Chapter Text
Ring… Ring… Ring…
The phone in Melanie’s hand rings a few times, while she prays and hopes that Charri will pick up and will be able to talk. She was in the Kindness Realm trying to call Cherri and see how they were doing, as the heatwave was happening today. She was also with Adam and Lute who wanted to take her out to get hot chocolate while she tried contacting her friend. When she heard the click, at first she thought it was Cherri Bomb finally picking up and smiled.
“Cherri! Oh my God I’ve been trying to call you for the past thirty minutes! How’s-?”
Suddenly her ear was met with nothing but static, going on for a few more seconds before hanging up with a long beep. Melanie turns off her phone and groans in frustration.
“Couldn’t reach her?” Lute asked.
“No… the phone service in Hell must be down due to the heatwave right now.”
“Heatwave?” Adam questioned. “I think I remember reading something about a paradoxical heatwave in the library.”
“From what Alastor and Vox explained, it’s kind of like a snowstorm. The heat is so hot that it feels more freezing than anything. And from what was recorded in Hell’s weather history, not only is it considered more dangerous than acid rain if left out there for too long, but it only appears every one thousand years.”
“Man, I didn’t think Hell’s weather was THAT dangerous.” Lute commented.
“I think the only worst weather we get here is hail storms… then again the “hail” is nothing more than flavored particles of ice.” Adam added.
“Yeah well, I guess that shows the kind of place Hell is. If it is the horrible place it is, it makes sense that the weather will reflect that.” Melanie replied, drinking some of her hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.
They decided to leave it at that as they decided to change the subject to something more lighthearted. As Adam and Lute talked, Melanie picked up her phone again and looked at the lockscreen of her and Cherri Bomb on their park date. She smiled, hoping that at least she and the hotel are doing alright down in Hell.
~~~
Vox peered out the windows of the hotel to see the heatwave raging outside, a cup of coffee in his hands. He and Alastor had made a last minute decision to temporarily convert the hotel into a shelter for those who hadn’t found a place to hide during the heatwave, causing most of the rooms to be occupied. The ceilings and windows creaked and moaned at the storm banging against them, making it sound like there was a ghost haunting the foyer or that they would collapse. But Vox knew better. He knew this place held up strong long before he and his partner came and turned it into the Hazbin Hotel, and that it wouldn’t give out anytime soon.
He turned away from the heatwave to focus on the residents and staff instead, seeing them playing all sorts of board games and watching shows from their time to make the hours tick by. First it was Hayden and Joon playing a round of battleship.
“Hmm… C six?” Hayden guessed.
“Missed! Boop!” Joon replied happily, placing a red peg on the board to make a smiley face.
“... I don’t think you understand this game.” Hayden commented.
Then he saw Cherri, Mikey, and Husk playing Monopoly.
“Oh Hell no! Not on Park Place AND with hotels!?” Husk panicked, knowing that Mikey purchased them and saw him holding his hand out.
“That’ll be fifthteen hundred dollars please.”
Husk tried to relax and wondered if he could smooth talk his way out of losing.
“How about I pay you in small amounts until I officially pay you in full.”
“Nooo, that’s not how it works Mr.Sour. Either you pay him the fifthteen hundred or you’re bankrupt.”
Cherri and Husk argue like siblings while Mikey was blissfully playing with the other tokens and making them kiss, imagining them as him and Joon for their wedding. Then finally seeing Alastor and Tyler watching some shows with a few of the other clients, while his partner just looked confused.
“This show is very… interesting.” Alastor said, tilting his head.
“Hey now, THESE are the classics I grew up with! They were my inspiration!” Tyler explained proudly.
“That… explains so much.”
Vox chuckled as he was happy to see everyone getting along fine with the situation they’re in. As long as the evening can go on like this the heatwave will be gone before they know it.
Knock knock knock~!
Suddenly he heard a knocking on the hotel doors, frantic and heavy like the person on the other side was giving it their all. At first he thought he was hearing things, or that it was probably some debris knocking against the building. But the knocking persisted and was followed by a feminine voice.
