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magicflowershop · 4 years

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one day kitty; Akaashi version

《inspired by movie A Whisker Away》

✿✿ you wished to be with the person you like and wish granted. whiskers, button nose, tail, four legs and ears on top of the head; you turned into a cat. with this, you are given the opportunity to be with the person you want to express your affections to. but as a cat. and only in one day.

― haikyuu characters x cat!reader imagines!

❀ masterlist ❀

the wheel of names have spoken.

straight up you knew you had feelings for this tired-looking boy from your school’s vball team

so you made some deals with the devil

yk fr bein a cat aint an easy job, you literally were minding your own business until one shop owner suddenly swept you away from their ramen store with a mop as if you’d actually care to bother abt their damn ramen

little did they know you were actually stalking this fine lad who was buying onigiri for breakfast at the next store

and since you were a cat, you knew you were cute by default and you decided to utilize this cuteness for the goodness of all

but when Akaashi saw the cat he immediately thought of Nekoma, he gone and went not giving it any ounce of attention, sad

of course this wasn’t the last of you

like if you had to annoy him just to notice you, you’d do it and you were kidding bc you didnt want to be pushed away with a mop again jfc

that’s what you thought you said bc you found yourself ogling at him in the gym at one point

obv the other members took notice of a strange cat that was casually hanging out over there and casually watching their practice

Akaashi recognized you from this morning but he let the other guys have fun gushing at how cute and small you were instead

but that aint enough,,, you jumped out of Bokuto’s arms and went straight towards Keiji with those shiny, beady eyes luring him to your needy ass

the other lads caught on quick that the cat wanted Akaashi but you could care less about what they think ykyk

he crouched before you to look closely at your face,,,

“what do you want?”

you smiled in cat and literally said you but that translated as meow in human

Akaashi might’ve stroked the top of your head subconsciously

you know you’re starting to wrap him around your lil paws

and ofc you werent finished uwu,,, you used every bit of your kitty energy to get his attention bc if you were human, you wouldn’t be able to shamelessly flirt like this cause you’re shy af

but comes a time where Akaashi lowkey found this sus

“do you need something from me?”

which was a stupid question to ask since he knows its a cat and it just happened to like him yk, he couldn’t rly help ask the question

“your love and affection, beautiful sir”

what

what the flipping fuq

the cat spOKE?????

Akaashi rly had to double take what just happened bc a voice just spoke outta no where and there were no girls around where they were???

you let out a cold sweat and shook off what just happened,, meowing purposefully at his face and nuzzlin at him like a regular normal kitty

but then you saw the demon fatass cat you made a deal with the previous night and knew, he was playin with you like the bitch he are

so Akaashi thought he only heard things and went back to his regularly scheduled programming

but with a puss <3

tailin him around <3

okay, Akaashi might’ve gotten used to you followin him around like his shadow, people around campus found it cute that there was a cat inside the corridors but Akaashi was just afraid of getting in trouble of letting a cat inside school premises

nuttin they can do now

he kept the cat inside his bag

and you leisurely slept inside <3

but ofc you aint just gon sleep inside his beautiful bag no ma’am you had business the first time you arrived there and you gon continue it

what was it tho?

what made you turn into a cat the first place? is it even worth the trouble of turning into a cat????

you were running out of time

the sun was about to set and once midnight strikes you go back to normal,,, and jesus do you still want to continue hanging out with this lad in cat form and pissing him off whenever you feel like it

you decided you wanted to stay in cat

that night after the vball practice ended, Akaashi figured he should bring you to the playground,,, and leave you there for the night, bc their apartment doesn’t allow pets inside :c

he sat on the swings and kinda watched you play on the sand, but you weren’t playing on the sand, i mean you arent actually a cat yk?

