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ivpapaemeritusiv · 4 months ago

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Chapter 28: Meliora

Summary: In this chapter, Addeline gives birth to her fifth child, but it doesn't go as smoothly as she had planned!

Word Count: 2,500 Words

In this chapter, we see Addy and Swiss welcome their child into the world. We have no reason to believe that the delivery won't be a smooth one except for the fact that this is Addy and of course something is going to happen.

The 2027 North American tour began without a hitch. Being pregnant, Addy had to watch most of it from the sidelines, but she enjoyed the show, nonetheless. During their show in Tampa, she even got a chance to catch up with Ellie, who was taken aback by Kaisarion's growth and even more astonished to discover her friend expecting her fifth child.

Their destination in Europe proved much more eventful. Finding themselves in France, Addeline was lending a hand to the crew, helping them unload their instruments for a show that night. Despite all the warnings about lifting heavy equipment at nine months pregnant, Addy’s stubbornness could not be swayed. She was three days away from her due date, an accomplishment that filled her heart with immeasurable pride.

She was helping Mountain lift his drum set into the bus when she felt a gush of water drench her feet. Mountain felt the splash of water and quickly jumped back, “Gross, Addy! You got your baby juice on me.”

“Shit!” the woman said. She was nervous but this nervousness was not like before. This time, her nerves were different. She wasn’t afraid for her baby’s life but rather fortunate and thrilled about the upcoming birth.

Having experienced a natural birth and two preterm births before, she was now grateful for the opportunity to have a normal, full-term pregnancy in the hospital with pain management tailored to her preferences.

“Mountain,” she regretfully informed him, “I’m sorry but I gotta go.”

“Yeah!” he shouted with a know-it-all tone, “Don’t worry about it! Go find your baby daddy!” He yelled good luck as the woman vanished from sight.

In the intensity of the moment, she completely forgot about the need to search for Papa Emeritus. Instead, she began feverishly searching for Swiss, asking everyone she encountered on her way back into the venue if they had seen the ghoul. With the help of a few kind souls, she was pointed onto the right path, and she hurriedly followed their directions, determined to find him back on stage. As she ran towards him, he extended his arms, bracing himself for the impact of her full-force sprint. He eagerly wanted to catch her when she reached him.

Just as she found her way into his arms, she couldn’t contain the news any longer and blurted out that her water had broken. Suddenly, Papa emerged from behind the curtain. Swiss placed his hands on Addy’s stomach as Papa rushed to his wife, unable to contain his excitement. He didn’t even mention the mix-up with Swiss because he was so overjoyed.

Addy was aware of Swiss’s strong desire to be present for the birth of their son. She pondered on a way to subtly prompt Papa to extend an invitation to him to the hospital. Unlike with the twins, where it happened organically, she wanted to avoid any suspicion of a secret relationship.

Fortunately, they wouldn’t need to plot. Addy felt an intense pressure building inside her, reminiscent of the moment when a baby begins to crown. It’s impossible, she thought, realizing she hadn’t felt any contractions yet. Her water had just broken, so how could she bypass the typical stages of labor? Reflecting on the past two days, she pondered if the mild cramping she had felt could have been contractions.

Swiss quickly understood Addy’s distress and exchanged a knowing glance with her. “GO GET THE PARAMEDICS OVER HERE,” he shouted to a random passerby. Then, he turned to Addeline and Papa and began to give them directions, “Okay, Addy, you need to lay down and spread your legs. Cardinal, you need to check to see if the baby is crowning.” The urgency in his voice was evident as they all sprang into action.

Papa swiftly obeyed the man’s instructions, lifting up Addy’s dress and confirming what she had felt, “I see the head,” he revealed, his nervousness evident, “What do we do?” he asked anxiously.

“We wait for the medics to get here,” Swiss reassured him.

Addy’s discomfort intensified as the labor pains finally found her, and still, no one had come to help.

“Shit!” Swiss exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice.

A crowd had gathered around the young woman by this time. The passerby returned with news that the medics were unavailable.

“Shit, shit!” Swiss repeated, feeling the weight of the situation, “Does anyone here know how to deliver a baby?” He was hopeful that at least one person in the crowd had experience.

When no one volunteered, Swiss turned to Papa. “Cardinal, I’m going to need you to trust me,” he said urgently.

Papa, already on the verge of a breakdown, asked, “What do you mean, trust you?”

Both Papa and Addy were overwhelmed, tears streaming down the young woman’s face as she realized that this birth was not going as planned either.

