A Tender Warmth

Four

Makoto's POV

"We're going to have to bring Makoto into hospital before the baby is born, because he can not physically push the baby out and also if there are any mis-haps of getting him here while he is in labour."

~

"Are you feeling okay, sweetie?" Makoto blinked and stared at the ceiling, not answering his mother.

His reproductive organs were trying to process that he was in fact in labour. But that's not physically possible for a male.

Makoto's mother's hand gently touched his face and he flinched away from it. He laid his head on it's side and saw Haruka leaning against the wall, watching. Makoto looked back up at the ceiling, fighting back tears.

Gently, he moved his large hand to hover over the bulge in his lower stomach, his mother held his hand down on his stomach and he could feel something moving. The baby?

His eyes widened as the pain had become more rapid and overwhelming. Makoto gripped the sheets of the hospital bed and moaned in pain. Haruka stepped forward in worry and Makoto's mother called out, "We need a nurse!"

Two nurses came rushing in moments later. One stood beside the bed, looking over Makoto's body. The other was pushing Haruka and Makoto's mother out of the room.

Makoto tried to sit up, he panicked, "Haru!" The nurse gently pushed him back down and told him in a sweet voice, "The doctors will be here soon. You're going to have to lay down and relax while we go through the procedure."

"O-okay." Makoto tried his best to ignore the pain and stared at the ceiling.

The room was tense and the lights were dim. Three doctors stood around Makoto on the bed. They had put a needle into his arm, quickly. An oxygen mask was placed onto his face.

A pretty nurse gently rubbed Makoto's head, smiling down at him. His eyes felt heavy. "We're putting you to sleep now. You should wake up after the surgery is complete." She nodded in assurance.

Makoto's eyes fluttered back and he fell asleep.

There were no dreams. Just darkness.

When will I wake up? I don't want to wake up. I... can't do this...

Slowly, Makoto's eyes opened.

The room was dark, except for the lamp above the hospital bed.

Makoto's head turned, looking for Haruka and his mother. Beside the bed was a small, plastic hospital crib, a bundle of blue blankets wrapped around a small figure. Makoto slowly sat himself up, his stomach still aching.

He looked at the tiny bundle and smiled to himself. The infant was blankly looking around, their eyes a dark colour. Their lips were a dark pink, moist from his small tongue.

Makoto put his finger next to the small baby's cheek and gently stroked it. He whispered, "My baby."

Slumping his head down, he started to sob and slowly moved his hands to his face.

"My..." Tears fell onto his hands. "Baby..."

Haruka walked in, he was light on his feet. Makoto looked up at him and quickly wiped his tears off his face.

"Hey, Haru." He sat next to Makoto and replied, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm still sore, but I'll be fine. And I'm really tired." Makoto chuckled and smiled sadly. Haruka's hand rubbed Makoto's upper back and he couldn't hold it in.

Makoto leaned on Haruka's shoulder and sobbed his heart out. "I don't know," He sniffled, "if I can do this, Haru."

"You'll be okay. We're all here for you. Nagisa, Rei... We're here to look over you. Same goes for your parents, they'll be looking out for you every minute of every day."

Makoto sat up slightly and wiped his face, "Thank you, Haru."

Haruka looked over at the infant laying silently in the crib, "Did they tell you what gender?" "Hm?" Makoto replied.

"It's a boy."