“Hello!? Please let me in!”
Dropping his cup, the television demon moved to open the door and let the person inside. He was quick to close them again before some of the heatwave could get in and do some damage. After securing the lock, he looked back to make sure he wasn’t too late in saving the stranger. It was a female Imp, made obvious by the stripe pattern of their horns. She was wearing a long black coat that hid her body from sight, steam emitting from her like she was a vegetable cooking. She was breathing heavily from exhaustion, falling to her side and weakly looking up.
“Thank you…”
Vox didn’t reply right away, instead he ran to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of ice cold water and a rag dipped in it. After taking it and rinsing it out with his hands, he gently rubbed it against her forehead and used his other arm to remove the heavy looking coat.
“It’s no trouble ma’am. What’s more important is cooling you off so you don’t end with a fev- OH MY GOD!”
As he removed the coat, he was surprised to see the sudden bump that was visible through her dress. It was one thing to be out in that heatwave, but to be out there while pregnant? That was something more serious. But she didn’t seem to be hurt and looked more exhausted than anything.
“I promise, I’m fine sir. I just needed to get out of that heat.”
“Well you’ve certainly come to the right place. Sadly all our rooms are filled but you’re more than welcome to stay in our foyer until the heatwave passes.”
Helping her up, he led her to the foyer and gently laid her on the unoccupied couch. Alastor noticed the unfamiliar guest and got up to come say hello to her.
“Hello there. I take it you’re expecting a child?”
“Yeah. My sister and I were out running a last minute grocery run, but the heatwave came much earlier than we expected.”
“Wait, your sister is still out there?” Vox asked worriedly.
“Well she was still in the grocery store when the heatwave picked up, so best case she’s still in there.”
Alastor looked out the window. “It’s too dangerous to head back out there, so in the meantime you’ll stay here until the weather clears enough to head to the store your sister is in.”
The woman nodded, smiling. “Thank you both, you’re very kind… Oh dear, where are my manners? My name is Esther.”
“I’m Vox, and this is my partner Alastor. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask us.”
“Well… there are a few things I’m needing.”
~~~
As the time went by, Alastor, Vox, and a few of the other staff members worked hard to make Esther comfortable. Setting up a small fort made of blankets and pillows surrounding her, making her whatever craving she was having, and including her in some of the games and shows going on. At first she tried to make herself small and not bother anyone in the foyer, but they were nice enough to ask if she wanted to join them in playing a round of go fish and old lady.
And now the pregnant imp was back in her little fort on the couch, getting a back massage from Anthony as his multi-arms made the massage all the more heavenly to her. She groaned in content.
“This is literally the best massage I had in my pregnancy…”
“I figured as much, often been told I have perfect hands for getting all the right spots.” Anthony replied, hearing a laugh from Husk and shook his head. “I’m sure your sister must be excited to be an aunt.”
“Oh she definitely is, Edith already bought a lot of gifts and even set up a savings bond for her to get when she’s older.”
“She? So you’re having a girl?”
“Yeah, I found out in my twenty-fourth week. Edith and I set up a cute little nursery for her, complete with my mom’s rocking chair she used when I was a baby… so I’ll be able to use it for my own daughter.”
Anthony nodded, going back to focusing on massaging her back. Eventually he grew a bit too curious and asked something else.
“So uh… I guess the father isn’t in the picture?”
Esther’s eyes widened, hand drifting down to her belly and smiled sadly.
“No… he was a good man who never got to learn he was going to be a father. He worked in the Greed Ring and some stupid prick with an angelic gun came and…” She quickly wiped away the incoming tears. “S-Sorry, I haven’t been able to control my emotions since I started showing.”
“No no it’s okay, something like that is completely normal… and I’m sorry about the father. I lost my twin sister, so I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you.”
They fell into silence when she yawned and rubbed her eyes.
“I think I would like to sleep now.”
“Okay, we’ll wake you up later when it’s time for dinner. Besides, you’re gonna need all the rest you can get before the squirt drains all of it.”
