"Oh my DEATH, this is just getting ridiculous!"

Soul looked at his girlfriend in sympathy. Unlike Masen, the twins pregnancy was going smoothly and surely. But unlike Masen, they were in no hurry to be born. Maka was more than two weeks overdue and, understandably, getting very uncomfortable.

It was odd. Masen was born so early and so suddenly that they didn't realise they never reached this stage. The stage where you're actually meant to be having the baby. Well - Babies. It was the waiting. The anticipation.

And of course, the impatienceness.

Maka was big. It made Soul feel stupid that he thought she was big when she was with Masen, (But obviously, he wouldn't make the mistake of saying that again) but it was definitely a very different pregnancy.

Yes, she didn't get the morning sickness or nausea. But she was very sore and tired. Really tired.

But she did it. Soul could still remember her expression when she finally made it to forty weeks. He'd never seen her so happy. They packed their bag, organised a baby sitter (Tsu and Star) for the kids and were ready to go to the hospital the moment her water broke.

Then a few days passed.

Then a week.

Then two weeks.

Now Maka was just plain irritable. Soul understood this completely, he couldn't imagine how uncomfortable she must feel.

"Soul, why are you just standing there gawking," she snapped and he broke out of his gaze. "Snap out of it and help me up."

Soul smiled apologetically and helped her stand. She grunted in thanks and hobbled over to the bathroom.

"Do you want anything to eat? Drink?" he asked carefully. It seemed anything he could think to say could upset her.

"Um," she paused and turned around. "Can I have a – Oh."

Oh Death, Soul didn't know the sound of Maka in pain could send such joy through him. He scampered forward when she reached out a hand.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa – Easy, Maks," he droned as he caught her. Her hands clutched his forearms while she bent down and tried to breathe through the pain.

"I – It's – One sec." she managed to gasp out. This sent another wave of excitement thorough Soul. The doctor had said that if she couldn't speak or move during the pain it was most likely the real deal. She'd had a few practice contractions, as they were called, and she could talk all the way through them.

"Maka?" Soul asked again, he voice going down an octave. She continued to breathe through the pain. After a minute she inhaled and stood up straight. Her eyes bright and excited.

"Okay?" she started. "Okay. They – They said time them! When they're five minutes apart we can go to the hospital."

Soul nodded and snatched a quick glance at his watch to catch the time. He really hoped that this meant it was time. He helped Maka into the living room before heading back towards the kitchen to get her some water.

"Gah!" Maka yelled and fell forwards to grasp the back of the couch. Soul watched her with wide eyes and looked back to his watch. It had only been a couple of minutes.

"Ohhhhh – Kay, we gotta go," he quipped and made his way forwards to rub her back.

Maka groaned and crouched down to the floor and she rode out the pain. Soul crouched with her and tried to comfort her as much as he could without being smothering. It lasted a little over a minute till she could speak again.

"Ok, ok, ok –" she breathed out and squeezed Soul's hand. "Grab the bag – and the pillow! – and we have to call Tsu and Star. They can pick up Mara and Masen from school and take them back to their place."

Soul nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You staying on the ground?"

Maka laughed.

"For now. Go! We need to hurry!"

Soul laughed with her before jumping up and doing as she asked. He grabbed the bag from a chair in their bedroom and got his phone off the bed and dialled his best friend's number.

"Soul?"

"Hey Star," Soul pressed to phone between his cheek and shoulder as he rummaged through the bag. "Can you or Tsu pick the kids up after school today? And take them back to your place?"

"You know we have a kid of our own now," Star joked. "Everything okay? Is Maka finally having the babies?"

"Yep," Soul laughed. He heard Star choke. "I don't know why you're surprised. It was literally any day now."

"I think I was just convinced she'd be pregnant forever," Blackstar laughed. Soul pulled the phone away from his face when he heard Maka groan.

"So, you guys good with the kids? I need to get Maka to the hospital." He asked as his scooped up Maka's shoes from the floor of their room.

"Yah, of course man, do your thing. I'll tell Amara what's happening."

"She'll probably already know," Soul muttered as he rounded back into the living room, carrying Maka's shoes.

"Yeah… What's with that man? Do you think – "

"I don't know – Maybe. Anyways, I really gotta go."

"Yah. Tell Maka I love 'er. Good luck!"

Soul smiled and hung up. It was all happiness and excitement until he saw a puddle form at Maka's feet.

That's when he felt fear.

