The timer beeped.
Kai'Sa slowly cracked open one eye, then the other. She held her breath and looked at the test.
"It's positive." She breathed.
They both cheered.
Well, Kai'Sa didn't cheer, per say, but she smiled.
Ezreal embraced her and picked her up, swinging her around while laughing.
"We're gonna be parents!" He whooped.
"This is so exciting." Kai'Sa stated calmly, which was her version of whipping her shirt off and swinging it around her head with a triumphant shout.
"I know, right!" He beamed at her, blue eyes sparkling.
Kai'Sa had never been one to indulge in foods, having had to sustain herself on the flesh and blood of void creatures for years. She had forgotten what a proper meal was like. Now, she loved fruits, especially peaches. As a treat, she would squeeze one over Ezreal and lick the juice off of his lean body. He would complain that it made him sticky and that it felt gross but once her tongue was on him he stopped minding so much.
Now that she was pregnant, she felt like she could not eat enough. She was so hungry all of the time.
Ezreal popped through the door of her room, "I got those biscuits and potions you wanted."
Her head snapped up from where she had been cleaning voidling viscera off of her shoulder cannons. "Did you get the hot sauce, too? And pickles?"
He made a face. "Please don't tell me you're going to eat all of those things at the same time."
Kai'Sa was silent.
She reached for the bag he was holding.
He made an even more horrified face, pulling the bag back from her outstretched hand. "Puh-lease don't tell me you weren't going to eat without washing the tentacle monster guts off of your hands."
Kai'Sa turned red.
"Babe…" He said.
"Ezreal, you don't understand what it's like to be this hungry." She mumbled, ears burning.
"You're not in the void anymore, you have dignity. And you're going to be a mother." He crossed his arms.
Kai'Sa got up and went to the bathroom to wash her hands. "You have no right to tell me anything about having dignity, anyways ," she called after him.
Over the months, as seasons changed, Kai'Sa's body grew steadily. Her breasts swelled full of sweet, nutritious milk for their child. Her already sizable hips widened for birthing. Her stomach started as a cute bump, looking like a slight amount of pudge on her slender frame. It expanded slowly, stretching her out. Fine, pink lines appearing on her upper thighs and belly. Her belly button started to protrude.
She was proud. Unashamed and unselfconscious, wearing her aerodynamic skin tight voidflesh in combat, letting the world see her shape. Her suit hid nothing, showing off every curve and displaying just how pregnant she was. She wanted everyone to know that she was with child. That she was going to be a mother. Once the Daughter of the Void, now the Mother of the Void.
The soft moonlight filtered in through the window, casting blue shadows across their shared room. Small decorative tea candles glowed dimly on shelves and nightstands, their orange radiuses barely permeating the darkness.
Ezreal tenderly caressed Kai'Sa's swollen belly as he gently pumped his hips, murmuring her name lovingly.
She held her hands over his, their fingers intertwined. They rocked their hips together steadily in a luxurious rhythm, like waves lapping at the seashore.
They moved slowly and softly, as not to disturb the baby. Making love in hushed whispers and rustles of blankets, their legs slotted together.
He gradually licked up the side of her neck, making her let out a shaky exhale.
"I love you." He whispered into her ear, nuzzling her hair, "I love you." He repeated, over and over, like a chant or an incantation. "I love you." He said softly.
Her eyelashes fluttered, warm waves of pleasure coursing through her. "Ezreal..." She gasped. His grip on her belly tightened slightly, he thrusted a little faster, angling his hips just right.
Staccato gasps escaped from Kai'Sa's mouth with each thrust, she squeezed Ezreal's hand tighter. Holding on for dear life.
Kai'Sa swallowed. She hadn't said it to him yet. She hadn't said it to anyone. She felt it in her heart, that all encompassing, overwhelming feeling of pure joy and elation. That endless fascination. It was there but it was unexpressed. Lying in wait.
He knew how she felt, of course. She knew that he knew.
He had always known. He was certainly an airhead but he was smarter than he let on. He used his reputation as a dummy to his advantage. He had it all figured out. How could he not? It was obvious to everyone. But still… she wanted him to know. She wanted to say it. She wanted him to hear it from her in her own words. Not just in her actions.