Esther giggled, laying back down on the mountain of pillows behind her and falling asleep. Quietly placing a blanket over her bloated form, he got up and walked away back upstairs to see Husk leaning against the wall.
“Didn’t know you were the type to have siblings. Always thought you were an only child.”
“I’m from a mafia family, of course I had siblings that I would ride or die for. One of them’s here but most definitely hidden or fucked off to the Greed Ring… and another up in Heaven with her son.” Anthony replied, smiling fondly like he was recalling some memories.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Vox was making some sweet potato soup for dinner as he was adding the broth to the metal stock pot. It was coming to a boil he placed the lid on to wait until the sweet potatoes were cooked enough to be puree. As he waited, he was approached by the Radio Demon whose shadow cuddled up to him like a cat wanting attention. Vox was more than happy to grant that for it as he petted its head.
He caught his partner staring out into the foyer, watching Esther sleep while looking deep in thought about something. The television demon has seen that look before, one where he contemplates about something and decides to ask.
“Al? Something wrong?”
“I’m okay… This is certainly a first for the hotel, to be taking in a resident expecting a child. My mama worked as a midwife for a little while so I’m no stranger to this.”
Vox smiled. “I know what you mean, I actually used to have three younger sisters when I was alive. I was there for the birth of each of them, so in case things start to go south, we’ll at least have some knowledge of what to do.”
Alastor looked at him.
“You have sisters?”
“Yeah, Jill, Donna, and Polly were their names. I recall meeting up with them in Heaven when they arrived… but they eventually chose to be reincarnated while I stayed to run my show.”
“... Do you miss them?”
“Everyday, but I’m not as lonely as you think. For I have you, our friends, and Vark.”
At the sound of his name being said, Vark came in the kitchen and rubbed against their legs. They both chuckled as Vox went to check on the soup. When the potatoes were soft enough, he started to puree the contents into a thick and creamy soup as he turned his head.
“Why don’t you go on and tell everyone dinner’s almost ready, so they’ll be going to bed full and content.”
“Okay then, be right back.”
Sharing a forehead boop together, Alastor leaves to tell the others as Vox looks over at Esther to make sure she’s okay. As his sight fell on her, he could’ve sworn he saw her brow furrowed and her hand moving down to grasp her stomach.
… He hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was.
~~~
“Hey Vox? Can I talk to you for a minute?”
After dinner, the spider sinner had caught Vox in the hallway to hopefully talk to him about something regarding Esther. At dinner, he could tell she didn’t have as much of an appetite while saying she felt too bloated to be hungry. He even managed to catch her holding onto the table for dear life, like she was on a boat that was rocking violently. Seeing as how he saw similar signs with his sister, he decided to bring it up with either Alastor or Vox about it in case something goes wrong and they’ll be prepared for it.
“Uhh sure, what about?” Vox asked.
“It’s about Esther. You noticed too, right? During dinner?”
“... Yeah, she was definitely slower and didn’t eat as much as I thought she would.”
“Well I think it’s a sign that she’s in early labor. When I was massaging her back earlier, I could feel the muscles in her back and stomach tighten for a moment and then release.”
Vox’s eyes widened, panic rising from the pit of his chest and sparks coming from his head.
“Are you sure? If so then I don’t think we could go out there to get to a doctor in case complications arise, I have SOME knowledge but not enough to be able to act as a midwife. And that isn’t even taking into account that the rooms are full and won’t have a chance to get some privacy or-”
“TV!” Anthony yelled, grabbing his shoulders. “It’s okay, the truth is when I was alive my sister was expecting, I learned a lot about this kind of thing. So maybe I can-”
But before he could continue anymore, Vox gets a ping from his phone and he checks it. He sighs and pockets it back.
“I’m sorry Anthony, Esther needs something. We’ll talk more when I get done with what she needs.”