The memories of the last time Maka went into labour all came flooding back to him at once. Soul was very skilled at blocking out painful memories from his mind, it's like he is the best liar to himself. But all of a sudden, every emotion he went though when Maka last gave birth hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Let's go. Right now." He managed, carefully helping Maka stand once she slipped on the shoes he gave her. She was too pre-occupied trying to stand then to notice the change in his expression.


As they drove to the hospital, Soul clutched the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. What if something happened? Last time he vaguely remembered one of the nurses commenting about what effect the hard birth would have had on Maka's body. Would that affect her now? He didn't notice Maka trying to get his attention while waves of fear crashed over him.

"Soul? Soul!"

Soul snapped his head towards her, his eyes unusually wide.

"What? Are you okay?"

Maka gave him a funny look.

"I'm fine." She told him slowly. "It just hurts. Obviously."

Soul nodded and gave a strained chuckle. Maka frowned.

"Soul, are you okay?"

Soul didn't answer for a moment. She didn't need him worrying her right now, but he really did want some reassurance.

"Is it about last time?"

He stomach lurched. He turned to catch her expression and was shocked to find her smiling fondly.

"I get it. I was too but – It feels different for me. Last time I could literally feel that things were wrong so I had so much reason to worry. This time everything feels natural, and right. Aside from the pain – " She gave a strained laugh. "But I understand why you would worry. I guess this all feels a little similar to you."

Soul didn't say anything. He nodded.

"Yah. I didn't realise but – last time scared me so fucking bad. I don't think I've ever told you fully but I really thought you were gonna die. And I definitely thought Masen might have died at the time too. It just all came back and – I don't know." He trailed off. He really didn't need to be unloading all of this onto her right now. It isn't fair.

"Soul, you can't hide from me." She told him quietly. "I can feel your soul. So, listen to mine. Everything is going to be okay."

Soul never thought of that. He frowned as he stared at the road and let her soul flood through his. They were always resonating, even if it was slightly, so this was easy.

He couldn't feel fear. A little apprehension, but that was in anticipation of the pain. But all he could feel was excitement and relief. She wasn't lying – This felt like the right time. And it didn't feel like her body was fighting it.

Soul felt ease for a full moment when agony nearly clouded his vision. He gasped with Maka and pulled himself away from her soul so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. Maka groaned as she contracted. Soul knew she couldn't speak but he could hear what she was trying to say.

She was ready. And now, so was he.


Maka definitely wasn't lying. They got to the hospital and her labour went smoothly and fast. It wasn't even six hours later when Soul rang their friends and family to make their way to the hospital, as the twins were going to be there within the hour.

"Papa," Amara crowed as she ran into the waiting room. Star and Tsubaki followed behind her, Tsubaki carrying Masen and Blackstar holding Vale. Soul caught his daughter in an embrace and scooped her up.

"Dada," Masen called. Soul's heart swelled. "Dad!" Soul have his son a kiss.

"Why aren't you walking, son?" Soul asked Masen, pinching his cheek. "You being lazy?"

"Vale gets carried," the toddler reasoned. Tsubaki laughed lightly and said she didn't mind.

"They're nearly here, I can feel it!" Amara cried, her eyes bright and happy. Soul laughed gruffly.

"You're right sweetie, any minute now and you'll meet your new brothers or sisters."

"I know what they are now," she said proudly. Soul arched a brow. "They're closer so I can feel them. I get why I was confused now."

Soul frowned, but before he could question her, and nurse called his name.

"Okay," he said, putting Amara down. "Spirit, Kid and the girls should be here soon. I gotta go, Maka is gonna have the babies," Soul took a deep breath and Blackstar hugged him, clapping his hand on his back.

"Go get 'um, man," his friend said, pushing him towards the door. "We'll be here."

Soul gave Amara and Masen a quick hug before running back into the delivery room.


Maka only pushed for half and hour and the first baby was born. Soul was too shook by the sound of his child's immediate cry to even ask the gender. He just held Maka's hand as she gasped.

"First baby is good," the assisting doctor said shortly. "We're ready for baby number two."

Maka didn't need anything other than that. She started pushing right away. With the assistance of modern medicine and as well her natural strength, Maka made childbirth look easy. Soul's chest swelled with pride. His train of thought went the moment he heard another lusty cry.

"Baby number two!" the doctor called as she passed the baby to a nurse, who whisked them away.

"Death," Maka gasped shakily. "My babies – Are they okay?"

"They're just fine," a nurse said kindly, turning around to pass a baby to another nurse, the baby was wrapped up snug and tight. "Do you already know the sex, or is this the moment?"

