the second Sunday in May is...at least on Salas Continent. I think it's different on Folso and others." Arandor paused, then bowed his head. "Let me get out of here. Tell one of the Star Spirits if you need me."

Othadious watched as Arandor left the room. The Star Spirits left with him. While he could agree with his father on many things, including Arandor being very much annoying, the Pure Light had helped him and Autumn escape the war their fathers were waging. It had made things a lot less stressful for her.

Then, he realized the crying had stopped.

He looked over to the bed. Autumn had closed her eyes, even as tears leaked from them. She held baby Matikai close to her face, nuzzling him gently. Though his eyes were still glassy, he no longer wailed, as though the security coming from his mother was at last enough to comfort him.

A smile flirted with Othadious' lips.

He heard her whisper.

"Baby mine...I love you so."

******

Yeah this was one of those spur of the moment stories.

I drew this and had it colored and ready yesterday. It was Mother's Day here in America, so, I did this! It's up a day late, but it was ready yesterday, so it still counts.

I was out all day today so...blah X_X

This is Autumn holding baby Matikai after he was born. His eyes were already green and orange when he was born, so, no baby blues for him.

But isn't he adorable?? <33333

Anyway, Gem did the picture of Othadious and Matikai, so, I had to one of Matikai and Autumn to be a companion piece. Too bad my art sucks compared to Gem's X_X

But yeah, not too many complaints here ^^

No crits though I don't need them Kinda bothered by Autumn's ears but oh well.

Autumn Bloom belongs to me.
Matikai belongs to me and Gem.

And Gem is the lovely ~GemzyBabeeSonamy

~ Halo

Description
Othadious stared at her anxiously for a moment. He listened as Arandor spoke to her.

"I know Autumn, I've been there three times before, but, I promise, he's almost here, just give me a little more."

"N-No, I can't."

His ear twitched as he heard the Pure Light sigh again. "I know it's hard, but really, just one more big one and..."

"Stop!" Othadious cried suddenly. "How can you talk to her that way?"

Autumn gazed at him as tears spilled over her eyes, causing them to shut. She fell backwards, panting for dear life. The little Star Spirits around her tried to cool her off with a wet cloth, while at the same time they dotted the sweat away from her brow.

Arandor's eyes flashed. "Othadious," he hissed, "I know it's hard to watch, trust me, but, we're not here to tell her to stop. We're here to encourage her to go forward. If you start saying, "Stop it," she might lose faith that she'll ever make it through. You have to make her finish."

Othadious wanted to get angry at Arandor, as was his inclination when somebody was pissing him off. But he couldn't. His ear twitched again when Autumn moaned.

"I just...can't."

He looked back to her, then to Arandor, who crossed his arms and shook his head. "I won't do it for you," said the look on his face.

Othadious sighed. He would have to be the bad one. He had little choice.

He took Autumn's hand, squeezing it once or twice until she opened her eyes again. She was so tired, so stressed, so sad and full of anguish. But there was only one way to bring an end to it, and though it was in her hands, he'd take her in his own if he could.

Nodding once, he said, "Yes you can, and, you will."

Her lip quivered. She wanted once more to refute them both, but she realized the only cause she had to do so was the immense pain ravaging her. If she listened, and believed in them, and herself, she wouldn't have a reason to refute them anymore, because the pain would be gone.

And the little boy that she had defied so much to bring into this world would be here.

The child she stood up to the father that she loved to defend, would be here at last.

Whether this hope, or the secure hold of Othadious' hands around her own, something inspired her to sit up once more. It wasn't easy, but she would do it.

She had to.

And yet, though thoughts of proving her father wrong had inspired her to give it her all, she thought of him, as the biggest wave of pain rolled through her at last.

"I wonder...if you'll love him, Daddy."

******

The room was empty. The cries of a baby had replaced the screams coming from Autumn. Othadious had only seen him briefly, before Arandor whisked him away to clean him off. The Star Spirits went about attending to Autumn, not saying a word to the new father.

He turned back to Autumn. She still cringed, whimpering as the last of the labor pains left her, and the after birth in their wake. He cautiously took her hand. He wished he knew what to say.

He didn't know what he would say even if he were just a witness, let alone the father.