He briskly walks down the stairs and back in the foyer, his sight falling on the imp who was staring down at the floor with her arms wrapped around her belly. Her eyes were open yet her mouth was shaped in a thin line, as if she was concentrating on something important. Vox at first wanted to place a hand on her shoulder and shake her back into reality, but thought against it as he didn’t want to frighten her. So instead he decided to call out to her and kneel in front of the couch.
“Esther? Did you need something?”
“Hmm?” Her eyes widened and shook her head, turning to look at Vox in the eyes. “Y-Yeah… I need to use the bathroom but I… I can’t get up on my own.”
“It’s okay, just take my hands and we’ll go to the nearest restroom.”
He stood up and held his hands out, seeing her grab on without hesitation and helped her up. However, as soon as they took a few steps away from the couch, Esther stopped in her tracks and groaned. Vox turned around to see her legs giving out and holding onto him for dear life, accidentally dragging him down with her. Her eyes were shut tight, and her form visibly shook as she tried to collect herself from what she felt just now.
“Esther? What’s wrong?” Vox asked worriedly.
“I… I don’t… I don’t feel so good.” Esther admitted. “My stomach and back are killing me, I don’t know what’s-”
She stopped when she felt a pop and a puddle forming under her as at first she thought she couldn’t hold it in. But with the pain, fatigue, and it being passed her due date… there was no denying it anymore. Esther was having her baby.
The pain came back and along with the terrifying revelation, she screamed and buried her face in his chest, quieting down when it passed as Vox took that chance to call for help.
“Hey guys!? I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM HERE!”
Immediately as he worked to get the imp woman to stand up again and back on the couch, the others came running down to see what the screaming was all about. But by the sight of Esther in pain, holding onto Vox’s shirt to the point of almost tearing it, the puddle on the floor gave more than enough hints as to what’s happening.
Then the panic set in.
“WHAT THE FUCK!?” Husk yelled. “WHAT’RE WE EXPECTED TO DO!? GET HER TO THE HOSPITAL!?”
“IN THAT HEATWAVE BLARING!? THE DOLL WILL BURN TO A CRISP!” Mimzy yelled also.
“I know this may look bad but we should keep-” Alastor tried to say to calm them down.
As the three yelled and panicked, Anthony was the only one that stayed silent. He looked between the three panicking and Vox trying to comfort a distressed Esther. This all brought back memories of his time alive and how distressed his sister looked when she was in this position, in that time there was no one to help them… not even a midwife.
But he was there for her. He was there to help her deliver her son and his nephew… and Esther needs someone like that more than ever. And that someone is going to be him.
He brings two of his fingers together and lets out a loud whistle, interrupting the panic and the attention falling on him.
“This is no time to be acting like chuckleheads, this baby is coming and the last thing Esther needs is a bunch of people running around like chickens without their heads. If we can’t get her to the hospital, then we’ll just have to do it here.” Anthony said, rolling up his sleeves and walking over to Esther.
“Do you… happen to know what to do Anthony?” Husk asked.
“I do, it’s a bit of a long story but that’s not important.” He turned his attention to the female imp and offered a smile. “Everything’s going to be okay, I won’t let anything happen to you or your baby.”
“Can… Can you guys find a way to get my… My sister here? She promised to be here to help me and I can’t do this without her.” Esther replied, tears streaming down her face.
“... I can’t promise we’ll make it in time, but I DO promise to get her here to be with you.” Alastor said, picking up the cloak she came in with to wear.
“Wait, you’re going out in that heatwave? By yourself?” Vox questioned, letting Anthony handle Esther to get up and head to his partner.
“It won’t be long, her sister was last seen in the grocery store, so she might be trapped there. Besides, Anthony could use some help in keeping Ms. Esther calm during a vulnerable time like this.” Alastor takes Vox’s hands in his. “I promise I’ll be careful, and to come back safe and sound with Esther’s sister.”
Vox sighed, but smiled. They share one last forehead touch as the Radio Demon leaves through the front door. Vox turns around to face Anthony, ready to face the situation head on.
“What do you need us to do?”
