Niko nodded softly, "A tad easier, but despite napping and all, I am still a bit tired.", before moaning at another contraction as he laid partly on his back, partly on his side, and Luna kissed him on the lips tenderly, "You got this, my spaceman.".
Pixanu reported, "Birth canal is slowly opening back up. Gonna be a while.", knowing that between births, the birth canal seals up to protect the babies from sickness and such, even when they are already protected by water bags.
"Now I kinda wished all three of them had come at the same time... might be through with things already.", Niko chuckled.
Luna raised an eyebrow, "But it would have risked tearing your birth canal or something.", and Niko sighed, "Good point.", before moaning at another contraction.
20 minutes later, Pixanu announced, "It's all open! Push, Karo!". Niko took a deep breath, squeezing Luna's hand, and pushed upon another contraction, moaning, and it took him 15 minutes before he felt the baby crowning, and Pixanu shouted, "That's it, break the bag and push!".
Niko hummed his musical sound loudly, feeling water slosh once more, and pushed, grunting and groaning out in pain, and heaved before he heard a loud wail amongst Pixanu's voice, "It's a boy!".
Niko smiled tiredly, lifting his head up from Luna's lap, tearing up as he saw the wiggling, crying, and whimpering baby boy in Pixanu's arms, being cleaned up.
With slight help, Niko sat up against the pillows again, panting lightly as Pixanu placed their second son in Niko's arms, crying and whimpering.
Niko held him, shushing him warmly, kissing his forehead, "It's okay, it's okay, Poppa's here...", helping him to calm down. Luna exhaled, tearing up as she leaned on Niko's shoulder, "Oh, Karo...He looks like you...".
Their second boy looks like Niko almost the same in his alien form, except no feathers and having fine silver-brown hair, and almost pitch-blue skin, human style. He has Luna's nose and smile. His eyes are a mixed amber-grey color. He is intersex just like his father and grandfather.
"You said that your father had brown hair while you got your red hair from your mother, right?", asked Niko. "Yeah... that's right...", Luna nodded. "He's... he's got so much of my family in him too...", she whispered.
"Does it bring back some memories for you?", Niko asked. Luna chuckled, "Yes, but I am okay with that as our children is bound to be of our lineage together...He's absolutely perfect...I can't wait for that day in the far future when he takes after you, having our grandchildren. Of course, the others would have to do it naturally as far as we know...".
Niko smiled warmly, kissing her on the lips, "Yet we are in the present...We will raise them with love and respect and a open mind. What do you have in mind for his name?", as he gently caressed his son's head as he whimpered quietly, cooing and wiggling softly.
Luna thought for a moment before whispering, "I am stuck between two names...Keon or Riku.", with a shrug. "Riku. I really like Riku.", Niko smiled as Luna nodded.
"I agree... that one sounds much better for him... come to think of it, I think he likes that name.", Luna chuckled. Their baby boy cooed, attempting to giggle, but only succeeded to gurgle, proving that he is Riku.
His belly then grumbled, and Niko chuckled as he adjusted the hold on Riku, giving him the chance to latch into his nipple, suckling immediately. Pixanu smiled warmly, "He's definitely like you...Riku, what a wonderful name.".
Once more like clockwork, Axel and Serena cried hungrily, and Luna got them, and this time, fed both of them from her breasts for the first time as Riku deserved some time with Niko.
"They're going to run us dry at this rate.", Niko joked as Luna smiled, "Can you blame them? They're hungry, they've just been born and more than likely had to share for the most part...". She glanced to the one she had birthed herself, this baby not having to share for quite some time.
Niko chuckled warmly, "True, and now they're gonna have to learn how to share and get along. We may be frustrated and annoyed at times in the future, but we would always be patient with them. And of course, with growing up, they will be weaned, and we will be firm yet gentle about it as every one of them is an individual.".
"I know... just... just somewhat worried about the future still, I know what you said, can't be afraid, but... a parent is never going to stop worrying, you know?", Luna sighed a bit anxiously.
Niko released a hand from his hold on Riku, and caressed Luna's cheek and jaw, "Hey, look at me, Zoey. Every parent has a right to worry, but there's no limit to unconditional love and support, so trust in that, and you're not alone either because I am with you. Family sticks together, remember?", with a smile and a loving, tender kiss on her lips.
"I know... just nice to get that reassurance.", Luna smiled as Niko slowly started to sit up again. "Feeling like a walkabout again?". Niko nodded, "Yeah, I can't keep laying down waiting for the final one to come or I might get a bit stir crazy.".
Pixanu nodded in agreement, "Yep, you're just like your old man.", and Niko smiled teasingly, "Father, you're not that old!".
"Maybe, but seeing your children, I'm officially a grandfather, hmm?", Pixanu raised an eyebrow, and Luna giggled, "He has a point, Karo.".
Niko had to concede on that, and so, the routine repeated with feeding, walking, sending the little ones to sleep with a story, using the bathroom, and napping, with occasional food and water.
