TAE POV:

"...by! By!" Hae cheers once she spots (Y/N) stepping through the door and onto the rooftop garden. She's not alone, smiling as she spots me sitting under the small gazebo that we were under. From behind her are the tall familiar figures of her partners in crime.

Eunwoo and Yugyeom. And they beam when they wave at us to spot sight of Hae waving her own hands back, wriggling on the extensively large picnic blanket Jin hyung had meticulously set up earlier, fiddling with the gazebo to make sure no direct sunlight could burn sweet little Hae. We didn't know how her body would react to temperatures and heat, we didn't know whether she had vampire resistance or a human inclination like (Y/N)'s changed body still did.

"Is that a call for me sweetest godbaby of mine?" Eunwoo calls, eyes crinkled with a grin as he purposely nudges Yugyeom aside and twirls (Y/N) to the side to hurry forward, sinking down in front of us as he reaches for Hae.

She reaches out with a giddy smile, teeny fangs peeking as she stretches her arms outwards. Tottering and teetering as she grabs onto me and pushes herself to stand. Wobbling precariously even as she beams.

"Up! Up!" she demands, a gurgle of happiness when he immediately complies, lifting her up and peppering kisses across her face. I watch her hands flail before they settle on his face, brushing her nose against his as she babbles. A stream of half words and sounds as she tries to talk to him.

"It was a call for me! I'm her favourite godfather!" Yugyeomie protests as he reaches us, dropping down behind Eunwoo to coo over his shoulder, distracting her focus away from the one holding her as he makes faces behind Eunwoo, face scrunched and laughing with delight when it makes Hae wriggle with excitement.

"Maybe it wasn't for either of you. Maybe it was for me. Her mama." (Y/N) says, laughing as she nudges aside both to press a kiss to Hae's forehead before she moves to walk around them to settle beside me. Body bending down to curve next to me until my hands reach out and draw her down onto my lap. Capturing her and holding her as I lean against her back, humming as I nose at her throat before pressing a kiss there.

"Good day out?" I ask, eyes drifting to see the way both Eunwoo and Yugyeomie are engrossed in Hae, cooing and trying to outdo each other in their fight to make her laugh or hold her attention. They're holding their arms out, fingers clutched by her fisted hands as she takes wobbling, staggering steps, closing the smallest gap with a series of cheers as she takes a few steps and happily falls into their laps.

(Y/N)'s face is radiant as she looks at me, tilting her head to peck the tip of my nose.

"Yup. Although Ryan oppa is a bit huffy that he and unnie don't get half as much time as they should with their granddaughter. It made it so much harder to wheedle cake out of him." she says with a smile, fangs poking her bottom lip.

I hum, eyes snagging to the sight of her lips.

"Our baby girl is in high demand...just how many people can she please with those cute cherub cheeks? There's only so much love and fuss she can take from every single angle before it all wears her out." I laugh, heart bursting and fond.

Because of course everyone was heads over heel for our baby girl. Because of course several covens were smitten. She was our gift from our baby mate, she was our babiest baby. She was a mini baby mate. She was everything and more.

"But it leaves me at a disadvantage. Especially when I'm trying to get cake during my breaks." (Y/N) says with a petulant pout, eyes flickering red and sighing as she looked down at her stomach.

"Guess he just doesn't want me to eat cake. He's too polite to say it'll stick to me, silly pudgy hips." she says, wriggling and then realising as she meets my eyes.

Trying to push herself off me.

I growl, fangs snapping at her, hands tightening on her hips and dragging her back from where she was half-raising herself.

"Don't call yourself pudgy. I happen to adore every inch of these hips. And you eat what you want." I say firmly.

But she looks unconvinced. Moments of self-doubt slithering back in as she wondered over the words she was drawing meaning from herself. I hated seeing the uncertainty flicker in her eyes as she shot me a look, trying to move away without drawing attention from the other three.

But when I turn my head, Hae is staring, blinking with wide eyes at us, hand reached out towards (Y/N).