,,, you two were just starin at each other for a few minutes

“you’re a strange cat”

sis is quic wit

“it’s as if you’re acting like you’re in love with me”

toO QUIC

you meowed pretending some more bc if you actually said something it might translate into human language again

“but that can’t be true. the voice earlier can’t be true either... it sounded oddly like someone i know and she isn’t a cat”

okay,, uh,, what do you do from here

the fat cat is watching the entire thing

and it’s 10 boys what are y’all still doin in the playground

you remained dubious of the things he’s spouting, even when he picked you up from the sand onto his lap

“why are you suddenly quiet? you were so talkative earlier weren’t you? did you get tired or smth?”

AKAASHI WAS NEVER THIS TALKATIVE WHATS HAPPENING

was this part of the spell? is he falling in love with you know??? is he a fURRY NOW???

but then Akaashi decided it was time for him to go back home, bc unlike you he has a house and a life to go back to after school,,,

so by this time you’re panicking

time is running out and you lit do not know what do to

“so what is your decision?” the fat cat grew before you, asking you whether you accept the cat life and give your human soul to him completely or go back to the shitty life you once had

tbh you trust nothing from this bitch, after clowning you how could you possibly trust anything else from him

“i’m taking my life back thank you very much”

“i knew y/n acted so out of it earlier”

aGhAASHI neVER LEFT??

HOW CAN HE HEAR EVERYTHING

even the fat cat was as shocked as you were turning into human bit-by-bit since you were given back the will of wanting your normal life back by Akaashi pulling you away from the cat

“how- how did you know-”

tears formed in your eyes, and your heart swelled at his generosity

“when i found you wishing at the shrine we passed the other day, you suddenly disappeared,,, i asked the old man guarding the shrine what happened and apparently people go there to ask to get their normal lives taken away”

“and i was afraid of you taking away yours y/n”

should i make a taglist for this? comment if yes :>

#walk in my garden #sorry for not posting anything yesterday #i was super busy #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #haikyuu!! headcanons #haikyuu!! smau #haikyuu!! drabbles #haikyuu!! x reader #akaashi #akaashi keiji #keiji akaashi #akaashi x reader #akaashi x y/n #fukurodani #one day kitty

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imagineclaireandjamie · 7 years

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Flood my Mornings: Ian

Notes from Mod Bonnie

This story takes place in an AU in which Jamie travels through the stones two years after Culloden and finds Claire and his child in 1950 Boston.

See all past installments via Bonnie’s Master List

Previous installment: Climbing (Bree is a wee terror. And, oh yeah, Claire goes into labor)

July 21, 1951

He was driving too fast, still, and he didn’t care.

The entire body of the Car had screamed as the tip of the bumper scraped a post box a mile back. Just a scratch—not to say repairing the damage wouldn’t be expensive—but no harm done to the box itself, so he had kept going.

On a day with clear roads, it would have been nearly three quarters of an hour’s drive from Fernace to the new hospital where Claire had planned to deliver; but the route on this particular Saturday was as plagued as Odysseus’, it seemed. Knowing precisely how precious time and haste were, this day, all of Boston was foiling and delaying him at every turn out of apparent spite.

“She says to tell you she’s fine,” Marian had said as they very quickly made for the parking lot. “She said her water broke unexpectedly, and that she was getting into the ambulance right that moment, and she’ll meet you at the hospital. And then she said to come as soon as you could but to, um….” and Marian had laughed nervously, attempting the unfamiliar words, “din-na-fash?”

But he did fash, immediately, fully, and at length. It was the Ambulance that had frightened him the most. Surely she would have called Mrs Byrd or even a Taxi if the need were less urgent?

The thoughts whirled around in his head, diving and pecking like carrion birds as he wove through the streets.

A week and a half early….Was that premature enough to be concerning? Surely not terribly so. No, certainly it was nothing to worry over.

….Lord but didn’t bairns usually lay quiet for days leading up to the waters coming? Ian had been wriggling and moving about like mad all the night.

Would he—

Would that somehow have made—?

…..Claire WOULDN’T have called the Ambulance, not unless there were something wrong; not unless she were in pain or the babe were in distress….

Jesus.

“I’m coming, mo nighean donn,” he muttered aloud, as though gritting his teeth harder would make it so.