"This is the moment," Maka grinned. Soul couldn't believe the difference. When she had Masen, she couldn't even hold her head up. Now he had never seen her look more alert.

His attention was completely swayed the moment one of the nurses tucked a tiny baby into his arms.

"This is your oldest of the two," the nurse told them. "A healthy baby boy."

Soul didn't think he had ever grinned so big. "Another boy!"

Maka laughed and cried at the same time, staring at the baby's face. "He's so beautiful."

"And this," the other nurse stepped forward to place another tiny babe into Maka's arms. "Is the second born. A little baby girl."

Soul and Maka's eyes met in shock. Maka sobbed slightly as she looked down on her new daughter's face, then her eyes fluttered back to her sons.

"Another son, and another daughter," Soul said quietly, unable to pull his eyes away from the little pieces of perfection in their arms.

"I can't believe it," Maka cried, smiling at her babies before looking up to Soul. "I love you."

Soul nearly cried right then, but he leant forward to press a kiss to his partners lips, their faces both wet and salty with tears. "I love you too, Maks."


Soul and Maka were so absorbed by their new babies that they barely noticed when the door to their room creaked open.

"Mama? Papa?" Amara whispered as she entered. Spirit was following behind her, three year old Masen in his arms.

"Babies," Masen called. Amara shushed him kindly. "What?"

"They're sleeping," Amara told him as she crept forwards to lean over the crib and look at her new siblings. Soul and Maka stepped back and watched her with a smile.

The twins were absolutely stunning. They shared the same hair colour, but it was a little unusual. It wasn't a snowy white like Soul or Amara's, nor Masen's brown or Maka's blonde. It was a gorgeous, shiny silver. And they each had a lot of it. Neither had opened their eyes yet – The nurses said this wasn't too unusual. Some just took more time than others.

"A boy and a girl," Amara looked up with a grin. "I thought so!"

"How are you, hunnie?" Spirit asked Maka, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Soul patted Spirit's back and took Masen off him, to help his son get a better look at the babies.

"I'm fine, Dad," Maka told her father as he gave her a hug. "A little sore – But that was easy compared to my last time."

They laughed shortly together when Amara called them.

"Their eyes!" She whispered in awe. All of the adults stepped forwards to see. Her shock made a lot of sense. Even Maka drew in a sharp breath. They didn't have Soul's eyes. Nor Maka's.

They had both.

Both twins had one bright green right eye, and one dark, crimson red left eye. The difference was so startling that Maka and Soul gasped aloud. They were so beautiful it almost hurt to look at.

"They're amazing," Amara commented, her smile beautiful.

"Green and red?" Masen mumbled, the toddler frowned adorably. "Both?"

"Yes sweetie, both," Maka told him, smiling so happily her face glowed.

"So, do these little guys have names?" Spirit asked, chuckling when the twins eyes found each other's and started to whimper.

"Well, how about Alfie for the boy?" Soul asked. Maka scrunched her nose up.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "What about Thomas?"

"No."

"Fine. Abigail for the girl?"

"Ew, no. Leslie?"

"I thought you liked kids."

"Wow – Okay. Samuel."

"Ick." Soul flicked her forehead and she giggled and turned to her father.

"What were you gonna call me if I was a boy, Dad?" she asked. Spirit smiled thoughtfully.

"Oh – Your mother and I were set on the name Hunter if you were a boy."

"Hunter," she repeated. She allowed the name to sink in before risking a glance at Soul.

"You like it?" She asked. He smirked.

"Yeah," he agreed. "That's a cool name."

Maka smiled and nodded. "Okay. Then this little guy is Hunter."

"Um – " Amara sounded. "I had an idea for the girl. Can I tell you?"

"Of course sweetie," Maka patted her daughter's hair. "What is it?"

"Winter," she told them. "If she had white hair. I wanted to call her Winnie, for short."

Soul and Maka were quiet for a long moment while their eyes found their youngest daughter's face. The name fit her perfectly.

"It's perfect," Soul told her, his face hurting from smiling so much.

"Yes," Maka agreed. "That's her name. Winter."

"Hunter and Winter," Spirt chipped in, wrapping his arm around his daughter's shoulders while tears flooded down his face. Maka shook her head.

"Dad," she complained, but hugged him back nonetheless.

"Who are they again?" Masen asked, his voice high and grumpy.

"They're your new brother and sister, Masen!" Maka told him. "And they will definitely be the last of them!"

Soul barked a laugh in agreement and stared at his family, unable to believe that it was his.

Very cool.