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Jensen loves Valentine’s Day. It’s cliché as hell and totally unlike him to get caught up in celebrating it but for a lot of reasons, Jensen’s can’t help himself.
He blames Jared, not that Jared particularly likes Valentine’s Day. In fact, Jared usually insists that they don’t do anything too over the top.
Problem is, fate doesn’t always work that way for them.
Jared and Jensen crossed paths for the first time at a superbowl party. They hit it off instantly, finding themselves to be one of the rare singles at the party. Luckily they were both into the same gender because Jensen was already getting wrapped up in that dimpled smile and laugh that echoed through the room.
They didn’t watch the game, not that it mattered anyway. They were finding a better way to spend a couple hours than screaming at a television.
They’d gotten caught up in talking and the realization that they were both date-worthy material. The fact that Valentine’s Day was the next weekend was completely forgotten by both men. When Jensen asked if Jared would like to go to dinner next Saturday, Jared didn’t hesitate to say yes. They exchanged phone numbers and Jared let his hand linger on top of Jensen’s when he handed back his phone. It had Jensen wanting more, and when they parted ways, he was sure he was in love.
Coming to his senses enough to store the time and place of their date in his phone, Jensen opened his calendar to find that they were going out on Valentine’s Day, the busiest date night of the year. He had no idea what Valentine’s Day meant to Jared, but Jensen knew he always got a little carried away on that day.
In the end, they had a good laugh over that fact that they’d scheduled their first date smack in the middle of the day set aside for celebrating love. But Jared was still game. He figured, why not?
It was their first date in a string of dating that would last the year.
Jared was all in. He was kisses and possessive tugs and the spilling of life stories. He was everything. He crashed into Jensen’s life and met him half way. They were perfect. Together, they filled every nook of each other and carved out new ones just for them.
It was a good thing how endearing Jared thought Jensen’s preoccupation with Valentine’s Day or he might have been pissed that Jensen proposed on the most cliché days of all time. But Jensen made it special, made it just about them. They’d gone to dinner, wined and dined each other, and then retreated to their shared apartment to partake in things that were only for each other.
Jensen proposed in the middle of kissing Jared, pulling away just enough to breathe and fish out the ring that had been burning a hole in his pocket. Jared’s eyes went wide, scrambling back enough so he could see Jensen fully before launching at him and tumbling onto the floor. Somehow, Jensen got the ring on Jared’s finger before spending the rest of the night racking up noise complaints from their neighbors.
After that, Jared got in on the Valentine’s Day game. It was a silly day but it was their day. He didn’t argue too much when they planned their wedding for the following Valentine’s Day, only stipulating that there be no red or pink among the décor. It went off without a hitch, leaving them happy, sated, and very married. They said their goodbye to guests between loving kisses and Jared giving a drunken thanks to St. Valentine for giving him Jensen.
The next Valentine’s Day, Jared took the reins and surprised Jensen. He planned a dinner at home, their home, a house they’d bought a couple months ago. It was delicious and romantic and had lulled Jensen into a floating feeling of adoration for his husband. But Jared brought him back down to reality when he propped his elbows on the table and his chin on a fist, staring at Jensen with a smile in his eyes as he suggest they start trying to get pregnant.
Jensen was all in. They’d talk about it, of course, but decided it was best to be settled in a house before they tried. Now, their check list was all done, leaving getting Jared pregnant as all there was left to do.
Valentine’s dinner wrapped up early that night, but try as they might, their baby wasn’t conceived on Valentine’s day. Or the month after. Or the month after that.
He was conceived sometime in May and they were over the moon. Everything was right on track for a healthy baby. Jared’s friend, Sean, was a midwife and stepping up to make sure Jared’s pregnancy and labor went just as he wanted.
Jensen shouldn’t have been surprised that their son was due at the beginning of February.
Jared wasn’t surprised that he passed his due date by a week, going into labor on February 13th.