A Traffic light changed to red and he slammed his foot down on the brake pedal just in time, getting a sounding horn from the vehicle behind him. “DEVIL OF THE SEVEN FUCKING MIDDENS TAKE YE, ” he bellowed back in Gaelic.

He slammed his palm on the steering wheel for the futility of it. God, if he could only hear her voice, only let her know he was on his way. “Why the hell can they not put Phones in Automobiles?!” he demanded of this bloody great world and century that could find a way to let men FLY and yet not manage the most obvious of useful innovations.

But by the time the light turned green once more, he wasn’t angry. He was only making vows like never before in his life.

If she was hurting

If he missed the birth

If something were to happen to either of them

Both of them

Jamie sped faster. Let the law try and give him one of their blasted Tickets. He would not let Claire be alone, this time.

With a shock, Jamie realized that the woman behind the so-called Welcome Desk was the same that had refused him entry a year ago. He remembered that bell-shaped gleam of jet-black hair. He’d been dirty and near-starving, and she’d had him escorted forcibly out on sight before he could get any word on whether or not Claire worked there. Thank goodness there wasn’t time to waste on renewing old acquaintance.

“I’m looking—” he panted, all but slamming into the high wall of the station, “Wife—Giving—birth—Fraser? Claire Fr—Christ—Fraser?”

“Awww, how wonderful!” the woman beamed up at him in genuine, startling warmth. “The fathers’ lounge is on the fourth floor, sir. Elevators are just that way!”

“But where do I find my wife?”

The woman gave a knowing smile that she likely meant to be reassuring. “Just go up the fourth floor, Mr. Father-to-be, and the nurses will get you to the right place, okay? Congratulations in advance!!”

As he skidded in the direction the fickle ninny pointed, Jamie saw a crush of people already waiting to board the Elevator. Casting about wildly, he ran instead for the door to the stairs and bolted up them three at a time, spilling out into the fourth-floor corridor and nearly colliding with passersby as he swayed, trying to get his bearings. He practically lunged toward the nurses’ station when he finally caught sight of it. “My wife—(Pardon, Good day to ye, Mistr—er, Ma’am)—Claire Fraser? They said ye could take me to—?”

“Follow me,” the nurse behind the desk said shortly, grabbing a stack of papers and leading him down the corridor. She was very handsome-looking, of about Claire’s age, but where Claire exemplified kind, professional efficiency when on duty, this woman exuded nothing but irritation. On another day, he might have pitied her, wondered what it was troubling her or even asked in hopes of being of some assistance, but as it was, all he could think of was BY GOD and all the saints, this woman could hardly walk any slower if she TRIED.

“Here,” she said tersely at last, opening a door and ushering him inside. He blinked, for it looked astonishingly like his own sitting room at home, save for it was filled with half a dozen men in suits, all smoking or reading newspapers or both. Lounge.

“I do beg your pardon, Ma’am,” he said, with an attempt at cordiality, “In my haste, I wasna at all clear, my fault entirely. I need only to be directed to the room where my wife is delivering. Claire Fraser? She was rushed here in an Amb—”

“Fathers aren’t allowed in the delivery suites, sir,” the woman said with an immediate frosty condescension that make him bristle. “I might be able to get you an update on how she is,” she said, clearly implying that it would be the last of her many important tasks, “but you’ll have to stay here.”

“For how long?” he asked, but he already knew the answer.

All the men in the room were staring scornfully at him. The woman gave him an equally-withering glare. “Until your wife is finished delivering.”

His fists were clenched. “My name is James Fraser,” he said carefully, quietly, giving her exactly one more chance to help him, “and you’ll tell me at once where I may find my wife.”

The woman recoiled as though he’d struck her. “Did you not hear me? Fathers are not allowed in the delivery suites. It is unsanitary and unseemly and—SIR!! You come right back—MR—Forr—?—FRASER! You stop right this moment! Security? SECURITY!”

