DEMONS [Fumikage Tokoyami x OC]

Epilogue 2 - Goodnight Moon

Tokoyami sat at his desk, filling out paperwork.

After a hectic double shift, ink slid across his pages, words lost their meaning, and his yawns chased each other out of his mouth with fierce rapidity. At that point, he didn't bother lowering his hand - he left it permanently hovering in front of his mouth to catch and cover the back-to-back yawns.

His phone vibrated, shimmying across his desk and bumping into his elbow, pulling him from the smallest nap he'd ever taken. Tokoyami rubbed his bleary eyes with tired knuckles and checked his phone.

Azami: IT'S GO TIME.

A metallic shiver of adrenaline shot up Tokoyami's spine, his eyes slamming wide open. His thumbs hovered over his phone keyboard, wondering if he should even answer, before jumping to his feet and racing toward the front door. He bolted past Hawks on his way out, vaulting through the security scanner, and past his boss.

"Where's the fire?" Hawks chuckled, hands in his pockets, watching his friend speed past him.

Tokoyami had just the mental capacity to turn and open the front door with his butt, a wild grin on his face. "The baby's coming."

𝅘𝅥𝅯

A cab deposited Tokoyami at the front doors of the hospital.

His wallet slipped from his fingers as he stepped out of the taxi, and he laughed, anxiety and elation combining in his chest. His trembling fingers fumbled over his wallet and spilled money, throwing a wad of bills to the cabbie before running inside.

Ignoring the stares, Tokoyami followed the signs toward the maternity ward. He hadn't really had time to do anything - much less change out of his hero costume - before catching a cab to the hospital. But the wandering eyes and the pointing were beyond him.

They were having a baby.

He slid around a corner, heart thudding against his brain. The maternity ward waiting room zoomed into sharp focus, pastel colors on every surface: pale green chairs, soft pink and white checkered floors, sky blue walls, lemon yellow countertops. Tokoyami slowed, boots dragging on the linoleum.

Everything was about to change. From here on out, it would be him, Azami, and... the baby.

Holy shit.

The air went thin, his vision spotty. Weak, his hand barely managed to catch the nearest wall as he stumbled. Just for a second, he considered hiding in a broom closet until all of it was over, pretending he was never there.

"Babe!"

The tension released from his shoulders, and he glanced up, finding his wife jogging toward him, two to-go coffees in her hands and the biggest grin ever on her face. Tokoyami loosened up, straightened, and leaned back against the wall, waiting for her.

Azami slammed into him with a hug so tight that Tokoyami was positive they were going to fuse into one person. "I'm so glad you're here, love," Azami muttered into his cape, "Operation: Adopt the World's Cutest Baby is almost complete!" She tilted her head back, beaming up at him, resting her chin on his chest.

Tokoyami softened, his hand drifting up to tuck her bone-white birthmark away behind her ear. "I have to admit, I'm nervous," he mumbled, letting his palm rest on her cheek.

"Oh thank god, me too," she chuckled, leaning into his touch. "I brought you coffee, 'cause I knew you'd be tired." Azami peeled herself away, holding up the larger coffee for Tokoyami and pressing it into his hands.

The coffee warmed his bones, and Tokoyami pressed his forehead to Azami's in thanks. "You're the best," he sighed.

"I try," she replied with a soft chuckle. "Now, caffeinate yourself so we're prepared for meeting our baby. First impressions and all."

𝅘𝅥𝅯

"Wow," Azami sighed.

Her forehead rested against the cool glass of the baby room, staring at the fleet of fresh infants bundled up in their little, clear bassinets, pastel blankets shifting as they squiggled in their sleep.

But one baby in particular was her favorite: the closest plastic cradle, lilac blanket, labeled: BABY GIRL TOKOYAMI.

Azami tapped the reinforced glass, trying to get her attention.

"Don't wake her up," Tokoyami chided, bumping Azami with his shoulder, a permanent smile affixed to his face. "She's dreaming big dreams."

Chuckling, Azami leaned her head on his shoulder and took his hand in hers. "About what? Saving the world? The next Deku, you think? Astronaut? Doctor? Michelin-starred chef? New York Times bestselling author?"

Tokoyami laughed, rested his head on top of hers. "That's a lot of pressure for someone who's little over an hour old, love. Maybe give her some time? And a name first?"

"Right, right, names are good," Azami muttered, staring at their sleepy little lump. "Well, we liked Tora and Fuyu. Those were the girl names on our list."

"Yes, but..."

"Neither of them feel quite right, right?"

"Right."

They leaned on each other, propping one another up against the glass in the bright hallway. The two of them stared on as their daughter slept off the horrifying ordeal of being born, peaceful in her purple swaddle. A nurse stopped by and checked on her, plucking the baby from her plastic crib. Azami's breath caught in her lungs as a pudgy hand reached up from the blankets and gripped the nurse's finger.

"Hoshi," Tokoyami mumbled.

Azami tore her gaze from their baby to her husband. "Say it again."

"Hoshi," he said, his voice sturdier this time, "Star."

Grinning, Azami kissed Tokoyami on the beak. "You're a genius. I knew I married you for a good reason."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, one of us has to have good ideas, and it's obviously not me, Kage," Azami smirked, her eyes trailing back to their baby, who was being forced by the nurse to wave to them through screechy sobs.

"Is that the only reason?" Tokoyami prodded.

Azami clicked her tongue and shook her head. "You know, I would list every reason for you right now, except they're not all G-rated and the newest Tokoyami is on her way over for some snuggles!"

Tokoyami chuckled and watched as the nurse slipped from the nursery and into the hall, depositing Hoshi into Azami's arms. He snuck his phone from his pocket and snapped a few pictures of them - mostly Azami cooing at a screaming Hoshi - for posterity. His heart warmed at the sight, even as Hoshi spit up all over Azami.

His little family grew by one more that day.

And he already knew he'd do anything to protect his girls.

...His girls.

Tokoyami liked the sound of that.

𝅘𝅥𝅯

A/N: Okay, now it's really over and I made myself sad. ;w;

Thank you again for sticking with me through all of this! I appreciate every comment and like. You all are amazing.