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Nanami had never been so afraid than on the day Mahito's cursed body gave out, after months of barely surviving with a fully human fetus growing inside of him. Mahito had been so sick and declining quickly, to the point that he couldn't stand anymore and everything hurt all the time. Nanami cared for Kenshiro, but he also had to keep a close eye on Mahito, and it all happened in a flash. Nanami was giving Kenshiro his bath, and the boy began crying louder than he ever had. Nothing seemed to comfort him, it was almost like he was in excruciating pain, and before Nanami could call a doctor, Mahito appeared in the doorway. He could barely keep his eyes open, but he'd been moved by instincts when he heard his son wailing. Nanami didn't have the time to say anything — Mahito went limp and collapsed on the tiled floor. Nanami quickly took the still crying Kenshiro out of the bath tub and held him close as he sank to the floor by Mahito's side.
He brushed Mahito's hair out of his face and choked out his name, but he could only watch as Mahito's cursed energy slowly left his body. Eventually, after a few seconds that seemed to drag on for an eternity, he phoned Shoko while still lying on the floor with Kenshiro pressed to his chest. He wasn't even sure she could help, but he didn't know what else to do.
Kenshiro stopped crying when Mahito died. That was what it looked like to Nanami — all cursed energy was gone from him. But there must have been just enough to keep his unmoving body together, instead of evaporating with the rest of his cursed energy. Nanami embraced his lover's seemingly dead body, keeping a now quiet Kenshiro huddled between their chests, and begged. Please, please, please. I can't do this alone. Please hold on.
Then Mahito's whole body was wrecked by his first, real human breath, just like a baby. He coughed, wheezed, but he quickly got the hang of his new, functional lungs. Once Shoko got there, she reassured them that the baby was alive as well, and that it had most likely absorbed Mahito's cursed energy in order to turn him human and save them both.
Mayu was born in the inbetween of Christmas and New Year, during the moment days are floating and time seems almost frozen.
It had been long, painful, and so much scarier than giving birth to Kenshiro. Mahito's now human body was greatly weakened, and all of the euphoria of the pregnancy was gone. On top of caring for a newborn and a one year-old, he had to learn how to care for himself and the new vessel for his soul.
Nanami tried his best to support him, while caring for both of their children, but Mahito wasn't doing well. He was struggling to figure out his new body and its limits, frustrated by how fragile and sensitive it was. He got sick a lot at first, as his immune system was still immature. He had to eat to survive. He had to sleep every night. On top of that, he'd lost his technique. Without idle transfiguration, he felt weak and naked and useless. Everything he'd learned about humans was far from enough to have prepared him for what it was really like, and at some point, in his darkest moments, he even considered running away, disappearing or ending it all. He couldn't see the point, he was too blinded by his own fears and doubts to see that his sons needed him, and that Nanami loved him, cursed spirit or human being.
Nanami never let go of him. He patiently taught him how to care for himself, and held his hand every step of the way. He cleaned his body, brushed his hair and his teeth, fed him, watched over him until he fell asleep every night, and made love to him. Eventually, with the help of medication for anxiety and depression, Mahito finally got his head above water again, and was able to care for Kenshiro and Mayu properly. But it had taken months, and despite what Nanami kept telling him, he couldn't help but feel like he'd abandoned them.
So Nanami made sure they spent Mayu's birthday as a family, just the four of them. They'd celebrate it with friends later — Gojo wouldn't leave them a choice anyway. He'd found his passion the previous year when he put together Kenshiro's birthday party, but Nanami managed to convince him to throw the big party another day than on Mayu's actual birthday. He knew Mahito needed some time alone with his babies and his husband. They weren't married, but now that Mahito was human, it was a possibility. That fact did cheer him up a bit; he'd attended human weddings when he was still a curse and no one could see him, stealing food and watching the first dance. He had never seen a proposal, though, so he was curious.
And so, on the morning of December 27th, Mahito tiptoed toward Kenshiro and Mayu's room, where both kids were sleeping soundly. He knelt by Mayu's crib and slid his arm between the bars to gently brush his plump little cheek. Mayu was a much quieter baby than Kenshiro; maybe he thought he couldn't take too much space, since Mahito had been unwell for most of his life. He stirred and yawned, and Mahito looked at him with a mix of awe and adoration. He couldn't believe he'd made this whole tiny yet fully functional human being, and he was overwhelmed by the love he had for his baby. His human heart was pounding as Mayu opened his big gray eyes.
"Do you know what day it is?"
"Mama, what day?" Kenshiro cried out from his own bed, and Mahito turned to him. "Come here, Kenshin!" He said while motioning to his lap. Kenshiro got out of bed and toddled his way into Mahito's arms, giggling when his eyes met Mayu's.
Nanami, who had quietly gotten out of bed himself, was leaning in the doorway and watched in silence the three people he loved most with a smile on his face.
"So, big boy, what day is it?"
Kenshiro just stared at Mahito with wide mismatched eyes.
"Okay, simple: what month are we?"
"Christmas!" Kenshiro answered proudly, the memory of the toys he'd gotten still fresh in his mind.
"Okay, and Christmas is in…?"
"December!"
"You're so smart!" Mahito said as he tickled Kenshiro's neck. The little boy cooed as he leaned against his mama.
"Now, you don't remember this, but on this day, one year ago, your little brother was born, which means…"
"I remember, Mama!" Kenshiro protested as if Mahito had said something obviously wrong.
"Do you, really?" Mahito questioned, one eyebrow raised.
"Yeah! I remember when I'm born too!"
There was a pause, then Mahito gasped. "Me too! I mean, of course I remember when you were born, but I remember my own first day. You got your daddy's looks but you have my pretty eyes and my great memory! You're the perfect mix of dada and I!"
He then turned to Mayu. "And so are you, birthday boy! You're both perfect creations. You're my best works!"
Nanami couldn't hold back a chuckle, and Mahito turned toward the door to look at him.
"Don't just stand here and laugh, Nami. Come wish a happy birthday to your thirty percent of our masterpiece!"
"Thirty percent only?"
Mahito rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yeah, duh. You're not the one who carried both of our sons for a total of eighteen months-"
"Seventeen. Mayu was born a month early."
"Whatever, I did most of the work!"
Nanami crouched by Mayu's bed next to Mahito. "You said thirty percent because you did seventy?"
"Basic math, Mister Seven-Three." Mahito teased, very proud of his hilarious wordplay. Nanami kissed his cheek, then he stood again to pick up Mayu from his bed and kissed his cheek too.
"Oh, you're still sleepy, aren't you…"
Mahito couldn't help but melt every time he saw Nanami acting so fatherly. He had to admit he had felt a little jealous of all the attention his children were getting from their father and that Mahito wasn't getting as much of it anymore, but he'd learned how to share. Plus, now that the boys were old enough to return the affection, Mahito actually got three times as much as he used to.
"Mama, I remember something." Kenshiro said while tugging on Mahito's shirt to get his attention.
"You remember something else, little love?"
"I remember I always love Mayu since he's born."
Mahito had to hold back tears. How could he, a former curse born from human hatred, have created a being that was so loving and kind? He picked Kenshiro up and held him close as he whispered in his ear:
"You know what? I also loved you from the day you were born."
"I know, Mama. I remember."