Heart In The Armor (Alphonse X Reader)

The Miracle of Childbirth

"I guess I just needed time to process everything that happened today." I said, leaning back in my chair.

"Yeah, it's been a lot." He said. I look up at the baby sleeping undisturbed at us, and smile.

"It's a miracle, a baby, but you could consider it equivalent exchange, both parents start with giving half of their lives, but as the child grows up, they end up giving their whole lives." I stand up, and extend my hand out to it, he does so and we walk over to the couch, where I eventually fall asleep next to him.

It was July 24 when my mom gave birth to Lilly. I was almost eight years old.

I walked into the kitchen, looking for something to play with or someone to play with on the hot summer day.

"Hey pumpkin. Want some eggs?" He said, sliding scrambled eggs onto two plates.

"Yeah! With smiley face ketchup!" I said, giving him a wide smile as he ruffled my bed head. He made my smiley face before holding up the other plate.

"I'm going to give this to mommy. Can you go water her Lillies outside?"

"Yeah!" I picked up a small watering can from outside and went to the sink to get some water, and go outside to water them very carefully. Mom taught me to add a certain amount of water per Lilly, so I've got it down to an art. I pour the rest of the water on a tree in front of our house, then cheerfully get my bucket and open the door.

That's when I heard the scream.

I rush inside, putting down my watering can and going to the source. I see my dad holding my moms hand and her screaming, with Nicole next to her.

"Mommy!" I said, going over to her, seeing tears on her face. My dad told Nicole to get supplies for my mom, as I hold her hand as she's crying, no, sobbing in pain.

"Nicole! You're in charge!" My dad ran out, as I went to grab his coat, but barely missing.

Hours passed, with my mom suffering, until she finally screamed:

"The baby's coming!" She said, as us kids tried to help our mom. Nicole took the role of getting the baby, I tried my best to calm her down, holding her hand, hugging her, checking if she's ok, before feeling her heartbeat pausing and completely stopping.

"It's a girl!" Nicole screamed, looking at her and looking for what to do. She ran into the kitchen, looking for a book of what to do next as I looked at the screaming infant in my mother's arms.

"Can you make that yellow duck you always made for me, (Y/n)?" She said, her voice weak. I ran into my room, grabbing some chalk and drew an alchemical circle onto the floor with a block of wood in the middle, thinking about it, every detail and feature and having it light up before my eyes. I grabbed it and ran into the room again.

When I was back into the room, the baby was wrapped up in my mother's arms, I could tell she was getting weaker. Nicole had tears in her eyes, knowing what is going to happen.

"I always wanted to teach you girls how to cook, I wanted to send you off to get married, become a grandma and take care of my grandchildren and play with them like I did with you." She said, looking up at the baby then at us.

"What... what are you naming her?" I said, looking at my tear eyed mother.

"Lilly.... she has my blue eyes, but some green, like the petals and the stem of a blue Lilly." Her voice was weak, she bit her bottom lip and held up the duck to Lilly, as she wrapped her little fingers around it.

"I love you, girls. Take care of your little sister for me, ok?" She said, her eyes slowly shutting as she handed Lilly to Nicole.

"But you're not going anywhere mommy, right?" She smiled at me, kissing my forehead gently.

"I'm going to visit.... heaven for a little bit, I'll meet you there soon, sweetie." Her eyes slowly shut as I gently shook her.

"Mommy? Wake up. Aren't you going to visit? Mommy? Mommy! Wake up!" I looked over to Nicole, who is crying, for the first time.

"She's gone, (Y/n)."

"She can't be! She was just here!.... She's going to see us grow up! What about papa? When is she going to come back!"

"She isn't coming back!"

The door burst open, an hour later, the sound of my new crying sister was filling the room. My dad was standing in the door frame, a doctor behind him.

"Where's.... where's your mother?" He said, out of breath.

"Your......you're late." I felt my body shake, wanting to fall apart onto the floor as my dad covered his mouth.

"I hate you, Papa!"

     "Guys let's go! There wouldn't be another train for 3 days!" Ed said as we started sprinting to the train. Al jumped on and grabbed Ed, while I had to use my alchemy to fling myself onto the back of the train. "You three should be carful!" "We will! And you better steal that old mans techniques so you can make better automail for the best time I see you!" Ed said, as we waved backed and smiled at Paninya and Winry.