Idris Point of View

It's... it's coming?

Already?

But it's not time yet.

"Are you sure you are not peeing from drinking too much juice?" I just wanted to confirm but before I got any answer from her, I was slapped on my right cheek by mom and left cheek by Kaiya.

Both of them angry and carefully pulled demon girl away from me, into the awaiting car to take her to the hospital. For whole ten minutes, I just stood there in daze.

So, it's really happening!

OH MY PEARLS!

The babies are really coming!

And so, I ran to my car and drove to the hospital to catch up with the others. My own wife is going into labor pains right now and I'm not there... it's a flat 'No-No'.

I swear, I've never fumbled this many times trying to start a car. Keys? Where are the keys?! Oh. In my hand. Already. Right.

I yanked the car door open like it owed me money and practically dove in. The engine roared to life, and I peeled out of the driveway like some kind of half-panicked, half-heroic cartoon character.

Note to self: You cannot fight time by flooring the gas pedal. But I could try.

As I zipped through traffic, narrowly avoiding a suspiciously slow-moving garbage truck and three cyclists in neon gear, my mind spiraled into a chaotic monologue.

What if she gives birth before I get there? What if the babies come out asking, "Where's our dad?" and all Demon girl can say is, "He was debating juice versus bladder physics"? What if they both inherit her fire magic and decide the womb was too cramped and light the place up?

OH SWEET JELLYFISH ON A SKATEBOARD.

At one point I think I actually screamed into the steering wheel. Not yelled. Screamed. Like a banshee who just got an overdue library fine.

The hospital finally came into view like a shining beacon of salvation. I slammed into a parking spot that may or may not have belonged to a doctor, leapt out of the car, and sprinted toward the entrance like my shoes were on fire.

Which was possible, given Demon girl's influence on my life.

"Mr. Valen, here you are. Please follow me, sir. I shall lead you to Madam Valen's ward room." A senior management employee of the hospital, who's name somehow I don't remember, ran to me and lead me to sixth floor where private rooms for Valens are.

Well, although it may sound a bit ominous to have a private ward in the hospital, this is still a hospital the Valens own and well...

People do get sick and die which is quite common of nature.

So, there I was—panting, mildly sweaty, emotionally unstable—and being led through the polished halls of Valen General Hospital like some kind of royal mess.

"Right this way, sir," said the Very Important Employee with the Very Forgettable Name.

We took the elevator, and I tapped the sixth-floor button like my finger was trying to drill through it. I'd been in this hospital before, but never like this. Never while thinking my children were arriving, and possibly setting things ablaze from the inside out.

The sixth floor—Valen Family Private Wing.

Yes, we had our own floor in the hospital. No, it's not as cool as it sounds. It's just quieter, has comfier couches, and the walls are fireproofed—again, that was it.

Still, something about stepping into a hallway that only opened to us felt... foreboding.

Like the air had opinions.

We turned a corner, and there they were.

The whole family.

Mom, pacing like she was ready to deliver the babies herself if needed. Kaiya holding a cup of hospital coffee like it had personally betrayed her. Uncle whispering into his phone like he was coordinating a military operation. And right there, leaning against the wall like their lives depended on it, were Demon girl's best friends—Via and Oreo.

All their eyes turned to me the second I appeared.

"You made it," Mom said. Relieved. Still angry.

"I think I left part of my soul on the freeway," I said, hands on my knees.

"Good," Kaiya muttered, sipping her bitter betrayal brew. "You deserve that for the juice comment."

I started to open my mouth to defend myself, but the glowing red light above the operation room snapped me back to full panic mode.

"She's already in there?" I choked.

Via nodded. "Her water broke before they even reached the hospital. They barely got her into the room in time."

"How... how is it going? Did the doctor say anything? Who is the attending doctor? Is it Dr. Rowan or someone else?" I rained them with all the questions I could muster up.

Kaiya looked a little hesitant before answering, "Dr. Rowan is the leading doctor but there's also another group of doctors who are in there to help with delivery. They say, since it's quite a difficult and a precarious situation, many senior doctors are in there to help and stabilize the situation. For now, as per what they said a few minutes ago, the labour might be a little dangerous but Zephy is still doing fine."