He scanned the signs and arrows wildly. He bore left and ran as fast as he could toward Labor and Delivery until a man of nearly his own height caught him round the middle and smashed him against the wall. He swore profusely in Gaelic, getting only an elbow in the ribs for his trouble. Jamie could have taken the man down in a moment, but hurting someone on hospital premises would certainly not help him get to Claire’s side, let alone remain there for the course of the birth.

“I must see my wife,” he implored the small crowd of nurses and patients who had gathered, the sour, beautiful nurse looking smugly triumphant at the head.“Ye dinna understand, she CANNA be alone. I must be with her—I MU—”

“And as I explained to you, SIR,” the woman said, “it is simply NOT ALLOWED. Hospital policy dictates—”

“MY WIFE—” he snarled, his temper mere inches away from unleashing completely, “—is not a matter of policy, nor is my child, so you’ll take me to them peaceably, or GOD HELP ME, I shall—”

“Mr. Fraser!”

Jamie whipped his head around and—God and Mary and all the saints be praised—saw an archangel in form of Dr. Vernon Reynolds striding down the hall for him.

“Officer?” the good doctor said politely enough as he drew up level, casting around a glance that sent the onlookers scurrying. “Why are you restraining this man?”

“This—this—IRISHMAN refuses to stay in the father’s lounge, doctor!” It was the wretched nurse who answered. “He just charged down here, shouting in tongues, insisting —”

“I left explicit instructions that a special exception was to be made for the Frasers,” Dr. Reynolds said crisply, managing to convey absolute authority only by looking politely bemused. “Did you not see the note at the nurses’ station?”

The nurse gave a shocked gurgle of displeasure. Dr. Reynolds smiled cooly at her. “Why don’t you go check in on the gentlemen in the lounge, Nurse Kline, and see Officer Gable back to his station while you’re at it. I’ll personally escort Mr. Fraser to his wife’s room.” And before either could object, Dr. Reynolds had put a light hand on Jamie’s arm and turned them smartly down the hall.

Jamie released a sigh of deep relief, thick and painful from the sudden lump in his throat. “Doctor, Jesus, I canna thank ye en—”

“Your Claire is doing just fine,” the always-intuitive doctor was already saying, setting them a brisk pace. “The baby has decided to start the process a tad early, but not so early as to be worrying or dangerous, if all else goes well. Heartbeat is strong, the head is in the right direction. Mrs. Fraser is about 60% dilated and coming along steadily. Experiencing a great deal of discomfort, but nothing I wouldn’t expect to see in a woman delivering full-term, vaginally, and un-sedated for the first time. They’re both alright,” the man summarized for good measure, stopping at a juncture and clapping Jamie on the shoulder. “Suite 4B-44, down that corridor and then take a right. I’ll be checking in on you both shortly.”

“I thank ye,” Jamie gasped as he shook the doctor’s hand with both his own and then and began sprinting. “Truly, God bless ye!”

True, it had taken no little fortitude and restraint to reconcile all those months ago with the notion that Claire was to have a MALE doctor seeing to her care—seeing to her most intimate care. But the man had slowly gained Jamie’s trust after that first tense visit (he had delivered Brianna, after all); and in that particular moment, (even despite the barbarous instinct that had momentarily bade him tear the man’s throat out for that casual ‘vaginally’), Jamie could have KISSED Dr. Vernon Reynolds with only good will in his heart. In fact, wheeling around the bend, Jamie found himself making a mental note to send the man some monstrously extravagant gift, after all was said and done.

4B-40…

4B-41…

4B-42…

4B-43…

He burst through the door of 4B-44 and—

“—JAMIE!”

He flung himself toward the bed and got his arms around her. “I’m here,” he gasped out, kissing her cheeks and mouth, “Lord, I’m so sorry—I’m here, Sassenach.”