Swiss, being observant and resourceful recalled every detail of the twins’ birth. He quickly recognized Aether in the crowd and asked his fellow ghoul to call an ambulance immediately. He knelt between Addy’s legs and reassured her, “Okay, Adds, listen to me. You know what to do, okay? When you feel a contraction, you push, and I’ll count to three. Got it?”

Addy, her face a mess of emotions, looked down at him and nodded, indicating that she understood. The Cardinal stepped aside, putting all his trust in the multi-ghoul.

Swiss heard Addy’s moans and asked, “Is that a contraction?” She nodded in confirmation. “Then push, now!” he urged. Addy pushed with determination as the crowd gathered around. Cirrus had arrived at the scene and knelt beside Swiss to offer support. She was amazed by his bravery and ability to take charge in an emergency. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of delight seeing him deliver his own child.

This pattern continued for what felt like an eternity, with Addeline pushing longer than ever before. Tensions ran high as Papa, who had been quietly supporting his wife, finally broke the silence, asking, “Is everything okay? Why is it taking so long?”

In the midst of the anxiety, Swiss remained calm and confidently announced, “I got it! The shoulders are out!”

Suddenly, the tense atmosphere transformed into a defining moment for the crowd, who had become fully invested in the well-being of the mother and baby.

“Addy, one more push!” Swiss encouraged. With one final, determined push, Swiss skillfully delivered a baby boy, and the joy in his eyes was undeniable. Cirrus let out a sigh of relief and rushed to check on Addy, while Papa hurried to Swiss to ensure the newborn was okay. Swiss couldn’t help but admire the child’s precious facial features.

In that moment, the question that had been on everyone’s mind was finally answered. This baby, with his mixed features including his skin color, was undoubtedly Swiss’s child. The resemblance was clear to everyone except Papa.

Swiss and Cirrus exchanged glances, their unspoken understanding spoke volumes. They shared a look filled with both worry and hope, silently communicating their uncertainty about whether Papa would notice the resemblance.

Papa, unaware of the cryptic conversation, took the baby from Swiss and knelt beside Addy, asking, “My darling, what’s his name?”

Addy, noticing the surprised look on Swiss’s face, mirrored his expression as she laid eyes upon her son. Swiftly wiping away her own look of dread, she confidently answered, “His name is Meliora.”

As the ambulance arrived to take Addy and the baby to the hospital, Addy silently bid farewell to Swiss. They gently placed her and the baby on a stretcher for transport, with only Papa allowed to accompany them. Cirrus, sensing Swiss’s sadness, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and offered words of encouragement, saying, “You did amazing, Dad.” Swiss looked into Cirrus’s eyes and planted a friendly kiss on top of her head. The two embraced tightly, displaying a strong bond of friendship.

Swiss and Cirrus arrived at the hospital shortly after the ambulance whisked Addeline away. Cirrus remained calm while the frantic man rushed up to the lobby desk demanding to know where the maternity ward was, "I'm looking for an Addeline Copia," he shouted.

The unphased receptionist pointed the two in the right direction.

As Swiss's nerves got the better of him, Cirrus begged him to calm down, "Get it together, dude. She's in a room. She's not going anywhere."

"I know, I know," he boasted, "I'm just excited to see my son."

Cirrus whipped her head around, "He’s not your son, here, Swiss. He’s Copia’s. Don’t let your emotions give yourself away.”

Swiss having to maintain the pretense that the child belonged to another man definitely cast a shadow over his mood, “I guess we can just call you little sunshine,” he snapped back.

Addeline was sitting on the bed with Meliora when the ghoul and ghoulette walked in. a wide smile lighting up her face upon seeing Swiss. The scene was heartwarming as Swiss extended his arms to welcome the new bundle of joy. With a natural ease, he took the child from Addy, cradling the infant gently as if it were second nature to him. "Hey little man," he whispered, tenderly playing with the baby's tiny fingers.

Wanting to remind Swiss of what they discussed, Cirrus asked, "Where is Papa Emeritus?"

"He stepped out to call Sister Imperator," Addeline said.

Swiss remained unphased by her words. He had seen Addy give birth before, he witnessed the growth of all her children, always there for the highs and lows, but the moment he gazed down at his own flesh and blood, the magic he felt was unparalleled. The realization that he had created this life filled him with a profound sense of wonder. Even Cirrus couldn’t help but smile.

The ghoulette turned to look at Addy, who was admiring her secret lover gazing down upon their son, “How do you feel?”

