November 3rd, 860
Summary: November 3rd, 860 will be remember as the day Jean failed to give Mikasa carrot cupcakes with extra whip cream. And also the day she gave birth alone in the middle of a snow storm
Pairing: Jean Kirstein & Mikasa Ackerman
Word Count: 3.154
Trigger warning: childbirth
Note: This is an edited version
“No…” Mikasa whined when Jean placed her on the bed. She clutched his shirt when he tried to move away.
Jean chuckled at her actions.
“I know.” He said, putting her head on the pillow.
“Do you have to go?” She asked, her eyes still closed.
“Just for a few hours. I’ll come back by lunchtime.” He said, putting the covers on top of her.
“Will you cook lunch?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ll bring those carrot cupcakes from the bakery near your office for dessert?”
“Yes.” He said while putting on his office clothes.
“Extra whip cream?”
He chuckled and sat beside her.
“I’ll be sure to see it with my own eyes.”
"Promise?"
"Promise." He kisses her forehead. She’s back asleep. He pulled the covers up until only her head was visible and kissed her covered bump. He put his hand on top of it and he could feel a kick. He smiled.
Before leaving, he lit the fireplace to make sure that the bottom floor was well warmed for when she came down to eat breakfast.
…
A pain shooting through her side abruptly woke Mikasa up. She jolted and groaned out loud. She took a deep breath and gripped the bed sheets. She tries to fall asleep again, but her body still aches. She buries her face in the pillow and inhales Jean’s scent. She missed her "pregnant pillow".
She groans out loud once again when another sharp pain runs through her body. Mikasa shifts in bed and breathes heavily through her nose.
She sits on the bed, struggling a bit to get up. She sits crossed-legged and grips the covers.
“Deep breaths. Deep breaths.” She whispers to herself and caresses her bump.
When the pains stopped, she let out a relieved sigh. She was getting up from the bed but sat back down when she felt another sharp pain. She let out a surprised and pained scream. She grips her bump and hisses.
Was she in labour?
Probably, the midwife did say that the due date was close and that the baby was in the perfect position for labour. She just didn’t think it would be when Jean was away and she was home alone.
…
Jean let out a happy sigh when he finished signing his last piece of paperwork. Now he could go home, but not before buying those carrot cupcakes like he promised. He picked up a receiver and placed it next to his ear, and before his fingers could touch the numbers, he realised he couldn’t hear the familiar buzzing sound from the telephone. He frowned. He put it down and picked it up again, but once again he couldn’t hear the buzzing sound.
He looked at the receiver down and went into Connie's office, Reiner was with him.
“Hey, Does your telephone work?”
Connie frowned and picked up the receiver.
“Nope, nothing. The damn snowstorm must have cut down the phone line.”
“Damn it.” Jean cursed. “Yeah, I’m leaving.”
“I wouldn’t go if I were you.” Reiner interjected.
“Why?”
“With the way the storm is getting stronger, all the roads and even the train lines must be blocked.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“Unless you want to end up as a frozen popsicle, I suggest you wait until it all comes down.”
“You expect me to sit here while my very pregnant wife is waiting for me.”
“It’s Mikasa. She’s going to be okay without you.” Connie reassured.
Jean let out a sigh.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. As long as I bring those carrot cupcakes with extra whip cream, she wouldn’t care. She’s probably still sleeping. She has been sleeping a lot lately.”
…
Mikasa lets out a scream when another contraction hits her body again. She gripped the windowsill of the living room window so hard that her knuckles were white. She looked outside. She could only see the snow and snow-covered trees. Lunch time came and went, but there was still no sign of Jean.
She tried to use the telephone, but it wasn’t working. She stood in front of the window and waited for him. She had hoped that he would manage to leave the office before the roads and train lines were blocked.
Her body couldn’t decide if she was hot or cold and had a thin layer of sweat formed on her face.
She moved away from the window when she came to terms with the fact that Jean wasn’t coming and hoped he was in the warm office and not on the freezing road.
She took one step but stopped when she felt something warm trickle down on her leg. Looking down, she saw a pool of clear liquid forming around her feet. She grunted at the mess. She removed the cushion cover and threw it at the pool of what she knew was her amniotic fluid. She was starting to behave like Captain Levi.
…
“Where’s Annie and Armin?” Connie asked Jean to throw a ball at him.
“It’s Armin’s birthday. They took a day off to celebrate.” Reiner responded by throwing the ball back at him. After knowing they were going to be stuck for a while, they were doing everything to make time go by quickly.
“Taking a page out of you and Mikasa’s book. Didn’t they do that at Annie’s birthday?”
“Oh yeah! Copycats!”
“Do you think we’re going to have a Baby Arlert next year?” Connie asked.
“Good Lord, one Annie is enough.” Reiner exclaimed.
"Well, a playmate for my kid wouldn't be that bad. Another Mikasa and Armin duo." Jean commented.
…
In the kitchen, Mikasa boils water and sterilises a large pair of scissors. She gathers fresh towels and blankets. The phonograph is put on at a high volume. She waddles up the stairs with the necessary materials.