“Well first we’re gonna need supplies. Mimzy, get some towels and blankets. Husk, a bowl of hot water and a rag. Vox, I’ll need you to hold her and be her pillar of strength.”
“Got it!”
Everyone sets off to do the task given to them, hoping that Alastor will make it back in time before it’s too late.
~~~
The paradoxical heatwave showed no remorse as Alastor trudged through the city in the hopes of reaching the grocery store. Even with the fireproof cloak he could feel beads of sweat trickling down his face and body, waves of immense heat hitting him like waves from the ocean. He held on tight to the cloak to keep it from getting blown in the wind and leaving him vulnerable. He could hear the wooden planks on the buildings creak and moan by how intense the weather was, seeing nothing ahead but red and orange. He had to stop every now and then to catch his breath and rebuild the strength to keep going.
He realized how much more difficult finding the place was going to be, since he was focusing all his energy into standing and not falling over. He could barely keep his head up for more than a few seconds before having to lower it back down to conserve energy. But still, he needed to keep going, he couldn’t let everyone at the hotel down since he promised to come back.
Suddenly he sees something in the distance, standing out among the red and orange. He moved forward to see what it could be… only to see something he would not expect to see out in the heatwave.
Right in front of him was Charlie, laying back in a foldable chair while wearing a red bikini and shades. She was holding a tanning reflector while a little dragon servant was serving her a drink as they burned in the heatwave. But Charlie doesn’t seem to notice or care as she tilted her head to face him.
“Oh hi Alastor! Wonderful weather we’re having isn’t it? Perfect to go out and sunbathe!” She greeted him.
“Is this where you’ve been all this time?”
The Princess of Hell scoffed. “Of course! This heatwave comes once in a while, and the heat in the Wrath Ring just isn’t hot enough for me. This Heatwave is the only time I can get to sunbathe. It’s not that hard to figure out Al, keep up.” She said while snapping her fingers a few times.
Alastor simply sighed and decided to at least ask her before getting back to trudging his way to where he needed to go.
“Look, I’m kind of in a bit of a hurry right now. One of the imps that we took in has gone into labor, and she wants her sister to be there. She said she was in the grocery store when the heatwave began and I need to get there.”
“Oh? Is that why you’re out here? The place you’re looking for is right over there.”
Charlie pointed across the street, getting back to her sunbathing and accepting the drink to take a sip from. With that settled, he makes his way to the doors of the store and stumbles his way in. He breathed heavily in exhaustion, glad to be out of the heat for now as those who were taking refuge looked in surprise at the doors suddenly bursting through.
One of them came up to help him, but quickly retracted their hands when they felt how hot he was from the heatwave. Removing the hood and goggles, he looked up to see an imp woman that looked a lot like Esther. Except her hair was black and the fringe was swooped in the opposite side. His energy came back to him, standing back up as he looked over her to make sure he got the right person. But decided to ask just to be extra sure.
“Excuse me, but you wouldn’t happen to be Esther’s sister would you?”
The imp woman looked at him in confusion at first, but when she heard Esther, her demeanor changed.
“Wait, you know Esther? And where she is? Oh my GOD I’ve been worrying about her for the past few hours now! I was unsure if she was safe or not or if her baby was even safe with the-”
She rambled and paced back and forth, combing her hair with her fingers as Alastor stepped in and placed a hand on her shoulder, getting her to stop.
“Esther is alright, she’s safe and sound at the Hazbin Hotel and was equally worried about you. But sadly we need to get back right away, she’s having her baby as we speak.”
“... Then why the fuck didn’t you say anthing!? Let’s go then!”
Grabbing his arm, she dragged him back outside as he was quick to hide her inside the coat to keep her safe from the roaring heatwave. Now they just had to make it back in time.
~~~
Back at the Hazbin Hotel, Esther was battling through another contraction as she moaned and whined. She was on her knees as she held onto Vox who made sure she didn’t fall forward. He offered words of support and encouragement as Anthony was behind her checking her progress, letting her know how close she was and instructing her to breathe and relax when she showed signs of being overwhelmed. Her fingers dug into Vox’s shirt and skin as she gritted her teeth.