“I don't know," the mother replied, "I actually feel kind of dizzy.”

Horror overtook Cirrus as she noticed the alarming amount of blood around Addy, "Unholy Satan, Addy you're bleeding!”

Addy's heart rate began to increase, causing one of the monitors to beep relentlessly as she slipped out of consciousness.

"Swiss!" Cirrus urgently called out for help, her voice filled with desperation. The man was already outside the door, shouting for assistance.

Papa Emeritus, upon seeing the medical staff rush to his wife's room, ended the call with Sister Imperator and hurried back to the woman’s side.

The tension in the hospital room escalated as Addeline began to hemorrhage. Panic and urgency filled the air as medical staff rushed to stabilize her condition. Swiss and Cirrus stood by, their faces etched with worry and fear as they witnessed the sudden turn of events.

Papa Emeritus began yelling over the commotion, “What in the hell is happening?”

The staff swiftly started to wheel Addy out as a doctor urgently stated to Copia, "Your wife is hemorrhaging. We need to rush her into surgery to save her life. Can she receive blood?"

“Yes, yes,” she can receive blood,” he responded frantically.

The doctor didn't pause as she continued, "We may need to perform a hysterectomy on your wife..."

Copia instinctively interjected, "Don't you dare take out her womb!"

Swiss, initially upset about Addy's condition, now directed his frustration at Copia, "She could lose her life, and you're concerned about her giving you more kids?"

Papa, coming to his senses, regained his composure and allowed logic to prevail, "No, of course, just… save her! She has five little ones."

The doctor acknowledged his comment and left the room, with the trio of musicians following closely behind.

Fear gripped the hallway as Swiss, Papa, and Cirrus anxiously paced outside the surgical room. A tense silence filled the air during the seemingly endless moments. Finally, after an hour, the doctor emerged, removing her scrub cap and wiping her brow. Papa rushed to her, with Swiss and Cirrus following closely, "Is she alright?" his voice filled with desperation.

"She did fantastic!" the woman revealed, "The bleeding was minimal, and we were able to fix her right up! She can stay here overnight with the baby and go home in the morning."

The one question still lingered in everyone's thoughts, "What about her womb?" Papa asked.

The doctor placed an ungloved hand on his shoulder and smiled, "She can still have babies, Mr. Copia."

A look of relief overtook the man's face.

After the news of Addy's recovery sank in, Cirrus reluctantly reminded everybody, "Um… Papa Emeritus… what about the show?"

He touched his forehead, regretfully informing his ghoulette, “The show must go on I’m afraid."

"Shouldn’t someone stay here and wait for Addy to wake up?"

Papa shook his head, "You both return to the venue and let the others know to continue with the soundcheck. I'll stay here." Swiss felt disheartened to be asked to leave. He longed to be by Addeline's side when she regained consciousness, but he understood he couldn't insist. The ghoul passed Meliora to Papa and he and Cirrus took their leave.

Addy opened her eyes, dazed and confused about what had transpired. A fragment of her day had disappeared, and it startled her upon awakening from her slumber.

Directly in front of her, Papa sat in a chair slumped over, taking a nap in his hands. He’d been patiently waiting for her to regain consciousness for nearly an hour.

Addeline jumped up, gasping as she pulled out the nasal cannula from her nose. This stirred Papa awake. Rising from his chair, he gently took her by the arms to calm her, "Amore... Amore..."

She began to relax, looking around, recalling that she had just given birth. She frantically placed her hands on Copia’s cheeks, sandwiching them between her hands, “Meliora?”

“My dear, he’s fine. They’ve taken him to the nursery.”

“What happened?” she asked, confused.

“Well, you lost a lot of blood, so you passed out. They had to do surgery on you.”

“Surgery?”

“Don’t fret, Tesoro,” the man could see she was frightened, “It wasn’t invasive at all. The doctor was able to fix you up without cutting you open or taking away your womb.”

“My God!” Addeline was shocked to discover everything that had happened to her, “Am… am I okay?”

Copia laughed and pulled the woman’s head down to his lips. He kissed the top of her head as he assured her, “You are perfectly well, darling.”

“Swiss? Cirrus? They were here, weren’t they?”

“They were,” he told her, “But I sent them back to the venue so that—”

“The show! Papa your show!”

“You are a nervous Nellie, my pet. I will make the show. That is not for you to worry about.”

Maintaining eye contact with Copia, she nodded and let her head fall back onto the pillow. A subtle smile graced her lips as he reciprocated the gesture. He held her hand tightly, determined to stay with her until he would reluctantly have to depart.