The bath is filled with hot water and she waits while sitting on the edge of the bathtub while gripping the white marble as she breathes heavily and painful contractions run through her whole body. When the bathtub is half filled, she shuts the tap and removes all of her clothes and ties her hair up. While lowering herself into the hot water, she lets out a sigh when she feels some of the tension leave her body.
…
Annie took a sip of wine as she watched the snow fall.
“Aren’t you glad we decided to take a day off to celebrate your birthday in our cosy and warm apartment, sipping on our finest wine instead of being in that cold office?” She asked.
Armin let out an amused sigh.
“Yes. I’m glad.” He said sitting on the living room armchair.
She smiles and puts down her glass of wine. She walks to him and straddles his lap, his hands go to her waist. Leaning forward until their lips were inches apart she whispers. “How about we go to our bed to get more warm?”
Armin smirks.
“Sounds like a good plan, Annie bear.”
Annie smacked his shoulder.
“And you ruined the mood.”
She got up from his lap, leaving him speechless.
…
Half an hour in the bathtub and Mikasa started wailing from the pain. The contractions were starting to get closer together and more painful.
Mikasa thought that having a Titan grab her like she was a doll and crushing her ribs was the most painful experience of her life. She was starting to reevaluate that experience.
She gripped that side of the bathtub when another contraction hit her. She tries to focus on the music coming from downstairs. She kneels on the bathtub, puts her hand between her thighs and inspects. She feels the hair, soft hair. It’s time.
“Here we go.” She whispered.
She goes back to gripping the edges of the bathtub.
She takes a deep breath, lets out a loud wail, and starts pushing.
A deep breath, then a scream, and then pushing.
A deep breath, then a scream, and then pushing.
A deep breath, then a scream, and then pushing.
A deep breath, then a scream, and then pushing.
A deep breath, then a scream, and then pushing.
A deep breath, then a scream, and then pushing.
She puts her hand between her thighs and smiles when she feels the head. She could feel the nose and the ear. She cradles the head and starts pushing once again, this time harder. With one final scream, the loudest she ever let out in her whole life, and another push, the baby is out.
She fishes the baby out of the water and puts them against her chest. A few hard taps on the back and the baby lets out a breath and a wail. It was the baby crying and moving that finally let out the tears she had been holding all day long.
Mikasa laughs with joy.
She lies exhausted against the bathtub. She looks down to see the gender of the baby.
It’s a boy.
Her boy.
She has a son.
They have a son.
Mikasa and Jean have a son.
And he is beautiful.
…
“Mikasa is going to kill me the moment she sees me.” Jean said as he took a bit from a granola bar.
It was dark already and the storm hasn’t yet calmed down.
“Don’t you think you're exaggerating.” Connie said with his mouth full of food.
“No. She’ll probably hug me and say how worried she was that I wasn’t home like I promised. Then she’ll ask if I ate. And then she will slowly kill me for not coming home like I promised. She may have a big belly that makes walking unbalanced but she will still be able to kick a grown man’s ass.”
“Damn! Do you think if you give her those carrot cupcakes she will give you mercy?”
Jean shrugged. “A man can only hope.”
…
Mikasa doesn’t know how she did it, but after cutting the umbilical cord, expelling the placenta, and wrapping a towel around her son. She got up from the bathtub and put on a robe. She ignored the aches in her body as she walked to her room. She lays her son on the bed, grabs a diaper, and puts it on him. After making sure he’s swaddled with warm blankets, she collapses on the bed. She lets out a groan, feeling all the energy in her body slowly fading. Whatever energy she had, Mikasa used it to prop up the pillows and go under the cover. She carries him to her chest once again and lays him there.
He was awake; his eyes, grey in colour, were looking around curiously. His face was round and chubby. The colour of his skin was turning a pink shade. He had back hair just like hers. Mikasa thinks Jean is going to like it. Mikasa thinks it's fitting. Black hair just like the young boy he’s named after.
“Marco.” She whispered, saying her son’s name out loud for the first time.
The baby twitches a little, as if he was responding to his mother.
“Welcome to the world. It’s cruel but it’s really beautiful.”
Marco moves his head around and smacks his lips. Acting on pure instinct, Mikasa shifts her robe and directs his head to her nipple. The baby immediately puts it in his mouth and starts sucking. Mikasa flinches because of the discomfort but slowly starts getting accustomed to the feeling.
She grabbed his tiny little hand, and the boy wrapped his hand around her finger with a tight grip that only comes from someone with the Ackerman gene. Captain Levi would be impressed.
“You’re so loved, Marco. So so so loved. By me. By your daddy. By your Uncle Armin. And so many more.” She whispers to her. “They are waiting for you. They will be happy to meet you.”
Mikasa lets out a chuckle.
“Your father is going to be sad to know that he didn’t get to hear your first cries and cut the cord. He’s also going to be upset that I did all of that alone. He’s going to blame himself for it for a very long time. He’s probably never going to let us out of his sight ever.”
Marco removes his mouth from Mikasa’s breast. She puts him on her shoulder and pats his back.