Into the second hour, the final baby, their second daughter has turned around to rest headfirst, and if that wasn't enough, contractions began a half hour later, but turned out that it took longer this time for the birth canal to open up, which took almost the hour, tiring Niko out, but still determined to finish this...
Pixanu shouted, "It's open, push!", and Niko tiredly pushed, moaning and heaving for the next few minutes before he cried out, "I can't! I am so tired!".
"Right, Zoey, let him hold you while you help push from the top of his pouch with your hands, and when I tell you to push, do it together, is that clear?!", Pixanu ordered.
"Is that how it's do-", Luna started. "Please don't argue right now!", Pixanu interrupted her. "Please, just follow my instructions, this is how we solve this issue.".
Luna nodded quickly, hearing the tone, and kissed Niko on the cheek, "We're almost there, Karo.", adjusting with Niko holding her by the waist, resting his head on her lap, with her arms around him, her hands resting on the top of his pouch.
Pixanu asked sharply, "Karo. Ready?", and Niko took a couple deep breaths through a contraction before nodding, and Pixanu ordered, "Push!".
They did just that as Luna was trying hard to make sure their last child would make it... she wouldn't be able to handle it if their other daughter didn't make it... not when it was so close and the light at the end of the tunnel was almost blinding.
They repeatedly did the pushes together for the next five minutes before Pixanu announced, "I see her peeking. Pop the bag, Karo, and then together, push!".
Niko gave his musical hum, breaking the bag, water sloshing, and with a silent look between the couple, they pushed together, with Niko crying out in pain, and a few moments later, a loud wail pierced the air, and they looked up to see their wiggling, wailing, and wet baby girl as Pixanu cleaned her up.
Niko sobbed, tearing up in joy and relief, looking at Luna, "She's okay! We did it...", panting in exhaustion. "Phew...", Luna took a deep breath as she kissed Niko's cheek. "You got me so worried there...".
"Sorry about that...", Niko gave a deep breath of his own... " I really thought I could've been able to handle it...". Luna smiled reassuringly, "It's okay...doing it all on one day...no wonder why you're exhausted...maybe when after your mother talks to the council about humanity helping them, we could have an easier time having more children, and like your father said, the births will be on days instead of hours alone.".
"I think we're still thinking way too far ahead.", Niko told her as Luna nodded, "Yeah, you're right... right now... we've got four wonderful babies with us now. Would you like to meet our last one?".
Niko nodded with a wide smile as he grunted, sitting up with Luna's help, and Pixanu chuckled warmly, "She's a loud one.", placing the shivering and crying baby girl into Niko's arms, and Niko rocked her gently, shushing her softly, "I know, darling, it's scary, but Poppa and Momma's here.", kissing her tenderly on the forehead.
Their final daughter looks like Luna, having pale tan skin, having fine light red hair, with dark blue eyes, having Niko's nose and smile and feathers on her arms, having 8 fingers and toes, and to their surprise, she has a pouch yet she's purely female.
"She's as beautiful as the rest of them...", Niko whispered as Luna smiled. "Certainly an angel in her own right, that's for sure.", Luna gently rubbed the girl's head.
Niko blinked in surprise before smiling as a name came to him, "Tamera...", looking at their daughter thoughtfully. Luna asked curiously, "Tamera?".
"It means 'beloved angel', fitting, huh?", Niko smiled softly, and Luna hummed, rolling it on her tongue before smiling, "Yes, it does...Hello, Tamera.".
"Four children... we actually were able to have four children...", Niko said with joy as Luna looked at him. "He's surprised obviously because more than likely you should've had one or two children at most.", Pixanu explained to her.
"Oh, right... he mentioned that before...", Luna replied with a blink of her eyes. Pixanu nodded, "I am sure he mentioned that it's extremely rare to have 10 children, very rare to have eight children, and shockingly rare to have more than four children, and so it's a surprising thing to have four children in some circumstances, with most commonly being from three children to one child, in one go, that is.".
Luna nodded, "Yes, he had mentioned that too.", glancing at Tamera who is now moving to latch into Niko's nipple, suckling almost immediately.
"She's certainly hungry.", Niko chuckled as he gently cradled Tamera. "At least it's over...", Luna took a deep breath. She still was deeply sad that they lost four other children up to this point... but that just meant living for the remaining four.
Niko saw her look, and understood what she's thinking about, "Zoey, hey, look at me, our lost ones, Zorai, Lionel, Tyris, and Freya, I'm sure they're smiling down on us, cheering in their own way, happy for us and their living siblings.", with a gentle, soft smile.
"I know... I just... I just wanted them here too...", Luna gently leaned against Niko as he kissed her cheek. "Me too.", Niko whispered to her.
Pixanu sadly smiled, knowing how they feel, and replied quietly, "I'll tell the others to wait until tomorrow to meet the little ones...With any luck, Dusk might give birth then as this was quite a busy week...".
The couple nodded gratefully, and they figured the same for Dusk too...especially with the fact that Eric's graduation is only two weeks away.
