"Best Friends"

Early Morning Surprise

It's too early for this, Dark thought wearily as Sam started crying at three in the morning, waking up him, Anti, and Bud in the process.

"Your turn." Dark whispered gently to Anti, lightly nudging his husband's arm.

Anti grumbled something before he staggered out of bed, nearly falling face first onto the floor due to the blanket wrapped around him.

Dark tried, but failed, to hold back his snickering as Anti left the room, disappearing down the hall into Sam's room to soothe her.

Since the couple had cared for Sam for a little less than a year now, Dark and Anti has grown used to the usual morning routine of being up at the butt crack of dawn everyday.

As Dark tried to go back to sleep, he was woken up by a call from Mark, which was usual since Mark never seemed to sleep.

"Yeah?" Dark answered groggily as Anti returned, looking equally exhausted as he flopped back into bed.

"Dude, Amy's gone into labor and I'm fucking freaking out!" Mark spoke in a rush, his voice barely audible over the sound of ambulance sirens around him.

"Shit, okay, what hospital?" Dark questioned, instantly alert as he quickly sat up.

As soon as Mark gave him the address, Dark ran out to the car with Anti carrying Sam since she couldn't be left home alone, neither bothering to change out of their pjs before leaving.

When the couple finally arrived, Mark was anxiously pacing around the waiting room while his hands nervously fidgeted in front of him.

"They won't let me go in yet since they're getting Amy under pain medication and don't want me to get in the way." Mark rambled nervously as he looked over at Dark, his brown eyes filled with concern.

"It'll be okay Mark, she's strong." Dark assured his cousin, earning a stressed smile from Mark that looked more like a grimace.

After lots of coaxing from Dark, Mark finally sat down and waited for the nurse to call him in, his leg bouncing up and down impatiently.

Sam was fast asleep in Anti's arms instantly, her face lit up with a small smile as Anti gently rocked her back and forth.

"Dude, you're stressing me out with that." Dark remarked lightly, reaching over and holding Mark's leg down.

Mark didn't answer as he fell still, his gaze fixated on the pattern on the tile floor.

Once the nurse stepped through the doors, Mark immediately shot to his feet and hurried through the doors with the nurse, leaving Dark and Anti alone.

"Ya know, I'm glad we never had to deal with that." Anti admitted as he took Dark's hand, squeezing it tight.

"Me too." Dark agreed, his gaze drifting over to the doors Mark left through with a thoughtful expression.

"I wonder what the gender is." Dark murmured under his breath as he absent mindlessly caressed Anti's knuckles with his thumb.

"I bet that their baby will be a beautiful bouncing baby boy." Anti predicted confidently.

"What are you betting?" Dark countered teasingly.

"Hmmm...I win, you buy dinner for tomorrow. You win, I'll buy dinner." Anti decided.

"Deal." Dark nodded with a playful grin, his expression shifting when Mark darted back into the waiting room.

"Well? Is everything okay?" Dark prompted as he strode up to his cousin, placing a comforting hand on Mark's shoulder.

"Yeah....I can't believe it, I'm a father now." Mark whispered in awe with tears in his eyes as he hugged Dark tightly, Anti standing back to give the two privacy.

"Can we see Amy and the baby?" Anti asked hopefully as he adjusted Sam in his arms.

"Yeah." Mark replied, motioning for the two to follow him.

Amy was holding a bundled up white blanket in her arms when the three entered; her eyes shining with tears of joy as she looked up at Mark.

"She's beautiful." Mark breathed out as he knelt down by Amy.

"Just like you." Mark added as he kissed Amy on the lips, his thumb gently wiping away her tears.

Dark shot Anti a smug look, the male rolling his eyes as he reluctantly forked over money so Dark could buy them dinner.

"What's her name?" Dark spoke up softly as Amy lowered the blanket so he could see the baby's face.

"Sang...her name is Sang. It's a Korean name that translates to "always" since we both know that she'll leave her mark on the world one day." Amy informed him as Anti sauntered over to Dark's side.

Sang had light skin like Amy, but her eyes were the same chocolate brown shade as Mark's.

Sam sleepily opened her eyes and looked at Sang, a laugh bubbling from the infant as she reached for Sang.

"I think Sam likes her already." Anti chuckled as he held Sam further away from Sang.

"We should probably go so you can rest." Dark interjected gently, guiding Anti towards the door.

"I hope Sam and Sang can be friends." Anti spoke up once Dark and Anti were on their way back home.

"I know they will be if Sam is half as friendly and amazing as you." Dark promised, earning a light blush from Anti.