“It’s almost over Esther, just keep breathing and it’ll pass…” Vox whispered, lightly brushing his fingers through her damp and sweaty hair.
“I’m trying… god this hurts…” She whimpered.
“I know it does, but you gotta hang in there until Al comes back with your sister.”
Finally, she relaxed as the contraction passed, going somewhat limp in his hold. Anthony looked up from where he was.
“You’re just about there Esther, just a few more contractions and you should be ready to start pushing.”
Esther didn’t reply, just more focused on relaxing when she could before the next contraction started. Anthony worked on digging his thumbs into her lower back to relieve some of the pressure that’s building. As they lull until the next contraction, they hear Esther sobbing into Vox’s shoulder.
“Hey, hey what’s wrong? Does something hurt?” Vox asked.
“... I’m not ready.”
The two looked at each other in worry, wondering what she meant. She gently lifted her head and moved a bit away from Vox but he kept his hands on her shoulders to keep her steady as she looked up with tears in her eyes.
“We… We had a plan for when this happens. We were gonna go to the Sloth Ring and get to Sloth General, I would be injected with an epidural, my sister Edith would be here holding my hand in lieu of the father…” She started sobbing again when another contraction hit. “BUT THEN THE STUPID HEATWAVE RUINED EVERYTHING! I can’t have this baby now! So please, please don’t make me do this…!”
Anthony felt pity for Esther, who was breaking down from things not going as planned. It sent a pang to his heart, knowing what it was like to be suffering alone with no one to help or even comfort you. It was something he went through with his sister when she was struggling to deliver her son. He moved some of her hair out of her face, wiping away the tears that were trailing down her cheeks.
“Esther? Esther, look at me.” Anthony said, getting the imp woman to turn her head to make eye contact with him.
“I know you’re tired, and I know you’re scared because of your plan falling apart. But you were able to get here, where your daughter can be born safe and sound. And you’re not alone in this either, I’m with you, Vox is with you, everyone in this hotel is with you. Right now your child needs you, it’s not a matter if you can, you must . You’re almost there, and I’ll let you know when you can start pushing okay?”
Esther smiled, appreciative of the encouragement when they heard the door open and close. They turned to the source to see Husk and Mimzy helping Alastor and another imp woman back on their feet when Esther called out.
“Edith!”
“Esther!”
Edith was immediately at her sister’s side, taking her hand in hers as she was happy to see her sister safe and sound away from the heatwave.
“I was so worried! I thought I wouldn’t have you by my side through this! But these people… they’ve been taking care of me.”
Edith scoffed. “Oh please, I wouldn’t miss the birth of my niece for the world! Not even during an extermination day.”
“Esther.” Anthony spoke up, causing her to look at him and away from her sister. “It’s time.”
The spider sinner then turned to the others watching.
“Everyone else, go upstairs until one of us says it’s okay to come back down... We’re gonna need some privacy for this one.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Was all Husk said before flying upward.
“Hey no fair! You could’ve taken me with you!” Mimzy called out in anger.
Alastor simply put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down as they walked up the stairs to allow Anthony, Vox, and Edith to help Esther with the delivery.
“Okay on the count of three, push.”
~~~
It has been almost an hour since they went upstairs, and the wait was starting to grow thin. Some of the other residents came downstairs to see what was going on, until a loud scream from Esther answered their question. Some like Joon and Yuto were curious as to what’s happening downstairs and wanted to go see, but the others were quick to convince them that childbirth is not something everyone can witness. While others like Tyler and Mikey were content with waiting and chatted about what the baby would look like and some of their past lives.
“My life never really allowed me to just settle down and start a family of my own, but killing babies was one of the things my old biker gang were NOT on board with.” Tyler explained.
“I was the baby of my family, but what babies I’ve seen were cute when swaddled…” Mikey gasped and turned to Joon. “Joon-Joon! Let’s have a family when we’re married!”