"B!" she says.

Something knowing and protective flickers in the two pairs of red eyes behind Hae and then Yugyeom is shooting his bloodmate a small silent look before he's distracting Hae.

"And then C, D, E! Smart baby already learning the alphabet!" he says, Eunwoi's fingers darting to tickle the small slither of stomach that peeks out from under her top, the cute wide brim hat Jin hyung had put on her shaking precariously as she squeals. Wriggling in their arms to try and escape.

"I mean it jagi...you really are perfect. Every inch of you is." I murmur.

She doesn't say anything but her hand reaches to intertwine with mine in her lap. Silent as she watches Hae play, a small smile on her lips as she leans against me.

Content to move on from the small remark she'd made, content to lose herself in the laughter, infectious and bright, as Hae played with her godfathers. Content to remain with me under the gazebo, laughing when I tugged my own hat off to plop onto her head, feeding each other cubes of fruit.

But I remembered, the words lingered. And even when the sun began to dip, lowering back into the hoirzon and Joon hyung appeared, glows of light where he strung up the lanterns, balls of moonlight captured within them. Even when Hae's making small sad sounds of discontentment to see them leave, despite how many kisses she gets and (Y/N)'s scooping her back, all I can think of is that one comment. And how readily she's dismissed it.

"(Y/N) love there's something waiting for you in the kitchen." Yoongi hyung calls when he sees the three of us approach, gummy smile when Hae Kyungie smiles at him.

"Ap! Ap....ap!" happy calls as she's taken, her head going immediately to settle on his shoulder, hands looped around him as she tucks herself close.

"What is it oppa? I'm not expecting deliveries...and they wouldn't be waiting in the kitchen if I had." She remarks, walking further into the kitchen, pecking his lips before stepping past to peer curiously at what's waiting for her.

She's surprised to see the rest of our mates there, smiling at the way the dinner table is void of dinner and is filled instead with... cake.

Her expression flickers red, on and off before confusion settles.

"Cake....? Is this Ryan oppa trying to make it up for making me work hard without breaks?" she asks, brows rising and lips twitching with amusement.

But the thought of her overworking has the others frowning and Hobi hyung is already reaching out, healing energy undoubtedly pulsing in his hand, Jiminie frowning from where he'd been seated, smacking Kookie's sly hand back from a plate neaarby.

"No overworking baby, new exhibition doesn't mean we let our mate wither away." he says.

And already Jin hyung's eyes are running over her, flickering gold briefly and his gaze is so gentle and soft as he holds his arms out for her, drawing her close for a tight embrace, something soflty murmured to her before he gives her a kiss.

"Little one, I like seeing you well fed and rested and happy, is that too much to wish for?" he asks, thumbing at her cheeks, frowning at the way she shifts guilitily.

"I know my body isn't the way it was before pregnancy...I know I might not even attract you physically now." She whispers. Voice hushed as the harboured secret slips free.

It makes my soul physically pain with the thought she's even entertained that. That she's believed that for however long.

That she even thinks that we'd look at her and see something anything less than beautiful and irrevocably precious and cherished. As ours.

"Motherhood is a look that suits you beautifully." Joon hyung says, sheepishly letting Kookie pluck the plates and knives away, stepping forward to wind his arms around Jin hyung and peer at her, dimpled smile so soft and tender.

"It's a battle and journey and test all in one. And you've succeeded at it." Jin hyung whispers. Shooting me a fond smile when my hands drop to her waist, squeezing.

"And I really meant it. We love you. Like hyung said...motherhood is a beautiful look on you. And I am very much attracted to ever single inch of you." I say pressing a kiss between each words to her covered shoulders, to her nape.

Smiling when I feel a bit of that tightness in her posture melt, when I feel the bond lighten, flutter in a mimic of a racing heartbeat.

"And so cake is to celebrate that?" she asks wryly, warm red gaze tilting back to meet mine.