I breathed out a huge loud sigh of relief before collapsing on the chair next to me. In my heart and mind, I just want to pray to all those gods and deities to keep demon girl and our babies safe and kicking.

If the heavenly beings that demon girl believes to exist really exit, I only hope and pray that they look out for them and do not take my atheist behaviour so seriously.

I'm but an ant, don't consider me and just consider her devotion towards you and help her pass this tribulation safely!

Time doesn't move normally when you're sitting outside an operation room. It kind of... stretches. Like it's made of melted cheese.

I stared at the glowing red "IN OPERATION" sign like it might suddenly blink and tell me what was happening inside. I tried to listen to the conversations around me, but everything came through like I was underwater. Muffled. Distant. My whole being was tuned to one thing – Demon Girl.

And of course, my impending eight babies.

Then, the doors finally opened with a soft whoosh.

A group of nurses came out like a swarm of hyper-competent angels in pale blue. They moved quickly, ticking tasks off clipboards, coordinating equipment, and giving off this strange calm energy that didn't match at all with what was going on in my chest.

I jumped to my feet. "Excuse me! Nurse—uh, Ma'am—Wait! Can you tell me anything? How's Demon girl? The babies? What's happening in there?!"

One of the nurses paused and gave me the kindest, most patient smile I've ever seen on a person dealing with a flailing husband.

"You must be Mr. Valen." Her voice was gentle, but professional. Like she dealt with my type hourly. "Everything's going smoothly. The doctors are very positive."

I blinked. "Positive?!"

She nodded. "Yes. Mrs. Valen's been taking exceptionally good care of herself and the babies. Strong vitals, responsive body—honestly, it looks like we might not need a C-section at all."

I blinked again, just to make sure I heard her right. "No... slicing?"

The nurse laughed softly. "No slicing, Mr. Valen. Unless something changes drastically—and that's unlikely—this looks like it'll be a natural delivery. It might take a bit longer, though. With eight babies, the process is... well, let's just say it's not your usual one-and-done scenario."

I nodded dumbly, my brain short-circuiting around the word eight again.

Eight. As in octuplets.

As in, two times four, one times eight and four times two.

"Thank you," I croaked, already collapsing back into my chair, palms against my forehead. "Seriously. Thank you for not sugarcoating it."

The nurse just smiled that calm, apocalypse-proof smile and disappeared into the flurry of hallway movement.

The tension returned with a vengeance. The air was too thick. My shirt collar felt like it was conspiring against my throat. Someone in the hallway coughed and I nearly launched into orbit.

My foot tapped nonstop against the floor.

Kaiya gave me a sharp look and tossed a pack of gum at me.

Mom paced.

Via whispered something to Oreo about naming one of the babies "Mint " Oreo shook his head and said that was a cat name. I wasn't sure if I agreed or was terrified.

Time passed weird. Like... dimensionally weird.

And my brain? Oh, it spiralled.

What if they all have her temper and my sarcasm? That's not eight babies. That's a small rebellion with matching booties.

What if they're too quiet?

What if they're too loud?

What if one of them speaks in an ancient tongue and demands tribute?

And then the heavier ones crept back in.

What if she's exhausted?

What if something turns and it's suddenly not safe?

What if she's scared and I'm not beside her, holding her hand, reminding her she's the fiercest woman in the universe?

What if she needs me right now—and all I can do is sit here, counting ceiling tiles and breathing like that somehow helps?

I squeezed my hands together, trying to keep myself grounded, heart pounding in my throat.

"She's strong," I muttered to myself. "She's stronger than this entire hospital. Stronger than me, for sure."

But oh stars, I'd trade every smug joke I've ever made just to be in there holding her hand.

And then...

The door creaked again.

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Hello Sweeties,

Next chapter is here. Enjoy!

What do you think about the chapter? Boring?

The situation is now tense and Zephyra is finally going to give birth.

Will she be able to give birth to all the eight babies safely?

Will Zephy be alright during and after this delivery?

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Lady Prim