☕ María ^_^ ☕

Reference:

Buying things for the baby

One of the first things Adrian didn't expect was to go into those baby stores to buy the essentials, but the sheer number of bottles and toys overwhelmed him. There was more than one option. At least he remembered his mom's recommendations for most things.

Adrian pays close attention to product quality, the material, the texture, the colors, and what's safe and what isn't. It was harder for him to find a certified crib suitable for a newborn, without sharp edges and made of material that wasn't worn out and could leave thorns.

Although he's still undecided about clothes, that's something he'll leave until last, after getting a good bottle, pacifier, blankets, a stuffed animal, and some fun toys for the little one. He ended up buying a lot of things with the idea of "just in case."

Entering a baby store is more intimidating for Adrian than an enemy base. Too many colors, too many small things, too many permanent decisions. He moves slowly, eyeing everything suspiciously, touching things with excessive care.

"Why are there so many types of cribs? Which one won't kill the baby?" he asked himself as he inspected the displayed cribs. Adrian reads every label. Every single one. He compares them, makes absurd calculations about structural stability. And ends up buying unnecessary things, just to be safe, like two identical soft blankets and a stuffed animal a bit too big for a newborn.

"Why two blankets?" the reader asks as she examines the items he's picked up.

"Just in case," Adrian is direct, and then continues looking at the products with his partner.

"Would you like to see the baby clothes?" she asks affectionately and curiously, unintentionally making him tense.

"Maybe later... I want to see the cribs again, the pacifiers, the bottles..." He changed the subject, naming every important thing they might need for the baby, a list already in his head. It will take quite a while.

Insomnia

This man, besides constantly watching over and loitering in the rooms, making sure nothing bad happens to his partner, is also on guard late into the night. He often keeps the reader and the baby company.

Adrian takes advantage of these moments of vulnerability and trust to talk privately with his little one. He occasionally shares his plans for the near future, for when the baby is born and grows up, promising to always be present in his life.

Adrian spent a good while loitering, going in and out of each room. He checks every door and window until he's absolutely certain his partner is safe. Finally, he lies down next to his girlfriend, who is fast asleep, in a comfortable position with her large belly carrying their baby.

"Whew!~ I'm done checking everything..." he murmurs, more to himself than to his partner, aware that she's asleep. Adrian makes sure his girlfriend is comfortable before taking the opportunity to rest his face near her belly.

"Hello... Heh... How are you? Are you asleep? Do you want me to tell you any facts about manta rays or owls?" The man asks the baby inside the reader, as if he were going to answer it. Happy to hear its little kicks.

Medical check-up

How is Adrian during medical checkups? He's always attentive to what the doctor says and stays close to his partner, not in an intrusive way, but he gets a little stiff when the doctor examines her for too long; it tends to make him anxious. He memorizes every observation made and every instruction. He'll have to be very vigilant about any changes that occur during the pregnancy, whether it's a fever or another illness, and make sure nothing happens to either of them.

The waiting room is white, too brightly lit. Adrian sits next to his partner, stiff, his hands resting on his knees. He observes everything; doors, people, emergency exits. When his name is called, he stands up immediately.

"Can I come in?" he asks, curious and cautious. The doctor nods.

During the checkup, Adrian stays close. He doesn't interfere, doesn't joke around, just listens attentively.

When he hears the heartbeat for the first time, his breath catches in his throat. He glances at the reader, then at the monitor, and back at her again.

"He's... alive..." he says, as if confirming an incredible fact. She nods with a gentle smile. Adrian takes her hand, proudly and carefully.

"Thank you," he murmurs, happy with what they did and with her small gift.

Leaving the office to go home, he walks a little slower than usual. He matches her pace, always attentive and careful.

Birth

It was a rather long and intense moment for Adrian, but finally, the little one is in his arms for the first time. He holds him with extreme care and without making any sudden movements, as if he were something incredibly fragile. The doctors ask him to have skin-to-skin contact with the baby while the reader rests.

He carefully adjusts his little one so he is comfortable and can feel his skin against his. Adrian feels the baby's tiny breaths, his little fingers barely moving.

The doctor was clear. Skin-to-skin contact. Regulated breathing, calm and patient. Adrian obeyed without question.

He sits in an armchair next to the bed, his chest bare, his back straight. The baby is nestled against him, tiny, warm, real. Too real. Adrian barely moves when he holds his little one in his arms.

He has one arm wrapped around that small body, as if protecting it from an invisible danger. His breathing is slow, deliberate, trying to synchronize with the baby's.

"Hello~" he whispers. "I don't know if you understand what I'm saying yet."

The baby stirs slightly, reacting to his voice. Adrian stiffens. "It's okay," he assures, making an effort to remain calm. "Everything is fine. You're not falling. Nothing's wrong."

Adrian rests his chin lightly on the baby's head. He doesn't kiss him; he doesn't allow himself that gesture yet. He seems afraid of doing it wrong, of hurting him somehow.

"I'm your dad," he says with love and pride. "That means no one will touch a hair on your head, no one will ever cut your pretty cheek as long as I'm alive." He pauses for a moment. "And I want to take care of you. I will."

The baby calms down, probably asleep, breathing against his chest. And since the birth of his little one, he cries silently.

Adrian being a dad

What would Adrian be like as a father to the baby? He's clumsy, literally, overprotective, and a little odd. He sometimes makes small jokes and sees the fun side of having a baby in his life with his partner. He loves being able to hold and lift his little one, but carefully. For him, it was something surreal, and he loves showing half the world the adorable thing he did with the reader.

As a father, he stays with the baby most of the time until he falls asleep, plays with him a little so he doesn't get bored, feeds him when his baby is hungry and his partner isn't around, and also takes him along when he has to run errands or go to his mother's house.

If his little one happens to like a plush toy from the TY Beanie Buddy collection, and specifically Stretch the Ostrich, he'll obviously try to get him one that isn't from his precious collection that he painstakingly preserves. At least they have a shared interest and wait until he's a little older to talk about them or any other interests the little one might have.

In the middle of the night, the baby started crying. With unexpected intensity, a high-pitched, desperate sound. Adrian got up before he was fully awake and rushed into the baby's room.

"I'm here..." he murmured, gently lifting him. "Everything's fine, everything's fine." The baby continued crying. He frowned and proceeded to check on him.

"You're not hurt. There's no blood. There's no external threat," he noted seriously and carefully, then saw his partner approach.

"He's hungry..." she said, as if stating a fact. Adrian remained still.

"That's... logical," he said, nodding. He approached her, holding the baby gently. "He needs to be fed. It makes biological sense."

His partner looked at him, half asleep. "Adrian, this isn't a mission. He's a baby," she explained seriously, almost scolding him.

"Yes, but the process is important." He knelt beside the sofa chair, holding the baby while she settled in and held him to feed him. Adrian brings the Stretch plush toy closer and nestles it in the baby's tiny arms.

When the baby finally stops crying and falls back asleep, Adrian lets out a sigh so long it seems he hasn't breathed in hours.

"Victory!..." he murmurs proudly.

"Adrian..." The girl calls him softly, almost scolding him to take her seriously.

"I'll be quiet now..." He apologizes and remains silent as he watches the baby sleep.