She was fitted out in a cloth smock, her face red and slick with sweat and absolutely broken with emotion as she touched his face and grasped at him, gulping air. “I thought—you would—miss—”

“Not for the world or anything in it,” he promised, leaning his head against hers and running his thumb over her clammy cheek. “Though with the traffic and all, I feared—Och, now, breathe slow wi’ me, Sassenach, aye?” She was having trouble catching her breath amid the agitation, and that scared him enough to force his own faculties into submission. “….Aye, just like that.….Good, lass….You’re alright, mo chridhe,” he murmured, “…We’re alright….”

Eyes closed, held close, they breathed, long and slow, and they settled into peace, or as much as could be managed with the machines chirruping the nurses coming and going.

“Bree?” Claire suddenly demanded, looking wildly around.

“Wi’ the Harpers, for now, and Marian promised to call Penelope and arrange things. But Sassenach, will ye tell me, how did it happen? When Marian said ye’d called for an Ambulance—”

“My water broke while I was asleep,” she said shakily, squeezing his hand. “I woke up right as the surge came and with it these—” she shuddered, “—HUGE full-force contractions and it scared me so badly, and… When I got myself up there was blood on the mattress.”

She closed her eyes and clutched him fiercely, and he knew exactly why that sight should have led her to call the Ambulance at once. “Ye did exactly right.” He kissed her temple before drawing back and looking her in the eye. “But the only thing that matters is ye got here, and Dr. Reynolds says the babe is just fine. All is well.”

“Yes,” she repeated as though to convince herself, “all isJEEESUS-H-ROOS—AGHHH—”

“CLAIRE?!?!”

Her entire body had thrown itself into a seizing, contorting spasm in the space of a single moment. She was crying out in great pain, her grip on his hand now tripled and getting stronger. He gripped back, completely undone with panic and not having a single clue what to do. “What can—Call for the doctor!” he demanded of the nurse at the other side of the room.

“No need, she’s alright,” the woman said reassuringly. “Just a little contraction, is all, nothing to worry about.”

“Why don’t YOU come bloody try it, if it’s so LITTLE?” Claire suddenly snarled, glaring at the woman through the pain like a beast straight from the gates of hell.

“Oh, I’ve had three of my own and that’s plenty,” the woman said cheerily with a grin at Jamie, completely nonplussed. “But I’ll go give Dr. Reynolds an update all the same and be back in just a few minutes.”

Claire growled something shocking after her as the door closed, and despite the fear and the absolute shock of witnessing what just one ‘little’ Contraction was doing to her, Jamie burst out laughing and even Claire grinned, though all mirth vanished almost at once as Claire’s back arched and she hissed, groaning and squeezing her face tight in pain.

Then, just as suddenly as the attack had come, it abated, and Claire fell back fully on the pillow, gasping and spent.

“Dear Holy God,” Jamie swore, laying gentle fingertips on her brow and her shoulder. “That was—God, Claire…”

“I’m alright.” HE wasn’t. He was absolutely terrified, but she squeezed his hand with a weak smile. “Remind me again why it is I wanted to do this without sedation?”

“Damned if I ken,” he said sincerely.

In the serene green-painted walls of Dr. Reynolds’ office months before, it had seemed patently and abundantly obvious that of course, Claire should not be placed into a death-like state, now or ever, but certainly not with the bairn inside her. Now, anything that could spare her that kind of pain seemed absolutely and imminently necessary.

“Too late to do anything about it now,” she said, anticipating his next line of thought. She winced sharply and Jamie jumped. “No, it’s not another one. Ian’s just kicking a lass while she’s down,” she groaned with a weak smile, rubbing her belly. “Get on those ‘how to be a gentleman’ lessons pronto when he gets here, alright?”

Ian. Lord, in all the worry over Claire in her pain, it had been easy to overlook the reason for it all, the worry for him, too. Lord, that he might be safe.

But he managed to rasp out a bark of a laugh, keeping up the buoyant hope and gripping her hand overtop the same spot. “Straightaway.”

He had once told Claire that he was glad that they mightn’t ever have children, for he wouldn’t wish her to be subjected to such pain and danger.

I can bear pain myself, he had said, holding her close at Lallybroch, his heart secretly breaking despite his noble (and no less honest) declaration, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have.

