Backdated to Jan 31, 2025 after Facing Fears & Sparks in the Wind
WC: 1,472


Danika sat heavy on the couch, staring at the papers in her hands. A few pamphlets sat on the coffee table, all bright colors and crisp lettering. Next steps. Places for resources. Ways to talk to people in one's life. What to expect on average to happen during the course of things. Classes that could, and really should, be taken. Information to give to her supervisors at work about when she needed to switch to desk work, and then for her own consideration when she should look into taking extended leave, what paperwork she'd need to fill out on her doctor's side on that front.

Lists of vitamins and supplements she should look into and purchase sat with the rest of the informational papers, stuff she'd need to take to the store later. She glanced around the room, a thought sparking and brows furrowing--was this place big enough?

Yes, it was a multi-bedroom home, but beyond their actual bedroom, Danika and Dominic had utilized the other two as office and workspaces. Her lips pursed and twitched to the side in consideration. Paying for a higher mortgage wasn't a great idea to her, because realistically it'd mean relying more on Dominic's wallet to take the burden, and while she knew he frequently made such offers… she preferred to keep things as evenly split as possible. But she wasn't an idiot--she knew her funding was especially limited, and his was uh… not.

She blinked, staring into nothing as her mind continued to wander. They'd probably have to take advantage of that down the line, as it was. College tuition wasn't cheap, never mind actual living expenses, and just… everything that came with this.

Red eyes dropped back down to the papers on the table specifically, scanning the dark text printed primly over the white sheets. Name, age, all that good stuff… blood test results. Things looked good, she was healthy, things were fine.

There was just… an addition. Her thumb rubbed softly against the page in her hand as her eyes focused on where the doctor had highlighted the key points. Hormones detected, and with a quantity to be assured of the result.

The Code had been right.

Danika was pregnant.

When they'd gotten back to Earth, she'd bought a few at home tests, aware the Code wouldn't lie about such things but also… she couldn't fully grasp what she was hearing. Each one came up with double plus signs. She scheduled to see her doctor the next day, afternoon, and called out sick from work--her first time since entering the force. Once at the office, they drew blood, did basic health check-up stuff with her… and after the blood test turned positive. Scheduled an ultrasound appointment for a few days after.

A few months in, it confirmed, first trimester. She took in a slow breath, deep till her lungs couldn't fill any further, held the breath… and released it slowly through her mouth. Her gaze dropped down to the results she held. A photo with them.

Again, her thumb caressed the smooth surface, staring at the collection of black and white static that managed to outline her internal organs and… two little bean-like shapes.

Two.

She swallowed thickly again, feeling her eyes begin to burn as she gave a small, shaky laugh. Two.

They were having twins. She could barely wrap her head around having one.... two? Two babies?

…babies.

Just that word alone felt alien to her.

It wasn't that Danika didn't want to be a mother, she'd just… never fully considered it. Yes, she grew up with her mother and her partners, and through them, her various half-siblings. Yes, she grew up helping out with the kids, used to fawning over little bodies and babbling words, watching as they grew and slowly became their own selves. She'd just never really stopped to consider doing the same for her own children.

Hesitantly, one of her hands left the photo to press against her abdomen. There wasn't any bump yet, though the verdict at least explained her increased fatigue and rise of difficulty with food. Also was why she couldn't access her magic. It wouldn't come to her for now. Not till the babies were born. Made sense, even if the magic could otherwise synchronize she figured, as a means to protect the children and the carrier. Fighting youma, racing over rooftops, taking down Negaverse agents… those weren't exactly ideal situations to be in when you also wanted to keep anything from endangering a large part of one's anatomy. Danika didn't really mind the momentary grounding, so to speak, though as the thought occurred, she huffed, the air tossing about her bangs a bit. It did kind of suck she couldn't go up to the city as a civilian. She wasn't sure why but… the idea of sitting on Martian soil felt especially soothing in this context. We're still here, it felt like she would be telling the city. Sharing her good news, that life still was thriving...

Danika smiled a crooked grin down at the photo. She'd need to get Dom to take her up to Ashur. That was part of them, too. Fire and wind, judgement and bravery… Martian and Uranian.

"...I wonder who you'll be," she said softly, barely above a whisper, as her hand moved gently over her abdomen. There was an old, old magic there, she thought with a smile. The magic of life itself, the awe and wonder of watching such a tiny thing experience the world for the first time, explore and learn, and grow...

I wonder who you were, was the unspoken thought that joined it. The Code had joked of Moon Knights, and though she felt a scowl forming at the very consideration… it did raise future questions.

What sort of starseeds would they carry? Her brows furrowed somewhat. Those were weights she didn't want on children, and the idea of her own now… even Danika had to admit there was a new level of defensiveness on this concept. Because being knights, or god forbid senshi with their own brand of troubles, that meant being involved in the fighting, and she didn't want more children being drawn into all this bullshit and-- and--

Danika sucked in another deep breath, counting to five before releasing the air slowly. Getting herself worked up now would do her no good.

She could hear movement at the front door, a key unlocking the deadbolt, the door opening. Her smile returned, warm, as she looked up. Dominic had been with her through all of the appointments, especially the one that day.

She'd been clinging to his hand when the ultrasound tech adjusted the sound and they'd heard the two heartbeats of their children. The sight of the two little blobs on the screen, the sound of those heartbeats... oh she'd cried, in awe and reality only starting to settle in. Theirs. Those were theirs. Little tiny balls of life...

The Code had been right--it was his fault she couldn't access her magic…

Only in hindsight was she able to snicker about the Code's commentary. Wasn't so funny in the moment.

She didn't bother moving from where she sat, watching as Dominic put away some of the groceries he'd ran out to grab--and a few new bottles of vitamins and whatnot, she noted with an affectionate wrinkle of her nose.

They were going to need to share the news at some point. Or maybe wait? She wasn't sure the best timing for things--but then, they also needed to determine how this might affect their wedding plans.

August was the approximate range of dates, late July. Maybe mid August.

It was such a strange concept to vocalize. Such a long time, and yet… not really. And then they'd be meeting two new little, tiny people. The warmth that spread through her at such a thought pushed her to her feet, setting the ultrasound photo on the counter before tugging Dominic away from his important task of putting milk into the fridge to wrap herself around him, cheek nuzzling into his shoulder as he smiled and held her tightly back.

There were so many things they'd need to discuss and figure out, some good… some not so much. But at least for the time being, Danika could allow herself to think of only how amazing life could be.

And she'd ask for no other partner to face it all with.