Which is why Jensen feels a little bit guilty. He’s watching Jared labor like a pro, taking the waves of pain and trying to smile through some of it. Jared’s been at it all day, but Jensen feels guilty because he knows this kid isn’t coming till Valentine’s Day. He knows it in his gut. They’ve got hours to go and Jensen’s feeling like shit for getting Jared tangled up in Valentine’s Day being such an important date for them. He loves the idea of their son being born on Valentine’s Day, but mostly he just wants Jared to stop letting out low pained moans.
“Jen, it’s okay. We’re good,” Jared says between contractions, holding his palms against his belly.
“I know but – ”
“No ‘but’ needed. We’re having a baby, Jen. No one said it’d be a walk in the park. So stop looking like I’m going to condemn you or something,” Jared’s face tenses and he rolls his hips, letting out a calculated breath. “Though, really? Right now I’d like it if Valentine’s Day would hurry the fuck up already so I can get this kid out of me. Fuck!”
Sean laughs somewhere but Jensen’s not focused on him. He crawls closer to Jared who is sprawled in a state of undress in the middle of their bed, back propped up and legs splayed. “I love you,” is the only thing he can get out as he kisses Jared’s sweaty head.
“I love you too,” Jared huffs, sounding genuine despite the sound of discomfort in his words. “Ohh, Jen!” He shouts and hooks his arms around Jensen, lifting his hips like he can get away from the pain.
Sean moves between Jared’s legs, shuffling absorbent pads into place just in time for Jared’s water to break, staining them with straw colored fluid. “You guys just reached the fun part,” Sean says, looking up at Jared and nodding. “Everything’s going perfectly. You’re seven centimeters dilated. Baby’s getting nice and low for you too. Feel him?”
Jared nods quickly, closing his eyes and burying his neck in Jensen’s shoulder. “I hate Valentine’s Day.”
Jared doesn’t mean that, not really. Jensen knows that. Still, it breaks his heart. “I know,” he whispers as he smoothes down Jared’s hair.
***
Jared knows immediately that he needs to push and it’s the most intense need he’s ever felt in the world.
He can feel everything and has done so for hours. He’s felt his body opening up and the way his muscles are constricting like a vice to bring their little boy into the world. He’s been laboring through the night and well past midnight. He had no idea what time it is because his head is spinning from trying to breathe through the pain.
Right now, Jared needs to push. The pressure is driving him insane and he wants his son anywhere but low in his pelvis where he seems intent on making his presence known.
“Ugh!” Jared shoves himself into an upright sit, legs spread wide so his belly can fit between them. “Gotta push.” He looks to Jensen for some type of help and clings to his shirt.
“Hold on, Jared,” Sean says, snapping on gloves and getting to work. “Oh, yeah. You’re ready. Let it happen. Just like we practiced, alright?”
Jared nods despite the fact that he can’t remember what they practiced. It doesn’t matter, his body works on its own, bearing down now that he’s gotten the okay.
Sean smiles up at him. “That’s it. Awesome job. Nice and slow, okay?”
Jared finds himself nodding again, spreading his legs wider and pressing his feet down for more traction. He pushes and it’s both a relief and the most terrifying thing he’s ever done. “Holy fuck!”
“Burning?” Sean asks.
“Mmm hmm.” Jared tucks his chin to his chest and keeps pushing. He can’t manage to twist his head away to look for his husband so his hand scrambles to reach for more of Jensen. “Jen…Jen…Jen!”
“Right here baby.” Jensen’s voice sounds like there are tears in his eyes. “You’re doing really good. I can see his head, Jay. He’s…” His voice cracks and Jensen switches thoughts. “You’re doing so good.”
The type of adoration in Jensen’s voice assures Jared enough to let him know he’s doing something right. “Augh!” Legs shaking, he pushes, focusing the effort on the bulge he can feel moving between his legs. He reaches his free hand down, trying to come in contact with whatever feels like it’s tearing him apart.