It did take more strength than he had. Far, far more.

He knew it was a hard birth even without having personally witnessed one before. The Contractions were absolutely nothing compared with what ripped through Claire once Dr. Reynolds had her pushing in good earnest. To see her thus subjected, to see her in such excruciating pain…

Jamie coaxed and soothed and begged her to breathe, but God, there wasn’t a damned thing he could truly do other than bear witness to her agony. A fitting atonement, in the end, he reflected.

Jesus, how he scorned those men sitting drinking coffees in the lounge. How could any man sit within a stone’s throw of his woman going through such anguish and CHOOSE to lay about and smoke rather than be by her side? ….True, even in his own time, it was rare for a man to be present during the birth, but even so! It made his blood boil for the cowardice of men to always be hiding from their wives’ pain.

No, as much as it tore his heart out to hear her screams and to feel each wave of pain that coursed through her, it was his duty and honor and privilege to hold her, speak what words he could to her, pray what prayers he could utter, all at her side.

Hours passed, HOURS of this torture in Claire’s body, and he truly didn’t know how she could withstand it. She was strong and fit, and made of tougher fiber than any other woman he’d encountered, but Jamie didn’t know if even he could have borne the like for so long a period of time. The babe seemed to be tearing her apart from the inside, and his fear for the both of them was so acute as to drive him mad as the evening darkened.

Oh, but at last, Claire’s cries and the doctor’s directions rose up together in a massive crescendo of sound, her body seeming to ripple as though ready to shatter.

“One more push, Claire,” the doctor shouted with the kind of command that won battles, “NOW— hard as you can—”

That final scream was the sound of hell itself.

Then, the world shifted, and those next seconds were perfect and eternal.

A whoosh of breath and liquid and a great, grating gasp and Claire’s entire body seemed to collapse.

Sounds of excited triumph; the doctor moving quickly to the table at the end of the room.

A little boy! someone proclaimed.

Claire was prostrate with the sudden relief of deliverance, her head lolling on his shoulder, back heaving against his chest. She was beaming, though, faint laughter pouring from her throat even as she struggled to keep her eyes open. “Jamie….”

“Oh lass,” Jamie cupped her cheek and held her close against him, his incredible, strong wife. “He’s arrived,” he gasped, “Ian’s—”

An uncanny dread struck them both and they straightened to look where the doctor and nurses were huddled. Their murmurs crossed the room and struck like bullets though all their backs were turned, hunched over the babe.

“What’s amiss?” Jamie demanded at once, leaping to his feet. “Is he alright?”

“—cyanosis soon—”

“—Call NICU—”

“He can’t breathe?” Claire’s voice was a shrill scream and Jamie’s chest seemed to cave in. “He can’t—?”

“CALL NICU, NOW!” Reynolds bellowed again, oblivious to anything else, and his team went running.

“No—no, no, no—” Claire was utterly dissolving. He fell toward her, words completely failing him. He covered and wrapped her in his arms, that he might shield her. “Jamie,” she pleaded in a cracked, sobbing whisper, her fingers shaking uncontrollably on his neck. “Jamie….Please….”

I canna, he tried to say, but he couldn’t even do that. He couldn’t save his child. He could do nothing except hold her as she began to wail, a sound the like of which he’d never heard before, that cut him open to the marrow.

He would bear this for the both of them. He would wrap his body around this pain and HE would carry it.

Please, God,

Do anything you wish to me. Send me to the war, take my sight, take ME, NOW, but don’t take him.

Spare our son.

And then Ian Henry Fergus Beauchamp Fraser let forth a cry to wake the spirits.

The group was still huddled together, but their voices were soft and easy with laughter and calm over the heart-rending cries of the babe.

“He’s alright,” said one of the nurses, running over with eyes intensely earnest and putting a hand on Claire’s shoulder. “Screaming is good—VERY good! He’s okay.”

Claire closed her eyes and covered her face, her entire body shaking with silent sobs of devastating relief. Jamie kept his hands on her, but his eyes fixed on the group seeing to the child, his pounding heart still refusing to believe.

