For a moment, everything is silent but the sound of their breathing—gentle, easy breaths in the quiet moonlight.
Then,
Felix's voice breaks the silence, so quiet Jake almost misses it:
"I'm tired," he whispers into Jake's shirt.
Jake lets out a quiet chuckle.
"You're *always* tired," he teased, hand finding Felix's in the sheets. "You've slept more in the last three days than I have this entire week."
Felix swats at his shoulder lazily,
then snuggles closer.
"It's called *rest*," Felix retorts, voice muffled by Jake's shirt. "You should try it sometime."
Jake laughs, pulling Felix closer—one hand tracing delicate patterns on his back, the other caressing his belly.
"I rest when you do," he murmured, nuzzling a kiss to the top of his head. "I'm worried you'll exhaust yourself otherwise."
Felix rolls his eyes, but leans into his touch.
"I'm not made of glass," he grumbled. "I can take care of myself."
"I know," Jake whispers, brushing a thumb over Felix's cheek. "But you don't have to. Not with me."
Felix huffs, but his eyes flutter shut—tired, trusting.
"Fine," he mumbles. "But I'm still the boss of this family."
Jake grins into the dark.
"Of course you are," he breathes. "*My* boss."
And in that moment, as the moon dips behind soft clouds, and their little world settles into silence— two hearts beat as one… and one tiny pulse thrums beneath Jake's palm—
**strong, safe… and so very loved.**
"Jake?" Felix whispers after a long silence, voice drowsy but curious.
"Hmm?" Jake answers, stroking his hair.
"Do you... think we'll be okay? Really?"
Jake doesn't hesitate.
"We *are* okay," he says softly. "And we're only gonna get better."
He presses a kiss to Felix's forehead.
"We've already survived the worst. Now? We just live—loud and proud and together."
Felix lets out a slow breath, like he's finally letting go of something heavy.
Then, a tiny kick pulses beneath Jake's hand— gentle, but firm— as if the baby agrees:
*Yes.*
**Alive. Together. Ours.**
Jake smiles, tracing his fingers over Felix's stomach.
"See?" he whispers. "Even the baby agrees."
Felix smiles at the feeling, then lets out a small yawn.
"Little traitor," he murmurs. "Already picking sides, huh."
Jake laughs, kissing the top of his head.
"Like you expected any different?"
"I was hoping for an ounce of loyalty," Felix teased.
Jake chuckles, hugging him closer.
"Sorry to disappoint, doll. Looks like this is a family of troublemakers."
Felix grins, burying his face in Jake's shoulder.
"Our poor kid," he says, laughing softly. "How's it gonna survive with us as parents?"
"With a lot of luck," Jake says dryly. "And a *lot* of patience."
Felix lets out a sleepy laugh, nuzzling into his shoulder.
"We can manage that, though," he murmurs, eyes already half-lidded.
Jake smiles, pulling the covers up higher over them.
"Yeah," he whispers, "we can. And when we can't... we just take a minute. We breathe. Because whatever happens..."
Felix hums in agreement, fingers tightening in the back of his shirt.
"We do it together," Jake murmurs, kissing the top of his head. "No matter what."
Felix nods against his chest, a soft smile on his lips.
"Always together," he whispers, half-asleep now. "Us against the world."
Jake holds him closer, feeling his heartbeat grow slower.
"Yeah," he breathes, eyes falling shut. "Us against the world."
And together, beneath the moon and the stars, they slip into the gentle comfort of sleep.
Jake drifts off in Felix's arms, face pressed into the scent of vanilla and home. His heartbeat slows to match Felix's, their breaths finding a slow, steady as moonlight filters in through the window.
And somewhere in the quiet room,
the faint sound of a heartbeat pulsing from deep within Felix's belly—
**a little more rapid…**
**a little more excited**…
as if it can already sense the promise of the future.
The baby is active now, shifting and kicking with an energy of its own.
As the night deepens, the baby grows even more animated—hands and feet pressing against Felix's stomach in restless bursts.
He shifts sleepily in Jake's arms, a soft grumble escaping his lips.
"Shh," Jake murmurs, hand soothing circles over the small bump. "It's okay, baby. Just settle down... shh..."
The baby seems to still for a moment, then kicks again—harder this time—like it's trying to protest being hushed.
"Damn this kid is *active*," Felix whispers, a hand resting over his stomach.
Jake chuckles softly, pressing a kiss to his hair.
"Must take after you," he teases. "Can't sit still for more than a second."
Felix smacks his shoulder sleepily, but there's no real force behind it.
"Shut up," he grumbles, burying his face in Jake's chest.
"What?" Jake whispers, grinning. "It's true. You pace like a caged tiger when you're nervous."
Felix huffs.
"I don't *pace.* I… *strategically reposition myself.*"
Jake snorts.
"Right. That's why the floor has grooves from your boots?"
Felix kicks him lightly—too tired to argue properly—and yawns instead.
"Just go to sleep," he mumbles. "*And stop talking about my parenting style.*"
Jake laughs under his breath, pulling Felix closer.
"Never," he whispers, kissing his forehead.
The baby gives one final kick—
then stills,
as if satisfied they've made their point:
**This family? We belong together now—no matter what comes next.**
Jake wakes first, feeling the first light of dawn streaming through the window. He opens his eyes to find Felix still sound asleep in his arms, face buried in his shoulder and one hand curled over his stomach.
Jake smiles softly, brushing a stray strand of hair back from Felix's forehead. He knows Felix will be exhausted when he wakes up—the baby's late-night kicking hasn't exactly been fun for either of them. But he looks so peaceful now…
Jake can't help but watch him for a moment.
"Morning, beautiful," Jake whispers, voice rough with sleep.
Felix stirs—nose scrunching, lips parting in a tiny yawn.
"Mmm... 's too early," he mumbles. "Five more minutes."
Jake chuckles low in his chest.
"Can't," he teases. "*Someone* needs breakfast—and they've already kicked me twice this morning."
Felix groans, eyes still closed.
"Traitor baby..."
But then his hand moves gently over his stomach,
and a soft smile tugs at the corner of his lips.
Jake smiles—heart swelling as he watches Felix's hand move gently over his stomach.
"You're gonna be an amazing father, you know that?" he whispers.
Felix lets out a non-committal hum, eyes still closed.
"Sure, sure," he murmurs. "I can barely keep a cactus alive, but I'm gonna be great with a baby..."
Jake snorts.
"You're a lot better with living things than plants, love," he teases.
Felix lifts one sleepy eyelid, giving him a half-lidged glare.
"I will have you know I love my succulents very much," he grumbles.
Jake laughs softly.
"Oh, I know," he says with a grin. "I've been the one watering them every week for the last six months."
Felix opens his other eye, giving him a proper glare now.
"Shut up."
Jake's phone vibrates on the bedside table, stirring them both. He sighs, reaching over to check the screen.
"It's Dad," he murmurs, fingers skimming over the screen.
Felix gives him a sideways glance.
"You're not gonna answer?" he asks quietly.
"Not yet," Jake says, setting the phone face-down.
Felix studies his face—the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers curl slightly at his side.
"He's been calling a lot lately," Felix murmurs. "You can't avoid him forever."
Jake exhales sharply, looking toward the window—sunlight painting gold across the broken walls from last night's fight.
"I don't *want* to talk about him right now," he admits. "Not with all this—" he gestures between them, at their shattered home and Felix's pregnant belly—"and not when I finally feel… safe for now."