Sean gets what Jared is trying to do. He catches the laboring man’s hand and help it curve over the protruding sliver of skull he’s worked so hard to birth. “He’s right there, Jared. You’re doing good. Give another strong push and then stop for a second. Just let him come. Okay?”
Jared nods, yelling through a long push. His heart jumps when he feels his son’s head expel further, nudging into his palm. It’s wet and slippery, but he can feel traces of dampened hair. “Jensen?”
“I see ‘im, Jare. He’s coming.” Jensen pushes sweaty hair out of Jared’s face and smiles. “You’re amazing.”
“Hurts. Oh god, hurts so much…I…” Jared writhes on the bed, twisting in Jensen’s hold. It doesn’t feel right and he just wants to keep pushing till it’s over but Sean keeps telling him to stop in kind but commanding words. “I can’t,” Jared whimpers as a sign of defeat that he hates himself for.
“You can,” Sean reassures. “You can and you are. Just let him come.” Sean runs his finger around the protruding dome. “Come on, feel. Feel him. You’re baby needs you to keep going, okay?”
Jared does as he’s told, letting his fingers explore more of the skull. He feels his legs shivering from the strain of it all and squeezes his eyes closed. He starts panting on his own. It’s not pushing but it’s better than nothing.
“That’s it!” Sean cheers. “Just pant for a bit. This baby looks like he’s going to come real fast once you get his head out, so take it easy.”
In a moment of insanity, Jared looks over at Jensen and says, “we’re having a baby.”
“You’re having the baby.” Jensen smiles through teary eyes and licks his lips. “And I love you so much for it.”
Time seems to stop for Jared and it’s surreal. He can still feel his son’s head sneaking into the world millimeter by millimeter and he’s aware of just how much is going on between his legs, but it feels like the last moment between just him and Jensen. Locking eyes, he hopes Jensen gets that. He hopes he knows how much he loves him and how their lives might not be perfect but they’re everything. Ever since they met, Jared hasn’t wanted anything else. He had everything right in the moment he’s working through. He drops his hand from fisting Jensen’s shirt and grabs Jensen’s own so that their fingers are laced together.
“Okay, Jared. You can push when you feel like it. You’re ready. He’s ready.” Sean says with awe.
“Hhgnn!” Jared keeps his eyes open as he pushes with all he has. It’s an unbelievable burn but then everything is a rush of pain and feeling empty. He’s aware that he’s just given birth to their baby and it’s his second surreal moment in five minutes. He gives a frantic look because he doesn’t know what else to do.
“Relax. Your baby boy is perfect,” Sean says, listing a wailing infant so he can rest on Jared’s chest. “Here you go, papa. You hold onto him.”
After all that hard work, Jared isn’t letting go for a while. His hands connect with the baby and he’s aware that he made something with two legs and two arms and a beautiful – albeit pinched looking at the moment – face. “Hi, baby.”
Sean clamps the cord and gets a pair of scissors, holding them towards Jensen. “Dad? Wanna?”
“Yeah…I,” Jensen wipes the back of his hand across his eyes. “I don’t wanna mess up. I don’t wanna hurt him.”
“You’re not going to. It’s okay, just cut right between the clamps.” Sean watches him cut the baby’s cord before patting Jensen on the back. “You done good.”
“Yeah, we did, didn’t we?” Jensen says with a smile.
“Real good. He’s gorgeous. Not that I didn’t think my best friend would have the cutest baby in town.”
Jared snorts a laugh. It’s not like he can argue with his friend because the baby on his chest is melting his heart. He has one fist curled around Jared’s finger and the other balled up as his wailing tapers off. “You say that to all the babies you deliver.”
“I do, but this time I mean it,” Sean winks and squeezes Jared’s knee. “You enjoy your family. I’ll take care of things on this end of the equation. You feel any pain, let me know. It’s just the afterbirth.”
Jared nods his head and turns towards Jensen. “Look what I did? He’s…here. Thank god.”