Reynolds suddenly boomed a great, muffled laugh. “I just remembered your big sister’s birth day, little guy! Scaring the living daylights out of people from day one must run in the family!” A murmur of low words to a nurse, then he spoke again in a soothing baritone, carefully pitched loud enough for all to hear, “Yeah, you’re alright, buddy….Got your breath now, and everything else is looking good. Just give us another minute to get you cleaned up and we’ll get you right over to Mom and Dad, okay?”

Jamie all but collapsed into Claire, then, surrendering to weep with her, just for a time. Neither of them spoke. The relief and the joy was too great, but they each knew what their Heart was thinking, was feeling. He kissed her lips. She touched his cheek.

“Mr. Fraser?” Reynolds said suddenly, his voice no longer muffled.

Jamie jumped to his feet, staggering a bit and running a sleeve across his eyes. The good doctor still had his mask on, but his eyes were smiling as he held out the blanket-wrapped bundle. “Would you like the honor of introducing this little guy to your wife?”

Honor. The good doctor had not the faintest idea of just how great was the honor, the joy, the exquisite gift of reaching down and lifting his newborn child into his arms.

“Ian…” Jamie wept, gasping in great heaving breaths as he pressed his cheek to his son’s forehead, as he kissed him. “Tha gaol agam ort, Iain, a bhailaich.”

The tiny lad was red all over and screaming inconsolably, his arms windmilling about, untucking the blanket in which he’d been wrapped. Jamie felt the blades cleave his heart to see those bitty wee fists shaking in terrified abandon, to hear his son's cries, so utterly desolate and lost, with no hope–

“Dinna fash, a chuisle,” Jamie begged as he turned toward the bed, staring rapt into the boy’s face, sheltering him from the harsh Electric lights with his hand. “It’s alright, aye? Everything’s alright, now. You’re going to meet your Mam, and—” He could barely speak, but he managed to smile, his heart broken with loving them. “—and she’s going to make your life—absolutely wonderful, I promise.”

And if picking Ian up in his own arms had been a gift beyond imagining, laying him down into Claire’s and hearing that exquisite sound of love escape her as she cradled him was—everything.

“Hello, little darling….” Claire choked out in barely a whisper. She curled her body over her son. “I’m so glad to meet you.” She brought him up close to her face and kissed him again and again as he cried, letting her own tears bless him. “I love you, Ian,” she breathed, “….Oh, sweetheart…. Mummy loves you so much….”

Without taking her eyes away, she pulled down the neck of her gown to give the child her breast, guiding him with an expert hand. The babe’s cries silenced at once as he latched on, and her sharp gasp of surprise and delight echoed in the sudden silence. Her soft, tearful laughter as she beamed down at him, nourishing him, speaking love over him —

“Jamie? Jamie?” Claire was saying, touching his arm urgently. “Are you alright, love?”

He had gone to his knees beside the bed, weeping so brokenly it was physical pain to keep any sound from escaping and disturbing this peace.

Something had healed within him, to see a child at her breast, something so deeply broken and scarred in his heart that he’d thought it a permanent part of him. The gnarled edges had blazed with light, leaving scarcely a trace behind.

Without a word, she took his hand and pulled him up beside her onto the bed. He tried to say her name—to ask? to tell? He didn’t know for sure, but it didn’t matter. Claire’s kiss on his mouth. Claire’s soft syllables, crooning to him, and his cheek cradled against her shoulder. Her hand reaching for his, the one she’d healed, bringing it to cup Ian’s head against her breast. Those things were sure. Those things he would remember until the day he died.

#in which Jamie invents the car phone #obviously that is the main highlight of this chapter. i mean did you even read it?#holy god this is like 4.2k words #but i didn't want to leave you hanging this time #ya welcome #see? I can be considerate and throw you a bone on occasion #I can't freaking believe I gave this kid an ODD NUMBER birthday #shame shame shame @ myself #Flood my mornings #;mod Bonnie

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