She took a deep breath and the world seemed to go quiet. His hips stilled. He held his breath, sensing something was coming. She shut her eyes. She whispered, "I love you, Ezreal."
His heart skipped a beat.
She knew he would have still loved her if she had never said it. He would have known and accepted her. He understood who she was and what she had been through. The scars she carried on her heart, the wounds that were still festering, keeping her from getting close to others. The years of torment and isolation. The family she had lost.
Ezreal gently rolled her over so she was on her back and he was leaning over her, grinning as wide as he could, peppering her mouth with kisses between 'love you's and 'love you so much's.
He rubbed her stomach gently, breathing "I'm so lucky to have you in my life, Kai. I can't believe you're going to be the mother of my children. I fell in love with you the day you saved me in that Shuriman temple."
"You mean when you initially ran away with that artifact and left me to die?" She teased.
"I turned around!" He protested, tweaking her nipple.
"Ah!" She gasped, a squirt of pure white milk coming out of her nipple.
They looked at eachother.
A moment passed.
"Score!" Ezreal cheered, scrambling down to suck at her breast greedily.
She pulled on his hair, scolding him halfheartedly while laughing. "That's for our baby, you can't drink it all."
"You'll make more! Besides, we still have a couple of months." He said, barely understandable with his mouth full.
He sucked the sweet milk out of her, savoring the taste on his tongue. He lapped at her nipple hungrily and she made a keening sound, tipping her head back against the pillow.
Her milk flowed freely as he sucked, squeezing her breast with both hands to produce even more. He pulled back and released her with a wet, popping sound.
"Does this feel okay?" He asked, licking his lips, his eyes darting from her erect nipples to her dark eyes.
She nodded. "It's a strange, tingling sensation, but it's good." She said, slightly out of breath. "It feels warm and soothing."
He grinned. "Good."
He resumed milking her and began gently pumping his hips.
She sighed contentedly, rubbing aimless circles on his back, running her fingers through his hair.
He switched to her other breast, tasting the fresh lactation.
They rocked together steadily, building a delicious rhythm. Ezreal was careful to not lean on Kai'Sa and their growing baby. He rubbed his hands over her stomach, the fruit of their love. Their genes had mixed and they had made new life. He was so filled with love for the woman underneath him, he could hardly stand it.
"Say it again." He said.
She blushed, staying silent. She knew exactly what he meant.
"Kai…" He murmured.
"I love you." She said quietly.
"Fuck." He cursed. "I'm so close." He thrust into her a few frantic times, clutching her belly.
"Say it again. Please?" He begged.
"I love you, Ezreal. I love you so much." She said, looking him in the eyes.
He pulled out with a groan, jerking himself quickly and came on her extravagantly, thick white ropes of cum coating her large belly, Kai'Sai writhing in pleasure underneath him.
"Yes..." She hissed, rubbing her clitoris and swiping his cum from her stomach into her mouth with her other hand to taste the warm saltiness.
Ezreal's already inflated ego became even worse, which nobody thought was even possible. He was insufferably smug. He would openly stare at Kai'Sa's belly like a sculptor admiring his latest masterpiece, something he had spent decades on, pouring his blood, sweat and tears into.
His eyes shone, his smile was blinding. "That was me. I did that to you." He boasted. Kai'Sa patted him on the hand, a tad patronizingly. He was absolutely mollified by her rolling her eyes at him with a patient "Yes, dear." Warmth bloomed in his chest, he felt like his heart was aglow.
Kai'Sa's fierce protectiveness flared. She only grew more and more determined and serious.
She had always had a purpose, a reason to survive. To thrive in the darkness. But now she had a family to take care of, to nurture and grow.
They took turns throwing themselves into danger to save each other, which irked Ezreal to no end.
It was a constant source of worry for him. Kai'Sa always fought for everyone else's sake but now she had another life growing inside of her, depending on her.
