MoonKnight One Shots/Preferences

Preference: Fatherhood

[This preference is about Steven, Marc, and Jake as fathers. Can be read as a stand-alone or as an epilogue chapter to The Moon and The Sun! 🖤]
[Word Count: 6320]
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Steven:

I rubbed my stinging eyes and sat up in the darkness of my bedroom, hearing familiar cries being emitted from the baby monitor that I had laid on my pillow, needing to have my babies close to me. My blurred eyes read the analog clock on the nightstand beside me.

3:48 A.M.

My lip began to quiver in exhaustion as I swiftly removed the warm comforter from my legs, careful to not wake Steven up beside me. It hadn't even been 30 minutes since the last time I was awoken by their small cries, and there was roughly the same time in between the intervals since I had laid our babies to sleep.

I had slept maybe an hour in total, as I found it increasingly difficult to chase sleep after waking so many times, fearing that something was wrong when I heard the cries from the baby monitor. I was extremely exhausted and didn't feel well at all, but my babies needed me, so my discomfort didn't matter in the slightest.

My feet hit the carpeted floor, different than the hardwood of the apartment that Steven and I had recently moved from. He had promised and provided a beautiful home for our growing family, and he certainly kept to his word.

As I stood from the mattress, I couldn't help but feel dizzied and severely affected by a lack of sleep, not having slept in a healthy routine for a whole month since the twins had been born.

"Love?" Steven questioned from the darkness and I turned towards him, startled at his sudden voice from the bed. I leaned on the mattress towards him and felt for his face, kissing his cheek softly.

"I'm sorry, Steven. I didn't mean to wake you, baby. Percy and Carina are up again." I sniffed, wiping my cheeks from the escaped tears of feeling burned out and unrested.

I loved my babies with everything within me, but I didn't understand why these past four weeks had me feeling saddened and drained most of the time.

"Hey, hey..." Steven gently comforted, now turning the lamp on, which was on his side of the bed on his own nightstand. He then removed the sheets from his legs and stood, adjusting the waistband of his checkered pajama pants. "How long have you been awake, (Y/N)?"

I dejectedly sat on my side of the mattress, feeling defeated by exhaustion. "A-all night." I sobbed, shaking my head. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong, Steven. I bathed them, and fed them, and changed their diapers, and loved them, and...I'm an awful mother."

All of the emotions of being a first time mother, and to twins at that, began to overflow as I silently cried into my hands. The pregnancy wasn't too difficult, but their birth was extremely rough, both physically and mentally.

Steven had immediately approached at hearing my silent cries. "No, (Y/N), you're not an awful mother. You're doing wonderful. Why didn't you wake me?" He questioned, slightly hurt that I refused to include him. He also felt guilty that he had slept through their cries and my continuous response to whatever need they had.

"Because you've been sleeping so well, baby. I've been paying attention and you're finally sleeping through the night. Even Marc and Jake have been sleeping wonderfully and found a routine, and I didn't want to ruin that for any of you." I honestly answered, feeling Steven's hands on my cheeks and lifting my face to meet his adoring gaze.

"I know that the recent weeks have been rough, my love, but please don't try to go through this yourself.  These babies," He gestured towards the baby monitor, "Are our babies. I'm not going to be the father that expects the mother to act in both roles and struggles and even refuses to take care of herself. You are doing so well, so please, give yourself credit and give yourself time to heal and recuperate." His lips pressed against my forehead. "Why don't you take a warm shower, okay? I'll stay awake for the twins." He resolutely stated, assisting me up and gesturing me towards our master bathroom.