"Certainly quite the unforgettable week, huh?", Niko asked as Luna nodded, "Got that right... and Dusk still has her turn to give birth, almost any day now...".
Niko chuckled, "You know, it's gonna be interesting for a long time around here...A great, big family living under the roof of a mansion, and we're technically off grid like Sibella and her family.".
Luna giggled softly, "Too true. Maybe we should seek out to build vacation homes in Dreamcrest Sanctuary, in case if the children, all of them, wants a weekend sleepover or something.".
"I think they would love the idea for sure... plus, a nice change of scenery never hurts anyone.", Niko said. "And I'm sure the kids would love to experience snow for sure.", Luna smiled.
Niko shivered, "Tons of hot chocolate for them, that's for sure.", having traveled a few times back in December and the rest of the winter months. He loved playing with the snow and all, but he hates the cold, due to being naturally hot weather inclined.
Luna snickered softly, "You looked so funny bundled up back then. The kids would look so adorable!", and Niko smiled, "Now, that we can agree with.", glancing warmly at Tamera who's still suckling, and three hungry cries came a couple of moments later.
And so, the newfound parents shared in feeding the babies, sleeping the rest of the day and night, introducing the triplets to the rest of the family, and of course, the playroom was full of chatter and happy giggling, and things settled down from there, until the weekend where Dusk finally came into labor, where Saturday became Sunday at midnight.
"Middle of the night... talk about ironic timing...", Dusk sighed as she groaned from another contraction. Eric held her hand reassuringly, "Well, our son's a dhampir. He probably loves the night just like his mother.", smiling as he kissed her cheek lovingly.
"Probably...", Dusk chuckled. "And hopefully this will be easier than Heather's for sure.", with a smile. "Yeah, let's keep the hope there... need anything from me right now?", Eric asked.
"Just you...", Dusk smiled, "No need to disrupt anybody else's sleep or free time.", before moaning from another contraction.
"Just the two of us then with this, huh?", Eric smirked as Dusk rolled her eyes. "Don't get any ideas... I'm certainly not in any position for fun right no- oh!", Dusk groaned at another contraction. "This little one clearly wants out in a hurry!".
Eric nodded, "Right, I'll check!", and looked, chuckling, "You're right, Abby, you're almost all dilated! Just two more centimeters to go!".
"Just having to wait a little bit longer then...", Dusk sighed. "Some moments I really wish this would be quicker and not as painful... like just simply popping them out.".
Eric scooted back to rub her shoulder, "That would be a great wish, but even with beautiful vampires like you, it's still natural to have pain.", and Dusk chuckled, "I taught you too well to be a charmer...", before moaning again from another contraction.
"Okay, just hold on...", Eric assured her as he squeezed her hand and went to check again. "I think you're good now! You can start pushing!".
Dusk took a deep breath, pushed, as she bent forward, with her knees tight, clenching her hands in the sheets, groaning in pain. She repeated it for a half hour before crying out in pain as she felt the familiar burn in her nether regions, hearing Eric announce, "I see his head! He's crowning!".
"Thank god!", Dusk shouted as Eric quickly squeezed her knee, "Almost there, Abby! Push!", and Dusk grunted, pushing, feeling the head coming out, and Eric swiftly held the head, cleaning the nose and mouth, gently turning the head over.
Dusk took a deep breath, and pushed, crying out in pain, feeling the shoulders coming through, popping them out, and heaved as the rest of the body came out, and immediately, there was a wail, with Eric tearing up happily as he held the wiggling, crying, and shivering baby boy, "It's okay, it's okay...", with a bright smile.
"Is he okay?", Dusk looked, taking deep breaths to recover, and Eric smiled at her tenderly, "He's absolutely wonderful, all 10 fingers and 10 toes. There you go...", gently placing their son in her arms, crying and whimpering as Dusk hastily wrapped a blanket around his wiggling body, shushing him lovingly and softly, kissing him on the forehead.
"Oh, little darling, Mommy's here...Mommy's right here...", Dusk murmured, tearing up happily as Eric scooted to sit by her, smiling as he kept crying, serenely watching his son calm down in his mother's arms as he quieted down some, whimpering and cooing.
He has Eric's tan skin and fine black hair, yet having Dusk's warm brown eyes, nose, and his smile is like Eric, yet having Dusk's dimples...Dusk breathed softly, "Look at you, you are truly a mix of us...You're so perfect...Soon, you will meet Heather...You and she have the same nose and smile.", with an adoring chuckle.
"Makes sense.. they're siblings after all.", Eric joked as Dusk rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Captain Obvious.", she teased. "Your father can be so dense sometimes...", she whispered to the newborn.
Their son cooed and gurgled, and Eric looked playfully offended, "Hey, no fair taking your mom's side on this!", and Dusk giggled softly, "Aww, are you pouting, Eric?".
Eric rolled his eyes, "Oi!", and their son only gurgled louder like he's giggling, and Dusk chuckled, "Looks like he's gonna be a mama's boy. Now, let's see about you having a name...", brushing their son's hair gently, thinking for a moment before smiling, "How about Javier?".