“I’m on board with that! But let’s enjoy ourselves first before we go as far as kids.” Joon replied, taking his hand in his.
Mimzy chuckled at the two’s reaction and turned to Alastor next to her.
“Hey Al, remember when your mother joked about us getting together so we can give her grandchildren to smother?”
“Oh yes Mimzy, and I definitely remember how you flat out told her that you would have to get me really drunk to do something like that!”
“Hey! It’s not like she took offence to that! And it’s not like it won’t be a matter of time before you and Vox make a decision like that.”
Alastor faced her with an exasperated look on his face.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Oh don’t act shy, I know you and Voxy will make great parents. Like that Olea kid you watched over? I mean it’s impossible since ninety percent of sinners can’t reproduce down here, but at least you two can go into adoption.”
Alastor couldn’t believe the words of his best friend, always knowing what to say to get a reaction out of him. Although he wouldn’t deny it, it’s not like he and his partner DIDN’T talk about the idea of having children of their own before. After Olea the idea of raising one of their own didn’t sound like a bad idea at all, in fact Vox was happy to hear that. They talked for hours about what their kid would look like and what they would grow up to be, who they would take after more and what they would do in parenting.
“And only limited screentime until they’re at an appropriate age to see some things from it.”
“Uh, Vox?”
“And no matter what, they’ll eat their vegetables in order to get their dessert. If our kid is going to be things, a picky eater isn’t one of them.
“Vox?”
“And we’ll certainly have to look for the best way for them to get a good education, if they wanna get into a good college they’ll have to get into a pretty good-”
“Vox!”
“What?”
“So how long will it be until they can see their other dad?”
God the look on Vox’s face was priceless.
They hear someone coming down the stairs, seeing that it was only Jane Doe as she yawned and rubbed her eyes.
“What’s going on out here?”
A baby’s cry could be heard downstairs, everyone but Jane felt warmth and joy filling them. Jane Doe was even more confused than ever, she doesn’t recall any of the others living here to have been with child, so she decided to get answers.
“What’s going on? Who had a baby?”
“An imp woman darling, and sounds like it went well.” Mimzy replied.
Vox slowly walked up the stairs, bags under his eyes that showed how tired he was. But he still had a smile on his screen when he faced the others.
“Esther and her daughter are fine, exhausted as hell as one would expect… but the delivery went smoothly with no complications. Do any of you wanna come and see the-”
They all ran past him except for Alastor and Jane Doe, the three of them managed to catch up as Vox called out.
“Make sure to be quiet so you don’t disturb the baby.
And right there, on the couch propped up with pillows and blankets, Anthony gathering the stained and bloodied towels, and Edith sitting next to Esther as she held a bundle of blue blankets close to her body. Nuzzled in the bundle was a small baby imp, sleeping peacefully after making her entrance to the world. Two tiny horn stubs were poking out of her white hair with black in the parting, the baby wiggled a bit and let out a tiny yawn.
The small action was enough to make everyone’s hearts jump as Esther looked up at the demons that helped her through this whole ordeal.
“Everyone, I would like you all to meet my daughter… Ellie.”
“Words cannot express how thankful we are for you all helping me and Esther, we are forever in your debt.” Edith said while looking at her new niece.
“It’s no trouble at all. Even if you’re not clients, you’re welcomed here as a safe place anytime.” Alastor reassured.
As everyone cooed and fawned over baby Ellie, Husk noticed Jane Doe didn’t seem to share the same excitement like the others. He walked into her vision.
“What’s up Jane? Not a big fan of kids?”
“Umm… N-No, it’s not that. I’m glad for them, I really am but… I don’t think I wanna get too close.”
“... Oh, okay then.” Was all he said as he walked to get a look at the newborn himself.
She lied about not wanting to get too close, she doesn’t know why but… seeing a mother and her baby together, it made her envious. How can that imp woman have something like that but she can’t? It made her jealous… It made her feel frustrated.
At least the heatwave shouldn’t be lasting much longer so they can leave and she wouldn’t have to think about that feeling again.