"We celebrate it by eating lots and lots of cake! And nurturing food babies of our own. I'm gonnna call mine....Fudge." Kookie says, humming happily as he makes a swipe for a cake, Jiminie's hands too slow to stop him and his toothy bunny grin as he licks the chocolate frosting free from his finger.

"Frosty. That's my food baby's name. And I want their mama to help me through the pregnancy." I say.

There's grins stretching across everyone's faces as they start thinking of baby names.

Eyeing their stomachs as if expecting to see swelling curves there.

"Butter. Mine's going to be called Butter." Yoongi hyung announces, Hae's head resting against his shoulder and eyes shut, snoozing and all curled up, latched onto him.

"Are you all choosing ingredients now? Is that how names are chosen now?" (Y/N) says with a laugh, with every word that we say, one ingredient thrown out after the other in the cluster of space we all stand in, the bond continues to lighten and soar.

"Hmmm~ I've chosen mine. Flour. Named after my own flower girl." Jin hyung says, eyes flashing crimson when Joon hyung gives his tummy a rub, as if greeting the baby inside. Their eyes shining with love and knowledge and something so inexplicably tender as they hold each other's gaze.

"I'll have my hands full looking after seven glowing mates, all round with babies." (Y/N) says, laughing when we unanimously nod, voicing our agreement.

"Well~ how do I start with looking after my expecting mates?" she asks once we are, a considerable amount of time later, groaning and rubbing our stomachs. I eye mine ruefully, sighing when I see how she and Jiminie are curled up together, ankles hooked under the table and his head resting on her shoulder.

"You start...with showing just how much you love us. After all...they do say actions speak louder than words." Jiminie replies, tilting his face up to capture her lips in a kiss that'll taste far too sweet, addicting with the taste of her branding his mouth more than frosting and cake will. He sighs as he cups her cheek, drawing her closer.

Actions speak louder than words.

And it looked like he was first in line.

Such a shame.... Even as my hand scrunches up the receipt with my name on it as I push it into the depths of my pocket.

A shame indeed.

I'd just have to hog her later.

(Y/N) POV:

One wobbly step and the other. Hae giggles as she manages to keep her balance, arms flapping as she teeters a bit before she manages to catch herself. The pair of hands that hover behind her recede slightly, a smile as Kookie watches her continue to take shaky steps.

"Come on Hae. Come to mama. You're doing so well sweetheart." I praise, watch as her eyes flash red with happiness, pace quickening as she rushes to move to me.

"Keep going Hae Hae. A few more steps." The others encourage from the sidelines, all hovering and watching with proud gazes as Hae continues to take wobbling steps, not having fallen yet.

"Sweet baby, come here." I coo, hands making grabby motions to her, smiling when her own hands mimic the action.

"B! B!" she says as she hurries.

And almost in slow motion I watch as she quickens her pace, one foot before the other. Her other foot, hooks behind, caught behind her ankle and she trips. Stumbling as she falls onto the carpet, body cushioned by the thickness of it but still it makes the room go collectively silent with a hush.

Her body sprawls across, a small oof slipping past her lips, eyes turning red with surprise.

I wave back Hobi oppa's hands that had darted out to check.

Peer at her and smile.

"Did my pretty girl want to lie down?" I ask with a giggle, bending forward to meet her gaze and watch that the small scrunch that had appeared, startled and instinctively pushed to tears almost recedes and vanishes.

And she giggles with me, smile replacing the small moment of startledness with giddiness as she blinks.

The others move back a bit, watching as she pushes herself up independently. Hands flat on the carpet as she stands up, wobbling as she waits for her to regain her balance.

And then her eyes fix onto me, soft brown holding mine and taking steady steps forward, rushing the last stretch and falling into my arms. Giggles pressed directly to skin, eyes wide with delight as she looks at me.

"Baby!" she says, cheering as she looks at me.

I stop. Stilling as I look at her. Wide eyed as I stare at her lips parted in a wide stretch.