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caged-nights · 7 months ago

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💐Tea and Comfort🌿- Stellarium ONE SHOT

⚠️Content Warning⚠️: Slight warning for intrusive thoughts and hearing voices

A little thing I cobbled together because I wanted Meliora and Venueri to have dessert together and instead of doodling it, I wrote this! A little messy, but it was fun to do something sweet with them.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:**:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Ღ Venueri was used to being alone, ever since she was young.

Ღ She would have never guessed it in a million years that the stars would bless her with the company of another after all this time.

Ღ She truly didn’t deserve it.

Ღ But here she was, waiting at the small, ornate outdoor table for the first Villicus she has seen in a long time to come back with her “surprise”.

VENUERI: (“I don’t know why she bothers…”)

Ღ Well, with her. Venueri didn’t see why her new roommate seemed to enjoy her presence.

Ღ Not that she didn’t enjoy her company, it was more so…

Ღ She felt that she was a lost cause.

???: “No one should ever get close to you.”

Ღ A voice sneered at her, one she had grown accustomed to.

Ღ Before she could dive deeper into that rabbit hole, the sound of her gilded heels came clicking on the white stone leading to the gazebo.

MELIORA: “Venueri! Sorry for the wait, had trouble figuring out the stove!”

Ღ Her vibrant violet eyes that contained a sky similar to Venueri’s seemed to sparkle with excitement.

VENUERI: “O-Oh, it’s not an issue! Please, come have a seat.”

Ღ Setting down the trays with grace, Meliora sat down on the chair across from Venueri.

Ღ Venueri looked up from her lap finally and to the trays she brought.

VENUERI: “You made tarts?”

Ღ Quite surprising.

MELIORA: “Yup, you said in the past that you had trouble tasting certain flavors. So, I made something sour!”

Ღ She remembered that?

VENUERI: “Oh, you didn’t have to!”

Ღ She was slightly embarrassed by feeling… seen, almost.

Ღ But Meliora grinned and waved her hand,

MELIORA: “I wanted to, besides, you need something indulgent for once. What did you have last night before we went to bed? …Bread?”

Ღ So she saw her do that.

Ღ Venueri felt herself turn pink at those words, trying not make eye contact with the other.

VENUERI: “I promise I do try to cook real food sometimes…”

MELIORA: “...You do remember the last dish you made, right?”

Ღ Oh, yeah, that.

VENUERI: “Please don’t mention it.”

Ღ Venueri sulked openly, the embarrassment still fresh on her mind.

Ღ Meliora chuckled at her pouting before grabbing the teapot she had prepared for the two of them.

MELIORA: “I didn’t know what kind of blend you like, so I hope the one I chose is ok.”

Ღ She plopped in two sugar cubes into her teacup, the scent of the tea rose into the air.

Ღ It was really nice, actually.

VENUERI: “It smells wonderful! Which one is it?”

Ღ Meliora smirked in a victorious fashion, as if she was betting with herself on this.

MELIORA: “It’s called Hot Apple Spice, you seemed to be really into the Autumn season when we went out last time, so I grabbed a bag!”

Ღ She could smell the apple and cinnamon, there was also the slight scent of orange and cloves in the mix.

Ღ Meliora grabbed Venueri’s teacup and a small plate.

MELIORA: “How many cubes?”

Ღ She clicked the little sugar cube tongs as she asked.

VENUERI: “I, um, the same amount as you?”

Ღ Meliora wasn’t pleased by that answer,

MELIORA: “Do you like it more bitter or sweet?”

Ღ Venueri sat straight up, as if she were being interrogated.

Ღ She put more thought into this answer this time.

VENUERI: “I suppose sweet to pair with the sour of the tarts…”

Ღ Meliora nodded her head, grabbing a few sugar cubes and stirring her tea with the small, detailed spoon.

MELIORA: “You do seem like more of sweets girl!”

Ღ She grins happily as she carefully handled one of the baked tarts she made.

Ღ The scent of rhubarb and strawberries filled her nose, and the plate and teacup were gently set in front of her.

Ღ Venueri stared at the tart like it had eyes, but she picked up the teacup and let the aroma fill her senses.

Ღ She had to wonder…

Ღ Why would Meliora bother with her?

???: “She’s just wasting her time on you.”

Ღ A voice mocked her from somewhere.

???: “She would be better off kicking dirt.”

Ღ The shaking of her own hands became apparent to even herself as they continued to shout and insult her.

MELIORA: “Venueri?”