Luckily, death and injuries on the Rift were temporary but the simulated pain felt real enough. And Ezreal couldn't stand that Kai'Sa was still fighting despite her delicate condition. She refused to give up and watch from the sidelines. She was a fighter through and through. He knew how acutely she felt the pain of being torn apart by enemies, yet she still fought. It drove him a little crazy, if he was being honest. He was anxious that the strain she put in her body in the simulation would complicate the pregnancy.
They went in for regular physicals and check ups and everything was going smoothly, but that didn't stop Ezreal from wanting to snap his gauntlet in half when he'd see an enemy midlaner try to gank the mother of his unborn child.
Caitlyn lined up her sights and aimed her rifle at Ezreal's back. His health was low and it should be more than enough to finish him off.
Kai'Sa saw the telltale red line of the laser sight and ran forward, diving in the way of the bullet before it could hit her mate. She had no hesitation, no second thoughts, she could only think of protecting Ezreal, it had been like that since the first time they had met in that ancient Shuriman tomb. It's funny how some things never change.
The impact of the bullet hurled her against him, sending them tumbling backwards.
Ezreal recovered quicker than she did, blinking down at her in horror.
"What were you thinking?!" Ezreal shouted. "You or the baby could have been hurt!"
Kai'Sa pushed herself up with a wince and cracked her collarbone back into place. "I was protecting you!" She snarled, losing her usual calm composure.
"I don't need protecting!" He huffed.
"Yes, you do." She insisted, "You needed it when we met and you needed it now!"
"No, I don't! You're the one who needs protecting! You're pregnant!"
The enemy team watched their argument with interest.
"I can take care of myself, I did it for the last ten years." Kai'Sa said cooly, her eyes icy.
Ezreal cleared his throat and shook his head. "I think we're missing the point of all this. We're a family now, and families look out for each other. We should work together to protect one another."
She stilled.
He made it seem so simple.
Could they really just work together and not keep throwing themselves in harm's way for the other's sake?
"The Rift is all just a simulation, you know." Caitlyn chimed in helpfully.
"Stay out of this!" Ezreal and Kai'Sa yelled at her in unison.
Caitlyn held her hands up, eyebrows raised, and took a step back.
"I suppose you're right," Kai'Sa said, taking Ezreal's hand, placing her other hand on her stomach, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I'm just so used to fighting to survive that when it comes down to it I act on reflex and do anything to protect others and win."
"I know, and that's one of the things I love about you." Ezreal said, squeezing her hand.
The enemy team got bored and went back to destroying towers. Caitlyn, however, was still watching them. She took out a kerchief and dabbed at her eyes. Ezreal looked at her and made a shooing motion. She got the hint and left.
"But we need to be careful," he continued. "Myself included. No more risky adventures for me anymore." He made a pouty face then brightened, "well, maybe a couple here and there, if there's some really fabulous loot to be had and if the traps aren't that deadly."
"Ezreal…"
"Okay, okay. Maybe not." He laughed.
Kai'Sa's eyes harded. "I'm still going to fight void creatures."
Ezreal shifted uncomfortably. "I know. And I'm still going to go exploring, but maybe we can both dial it back a bit is what I'm saying."
She nodded, "Right."
"Just because we're going to be parents and we have to change our whole lifestyle for at least the next 18 years but probably our whole lives, doesn't mean that it's something to get worked up about."
"Do not freak out." She said calmly, placing a hand on Ezreal's shoulder.
"I'm not freaking out." He said quickly. Far too quickly. He was breathing very fast.
Kai'Sa stared at him, unblinking.
"You're freaking out." He said.
He pointed at her. "You totally are! You're doing your whole inhuman part-voidling dead carcass fleshsuit thing you do where you don't blink when you're freaking out!"
"And you're diverting." She said.
"Aha! I don't know what that means!" He said as if she had just proved his point.
"It means that you're trying to shift the focus from yourself to me."
"Maybe so." He ran a hand through his hair. "We should've talked about this more before we decided to have a baby, shouldn't we?" He sighed, looking lost.
Kai'Sa shook him slightly. "It's alright." She said, smiling at him reassuringly. "We're going to do this together, my love. Raising our first baby won't be easy but we will get the hang of it by the time we have our second and third. Don't forget, I am with you in this."
Ezreal grinned at her. "How many kids did you want again?"