Baby. She said a full word. Her first full word.

"Can you say that again Hae darling?" Joonie oppa says, rushing forward with a look of elation on his face, the others exuberant.

"Ba-by!" she says, echoing her word.

But she doesn't point to herself, her finger is outstretched towards me and she repeats the word over and over as she pats my cheeks.

"Baby, baby, baby." She says, growing louder and giddier as she says it, wriggling with elation at the focus it draws from all eight of us.

And then Yoongi oppa is laughing, gummy smile stretched wide as he reaches over to press kisses to Hae's face, echoing her call of 'baby' giddily.

"You realise why that's her first word?" he asks, sitting next to me.

"Why?" I ask.

He grins, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

"What do we all call you?" he asks.

"Baby mate. Ahhh...baby. Hae Hae's calling you what we call you." Jiminie says, responding immediately before realisation dawns on his face.

Beaming as he coos at Hae.

Baby.

Looks like our baby girl learnt from her appas. Picked up the word she'd heard the most, the term of endearment they all used for me.

"Hae Hae... if mama is baby then what am I?" Kookie says, nudging Tae aside with an air of eagerness as he kneels in front of Hae, holding her hands as she takes wobbly steps to him. Praising and cheering her on.

There's an air of competitiveness in his eyes, gleaming dark crimson as he nudges Tae's hand aside.

"Who am I Hae baby?" he asks.

The air crackles with anticipation, with this thrumming need and excitement to hear the eagerly awaited word slip free of her lips. But also jealousy to be the first one to be called dad.

I watch as the others try to distract Hae, drawing her attetnion away from Kookie and to them instead. Watch as Tae tries to draw her away, a hand held out for her small one, smiling at our daughter. Watch as Minnie sneaks up from behind and peppers kisses to her neck and Hobi oppa tickles her.

I watch as all seven of her dads fight for her attentiopn, squabbling and competing in a way that has endless peals of infectious soft giggles to fill the air

And then a high shriek.

"Appa!"

All the hands hovering around her and the eyes burning red with competitiveness still. Freezing as the word lingers in the air long after she's said.

"Appa! She said appa!" Jinnie oppa says brightly, eyes shining wetly, a wide smile stretched across his face.

And even as I watch Kookie quickly swipe at his eyes, he shakes his head and reaches for Hae, drawing her into his arms and I watch as she wriggles closer, a softer murmur of it, 'appa' as she rests her head near his throat.

"She said it to me first!"

But given how much joy thrums through the bond and how many tears are discreetly wiped, grins that aren't able to dim or grow smaller... I don't think anyone minds.

Not for now at least... I know the arguing will continue later.

Right now everyone just had one thought in mind.

Our baby had taken her first step and spoken her first words.

(THERE WE GO! WE HAD HAE'S FIRST STEPS COS SHE'S DARLING AND HER FIRST WORDS!! DESPITE IT ALL YES SHE WAS TRYING TO SAY APPA THIS ENTIRE TIME!! AND WHAT CAME OUT WAS BABY COS SHE LEARNS FROM HER APPAS AND THAT'S HOW SHE'S ALWAYS HEARD THEM CALL HER MAMA!! SO THERE WE GO!! HOPE THE SOFTNESS OF THE FLUFF CAME THROUGH PROPERLY!! AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE AS SOFT READING THIS AS I AM WRITING THIS! THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS WILL HAVE AN OLDER HAE KYUNGIE SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR THAT... BABY GIRL IS GOING TO BE GROWING UP REALLY QUICKLY NOW! BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT! SHE'LL BE GONE! ALL GROWN UP!! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS, TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE LOVELIES!!)

Sometimes we go our whole lives searching and waiting for the one to spend our happily ever after with, sometimes we go wishing for the one that'll complete us. Sometimes we dream and long for true love and a fairytale connection. But sometimes that can be found in the very person that has been by your side this entire time, the person that has been with you through thick and thin and the beautiful bond that is called friendship.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3