“It was his idea to name you Marco. The man you were named after was Marco Bott. Your father and I met him during our days as cadets. He was kind and always saw the good in people. He was one of the first to see your father’s potential as a leader, and he was right. His death was the reason your father joined the Survey Corps and became the man he is today. It makes me wonder how different it would have been if he had never joined. I think you're going to be as kind as the other Marco was.”
The music from the phonograph downstairs can still be heard. She looks at the clock at her bedside and sees that it’s 9 o’clock. She had been in labour for 10 hours. It’s still November 3rd.
“It’s still November third.” She says it out loud. “Your Uncle Armin is going to be excited about his birthday present.”
Marco is sound asleep on her chest, the little snores that he makes are probably the cutest things Mikasa has ever heard. She kisses his forehead.
“I had almost given up on having this kind of moment.” She said with a tear sliding down her face. “Thank you for letting me be your mom, Marco.”
…
Jean let out a sigh of relief when he parked in front of his house. Glad to be finally home after being stuck all night in the office. He did not miss Connie’s snoring at all.
He looked at his house and mentally practised his apologies to Mikasa. For not being home last night, not being able to contact her and not bringing the carrot cupcakes with extra whip cream.
He looks at the hood of the car when he hears something land on it. He sees a large bird there looking at Jean… Judging him? It’s probably the sleep deprivation playing tricks on his mind. The bird lets out a loud screech and flies off. Jean shook his head and ignored the bird’s strange behavior.
Jean frowned when he heard the phonograph play loudly, so loud that he could hear it when he was 10 feet away from the house.
“Mikasa!” He calls out the moment he goes through the door.
She wasn’t in the living room or kitchen. He immediately turns off the phonograph and stands by trying to listen to any sound. There was none.
“Mikasa?” He shouts again as he ascends the stairs.
Still no answer.
He feels his heart stop when he looks down and sees small drops of blood coming from the bathroom into his bedroom. He sprints to the bathroom but doesn’t see her there. He marches to his bedroom and opens the door. He almost passed out.
There on the bed, still asleep, was his wife with the baby on top of her, who was also asleep.
Jean runs to the bed and shakes Mikasa.
“Mikasa wake up.” He urged, his voice filled with panic
She does and her hands go to the baby and secure them.
“Jean?” She groans. “You’re finally home.”
“What happened?” He asked in shock.
Mikasa smiled and looked down at the sleeping infant. “He happened. He wanted to be born.”
Jean eyes got wide.
“He?”
“Our Marco is here.” She confirmed.
Jean didn’t know what to think. Didn’t know what to do. He munched on granola bars while Mikasa was giving birth to their son… alone. At the thought of it. The thought of her alone where every horrible scenario could have happened made him burst into tears.
“I’m sorry.” He said with his eyes tightly closed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left. I shouldn’t have gone to the office. I should have said no and let the others deal with the problem. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
“Jean.” She firmly says while putting her hand against his cheek whipping a tear away. “It’s okay. I’m okay. Our son is okay.”
“But…” He protested.
“Hold him. You will feel better after holding him.” She says.
Jean took a deep breath and silently begged for his hands to stop shaking. He cradled his tiny body and lifted him up. The baby let out a few whines when he was being shifted. Jean looked at his son and smiled. He was the carbon copy of his mother.
“Hey, little buddy.” He whispered. “My boy."
Jean could count on one hand the number of times he felt so much joy that he could explode. When he reunited with his mother after years apart. When Mikasa accepted his marriage proposal. When he and Mikasa got married. When Mikasa told him she was pregnant. And now, as he held his son in his arms, there was another finger up, a handful.
He looks at Mikasa when he hears her groan.
She needs medical help.
“We’re going to the hospital.” He says this while handing Marco back to her, leaving no room for debate. “I’m going to prepare the car and bring out the necessary stuff.”
He got up from the bed, but before he could go any further, he went back to Mikasa’s side and kissed her passionately. “I love you so much.” He says against her lips
He separates from her and kisses their son’s forehead. The baby twitches a little bit at the feeling of Jean’s beard.
Jean leaves the bedroom and almost falls down the stairs in the process.
…
Annie and Armin were surprised to be awakened so early in the morning by the ringing of their bedside telephone. They both groan.
“That better be important.” She grunted while nuzzling further into Armin’s shoulder.
Armin looks for the receiver in a blind search. He picks it up and places it next to his ear.
“Arlert.” he said while rubbing his other hand up and down on Annie’s back.
A second later, he opens his eyes and gets up so fast that Annie almost flies out of the bed.
“WHAT?” He shouts.
For a brief moment, Annie believes the entire island is under attack.
“SHE GAVE BIRTH!”
Annie blinks.
“ALONE!”
Annie blinks again.
“IS SHE OKAY? IS THE BABY OKAY? ARE THEY OKAY?”
Annie rubbed her eyes as her brain processed what she had just heard.
Mikasa had the baby? Alone?
Armin lets out a relieved breath when hears what Jean is saying on the other line.
“Thank you. We’re going there as soon as possible. Congratulations! ” He said and put the receiver down. Armin lets out a relieved sigh and puts his hand on his chest. His heart is beating rapidly.
He looks at Annie.
“So Mikasa gave birth alone yesterday.”
“You don’t say.”