Ღ Of course she would notice, she wasn’t doing a great job at hiding her panic right now.

Ღ Venueri tried to calm down, to level her breathing, but even as her vision blurred– she couldn’t get her mind to cease the voices.

VENUERI: “I…It’s ok, I’m just a little on edge…”

Ღ Meliora wasn’t stupid, she knew that, but it was the best lie she had.

Ღ But she approached Venueri regardless, her hand urging Venueri to put down the teacup and lay her hands down.

MELIORA: “Venueri, it’s alright, focus on me.”

Ღ Venueri didn’t want to, but her voice was so warm, so compelling, that she looked up at Meliora’s face.

Ღ Meliora’s hand gently squeezed her own, her violet eyes filled with indigo clouds and a warm yellow moon stared back into her own sky filled eyes.

Ღ Venueri keep finding the one question bubble its way back up the surface of her mind as Meliora ran her thumb across her knuckles.

Ღ Why does she bother?

Ღ What did she have to gain from this?

Ღ Venueri was so confused, by this warmth and concern.

Ღ It felt like an axe embedded in her chest.

MELIORA: “Here, the tea isn’t caffeinated, the warmth might help ease your head.”

Ღ She slowly let go of her hand and pushed the tea towards her,

VENUERI: “...”

Ღ She was silent for a moment before she took a small sip of the tea.

Ღ The warmth did feel nice.

Ღ Meliora was quiet, but she didn’t leave her side.

Ღ As the panic of her head slowly leveled, Venueri felt a bitter feeling come up in her heart.

Ღ She finally decided to ask.

VENUERI: “Meliora?”

Ღ Her eyes widened at Venueri.

MELIORA: “What is it?”

Ღ She looks at her fellow Villicus,

VENUERI: “Why…”

Ღ She starts, almost stopping and burying her emotions deeper.

VENUERI: “Why did you do all this?”

MELIORA: “...Huh?”

Ღ She clearly didn’t get it.

VENUERI: “The tarts, the tea, the concern…”

Ღ She listed a few of the most recent examples.

VENUERI: “There has to be a reason you’re doing all this.”

Ღ Meliora smiles though, she smiles with a sadness.

MELIORA: “It’s simple, really.”

Ღ She looks down at Venueri, who looks up at her.

MELIORA: “I like you!”

Ღ She scratches her cheek in embarrassment, leaving Venueri flabbergasted.

VENUERI: “L-Like?!”

Ღ She could have dropped her teacup right there.

Ღ Her eyes wide with confusion, while Meliora chuckled at her unusual expression.

VENUERI: “You don’t know me though.”

Ღ She knew if Meliora knew her… then…

Ღ Meliora didn’t let her finish that thought.

MELIORA: “Even if I don’t know everything, I want to know more.”

Ღ She smirks; honestly…

VENUERI: “Do you not think that I’m… a disaster?”

Ღ A lost cause.

Ღ A broken tool.

Ღ Meliora shrugged it off.

MELIORA: “Even if you were, who am I to say that’s a bad thing?”

Ღ Venueri blinked at that statement.

MELIORA: “If you’re a disaster, then I’m a hurricane!”

Ღ She seemed… proud of that.

Ღ Venueri finally let a smile slip through, even if it was small.

VENUERI: “Meliora?”

Ღ Meliora tilts her head,

MELIORA: “What’s up?”

VENUERI: “...Thank you.”

Ღ She snickers, a sound Venueri welcomed.

MELIORA: “I barely even did anything, but you are welcome.”

Ღ Venueri and Meliora look to the tea and treats on the table,

VENUERI: “Ah… my little meltdown took over our teatime. The tea most be cold–”

MELIORA: “Worry not, we have fire magic for a reason.”

VENUERI: “We are not using that in the gazebo.”

Ღ That made Meliora laugh out loud.

MELIORA: “Then we better eat up!”

Ღ She grabs a fork and cuts a piece of the tart.

MELIORA: “Here, open wide!”

Ღ Venueri felt her embarrassment peak as the fork was placed at her lips.

VENUERI: “Meliora! Are you serious?!”

MELIORA: “What? I want you to try it!”

Ღ She was playing dumb.

Ღ The sounds of the two bickering and chatting filled the expansive garden.

Ღ Even with the clean white walls, the white marble, and pristine stone that made the world of Venueri’s Somnious feel so holy yet unwelcoming…

Ღ The warmth the two began to share filled the Monastery with a light that it had never seen before.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:**:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

₊˚ପ⊹ - END

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