She opened her eyes a little. He noticed she was looking at him. Perhaps she didn't know what to say either.

Maybe she felt too miserable to say anything.

"...Autumn," Othadious murmured helplessly. Wasn't he supposed to be happy? He only felt numbness.

She looked that way too, until, whatever strength she had left pushed the corners of her lips into the smallest of smiles.

He found his did the same.
Then those cries returned.

Arandor held a bundled up blanket in his arms, bright blue with yellow stripes and stars on them. He looked somewhat flustered, but had his usual grin on his face. He sighed as he returned to Autumn's bedside.

Both adults stared at him anxiously. "What?" Autumn asked, her voice frail.

Arandor sighed, still grinning. "UnDark and UnLight may hate it, but, they'll never be able to look at him and not see each other, as well as themselves." He handed the bundle Autumn.

Othadious steadied her as she sat up, unsure if she had strength enough to manage this. She was leaning back against the bed, opening her arms as Arandor eased her baby into them. The infant continued to wail, crying for whatever reason his little heart could give him to.

The smile on Autumn's face strengthened. She pulled the blanket back. She saw the face of her son, one she had already named Matikai, for the first time.

Othadious leaned forward and saw this. His eyes widened as he pulled back. "Matikai...the mark of the spade...it's right on his face."

Arandor chuckled. "Poor baby. He had to get something from you though didn't he?"

Othadious narrowed his eyes at the Pure Light. He could see why his father continued to hate him so.

"He's perfect," they heard her whisper.

Arandor and Othadious looked back to the new mother. She brushed the baby's cheek gently. Tears were forming in her eyes again, out of joy, instead of anguish. Feeling her finger on his skin, Matikai opened his eyes.

Instead of the usual baby blue's, it appeared he already had his permanent eye color; green with a swirl of orange.

Othadious' eyes widened. "Is that...normal?" he whispered to Arandor.

Arandor shrugged, still grinning. "When you consider both of his grandfathers were born with permanent eye colors, I'd say it is. Perhaps if UnDark and UnLight could see how beautiful they can be when they come together, they wouldn't have to fight anymore."

"They'll never stop fighting," Othadious murmured, hanging his head. "What she and Matikai went through will mean nothing to them."

Arandor's smile wavered. He glanced at the sky outside the window and saw the moon had passed the midnight hour. "Hey," he murmured, "It's Mother's Day."

Othadious looked up. "Matikai was born on Mother's Day?"

"No, not really," Arandor replied. He was born right before it, but, his birthday could be on Mother's Day one year. It depends on when the second Sunday in May is...at least on Salas Continent. I think it's different on Folso and others." Arandor paused, then bowed his head. "Let me get out of here. Tell one of the Star Spirits if you need me."

Othadious watched as Arandor left the room. The Star Spirits left with him. While he could agree with his father on many things, including Arandor being very much annoying, the Pure Light had helped him and Autumn escape the war their fathers were waging. It had made things a lot less stressful for her.

Then, he realized the crying had stopped.

He looked over to the bed. Autumn had closed her eyes, even as tears leaked from them. She held baby Matikai close to her face, nuzzling him gently. Though his eyes were still glassy, he no longer wailed, as though the security coming from his mother was at last enough to comfort him.

A smile flirted with Othadious' lips.

He heard her whisper.

"Baby mine...I love you so."

******

Yeah this was one of those spur of the moment stories.

I drew this and had it colored and ready yesterday. It was Mother's Day here in America, so, I did this! It's up a day late, but it was ready yesterday, so it still counts.

I was out all day today so...blah X_X

This is Autumn holding baby Matikai after he was born. His eyes were already green and orange when he was born, so, no baby blues for him.

But isn't he adorable?? <33333

Anyway, Gem did the picture of Othadious and Matikai, so, I had to one of Matikai and Autumn to be a companion piece. Too bad my art sucks compared to Gem's X_X

But yeah, not too many complaints here ^^

No crits though I don't need them Kinda bothered by Autumn's ears but oh well.

Autumn Bloom belongs to me.
Matikai belongs to me and Gem.

And Gem is the lovely ~GemzyBabeeSonamy

~ Halo