“He is.” Jensen gently runs his pointer finger over his son’s balled up fist. It opens reflexively and each tiny finger curls around Jensen’s larger one. “Hi, sweetheart. I’m your dad.” Jensen peppers the baby’s forehead with kisses before leaning forward to press a kiss to Jared’s lips. The kiss is heavy with the emotions of the last few hours, and both men linger in it. “I am beyond proud of you. And thankful. And in awe. You’re fucking perfect, Jared.”
“It was nothing,” Jared says with a shrug like he didn’t feel like sleeping for 24 hours straight. “He was worth it. I mean...look at him? He’s so sweet. I didn’t think I could love something so strongly at first sight.” Jared grabs the blanket Sean had left for him and covers the tiny naked perfect person he’s captivated with.
“I loved you. I think. I mean,” Jensen clears his throat. “I think I loved you this much when I met you. I just knew you were it for me. So…this is my second time loving someone I know I can’t live without.” Scratching at the back of his neck, Jensen gives a silly grin.
“Yeah?” Jared shifts a bit, keeping the close skin to skin contact with his son. “I…I think you’re right. I just wasn’t sure back then. But now? Now I know it was love. It was confusing and made my heart race and it was a lot like this right now.” Jared looks down at the baby, his eyes blinking open and squinting shut likes he’s not sure he’s ready to take on the world. “Jen?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s Valentine’s Day.”
“And you’ve given me yet another reason why it is my favorite day.” Jensen smiles and settles in next to his husband. “Although, my gift for you this year kind of pales in comparison to yours.”
Jared swats Jensen. “Oh, please. I told you. I don’t need anything. Just you, swearing you’re never going to leave us and you’ll always work to make sure we’re happy. Just like I promise for you.”
Cupping Jared’s jaw, Jensen swoops in for another kiss. “Jay, of course. You know that. You two are my everything. And if we have more kids? They’ll be included in that.” He pauses when he sees the hint of fear in Jared’s eyes at the mention of more kids. “Too soon for talk about more kids?”
“Yeah, considering I’m not even fully done with the labor to have this one? I think it’s too soon.” Jared raises and eyebrow. “Not that I’m saying I don’t want more. I do. I’m probably insane but I do. I want two more. Just…not now.”
“I thought you wanted four?”
Jared scoffs. “That was before I had one.” He did want four, but right now, thinking about birthing four kids is making him feel sea sick. He’ll downgrade to three. He thinks he can handle that. “Jen?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s Valentine’s Day.”
Jensen laughs. “So you’ve said.”
“It’s Valentine’s Day and this guy needs a name and I think we should name him Val.” Jared had been rolling the idea around in his head for weeks, before he blew past his due date and gave birth a week late. He didn’t think his son would be born on Valentine’s Day, but now that he had been, Jared can’t help himself. He’s in love with the name Val. Jensen’s silent, licking his lips and knitting his brows together. “You hate it.”
“N-no! I don’t hate it. I just thought you liked Andrew.”
“I do. I did. I…I just think Andrew doesn’t mean much to us or this kid. Clearly, our son loves Valentine’s Day as much as you do. I’ve been thinking of suggesting the name for a while now and based on the fact that the baby was born today, of all days, I think our son likes it too.
Jensen nods, eyes welling up with tears again. He makes a gesture to scoops the baby into his arms, “Can I?”
“You never have to ask,” Jared says, loosening his grip so Jensen gets a chance to snuggle their son.
“Hey, you,” Jensen coos, lifting the baby so he is nestled in the crook of his arm. “Are you Val? Huh? Are you my perfect little Valentine?” Jensen touches their noses together before sweeping upward and kissing his forehead. “I’m sorry, Jared. You’re gonna have to share me because this little guy is going to be daddy’s special Valentine for a long, long, long time.”
“I can live with that,” Jared sighs. He can share, as long as Jensen knows that he’s going to be greedy at times too. He’s going to hog time with their sweet baby and shove him at Jensen when Val is being rowdy and Jared needs sleep. But he’ll play fair. They’ll be a team.
Besides, it’s Valentine’s Day.
Jared’s never felt more loved.